| abstract | - "Johnny! Grab Pom-Pom! We're having a Pokemon competition in the dust lot!" Sammy yelled, his best friend, Paddy the Lotad at his side. "Tad, Lotad!" Paddy followed up. "No rush, Johnny. You know how Sammy always does everything like his pants are going to burst into flames if he stops moving." Abby said, giggling. Her two Ninetales, Maisha and Mauti, looked at her, their golden fur billowing like smoke in the breeze. Maisha gave Mauti a smile, her pink collar's pendant glittering under the shade of the tree. Mauti raised her lip in disgust, her blue collar jingling. A brown-haired boy and a tiny pink Skitty came running out of the house at the street corner. "Come on, Pom-Pom! We're going to be late!" "You already are, slowpoke." Sammy said, adjusting his wide framed glasses on his nose. The blue streak in his black hair blowing in the light breeze. "Now come on. Tabitha and Zodiac are already there waiting." "Aww, Zodiac's there?" Johnny asked disappointedly. He looked at Pom-Pom, picking her up. "Well, we might as well just give up now. Fauzi will burn us all to a crisp." A vision of the massive male Arcanine with his flowing, cream-colored mane flashed in his mind. Abby laughed again. "Oh, come on, Johnny. Fauzi's not that good." She turned to Maisha and Mauti, petting their fur. "We're finally going to beat him, huh Maisha?" "Ninetales!" Maisha barked excitedly. In the field, Tabitha and Zodiac were warming up to battle each other. Tabitha could be seen with the wild shiny Glaceon, Jaha, and Zodiac could be seen with her impressive fighting machine, Fauzi, his red bandana holding his mane close to his neck. His brown eyes met Mauti's as she walked into the field with the others. "Hi, Tabitha! Hi, Zodiac!" Abby yelled, waving in their direction. Tabitha looked up from Jaha, his black hair falling in his face. He waved at her. "Hey, Abby." Johnny ran up to the huge Arcanine, Pom-Pom at his side. "I wanna fight Fauzi first!" "No way, Johnny!" Sammy said. "I'm going to fight him first!" "In your dreams, guys! I was here first!" Tabitha said, a smile of determination on his face. Fauzi and Jaha, as if reading everyone's body language, dropped into battle positions and began to growl at each other. Fauzi looked back at Zodiac, growling. "Nine, arcanine" he said a in a deep bark. A rustling came from the bushes behind her. Zodiac's flame-gold eyes locked on the bush, catching sight of a black piece of clothing. She snarled at it, but didn't go after it. She turned back to the battle. "Zodiac? What is it? Is something over there?" Abby asked, fear in her voice. "No, Abby. It's fine. Let's just battle." she responded, her strawberry-blond hair blowing in the breeze. After the tournament was over, Zodiac and Fauzi retreated home. Fauzi walked into the backyard, laying next to his small house while Zodiac went inside for dinner, her curly hair coiling on her shoulders. The same thing happened with the friends for months, battles in the dust lot, same rustling bushes, same glimpses of black clothing. Until one day, Tabitha moved away, leaving Jaha behind. The Glaceon was heartbroken, waiting under the willow tree at the town entrance for weeks, not taking food or water. She lashed out at other Pokemon and people, attacking them to be left alone to wait for Tabitha, who wasn't returning. She eventually let her grief consume her, dying of a broken heart. She was buried under the willow where she waited so long for the one she missed so much. Munwa Town's people and Pokémon alike mourned the loss of the gentle Glaceon, leaving flowers at her grave every day. Munwa Town was in decline. Grief and sadness ruled the town's inhabitants, leaving them exposed. One night, the bushes rustled again, a normal event at this point. The smell of smoke filled the air, reaching Fauzi's nostrils. He jumped up, snarling at the rustling bush as two men with lit torches emerged, laughing. Fauzi roared, preparing to use slash on the intruders. The men looked at Fauzi, unintimidated as the huge Arcanine reared up on his hind legs. They then pulled sharpened pieces of metal as the flames encircled them. Fauzi's roars alerted Zodiac. She jumped out the back door, seeing Fauzi fall to the ground, dead. The two men looked at her, and them backed away in fear, running into the main town. A dog's growl sounded behind Zodiac as a brown-eyed Mightyena emerged from behind her. Many more appeared with her. One nudged an egg from Fauzi's house, among others that were all smashed. Zodiac rushed forward, grabbing the egg,, which already had a few cracks in it, ready to hatch. "Fauzi... You were a father..." she whispered, looking at Fauzi's body sprawled in the dirt. Screams erupted from the town, the fire spreading to the rest of the town. Zodiac looked up, tears streaming along her face. "Mightyenas! W-Why did you come here?" The brown-eyed Mightyena looked at her and the egg she was holding close. She barked at the other Mightyena, who began pushing Zodiac away from the burning town and up onto a high hill. Zodiac looked back at Munwa Town one last time as it was completely consumed in flames, no survivors left.
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