Smoke drifted into the clearing of a forest. Many stopped to smell the air. Forest fires were not uncommon, the question was if it would come this way. The smell was faint and the smoke just a trace. There was no danger to them here. Life continued on its way.

A light blue young one noses her way through the clearing, learning her family's area. Staying no farther than two steps behind her is her older brother, larger and light purple. He is still young and the smoke has spooked him. He only wanted to keep his sister safe.

Wrongness. The smoke is wrong. It smells of fire far off, yet more smoke comes and the scent gets stronger. The herd is tense. Even the young have stopped milling about, drawing closer to their parents.

Panic. So much movement. Unfamiliar sounds. The two siblings freeze. Too much confusion. He acts first. He nudges his younger sister, who shakes with fear. She doesn't move at first, only stares at him with wide red eyes. He pushes her again, a little harder this time. Now she moves, stumbles backwards. He follows, keeping close.

They run. They run without looking back, without knowing why, but knowing they have to.


Two days they spend on their own. He keeps them safe from those who would harm them. She helped find berries and roots for the two to eat.

It was difficult, the two were far too young to be alone. But no matter how they searched, they could find no trace of their herd. Yet for two young ones, they managed.

And then they came. The two had been on edge all day, as if they had sensed something was coming. Something bad. But they were too young to realize the danger they were in.

Three humans stumbled across them. They tried to run but every path seemed to be blocked. The older brother bravely stood firm, as if he could create a barrier between them and his timid little sister, who cowered behind him. They spoke in their own tongue, a language they were both too young to understand.

Then the first took steps toward them.

The brother wasted no time. He leaped on the human, attacking with everything he had. He only wanted to keep his sister safe.

But he was only one Pokémon. As he kept the first of them away with surprising force, the other two were advancing.

She wanted to run away, she didn't want to stay there any longer, but her brother was here. She looked on in concern as he tried to keep them away, trying to think of a way to help him, but she didn't know how to fight. And then the two shadows came closer. Glancing to her left and right, she saw the other two humans coming near. She backed up a little, every instinct telling her to run, but she couldn't leave her brother here alone. As they got even closer, she gave in to her instincts and turned to dash away, but it was too late.

The shriek of his sister distracted him from this human. He looked up in time to see one of the other humans push her into a bag held by the third. Anger and fear coursed through him. He jumped from this human and ran to the one holding the struggling bag. His attacks came fast a furious now, with a power he didn't know he had. His only thought was to get to his little sister.

And then the pain hit. He wasn't sure what hit him, never saw anything come close as he almost reached the bag. And then he fell to the ground, the bag far out of reach. He tried to stand up but the pain came again, one of the humans must have hit him with something. He was hit again and again until he stopped struggling. The humans spoke in their language again, sounds that he never understood - "Too much trouble, leave him."

The pain was too much for the young one, he fell into darkness as the terrified shrieks of his sister started to fade away.


Time passes, and distance grows. Both brother and sister are rescued - one physically from her captivity, one emotionally by saving a human. Two trainers, in two regions, take in the brother and sister and care for them. The past becomes the past, harsh memories are buried in an attempt to forget.

And then, a chance meeting. In the same city, the same crowd, a timid Nidoran and a brave Nidorino, one skirting the edge and one walking easily through the crowds of people. Their eyes meet for just a moment before the crowd separates them again. Feelings long buried rise to the surface, now unfamiliar to each. The two trainers see odd behavior in their Pokémon and show concern, but nothing can be done here.

Something happens and she becomes spooked. She dashes away, leaving crowd and trainer behind. He follows, he doesn't know why but knows that he has to. He follows her, finds her and comforts her. She feels safe with him, she's not sure what causes this feeling but knows he won't let anything happen to her.

Their two trainers find them that way, the Nidorino keeping the Nidoran safe. They talk, they speak of the coincidence, and they let the two stay together. Eventually, they part. Both are reluctant to see the other go, but they know this isn't the end. They will see each other again, their story is just beginning.