The ground shook with the movement of the herds. The steady rolling thunder of Phanpy and Donphan. The light, thumping batter of scattering Doduo. The distant, monstrous boom of the Duraludon.

"Do you smell, Marocchino? Are we close?"

Marocchino sniffed the rich soil with her coffee-grounds nose, breathing in the mash of heady scents. "Close! Close!" she barked, and with strong disregard for her training or trainer, she ran off towards their quarry. In half a second she had disappeared into the neck-high grass.

"Piede!" Torino hissed, as she crouch-ran after the dog. She pushed aside thick stalks with her hands, feeling all the while like she was swimming through a vast, tickling sea. "Come back you bad-"

"Hey! Get back Marocchino! Didn't I say? This is no chew toy!" Torino returned the dog, and the scrabbling duo became a scared, cowering uno.

"It is okay, little one," Torino said, offering a shaking hand. "It is warm here. Summer. Everything is green. Is it time for green friends too?" The Phanpy side-eyed her, its thick hide ripped and scorched. One of its legs collapsed, and Torino rushed forward to scoop up the little Pokemon in her arms. It let out a honking scream of alarm.

"Do not fear, my Ciambella, there is a hospital near-" she was interrupted by Phanpy whacking her across the mouth with its stumpy trunk. Torino felt a tooth come loose. "Smettila!" She spat blood onto the grass, and struggled one-handed to grab her Golden Pokeball.

Phanpy wriggled in her arms, pulling back for another hit, but Torino mashed the Pokeball into the side of the little warrior, containing it in a new, golden home.