The Lily-Livered Lillipup's Quest
There once was a kind but cowardly Lillipup….
"Give it back!" A young Lillipup shouted in desperation leaping into the air with tears in his eyes. A big Krokorok held an item further out of reach making the Lillipup land on the ground in pain.
"What's wrong Lily-livered Lillipup?" The Krokorok taunted him waving the berry in front of him. "I thought you wanted this berry?"
"P-please give it back…." the Lillipup stammered with tears spilling from his eyes. "I need it for my grandmother she's getting sicker with every passing day…" He begged crying.
"Awww the baby wants to help his grandma…." The Krokorok said sniggering. "Well in that case how can I refuse?" He said holding out the Oran berry. The Lillipup's eyes widened and he ran towards the berry just as the Krokorok pulled it out of reach again and swallowed it laughing. "I can't believe you actually fell for that! What an idiot!" The Krokorok said laughing walking away as the Lillipup began to cry again. With his ears drooping, the Lillipup headed home.
"I'm sorry gran I couldn't find any berries…" He said sadly as he walked in and noticed an old Herdier walking around the house. "Gran! What are you doing? You need to rest you're sick!" The Lillipup cried running up to the older Pokémon.
"Nonsense boy." The old Herdier scoffed at him. "Don't you worry about little old me. Go out and have fun. It will do you no good staying inside all day looking after me." She said looking at him before having a violent coughing fit.
"Gran!" the Lillipup cried with worry "Go and lie down gran let me take care of things…" he said guiding her to a nearby bed.
"It's just a bad turn Lillipup… just a bad turn…" She said before coughing again.
"I should have tried harder to get that berry!" The Lillipup said to himself with tears forming in his eyes again.
"What was that about a berry?" Herdier question him making the Lillipup look at the ground in shame. "Is it that Krokorok again?" She questioned making the Lillipup's tail hang between his legs and his ears droop. "I thought so." The Herdier said nodding. "Don't worry about it Lillipup." She said licking his face. "It would have done me no good if you had come home injured because of that bully. Besides I'll-" She stopped to have another coughing fit. "I'll live." She finished as if nothing had had happened.
"Still…." The Lillipup began with some tears now dripping to the ground.
"Don't worry about it!" The Herdier barked loudly causing her to cough again. "If you're that concerned that is one thing you can do for me." She began not looking the Lillipup in the eyes.
"Really?" The Lillipup questioned happily his tail thrashing from side to side.
"Yes. If you don't mind could you go down to the market and pick up some groceries? I think some fresh fruit and vegetables will do me the world of good." The Herdier said making the Lillipup nod happily.
"Okay! I'll be back before you know it!" The Lillipup proclaimed licking the old Pokémon on the face before grabbing a small basket. "Be back soon!" He cried dashing out the door.
"Thank goodness…" The old Herdier sighed before collapsing onto the ground. "I don't think I can keep this up much longer… I hope I get better soon… for Lillipup's sake." She sighed closing her eyes.
The Lillipup dashed towards the town's centre keeping a firm grip on the basket in his mouth.
"Hey Lillipup!" A young Kangaskhan called from its mother's pouch.
"What's the hurry?" the mother Kangaskhan asked.
"orry I ran't rtop now I red to ick up ume ings for my andma!" The Lillipup said quickly still clinging onto his basket.
"Um English please…" The younger Kangaskhan said making his mother sigh.
"Lillipup I heard the Chief is coming back today maybe he'll have something to make your Grandma feel better… here have this on the house as well." The Kangaskhan said throwing him an apple with landed easily in the basket.
"Ranks!" the Lillipup said happily before running towards the town's centre again. There were many different type of Pokémon gathered around a large but fairly old Arcanine who had many bags attached to his sides. "Rief! Rief!" Lillipup cried somehow pushing his way through the crowd.
"Lillipup! I just heard the news about your grandmother! Are you coping okay?!" The old Arcanine questioned him. The Lillipup dropped the basket in his mouth before answering.
"With all respects sir it's my gran who's sick." The Lillipup said sadly.
"I know that Lillipup but it must be exhausting looking after her… you know what she's like not wanting to bother anyone when she's ill… It wouldn't surprise me if she's actually worse then what everyone's been saying." The Arcanine said grimily making the Lillipup gape with horror. "I'm sure she'll be fine though!" The Arcanine said quickly realising his mistake. "She's a tough old dog."
"I was hoping you might have picked something up on your travels to help her…" the Lillipup began.
"I'll go to your house and check on your grandma." The Arcanine said smiling "It wouldn't surprise me if I have something that might help her… even if I don't I know a thing or two about sickness and I'll be able to tell what can cure her." The Arcanine said grinning. "You just finish whatever your doing and then meet me at your house later."
"Yes sir…" Lillipup accepted his offer before grabbing onto his basket again. The chief nodded at him before heading towards his grandmother house. Lillipup finished his shopping as quickly as he could before heading back to his house. Lillipup resisted the urge to gape as he walked up to his house. It seemed like every Pokémon in the village was outside (even though that was impossible seeing as he just brought herbs from several village members). Lillipup pushed his way inside to see his grandma lying down with Chansey and Arcanine nearby.
"So what's the diagnosis Chief?" Chansey- the village nurse- asked the worried Arcanine. Arcanine said nothing and looked at the coughing Herdier instead. "Chief?" Chansey asked snapping Arcanine out of his thoughts.
"It's an old disease." Arcanine acknowledged frowning. "One that I've only encountered once as a young Growlithe. It causes high fevers, coughing, vomiting and other unpleasant symptoms."
"But do you know how to cure it?" Chansey asked the question that was on everyone's mind.
"Yes." Arcanine confirmed causing everyone to sigh with relief. "But," Arcanine began as everyone tensed again "I do not have to cure with me. It's a very rare herb known as a Dusk weed. Named so because it only grows in dark places. Even then, it only grows in specific caves. Luckily one of those caves is not too far from here." Arcanines said as the whole room broke out into smiles. "But," Arcanine said again as the smiles instantly vanished. "it is the Cave of Darkness."
"The cave where all the scary ghosts live?" A young Azurill squeaked out in fear as Arcanine nodded solemnly as the room turned grim.
"You needn't fear." Arcanine announced drawing himself to his full height. "I will go out to the cave as quickly as possible." Lillipup grinned happily his grandma would be alright after all!
"Go chief!" a Sunkern cried jumping happily.
"If anyone can get the herb it's you!" The Azurill said in its squeaky voice.
"I shall leave immediately!" Arcanine announced as the room burst into cheers. Arcanine proudly walked out of the door before pausing while swaying slightly.
"Chief?" Chansey questioned with worry as Arcanine shook his head before collapsing.
"Chief!" Everyone cried with worry
Lillipup paced beside the bed where the chief was lying while going crazy with worry. First his grandma and now the chief? What sort of disease was this? The Chief slowly opened his eyes as Lillipup barked happily.
"Chief! You're awake!" he cried as everyone else in the village burst into the room.
"You're awake!" They cried with glee.
"Everyone stand back!" Chansey commanded as she pushed herself into the room plunging a thermometer in the chief's month before he could say anything. Chansey looked at the thermometer before sighing unhappily. "It seems you've caught Herdier's sickness." She announced solemnly as the room burst into panic.
"Chief caught the illness?" A Spinarak proclaimed in surprise.
"What if I catch it as well?!" Azurill remarked with worry.
"Now that you mention it I don't think I've been feeling too good…" Sunkern proclaimed looking suddenly paler.
"SUNKERN'S GOT THE SICKNESS!" A Pidgey proclaimed loudly as the room began either scrambling to get away from Sunkern, screaming or exchanging worried glances at each other.
"SILENCE!" Arcanine roared loudly as the room instantly became silent with everyone gawking at him. "No one else is going to get sick!" he proclaimed before coughing as everyone approached him slowly. "Only dog like Pokémon can catch the illness Herdier and now I have. And there are no other dog like Pokémon in this village."
"So why hasn't it affected Lillipup after all this time?" Chansey questioned cautiously as a few of the room's occupants threw glares at Lillipup as if he was somehow responsible. Lillipup looked nervously at the ground with his ears and tail drooping.
"It's a very rare disease that only targets the special cells in evolved Pokémon. Any Pokémon that hasn't evolved can't catch it." Arcanine explained properly. "I probably caught it so quickly because I was tired from my journey as well. Even if we had any evolved dog like Pokémon they probably wouldn't catch it so quickly if they were at full health." The Pokémon in the room nodded at this explanation and those who were glaring at Lillipup averted their eyes to the walls or floor. "I'll need to get the herb quicker than I thought…"Arcanine muttered to himself attempting to stand up as Chansey's eyes before she pushed him down as he started coughing.
"You're not going anywhere!" she cried in determination. "Someone else will have to go and get the herb!" She cried as the room gaped at her.
"Some-someone else?" Azurill squeaked.
"You do realise that the herb is in the Cave of Darkness?" the Pidgey asked flapping his wings in panic.
"I don't want to go into a cave full of scary ghosts!" Sunkern whimpered.
"Why don't you go and get the herb? You're the nurse!" An Elekid pointed out as Chansey shook her head sadly.
"I need to look after the patients plus my normal type moves won't work against ghost types." She pointed out.
"Everyone knows the cave is super scary!" Spinarak cried "No one will want to go there willingly! No one's brave enough- expect the chief and he's sick as well!" The room burst into a full blown argument about who should go as Lillipup whimpered his ears drooping.
"I will get it." Lillipup muttered to himself but the bickering Pokémon didn't hear him. "I will get it!" He cried loudly as everyone looked at him in surprise before the whole room (expect the Chief and the Nurse) burst out laughing.
"As if lily-livered Lillipup! Everyone knows you're the village coward!" Krokorok taunted him as tears threatened to spill out of Lillipup's eyes.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Chief roared loudly as everyone looked at him. "If you're going to do nothing but taunt, laugh and argue suggest you leave." Arcanine threatened growling as everyone gaped at him. "NOW!" Arcanine roared as everyone minus the Nurse and Lillipup quickly raced out of the room as Arcanine began to cough again.
"Chief!" Chansey cried with worry giving him a berry. "You shouldn't get so worked up when you're sick…" She muttered in disapproval.
"I'll be fine I hate those who make fun of others just cause they think they can't do something." Arcanine said growling. "You remind me of myself when I was your age Lillipup…"
"Only I'm a coward…" Lillipup sobbed with the tears he was trying to hold back falling freely.
"No." Arcanine said shaking his head while sighing. "I believe you'll be able to get the herb easily." He said seriously.
"Y-you do?" Lillipup questioned sniffing.
"Yes." Arcanine said nodding. "Chansey if you would could you get my bag?" Arcanine questioned politely as Chansey bowed and nodded.
"Certainly chief." She said passing him a bag that was not too far away. Arcanine opened it and began to flip through it until he reached a specific page.
"Here." He said suddenly showing Lillipup a picture of a small grass plant with silver specks on the leaves and curled ends. "This is the Dusk Weed." Lillipup gaped at the picture not quite believing what he was seeing. "If you're sure you can travel to the Cave of darkness and pick this herb to cure your Grandmother's and my sickness."
"I'll get that herb!" Lillipup promised himself sniffing his tears away before grabbing the bag and putting it over his head.
"You don't have to if you don't want to!" Chansey cried with worry. "I'm sure we can convince one of the other… stronger Pokémon to go get this herb." She said looking at the young Lillipup with worry.
"Chansey…" Arcanine began slowly. "He's already decided this."
"R-right!" Lillipup agreed trying not o let his nervousness slip into his voice as Chansey sighed with worry.
"There here take these." She said putting lots of different berries in his bag. "Just in case." She said nodding at him as his smiled gratefully.
"Thanks. I'll get the herb as quickly as possible." He promised proud of himself for not sounding nervous as the older Pokémon nodded at him. Lillipup grabbed the picture of the herb before running out of the door and into the unknown.
What he didn't release was that a certain Krokorok was watching him from behind a tree snarling with disgust.
"If the stupid lily-livered Lillipup gets that herb then he'll make the chief and his equally stupid grandmother better." Krokorok muttered to himself. "But if the chief doesn't recover then I'll be the strongest Pokémon in the village… and I'll prove to everyone that Lillipup is a snivelling coward." He muttered to himself with a sly grin. His mind made up he snuck after the Lillipup determined to make him come home in tears.