The Jungle Book (Pokemon Edition)
Many strange tails are told in the jungle, but none are none so strange as the tale of the club called Mowgli.
Deep in the Jungle, we find an especially rare site. As from the rustling of the bushes emerges an especially strange creature, running as his his life depended on it. As he dashed past the trees, he looked to his sides in a panic, only to be greeted by a lycanroc on both sides. In a panic the strange creature leapt into the trees, frantically hoping from branch to branch. Unfortunately for him one branch gave out, sending the strange creature tumbling to the ground. But the little thing had no time to catch his breath, as a menacing growl echoed through the trees. Before he could even start running again, he found himself tackled to the ground by a large liepard. It snarled as it pressed it's paw on the creatures chest.
"You must be the worst lycanroc I've ever seen." The liepard growled lifting his paw.
"Yeah but if the branch hadn't gave out I would have made it." The strange creature retorted.
"Breaking of from the rest," The Liepard released his grip of the strange creature. "If you can't learn to run with the pack, one of these days you're going to end up someone else dinner."
If you haven't guessed by now, this strange creature running through the jungle happened to be a man cub dubbed Mowgli.
"It was higher ground." Mowgli said walking beside the Liepard.
"Lycanrocs don't climb trees."
"I can't keep up with them Bagheera, I tried, I just picked the wrong tree."
"It was a dead tree."
"How was I supposed to know it was dead?"
"It had a thick vine, any tree curdled by creeper is either dead or close to it, these are things a lycanroc must know."
"But if the branch didn't break I would have made it." Mowgli said seemingly ignoring what Bagheera just said.
Bagheera sighed heavily. "I realize you weren't born a lycanroc but...could you at least act like one?"
Mowgli didn't reply.
When I found him, he was just an infant in the woods. If he was going to survive, I knew he'd need a people to protect him. From there I entrusted him with the lycanrocs. Akela was a just and noble leader, he allowed Mowgli to live among them and protected him as their own. The problem is they grow so fast and Mowgli...well, let's just say he liked to take his time. It was Raksha who raised him. She was the only mother he ever knew...
Akela stood proudly upon his rock like a pedestal, from there he commanded the other lycanrocs and they obeyed with the utmost respect.
"Lycanrocs, let me here the law!" Akela said proudly. and like clockwork the other lycanroc recounted:
"This is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky. The lycanroc that keeps it will prosper, and the one who shall break it will die. Like the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth over and back; for the strength of the pack is the lycanroc and the strength of the lycanroc is the pack."
Followed with a hardy howl.
Soon the rains ceased to fall and the dry season arrived. Heat crept through the jungle turning it yellow, then brown, then black. But that season had been the driest that anyone could remember, even the moa didn't flower.
In the barren canyon that was once a water whole, a lone sandslash burrowed through the dry ground searching for whatever food could possibly be available in the dry season. But on this day he discovered something even better: It was the peace rock, with a decent lake surrounding it. It didn't take long for the news to spread and a water truce was soon called. Hunting during the event was then forbidden, because according to the law of the jungle, thirst comes before hunger, so one could come to the jungle and find all creatures. From the delicate deerling to the fearsome feraligatr side by side. It was at this moment Mowgli and his family arrived.
"Remember no hunting" Raksha reminded. "Just Playing."
"Just Playing got it." Mowgli said eagerly.
"And remember not all Pokemon have seen a man cub in the jungle before."
"Okay okay can I go now?" Mowgli said impatiently.
"Take the Rockruffs with you."
With that Mowgli and his "siblings" rushed into the crowd as the various Pokemon commented on the strange appearance of Mowgli. Still they went about there business, getting a drink from the lake. At that moment Bagheera arrived, spooking the sawsbuck nearby.
"Come down sawsbuck." Bagheera groaned. "I know the law."
To each Pokemon's surprise, a strange resembling a squirtles' shell was flung into the water and sealed back in towards Mowgli.
"Mowgli." Akela said sternly. "What was the rule about your tricks?"
"It's not the lycanroc's way..." Mowgli groaned dumping the water out of the contraption.
"No more tricks."
There was then the shrieks of mandibuzz as they circled in the air. And the air went tense as an intimidating figure seemed approach over the horizon.
"Mowgli, get behind me." Akela said almost with a hint of fear. Mowgli complied. "Don't leave my side." He said sternly.
It was at that moment that a massive arcanine appeared at the top of the valley, making it's way done to the water hole. Every Pokemon stood speechless as he approached, seemingly growling menacingly. He stepped up to the water hole, taking a drink before turning his head towards the lycanroc pack. Finally he spoke.
"Everyone comes to the peace rock, so many smells to catch up on..."
Every Pokemon scrambled as he seemed to pace around the water hole.
"But I can't help but notice...theres this strange oder today." He sniffed the air. "What is this? This scent I'm on, it's almost like some sort of...man cub!" He spat out the last to words with what could only be described as sheer disgust.
"Mowgli belongs to my pack Shere Khan." Akela said, his fellow lycanroc gathering around him.
"Mowgli?" Shere Khan chuckled. "They've given it a name...when was it we came to adopt man into the jungle?"
"He's just a cub." Akela growled.
"Does my face not remind you of what a grown man is capable of?!" Shere Khan then turned his head to the side, revealing a grievous scar and blind left eye "Search for a hunting ground for a few years and everyone forgets how the law works...well let me remind you: a man cub becomes man, a man becomes a trainer, so man is FORBIDDEN!"
"What do you know about the law?" Raksha stepped forward. "Hunting for pleasure, killing for power, you never knew law!"
Shere Khan growled at her bravery.
"The man cub is mine. Mine to me so go back from where you came from you scarred beast!"
Shere Khan snarled.
"The arcanine knows who rules this part of the jungle. I'm sure he doesn't intend to come here and make threats" Akela barked. "Especially during a water truce."
Shere Khan growled once more. "Oh I'm deeply respectful of these laws Akela, they keep us safe. So let me make this promise: nothing lasts forever, the rains will return and the river shall rise and when that rock disappears, this truce will end. You want to protect him fine, but ask yourselves...how many lives is a man cub worth?"
And with that ominous statement Shere Khan turned to take his leave from the canyon