BOOM!

Serena jolted out of bed as an explosion rocked the whole building. Immediately she jumped out of bed and raced to the window to see the barn on fire and four figures stood right before, two human, two Pokémon. A large truck had pulled into the driveway with a trailer attached to it. From her angle, she couldn't make out any details, but as she watched, she saw the doors open and a ramp decided from the opening.

"W-what's going on!?" She cried in confusion. Only for her question to be answered by the door being thrown open.

"Serena! Zinnia!" Kay yelled as she charged in still in her PJs. "It's the poachers! They're here and they're rounding up the Pokémon! I'm about to call the cops! So grab you Pokémon and let's go! We need to buy time until they get here!" Before the blonde had a chance to say anything, the girl had already raced out of the room and down stairs, her feet pounding on each step.

Quick as she could, Serena rushed to the closet, grabbing her bag and was about to run out only to realize Zinnia had somehow slept right through everything!

She turned and ran to her bed. "Zinnia! Wake up! We're being attacked!" She yelled, grabbing the covers and ripping them off. "We need to protect the Pokémon! Hurry! We need you right-!" But she stopped at the sight below her.

The bed was empty. Zinnia was nowhere in sight!

Immediately Serena felt her heart leap into her throat. This was bad! Very, very bad! Zinnia was the strongest trainer there! And they were being attacked by a group of poachers! Even if they weren't the ones from the Delta Reapers didn't mean they weren't dangerous!

Fear filled the pit of her stomach as she took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself down. This was bad! She wasn't ready to face them on her own yet! She wasn't strong enough yet!

The blonde's legs began trembling in terror so violently that it was a struggle to stay upright. What if they took her Pokémon?! What could she do to stop them?! All she knew about them was that they had a fire type and a dragon type, but that was it! Going against them with so little information and very real consequences had her feeling light headed.

Suddenly, there was a loud cry from outside. One that was very familiar to the girl.

Staggering to the window again, she saw the Rhyhorn being herded towards the truck by an anteater like Pokémon breathing flames. The Pokémon was backing up slowly as it roared trying to scare its opponent off, but the fire breather continued to force it towards the ramp.

As a flash of flames seared off the rock type's face, Serena saw the pain and fear in the Pokémon's eyes. It was scared, just like she was. But in that moment, seeing such a familiar Pokémon being tormented, her fear began being smothered by a burning rage.

The blonde gritted her teeth angrily. What was she doing?! Here she was cowering upstairs while Pokémon were being hurt! Just because she was scared didn't mean she couldn't try to do something! She had to do something!

Just like at the contest hall before. She had been scared then too. She had Aria with her then, but that shouldn't have been as comforting as it had been. Neither was a great battler, yet she had courage then because she was with someone she knew! It had been her strength!

And even now, she wasn't alone. Kay was with her and Zinnia would return soon. She hated poachers as much as them. She would definitely come back! She wasn't alone, she just needed to learn to trust them. And trust herself.

Steeling her resolve, Serena realized her legs weren't shaking anymore. Even if she got hurt, she'd face these poachers with her friends. And together, they would stop them, no matter what!

Serena ran down stairs reaching the landing just in time to see Kay pull on her boots and race out the door. The blonde immediately followed, not bothering to put her shoes on correctly.

As she ran outside, she saw the Rapidash and Ponytas being chased into the trailer as well. The evolved Pokémon was trying to fight back, but it was wrestling a strange Pokémon that looked like it was a giant apple that had burst open and grown arms and legs. And when everyone of the other horses tried to help, they were stopped by the anteater.

Behind the two aggressive Pokémon stood two girls. The taller one (by a head) had long black hair tied midway down into a ponytail. She had on a black sweater and short shorts like Zinnia's. A pair of dirty old sneakers with a few holes in them covered her feet, Serena also noticed that the laces were miss matched. Clearly they spent all their money on poaching equipment.

The other girl had short, messy black hair. She had on a ragged old, sleeveless jacket covering a t-shirt with a skull on it. She wore ripped jeans and miss matched sneakers. And I'm the light of the fire, the blonde thought she saw brushes all along her arms.

"Hey! Leave those Pokémon alone!" Kay yelled as she skidded to a halt a few feet away glaring at the two girls. "How about you pick on someone who isn't injured, you big bullies! Or are you too scared of a fair fight to come at me instead?!"

The two girls turned to face Kay as Serena came to a stop next to her. And as the blonde got a look at their faces, her jaw fell open.

They were kids! The long haired girl couldn't be more than one or two years older than herself! And the short haired girl looked a year or two younger! Even more strange was the fact that they had similar round faces and the same gray eyes. Were the two reliable to each other?

"Oh great. Company." The long haired girl said through gritted teeth. "So much for our clean getaway. Father's going to be furious."

"Forget about him! You should be more worried about me!" Kay yelled, taking a threatening step forward. "Because when I'm done with you, you'll be wishing you never crawled out of whatever hole you came from! No return thos-!"

"Heatmor! Inferno!"

The anteater Pokémon suddenly leapt over it's trainer and blasted a powerful jet of flames towards its opponents.

Reacting immediately, Kay grabbed a Pokéball off her belt and threw it into the air. "JB, I need you!" She called and as it popped open, a Bibarel leapt out, blasting a jet of water that clashed with the flames creating a huge cloud of steam.

"Ana! Get the Pokémon on the trailer! Hurry!" The short haired girl yelled. "We can still make our window if we hurry! Just finished bef-!"

"Flapple!" The long haired girl, Ana, yelled. And immediately the apple dragon grabbed the fire horse by the neck and hurled it into the trailer where it fell painfully onto the floor. Immediately the Ponytas rushed in after their alpha, letting the weird dragon slam the door behind them.

"Done." Ana said, stepping next to the short haired girl. "Now, let's deal with the witnesses and get back to dad before he blows a gasket. So make sure to keep pace, Rika."

The short haired girl, Rika, sent Ana a grin as her apple dragon flew over to stand next to Heatmor. "Don't talk down to me just because you're a few years older! I was always the better battler!"

"Right." Ana said dryly, turning her attention back to the other two trainers.

Looking at the field, Serena quickly took in her opponents. They both had powerful Pokémon out, but she didn't see any other Pokéballs on them, meaning they probably only had one Pokémon. And a quick glance at Kay's Pokémon, Bibarel, a water type.

So if they had a water type to counter their opponents fire type…

"Sylveon, come on out!"

As the fairy type appeared in front of her trainer, her teammate stepped forward to stand next to her. JB was on all fours, growling at their opponents.

"Let's not waste any time! JB, Waterfall!" Kay yelled and immediately her Pokémon shot forward, his body wrapped in water as he aimed for the Heatmor.

"Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!" Serena called and the pink Pokémon reacted immediately, whipping her ribbons around generating a power gust of wind at the Flapple.

As the attacks raced towards the two poachers, they gave each other a look, then smirked.

"Heatmor, blow that wind away with Inferno!" The short haired girl yelled, making her Pokémon lean back, chest swelling as it took a deep breath, then blasted out a huge burst of flames blowing through the wind and slamming into Sylveon knocking her back.

"Sylv!" The Pokémon cried in pain as she landed painfully on the ground a few feet away. A painful burn on her side and leg. However, her sacrifice wasn't in vain as Heatmor had given up its chance to dodge the Waterfall from JB. So it was an equal-!

Suddenly, Flapple landed in front of the water type, arms spread wide as it took the full brunt of the attack, absorbing the damage as its being a duel grass/dragon rendered the attack practically useless.

"Grav Apple now!" Ana yelled. Flapple raised its hands up and a glowing green apple made of energy appeared in its hands, then it brought it down hard against JB, slamming him into the ground at the dragon's nonexistent feet.

With the beaver Pokémon stunned, the poacher saw her chance.

"Flapple, Giga Drain!"

The apple Pokémon reached down, grabbing JB by his shoulders and lifting him up. Then, green light appeared all across his body as it flowed into the dragon's hands, making him cry in pain as his life was sucked out of him.

"JB!" Kay screamed as her Pokémon struggled to escape, but Flapple had a firm grip that he couldn't escape from.

Serena bit her lip as she watched the scene unfold before her. She gave a quick glance behind her at the house, hoping by some miracle she would see Zinnia sprinting towards them as she pulled a Pokéball from her pocket. She could take both poachers out in a second and then they could free the captured Pokémon before they took any more damage.

But no such miracle happened as the barn burned. They were on their own. And if she didn't do something now, JB would be defeated.

What would Ash do right now? Most likely some clever yet simple plan that played off his Pokémon strength. He would undoubtedly try to free JB first, then counter attack with him. Okay, helpful. Now what could she do with that knowledge? She wasn't a battler and none of her Pokémon knew any move that would get around the Heatmor. The closest thing she had was Psychic, and Braixen hadn't mastered it!

So what then?! She should be able to think of something! Maybe, if they got closer enough, Sylveon could use her ribbons to band a Fairy Wind around the fire type and hit the dragon, but she'd have to get uncomfortably close to do that. And given that Heatmor was a Pokémon who specialized in long to mid range attacks, she'd have to be quick.

Biting her lip, she knew that unfortunately, freeing JB was the only way they could win. And to do that, she'd need to take a huge risk. If she messed up, her Pokémon would probably be taken out of commission. But she had to try!

She thought back to her time in Kalos, back when she had battled Aria. Back then, the queen had told her that a smile could give others power. She still didn't understand it, even now. But right now, they needed all the power they could get!

"Sylveon, can you get up?" Serena asked, and felt a wave of relief as her Pokémon stood up with a nod, causing a small smile to appear on her face.

"Sylveon, I know you're hurting, but do you think you could move? I have a plan to free JB, but it's risky. And if we only have one chance. Do you think you'd be willing to take-?"

Serena was cut off as the pink Pokémon wrapped one of her ribbons around her wrist. A warmth flowed from the Pokémon into her trainer. She immediately knew the answer, the fairy type trusted her completely. They would always be partners, no matter what.

The blonde smiled at her own stupidity. What had she been so afraid of all this time? If she had her Pokémon by her side she could accomplish anything! She had somehow forgotten in the chaos of her arrival in Hoenn.

She took a deep breath as she turned back to the poachers. "Right." She said quietly. "I'm not alone. We're a team and we won't give up on our dreams! Together, we're unstoppable!"

With a renewed confidence, she pointed right at the Flapple. "Sylveon, close distance and help JB!" She yelled and immediately her Pokémon charged towards her opponents!

"I don't know what that was about, but if you think you can get past me, your crazy!" Rina yelled as Heatmor slid in front of the fairy type, blocking her path.

"Heatmor, Inferno!" At her order, the anteater Pokémon blasted a huge jet of flames from its mouth that burned so hot, Serena could feel herself sweating from it!

But as the attack was about to hit the pink Pokémon, she leapt out of the way with an elegant spin, the ends of the flames wrapping harmlessly around her ribbons.

"What!?" Rika cried, both her and her Pokémon's eyes wide in surprise.

But they weren't done!

As soon as Sylveon landed, she sprung up again, spinning and backflipping as she approached. Her well practiced dance and natural balance throwing off the fire type.

"The hell?! Heatmor! Flamethrower! Rapid fire! Catch it when it lands!"

The anteater followed her command, firing blast after blast at the dancing Pokémon, but Sylveon effortlessly dodged each and every one. She had spent years dancing as an Eveve, and she had only improved since becoming partner with Serena. A tuneless attack like this was nothing for her!

"Rika! It's a rhythm!" Ana yelled. "You need to find the pattern and time it with your attack!"

"Huh?!" The short haired poacher turned back confused, and Serena saw her chance.

"Now, jump!" Her words alerted her opponent, but by the time Rika had turned around, Sylveon was high in the air, and most critically, out of the girl's line of sight!

"Now, Fairy Wind!"

Using her ribbons, Sylveon whipped up a powerful gust and sent it racing towards Heatmor! The fire type threw its arms up to block the attack, but right before contact, the wind curved, missing Heatmor, but slamming into Flapple blowing it away from JB as it dropped the Pokémon with a cry of pain.

"Yes!" Serena cried. Her plan had worked! JB was now free and it was back to two-vs-two! Across the field, Ana ruched over to her dragon while Rika glared at her, hands shaking.

"Don't get cocky!" Rika yelled, throwing her arm across her body. "You aren't out of the woods yet! Let's see you dodge us midair! Heatmor, Inferno! And aim wide!"

Immediately the anteater blasted yet another jet of flame, this time stretched wide so it covered several feet in every direction. And with Sylveon at the center, she had no way to dodge!

"Sylveon!" The blonde trainer cried as she watched helplessly as the fire type attack got closer and closer to engulfing her Pokémon. This was bad, she wasn't sure if she could take another hit from that attack!

What could she d-?!

"JB! Waterfall! Knock Heatmor skyward!"

Immediately the fire type was blasted from behind as JB slammed into its back dragging it into the sky. The force whipped Heatmor's head back, redirecting the flames away from Sylveon.

As both Pokémon flew high up, JB body slick with water slipped off the anteater Pokémon causing it to go spinning through the air, completely helpless, unable to stop its momentum.

But the beaver Pokémon wasn't done. Spinning midair, he shot back to the fire type, propelling himself with another jet of water! Letting him slam into Heatmor over and over again as he carried the Pokémon higher and higher!

"Behold! The aerial water dance! A move we've been working on for years!" Kay yelled triumphantly. "Once caught, there's no way out! JB will just keep climbing higher and higher until your Pokémon either faints or he runs out on energy! Meaning it's over for you poacher!"

"Heatmor!" Rika cried, watching helplessly as her Pokémon was beaten over and over again. A little ways off, Ana had helped Flapple up and now turned her attention to the aerial water dance, her eyes hard as she made her move.

"Flapple, get up there!" She yelled. "Stop that stupid Bibarel and get Heatmor back!"

Immediately the apple Pokémon took to the sky, racing towards the aerial battle to help its teammate.

"No you don't!" Serena cried. "Sylveon, trapped that rotten fruit with Swift!"

The pink Pokémon spun in the air, releasing a trail of stars that flew at the dragon, but instead of hitting it, they curved around it. Forming a sphere that both trapped and blinded the dragon at the same time!

"Great!" Kay said, shooting a grin at Serena. "Now JB, send that poacher's pet a one ticket to lights out vill! Super Fang go!"

JB opened his mouth as his front fangs extended until they were as long as swords, then with accuracy beyond compare, he drove them into Heatmor's stomach, knocking it down towards the Flapple. And as said Pokémon still couldn't see anything outside of the stars surrounding it, it couldn't dodge the anteater Pokémon as they slammed against one another before they plummeted back to the ground!

"Flapple!"

Heatmor!"

The two poachers cried as their Pokémon crashed into the ground creating a huge cloud of dirt and a small crater.

Both trainers rushed over to find both their Pokémon unconscious with several injuries. Although there were more on Heatmor as at some point during the fall, it had shifted around so it would land on bottom cushioning Flapple's fall.

Behind the poachers, Sylveon landed gracefully, followed by Bibarel, who the fairy type had caught in her ribbons and gently placed on the ground next to her.

"It's over!" Kay said, stepping forward, cracking her knuckles. "Now why don't you just surrender? I've got a lovely place in the basement to hold you both until the cops show up. Unless of course you want to try to fight us some more. In which case, I'll be more than happy to knock you both out!"

As she approached to stand next to the rescue worker, Serena scanned the two girls who were glaring at them. She didn't see any other Pokéball on them, so they probably only had one each. Good, that meant the battle was over.

Suddenly, the driver side door on the truck flew open and a large man stepped out.

He had a beer belly and was balding on the top of his head with a bit of fuzz on the sides. He wore a large coat over a black t-shirt with a skull on it. Hair was growing on the back of his hands and scars covering his arms. Everything from burns to claw slashes, indicating a long life of stealing Pokémon. And probably not caring for them.

"Ana! What's the hold up?! Do I need to remind you we're in a hurry!" He yelled as he walked to the girls. "Those bitches called the pigs and we aren't far from the city! If they get here before we leave, it'll be on your head!"

As he approached, Rika stood and took a step towards him.

"We got all the Pokémon on board, Arnold. But then those two jumped us! They-!"

The short haired girl was silenced as the large man, Arnold, lashed out, backhanding her so hard she was thrown to the floor!

"Gah!" Rika cried as she hit the ground, the wind knocked out of her. But before she could recover, Arnold brought his foot down hard into her stomach, causing the girl to lurch, coughing up blood under the immense pressure.

"Did! I! Ask! For! Your! Opinion?!" Arnold yelled, stomping on the girl harder with each word. "I taught you not to speak unless spoken too! You stupid brat! Show your father some respect! I brought your worthless ass into the world! It's your duty to do whatever I say! Or do I need to remind you of your place?! Is that what you want?! To make me angry!"

Rika struggled to speak as her stomach was kicked over and over again. Her shirt ripping open and a horrible black bruise becomes visible, only it wasn't from this beating.

"Well, say something you stupid, waste of space!" Arnold screamed as he continued kicking his daughter. "Are you so stupid you can't even poach properly?! Is that it?! Your just a dumb bitch who's only good at warming men's beds?! Is that what I raised you to be?! Huh?!"

"Father, wait!" Ana screamed as she rushed forward, sliding on her knees to get between her sister and her father. "Rika didn't mean to offend you! She was only going to tell you that these trainers are much stronger than we anticipated! And that we should use caution when dealing with them."

Arnold let out a scoff, but eased off Rika, turning to face Kay and Serena. He eyed them carefully, then let out a snort.

"They don't look tough. If you want my opinion, that one looks like she belongs shoveling shit on a farm then a battle." He said with a wave at Kay before turning to Serena. "And she would look more in place at a fashion show. Are you seriously telling me that Rika lost to them?"

"They may not look it, but they are strong." Ana said as she gently rubbed Rika's arm, trying to ease her pain. "If you don't take her word, take mine. They are strong. We both lost, not just Rika."

Arnold glanced back at Ana, then turned back to face his opponents.

"Fine." He grunted. "But if I find out that you were holding your sister back again, I'll lash you so badly you won't be able to walk for a week!" With his final threat, he took a Pokéball from his belt and approached the two girls.

Serena's hands were trembling at what she had just witnessed. She had never seen such cruelty to one's own children! Poacher or not, nobody should strike their child like that! This man wasn't a human, but a disgusting monster who lacked a heart! In just the few seconds she had seen, her stomach turned!

Her disgust was so overwhelming, Serena almost missed when the poacher started speaking.

"I don't know how you two beat MY daughters, but I won't stand for anyone making a mockery of MY business!" He roared as he hurled his Pokéball into the air. "You'll regret the day you bitches were born when I'm done with you! I'm going to turn you into a bloody paste! Golem, go!"

As the ball opened with a flash of light, the massive rock type appeared before the two girls, but as they took it in, Serena realized something wasn't right as it was very different from the ones she had seen in Kalos.

It had two massive rocks sticking out it's back above its head instead of the rounded body she was used to. Even stranger was iron sand that clung to its face forming what looked like a beard and mustache. Electricity buzzed around its body with such power that she could feel it even from this distance, immediately indicating that something was very wrong.

No normal rock/ground type could generate this kind of power.

"What is that?" Kay murmured breathlessly as she stared at the Golem. Apparently she hadn't seen this before either.

"Stick around, you'll find out." Arnold said with a smirk. "Golem, Rock Blast!"

Immediately, the rock type crutched down, aiming the area between the two rocks on its back at Serena and Kay. Then, before either could call a conman, rocks began flying out of the area, slamming into both JB and Sylveon.

"Bi!"

"Veon!"

Both Pokémon cried as they were thrown through the air, smashing to the ground several feet away!

"No!"

"JB!"

The trainers yelled simultaneously. But it's attack wasn't done yet. Immediately Kay was forced to throw herself to the right to avoid an attack aimed at her. Her actions gave Serena the warning she needed to follow suit and dive out of the way as well as the rock type released a barrage of rocks that tore through the area. As one flew past, the blonde noticed it was super charged with electricity. But that shouldn't be possible! Golems couldn't generate electricity!

Stones slammed through the fence that kept the field enclosed and smashed into the water tower's legs, causing it to topple over, spilling water as it burst open upon hitting the ground. More rocks flew over the battlefield and slammed into the house blasting holes into the building. One rock hit some electrical equipment, over charging it and igniting the wood floor below it. Starting a fire that quickly began to spread through the entire house!

"No!" Kay screamed as she saw her parents' rescue go up in smoke. The Pokémon who were being housed indoors leapt out of the new holes, their injuries being aggravated by the action.

But not all could escape. And soon the night air was filled with their cries as the trapped Pokémon struggled to escape.

"No, no, no, no!" Kay cried. Immediately she scrambled to her feet and ran towards the burning building as fast as she could, calling for JB to follow, which he did with the same panic.

As she reached the front door, she threw her entire weight against it, knocking the door down only to be greeted with a wall of flames blocking her path. In response, the beaver Pokémon released a jet of water putting out the fire at the entrance.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Kay yelled, and without a second's hesitation, she threw herself into burning the building.

"Kay!" Serena screamed, leaping to her feet as well. She was about to rush after the girl, but stopped when she heard a scream from behind her.

"What are you doing?! There are still Pokémon in there! They'll die!"

Glancing around, she was just in time to see Arnold strike Rika, knocking her to the ground once again. And while the short haired girl immediately tried to get back up, her father violently stomped on her leg, making cry out in pain.

"Shut up!" He yelled, digging his foot into her knee. "We couldn't have stolen them because of your screw up! If they die it's your fault! In fact, everything that happens from here on is your fault because you were to stupid to steal a few Pokémon! You worthless piece of trash! I should just sell you to some rich asshole to warm his cock! Then you might actually make me some money!"

Rika turned to glare at him from her position on the ground. "Fuck you!" She snapped, her voice full of venom. Then she angled her head at him and spat in his face, immediately causing his face to go red with rage.

Seeing enough, Serena turned away and ran towards the burning building as the sounds of several loud smacks and a young girl's screams joined the sound of the crying Pokémon. A sick feeling filled the blonde's stomach as she ran. This was so horrible! Treating both people and Pokémon as nothing more than tools for getting money, how could some people think that way?!

As she reached the house, she saw several Pokémon already running out of the flames. Kay was working fast to save as many as she could while JB stood guard at the entrance ensuring all the Pokémon had a safe exit route.

She had to help!

"Sylveon, use your ribbons to get any Pokémon that are upstairs! I'm going to help Kay on the ground floor!" Serena said as her partner caught up to her. "Once everyone's out, try to keep them together and in a safe area! I'll be right back so be careful!"

"Veon!" Her Pokémon protested. Running into a burning house for any reason was extremely dangerous! And the young fairy didn't want anything to happen to her trainer.

But Serena gave her a brave smile and knelt down to gently pet her head.

"Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise!"

Sylveon stared at her for a few seconds, her fear clear on her face. But then she gave Serena a nod and nuzzled her hand, loosely wrapping a ribbon around her wrist. The blonde hadn't broken a promise yet, the Pokémon could only hope this wouldn't be her first.

With one final pet, Serena turned and charged into the burning building.

As she passed through the threshold, she was taken aback by the heat. At first she thought it had been much worse then she had originally thought, but then she saw several of the Numels were out of their enclosure and helping get the rest out.

In the same enclosure, Kay was frantically digging through the sand, trying to find the Trapinch who had buried itself deep underground.

"Cough! Cough! Come on! We need to go! Cough!" Kay said in a surprisingly gentle tone in between her coughs. But the Pokémon simply dug itself deeper into the sand, blatantly ignoring the rescue worker.

Serena rushed over to help Kay as Dodo ran passed, several bug Pokémon held tight in each beak. A little ways away, the Walrein slid out of their enclosure and used Ice Beam to freeze a path to the door before properly sliding across it out of the burning building, their baby right behind them.

As the blonde reached the enclosure, dodging passed the Numel as they got the rest of their hear out and began stampeding out, she rushed to the other girl and plunged her hands into the sand to help dig, only to rip them out the next second with a cry of pain.

The sand was so hot! It had burned her hands after just the few seconds they had been in contact! There was no way she could dig through this without doing permanent damage to her hands! How on earth was Kay-?!

Her stomach dropped when she glanced over and saw second degree burns covering the other's hands and arms as she dug frantically through the sand, still calling to the Pokémon hidden underneath it. Burns that would fade but never disappeared. She was willing to make that sacrifice for the Pokémon she had worked so hard to heal?! She was truly a kind hearted girl.

But for all her good intentions, that didn't change the face that the Trapinch wasn't coming out. And if they didn't do something fast, the whole building would come down on top of them!

Serena looked around desperately for something to get the Pokémon out and her eyes shovel that lay next to the enclosure.

Wasting no time, she ran out and grabbed it before rushing back in. "Kay, move!" She yelled and the girl quickly obliged when she saw what the blonde was planning.

Quick as she could, Serena bagan digging the Pokémon out with brute force, throwing the sand far away so that it fell on the rocky area. And after only a few shovel fulls, the Pokémon head was visible.

Without wasting any time, Kay grabbed the Pokémon and pulled it out of the sand, ignoring its cry of protest and the struggling it did to escape, then the two girls raced out of the enclosure, staying low to avoid the smoke.

Once in the main part of the rescue, They scanned the area for any other trapped Pokémon, and thankfully, they didn't see any. Dodo was jumping down the now collapsed stairs with the last of the bug type Pokémon, the tree in the center of the room was devoid of life, the enclosure were empty and the only Pokémon left to leave were the Slugma and Torkal, who had blasted a hole in the wall and were currently climbing through it. It looked like everyone had made it out than!

Serena and Kay bolted out the door, the later clutching the struggling Trapinch to her chest. As they ran, JB and Sylveon stood at the door using water attacks, or swift to blast falling debris away before it could hit them.

And as Serena tasted the cold night air, she let out a sigh of relief. They had just barely made it! Beside her, Kay slumped to the ground, Trapinch slipping from her grasp and onto the grass with a grunt of annoyance.

"That was too close." Serena said as she looked back at the building. There she saw all the rescue Pokémon working together to contain the fire by putting out sparks or blowing the flames back. And while the truck bad poachers were gone, the Pokémon were safe, at that was the important part.

And not a second too soon, she might add. The house was on its last legs. Another few minutes and it would probably come down.

"Yeah." Kay said much less happily, making the blonde glance over at the girl and saw she was on the verge of tears.

That's right, they had been her parents' rescue.

"Kay…I'm sorry we couldn't save the rescue." Serena said unsurely. How did you talk to someone who had just lost something like this? The blonde had no clue.

"We got the Pokémon out, that's all that matters." Kay said, though her voice shook slightly as she tried to repress her emotions. "Buildings can be rebuilt and stuff can be replaced. As long as everyone survives, my parents' legacy will go on."

Legacy? Kay's parents were dead?

Serena felt her heart drop as she was hit with this realization. Going through their interactions the previous day, it should have been so obvious in just the way she spoke about them. Now everything made so much more sense! Before, Serena had thought the girl was a tad on the reckless and hot headed type like Ash, but if she had lost her parents that would probably make anyone a little hot headed.

Serena opened her mouth to say something but stopped when she saw said girl suddenly jump to her feet, staring at the burning house in terror.

Turning, the blonde felt her heart drop as she saw in the middle of the building the Piplup from the ice enclosure trotting towards the exit holding the red ball the Spheal had been playing with before.

In the blink of an eye Kay had shot towards the house, running as fast as her exhausted body could go. But she was too far! She wouldn't make it in time!

"Leave the ball!" She screamed frantically. "Get out of there!"

But the proud Pokémon didn't listen. And with a loud crunch from the ceiling, the building came crashing down onto its head.