FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Something smelled funny.

Crunching into a tighter ball and rolling over, Chala buried her face into the soft moss and ferns that made up her bed. Keeping her eyes closed, she thought of other things, like the sweet and crisp scent of the mint her mother had recently placed in her bedding. She'd almost lulled herself back to sleep when the scent crept along, spoiling the scent of the mint with a smell of smoldering and ash.

With a tight frown on her face, Chala opened her eyes and sat upright. Turning her head, she didn't see anything inside her tree stump home that would be making such a nasty smell, slivers of sun light peaking through tiny holes in the wood. With a "humph!" and a flap of her flippers, she wobbled to stand.

Whatever the odor was, she'd find it and stop it!

Moving forward, she braced her right fin on the inside of the stump. Waiting, listening, she didn't make out anything out of the ordinary. Still, her mother had taught her better than to stick her head out without being sure no one else was nearby. Using her other flipper, she pushed at the tall grasses that grew alongside the stump, blocking the hole. It was so thick, she had to really push at it before it would part, the fuzzy tails tickling her skin and eliciting a giggle before she quieted and peeked out.

...what?

Tugging herself out of the stump with the long grass strands, Chala tried to make sense of what had happened. The ground around her home was clawed up, as if a giant beast had raked the land with its claws. The markings were so deep, should the little Happiny fall in, she wouldn't have been able to climb out without some help. Several plants in the area were no longer a healthy emerald green but a charred, lifeless black. A tree nearby had a chunk of wood missing from it, the edges of the gap black with glowing red spots, strands of smoke lifting from it and curling upwards to the branches. Another tree had been less lucky and had fallen, severed by something powerful, jagged pieces of wood and splinters laying around the base while a surviving tree strained under the weight. The scent, the one that woke her and hung heavy in the air, seemed to be a mix of smoke from the smoldering plants and something she couldn't identify. It reminded her of the scent of rotten berries, but not as sickeningly sweet. More foul, like a Pidgey egg she'd found that hadn't hatched right and was broken, shards of the shell mixed with the soupy insides. Yes. It smelled like the egg... but she didn't know where it was coming from. The good news, which she noticed instantly, was the same breeze that had blown it into her stump was also working on clearing the air.

But where was her mother?

[Mom?] Her voice rose up but didn't shout. Tilting her head, she waited, listening. When there was no answer, she swallowed to clear her throat and said a little louder, [Mom!]

Still, nothing.

Ignoring the feeling of something low in her belly rolling in a tight circle, Chala stood a little straighter. Her mother wouldn't have left without her, not for long. Whatever happened here, she'd be back. Then, she'd tell Chala what weird storm had gone through or why she hadn't heard it and they'd clean up what they could. This was the oddest storm damage she'd seen, but they could fix it!

Maybe that was it! Maybe her mother had gone to get help! After all, it was a lot of damage for one Happiny and one Chansey to clean. With Mrs. Kanga and Kohnie living nearby, her mother had probably gone to get their help. Mrs. Kanga was really strong and would easily be able to fix the fallen tree or help push dirt back into the tears in the ground. Even Scythe, who really didn't have a home but wandered from place to place, could be of great help. With his bladed arms, he could cut right through that big old tree, making it easier to move! And, while the adults did the bigger things, she and Kohnie could clean up the broken branches, dragging them away from the clearing.

In fact, if Chala got started now, her mother would surely praise her for being such a good girl and getting a head start! She might even take her to the Magikarp Pond to play with the fish again!

But where to start?

The large breath she took made her body look more round than oval as she surveyed the massive project before her. The larger tasks like the fallen tree and the deep cuts in the ground she dismissed, knowing it was beyond her capability. Deciding the most important thing was to make sure there were no fires, she released her breath and moved to check the blackened parts of the leaves and trees. A year or so ago, when she'd been really small, there'd been a bad dry spell. During the day, the sky had been flashing, a bolt of heat and fire coming down from the sky and spreading flames along the grasslands she and her mother had once lived at. Many of the residences had thrown dirt and sand on it to try and put the flames out, but the resulting damage had left many without homes. Long after the tongues of red and yellow had gone, more sand had been thrown, to Chala's confusion. When she'd asked her mother why, her mother had showed her a spot under a batch of brown grass, home to many tiny red embers.

[Even if you don't see flames,] her mother had warned, [there still might be danger.]

With a careful kick, her mother had extinguished the life of the tiny coals.

...it was going to take Chala a lot more than a kick to get their home back to being safe.

*-*-*-*-*

A sudden sneeze made Chala's head jerk forward. With a shake, she moved her flipper to wipe her nose only to stop and grimace, noticing how black and soiled her fin was. She shook it once, saw it was still dirty, then shook it so hard it looked like she might be trying to fly. When that resolved nothing, she rubbed her nose against her shoulder, trying to relieve the itch.

She'd covered all the little hot spots with dirt, like her mother had showed her. She'd been very careful to get them all, save for the spot high up where the tree was still smoking. It wasn't something she could reach and throwing dirt had only given her a soil shower so she decided to leave it till Scythe could come and take a look. Following that, she'd moved to the next biggest task, the broken pieces of wood. Some of them were so big, she could only move a piece at a time, where as some of the smaller ones she could carry two or three. Uncertain what to do with them, she'd begun stacking them in a pile till her mother told her otherwise. The more wood she gathered, the more impressive the stack grew. Soon, Chala wasn't just picking up broken branches and pieces of wood, oh no! The little Happiny was now building a mighty tower! Soon, it would be taller than the trees! She would get a nice flower to put on tome and she and her mommy would live there and...

Where was her mommy?

[Maybe Mrs. Kanga went to the berry field again,] Chala considered, dragging her next large piece of wood to add to her tower. [A-and... Scythe is always moving... Mommy might not have found him yet.] With a grunt, she pushed the piece into place, nodding to herself. [Yeah... Mrs. Kanga is at the berry field and Mommy hasn't found Scythe yet.]

Taking a step back, she looked from the base of her tower to the top and gave a loud clap. [Yes! Perfect!]

Her glee was interrupted by a loud growl.

[The Growlithe in my tummy is hungry,] she mumbled. Expecting her mom to return now and feed her, she waited and looked around. When that didn't happen, Chala frowned and poked her stomach again, the Growlithe growling at her unhappily.

Last time she'd left the clearing by their home, her mother had gotten mad. But... the Growlithe in her tummy was getting upset and nibbling on her insides. If she didn't get something to eat soon, he might eat her!

[Maybe Mommy won't get mad this time?] It was doubtful, considering how red her bottom had been from the last time, but she didn't have much choice.

[I won't go far,] she said suddenly, thinking that would make a difference towards saving her bottom. [And I'll hurry back! That'll be good.] With a quick nod to herself and a hasty glance around, just in case her mother had come back, she toddled towards the direction she thought had berries.

The further away from the clearing she moved, the more uncertain she became. She knew there were several different berry bushes near their home, but she'd never really paid attention to where they were. She'd either been tucked in her mother's pouch for the ride or more interested in the things around her than the directions. Still, she kept pushing forward, trying to remember if anything seemed familiar. However, most trees looked like any other and the bushes were indistinguishable unless they had flowers or berries.

A rustling sound made her stop, her flippers rising up to cover her chest as she tried to still the beating of her heart.

[Muh...mommy?]

Chala gave a shriek and fell back as something dark rushed out of the brush nearby. It took several frantic breaths before she gained the courage to turn and see what it was.

[You're not my mommy...] She gave a disappointed sigh before rocking back once, then forward, then back, and jumped up from the ground. Brushing the dirt off herself, she stopped when she realized something. Spinning to look at the bright colored Pokemon on the log, the creature tilting its head, not yet fleeing, she asked excitedly, [Birdie! Have you seen my mommy?]

His black head turned the other way, the black flag on his head waving. He seemed consider her words before shuffling along the length of the log, using one foot at a time, stopping on a branch that allowed him to peer down at her. Opening his pink beak, he gave a squawk.

[Seen mommy.]

Chala clapped and gave a happy bounce. [Where?! Oh! Where, Birdie?] The Happiny watched, her gaze not wavering off the bird. Her hunger drowned as excitement flooded through tiny body. [Is she with Mrs. Kanga? Or Scythe?]

The bird lifted one yellow foot up, put it down, then lifted the other, looking down at it as he spread his cobalt wings to keep his balance. [Where?] it asked, lowering its wings and its foot at the same time before it looked up at her. [With Scythe.]

He gave an abrupt shake, the motion starting at his head, the white feathers around his neck ruffling as it travelled down his yellow bib feathers, along his green belly, then down to the black bob on his tail.

[Thank you, birdie!] Chala yelled, throwing her arms up in the air before flapping them.

She seemed to have startled the bird with the sudden movement as he gave a squawk and flapped his wings, taking to the air. He didn't go far, just to a higher branch of a tree where he could hunch his head down into his shoulders and peer at her.

[Sorry, birdie,] she apologized, lowering her arms, trying to keep still. [Do you know where any berries are? I'm hungry.]

[Know berries...] The bird lifted his head up, leaning over the branch to look at her, his head tilting again to the side. [Hungry.] With another quick shake, he moved a wing to his beak, nibbling on several of the larger feathers.

[No berries?] Chala pinched her lips together in thought. There had to be some somewhere... maybe he just didn't know where any were? With a slight shake of her head, she glanced at him, confused. [Well, if you're hungry, you shouldn't eat your feathers. You need them to fly, don't you?]

[Fly?] The bird was currently rubbing his head against the bottom of the branch, seeking out a pesky itch. He stopped, blinking once, then twice, before calling out with more confidence. [Fly!]

With a flap, he took to the air.

He was long out of hearing before Chala could shout out, [I can't fly!] When he didn't turn around, Chala considered if she should head back home, to see if her mom was there or to keep going for food. Before she could come to a decision, something shiny caught her eyes. When she moved closer, a gust of wind yanked it out of reach before her flipper could cup it.

[Come back, shiny!] she called, plodding off after it. It was perfect, far better than a flower for her tower!

The wind, ignoring her, continued to tug the object along, twirling it like a loose leave in the air, to the mixed delight and annoyance of Chala. Every time it spun, it flashed a bright blue when the sun struck it, and yet, as close as she came to it, her flipper couldn't quite catch it. It was thanks to a dark green bush she was able to capture it, the wind not able to tug it free. Finally, having her prize in hand, she held it in the air, turning it and watching as bright blues flashed off the feather. It looked similar to the colored feather's of the bird she'd met and, she hoped, it would be just the right thing to finish her tower.

Pleased, she shoved it into her pouch.

As she was putting it away, her nose twitched and she glanced up. Pomeg berries! The feather had landed by a Pomeg tree! With a grin so wide it hurt her face, she began looking around for a berry within reach. The rich sweetness of the berry mingled with a warm spice always tasted good, though the bitter rind left something to be desired. Her mother made her eat it, saying it was good, but Chala really didn't think so. She'd rather eat the insides and leave the rinds for someone else to eat. At this point though, even the rind was better than nothing!

The Growlithe in her tummy, which had quieted during her chat with the birdie and the chase with the feather seemed to have recovered. He was nipping at her insides again, the small pains distracting her as she tried to find a way to get a berry. None of them were within her reach and none appeared to be on the ground. Normally, her mother would reach and get one for her, but since her mother wasn't here, she'd have to do it herself!

Checking for something to stand on or something to throw, Chala was unable to find anything to meet her needs. The rocks and sticks nearby were too big to throw, too far away to use to stand on and get a berry.

Absently, she stared up at the bright red fruits, rubbing her stomach as she thought. The longer she thought, the hungrier she got. The hungrier she got, the more frustrated she got. The more frustrated she got, the harder it was to think.

Suddenly, so overwhelmed by the whole ordeal, Chala lifted her fins and gave a flap so hard her sides stung from it.

[Give me a berry!]

When that produced no results, her cheeks grew red and she started holding her breath. Her cheeks soon puffed out, growing sore until she couldn't hold it in any more and gave a louder shout, her arm following through, Pounding the bark of the tree.

[GIVE ME A BERRY!!]

The tree shook.

She hit it again, with her left hand, yelling at it again. The Pounding of her tiny fists made the slender tree shake, leaves coming free and falling as the bark splintered. The continued Pounding made the berries in the tree sway, right to left, left to right, right to left, left to...

Snap!

Simultaneously, three large berries fell, almost striking Chala.

Stopping her attack to cover her head, crying out at the fear of being struck, she remained hunched over till she was certain nothing else would fall. Lifting her fins off her head, she slowly raised it, spotting the berries that had fallen. With an elated cry, she quickly gathered two of them and shoved them in her pouch for later, the sides of her pouch budging. The last one she kept out to eat now.

However, the red rind, undamaged from its fall thanks to its firmness, remained as a barrier, keeping the Happiny from the insides of the fruit.

She tried the obvious, biting into the rind. The only reward she received was a bitterness so strong her whole mouth puckered and she dropped the berry, shaking her head, making faces to try to keep her tongue from tasting. Shaking her head, spitting several times, the flavor still lingered while she picked up the berry to try again. Her teeth had barely broken the skin, nowhere close to the spicy-sweet flavor within. Had she been, the inside juices would have masked the bitterness and made it more tolerable for eating.

With a soft little growl, she took it in both hands, threw her head back, then slammed it forward to bite as hard as she could into the rind.

The results were the same, if not worse.

Giving the berry a fierce shake, trying to ignore the pains of her tummy and the sounds it was making, she considered this new problem. Her mother could open them by biting into them. Chala could not. There had to be another way to open it, though.

...Pounding the tree had worked, why not the berry?

Setting the fruit down, Chala pulled back her fin, lifting it over her head. Curling her little flipper into a fist, she frowned and focused as hard as she could, bringing it down to Pound it as hard as she could. Apparently, she'd Pounded it a little too well. Her fist went through the rind and imbedded itself into the berry, juice splashing along her arm and staining it a dark red. With a squeal, she pulled back, the berry following.

She was stuck.

Trying to pull her arm out, Chala found she couldn't. No amount of waiving, pushing, tugging, yanking, or flinging would budge the berry, the juices sloshing all over her each time she made an attempt. Soon, she was covered in more red spots then the time she'd had the Farfetch'd pox.

[Uh...] Chala took a breath before a small whimper came from the back of her throat. [Uh...] Plopping down, the whimpering coming out in short, broken sounds now, she was preparing to toss back her head and wail when she heard someone laughing.

[It's not funny!] the Happiny cried, feeling dirty, sticky, and above all, hungry.

"A little."

Rubbing her eyes with her free hand, trying to keep from crying now that she knew someone was watching, she gave a small hiccup. [Nuh-uh!]

"Uh-huh."

Glancing upward, she saw the strangest Pokemon ever. He had bright colored skin in some patches, pale in others, with a big mess of brown fur on the top of his head. He was hanging upside down like a Mankey, but there was no tail keeping he up. Instead, he was using his legs to somehow keep him in the air. His arms were tucked behind his head and he was swaying, giving her a grin as he waited for her response.

Chala, however, forgot about their argument in the face of this odd creature.

Standing, the berry still stuck to her, she moved closer. Avoiding standing directly under him, she looked at him and tried to figure out how he'd gotten there.

[Are you stuck?] she asked.

He snorted. "Nah. I climbed."

[Why?] she asked, hoping the answer had something to do with berries that lacked bitter rinds.

He gave a shrug, which looked really silly since he was upside-down. "Felt like it." He leaned towards her, moving a hand to point to the berry. "Need any help?"

Before she could deny it, saying she was fine, the Pokemon's legs slipped off the branch. Covering her mouth to cover her gasp, she forgot all about the berry as he gave a turn midair and landed on his feet.

"Here," he motioned. "Bring it here."

He looked bigger than when he'd been in the tree, almost double her height. Her mother's belated wisdom about strangers chose then to chime in, but by then she was already too close to him to get away.

Taking the berry in his larger hands, Chala watched, fascinated by how he had more fingers than Khanie. They were longer too, like worms with bones in them. They easily turned the berry, twisting it from side to side as she fidgeted. Finally, he yanked, almost making her fall. Giving him an unhappy glare, he completely missed it, his attention solely on the berry.

"Stuck good, huh?" he muttered, trying another twist.

[Can't you get it off?] she asked, her impatience making her voice sound huffy.

He gave a lopsided grin. "Of course! Don't worry!" He thumped his chest with his free hand. "We'll get it off, no problem. You can trust me!" He studied the fruit one more time before nodding. "I'm going to pull really, really hard," he said, pointing to himself then her. "And you pull really, really hard... then, we'll get it off for sure."

Chala gave a slow nod, doubtful, but willing to try anything.

"Count of three, okay?" He put both hands on the fruit, getting a good grip. His mouth formed a small frown as he started to count. "1... 2... 3!"

They both tugged at the same time. There was a momentary struggle, neither giving way. The fruit held on tight, both of them grunting as they tried harder. Suddenly, with a wet sounding "plop," Chala found herself tumbling backwards. Her arms spun to keep herself upright but she couldn't get her balance in time. With a hard "thwack," she landed on her bottom. About to cry, she heard a joyous shout.

"We did it!" The Pokemon held the berry up, juice pooling from the fist mark in its side.

[We did it!] she echoed, waving her flippers, glad to be rid of the berry's weight.

"Here." He handed her back the berry, the fist indentation large enough she could finally get to the insides. "Name's Dane, by the way. You?"

[Chala!] she replied gleefully, not even thinking of her mother's words on strangers now that the berry was back in her hands.

Sinking her teeth into the juicy insides, she closed her eyes and savored her hard earned treat. The flood of rich flavors made the Growlithe in her tummy impatient though, eager to receive the berry too. One bite became two, then three, then more and more till her cheeks were stuffed and she couldn't chew fast enough to get it down, almost coughing up bits of berry as juice trickled down her cheeks.

"Man... you're hungry, huh?"

Blinking, Chala realized she'd all but forgotten the Pokemon that'd helped her.

Chewing then swallowing, she grinned. [Thank you!] she laughed, feeling much better now that the Growlithe in her tummy was starting to relax.

"No problem," he said, rocking on his feet and glancing at the fruit. "Hey..." he hesitated, rubbing the back of his head for a moment. "I don't suppose I could have a bite?"

Chala winced, thinking how her mother would have scolded her for not having asked if he wanted any, especially after he helped her.

[Sure!] Handing it to him, she hastily tried to tell him before he bit in. [Just don't bite the-] She cut off as he tried to bite into part of the uneaten berry, making the funniest face she'd ever seen as he spat out the little bit of rind he got. [The rind.]

"That's nasty!" He spat more, rubbing his mouth on the back of his hand. "How can you eat that?!"

[You don't eat the rind,] she laughed, rocking a little as she watched him. [You eat the insides!]

He curled his lip, looking at the berry as if it was going to bite him.

[Go on,] she encouraged, waving her flippers. [It's really good.]

Dane winced, partially closing his right eye as he turned his head, trying to take the tiniest bite from where she'd been eating. It was a quick nip, his mouth opening wide and biting down tenderly, as if he was chewing on something fragile. Finally, as the flavor proved to be much better than the rind, he began to bite in earnest, his almost the same frantic rush as Chala's had been.

[See?] she giggled, finding it funny to watch him. [Much better!]

Cheeks stuffed with berry, he nodded. "Yush." He took another equally large bite before handing it back to her. "Muff 'etter."

Chala took her bite, watching him chew then swallow. When he'd finished, she handed it back to him, watching as surprised flickered over his face before he grinned. She liked his grin. It showed all his teeth, but not in a scary way like some other Pokemon. Dane took the berry from her, getting another big bite, then handed it back to let her have her turn. Together, they both finished savory insides, the rind completely empty.

Sticky, but full, they remained together for a few more minutes in silence before Chala glanced at the sky, noticing the position of the sun.

[Mommy should be home now.] Chala was reluctant to leave her new friend but she didn't want her mom to worry. [I should get home.]

The Pokemon nodded his head. "Yeah..."

He looked around, then turned back to her.

"You know what," he said. "We should wash first."

[Wash?]

Chala looked down at herself and grimaced. If her mother saw her, she'd be in more trouble than just leaving the clearing. The spots that once covered her front had merged into one long streak of red, her hands equally stained. To be fair, the other Pokemon wasn't much better. The pale skin by his mouth was stained and the large patch of green under it and the blue below had bits of red that had darkened the colors.

[I guess so,] she laughed.

"Do you know a place where we can wash up?"

[There's a river!] Chala exclaimed before frowning, realizing she didn't know exactly where that would be.

"I think I saw a pond." He turned his head and pointed. "That way, maybe?"

[Let's go!] Chala moved to brush her fins off only to realize she'd helped spread the stain to her legs. Laughing at herself, she slipped her fin into her new friends hand, much like she did when she and her mom went for a walk.

The Pokemon gave her a confused look before smiling.

"This way," Dane encouraged. "It's not far."

*-*-*-*-*

The walk to the pond was as quick as the Pokemon had promised, though they had been a few feet off from where he'd thought it to be. Chala wasn't too upset about that, they'd made it, after all. Just in time, too. The juice along her skin had started to harden, tugging on her slender pink hairs. It was less painful, more of a mild irritation every time she moved. She couldn't wait to get in the water and get washed up!

The pond they'd come to wasn't the same as the pond the Magikarp lived in, too shallow and small to hold any Pokemon. The water was clear with brown and black speckled stones decorating the bottom, the surface glistening silver as the sun struck it. Eager, Chala moved to sit at the edge.

Slipping a foot in, she found the water pleasantly warm. With a small splash, she entered the water, bobbing along on her tip-toes. The pool was shallow enough she felt safe, able to tread lightly as the juice bled from her fur to the water. Glancing up, she looked to see if Dane was coming.

The sight that met her eyes was confusing. He was pulling off the green layer of skin, tugging it up over his head and tossing it to the ground. He did something with his hands on the blue skin, a strange twist, and then it slipped off, kicked next to the green skin. Was he a kind of Bug or reptile Pokemon? They were the only kinds she knew that could shed their skin...

He had another funny colored skin left where the blue had been, so white it stood out against his pale skin. Once those were off, the only skin he had left was the pale kind. He hopped into the pond, the water splashing up and hitting her. As she was sputtering, trying to wipe it off her face, he was laughing, grinning at her, unconcerned.

With a small, determined frown, Chala swept her right fin over the water, sending a small wave at him. The shout Dan gave was more of a pleased laugh, his own retaliation swift. Soon, both were crying out, the splashes almost as loud as their mingled sounds of laughter.

*-*-*-*-*

The pond was shallower than when they'd found it, the water murky rather than clear. Both tired but happy, they moved to get out. The strange Pokemon exited first, slipping a little as he heaved himself onto the wet grass. With a grin, he turned to offer her a hand in truce, which she accepted, letting him pull her out.

Shaking his head like a Caterpie who'd been stuck outside in a rainstorm, droplets of water flying, he ran a hand through his hair before picking up his old pieces of colored skin. Chala watched, unsure why he was picking them up and putting them on, then looked upward at the sky. The sun was starting to stain the sky pink like cherry blossoms, vibrant oranges and dark purple patches slowly spotting in the sky.

[Mom must be home by now...] a hint of worry appeared in her voice at the thought. She moved suddenly, as if to leave, before recalling her friend. [I have to go home,] she explained quickly, glancing back to where she was certain her home lay. [Mom'll be mad at me for being gone so long.]

A small frown crossed her new friend's face, his head turning as he looked into the woods. Chala moved to try and see what he was staring at, but she couldn't make out anything past the thick trees and bushes.

"Do you think... I could go with you?" he asked, turning to look back at her as she tried to make it appear as though she hadn't been looking.

[Really?] She gave a quick shake, the cool air chilling the water on her body. [I'd like that!] She grinned at him, thinking her mother might be a lot more lenient if she brought her odd friend home with her.

She slipped her fin back into his hand, intending to lead the way back. She might not have remembered where the Magikarp Pond was or where all the berry trees were, but she could find her way home. She'd travelled with the sun to her back earlier, which meant she just needed to follow it home.

[This way!] she encouraged, not noticing her new friend's silence.

*-*-*-*-*

The way home took longer than she thought, her confidence shaky the more the trip dragged on. When she saw the boulder that looked like a really huge egg on its side, she felt her body relax.

[This way,] she said again, giving a tug, smiling back at him. [We're almost there! Promise!]

Dane gave her a small smile but didn't seem to look at her. She frowned a moment before they came to the clearing. Instantly, she released his hand and rushed forward, putting her fins to her mouth, calling out as loudly as she could:

[MOM! MOM! I'm home!]

Laughing, she was careful not to trip over the still visible trenches in her eagerness to see her mother again. She'd almost circled the entire clearing before slowing down, a pain like claw marks raking her insides.

Her mother wasn't there.

[M-mom?] she called out, her voice breaking. [Scythe? Mrs. Kanga? Khane?]

None of them appeared.

A touch on her shoulder made her jump, a sob strangled inside her throat.

"Hey, don't worry." Dane knelt down, giving her a tight hug. "It's okay."

[They're... they're not here.]

"It's okay," he repeated, "I'm here. I'm here, Chala."

[Ah-ah...] Her little body suddenly struggled to make noises other than whimpers. [Where's my mommy?]

Dane just looked at her and shook his head, wishing he could offer her an answer. While she rested her head on his shoulder, her smaller body shaking, the only thing he could think to do was to keep stroking her back.

"Maybe it'll just be a little longer," he offered.

[Muh-maybe...] she sniffled, wiping her nose with her fin.

"Well, why don't we stay here tonight and if she doesn't come back, we can go look for her."

Chala nodded against shoulder. Yes, perhaps it would take her mother a little more time. She'd be back in the morning for sure, first thing! She just needed to wait a little longer.

Just a little longer.

Rubbing her nose again, she pulled away from Dane. Taking his hand, she brought him to her stump, showing him how they could push the grass away and climb inside. She waited for him to go in first, but he stopped and paused, giving one long look of the area and the damage around them before crawling inside. It was a tight fit for both of them, Chala having to climb in his lap while Dane sat cross legged, his arms moving around her in a loose embrace. However, both were comfortable, the small confines warm while the outside air grew chilled. She fell into an exhausted sleep long before Dane did, his hands stroking her back as she snuggled closer against him, the boy giving a frown as he hugged her.

"It'll be alright," he repeated, more to himself than the slumbering Chala in his lap.

*-*-*-*-*

The morning came with a bang.

The sound made both of them jump, Dane hitting his head on the roof of the stump as Chala tumbled from his lap. A loud roar and several more crashes left them wide eyed and still. Chala was the first one to attempt a peek outside the stump, pushing the grass aside.

There, shaking its head wildly, was some large gray monster. It looked like a moving boulder with four legs, though when she looked closer she could see many flat and spiky stone plates. These plates rested over its body, moving when it did. Pawing the ground with its right foot, the beast lifted its massive head, a whuffing breath easily heard as it jerked its head. With a grunt, it shook its body, trying to loosen the broken branches and loose vines from its back, several looking as though they'd been scorched. Scorched, like how the limbs around Chala's home had been.

She didn't notice that part, however.

Chala was focused on the fact that this horrid monster was standing right next to her tower, the tower that she wanted to show her mom, when she got home. That she'd yet to top with her pretty blue feather.

"Rhyhorn."

She barely heard the words, watching as the creature's head turned towards them, its eyes rolling back as it raked the ground with its claws. Dane stiffened behind her, his arm moving to reach for her, just as something startled the beast and caused it to twist, knocking Chala's tower over.

The wood toppled, the Rhyhorn all but jumping to the side, trying to twist its head to see what happened. With a strong snort, unbothered by the bits of wood, it turned to take another step.

[NO!]

Chala pushed her way past the grass, slipping past Dane's fingers. The Rhyhorn turned at her shout, lifting its head high and twisting, looking for what had caused the noise. Spotting her, it lowered its head, letting a gust of air out of its mouth.

[GO AWAY!]

Picking up a pebble from the ground, she threw it at him. The throw smacked the beast right on the nose, making it shuffle backwards before shaking its head, realizing it didn't hurt. Lunging forward, it made to move forward when a shout distracted it.

"HEY!"

Both Chala and the Rhyhorn turned, looking towards Dane. He was waving his arms and still shouting, the Rhyhorn rolling its shoulder plates, glancing back to the pink blob it could see and the moving green and blue one.

"Hey!"

The beast turned its head back towards Chala once before opening its maw and roaring, lowering its head and charging towards her friend. Chala's shout went unheard as the pounding of the Rhyhorn's feet easily covered any other noise. The horn on the beast's nose flashed, her friend turning to run but far too slow. Only by diving to the side was he able to avoid the upward thrust of the Rhyhorn's head, though his green skin was torn in the back by the Horn Attack.

Unable to stop its charge in time, the Rhyhorn had to gradually slow, making its turn right into a mess of thorn and vines. Tangled, it grunted and yelled, tugging to pull itself free.

"Run! Now!"

[No!] Chala shook her head. [No! Mom will be home soon!]

Dane turned his head, noticing the Rhyhorn getting closer and closer to freedom.

"We'll come back!" He motioned to her, encouraging her to run. "Come on!"

[NO!] Chala's whole body shook as she clenched her flippers by her sides. [I'll make him go away!]

"Chala!" His shout was muffled towards the end, the sounds of vines snapping and cracking branches covering it.

Now free, the Rhyhorn Stomped his foot, rising up on his rear legs and slamming both of them into ground. The earth under his feet quaked, spreading outward and plants shook, leaving Chala to try and keep her balance. Dane fell, too close to the attack to escape. His muffled shout brought the Rhyhorn's attention back to him, the beast hurrying to charge before Dane could try and stand.

As Chala regained her footing, she tried to run to stop the attack, but her little legs were no match for the Rhyhorn's longer strides. Frantic, she tried to recall one of the attacks her mother had used before. It had let her mother copy the same attack used against her by a Pinsir, letting her use its own Seismic Toss against it. In her desperation to help Dane, she could feel the energy gathering around her flippers. Before she could fully gather and focus it, she tripped and fell, falling face forward, her hands smacking the ground to catch herself.

The energy rushed out.

At first, nothing happened. Then, she felt the ground tremble under her fins. One little shake, then it rushed forward, the ground rippling and cracking. Chala's head lifted just in time to see the Rhyhorn's charge falter, its head turning right and left as it lifted its legs, trying to escape the quaking ground. Dane rolled off to the side before the Rhyhorn's feet came crashing down, the beast slowing, still prancing awkwardly as the ground gradually slowed.

Snorting, it tried to find what caused the attack.

When the wind shifted, its nostrils flared, eyes narrowing as it honed in on her. Chala rose, her flippers clenched. As it started to move again, its head rocking from side to side, as if to determine the best way to attack her, Chala went first. With a little spin, she giggled briefly, feeling the energy hum around her. This move she knew how to do from practice. From the corners of her eye, she could see the light pink glow, meaning it was working, then stopped to give her cutest smile to the Rhyhorn, even though she felt like scowling at it.

The Rhyhorn gave a sudden snort, scuttling backwards, befuddled by the Charming Happiny. It gave a soft toss of its head, huffing to itself, opening its mouth to display its fangs. The Scary Face made her take a quick step back, too distracted by the idea of being swallowed whole by such a monster that she didn't even realize it had started its charge.

"Chala! MOVE!"

She heard Dane running up from behind her, unable to move as the Rhyhorn suddenly seemed to appear right in front of her. She could see the ground being torn up from his feet, the blades of grass twirling away from him as he lowered his head. Clenching her fin, she felt the pulsation of energy gathering there, tried to gather it quickly to strike... but it wasn't going to be in time.

As she felt Dane's arms go around her, moving to pull her out of the way, she felt her body clench, expecting the impact from the Rhyhorn's glowing horn.

"Kastha! Razor Wind!"

A wail, like several Pokemon screaming in pain, roared past her ears. A swirl of green slammed hard into the Rhyhorn's side, knocking him off his feet and sending him rolling. The spinning slowed and Chala gave a happy gasp before realizing this wasn't Scythe. While it was a Scyther... it had a larger bottom than her friend Scythe and its skin was a lighter green.

"Kastha, drive him away!"

[Yes!]

In a flash of green, the Scyther leapt towards the Rhyhorn, the lumbering creature twisting its way back on its feet. It moved slower, favoring the side the Scyther had slammed into. It turned its head toward Kastha, digging its feet in while it rolled its eyes to look behind. Stopping short, taking one step forward into a low crouch, the Scyther spread its wings, fluttering them so rapidly that the shrieking wail sound started up again.

Deciding it had enough, the Rhyhorn turned to make a break for it, slamming into whatever obstacles were in its way. Pursuing him, Kastha clattered her bladed arms against each other and took small swings at its hindquarters, steering it away.

Clutching the arms that hugged her tight, Chala felt her breath coming out in quick gasps. Dane kept her close, whispering to her softly, words that didn't register in her mind other than as a soft buzz.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Another strange Pokemon, one that looked like a bigger version of Dane but with different markings and skin colors kneeled beside the both of them. His face was creased with worry lines as he reached to touch them. At Chala's shudder, Dane moved away, his form tight, ready to run.

"Hey, it's okay kid." The larger male reached slowly, moving towards a small pouch at his side. From there, he took out some kind of flat, rectangular leaf with his picture on it. It didn't mean anything to Chala, but she felt Dane relax at the sight of it. "I'm a park ranger, we've been looking for you."

Chala took another look at the odd leaf before the male put it back in his pouch, reaching this time for some black, rectangular looking rock with a black stick on top of it. Holding it, he pushed something on the side that made it crackle like the white flashes in the sky, before the loud boom.

"Selene, this is Drake. I found the kid. Location, Alpha 9-1. We'll head in."

The rock crackled again before a female voice came from it.

"Roger. Thank God you found him, Drake. I'll let the father know. Over and out."

The rock gave a final buzz before going silent. He clipped it back to his side before grinning at them. It wasn't as scary as the Rhyhorn's mouth... but Chala definitely liked Dane's smile better.

"Your dad's at the station, Dane. Let's get you there so we can get you checked out."

"What about Chala?"

Chala lifted her head, uncertain why Dane's face was so serious and worried.

"Chala?" Drake gave a small frown before glancing down at her. "The Happiny? Well..." He made a soft "huh" sound before scratching his head, looking around. Suddenly, he went still. Standing abruptly, he moved towards some of the grooves in the ground.

"Her mom's missing," Dane supplied, his hand rubbing small circles along Chala's back, trying to soothe her as she watched the unfamiliar male roaming around her home.

"How much of this was done by the Rhyhorn?"

Dane looked at Chala then back. "Mainly, just the crushed stuff. The burns and deep grooves were there before... right, Chala?" When the Happiny didn't answer, her hugged her a little tighter. "Why?"

Drake touched one of the scorched plants, watching it crumble into a fine, black soot.

"That Rhyhorn... was he agitated before or after he saw you?"

"Before. What does this-"

Drake put his fingers to his mouth and gave a loud, clear whistle that made Chala clutch her ears. There was a moment of silence before the Scyther from before broke from the tree line.

"Kastha, remember this location. Go. Fly to Jenny, get her to send a team! He might still be here!"

With a quick nod, the Scyther sprung upward, piercing the canopy of leaves.

[What's happening?] Chala asked, twisted in Dane's arms, looking at him for some kind of explanation. [What's going on?!]

At the Happiny's panicked voice, Drake realized he wasn't going to be able to get away without giving some kind of answer. Even he wasn't so blind to the way the two had bonded... but that information... Jenny'd have his head if she found out. Selene'd call him an idiot for sure, not like that was anything new but it got to be tiresome after the hundredth time. With Dane's eyes on him, he knew he'd have to at least tell them something.

"Different parks across the region have reported a series of poaching," he said, moving back towards the two. "Normally, we're able to apprehend them quickly but there's this one..." Drake shook his head, hissing with irritation. "He uses some kind of Fire Pokemon we've yet to identify, a Sandslash, and a Poison Pokemon we believe to be a Skuntank." He gestured to the different types of damage. "He never stays too long, so we need to hurry and get him before he can leave."

"And get Chala's mom back?"

The hopefulness in Dane's voice and the eager exclamation of the Happiny made Drake feel like he was swallowing a Tortank's shell. He glanced around the area one more time before trying to make his voice sound more encouraging.

"Yeah. If he's got her mom, we'll get her back too..."