A Little Friend in Need : Chapter 7

10 year old Ayla was just minding her own business and walked back towards home when she heard the cry and whimpering inside a darken alley.

There was an abused Noibat on the ground, crying and pleading, while there were three teenagers, boys around 12 to 14 surrounding him while holding a stick.

Ayla felt sick and the second she heard another pained cry from the Noibat, her feet quickly took her off in a run and slammed her body hard to the chest of one boy who was raising the stick, bringing both of them down.

Ayla quickly stood up, knew from Emmet's story that it was not good to caught on the ground while in the fight. Her brother had spoken from experience, now Ayla was about to experience it.

The second teenager quickly tripped Ayla's feet, sending her back to the ground hard. She briefly was glad she was wearing her trousers and not her skirt before immediately kicked the second teenager's chest hard sending him to the ground with cut out breath.

The third teenager was sending out a Scrafty and was trying to order it to attack her. But the pokemon was reluctant when he sensed the girl was different from the usual humans. He was fine attacking someone who didn't understand his speech, but the girl can and he felt it's wrong to attack her.

While the third teenager still busy with his own pokemon, the first teenager had stood up again while swinging the stick to Ayla's head.

There was never a rogue bat flying in the field on her baseball practice so far, but now Ayla can feel how painful it was to got hit by it without wearing a helmet.

Ayla was slammed to the wall from the force, hurting her right shoulder. She can hear the Noibat cries again, sending her a warning for incoming. That was enough for Ayla to quickly roll away from the incoming swing from the first teenager.

The third teenager finally managed to convinced his Scrafty to attack the 10 year old, but the pokemon had done it with half-attack rough up which elicited a painful yelp from the child. By then, Scarfty quickly returned to his own ball refusing to go out again. He prefers giving his master a disappointment instead of living the guilt for attacking this girl.

The second teenager was reaching for Noibat now, and Ayla can't let that happen. Not after she has made some enemies with these teenagers for the effort.

Ayla quickly dove towards Noibat with the move that she learned from baseball practice before curling around the Noibat, shielding him in her embrace while her back and head were exposed for the boys to hit.

And boy, they hit hard.

The first teenager hit her with his stick multiple times while the second and third resolved on kicking her, trying to get her let go of Noibat. But her grip was tight and relentless, even after the stick managed to hurt her head as far as her wound finally gave out blood, trickling down to her forehead side and obscuring her right eye. She's really regretting not bringing any of her pokemon with her. She's helpless and she didn't know until how long she can stand this.

"Hey.. it's done man, she's bleeding.." the third teenager said somewhat nervously at the sign of blood. It was a head wound, the blood looks a lot and they didn't stop anytime soon.

"She doesn't need to meddle with our business though. Who she thinks she is anyway? Pokemon rescuer?" the first and second teenager laughed loudly. Ayla just kept still. She didn't know if they still want to hurt her or not, but what she did know she wouldn't let them hurt Noibat anymore.

"HEY! What are you kids think you're doing?!"

"Crap, let's get out of here." One teen ran.

"Leave that useless pokemon. He met his match anyway. A useless girl." The other teen laughed again before ran away, the other one followed suit.

Ayla heard their footsteps fade away, but she didn't dare to straighten up, afraid that her tormentors will come back. Noibat whimpers and still crying but making some cooing noises at her when he noticed the girl was trembling from pain and fear.

"AYLA!" it was Elesa. Ayla was sure of it when the voice got closer. But she didn't dare to look up. It hurts so bad.

Elesa quickly kneel down beside the curl ball of Ayla. The 14 year old noticed immediately at the red blood flowing down the younger child's face and grew more concerned at her trembling, "Ayla, Ayla please, let me see the wound so I can help."

Elesa gently tried to uncurl Ayla while avoiding touching any of the forming bruises, not knowing how bad those were just yet. Ayla finally uncurl while still bend slightly. Her arms though, still embracing the Noibat protectively.

Seeing the Noibat, Elesa has some guess on why Ayla was pummelled down by some teen gangster but now is not the time to ask about it, "Where are you hurting?"

Ayla hissed in pain while trying slowly to eased her embrace from the hurt Noibat, "My head.. my back.. arms.. legs, they hurt so bad.." Ayla can't hide the painful gasps when she talks. If it wasn't for Elesa she'd probably be unconscious by now.

"Okay.. okay, hold on Ayla. Just-" Elesa tried to gently hoist Ayla's arm so she could stand up, but Ayla groaned and cried out in pain before laying down on the ground, finding the cold ground helped slightly with her pain. Ayla can barely register Elesa's panic voice calling her name while Noibat approached her face with a worried look before she closed her eyes, fainted from all the pain.


The next time Ayla opened her eyes, she was laying in a white room, with Emmet by her side blending in with the surroundings while Ingo at her other side with his coat contrasting clashly with all the whites.

"Ayla?" Ingo wasn't asleep yet and he was glad for it. He saw his sister opened her eyes and Emmet who had fallen asleep immediately shot up on his seat looking at Ayla frantically, "Ayla?"

Ayla hummed in weariness. She was still so tired, but her brothers look so worried. She didn't want them to be worried. What-

Hissing in pain at her sudden movement, Ayla finally recalled the early fight she had with some teenagers. Ingo and Emmet murmured some soothing and comforting words before helping her lay down again, promising that it's okay now.

Ingo and Emmet will wait until morning for the explanation and Ayla was about ready to go back to sleep when suddenly she heard a cooing noise by her side. Ayla slowly turned her head and saw Noibat who has some of his own bandages around him was standing at the little table on her bedside, looking worrily at her.

Ayla mustered a small smile and whispered, "You're not hurting anymore right?.." when Noibat shook his head Ayla slowly closed her eyes, losing the battle will of staying awake, "I'm glad…" she managed to muttered before falling back to sleep.

Seeing the girl closed her eyes again Noibat cried out in panic before Emmet gingerly shushed him gently and assured him, "Don't worry," he whispered, "It was just the medicine kicked in. That means she's going to get better, okay?" Noibat reluctantly nodded which Emmet comfortly smiled at him, "Try to get some sleep little guy. We'll see her again later in the morning." Noibat reluctantly agreed before hopping down gently to Ayla's side and gingerly nestled down in her arms before falling asleep as well. Emmet and Ingo can't help but find the sight adorable considering the circumstances. Elesa thought so too when she came back from the hospital's receptionist and checked on the three siblings. She even brought out her phone to capture the sight, smiling softly at the ease content look on Ayla's face before saying goodbye to the two older teens and promising to come back in the morning.

"Really Elesa, thank you very much for helping her." Emmet said when they all go out to the hallway to talk.

"She didn't bring any of her pokemon with her.. I'm afraid she could be.. a goner if you're not there, Miss Elesa," Ingo said with a caught throat at the mention of Ayla's near brush with death, "We owe you a lot more than you can think off."

Elesa waved that away, "You two don't owe me anything. I love Ayla like a little sister I'll never have. I'll do anything for her just like you two." Ingo and Emmet knew that and their respect for her grew tenfold. "I'll visit again tomorrow morning before my photo shoot. Get some rest you two." She waved them goodbye before going home. Ingo and Emmet wanted to stay at the hospital for their sister, but they knew they can't leave the subway unattended. So one of them has to go back.

"Rock, paper, scissor?" Emmet asked.

"Rock, paper, scissor." Ingo confirmed.

In the end, Ingo gets to stay while Emmet begrudgingly drag his feet back to the subway. Emmet was a hundred percent sure that Ingo will interrogate their sister on what happened. Usually Emmet didn't approve of Ingo's overprotective interrogation, but this time? Even Emmet knew he himself will question Ayla thoroughly over what happened. But deal is a deal, Emmet will have to be satisfy with Ingo asking their little sister tomorrow and honestly? Ayla drew the short stick here since Ingo took his position as their eldest brother seriously.


When Ayla woke up again much better in the morning, the doctor checked on her before he deemed her good enough to come home on the afternoon. He pulled Ingo aside to gave him the instructions on how to treat the cut on her head and the bruises, but overall, she was healing nicely to the relief of everybody.

"You scared us Ayla." Ingo said after Elesa had come visit and went to her photo shoot next.

"I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to.." Ayla looked down while embracing the happy Noibat in her arms.

Ingo sighed and tilted her chin up to look at her silver grey eyes, "What happened?"

Ayla told him everything about yesterday. Ingo didn't seem to be angry but exasperated that she didn't bring any of her pokemon with her.

"Next time, bring them. No exception." Ingo finally sternly said. Ayla promised him she will since she regretted not bringing them in the first place when she took the beating. Even the school allow them to bring their pokemon as long as they stay mostly in their pokeball or in the pokemon playground.

"So," Ingo has softened his looks after he got the full story, "Are you bringing the little guy home?" he asked about the Noibat whom was very clingy to her.

"Uh.." Ayla looked down at Noibat who nodded vigorously and let out a happy cry when she smiled at his enthusiasm.

Ingo gave her a spare pokeball and smiled proudly at his younger sister, "Full speed ahead Ayla."

Ayla took the pokeball and gently touched it to Noibat's nose. Noibat's ball barely even move before he was registered as Ayla's pokemon.

Ayla's pokemon family was getting bigger and it will only gets more bigger with time. And only time could tell..

A.N : Little Noibat finally joined Ayla's little family :))