The case of the Pokemon Kidnapper!

Dawn was breaking across the skies when a Charmander was asleep in her nest. The Fire that Bolts Across the Sky, a female Charmander that went by the name of Firebolt dozed in her room. Firebolt was slightly darker than most Charmander but still recognizably orange and the cream on the underside of her tail wrapped around her tail at the tip.
Only Firebolt and a Scatterbug called A Bug that is Dusty and Slim lived in apartments on the top floor of the hotel. There were only a handful of permanent residents at the Anton hotel but rarely anyone stayed on the top floors.
Firebolt opened her blue eyes when she heard a noise seeping through the floor beneath her. There was an odd but excitable tune and it stopped Firebolt from returning to her slumber. She rolled over in her soft bed but the noise kept her awake. It made her want to dance but Firebolt knew she really wanted to sleep.
“Figures we have to get a bunch of loud guests at the hotel,” Firebolt sighed as she climbed out of her basket.
She has special plastic covers, so the flame on the end of her would not set them on fire. She felt grateful that the owner of the hotel, Tobi, had gotten her those, as she was scared to burn down the place. Secretly Firebolt was worried about hurting the bug residents of the hotel, but she never voiced her concerns, but made sure she was careful around her bug friends.
The old lift in the hotel didn’t work so Firebolt started the long trek down the winding stairs. Anton hotel did seem a little run down, but it was only to fit into the theme of dark and gloomy landscape that surrounded the hotel. Firebolt often wondered why Tobi bought her, since she didn’t fit into the hotel/ranch types of Dark, Bug or Water.
Finally Firebolt made it to the ground floor and headed into the kitchen, noticing that the music was getting louder and louder.  All the Pokémon at the hotel were sat a large table and watching two Pokémon at the front.
Firebolt stared at the two unusual Pokémon. One was a Ludicolo playing on a wooden instrument that resembled a flute, but sounded like something completely different and a beautiful looking Floette that was singing a sweet tune, Firebolt had never seen these Pokémon before so she turned away.
Firebolt thought she had gone to sleep when she saw an interesting Skitty balancing on a ball, watching the performance with sparkles in her eyes. Firebolt had to admit the pink kitten Pokémon looked cute in the jester hat it was wearing.
“Don’t worry Firebolt, you aren’t seeing things” Dusty Slim murmured from his stool. The Scatterbug had a lack of black pixel dust when outside of battle. His eyes glanced at the cute kitten.
“So are you a guest here?” Dusty Slim asked politely.
Firebolt rolled her eyes and walked to her own stool at the corner of the large, round, wooden table, where her food was already placed. Dusty Slim had a habit of liking ‘pretty’ looking girls. Poor Cora of the House Burkett, an unusually fluffy Eevee with curly  fur and a cream colour sock on her front right paw and half of her back left leg was also cream, had to deal with him a lot. Firebolt knew he was only doing a little light flirting and she never found the bug attractive, but she was saddened that she wasn’t seen as cute. She was a girl as well.
“Are you okay?” an unfamiliar voice asked Firebolt.
Since the question was unexpected, Firebolt jolted and looked at the Pokémon who spoke. She found herself staring at the Ludicolo from before.
“I am fine” Firebolt replied curtly, realising too late at the rudeness in her voice.
“Hey, don’t be rude,” Another unfamiliar voice spoke.
A Floette with clear hair like water appeared holding a large lily pad. She wore a head set on her head and was eating pink poffin. She looked like a fusion crossed with fairy, water and grass.
Firebolt look down in shame, “You are right, that was extremely rude of me.”
Spud smiled and clapped his hands, “its ok Charmander. You’re just having a rough day, right Miku?”
The Floette smiled at Firebolt, “Don’t worry, my new song I am writing will be sure to cheer you up!”
And with that Firebolt was astounded and watched the pair leave and head for the stairs. They certainly were an odd pair.
“I hope you feel better soon” another unfamiliar voice spoke up.
Firebolt looked at the newcomer and was shocked to see A Pineco that had appeared to be split in half, horizontally. The Pineco looked fine and the two pieces of its body floated in union.
A weird Goomy cross Misdreavus floated by Firebolt’s side and sighed.
“Don’t worry about Pedro,” he said as he gestured to the Pineco, “he just had a nasty accident.”
“Really?” Firebolt asked questioningly. She had quietly assumed that the Pineco was a cross or fusion Pokémon had been born like that. But the words coming out of the piny Goomy like head appeared so believable and his voice was like honey.
“Psyche!” The Goomy cross shouted causing Firebolt to jump in shock.
“That isn’t very nice, Julian” Pedro the Pineco muttered disapprovingly at the Goomy cross Misdreavus.
“Whatever, let’s go and find some more Pokémon to trick,” Julian replied with the roll of his pink, yellow and green eyes, before floating away towards Gag Wheel of Bloopers known as Blooper the Wooper, who was hanging out with his best friend Squishy as a Marshmellow also known as Marshmellow, the green and pink beads around the base of his head were around the base of his head caught the light.
Firebolt looked away in embarrassment at the fact that she was startled by the weird Goomy cross Misdreavus.
“Is everything ok?” An odd, yet beautiful looking Floette that wore headgear asked Firebolt with a concerned tone.
Suddenly Cora out of the blue ran up to Firebolt, with worry in her eyes. Firebolt sighed and knew she was in for a crazy morning.
Before the brown, fluffy fox Pokémon could talk, Firebolt spoke, “So how many guests do we have staying at the hotel tonight? There are so many different Pokémon around but at least the hotel is getting its name spread everywhere.”
Cora paused before answering, “Around six Pokémon. A Ludicolo, a Floette fusion, a Skitty, a Goomy/Misdreavus cross, a Fusion Pineco and a Ponyta cross Shinx that is fused with a flying type.
“That is a lot since this place has just opened. Especially since it’s so hard to find this place and there is nothing interesting to do here. I don’t understand why our owner would put a hotel in such an isolated place!” Firebolt mused aloud.
“But one of those Pokémon has disappeared just now,” Cora spoke finally feeling a little disgruntled that Firebolt had interrupted her.
“What? It’s only been a few minutes?” Firebolt asked, looking at the Eevee.
Cora sighed, “Yes, the Skitty, called Clown, who was balancing on a ball. Normally the guests stay on the grassland because in the forest they get lost. I am worried about her...”
Firebolt rolled her eyes, knowing that Cora was slightly freaked out at the fact that whites the eyes in her species were black for her. She saw the fluffy fox shudder ever so slightly, but Cora was too nice to mention her discomfort.
“Clown, is it? She will be fine Cora, trust me,” Firebolt assured her ranch mate with a pat on the back.
Cora didn’t look convinced, “oh... if you say so Firebolt”
A few hours later Firebolt walked warily inside. She was basking in the sunlight until a shadow covered her. A dark ominous cloud hovered in the skies and Firebolt had a deep dislike for the rain. She headed over towards the stairs when she heard a voice shout out.
“Miku is missing and we have to find her!!” a voice that sounded like Spud, the Ludicolo she had met earlier shouted.
“We don’t know where Miku is” Desert the Sandile answered with a sigh, “are you positively sure she just didn’t go out for a walk?”
Firebolt was confident if anyone could calm the Ludicolo, it would be Desert. Desert was one of the three starting members at the Hotel and many Pokémon looked to him for support. Desert’s calm demeanour would be sure to rub off on the other panicking Pokémon.
While a few Pokémon such as Blooper, a Wooper, and his friend Marshmallow the Shellos had started to look a bit nervous at Spud’s antics, Desert took charge and asked Blooper to get Storm’s Eye, one of the other leader Pokémon. Even Sleeping through the Ages, or otherwise known as Sage the Kabuto, the final one of the three founding Pokémon members of the ranch had awakened from his sleep. Which in Sage’s case would mean he thought things were very serious because he hardly ever was seen not sleeping.
“She was in her room practicing her singing one moment and the next she was gone!!” Spud cried as he covered his face with his green hands, ignoring the commands the Sandile made.
Firebolt wasn’t the only Pokémon from the ranch/hotel that was attracted by Spud’s cries. Almost the entire Hotel’s Pokémon and other visiting Pokémon gathered around. Even Sage, a sleepy Kabuto who only usually woke for food, blinked his tired eyes in confusion.
“Has anyone seen Miku the Floette? She is Spud’s daughter and a fusion water, grass and fairy type” Storm’s Eye asked aloud.
Storm’s eye was a female Rufflet with brown eyes. She was one of the very first members at the Anton Hotel and every Pokémon there saw her as the leader. Firebolt thought she acted bossy enough to be the leader, even though it was really their trainer Tobi that ran the Hotel.
Forest of the Arachnids, also known as Aria talked to her best friend Stab in the Dark, or Stab for short, a female Skorupi.
“This seems dangerous. Anyone of us could be taken away. I thought this place was safe,” Aria questioned aloud as she looked at Storm’s Eye.
“No one will take us away, you have my word on that,” The battle hard Skorupi answered determinedly “Besides those Pokémon are weak”.
Firebolt wasn’t so sure that the duo could have put up a better fight than the Skitty and Floette. Stab kept insisting her friend that they would be fine, but Firebolt herself wasn’t so sure.
As Firebolt shakes her head, the Charmander remembered her conversation with Cora earlier. Guilt stuck Firebolt like a lightning bolt at the idea that if she had listened to the small brown fox Pokémon, Miku would still be there.
“Also, has anyone seen Clown the Skitty? She balances on a ball and wears a jester’s hat?” Cora also asked, raising her sweet voice so everyone could hear her.
Once again no one responds with a yes. Firebolt looked down in thought.
Why would someone take these Pokémon? How are they kidnapping them without being noticed?
“I saw Miku just a while ago,” Dusty Slim spoke up, as he wormed his way through the crowd. Spud raced over to his and picked the bug Pokémon up in his hands.
“Where is Miku and what have you done with her?!” Spud screamed, causing Dusty Slim to flinch.
Firebolt knew the Ludicolo was a fun loving and relaxed Pokémon, but she was surprised of the intensity in her voice. Those two obviously had a close bond. Firebolt briefly wondered if her father and mother missed her at all.
Dusty Slim stammered, “I saw her walking towards the forest. I tried calling out to her but she didn’t seem to notice me.”
“We have to find the missing Pokémon!” Storm’s Eye announced, “We need to split into groups and check the surrounding area. Groups of three will be best I think.”
“Dusty, where did you see Miku walking?” Cora asked politely, unknowingly boosting the tiny bug’s ego. Firebolt felt like she wanted to vomit at the lame Scatterbug.
“Towards the forest by the Sky Oak, my Sweet,” Dusty Slim answered happily, obviously enjoying Cora’s attention.
“Who is willing to help look for Clown the Skitty and Miku the Floette?” Desert asked
Almost all of the Pokémon volunteered, including Firebolt herself. She still felt extremely guilty she hadn’t listened to Cora’s instincts.
“Ok the first group will consist of Marshmallow, Desert and I will look for the Pokémon by the Hotel, in case the missing Pokémon return.  The second group will have Blooper, Aria, Stab and Sage will check the icy cave and the forest around there, just in case they got lost there. The third group will have Cora, Dusty Slim and Firebolt look by the Sky Oak and Spud will go with them,” Storm’s Eye declared.
“Now let’s spread out!!” Storm’s Eye called out to the fellow Pokémon.
“You didn’t mention us!” Julian argued while Pedro shook his head.
“You can come with us,” Cora told them friendly.
Firebolt didn’t like the idea of having Julian go with them, but they needed all the help they could get. Neither her, Cora or Dusty Slim was very high levelled.  And she was sure Pedro the Pineco would keep the Goomy/Misdreavus in line.
The group of Pokémon headed towards the biggest and greenest tree on the land. While the trees in the surrounding forest looks dark and gloomy, the Sky Oak stood proud and full of life and there was a sweet scent in the air.
“Are you sure you saw Miku go this way?” Pedro asked Dusty Slim who nodded in answer.
“I definitely saw the little cutie wander this way,” Dusty Slim said with determination before going red in the face.
“I wasn’t stalking her or anything; I was going to ask if I could help her and her dad,” Dusty Slim added in embarrassment as Spud gave the bug a glare.
“Sure,” Firebolt teased as she looked around the giant oak tree.
Cora sniffed around the roots while Dusty Slim climbed up into the tree using his string shot attack. Julian and Pedro floated to the nearby forest to look for clues. Firebolt looked around but kept an eye on the sky. She really didn’t like rain. But she would go through a thunderstorm to look for lost Pokémon.
“Miku!! Miku, where are you! It’s your father, Spud and we are worried about you!” Spud called out desperately and Firebolt felt bad for the carefree Pokémon.
“Dad! Dad, help me I am stuck!!” A high pitched voice called out from the nearby forest.
Spud raced over there so fast, Firebolt wasn’t sure a Ludicolo could move that fast. She chased after the pineapple cross duck looking Pokémon.
Green balls of energy flew from the surrounding trees and into Spud’s hands.  Firebolt hadn’t been around many grass Pokémon before but she assumed this was an Absorb attack.
The leaves on the surrounding trees quickly died and wilted away. Spud leapt with tremendous strength up onto a nearby branch and climbed to where the voice had come from.
Firebolt saw a flicker of light purple and realised too late, that it wasn’t Miku calling out.
“You’re not Miku,” Spud said dejectedly to Julian, who was in the middle of laughing.
“Hahaha! I got you so good,” Julian crackled up.
Spud growled, which Firebolt wasn’t sure if that was possible. Spud unleashed a Scream and his face grew larger and large.
“What has Julian done now?” Pedro whined as he watched his friend.
“What attack is that?” Firebolt asked unsure at what the eccentric Ludicolo was doing.
“That’s the Astonish attack I believe,” Pedro murmured quietly as he saw his friend hit by the attack.
Julian fell from the tree and landed hard on the leaf covered ground. Firebolt and Pedro rushed over to the purple Goomy/Misdreavus cross. Julian groaned but didn’t look like he was hurt too badly.
“That was a terrible thing to do!” Firebolt snapped and she felt the flame on her tail burn more intensely.
“I agree,” Pedro spoke, his voice sounding soft compared to Firebolt’s one.
“It’s ok,” Spud muttered and he leapt down from the tree. Firebolt saw the heartbreak in his eyes and felt terrible.
“Ow!!” Julian cried as he floated back into the air, “that was uncalled for!!”
“What you did was uncalled for and rude,” Firebolt replied angrily.
“I think we should help these guys out properly, since we caused them so much trouble,” Pedro voiced his opinion, but Julian ignored him.
“Sorry I didn’t hear what you said,” Spud the Ludicolo admitted to the pinecone looking fusion.
“Me and Julian will help you with your mission to find the missing guests,” Pedro announced as Julian groaned.
“But I want to trick a few more people first,” Julian complained loudly before Spud grabbed the floating Goomy head with the green and purple beads in his hands.
“You will help us find Miku!” Spud snarled before letting go of the cross.
“Fine!” Julian snapped before looking at his friend Pedro and declared, “We will have it your way. But I will be back up to full scale trickery after this!!”
Pedro sighed, “very well.”
Firebolt glared at the floppy eared Goomy/Misdreavus until a shout rocked her thoughts.
“Help, a Pokémon is attacking Cora!!” a shout that sounded like Dusty Slim called out and echoed in Firebolt’s ears.
Without a moment’s thought, Firebolt tore off towards the Sky Oak, with Spud at her heels, Julian on one side and Pedro behind him.
Firebolt dashed to the side of the tree and noticed not too far away her fluffy Eevee friend on the ground with a Ledyba which had a black, half moon crescent on his forehead, straddling her back and holding her down. The positioning did not look good in Firebolt’s eyes.
She saw Dusty Slim attempt to bite Ledyba with his bug bite, but the Ledyba easily threw him back with one of his many legs... or arms, Firebolt wasn’t too sure. Firebolt raced forth and felt the flames in her throat. She opened her mouth to use her ember attack but only a few pitiful dark purple and black flames spilled out.
Shocked, Firebolt stared at her snout and tried to use an ember attack but it only produced more pitiful dark flames.
The Ledyba noticed her and started to shimmer with sparkles. Spud ran up to use and absorb attack but the Ledyba easily dodged to the right. Stars of light formed and hurtled themselves at the group of Pokémon.
Pedro rushed forward and a blue shining barrier emerged in between the fast moving stars and the group of Pokémon. Firebolt snarled at her uselessness and ran at the Ledyba.
Firebolt leapt at the Ledyba who ducked underneath her. He aimed a punch to her stomach as Firebolt brought her orange claws down. Ledyba’s attack was faster and hit Firebolt in her cream underside, causing her to gag and miss with her own scratch attack.
As she crumbled to the floor, she watched and enraged Spud take on the ladybug Pokémon. Spud went to use absorb but The Ledyba’s punches were always hitting first.
“That’s Mach punch! The attack it was using before was Swift!” Pedro shouted as Julian cursed under his breath and sent a torrent of bubbles at his foe.
Firebolt was thankful that Pedro shouted out the moves, because she had never seen them before in her life. The ladybug Pokémon was the strangest and possibly strongest bug Pokémon she had ever seen.
“Stop,” The Ledyba panted as it dodged the array of bubbles but the attacks kept coming.
“The Eevee is getting away!” The Ledyba shouted loudly causing some confusion.
Before Firebolt could get to her feet, she watched the Ledyba fly over and crash into Cora once more. Firebolt growled and got to her feet. She stomped towards the bug Pokémon ready to attack again when she felt the wind get stronger and a shadow fall over her.
“Please stop this! The Ledyba is only trying to help! He is saving your friend!!” A voice cried out.
“Frigga, there you are!” Julian called out with glee while looking to the sky. Pedro also looked relieved.
An interesting horse like Pokémon with a fiery mane and tail, a blue behind and blue wings with darker feathers at the end of the wings. The horse like Pokémon had paws, as well as a shiny blue beak and shining pink eyes.
Firebolt wasn’t sure what the Pokémon was but assumed it would somehow be related to a Ponyta and Shinx.
“Everyone this is Frigga, a Ponyta cross Shinx which was also fused with the Flying type,” Pedro announced as Julian greeted his friend.
“So you have the same trainer?” Dusty Slim asked as he picked himself off of the ground.
“Yes,” Frigga said happily, looking at everyone.
“I haven’t seen you at the ranch cross hotel thingy,” Spud said suspiciously.  
Firebolt sighed feeling the need to step up for her home, “The Anton Hotel is technically both a hotel and a Ranch. We have rooms for all the Pokémon and acres.”
“Well I have been frolicking around the acres and enjoying a fly,” Frigga explained happily.
“So what is the Ledyba doing exactly,” Firebolt snapped, looking at Cora who was struggling under the Ledyba and drooling from her mouth.
“My name is Pizza and I am a member of a ranch called the Hive,” The Ledyba named Pizza explained,
“I was stopping your Eevee friend from running off to follow that sweet smell. My owner is a Gym Leader who specialises in Bug Pokémon so I know that move when I smell it.”
“What move?” Julian asked with a tilt of his head.
“Sweet scent, which is used to attract Pokémon. That means whoever is after your friend is either a bug or grass type Pokémon, most likely using this to attract victims,” Pizza continued.
“I like sweets!!” Cora purred happily as her tiny brown paws dug into the earth in an effort to free herself from the Ledyba’s grasp.
“Now that I think about it, there is a sweet smell lingering in the air,” Firebolt admitted aloud.
“I really could go for some honey right now,” Dusty Slim said happily as his eyes unfocused. Firebolt knew he was imagining eating honey.
Julian bumped into the tiny bug Pokémon and screamed “Snap out of it!”
Firebolt frowned, “How come it affects some Pokémon more than others?”
“Different species and personalities I suppose,” Pizza answered, “The flame on your tail or your determination to save your friend here could have distracted you from the smell.
Firebolt held a new respect for the ladybug. He was a formidable opponent and understandably so, since he was a gym leader’s Pokémon. Still she was annoyed at herself for being beaten by a bug type Pokémon.
“So we follow the smell to find Miku?” Spud asked Pizza urgently.
“Yes, but I would be careful,” Pizza advised, “I know, I will come along.”
Firebolt nodded in agreement, “that sounds like a good idea, considering you are the highest level here.”
“I’ll go back and warn the other Pokémon at the Hotel. Who knows how many other Pokémon have fallen victim to this tactic,” Dusty Slim suggested as he turned to Cora.
The scatter dust Pokémon opened his mouth and produced a sticky string. Once the fox Pokémon was enclosed up to her neck, Dusty Slim begun to drag Cora away.
“Hold on!” Frigga shouted as she took to the air. Using her paws she scooped up the Scatterbug and Eevee and flew in the direction of the Hotel.
“She will be back,” Pedro murmured quietly.
“Then let’s find these missing Pokémon,” Firebolt said, her voice was brimming with determination.
“We will follow the smell,” Pizza answered simply.
It was quiet on the trek to wherever they were heading. Firebolt could feel her mouth start to water but had to resist the urge to run off and follow her nose. The thought of Clown and Miku being kidnapped stopped Firebolt from running off.
Eventually the group stopped by a cliff face. Firebolt had only previously seen these cliffs from afar but she could still recognise the Drop Off Cliffs.
“How will all of us get up there?” Firebolt mused her herself as she put her hand on her chin.
“Speak for yourself, Pedro, I and Pizza can all fly up there. Only you and the Pineapple duck are the ones holding us back,” Julian remarked.
“Fear not, Frigga has returned,” the fusion Pineco said as Firebolt heard the familiar flapping of wings.
“Sorry I am late everyone! I didn’t expect you all to travel so fast,” Frigga spoke as she landed.
“It’s great that you are here, can you get me and Firebolt up the cliff face so I can rescue Miku!!” Spud begged the Ponyta cross Shinx fusion Pokémon.
“Of course I will, hop onto my back!” Frigga agreed as she bent down slightly.
“Um, Frigga, you do know that Spud is a Ludicolo and they weigh around 55 kilograms?” Pedro asked his friend, who looked startled.
Frigga set her eyes on Firebolt, “uh... I weigh what an average Charmander does, 8 kilograms”
Frigga smiled, “Well I am an endurance flyer so I can handle your weight. Sorry Spud, you are a bit too heavy.”
“That is fine,” Spud said as he faced the cliff wall.
He then jumped up and grabbed a hold of the face of the cliff with a large green hand. He then pulled himself up and swung to another handhold while finding a foothold for one of his feet.
“Alright, I guess the rest of us will fly up there,” Pizza said with a shrug before climbing in the air. Julian and Pedro used their ghost and psychic powers respectively to follow him mid air.
“Hop on Charmander or we will be too slow!” Frigga chirped as she lowered herself so Firebolt could climb onto her back.
“Call me Firebolt,” Firebolt answered as she scampered onto Frigga’s back.
The sensation of flying was not as all like what Firebolt had thought it would be. She kept a firm hold of Frigga as they flew up, and although she loved the sights, she knew it would be a while before she evolved.
“Look out!” Pizza shouted, as a Water Gun just missed Frigga’s side.
Firebolt looked past Frigga’s neck to see a bunch of Marill glaring at the group of Pokémon hovering in the sky. Firebolt could count ten wild Marill, which meant they were outnumbered.
I have no idea where these Pokémon came from! Firebolt thought in shock.
“You must leave now and never return! The delicious food is ours!!” The biggest Marill announced, as she puffed out her chest.
“Please, we need to rescue our friends!” Frigga begged the horde of Marill but they responded with a Bubblebeam attack. Frigga dodged and the tip of her wings started to glow. Firebolt watched as Frigga flew in close to a Marill and the little blue mouse had tried to dodge. Frigga kept up and her attack hit it dead centre on its back. Frigga then flew sharply upwards to avoid another Bubblebeam and unleashed her new move on that Pokémon. Although Firebolt wasn’t experienced she knew that she move Frigga had just learnt was Aerial Ace. Although the Marill had been hit, they didn’t appear too injured.
Pizza’s hands started to shimmer with sparkles and he unleashed another fury of shining stars. Pedro flew at one of the Marill to use a Tackle attack. A wave of psychic energy emerged from Julian and Frigga growled as she too flew down to use a tackle attack.
As Frigga’s body collided with a Marill Firebolt lashed out with her claws, scoring a blow on a random Marill’s face.  The angry Marill sent a beam of bubbles at Firebolt, but a shower of stars burst all the bubbles before they could reach her.
Firebolt’s body jolted as Frigga dodged an attack but Firebolt focused her blue eyes on Pizza. The ladybug Pokémon was moving through the horde of Marill using his Mach punch move and striking them before the Marill’s attacks hit him. Firebolt hated that she was so impressed at the speed of the move.
Julian’s psychic wave attack brought down one Marill but the rest were standing strong. When Pedro appeared overwhelmed with attacks, he would use Protect to protect himself.
“Step back everyone, I am about you use an awesome move!” Pizza announced as he flew high in the sky. Firebolt lurched as Frigga moved them to back away while Pedro and Julian moved back.
A silver dust surrounded Pizza but before he could execute the move the biggest Marill rolled up into a ball and launched itself at Pizza, smashing into Pizza. Firebolt winced as she saw the ladybug Pokémon sway, but he managed to keep himself in the air and didn’t faint. But Firebolt was worried that he soon would.
Another Marill rolled up and launched itself into the air, this time heading straight for Julian who was focusing elsewhere. Frigga rushed forward and her fur or feathers, whatever covered Frigga’s body as Firebolt wasn’t too sure started to crackle with electricity. Frigga unleashed an intense electric attack that knocked the aqua mouse Pokémon away.
“You’re welcome Julian!” Frigga said cheerfully before turning back to the battle to unleash more of the electric attacks.
Firebolt watched as the attacks had done more damage than any of the other attacks anyone has tried. Firebolt unleashed an Ember attack but the Marill appeared to shrug them off. Frigga’s electricity hit a Marill and caused it to stumble.
“What move was that?” Firebolt asked in confusion, wishing she was that useful.
“I think, judging but the effect I learnt Discharge” Frigga chirped happily.
“Pedro, could you cover me?” Pizza asked the Pineco fusion.
“Of course,” Pedro replied as he summoned up another blue barrier. Firebolt noticed that when he tried to use his barrier they didn’t always work, so she was grateful to see this one was holding well.
A silver dust surged around Pizza once more and was blown down towards the Marill horde.  Many Marill were struck by the move, but none fainted. Firebolt did notice that many of the Marill were panting but Pokémon from her own side were exhausted as well.
“How dare you keep me from seeing my daughter! You Marill are just protecting the culprit!” Firebolt was shocked to hear Spud speaking to the Marill loudly and angrily.
The Ludicolo was glaring that the Marill group from the side of the cliff. It appeared to Firebolt as if he has just made it up the cliff but had seen his friend being attacked. Spud looked exhausted as Firebolt expected from a Pokémon that had just climbed up a cliff.
Spud started to form green energy in his hand and it flew at the nearest Marill. Spud started to look less exhausted while the Marill looked weaker and weaker before fainting. The other Marill froze in fear and Spud used his new move on another Marill.
“Run, he is using Mega Drain!!” A Marill screamed and the horde started to run.
Spud leapt from Marill to Marill, his new move and its super effective typing knocked them out with ease. Within moments all the Marill had either fled or we unconscious.
“No one stands in between me and my daughter,” Spud spoke quietly but his voice was full of promise.
Everyone settled down on the ground next to Spud who was dusting off his hands. Firebolt jumped down from Frigga’s back, grateful she would be more useful on her own two feet.
“I think I need a minute,” Pizza panted as he slumped against a nearby rock.
“The smell is strong here,” Julian muttered, “How dare someone’s prank be better than mine!”
Firebolt rolled her blue eyes, knowing there was something else to why the cross wanted to help everyone, but she wasn’t sure if she could trust the crosses motives.
“Miku doesn’t have a minute,” Spud replied as he started to walk off.
“Neither does Clown,” Firebolt agreed as she followed the pineapple cross duck looking Pokémon.
“Man more moving!” Julian complained but as Firebolt looked back, she saw everyone coming.
“I found where the scent is the strongest,” Spud muttered as he pointed to a nearby cave.
“So the culprit is in there,” Pedro deduced, his pink eye looked at the cave warily.
Firebolt brought the tip of her tail forth so her flames could light the entrance.
“Let’s go and everyone, be careful,” Firebolt declared before stepping into the cave.
Although the cave was large the sunlight didn’t travel far as the floor of the cave dipped suddenly. The sound of Pizza’s wings echoed around the cave, making it hard for Firebolt to hear anything else. The sweet scent was definitely stronger here but Firebolt wasn’t as tempted this time. Not after all she had been through to get there. Finally after what felt like years to the orange lizard Pokémon finally noticed a light appear.
“This is a tunnel?” Frigga asked, but no one answered her.
The group of Pokémon emerged from the tunnel onto a small field full of green grass and flowers. Nothing at all like the gloomy forest and tough grass that surrounded the hotel, which had a dark aura about it, as this field felt light and fluffy.  
“Miku, are you here?” Spud shouted as he looked frantically around for his daughter.
“Hey you might alert the one who kidnapped them to knowing that we are here!” Pizza scolded gently as his buggy eyes looked around.
Firebolt noticed the sweet smell grew stronger and sensed that the culprit was nearby. Everyone stayed where they were, in case there was a trap but looked around. Firebolt noticed a buzzing noise that sounded quicker than Pizza’s wing flaps. Firebolt look at a boulder on the edge of the field and raced towards it.
“Firebolt what are you doing?” Frigga called out as dark flame spewed from Firebolt’s mouth.
Firebolt unleashed a fury of dark purple and black flames. Whatever the Pokémon was it appeared to dodge the flames and hide under them. Firebolt growled as the wind picked up and Firebolt was pushed back slightly.
“That’s Gust!” Frigga called out as the rest of the Pokémon swarmed the mystery Pokémon.
Pizza used his newly learnt Silver Wind Attack, while Spud also used his new Mega Drain. Pedro and Frigga tackled the Pokémon from either side, squishing it between the forces of their blow. When the attacks cleared Firebolt, along with every other Pokémon leant forward to see the identity of the kidnapper.
Firebolt spied a honeycomb looking bee Pokémon with three faces.
“It’s a Combee and a male by the looks of it,” Pizza explained as he looked at the bee Pokémon.
“Well Combee can learn sweet scent” Pedro said as nudged the fainted Pokémon.
Firebolt’s nostrils were filled with the fresh air and the sweet smell vanished. She looked at her hands with discomfort.
“Why were my flames a different colour? They also weren’t as hot as my normal flames in my Ember attack,” Firebolt thought aloud in confusion.
“That was a Dragon rage attack,” Pizza answered Firebolt, “it is a dragon type move, not a fire type one, and it only deals 40 hp of damage.”
“Oh, well that’s pretty cool!” Firebolt said brightly, happy about learning a new attack.
“Dad!” A feminine voice cried out.
Firebolt turned her head to see Miku, Clown, and Blooper the Anton Hotel’s resident Wooper racing towards them.
“Miku!” Spud cried out as he ran and hugged his daughter. Both of them started to ear up a little.
Firebolt walked over to Clown, who was still maintaining perfect balance on her ball and Blooper who was munching on some grass.
“Are you okay?” the Charmander asked the jester hat wearing Skitty and Blooper who was eating some grass.
“I am fine, I remember this great smell and I felt hungry. It was a huge hike over here and there is no food,” Clown replied dejectedly.
Firebolt then turned to her comrade and asked, “How did you get here Blooper? I didn’t realise you were missing. Weren’t you put into a search group?”
“Yes,” Blooper replied happily while still munching on some grass, “It smells awesome so I followed it here.”
“I see,” Firebolt responded uneasily, “Weren’t you meant to be paired up with Sage the Kabuto?”
“Yeah but he fell asleep,” Blooper replied as if nothing was wrong.
“Why did you do it?” Spud snapped at the Combee as he woke up, taking Firebolt’s focus off of the blue water pokemon.
Combee took to the sky and chuckled menacingly as he stared at the group of reunited Pokémon.
“Mahwah, I did it because nobody celebrated, me Paul, on my birthday! Not one! So I was summoning Pokémon so they could celebrate it!” The Combee explained.
Pizza deadpanned as he replied, “Seriously? You don’t even look even a month old, let alone a year. Are you even one yet?”
The Combee happily replied, “Nope”
“Then how are you one?” Julian asked rudely, earning a nudge from his friends.
“Oh, I guess I am not,” The Combee replied uncertainly.
“Then how did anyone miss your birthday?” Firebolt question as she raised an eyebrow.
Paul held a blank expression before brightening up, “I guess they didn’t”
With that the Combee flew away to where Firebolt assumed some poor trainer had to deal with it.
Tobi should be glad to have a Pokémon like me then. Maybe that’s why she kept me around? Firebolt thought to herself.
“Hey everyone where are you?” Firebolt’s trainer voice called out.
There as silhouette by the tunnel stood Tobi, Firebolt and Blooper’s trainer, the owner of the Anton Hotel and the Ranch.  Everyone rushed over to the lightly overweight trainer with shoulder length curly hair.
“So here you are. Argh, you guys can be naughty. Alright let’s go back to the hotel,” Tobi sighed as she led all the Pokémon back through the tunnel.
She secretly hoped her friends wouldn’t mind about what their Pokémon got up to while under her care.