A Vigoroth's claws slashed wildly at a young Poochyena. Luckily, the small, gray creature was quick enough to dodge each time, but was tiring rapidly. The fur ball bared its teeth, suddenly springing forward and headbutting the large white foe in the gut. It staggered back, winded.
An unfamiliar voice interrupted. "Uh, are you okay?"
The Poochyena turned to see a fuzzy, brown and cream Pokemon.
"Stay back, Zigzagoon. I can handle this alone," the dark-type growled. It turned its attention back to the battle, but the Tinyraccoon interrupted again.
"Well, you look like you're being bashed around a bit, dude..."
The Poochyena glared at him, seething through its teeth. "Did you just call me a dude?"
"Wait..." The Zigzagoon blinked several times. "You're a...girl?"
The gray fur ball glowered at him with her bright, unnerving eyes. Growling lowly, she began to advance on him.
"Uhh, I mean, of course you're a girl! I... err... I-I'm sorry!" he panicked, taking a few backward steps.
"As soon as I'm done with this guy," she began, her voice dangerously low, "I am going to bite you so hard in your- !" she howled suddenly as the Vigoroth raked its claws at her, having finally caught its breath.
"Oh no you don't, you big ugly brute!" The striped creature yelped as it charged the Vigoroth with a powerful tackle attack. The sharp-clawed enemy screeched as it fell over, but quickly recovered and leapt back onto its feet. It took one last look at its two opponents before grunting and fleeing.
Zigzagoon frowned. "I guess it's too much of a chicken to fight two-against-one."
"You..."
The fuzzy Pokemon looked over to where the gray bundle lay. A few blotches of blood stained the grass around her.
"You made me lose..." she whimpered softly. "You distracted me... you... you..."
"I saved you," Zigzagoon insisted. "If I hadn't been here you'd be torn into a million shreds by now. You're lucky to be alive..."
"If you hadn't been here I would have been more focused!" she barked angrily. "I would have won... but now I'm a failure!"
"Don't think of it that way. Think of it as, we beat him, together."
"Together..." she repeated weakly.
"Yeah. Kind of like a team."
The dark-type stared into the grass. A small frown appeared on her face and her mind seemed to wander elsewhere. Zigzagoon padded over to her.
"Are you hurt?" he asked. "You're bleeding..."
"They're just scratches. They will heal in time... And it's only a little blood," the wolf-like Pokemon replied as she got to her feet.
"Well, if you say so," the raccoon-like Pokemon said. "Hey, by the way, what's your nickname?"
"It's..." She tilted her head, as if trying to remember. There was a small pause. "Pooch."
"I'm Ziggy," Ziggy smiled.
"Ah... You too, huh?"
"Me too, what?"
"You have a dumb name too."
"Oh. I guess so!" the normal-type chuckled. His tail began to wag gleefully.
"Hmm... I almost forgot..." Pooch bristled out her fur.
Ziggy blinked. "Huh?"
Several things happened at once.
Ziggy's tail immediately caught Pooch's attention. Her pupils shrank drastically and she bared her fangs at him. He didn't have time to react. Within seconds her jaws were clamped down on his big bushy tail.
He yowled in pain, thrashing around in a desperate attempt to throw her off. She sank her teeth deeper each time he flailed. After a few more moments of yowling and thrashing, Pooch slowly removed her fangs from him. Ziggy slumped down in relief.
"What the hell was that for?" He snapped angrily at her.
Pooch snarled back. "For calling me a dude, remember?"
"I thought you'd forgiven me for that! Y'know, since I saved your life and all!" Ziggy growled as he began to lick at his wound. "Look! You made my tail crooked!"
He was right. Pooch had bitten so hard that there was now a permanent kink in Ziggy's tail.
"Don't be such a whiner," the gray-furred Pokemon grumbled.
Before he could reply, a loud screeching sound erupted from nearby. The pair's eyes widened as they saw a whole pack of Vigoroth screaming and charging at them.
"We're outnumbered!" Pooch barked, panic in her voice.
"Run!" Ziggy yelped, but she had already bolted, tail between her legs. He didn't hesitate in dashing after her in a zig-zag pattern.
She was fast, but he was faster. He soon caught up and ran alongside her. "We can't run forever!" he gasped. "We have to hide somewhere!"
"I know that!" she snapped. They ran on, scanning the area for any hiding places as they passed. Without warning, the Poochyena slammed into him, sending him tumbling uncontrollably down a hole in the ground. He grunted as he hit the bottom, and again as she landed on top of him.
"Shh!" she hushed frantically, covering his mouth with both of her front paws.
Above their heads, they heard the stampede of Vigoroth pounding their big paws on the ground as they passed.
"That was close..." Pooch said, moving her paws off of the striped, fuzzy Pokemon. She climbed out of the hole and shook the dirt out of her fur.
"Yeah," Ziggy agreed, following suit, "but warn me the next time you want to push me down a hole."
"Of course," she nodded. "Are you alright?"
"Oh, you mean, after you used my tail as a chew-toy, or after you shoved me down a hole, or after you flattened me?"
The dark-type scowled. "Well excuse me." Then she huffed and scampered off.
He frowned as he watched her disappear, before zig-zagging away.
Some time later, Ziggy arrived in Amber Square, Fable Town. He passed three shops on the way to his destination: Kangaskhan Storage, Persian Bank, and Electabuzz Link Shop. The owners waved fondly to him as he passed, and he flashed them all toothy grins in response.
"Ziggy!" a voice called, capturing his attention. The Zigzagoon smiled warmly as he spotted a Plusle waving from behind a counter, her brother Minun sitting to her right. Ziggy bounded over to greet them.
"Hiya Ziggy! How ya doin'?" the Plusle said. "You say hi too, Minh!"
Minh, the Minun, remained silent.
"Miiiiinh?" the pink Pokemon called. "Minh! Miiinh!"
"Huh?" Minh mumbled as he shook himself awake.
"MINH! How can you fall asleep at work?" the sister yelled, irritated.
"Relax, Pulse... I've been working all morning, and this sun makes me drowsy..." Minh yawned, leaning back in his chair and drifting back to sleep.
"You are so lazy!" Pulse complained. Minh was everything she was not: She was bubbly and hyperactive whereas Minh was a total lazy slob. They both had a good heart though.
Ziggy cleared his throat.
"Oh!" Pulse jumped, remembering their customer. "Sorry about that, Ziggy! What can we get you? Seeds? Berries? Orbs?"
"Nothing special. Just the usual Oran Berry," Ziggy explained.
"Yep! Coming right up!" Pulse said cheerily, rummaging through a box behind the counter. "Oran Berry, where are you?" Pulse opened up another box and scrambled around. "Oh noes! No no no no no!" She tipped the box upside down, spilling the contents all over the counter. She took a worried glance over all the items.
"No more left!" She cried, flopping into a heap of despair. "That Poochyena must have bought the last ones!"
Ziggy blinked. "A... Poochyena?"
"Yep! Weird, right? You normally don't see any Poochyena around here. Must be traveling through the area or something."
"Hmm... What was this Poochyena like?"
"She was such a meanie! She snarled at us because Minh accidentally called her a him... and she didn't even say please or thank you!" Pulse told him, waving her arms around in exasperation. "Why do you ask? Do you know her, or something?"
The fuzzy-furred Pokemon nodded. "Yeah, if it's who I'm thinking of, then I met her this morning."
"Oh... Was she a meanie to you, too?"
"Well, I saved her from a nasty Vigoroth..."
"You saved her? Wow! You're so brave and kind, Ziggy! You're a hero!" Pulse's eyes shone with wonder.
Ziggy blushed lightly. "Pooch didn't see it that way... She almost bit my tail off..."
"Your tail? Is it alright? Does it need treatment?" the pink electric-type asked, concerned, as she leapt over the counter to inspect it. "OMG! YOUR TAIL IS BENT!" She shrieked with surprise, staggering backwards with wide-eyes.
Ziggy winced as she reached out to touch it. "I know... but it stopped bleeding. Do you have bandages?"
"Oh! Bandages! Of course!" The Cheering Pokemon scrambled back over the counter and pulled out a first aid kit. "Ta-Da!" She popped open the box and reached inside. "Bandages, where are you? AHA!" Pulse emerged with a long roll of bandages. "Here, let me do it!"
The pink and white Pokemon once again hopped over the counter. She unraveled some bandages and began to wrap them gently around Ziggy's wound. "There!" She grinned when she was finished, standing back to admire her handy work.
"Thanks, Pulse! You're the best!" The Tinyraccoon beamed with appreciation.
Pulse giggled, blushing madly. "I-It's nothing! Really! Easy as cherry pie!"
"Well, I could never do anything like that, 'cause I'm on all fours. I'm lucky to have a friend like you."
"R-Really? You think so? Thank you, Ziggy!" Pulse said, now even more red.
"Well, I've got to be going now. Mama is still sick," Ziggy said sadly, "and I need to look after her. I'll be back in a few days to see if you have any more Oran Berries."
"Yep, we'll have more in stock by then. I hope your Mama gets better soon!"
The cream and brown Pokemon's gaze dropped to the ground. "Yeah... I really hope so, too. Bye, Pulse."
"See ya, Ziggy! I'll tell Minh you said bye when he eventually wakes up."
Ziggy gave a weak smile in response, then dashed off, zig-zagging between citizens.
Pooch's lungs burned with exertion. Her muscles ached. But she had to keep on running, not for her own life, but for someone else's. She was determined to get back in time. She had no choice.
The sun was setting slowly, glazing the land below it in a dim orange light. Soon the night would arrive. It was going to be a cold night, despite the pleasant weather during the day.
There wasn't much of a distance left for the wolf-like Pokemon to travel, but that was no excuse to slow down. She ran on, even faster.
The last glimpse of sunlight flashed brightly before completely fading. The sky became a dark blue backdrop, decorated with tiny sparkles of light and a big, round, silver orb.
Pooch saw the cave. She darted towards it, panting heavily.
"Brother?" she called once inside. "Brother, are you alright?" Pooch padded over to a bed made of soft, dry leaves. Upon it, another Poochyena lay sleeping. He was larger than Pooch and his fur was shaggier. One of his legs was severely injured, and his left ear had been painfully torn out of his skull, leaving a hole in the side of his head. Several patches of fur had also been ripped out, revealing the charred flesh beneath.
Pooch winced at the sight of it.
She nudged him lightly under the chin. He shivered before slowly opening his eyes.
"P-Pooch..." he whispered weakly. "I feel so-" He stopped as he suddenly began coughing uncontrollably.
"It's very lucky that you're alive, Brother. You might not survive another night... I am very worried." His sister told him, eyes shining.
"Don't be so formal... I..." Another coughing fit hit him. "Call me by my name."
"Farran... I found some Oran Berries to help you get better," Pooch said, placing the berries on the ground in front of him.
"Thank you..." Farran rasped. He slowly lifted himself up. Pooch allowed him to lean on her as he gained his balance. He reached down and chewed up the nearest berry. "Mmm... these are good... I feel better al-already..." He gobbled up another. "Come on, Pooch. You need to eat too... try some."
She frowned worriedly. "I can't. They're for you, Farran... If I help myself, there won't be enough to make you better."
Farran tilted his head, a weak smile on his face. "You have to eat too, Sis. And don't worry so much... I'll be fine, just like always, I promise. I just need time to rest." He nudged one of the berries towards her with his nose. "Eat it."
Pooch hesitated, but reached down and ate it. Her brother smiled at her, then lay back down in the leafy bed. He beckoned her over to rest next to him, and she did so, snuggling gently against his warm body. Soon, the siblings' breathing slowed to a calm rhythm and they drifted to sleep together.
Author's Notes: Thanks for reading all that! It seems like a LOT of reading to me...
I did get part of the second chapter done, but that was written a year ago and I ran out of steam for it so it went on hiatus, but if you liked this PLEASE let me know. I'm hoping to get back into writing it because, if I may say so myself, the plot later on is GREAT with some pretty good twists... I wouldn't want to put that to waste, but if nobody wants to read it then why should I continue writing? So please, let me know what you thought. (I know the dialogue sucked, sorry D:)
~.Duck.