This is yet another official update. If you're reading this, you probably read the first chapter and decided to continue. Please let it be known that this and the first chapter are the only completely revamped chapters available. Any chapters that follow this as of January 23, 2011, are not edited even if they say that they are. The only surefire way you will know if the chapter is completely re-editted is if it has a letter of approval by me like the first chapter and this chapter.

Thank You,

BFoS (01/23/11)

Chapter 2: The Curse's Victim

It had gotten late. Zap returned to his den, alert and ready for battle.

No wires here, he thought, and eased his guard.

Inside, his den was much smaller than his previous home locations. It was all a den was supposed to be; a small hollow, where one could live out in shelter, with a fountain of flowing water at the end. The remainder of their needs would be found down in the fields. However, for such a long time, Zap had been the only one who had ever left their den for any resources.

Tonight was much different. He took great notice when stepping inside and gave one long sweep of their rugged living spaces. Someone was amiss, leaving Zap startled for what was the first time in months.

He rushed up to Rachel, who appeared sound asleep.

"Where is she?" Zap shouted.

Rachel awoke quickly.

"Whom?"

"Cathrine; where did she go?" Zap asked, through gritted teeth.

"Is she not back?"

She let her wander! Zap thought.

He backed away from his mate, looking back towards the exit.

"Which way?"

"She went out to the fields—wait! Zap!"

He was gone in an instant, trotting out of the den in a blur, and jumping from rock-to-rock down the mountain path with expertise. Rachel did not follow. She stood by the entrance, and watched at a distance as Zap reached the base of the mountain, and continued onwards into the forest. She began to have feelings that maybe this was a bad idea. She just could not figure out who it was worse for.


What does she think she is doing! How does she have the gull to leave like she owns the world! And what was Rachel doing when she decided to run away!

Angry thoughts ran through Zap's mind, but he could not help himself. His adrenaline was high and his mind had jumped from at ease so fast, sparks flashed with every step in his agile trot. His sparks were sure to attract any wondering Pokémon, and could even alert humans of his location faster than an Abra could teleport away from danger. But none of that mattered. What did matter, Zap could not muster into a coherent thought. Even through all his anger, there was only one name in high regards.

Cathrine!


She had a bruised paw. It was nothing she couldn't fake; it only hurt a little bit.

The Eevee had just finished a fight with a wondering Sandshrew, and was victorious. It had been her first battle against a wild, and she was feeling joyous.

"Something to tell mother for sure," Catherine laughed. Night had fallen. She had been out before, at least twice, but had never found a wild Pokémon to fight. Her mother had played distraction so she could move freely without the wondering eyes of her father. It was getting home that became the chore.

In both instances when she returned, she was caught by her father. She had been able to successfully lie to him, saying she had only just left to take a look at the scenery, a sight she never got much viewing pleasure of in the first place. She was returned home under the watchful eyes of her father, and then administered punishment by her mother. All she had to do was fake the scolding and short instance of pain when she'd be bitten. But the instant was beginning to grow into a swat of the paw. She believed that if she were to be administered punishment again, she'd really need to stretch her reaction to seem fragile.

For the past months, ever since the attack at their old den, Catherine was trained by her mother. Once Rachel knew the schedule of Zap's frequent on-guard trips, she carefully trained her kit to become a fighter, so she could readily defend herself.

She would relish speaking with her mother every instance of her first battle. The problem however, was finding a way back.

She hadn't been out during the night before. The darkness made things appear changed, and she could not find her return path. Catherine hadn't planned on making this an obstacle, but the longer she stayed out, the more she feared she wasn't going to make it back until dawn.

Unnerved but motivated, she refused to cower and retreat to a shelter and wait out the night.

Consequences would be worse if my father found out, she thought.

She took only a moment to clear her mind before taking a run at a tree, digging her claws into the bark to reach the first branch. From there, she climbed to the tallest branch, kicking soot out the leaves with her disturbance.

I must be towards the northern side of the mountain.

From the top branch, she could clearly see the towering mountain's direction, as well as a sea of trees ahead of her. She had gone off-course.

It will take me ages to get back!

Wasting no time, she eased her way down, jumping off before the last branch and landing with a bit of struggle. The ground was not easy on her paws, but she knew the way now, and ran as fast as her legs would carry.

Catherine was being a nuance to the surrounding habitat. So much so, that a resident had to step in.

She was caught off guard and tackled by a Sandslash. The two rolled for a moment or two. Now the wild creature had his grip on the Eevee, who growled and teeth were bared.

Catherine tried to bite back, and when he pulled back, she swiftly pulled away and trotted a safe distance back.

The two stared each other down, their only means of communication being the growling and scowling towards each other.

Behind the monster was the smaller Pokémon she had injured earlier that day.

He went back for his father? Well his father's going to get it too!

Catherine stood her ground, ready for the second fight of the night.

The Sandslash hulked his way towards her with a running start for the second hit—

—and was interrupted halfway by a flash of yellow, a surprise attack much like the one he had done to her.

Zap could not hold down the Pokémon because of its larger size, but he was able to climb onto his quill back, holding on and running a surge of electricity through the beast's body. From his hold, he bit down on a quill and kicked off the Sandslash, taking his prize with him.

Dazed, the Sandslash tried to zero in on the new target. Catching wind of Zap, he wasted no time in rolling into a ball and speeding towards him.

Moments before impact, Zap shot a powerful thunder on the ground before him. The Pokémon was hit and pushed back, hurt some more.

Recuperating, the Sandslash tried to find Zap's new location, and in a flash faster than lightning, Zap had tackled him head-on with enough force to take him a few feet back and have him vulnerable against a tree. From his position, Zap attacked, scratched, bit, and zapped his opponent, who was unable to regain his strength.

The Sandslash was on the ground now, breathless. Zap had ceased his onslaught.

"You—are strong," the Sandslash admitted.

Zap said no word. His legs felt weak. He had given his all on this attack. He was tired and breathing hard. But he was not going to show it.

"The little brat needs to know its place," the Sandslash continued, standing. "We won't be a bother. But know that if you ever cross our territory again, it won't be me alone you will have to answer to."

The Sandslash left, along with the sandshrew. Zap could still hear their conversations, about knowing your own strength and when to quit. He was about to have a father to daughter conversation himself, but it wouldn't be so understanding.

"That was incredible, Dad!"

Zap turned, stone-faced. His Catherine was beaming, overtly excited about the battle.

"Save it. We're going home, Cathrine."

He moved past her, kicked the Sandslash's quill off the path, and motioned for her to follow. She did, and trotting along, kept talking.

"I know—I was just saying—"

Zap stopped and faced his daughter, a small growl emanating from within.

"I am not proud of what just happened here," he said. "This should not have happened. At all. You are in trouble, and will deal with the consequences when we get home."

He turned to leave. Catherine did not follow immediately. New feelings were starting to surface, and she was becoming increasingly angrier. She trotted to Zap's side and then stopped right in front of him.

"Step aside," Zap commanded in annoyance.

"No."

"Oh?" Impatience began to boil inside him.

"I—I'm not your little one anymore!" She shouted. "I'm tired of being treated like a child; I have experience in fighting! And it certainly didn't come from you."

"You do not know what you are saying. Come with me now."

Catherine bit her father's paw. It was a hard bite that coursed with more pain than he expected from her. His loosely held anger was unraveling.

"I am your father! What do you think you are doing?"

"I can fight my own battles, father! Mother taught me!"

Zap's heart stopped. "What did you say?"

"Moth—"

"What did you SAY!"

Catherine recoiled. "I—I'm stronger than you think."

Angry, awful thoughts were running through Zap's mind. "And how strong do you think you are?"

"I can fight you!"

Zap scoffed at the idea. He swatted his daughter across her muzzle with a paw. Then he did it again. "Show me then. You think you can beat me then show me what your mother taught you."

When she wouldn't react to the swatting, he scratched her. She cried, not expecting the hit. Now she looked nervously upon her father.

"I want to see what you think you know, so show me!"

She backed up, ready to whimper. Her fear was evident.

"Did you mother teach you to dodge?"

Zap jumped on his daughter, and rolled around with her until he was on top. He growled, so close to her and ready to slit her throat that instance. His fur was on end. Catherine was in pain, whimpering in the lonely night. No help was going to come.

"I could kill you right now. You just failed. What—did your mother—teach you?"

Catherine thought for a moment. She looked up at her father, a completely different Pokémon than the one she thought she knew well. She tried to bite him, but he put his paw on her neck, so close to stopping her breathing.

"Nope; you are not getting out of this one that easy. So how are you going to handle this situation?"

She kicked and squirmed, trying to free herself, still at a whimper.

"Stop whining and get out of this. I don't see any of your training; what's wrong?"

The more she tried, the more she realized she wasn't going anywhere. She tried to growl back at him, but it was hard; he held her at a position where she was completely helpless.

Then he let go of her. He got off, and allowed her to catch her breath. When she had calmed, he looked at her pitilessly.

"You know nothing about fighting in the wild. Out here, there is no surrender. Out here, you die."

He smirked. He sincerely felt he got his point across. As he walked away, Catherine followed steadily. She watched her father intently.

"You can drop at ease now," Zap said.

But Catherine was quick to attack. She jumped onto his back, remembering his attack on the Sandslash. Once again, the two rolled upon the ground, but in the end, Zap still had the upper hand. Then he let a surge of electricity run through his kit.

Pains like none before coursed through her, and she couldn't attack or cry. Her mind shut down, and all she could feel was the static. Even when he stopped, she was still shaking from the shock.

"Electricity is very different from fire," Zap taunted, severely upset that his daughter was still trying to take him down. "You can't be immune to everything by just training with your mother. You lose."

He stopped, looking down at his helpless kit. She was done. He could tell from where he stood that she wasn't going to be able to stand.

"Cathrine?"

She had stopped shaking, but was not moving.

Did I just…

Upon closer inspection, he found her still breathing. Zap sighed in relief. She most likely fainted from the shock.

"You are so weak," he commented, and scooped her up from the scruff of her back. She was much heavier than he anticipated. Slowly, he managed to make his way back towards home.

She had her lesson, Zap thought. She better have.


"What have you done?" Rachel growled.

"I did nothing," Zap evaded.

"You lie! I can smell it!"

Catherine was lying on a pile of reeds, still beaten from the fight. When Zap had brought her in, Rachel immediately began tending to her daughter, but one whiff of static and a jerking motion from the Eevee told her everything.

"What did you think you were doing when you shocked her?"

Zap tried to answer her in his perspective. "I was giving her a taste of the real world. She doesn't realize what dangers lurk out in the distance, and she had the spite in her to lash out on me!"

"She is trying to grow, Zap, what did you expect? Did you think we would be here for all eternity, living in your fantasy?"

"My fantasy? I am here to protect you! Both of you! And Cathrine has given me a tip about what's been going on around this place while I'm out. What did you think you were doing?"

Rachel paused. She knew one day he would find out, but had prepared a way to easily tell him. Now, her anger was taking her a different route.

"I was doing what you never could."

"Do you think I cannot train my own daughter?"

"I have the competency to know that you will not train your own daughter. You changed after the others were taken."

"Do not dare speak of them!"

"No Zap! It is time you let this go. It was a sad day to witness, but there is a brighter future out there. I want you to leave this place tonight. Do not return until you've changed."

"I am not going anywhere."

The flames that licked his feet told him otherwise. Fire seethed through Rachel, and the heat was intensifying she stepped closer to Zap, breathing flames out of her nostrils. And when she spoke, flame spit towards his feet again.

"Leave!" she growled.

He tried to answer to her. He told her the only thing he could. "I was helping her."

Rachel's flames subsiding, but the heat remained. She watched him, glassy eyed, almost teary.

"What you've done these past months…has done nothing to help us. When are you going to understand that out there, you live."

A tear rolled down her fur. She retreated towards Catherine. When Zap tried to follow, she turned back and growled intensely, almost a hiss.

He stopped in his tracks and looked down at his paws. He closed his eyes, his mind boggling for a way to get out of this.

"For how long do you want me gone?" he asked.

"However long it takes."

Zap understood. For the first time, he understood everything. He now knew the hurt he had caused his family, in the name of protection.

"I will return," he said.

Zap left the den. Rachel stood by her daughter, nuzzling her fur and tending to her needs. She was afraid something like this would happen. Now that it had come to pass, she wasn't sure how to move forward.


"What is going on down there?"

Rapid footsteps could be heard coming from upstairs. Darry helped his brother to his feet.

"You got to clean yourself up, Charley," he whispered. "Our parents cannot know about us; I'll take care of the mess here. Go!"

Charley took stumbling steps out the second entrance to the kitchen. He took one peek back and saw his brother was quick enough to already have a jar of tomato sauce to spill over the blood he left behind.

At least I didn't leave a trail of blood behind me, he thought.

He hesitated when entering the bathroom. He would be alone in there, which was the last thing he wanted after knowing the curse was still after him. But he went in anyway, because he knew his brother was right. It was better the curse did not go through his family like bowling pins.

He was a mess. There was no way he could take off the stains with a few towels or napkins. He'd have to take another shower for it to go away, and do the laundry himself. He hadn't done laundry since the beginning of his journey, when his mother taught him.

It's not too hard.

He cleaned up his face, leaving all traces of blood on the towel.

Charley heard his parents arguing with his brother. From what he could get, his brother lied by saying he was having some leftover pizza, but dropped some sauce when he was about to add more.

"I'll clean it up, I promise," Charley faintly heard his brother say.

He sighed.

He waited in the bathroom, listening to the heated debate between his parents and his brother. To think hours earlier, the same people had been praising him on his good work. Not tonight.

Now Charley had a headache.

He looked himself in the mirror one more time and saw the vulnerability of his build. He wasn't made for survival. He didn't have muscles of any sort. It's a shame, because he had spent so many days training for the strength. It was all gone now.

The curse. It was an evil thing, bent on pure destruction. Its only purpose was to destroy lives of those it touched.

The thing wasn't dead. From the looks of it, after everything he had been through, it wasn't going to. There was not a thing in the universe that could destroy it.

But I won't let it destroy us, Charley thought.

With determination in his heart, he knew what he had to do. He couldn't stay. He and had to leave for the sake of family. If anyone else had to die, it would be himself alone, the final victim.


The heat had settled down. Charley was back in his room, and Darry was by his side. It looked fine, minus the broken window, though Charley hadn't been in the room when it cracked.

Darry was on his bed, scratching the back of his head. "So it was all over me?"

"Yeah," Charley said. "It was everywhere. I couldn't believe it when I saw it."

"If it was so close, why didn't you do anything to stop it?"

Charley sat down on his bed. "I don't know. I guess I was just too scared. It…wasn't easy before, Darry. It was normal for me to have power, so I used it. But I'm only human now, so when I saw it again…I panicked."

Darry sighed. "Right, well I don't even know what were going to do about the window. Mom's going to freak out tomorrow when she finds out."

Charley looked at the window, shattered.

"How did that happen?" he asked.

"What?"

"The window. When I left, it was fine. It was just me, you, and the curse."

"I don't know. But nothing ever really seems to make sense when the curse is around, does it?"

Charley's attention had turned to the ceiling. There was a hole there, a particularly large one that would be hard to miss if a person only looked up. He stood up and looked out the window.

There was a hooded figure out there. A man. He couldn't see well, but Charley felt the man was looking right at him, like he knew about everything.

"I guess you're right," Charley sighed.

He continued on to his drawer, taking a new set of clothes.

"Where are you going?" Darry asked.

"I've got to shower, don't I?"

Darry smirked. Charley left it at that.

After his shower, the night returned to its normal affairs. But the man outside kept watch, a rifle upon his back.


Zap paced just outside the borderlands of the mountain. He hid by the brush and scratched away in anger at the trees. He cursed himself for being the way he was, driving away his own family.

What have I done? Was the obvious thought. How did I let this happen?

He was growing ever so angry, so much so that he wanted to cause the most ruckus in the field, set a spark to whatever came his way and be a problem to everything. But he held himself back, because he knew he was not a normal Pokémon.

We're not from here…if I let the wrong human know I exist, it could be dangerous for my family.

He held his anger in. He could only beat up a tree with the swat of a paw.

Zap was not going to fall asleep either. Though he hadn't slept much, he knew that sleeping out in the open was the worst decision he could possibly make. It was why he chose to reside on the mountain top, to an area that could not easily be accessed by humans.

But the longer he waited and kept watch, the more tired he got. He wasn't going to win a battle against sleep.

He was angry again. He hit another tree, and to give himself some more to do, he climbed. He jumped from branch to branch until he was at the top, and stayed up there.

Maybe if I rest here, no one will see me tonight…

He yawned. He was getting very tired. He couldn't tell time, but he understood from the position of the moon at what stage the night was in.

I've spent a good deal of the night bickering away…it will be dawn soon.

He watched the moonlight and waited. Before long, far more time had passed, and his night had so far been spent watching the moon.

A twig snap shook his reverie. He looked and sniffed around, careful of his surroundings. He smelt a human near.

Below him, he saw a trainer. He was an older man. Not a fragile old looking human, but far older than normal trainers he'd see on the routes. His path was east, towards the west face of the mountainside.

Zap kept a close eye on the human. He followed along on the branches, careful not to make a sound as he jumped to the next tree, following and observing the man.

Do not climb the mountain…I will readily fry you.

The next tree was not close enough to another branch to jump. Zap had to get off. Slowly, he slid his way down, and on the bottom branch, kicked off against the bark and landed silently behind the brush.

The man heard. He turned around quickly, his eyes scanning the area. He had his hands readily over his Pokéball.

When he saw nothing, he continued on his way. Zap sighed in relief.

He followed again, being sure to stay out of sight. The man continued towards the mountain.

He has to be lost, thought Zap. He's not looking for anything…he has to be lost.

Zap hoped with all his heart that the man was not a Pokémon collector. If he was, it would mean that he wouldn't be gone until he found a Pokémon unnatural to the wildlife. It would mean Zap and his family were in danger.

Leave now. Leave.

Eventually, the man reached the mountainside.

The man surveyed the rocks and the eventual climb he would have to pursue.

From Zap's spot, he began to notice some anxiety in the man. He didn't look lost, but he seemed…worried. Scared. Uncertain. All signs that lead to lost, but his stride up to that point had been determined.

Maybe he is lost. Maybe now he has just realized he has been off course.

The man took hold of his Pokéball and enlarged it. He still looked scared, and his hesitation to release the Pokémon inside showed.

What are you doing you human?

He released the Pokémon.

What formed was not a native Pokémon for Hoenn. It was a Ninetales, of all things.

The sudden arrival of the Pokémon had Zap worried again.

A collector perhaps?

He would hold judgment until he saw what happened.

"W—we're here," said the trainer, rather nervously too. "You got your wish. Is everything—alright?"

The Ninetales smiled, with a side of evil mixed in. "It's better than I could ever hope for."

The trainer flinched. "You're not done with me, are you?"

The Ninetales laughed.

All the while Zap watched. It all seemed strange to him. He heard what they were saying, but their words confused him, more so that it appeared the trainer understood what the Ninetales was saying.

"If you're just going to sit there and laugh at me—I deserve to know what you plan on doing with me!" the trainer exclaimed.

The Ninetales stopped herself. She giggled, as if the current predicament meant nothing.

"Do you know how long I've been in this body?"

The man said nothing.

"A very, very long time, you incompetent fool. Do you really think that I needed you as guidance, to get out here, in the middle of nowhere?"

Zap scooted closer. To him, this was a bizarre sight indeed.

"Okay—so if you didn't need me, why did you make me come?"

"You said two things there, and one of them is wrong. Yes, I made you come. I made you come, because without you, I couldn't—"

*Snap*

Zap had gotten one step too close. He cracked a twig.

Curses! He thought.

The ground he stood on was getting hot. Immediately, Zap jumped out of the way as an oncoming flame attack breezed right over the brush. Now he was out in the open, where the both of them could see.

"hehe," Zap laughed nervously. "Well…what's going on here?"

"This is none of your business, Jolteon," said the Ninetales. There was a lot of spite behind her comment. "Leave, if you know what is good for you." Behind her, the trainer wasted no time in running for an escape. "Not so fast!"

Something happened. Zap had never seen this happen before, and he expected it a lot less from a fire-type.

Her eyes were filled with darkness. It was not the usual darkness that came with her biology, but a piercing darkness. It almost looked like she was shrouded in a cloud of dark light, all originating from her pupils.

The trainer cried out in pain. He was being dragged back towards the Ninetales. All the while, he kicked and attempted to grab hold to whatever he could, a useless attempt. At a close enough range, his body was lifted, and he was propelled against the jagged wall.

Zap flinched. There wasn't a reason to hate this man. Everything was off.

The trainer was being choked. He couldn't breathe. The Ninetales eased up on her psychic grip on him, and the man fell to the floor.

"Did you think I would honestly let you go?" the Ninetales said.

The man crawled away, still trying to catch his breath. Every pull he made on the surface, the Ninetales followed, laughing.

"You cannot get rid of me. I am here to stay, and you are my pawn."

She started biting the man's leg. The man screamed in pain, able to do little else.

A sudden realization fell behind Zap, seeing the pain in the trainer's eyes, the scared look. The trainer had a deep rooted fear against this Pokémon, and it wasn't a wonder why. Zap remembered his mate, and the so many times she had tried to make him stop prowling the lands. She wanted him to stop because…because she said trainer's were not terrible people. He could remember her trying to explain to Catherine that finding a good trainer would give her the best experience of her life.

All these memories and his spite for humans collided. But as the seconds ticked on by, there were two things he was sure of. The first, he didn't like humans. The second, no one deserved this torture.

Zap attacked the Ninetales on behalf of the trainer.

He jumped on her, a head on tackle, and began biting behind her ear. She pulled back in rage, craned her neck around and started biting him as well.

The two were in a lock, rolling with each other and biting back and forth. Finally she held him well, her paw forcing Zap's head on the earthly soil.

The two were in bad condition, Zap far worse off. His fur was ruffled, and now matted with his own blood. Her hold on him was harsh. If he couldn't pull out, he would be finished.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to stop me?"

Zap struggled against her. "That's exactly what I'm trying to do!"

He used up as much energy as he could. The power diminished him, made him feel weak. He could do a few strikes here and there with no resistance, as many Pokémon could. However, a full on strike was harsh on his body.

He was surrounded by an electrical current, and from his sphere that surrounded his and the Ninetales' body, he unleashed a powerful thunder that could be heard up to a mile away.

The Ninetales was hurt. She fell to his side, and then struggled to get up. There was anger across her muzzle. Zap tried to stand as well, but was far dizzier. His vision was doubled; he lost his sense of gravity. Yet, when he saw the Ninetales, he prepared himself to continue the fight.

"So you want a power struggle, do you?" she said. With each word, flames seethed through her breath. "You shouldn't have stuck your nose into my business!"

She inhaled. Zap could see from deep within her throat a fire burning. Upon her release, a wall of flame skidded across the ground. The fire surrounded Zap. He was the center of the fire tornado, and was beginning to burn up.

He coughed. Static spit burst into flames at the fire's touch. He couldn't breathe, and he couldn't see.

The Ninetales burst through the flames and mauled Zap, bringing him down. She still had fire burning inside her, and was set to unleash the full blast on him.

Zap too had a spark in him. He unleashed his thunder as she unleashed her flames. The elements clashed, combined, and became weapons against both of them, severely injuring the two.

The fire spin dissipated, and the two continued to fight without the use of the elements.

Finally, Zap managed to break free. He stood a good distance, only able to produce a menacing snarl. He had no more resources to fight. If they continued, he would be defeated.

The Ninetales had more strength, but the power she used was not fire. It was a dark element. The same one she had used on the trainer to pull him back.

She struck Zap, and he couldn't move. The hit was crushing him. As she walked towards him, he was pushed back, far back until he was against a tree.

"Wh—what are you?" Zap coughed.

"You wouldn't understand," the Ninetales grinned. "As you see, I'm no ordinary Ninetales."

Her fur coloration was changing, becoming darker. Her eyes rolled back and were turning red.

She's evil, Zap thought. She's pure evil. She'll hurt anyone who gets in her way…she'll hurt my family!

Zap took in a breath. He decided he would not let his family down, and from deep within himself, gave his all to shock the Ninetales. It was a hit, but he kept the current going. He didn't know how long she could take electricity, but he wasn't going to stop his current to find out.

Her coloration returned. Her eyes were normal again. Now it was his wrath and her pain.

Then he ran out of power, and could no longer shock.

Zap fell on his weak legs, unable to move. The Ninetales fell to her side, defeated and in paralysis.

Have I won?

What…is wrong with you?" Zap asked, the only words he could muster up.

There was a new aura surrounding the Ninetales. She was far lighter than previously, almost an angelic white. The aura got larger. It warmed Zap.

From the Ninetales muzzle, darkness entailed. A smoky substance came from her body, no pattern, but floating skyward.

A final stream of darkness escaped the Ninetales, this one far lighter than the rest. It began taking shape, slowly shaping to a human image. There was an expression on her face, the human. It showed sorrow, with a bit of happiness as well. A soft moan could be heard carried out by the wind.

"Thank you…"

The spirit vanished.

Zap couldn't make anything of the situation. He was left a gasp.

The Ninetales still breathed. With as much strength as he could, Zap stood back up and walked crookedly towards the Pokémon. The Ninetales looked up at Zap, a shiver coursing through her body. She was hurt. She bled from her legs, and the blood that flowed from her mouth now was not stopping.

But she thanked him.

"Thank you…you…saved…mmm…"

She did not get to finish. Her heart stopped, and she no longer breathed.

I killed her…

Zap looked for the trainer. He was nowhere in sight. The sun began to rise, but no light shined on the two. The mountain blocked the light. He had just survived one night living in the wild, and he had almost gotten killed.

He needed to return home. He needed to rest.

Up above him, he heard an explosion. Zap winced. Looking up, his mouth hung open. There was a large explosion near the cave entrance where he lived.

Catherine! Rachel!

The fire only got larger. The ground shook and a few flying types fled from their perch.

He could do nothing for the Ninetales. He needed to get home.

Zap had a running start, but fell forward. There was too much pain. He limped his back leg, and continued on.

This side of the mountain is too steep, he thought. I must climb at a safer incline…please, let no harm to have fallen on them!

He limped briskly. Another explosion came from above, followed by an array of water.

It was a battle.