Witness to Destruction Part 1: Let There be Fire

   He stood still, rather confused, then finally stated, "It's probably a bad idea to ask strangers for help." Niether she nor Sundance knew if this was a threat or advice. Zachary smiled and pointed to the small Pokemon next to him, a Ralts, with a baby Joltick on her head, as he said, "Also.." 

   The Ralts pointed at a Pikachu behind Sundance and, as Joltick ran up to the end of her arm, shouted, "I choose you!" However, no one saw that she was pointing at a Pikachu. Sundance smiled in gratitude as Kara angrily shouted, "What!" Dianna quietly whispered "Pikachuuu~"

*Whimpering*

"We'll be okay Kaila, no worry."

SLAM!

"What the-"

"All we want are your valuables."

"So you better give 'em up!"

   The hulking brute shambled around the mess that used to be a plaza, as a variety of pokemon attacked it from many angles, with some sneaking devices onto the not-really-a-statue. At the end of the street were the pokemon that this story concerns, hiding behind a wall left over from being hit with a Focus Blast.

   Another Focus Blast, another few pokemon hurdling through the air. A Pikachu slammed into the wall they hid behind, hanging over it. Blood dribbled out of its mouth, but it only seemed unconcious. Zach held his hand away from it. "That's not reassuring," he told Sundance.

   Sundance smiled as he told them, "Don't worry, you'll be fine." Zach saw Regigigas punch a Swampert that had been in the air. The Weavile quietly said, "I hope."

   As the Swampert launched himself off the building he flew at, Sundance looked back over the wall and pointed to a building that had only the first floor walls remaining. "You can start there." Zach grumbled, "Does it have to be right next to it?"

   At the nod of his aquaintance, Zach sighed and turned back to Dianna, who he noticed had been silently snickering the entire time, and stated, "Dianna, come, we're heading off." She stopped snickering, looked up at him, and saluted him. Sundance nodded and ran off to who knows where else while Zach went to the edge of the crumbled wall, watching for an opportune moment to run to the alley beside the building.

   As they waited, he noticed that the brute was slowly heading down to the other end of the plaza, and now finally turned. Zach whispered "Now!" and pelted towards the alley on all fours, Dianna managing to keep up on her two small legs.

   When they were safely in the alley Zach began creeping alo- "How do Sneasels turn into Weaviles?" Dianna asked, surprising Zachary. After a quick recovery he straightened up, responding with, "Well, they get a Razor Claw and then, just, fight things." Dianna mouthed 'oh' as they turned down the street at the end of the alley.

   As they walked up to the window next to the front door the duo heard movement from within the building. Zach moved to look into the house for pokemon while Dianna jumped up and held on to the windowsill. They saw three pokemon huddled into the far corner of the room, surprise on their face at the two strangers at their window. The tallest of them all was an average-sized Gourgeist, a babysitter for the neighbors. Standing beside her was a Servine, barely shorter. At their feet was an Eevee, half their height with a small white cloth tied on her left-hind leg.

   Zach raised his hand above his head & shouted, "Hey, we're here to-""GO AWAY!" The duo fell to the ground as the two new faces appeared directly in front of them. The first was a Banette, with a bowler hat atop its head and a scar across it from right shoulder to left hip. The other was an Espurr, showing only its eyes above the windowsill.

   The Banette opened the window and lifted itself so it was leaning out. "This 'ere house is ours for picking," it-or rather she-stated. Zach sat up, staring at the ghostly doll.

   After a moment he asked, "You wouldn't happen to be looters, would you?" She smirked and answered, "I prefer calling it 'takin' advantage of the situation.'"

   Zach frowned as he told her, "This isn't the time for such petty thievery, lady." The Banette stopped smirking and lightly smacked his face with her free hand. "What'cha gonna do, no-ear?"

   As Zach shook his head Dianna jumped onto the windowsill and looked down at the Espurr, who dropped off its ledge and shyed away from the little one. Zach glared at the thief as he said, "What if you get caught and imprisoned for this, huh?"

   She laughed before saying, "I'll escape, just like last time." "What about that kid back there?" Zach knew he hit the sweet spot when she looked at him in dread. "How will you get the little kid out, or did you plan to leave him to rot while you ran free?"

   She leaned back to him and shouted "No!" The Banette stopped leaning and scratched her head. As she came to whatever decision she made she glared at the Zangoose and growled, "You dirty sod, what do you want?"

   Dianna was quietly talking to the Espurr, who she learned was named Norman, as Zach asked the Banette for assistance. "So what's the name of your friend out there?" He asked.

   She answered, and asked the same question to him. "Her name's Carrie." Carrie sweat-dropped at the request. "You only want me to help with gettin' these folk outta town?"

   The Servine in the corner hissed, "Another thief?" Zach held his hands in front of him and told the snake, "No, no, I'm here to get you guys out of the town."

   "Oh thank Arceus," the Gourgeist exclaimed. The Servine continued to glare. "We're gonna follow this sod and his daughter outta' town with them folks," Carrie told Norman. Dianna jumped, shouting "Yay!" while he flushed and nodded.

   Zach looked down to the Eevee. Pointing at the cloth on her leg, he asked, "What's with the cloth?" She stood on three legs and answered, "I sprained it."

   He turned to the Gourgeist, "Can you do something about this, we can't afford to be slow out there." From behind him he heard Carrie shout, "We can throw 'er in dis bag!"

   Zach turned around and saw her holding open a potato sack that was in the middle of the room. He heard a jingle from it and guessed that it was where they put the stolen items. Zach shook his head and turned back to the trio. The Servine lifted the Eevee from the wood floor with vines sprouted from his back, saying, " I can carry Kaila." Zach nodded, telling him, "Yeah, that will do, that reminds me, what are your names?"