Sandy ran as far and as fast as she could, finally seeking refuge in the forest about a quarter mile away from the professor's lab. Leaning against a tree, she gasped for air, her lungs burning. Something moved in the bushes near by and her fox-like ears twitched. As the sound neared, flame began to build defensively in her throat when a Linoone peaked his head from between the hedges. Sandy smiled, relaxed.
"Oh, you scared me." She laughed, swallowing the flames. "Though I'm sure I scared you too huh?" The pokemon nodded and advanced curiously, ducking slickly though her pockets for anything to take, only finding the pen she'd taken from the professor's room. "Sorry. I don't have anything for you."
Linoone tilted his head curiously, twitched its nose and seemingly, to Sandy's eyes, shrugged. By now the Anthro pokemon had caught her breath and knew she had to move on. Once again she turned to the pokemon who was playing with the shiny pen.
"Do you know where the nearest town is? Could you show me? Please?"
Linoone blinked, nodded and took off, Sandy followed, only having to walk at a swift pace to keep up.
"I DON'T CARE!" The professor roared, throwing a book across the room. "I want her found and brought back here within the week or I'll have all your heads! Get out there and FIND HER!" He slammed his fist and all of his subordinates scattered from the room, each accompanied by either a Swellow or a Pidgey to search for the girl.
Sandy and Linoone reached the forests outside of the city just as the sun began to set. During the long walk there, she jogged her memory for something, anything other than what she remembered but nothing more came to her. Not her last name, where she was from, nothing at all. Sighing she knelt and pet the Linoone. "Thank you."
From her pocket, Sandy gave the pen to the pokemon guide. "It's all I have to give you in thanks." Another pat and Sandy started for the city, taking only a few steps before pausing. She couldn't walk into the city looking like this, half human half Pokemon. So, with another crack, faster and even less painful, Sandy the anthro became Sandy the Ninetails once more.
Linoone gave a small sound of surprise, even dropped the pen at the sudden crack and change of what stood before his eyes. He circled the other slowly and curiously, sniffing even poking, he realized that this Ninetails was the very same girl he had led to this spot. Sandy didn't seem to notice and walked on, Linoone followed curiously leaving the pen behind just as Sandy had left the notebook.
The trees thinned as Sandy got closer to the city, but when her paws finally touched concrete instead of the cool grounds of the forest; her eyes caught a terrible sight. A home was on fire and from the sounds of things, someone was still inside. Without hesitation, she took off on swift pads, Linoone still followed.
One reaching the home that now lit the night sky, she saw a mother, curled on the ground, her husband at her side. Cautiously she approached them. Both of the parents caught sight of the pokemon pair, tensed and kept a careful eye on them. To show that they meant no harm, Sandy nuzzled the mother who, in reply, sobbed. "My little girl is in there." Wasting no time, Sandy bounded past fire fighters and their water pokemon into the house while Linoone stayed and attempted to comfort the people.
"M-m-mommy!" the shrill cry of a young girl rang in Sandy's ears as well as the crash that followed the terrified call, her heart raced. She didn't notice that the heat was not bothering her skin, nor was the smoke choking her. As quickly as she could, the Ninetails made her way to the second floor where she spotted the girl, curled in the corner of a back room, surrounded by flames. Bounding though the flames without so much as a second though Sandy landed before the frightened girl who whimpered at the sudden appearance of this large pokemon.
With a quick nudge, Sandy eased the girl onto her back where the child coughed and clung to her fur. There was another crash of a falling ceiling beam that caused Sandy to jump in fright. The entrance and only exit was now blocked. Looking around in slight panic the dark eyes of the Ninetails searched for a window or another and found nothing. Ears twitching, Sandy tensed and covered the girl with her nine, soft tails, just as the floor beneath her paws collapsed.
Landing with a thump, both the girl and the Ninetails yelped. The girl in fear, Sandy in pain. She had caught a floor board along her front right shoulder and now had a very deep wound. Ignoring the pain the best she could Sandy made way for the exit straight ahead. One long leap out the door and Sandy had the girl out of harms way.
Finding herself surrounded by fire personnel, police and the parents of the girl, Sandy revealed from the safety of her tails the daughter of the worried parents. Shortly after the Ninetails collapsed, the last thing she heard was a female voice calling for help, now, for Sandy.
"Someone get her to the pokemon center!"