I looked around for my two friends. "Shadow? Volcano?"
"Hey, there he is!" I recognized that voice. It was the Rapidash herd leader.
"Get him!" cried a Ponyta. And I was being chased by the entire herd. I could see it now... killed by the same herd as my parents. Right as I gave up, I shouted, "Kill me if you must. I won't stop you."
Suddenly they all stopped. "What?" Murmurs and whispers flooded around me.
"My kind has destroyed your kind for years, perhaps centuries. I only wish you didn't have to harm my parents."
"Houndoom, no doubt?"
"Human, sir."
Everyone gasped. "So humans raised you from an egg?"
I nodded. "Something like that."
"And are you sure it was we who killed them?"
"Yes; I have no doubts."
"We apologize. We were likely chasing a Houndoom at the time..."
"And you burned my father and trampled my mother. Because they aided the Houndoom, I presume?"
The leader nodded. "Must have been. We welcome you to join us. But let me tell you one thing: harm any of my herd and I'll have you killed immediately. Understand?"
I smiled and nodded. "Why would I hurt such a beautiful Pokemon? Gratuitous violence solves nothing."
The leader looked at me oddly. "Did you suffer a concussion or something, young Houndoom?"
I shook my head. "Just an overdose of water..."
"I see. Anyway, we could use someone to defend our herd. You suit the bill quite fine."
Suddenly we were all surrounded by a pack of Houndoom. "Hey, dog! Kill the horseys and you can live. Otherwise, you go down with them."
"No."
"What, you crazy or something?"
"I just won't kill them."
"Why? You get dropped on your head or something?"
"No."
"Then what's the matter with you?"
"I just won't do it. They're too beautiful to be made a meal out of."
"Then we'll make YOU a meal!" I gulped. Cowering, I shot flames at them. But it was no good; they were part fire like me.
"What are you, stupid?" One Houndoom shouted. Then they all began giggling.
"No, I'm just not bloodthirsty like you clowns are."
"Clowns? Hey, do we look like clowns to you?"
"You're right."
"That's better."
"You're more of nutcases anyway."
"Get him! Now!"
I bravely stood guard. "Split up and run. I'll handle them." And the Rapidash and Ponyta all did as I told. Hours later, I had KO'd all but one Houndoom. It just happened to be my old Houndoom, Ember. She was just as I remembered her: cute but tough.
"Ember?" I said wearily.
"Yes..." she began, "But how would you know?"
"Think back, Ember. You belonged to a human..."
"Wait, yes..." She stepped back. "No, you can't be..."
I nodded. She giggled, and pounced on me, licking my face.
"It is you! It really is!"
But my first thought was... did Houndoom count as enemies?