Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, but Zora and Hunter are straight from my imagination.
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Hunter walked with Bo, his old friend and also ex-second in command bandit, to the pokemon center. Hunter walked in behind Bo, looking around and finding it to be a typical center: waiting areas, the desk, and a door that led to the back rooms. Bo led through the back door, passing a Chancy and a Blissy. When Hunter rounded the corner, he smiled, moving to check the little family out. Flamer was burned slightly on one of his tails. Earth, Venus, Myth and Legend were curled up with their mother, who was asleep. Venus perked her head up when Hunter walked in. She stood and stepped forward, seeking some kind of attention. He looked carefully over each and decided they were fine, save for Flamer's burn.
"Flamer wouldn't let anyone tend the burn on his tail. Same old stubbornness," Bo said.
"And you'd expect any less from an ex-bandit?"
Bo chuckled, "No, I guess not," Hunter set to every so gently tending the burn, being sure not to really pull the tail. Ember woke and watched, making sure he checked on each Vulpix again. Hunter turned to Bo, who had been watching,
"Any problems finding them?"
"No. Flamer remembered the old tactics well. I'm surprised they all got out as fast as they did,"
"Ember is trained for speed. I'll bet she passed it on," Hunter said.
"How's Zora?"
"Not good. Can't say I blame her. Our refuge has been destroyed and as far as she knows, Ember and the babies are still in the disaster areas,"
"What will you do now? You know that as big as this fire is, Lance will look into it under conservation,"
"I know. He'll be looking for the land owner too... We might not have any choice but to move on,"
"That shouldn't be hard for you. You, Hunter, inherited your father's trade,"
"And the fact that I've never met him has nothing to do with it?"
"None. You are a drifter by birth, like and by your father,"
"Mama will not be happy to know what's happened to the ranch..."
"She will understand and even be grateful that you and Zora are okay,"
"We should go visit her, once Zora has recovered,"
"Probably,"
"Now that I think of it... my father was 22 when his own adventure started... Lance being on his tail... the pokemon police after him... his parents dieing and his sister disappearing... finding out his lover was pregnant. I wonder if the age of 22 is cursed now?"
"Maybe," Bo nodded slowly. "You will be the one to set this curse or break it for you are of that age."
"Zora is the same age my mother was when she was pregnant with me, too...20..."
"That dream?" Bo asked. Hunter thought about it for a moment.
"She told me there was fire... But it can't be true... we don't have a baby..." his phone rang. Hunter answered and hung up after a few seconds. "She's awake. Come on, Flamer, Ember," he led them out and back down the road, Bo still following. Ember walked up beside him, urging him to carry Myth. He took the baby Vulpix from her mouth and rubbed her head, then set his hand in a rhythm over the baby Vulpix as she drifted back to sleep. He watched the scenery. Sailors were unloading a ship that had just come in from some far off port. The Game Corner was busy with gamers coming and going from the prize room to the gaming rooms. Hunter made a mental note to try the games someday... when he had a normal life and time.
When they reached the door to the room in the inn, Hunter stopped and told Flamer and Ember to wait outside. He walked in after leaving Myth with Ember, and found Zora staring out the window. She turned and ran to him, and he held her.
"Hunter, where have you been?" she mumbled into his shoulder.
"Taking care of things,"
"We have to go back... Ember and Flamer and the babies... they were in the barn,"
"No, they weren't," he mumbled. She looked up at him as two new tears ran down her cheeks. He kissed her. "Flamer remembered some very old escape tactics. Bo was near, so he helped. They're all fine," Ember walked in, carrying baby Myth in her mouth again. Zora collapsed on her knees, holding Myth and checking Ember. They talked and Zora spent an incredibly long time checking each. The Vulpix nuzzled her, making sure they each received the right amount of attention from the fire trainer. When Zora came to Flamer's tail, Bo explained how Flamer had to go back for Venus and was burned when the flames exploded when they found a new source.
"What will we do now?" she looked up at Hunter.
"Drift for a while. Visit my mother and let her know we're all okay," Hunter said. She looked upset, and with rightful cause. "Zora, Lance will look into this for one reason or another. The land is under my name. He'll search the family who still live in Kanto. There's nothing we can do about that except keep him wandering too,"
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thanks again to 'someone' who seems to be my only constant reviewer.