Author's Note: This is my first pairing fic, so it may not be all that great. I love Arcanine and Ninetales, and I just had a random idea and decided to put it on paper - er, a Word document. Since I'm writing five stories at the same time, it may take me a while to update this (probably around every two weeks or so), since some of the other ones are higher priority. By the way, it's really Romance/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Tragedy. xD Anyway, enjoy! =)

EDIT: Kit's name has been changed to Kisu. Seems like 'Kit' is a popular name for a certain kitsune Pokemon... (See awesome story Pilot Lights) Whatever, I think Kisu fits better in my story anyhow. Also, I realized that my story is AR (Alternate Reality), as will be evident in the next few chapters. If you don't like it, don't read it. =P

Rating Info: Rated T for gore, violence, mild-to-medium language, romance, and use of weapons. No adult themes though.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Nintendo, Pokemon, Arcanine/Windie, Ninetales/Kyukon, or any other related characters. I do own any OCs (Original Characters); however, I do not own the Pokemon characters they may or may not be based on.


Mystic Fire

Prologue

"That was great, Kisu! Now it's my turn!" the Growlithe yipped.

"Ooh, what're you gonna be, Windblaze?" the Shiny Vulpix chirped eagerly.

"Hmm…" The striped puppy Pokemon pondered the simple question with childlike innocence before coming to the conclusion, "I'll be… Tyranitar! Rrraaawrr!!" Windblaze snapped at the golden Vulpix fiercely, and pounced on her.

After tumbling around for a while, Kisu scrambled out of the melee, then said slyly, "In that case, I'll be Lucario! Close Combat!!" she shouted, then lunged at her friend, attacking with her paws.

"Graaah!! Now Tyranitar is angry!!" Windblaze tried to roar, but it sounded too cute and squeaky for his liking and he decided to go with a slightly more intimidating growl.

"Hey, no fair!" Kisu protested. "Fighting-type moves are double super effective against Tyranitar!"

"What? If you're trying to say something, you're forgetting that Tyranitar don't have ears!"

"They do too! They- ACK!" Her protests were cut short by the Growlithe's Tackle.

"RAAWWR!! Rahh! Ha ha ha ha!" His roars turned to barks of joy, and soon both fox and dog Pokemon were soon rolling on the ground, yipping with laughter.

A gentle spring breeze ruffled the fiery manes of two Arcanine, looking on from a hill in the distance, black with the shadows of night. "They're growing up so fast," one murmured gently.

"Yes… I remember when Windblaze and the others hatched." Her mate sighed. "I wish this past winter had not been so harsh, else they would have been alive."

Silence ensued, then the Growlithe's mother noted, "Ah, but Soruno, without the cold snows of winter, we would not have found Kisu, and she is as wonderful a friend as any of Windblaze's littermates would be."

"True enough. And I am proud to have Windblaze as my son," his father rumbled. Both parents touched noses, and a rare smile appeared on their muzzles.

It seemed impossible that in a matter of seconds, all this would be torn away from them.

Gunshots blasted through the warm air, the bullets implanting themselves in the chest of the mother Arcanine and leaving a permanent expression of shock and agony etched on her face. She trembled once with a single paw raised, then collapsed and lay still.

"Hikomei!" Soruno cried. Bullets whizzed past him, and one managed to clip his ear. Ignoring the tremendous pain, he growled through clenched fangs, "No…NNOO!! WRRROAHH!!" Soruno's enraged roar echoed across the hills, challenging whomever dared murder his mate. A small explosion of dust before his paws told him his challenge had been accepted.

Nearly a third of a mile away, Windblaze's ears flared at the sound of his father's thunder. "Didjou hear that?" he whispered fearfully to his adopted sister.

"Y-yeah," Kisu shivered.

"It's my father! We have to go help him!"

With clumsy pup steps, they raced as fast as possible to the sound of the roar, only to find Soruno, silhouetted against the full moon, standing in front of the two young ones. He was bleeding heavily from wounds on his shoulders, flanks, and legs, as well as long scratches on his muzzle and back, presumably from rolling to dodge the fire from…

Facing the Arcanine was a gaunt man wearing sunglasses despite the darkness of night, bearing a long gun, and with his mouth twisted into a wicked grin: a Pokemon Hunter.

"Father?" Windblaze squeaked.

"Get away from here, now!" Soruno snarled. The wind rippled his once-luxurious fur, now stained with crimson splotches. The Pokemon Hunter locked his gun into position, preparing to fire.

"But, f-father…" The Growlithe pup whimpered, flattening his ears, and Kisu took a step back.

"GO!"

In that instant, time seemed to blur. Soruno snapped at Windblaze and Kisu, driving them back, then, pelt ablaze with red fire, whirled to face the man. He was shot once, twice, thrice. He only faltered once. Then he charged, and with the last of his fading life struck the Hunter with a final Flare Blitz. And in that moment, the two young Pokemon's lives were shattered forever.

The man was obviously prepared, however, for though he was engulfed in the angry flames, only the impact seemed to hurt him. But it was enough.

"You heard him! Move!" Kisu jolted the mortified lion pup out of his conflicting emotions, and they ran headlong over hill after hill. "To the forest!" she shouted over the rush of air in their ears.

They didn't have long, that much was obvious. But they didn't know how little time they had until the booms echoed behind them. Windblaze yelped and picked up the pace in fear, dashing to and fro in random directions.

"Windblaze!" Kisu gasped, but it was too late. The Growlithe stumbled and fell to the ground. But it was not a bullet protruding from his side – it was a dart. He might still be alive, though she shuddered to think of what the man would do with her friend. With tears in her eyes, the golden Vulpix realized that the only way for either of them to survive was for her to flee, and then return for him as soon as the danger had passed.

"I promise I will come back for you. I swear it on the Nine-Tails Crest and the light of the moon," she wept, placing an oath upon her pride and the sacred item of all Vulpix and Ninetales. At the time, she did not know why she had included moonlight, but it seemed appropriate then.

As the Pokemon hunter stalked to the unmoving bodies of Hikomei, Soruno, and Windblaze, the kitsune Pokemon made it into the forest, safe at last.

"I will search for you forever…"


Author's Note: Um... not much to say here. ...Reviews please? If you don't, you may find several household items torched by a stray Fire Blast from Windblaze... FEAR THE PUPPIES!! XD

EDIT: Whoa! While randomly searching for Ninetales pics to possibly use as my avatar, I found the picture of Light Ninetales from the Neo Destiny TCG set. And it's standing next to what looks exactly like the edge of the forest I imagined would look like! Except Kisu is still a Vulpix at the time, and Shiny, but oh well!