Rarity the Cinccino
Rarity looked into the woods, head tilted to the side.
[What's on your mind?] Ivy asked calmly. Rarity turned to her.
[Whatever do you mean, darling?] She asked.
"Well, you're not saying a word and staring into the woods, so obviously something's up." Josh replied.
[Well...I believe I hear something in those woods...It sounds rather like a scared child, like when my baby had a nightmare...I do wonder if that Bianca is taking good care of him...]
"Gettin' off topic here, Rare." Deadpool said. Then they heard a scared yelp, and Rarity turned to the woods with a gasp.
[I MUST find out what the trouble is! As an ex-mother, it is my duty to care for children!] And with that, she ran into the woods. Everyone else exchanged glances, shrugged and ran after her.
Lightning's POV
The Pichu ran desperately as the swarm of Beedrill started to gain on him. Unfortunately, he just wasn't fast enough, and he ended up getting stung on the back. He gasped at the pain, then tripped and fell over. He looked up in horror as the swarm surrounded him, blocking off his escape route...
Back with Rarity...
Rarity ran into the clearing, and let out an overly dramatic, yet genuinely horrified gasp at the Beedrill swarm that was attacking a clearly young child, digging into his flesh with their stingers. Immediately, she sprang into action, hitting the biggest one with her Tail Slap. The Beedrill all turned to her angrily.
[He izz an intruder. Do not interfere.]
[You leave that poor child alone, you ruffians!] Rarity yelled back. The swarm looked taken aback at this.
[He izz a child?] The leader asked.
[Of course! How could you not see that?!] Rarity exclaimed angrily. The Beedrill all exchanged glances, then turned back to her.
[Very well. We will let him of with a warning thizzz time.] They flew away, and Rarity looked to the small Pokémon shakily getting to his feet. She wondered what kind of Pokémon he was...but there was absolutely no time to dwell on it. He needed medical attention. Maybe Cilan would know what to do... She shook her head and began walking towards the small Pokémon at a brisk pace...but was taken aback as he looked at her and gasped, then ran, at a surprisingly fast pace considering his current state, into a knothole in a tree. Rarity stopped and blinked at his reaction.
[Oh...I suppose I scared the poor dear...] She thought to herself. She sighed, then slowly approached the tree and peeked inside the knothole to see him curled up in the corner, trembling like a leaf. [Hello there, dear.] She said with a smile. The small Pokémon looked at her and gasped.
[Aah! P-Please...D-Don't hurt me...] He whimpered as he retreated further into the corner. Rarity frowned.
[HURT you? Why, I wouldn't DREAM of it, darling! Please...why don't you come out of there so my friends can mend your wounds?] Lightning looked at her nervously. Then, slowly, he began limping towards her, into the outside world. Rarity smiled and reached out to pick him up with her paws...but the second she touched him, he screamed and tried to retreat back into the knothole. Rarity had grabbed him before he could, though, and pulled him out from the knothole. She watched with wide eyes as he panicked and struggled to get out of her paws. But she knew, being a mother before, exactly how to deal with the whole scenario. She held him close to her chest with one paw, then used the other to unfurl the scarf-like strip of fur around her neck. Struggling to keep from dropping the struggling child, she raised him up so that his head was positioned just under her chin, then curled the scarf-like fur around his tiny body so that only his head was visible, then went back to holding him with both paws. The tiny mouse struggled for a few more seconds before stopping and blinking in confusion. She was making physical contact...without hurting him? He looked up at her, and she smiled. [Just calm yourself, dear. I would NEVER bring harm to a child.] The small Pokémon tilted his head...then noticed just how soft and warm her fur was, especially with the scarf wrapped around him. Quietly, he rested his head against her and fell asleep. Rarity smiled down at the adorable sight, and giggled as he began quietly sucking on his paw.
Emmy the Emolga
"So, you're sure you're alright keeping an eye on things while we're gone?" Josh asked, the group preparing to leave the camp to find food for Cilan to cook, clean water, and firewood.
[Yeah, yeah. Go on. Do your thing.] Emmy waved her hand dismissively.
"Alright. Later, Em!" Josh waved as he left, Ivy and Rarity on his shoulders. Emmy waved back with a smile. Then, after everyone left, she laid on her back and sighed. Now that everyone else was gone, she could just do her own thing. Grab a chocolate bar or two from Ian's secret stash, practice that Aerial Ace move, maybe grab a quick nap-wait, what's that in the tree?
[Huh...looks like a small Pokémon of some kind...] Emmy thought to herself. [Looks kind of hurt...Eh, his mom's probably around somewhere...] She laid back and looked at the clouds...but for some reason, the small Pokémon on the tree branch kept coming back to her mind no matter how many times she forced it back down...
Lightning's pov, somewhat...
The small Pichu looked down at the ground below him and trembled violently. Why had he chosen to climb this tree? That Victreebel never would have found him if he had climbed into one of those smaller trees. The ground was so far below him...looking down made him dizzy. He had seen another Pokémon lying on the ground far below. Oh, he hoped it didn't see him... How long had he been up here? It felt like days! Maybe it was! He let out a small whimper as the wind rushed through the tree. Was it just him, or was the branch he was on a little bit wobbly?
Back to Emmy...
Emmy looked back up at the Pokémon on the branch. [Ugh, where the hell is this kids mother?!] She exclaimed. She then looked thoughtful. [What if something happened to her...] She looked up at the branch. Her eyes widened as she noticed the crack. [Uh-oh...] She knew she couldn't just sit there and do nothing, so she quickly began to scramble up the tree...
Lightning...
The small Pichu looked down and saw, to his horror, the Pokémon from the ground climbing up the tree after him. He whimpered and scooted back, further up the branch.
CRACK!
No...
CRACK!
The Pichu screamed in terror as he fell from the tree. At least he'd be seeing his mother soon...
Emmy...
[CRAP!] Emmy shouted as she saw the branch finally snap. She saw the small Pokémon falling and knew then and there to spring into action. She leapt off the branch in his general direction and smoothly glided towards the falling figure. And then, just barely, she managed to catch him on her back. The small Pokémon, too scared to do anything else, clinged to her back fur for dear life. Emmy slowly glided towards the ground, then sighed in relief upon landing. She took the Pokémon off her back and held him up to eye level. [What were you doing in that tree?! You know that's dangerous, right?!] She exclaimed. She was then took by surprise as the small Pokémon started screaming and thrashing in her grip.
[NO! DON'T HURT ME, PLEASE, I'M SORRY, DON'T HIT ME, I'LL DO ANYTHING!] Emmy's eyes grew wide and she looked back and forth nervously.
[U-Uh...HELLO?! ANYONE?! I HAVE YOUR KID HERE! P-PLEASE COME AND TAKE HIM!] She got no response, and then got nervous. Left alone with a screaming kid...WHY couldn't it have happened to Ivy? [Uh...c-calm down, kid. It's...it's okay, uh...Ugh...what would my mom do in this situation?] She thought back to all the times in her childhood where she had scraped something or fallen out of a small tree or otherwise injured herself and her mother had consoled her. She then realized what she had to do. She looked around nervously. No sign of the others... [I hope this works...] She muttered to herself. She sighed, then hugged the small Pokémon close, wrapping her patagium [the thing Sugar Gliders and Emolgas use to glide] around him. He continued struggling and panicking, so Emmy sighed. Then she gently began rubbing his back. She couldn't help but smile as he began to relax. [There ya go. You don't have to be scared of me, see?] The little guy looked up at her with big, confused eyes and she held back from letting out an "awww." The small Pokémon blinked twice, then nervously snuggled up closer. Emmy smiled and continued rubbing his back. [Dang it, why are you so cute?] She muttered. The small Pokémon didn't seem to hear. Then she noticed the wet, sticky feeling on her fur. She blinked, and grimaced in disgust as she saw her fur was covered in blood. Wait...BLOOD?! She quickly peeled the Pokémon away from her chest and looked him over.
[Oh, dear Arceus, what happened to you?!] She exclaimed...then inwardly chastised herself as he flinched at the volume of her voice. He whimpered slightly. She cringed, feeling guilty. [Shhh...it's okay, you don't have to talk about it. We'll make it all better once Krillin gets back with those Senzu Beans of his...] She whispered into his ear as she held him up against her chest. She sighed as he snuggled up. Thank Mew the others weren't around to see-
[Like, there's somethin' I thought I'd never see!]
[Haha! You can say that again!] Emmy flinched at the sound of Shaggy and Jet's voices, then whirled around to glare at them, blushing profusely.
[WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?! GO BACK AND HELP THE OTHERS WITH THE SUPPLIES, OR SO HELP ME, I WILL SHOCK YOU SO HARD YOUR GRANDCHILDREN'S GRANDCHILDREN WILL FEEL IT!] Then the small Pokémon in her arms started panicking and thrashing again.
[NO, NO, NO! PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME! I'M SORRY FOR WHATEVER I DID! I'LL TRY TO FIX IT! PLEASE...] As the small Pokémon panicked, Emmy's eye twitched. Back at square one...she turned to Shaggy and Jet, and the glare she gave them scared them back into the woods. After they had left, Emmy sighed and proceeded to console the small mouse-like being in her arms...
Trixie the Zorua
The Zorua snickered as Ian walked forward with a big, stupid grin on his face, totally oblivious to the snare until he stepped on it.
"AW FRIG NUGGETS!" Ian shouted as the snare caught him, dangling him upside down. Trixie stepped out of her hiding place from behind a bush and laughed uproariously.
[HAHAHA! How many times are you gonna fall for that?!] She exclaimed. [It just keeps getting funnier every time!]
"SHUT UP!" Ian snapped angrily. Trixie chuckled and walked away. "HEY! GET ME DOWN FROM HERE, YOU CHEESEFART!" Trixie immediately forgot about him. She approached Josh, still snickering. Josh grinned.
"You prank Ian again?"
[Yep. Fell for it hook, line and sinker.] Trixie replied with a smirk. Josh chuckled.
"Make sure you get him again later. He's been a bit extra annoying today."
[Oh, you can bet on it. I may need to gather a few more sticks though...Be right back, okay?]
"Just don't go too far."
[Okay, mom.] Trixie replied, rolling her eyes. She went into the woods, ignoring Ian's angry ranting.
Lightning's scene is basically the same as the one in Pokémon Trainers
Trixie's ears shot up as she heard the pained yelp. [Huh? What was that?] She went in the direction of the yell, then her eyes widened as she saw the flock of bird Pokémon assaulting the small mouse-like Pokémon. [Hmph. Like picking on smaller Pokémon, huh? Well, let's give you a taste of your own medicine.] She muttered to herself. She thought back to the biggest, most threatening Pokémon she could remember. Then smirked. [Oh yeah. That'll do.]
The Spearow continued their assault, until they heard the roar. They turned to the bushes to see a large Beartic, roaring furiously.
[Aw, man, forget this!] One of the Spearow said. [I ain't dealin' with that!] And the entire flock flew off. Trixie saw this, and turned back into a Zorua.
[Haha! Yeah, you'd better run away! Wusses, that's what you all are! STEVIE could probably take ya! Ha! ...Hey, where'd that kid go?] She looked around, then heard a bush rustling slightly. [Huh...guess I scared him. Probably should have seen that coming...wait, why would he choose a THORN bush?!] She approached the bush, then moved aside a couple branches, careful not to prick herself, to see him curled up in a ball, freshly-cut scratches all over his body. She grimaced. [Geez, kid, what made you think hiding in here was a good idea?] She was taken aback as the small Pokémon screamed and retreated further into the thorn bush, giving himself more cuts. [Whoa! Hey, come on, lemme help you out here!] The Pokémon began trembling. Trixie looked at him thoughtfully. [Huh...you're a Pichu, right?] The small Pokémon nodded timidly. [Heh. I knew listening to Cilan's lectures would pay off. And Pichu evolves into Pikachu...Hmm...Hey...wanna see something cool?] The small Pokémon blinked...then gasped as Trixie turned into a Pikachu before his very eyes.
[Wow! How'd you do that?] He exclaimed, amazed. Trixie smirked.
[It all comes naturally, kiddo.] She said. Then she turned into a Pichu. [Now check that out! Neat, right?] The small Pokémon lightly stepped out of the bushes, giving himself even more scratches. Trixie grimaced. [Geez, those are some nasty looking injuries...C'mere.] Lightning flinched slightly as Trixie stepped forward, then cringed and whimpered as he felt Trixie's teeth around the back of his neck, then yelped as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. He squirmed around as Trixie began walking forward, carrying him in her teeth. She looked at him and frowned, then gently placed him on the ground. [What's wrong? You don't like being carried like that?]
[Um...I...I...] The Pichu couldn't get the words out. Trixie smiled, then bent over.
[C'mon. Get on my back.] The Pichu blinked, but did as he was told. [Okay, hang on.] Lightning gripped the mane of fur around Trixie's neck, then was completely silent the entire way back to camp. Upon arrival, Iris saw the Pichu and her reaction was predictable.
"Awwww, he's so CUUUUTE!" She exclaimed, scooping the small Pokémon off of Trixie's back and cuddling him. Lightning screamed and thrashed in her grip, much to her confusion.
[Stop that! You're scaring him!] Trixie snapped, though to Iris it just sounded like a couple of angry YIPs.
"Um...sorry. Do you want him back, Trixie?"
[That much should be obvious.] Trixie replied, rolling her eyes. Iris placed the small Pokémon on the ground next to Trixie. He continued to tremble, eyes squeezed shut. Trixie blinked at this, then put a foreleg around his shoulders. [Don't worry. I know she's scary, but it's just Iris.] Oh, that would be so much funnier if Iris understood her... She then noticed Krillin roasting a hot dog over the fire, along with Tristan and Popeye. She motioned for the small Pichu to follow, then approached.
"Heya there, Trixie! What can I help ya with?" Krillin asked.
[Hey, Curly.] Trixie teased.
"Heeeey!"
[I'm just kidding! Anyway, do you have any Senzu Beans for my little pal here?] She gestured to the Pichu, who timidly hid behind her back leg.
"He's adorable!" Krillin exclaimed. "SENZU BEAN!" He tossed the Senzu Bean at Trixie and it bounced off her face and onto the grass. She frowned at Krillin in annoyance.
[Thanks. Now I can give him a dirty bean.] She turned to the Pichu. [I know it was on the ground... but please eat the bean. It'll make you feel better.] The Pichu blinked...then did as he was told. He was amazed by how quickly he healed. [There. Better?]
[Y-Yes...] The Pichu replied.
[That's awesome! Now let's have a little bit of fun...] She looked over at Ian, who was bragging to Achmed and Cilan about what an amazing trainer he is, and smirked. The duo approached Josh.
"Oh? Whatcha got there?" Josh asked.
[Oh, I found him getting attacked by some Spearow out in the woods. Anyway...can I get one of those gag peanut brittle cans you bought?]
"I'm amazed the guy still falls for these." Josh said flatly as he handed Trixie the can. Trixie smirked.
[C'mon, little guy. I'll show you something funny.] The Pichu followed as she approached Ian. [Hey, Ian! You hungry?]
"Heckz yeah I am!" Ian replied loudly. Trixie frowned, noticing the yell had made Lightning flinch. She motioned to the can, perfectly balanced on her back.
[Well, here ya go!]
"Oh boy, peanut brittle!" Ian exclaimed happily as he took the can.
[I got it just for you.] Trixie said with a smirk.
"And I'm not gonna fall for another of those fake can tricks!" Ian exclaimed. "This time, I'm gonna have some of you delicious peanut brittle!" He got the can open and got a face full of confetti. "...Where's the peanut brittle?"
[HAHAHAHAHA! EVERY TIME! HE FALLS FOR IT EVERY SINGLE TIME!] Trixie laughed. The Pichu flinched at the volume of the laugh. Trixie noticed this, and the laughing died down. [Hey...c'mon, pal, chin up. Why're you upset this time?]
[Y-You were kind of l-loud...] The Pichu replied.
[Aw, I was just having fun, buddy.] Trixie nuzzled the top of his head lightly. [I'm not mad at you or anything. Now c'mon...you look hungry. Let's get you something to eat.]
[O-Okay...] The Pichu quietly followed her, leaving Ian staring at the empty can.
"...Peanut brittle?" He whimpered, tearing up.
Melody the Meloetta
Melody smiled as her lullaby put the insomniac Jet to sleep. She had her doubts about him actually being insomniac, though, and thought he probably just wanted to hear her sing again. She giggled at the thought. Oh, these boys and their crushes... She went back to Josh and the rest of his Pokémon, glad she had made the decision to stay with him. [Though the Hulk's ridiculously beautiful singing voice still hadn't ceased to shock her.] She had just lied down...but her sensitive ears had caught a scream, followed by a series of enraged yelling, sounding suspiciously similar to the stereotypical primal roars of a herd of Mankey. Her head shot up, realizing how young the scream sounded. She turned to Josh, debating on waking him...but decided against it. A quick Sing attack would do the trick...With that, she flew off in the direction of the scream.
Beforehand...
The small Pichu whimpered when he saw the sleeping herd of Mankey that were in the canyon with him, completely surrounding him so he couldn't escape. Of all the places in this canyon he could have landed when he fell, it just HAD to be in the middle of this herd?! The world hated him... That's all there is to it. When they woke up and saw him... He whimpered and took a step back...and then stiffened in terror as he heard a SNAP! The sound of him stepping on the twig jolted the Mankey herd out of their slumber. And they were MAD.
[Puny rat wake us up!] One of the Mankey roared.
[SMASH PUNY RAT!] Another one agreed. The Pichu had only enough time to scream as the herd pounced...
Present Time...
Melody had made it to the area the scream had come from. She looked down to see the Mankey herd relentlessly attacking something. Whatever it was, she had to do something. She didn't come here for nothing. And so, she let out a nice, soothing melody. The Mankey all looked up in confusion at the sound, and when they saw Melody, they angrily started yelling at her...which quickly died down as they began to feel sleepy. Soon, every single last one of the Mankey were on the ground, fas asleep. Melody sighed with relief, then looked over at the thing they were attacking. She gasped. He was so CUTE! She then noticed he was weakly stumbling to his feet, and saw the injuries he had sustained. She frowned. That poor baby... Then she noticed the tired look in his eyes. [Uh-oh...I guess I hit him too...] She thought to herself sheepishly. She began to fly down to his level.
Lightning's POV...
Lightning shakily got to his feet, whimpering at the pain the bruises were causing him. He held a paw to his nose. He whimpered again as he felt the blood oozing out of it. He didn't know why the Mankey stopped attacking, but he certainly wasn't going to question it. He looked up, and gasped in fear as he saw the strange figure flying down at him. He had never seen it before, but he did not want to know what it was. He began to run...then noticed how tired he was. Despite his drowsiness, the Pichu desperately tried to get away...but ended up tripping over a rock and falling flat on his face. He whimpered at the amount of pain in his nose. He knew what broken limbs felt like, and his nose was most definitely broken. He wanted to cry...he wanted to cry so bad...but he was too afraid to...he didn't want to be punished...So he fought back his tears, then struggled to his feet. He tried to keep running, but in the end, the figure was too fast for him. He yelped as he was scooped off his feet.
Melody looked over the small Pokémon. She then gasped in surprise as he struggled weakly. She responded quickly by holding him close to her chest. [Shhhh...It's okay. I won't hurt you.] The small Pokémon ceased his struggling, then looked up at her with big, confused eyes that made her heart melt. [Okay, now just let me take a look at you...] She held him up to eye level, and inspected his injuries. [Tsk...you look awful...] She said sadly. She held the Pichu close again. [It's okay...Krillin still has his Senzu Beans...those will make it all better, okay?] The small Pokémon nodded, then sleepily looked up at her.
[Are-Are you an angel?] He asked innocently. Melody giggled at the question.
[No. I'm a Pokémon just like you.] She replied with a gentle smile. She smiled as the Pichu snuggled up, then decided to help put him to sleep.
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed...
She heard the soft snores, then smiled down at the Pichu's sleeping figure. It was such a shame she would have to wake him to give him the Senzu Bean... She allowed a long, quiet "Awwwwww..." to come out as the Pichu began sucking on his paw. Before, her heart had melted. Now it just spontaneously combusted. She smiled down at the Pichu lovingly, then flew off, back to the camp.
Ember the Vulpix
[So...what book do you want me to read?] Ember asked, tilting her head curiously, an excited smile on her face. [Ooh! Is it about something I don't know about yet? I sure hope it is! That would be so FUN!]
"Hold on, lemme find it..." Deadpool muttered, searching his pockets. "A-HA! Here it is!" He bent over and held the book in front of Ember's face so she could see the cover. She looked up at him and gave him an annoyed frown.
[Parenting for Dummies? Are you implying...]
"Nah, it's just the basics of parenting!" Deadpool waved a hand dismissively.
[And...why do I need to read this?] Ember asked in confusion.
"'Cause it'll help you out with your parts in the story!" Deadpool replied. "By the way, you should read it out in the woods. Near a VERY specific tree stump." Deadpool pointed at a map. "RIIIIIIGHT there." Ember looked up at him.
[Okay, but I should probably ask Josh if it's okay.]
"Pfft! Spoilsport..." Deadpool muttered. Ember approached her trainer, who was talking with Cilan.
[Hey, Josh. Deadpool told me to read this book in the middle of the woods.] She said flatly.
"Huh? Why the heck-" Josh began.
"Well, Josh, it's Deadpool. We'd best not question it." Cilan said.
"All right...but I'm comin' with ya! IVY! RARITY! EMMY! TRIXIE! MELODY! WE'RE GOING INTO THE WOODS!" Josh called.
[WHY?!] Emmy called back.
"SO EMBER CAN READ A BOOK!" Josh called back.
[DID DEADPOOL SAY SO?] Trixie called.
"YUP!"
[OKAY, BEST NOT QUESTION IT!] Ivy called. And that is why they were in the middle of the woods. While Josh and the rest of his Pokémon played cards, Ember read through the book.
[Huh? If they're sad...tickle them? Um...there's no way that can be right...Maybe I missed something...Let's see...] She flipped a few pages back, then her ears shot up as she heard the scream. [D-Did you guys hear that?!] She asked.
"YUP!" Josh exclaimed, picking up the cards. "SOUNDS LIKE TROUBLE!" Ember ran ahead, the rest following her. Ember frowned as she ran forward. She didn't know what, but something compelled her to pick up the pace. So she ran as fast as she could, so fast, in fact, that Josh and the rest of his Pokémon fell behind. "GEEZ, DID SHE EAT SOME OF POPEYE'S SPINACH OR SOMETHING?!" Josh exclaimed.
Beforehand...
The small Pichu wandered through the dark woods, whimpering softly. He looked around nervously...and gasped when he saw the Beedrill swarm behind him.
[BZZT...INTRUDER!]
[BZZT...GET HIM!] Lightning ran... But he just wasn't fast enough with his injured foot... He screamed as the swarm swooped down...
Back with Ember...
Ember dashed into the clearing, then gasped when she saw the Beedrill relentlessly stinging the Pichu. Her eyes narrowed and she leapt into the clearing, releasing a powerful blast of fire that roasted all of the Beedrill, knocking them out of the sky. Ember stared in surprise for a couple seconds, amazed by that display of power...then shook her head and saw that the Pichu had backed up against a tree and was looking at her with a terrified expression. Unsure of how exactly to handle the situation, Ember stepped towards him, frowning as he started getting more and more scared the closer she got. Eventually, she was close enough to reach out and touch him. The Pichu pressed himself against the tree, trying to make himself appear as small as possible. Ember frowned.
[Hey, are you alright?] She asked. The Pichu looked up at her timidly. [I guess that was a pretty stupid question, huh? I mean, you just got attacked by a swarm of Beedrill, and those are fast, so I guess there wasn't really much opportunity to escape. Plus, their stingers are venomous, so you could be poisoned right now, ESPECIALLY if they stung you with the rear stinger, those contain a lot of poison. You must have wandered onto their territory. That's something you NEVER wanna do, since they're HIGHYL territori...oh...] She stopped her ramble when she saw that the Pichu was now hyperventilating. [But! We CAN remedy this! You just need to come with me, and...Aww...] She frowned as the Pichu curled up into a ball. She lay down so that she was at his level, then gently prodded him with a paw. He looked up at her. She smiled. [Hey, it's okay. A friend of mine has these highly interesting things called Senzu Beans. What they do is heal all wounds and injuries. I really wish I understood how they worked, but hey, what are you gonna do? Anyway, come on.] She picked him up in her teeth, but he panicked and began thrashing in her grip. She blinked and looked down at him, then gently placed him down.
[P-Please...D-Don't burn me...] He whimpered. Ember frowned down at him, taking great pity.
[Hmm...what did the book say to do in this situation...?] She mused to herself. Then, in her head, somebody flicked on the lightbulb. [Hmm...it's worth a shot...] She approached the small Pokémon, then layed down beside him. The Pichu looked at her in confusion, and she smiled. Then he felt something soft next to him. He turned to see six curled tails. These tails then proceeded to begin tickling him. The Pichu struggled to refrain from laughing...but failed. To his credit, though, he only let out a small giggle. Ember smiled. [Now THAT'S better. Now we just need to get you a Senzu Bean, and-]
"SENZU BEAN!" They heard from way off in the distance before Ember got hit on the back of the head by a bean.
[...Okaaaay...Eat that, alright?] The Pichu followed directions and ate the bean. After his injuries were healed, Ember smiled down at him. [There. All better, see?] The Pichu looked up at her.
[U-Um...th-thank you...] He said softly.
"EMBER!" Josh called. Ember turned to the Pichu.
[I think you'll be much safer if you come with me.] The Pichu hesitated, then nodded shyly. Ember grinned and helped him onto her back, then left to find her trainer.
Fiona the Kirlia
"So, run the plan by me again?" Josh asked his Zorua.
[Easy. We lure Stevie to the snare, and it'll launch him into the woods.] Trixie replied with a grin.
"I don't think I wanna know how you got that to work." Josh said flatly.
[Shh! I think he's coming!] Josh and Trixie hid behind the bush, then waited. The scream they heard though, rather than being annoyingly high-pitched and nasal, sounded extremely feminine. Josh and Trixie looked out of their hiding place, and Josh screamed like a little girl as he saw his Kirlia flying through the air. Trixe grinned sheepishly.
[Um...Oops. I guess I got the wrong victim...] She said apologetically.
"YA THINK?!" Josh snapped.
Fiona's pov...
Fiona screamed as she flew towards the woods, while thinking of ways to enact vengeance on Trixie. Before she could dwell on it, though, she found herself smashing into a tree and slowly sliding down to the ground, falling onto her back upon reaching it. Then a pile of snow shook loose from the branches and landed on top of her. [Did I mention they're in a snowy region? Because they are.] After a few seconds, the top of the snowbank started wiggling, and Fiona's head popped out.
[Ugh...Trixie's pranks are gonna be the end of me...] She muttered before climbing out of the snow. She closed her eyes and sensed the rest of the groups presence...But she also sensed another presence...One that needed help urgently. She gasped, then ran towards the direction she felt the presence coming from...
Lightning's POV...
The small Pichu shivered slightly from the cold, but his fur did do a pretty good job keeping him warm. He felt his stomach growl and whimpered. He was so hungry... He needed to eat! So the search began. He searched high and low, but couldn't find anything...until he came across a pile of berries in a clearing. Nervously, he approached. They probably belonged to a wild Pokémon...maybe if he took just one...Then, he heard the soft sound of crunching snow beneath his feet. He flinched and turned around to see a Sneasel smirking down at him.
[Hmm...trying to steal my food, eh?] He asked.
[Well, that's no good.]
[Yes...we can't let him get away with that.] The Pichu looked around him nervously and saw more and more Sneasel coming out of the woods, each with bloodthirsty grins on their faces.
[I-I'm sorry! Y-You can have them! I don't need them! Please don't hurt me!]
[Oh, but it's been so long since we've had fresh meat!] One of the Sneasel replied with a sadistic grin. [Don't be so selfish.] The Pichu shrunk back in terror as the pack of Sneasel approached him.
Back with Fiona...
Fiona ran through the woods, paying close attention to her sixth sense. [Though maybe a little bit TOO much attention, considering she had fallen into seven snowbanks along the way...] She then sighed with relief when she made it to the area where she had sensed the presence. She dashed into the clearing and put a hand over her mouth in shock as she saw a Pichu getting mauled by a group of Sneasel. A young Pichu...She COULDN'T let this happen. She raised her arms onto her head and focused on the Sneasel surrounding the Pichu. After a lot of effort, the Sneasel all levitated upward, struggling and shouting in confusion. The Pichu had seen her, though, and was currently looking at the amount of power she supposedly had... Eventually, Fiona managed to muster up enough power to toss the Sneasel far away from the tiny mouse. She fell to her knees, panting heavily. Then she stood up, put a hand to her head to ease the slight headache she had gained, and looked towards the Pichu, who was still staring at her with a mixture of fear and awe. The Pichu looked up with wide eyes as the Kirlia began approaching him slowly, a completely stoic look on her face. He knew that Psychic attacks weren't supposed to work on Dark Pokémon...this Kirlia had to be powerful if hers did! Every fiber of his being willed him to run...but he was petrified in fear, thinking he was next. His breathing began to get more frantic, his heartbeat faster...Then Fiona slipped on a patch of ice and stumbled forward, getting her head stuck in a small pile of snow with her rear end sticking straight up in the air, banging her knee against the ice upon falling. The Pichu blinked and tilted his head at this turn of events. Fiona's hands pushed against the ground, helping to pull her head out of the snow, and she sat, clutching her knee.
*HISS* Aaahhh... *HISS* Aaaaahhhh... *HISS* Aaaaaaahhhh... *HISS* Aaaaaaaahhhhh...
Fiona spent forty five seconds agonizing over the pain in her knee. The Pichu remembered how easily she had dispatched those Sneasel. Comparing that to this...he couldn't help but let out the tiniest giggle. Fiona heard the giggle and turned to him, causing him to freeze up and his eyes to widen. She tapped into his emotional state with her psychic powers...and gasped. She felt the poor child's pain and suffering. She had no way of telling what had caused it...but she wouldn't dwell on it. She could tell he thought she was angry at him. She needed to remedy this...
[Don't worry. I'm not angry at you.] She said softly, smiling at him. The Pichu blinked.
[H-How did-?]
[Oh. Psychic types have the natural ability to read into others' emotional states.] She explained. [Now...are you badly hurt?] She then facepalmed. [Of course you are. Stupid, stupid question... Okay, I can get you help. How about you come with me?] She asked. The Pichu shrunk back slightly, looking at the snowy ground nervously. Fiona tilted her head with a frown at his nervousness...then levitated him with her Psychic.
[AAAHH! NO! PLEASE! DON'T HURT ME! I'LL COME WITH YOU! PLEASE!] He panicked. Fiona's eyes widened in surprise and she accidentally let go of him, causing him to fall.
[Uh-oh!] She exclaimed before diving forward to catch him. She did catch him...but she also landed facefirst in the snow. She looked up, turned to the side to spit some snow out of her mouth, then turned to the Pichu, then sat up and held him close to her chest. The Pichu flinched at first...but relaxed as he felt her body heat getting rid of every ounce of cold he felt. [Not that there was much...Pokémon have a natural resistance to the cold, but children have a much weaker one than adults.] He snuggled into her chest closer, wanting to savor the warmth. Fiona smiled down at him. [There. Do you feel better?] The Pichu looked up at her and nodded slightly. [Good! Okay...let's get you some medical help...] She sensed where the group was, then focused her energy and teleported the two of them there...
Frost the Glaceon
Frost sighed in annoyance as Ian and Tristan argued over who has the crazier haircut.
"I HAVE A FREAKING BOWLHEAD, YOU FREAKING! IDIOT!" Ian exclaimed.
"I HAVE ANIME HAIR, STUPID!" Tristan retorted. Frost's eye twitched as the argument went on for ten more minutes. Finally, when she decided she couldn't take it anymore, she turned around with a glare.
[Both of you stop it! You both have terrible haircuts! Now just shut up!] She snapped. Tristan and Ian looked at her blankly for a couple seconds. Then they returned to their argument. Frost groaned in annoyance, laid down and covered her ears. Josh looked over and noticed this, so he decided to approach his newly acquired Glaceon.
"Hey, Frost! What's buggin' ya?" He asked.
[You tell me.] Frost replied bitterly, gesturing to the two arguing idiots with her head.
"Riiight." Josh said with a nod. "Well, ya get used to it. Trust me."
[Well, I'm not sure I can take any more of this.] Frost said, getting to her feet. [I'm going to go for a walk...]
"Wait! Let me come with ya!" Josh exclaimed.
[No. I need to be alone.] Frost replied firmly.
"Fine...but if you're not back in half an hour, I'm comin' in after ya!" Josh replied.
[Fine. If you must.] Frost replied, walking into the woods.
Lightning's POV...
The small Pichu peeked out from around the tree and looked in both directions. The coast appeared to be clear...Tentatively, he stepped out from behind the tree. So far so good...no predators in sight... He looked around, ignoring the loud rumbles his stomach made. He needed to focus if he was to find food... He then noticed a tree containing some berries. He looked around again. You can never be too careful...Upon seeing the coast was clear, he decided it was safe to go for them. He had no sooner than touched the bark of the tree, when he heard loud, stomping footsteps that made him flinch in terror. He turned around to see a large Scolipede approaching. The Scolipede saw him near the tree, then let out an enraged, earthshaking roar.
[A TRESPASSER! I HATE TRESPASSERS!] He shouted furiously.
[I'm-I'm sorry...Don't hurt me...] The Pichu whimpered in fear. His plea fell on deaf ears, however, as the Scolipede curled up into a ball and rolled towards him at top speed. The small Pichu willed himself to move...but he couldn't. He was rooted to the spot in fear, and could only watch in horror as the massive ball rammed into him, sending him flying into a tree with a squeak. He fell to the ground, then pulled himself up weakly, then barely managed to muster up the energy to avoid another roll. The Scolipede crashed into a tree, which served only to anger him further. Furiously, he rolled forward even faster than the first two times, and the Pichu had absolutely no time to dodge as he was thrown into a low tree branch, which he clung on to. It was not high enough, however. He saw the Scolipede coming back for another one...
Back to Frost...
Frost sighed as she walked, thinking back to her sister.
[That Trip boy had better be taking good care of her...] She muttered with a scowl. Then she froze up, her ears straightening, as she heard a terrified, pained cry. She blinked. That sounded like a child... [I should go see what's wrong...] She thought before dashing off in the direction she heard the cry.
Frost ran into the clearing where the cry had come from...and her eyes widened in shock. She saw a tiny Pichu, hanging from a tree branch, and a massive Scolipede dashing towards the low-hanging branch, fully intending on skewering the tiny Pokémon on its horns. Frost scowled, then leapt into action.
The Pichu closed his eyes and whimpered as the Scolipede drew closer...then felt himself getting pulled off the tree branch by something. He opened his eyes to see Frost, holding him by the scruff of the neck in her teeth. The expression of anger in her eyes prompted him to close his own eyes in fear again.
Frost landed on the ground gracefully, then gently placed the Pichu down. She frowned as he curled up into a tiny, whimpering ball, then turned to the Scolipede with a glare. [So, you think it's acceptable to kill young children?] She snarled.
[HE IS AN INTRUDER! AND SO ARE YOU!] The Scolipede roared. [YOU BOTH MUST DIE!]
[Alright then...just try it.] Frost replied with a scowl. The Scolipede roared and dashed at her, intending to ram her...but she simply leapt to the side, causing him to crash into a tree headfirst, getting his horns stuck. The Scolipede snarled as it tried to pry itself loose, and Frost took this as her opportunity. She inhaled, then took a deep breath, firing a powerful blue beam. Once this beam made contact, it froze the Scolipede's horns to the tree. A few more beams, and the Scolipede was totally frozen over. Frost panted heavily, tired from using up so much power. After catching her breath, she turned to the small, trembling mouse, who was now looking up at her with wide, terrified eyes. Not changing her stoic facial expression, she began to step forward. [You're very lucky I was here.] She said firmly. The Pichu flinched at her approach, then scooted back, but ended up backing into a tree. Frost blinked at this, but continued her advance. [What's wrong with you? I only want to help.] She said, not losing her stern tone. The Pichu flinched again, then closed his eyes and curled up in a quivering ball. Lightning looked down at him with a frown. [What's wrong?] She asked firmly.
[P-Please don't hurt me...] The Pichu whimpered. Frost blinked.
[What makes you think I want to hurt you? Why would I save you if I wanted to hurt you?] She asked. The Pichu flinched again. Frost raised a brow, trying to decipher the problem. [This would be much easier for me if you would just tell me what was wrong.] The Pichu stifled a sob. Frost's expression softened. Then she sighed. [Is it the tone of my voice?] She asked in a much gentler tone. The Pichu slowly looked up at her, then nodded shyly. [Okay...Is this better?] The Pichu nodded again. Frost smiled. [Good. Now...if you'll come with me, we can fix your wounds.] The Pichu looked down, hesitating. Frost placed a paw on his shoulder, careful to avoid touching a wound. [It'll be okay. I promise.] The Pichu looked up at her again, then slowly got to his feet. He took a couple shaky steps towards her, then stumbled forward, falling against the Glaceon's front legs. Frost looked down at him with a frown, and he fell onto his back and scooted away.
[I-I'M SORRY! PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME! PLEASE!] Frost blinked and tilted her head.
[Why would I be mad over a little stumble?] She asked. Lightning flinched back at the question. Frost looked at him, concern evident in her eyes. Then she approached. Lightning couldn't help but tremble as she got closer, half expecting a paw across the face...but was pleasantly surprised when all she did was kneel down to his level. [Can you climb on?] She asked. Lightning nodded, then forced himself to his feet. He shakily stepped towards the Glaceon, then climbed onto her back. Frost smiled back at him. [Okay, now we just have to get a Senzu Bean from Krillin.] She said softly. Lightning smiled back.
"FROST! WHERE ARE YA?!"
[Oh. I guess my half hour is up.] Frost said, not really caring. [Well, let's go find my trainer.] Lightning nodded shyly. And so, off they went.
Flutterdash the Shaymin
"Why the hell is it that Josh gets TWO legendaries?!" Deadpool exclaimed. "I'd better get a damn good one to make up for it!"
[Um...Deadpool, who are you talking to, if you don't mind me asking?] Flutterdash's land form asked. Deadpool turned to her.
"The author of course! Why am I the only one that sees him?! Can you at least see the guy who helped write this story?"
[Um...No...] Flutterdash replied, looking back and forth awkwardly.
"Aw, whatever!" Deadpool pouted. "You got a kid to save anyway..."
[Um...I beg your pardon?] Flutterdash gasped when she heard a scream.
"Ah! That right there is why I brought ya into this canyon in the middle of the night in the first place!" Deadpool exclaimed proudly. But Flutterdash had already left the area...
Lightning's part is the same as it was in Melody's...
Flutterdash ran through the canyon as fast as her little legs would carry her.
[Hey, Land. How's about ya let me take care of this one?]
[Oh! Of course...If you want to...]
And so, after being enveloped in a shiny white light, in place of the grass-covered hedgehog there was a small reindeer-like creature.
[Aw yeah! 'Bout time I got a chance to stretch!] Flutterdash, in her sky form, flew upward, continuing on to the source of the sounds. And when she got there, she was VERY unhappy to see a herd of Mankey relentlessly beating up a tiny Pichu,
[Oh my goodness, that poor, poor little baby! Please, Sky...DO SOMETHING!]
[Ya don't have to tell me twice!] Sky exclaimed before swooping into action. The Mankey continued hitting the tiny mouse, but another voice caught their attention. [Hey, ya big jerks!] They all turned to see the small reindeer floating above them with a glare. [Why don't ya pick on someone your own size?] The Mankey began gibbering angrily at her. She smirked. [All right, let's see how you handle ME!] And with that, she swooped down at a lightning-fast speed, ramming into three Mankey and sending them flying. She then fired an energy ball down at five other Mankey, blowing them all back and knocking them unconscious. That left two more. [Ha! This is the smallest herd I've ever seen...] Sky muttered to herself. The two Mankey were furiously jumping up at her, trying to grab at her legs, but they fell short every time. Sky was staying just out of their reach in order to mock them. [All right, suckers! Betcha can't catch me!] She turned in the other direction and flew off at a speed the Mankey could just barely keep up at. [Okay, it should be coming up now...Heh...Here we go.] Sky stopped flying for a few brief moments, and the Mankey stopped running. They glared up at Sky with pure malice in their eyes. Sky smirked, her forelegs on her hips, then pointed downward. The Maney looked down, saw that they were no longer standing on safe ground, looked back up at Sky with wide eyes, looked over to each other, hugged each other, then screamed as they fell into the pond below. Sky grinned smugly as their heads popped out of the water and they shook their fists at her angrily. [Ha! That was GREAT!]
[Um...yes, that was very impressive, but do you think, maybe, if it's not too much trouble, we could go make sure that poor little Pichu is okay?]
[Oh, uh...heh. Right.] Sky flew off back to where she had last seen the small mouse. Thankfully, he was still there, curled up in a trembling ball. Sky didn't seem to notice his obvious fear, though, for she immediately went on to boast loudly about her victory. [Hey there, little buddy!] The Pichu flinched at the volume of her voice. [Did ya see that?! It was SO...AWESOME! I tore those stupid, brainless monkeys to SHREDS! Oh man, they're still unconscious! It'll be Christmas before they wake up! So, anyway, are you ok-aaaay?] She blinked in confusion as she had seen the small mouse had retreated to the canyon wall. [Uh...little guy?] She flew down and began walking towards him, but the closer she got, the more afraid he seemed to get. [Hey, there, I'm not gonna hurt ya!] The Pichu still flinched back. [Aw, come on!] She groaned. The Pichu whimpered in terror.
[Sky... I think I should take over.]
[Yeah, okay...]
And so, the hedgehog form had returned. Slowly she approached, so as not to frighten him. A failed effort, as he pressed himself against the wall as hard as he could and curled up into a ball, trying to appear as small as he could. When Land finally got to him, he barely stifled a sob. Land looked at him sadly, then lightly nuzzled him. The Pichu flinched at the contact, then slowly looked up when he saw that he was not being injured. Land smiled down at him gently.
[Hello there. Are you alright?] She asked. Then she gasped when she finally noticed just how bad the injuries were. He was covered in bruises, cuts and bumps and his left eye was swollen shut. [Um...can you open your mouth, please?] The Pichu did as he was told. Land looked at the inside of his mouth sadly. So many lost teeth... [Okay...that's good.] The Pichu closed his mouth, still looking up at her in fear. The fear dwindled slightly, though, at the kindness that seemed to radiate off of the Shaymin. Land gently reached outward with a paw. The Pichu flinched as the paw made contact, and whimpered as he felt himself being pulled towards the bigger Pokémon...but then all of his fear melted away when Land sat down, cradling him against her chest. His eyes widened in confusion, and he looked up at her. She smiled back. [There. Is, um...that better?] The Pichu blinked, then buried his face back into her chest. Her fur was warm and she smelled like flowers. This was the most comfortable he had been in such a long time... Land smiled down at him.
[Hey, the little guy's kinda cute!]
[Yes...but I think it would be good to wait a while before you try to introduce yourself to him. Um...no offense, but I think he's scared of you.]
[No. Ya think?]
Ignoring her Sky Form's sarcasm, Land continued to hold the Pichu. Then a certain Merc with a Mouth stepped up.
"Ey, Flutterdash! What's shakin'? Ah! You've got the little guy! Perfect! This part's as good as over! Now let's go get him a Senzu Bean!" Deadpool walked away, a spring in his step. Land stared after him with a tilted head.
[He is so random.]
[Yes...he is, isn't he?]
Land looked down at the Pichu, and smiled as she saw that he had fallen asleep in her forelegs, sucking on his paw. Gently, without waking him, she managed to place him on her back, where he subconsciously gripped onto the bush-like fur on it and nestled into it deeper. Giggling, she followed Deadpool.
Sprinkles the Delcatty
"So...why did you wanna be named Sprinkles again?" Josh asked.
[I dunno. I just came up with it off the top of my head, y'know?] Sprinkles replied with a shrug.
"All right, it's your name." Josh replied with a shrug. "So, why are we in the woods again?"
[Well, I kinda needed to clear my head. I mean, I'm amazed how you guys can spend so much time around Ian, Tristan and Deadpool without going cocoa for cocoa puffs if ya catch my drift.] Sprinkles chuckled. [Ah, they're pretty cool guys though, I gotta admit.]
"So, ya glad to be on the-WHAT THE HECK?!" Josh and Sprinkles were surprised to hear the sound of a child screaming and a swarm of angry Pokémon. Sprinkles turned to Josh with a calm expression.
[Okay, so...there's a kid in there. Clearly in trouble. Sounds like he's getting killed. So...please forgive me for what I'm about to do, 'kay?]
"Um...sure."
[Aw, thanks for understanding.] Sprinkles said with a smile before running into the direction she heard the scream coming from.
"WELL, WAIT FOR ME!" Josh shouted, running after his Pokémon.
Lightning's POV is the same as when Ivy finds him in Pokémon Trainers, as well as Trixie's scene
Sprinkles burst into the clearing, then saw the small Pichu getting violently mauled by the Spearow. She frowned. [Okay, seriously...that's just horrible.] Sprinkles dashed towards the swarm, ramming through some of the Spearow, then stood protectively over the Pichu's tiny body as he laid there in a trembling ball.
[Stay outta this, toots!] One of the Spearow warned.
[Yeah, he ain't got the right to be on our property!] Another one agreed.
[Your property, huh? I don't see your name on it.] Sprinkles replied with a shrug.
[Grrr... GET 'ER!] The Spearow all swooped down towards her, but underestimated just how quick she was. She bent down to pick the Pichu up by the scruff of the neck, then leapt out of the way just in time for the Spearow to miss completely, the ones in the front slamming into the ground, falling unconscious upon impact. Sprinkles winced.
[Ooh, that's gotta hurt...] She muttered through clenched teeth, still holding the Pichu. The flock turned to her again, still glaring. She prepared for another dodge...and leapt out of the way as the Spearow swooped down, causing a few of them to smash into trees, knocking themselves unconscious too. The remaining members turned with a glare. Sprinkles scanned the environment...then saw something sleeping behind a bush. [That'll work.] She muttered, teeth still clenched. She sprung over in front of the bush and looked at the remaining Spearow calmly. They let out angered caws, then swooped down. She leapt out of the way, then dove into a bush for cover. She lowered the Pichu onto the ground, then held him up against her chest with her forelegs, noting with a raised brow how he had his eyes squeezed shut and was trembling uncontrollably. Then, Sprinkles cringed as a loud roar and the scream of the Spearow sounded throughout the clearing. [Guess the Ursaring's doing the trick.] She thought. Then she looked back down at the small Pichu, who was now panicking and trying to worm free of her embrace.
[NO! NO, PLEASE! DON'T HURT ME! PLEASE!] Sprinkles frowned, then tightened her embrace, making sure not to cause pain.
[Easy there, little guy! I don't bite! Well, I guess technically that's a lie because if Josh gives the order or I feel threatened, I probably WILL bite, but, hey...Josh isn't really here at the moment, and you're not exactly a dangerous little guy, so, yeah! No biting here!] She smiled when she saw that her little ramble seemed to have relaxed him. He was now looking up at her, wide-eyed and confused. [Heheh...You are so cute, y'know that?] She nuzzled the small Pokémon's cheek, easing his trembling. He then decided to bury his face into her chest. Sprinkles chuckled and smiled down at him. [Looks like you've gotten to like me, eh?]
"SPRINKLES!" The Pichu squeaked at the volume of the yell and tightened his grip around the Delcatty.
[Whoa!] Sprinkles grunted. [Quite a grip ya got there, kiddo. Don't worry. That's just my trainer, Josh. And no, I don't think he's gonna make me bite you, so you can relax, 'kay? We'll take ya back to camp, Krillin'll give you a Senzu Bean, and then we'll figure out what to do with ya.] The Pichu looked up at her, then smiled slightly.
Masquerade the Roserade
Masquerade sat on a tree branch, eyes closed, arms crossed, still wearing the red scarf Josh had bought her around her head so only her eyes were visible as Cilan prepared dinner and everyone else did their thing. Then, a noise made her eyes snap open. It sounded like the screaming of a child... She leapt down from the tree branch and landed on one knee, then stood. She turned to Josh. [Josh...There is a child in need of help in those woods. I must go.]
"Well, I'll go with ya!" Josh offered.
[Very well.] Masquerade nodded and the two of them ran into the woods. Masquerade was leaping from the branches as Josh struggled to keep up. Leaving Josh behind, Masquerade stopped as she landed in a branch. She looked down to see a tiny Pichu getting assaulted by a flock of Spearow. A dangerous glint appeared in the Roserade's narrowed eyes. Quickly, she withdrew three of her patented leaf shuriken and tossed them down, hitting three Spearow with pinpoint accuracy, cutting into their sides. The Spearow squawked in pain, and they all looked up to the branch to see the Roserade. They scowled.
[Get 'er!] The leader of the flock ordered. And with that, the flock flew up at Masquerade. She was unimpressed, and responded simply by leaping into the air. She kicked a Spearow in the face, backhanded another one, and stomped down on another one's head, propelling her further into the air, where she gathered energy in both bouquets on her hands, then began spinning around, firing powerful energy beams from the flowers. The Spearow all fell to the ground unconscious, and Masquerade landed perfectly right in the middle of them, kneeling with her eyes closed and arms crossed. She got to her feet and looked over at the Pichu, who was staring over at her wide-eyed. She began to approach...and he screamed and ran behind a tree. Masquerade blinked at this. She could tell he would run again if she approached, so she leapt up to a low branch in the tree, careful not to get his attention. The Pichu sat behind the branch, panting. He looked out into the clearing, and sighed in relief when he saw that the Roserade was gone. Then he heard a light sound of something landing right behind him...Nervously, he turned around, and whimpered as he saw the Roserade standing behind him. Terrified, he scooted back up against the tree and curled up in a trembling ball. Masquerade tilted her head quizzically, but knelt down by his side and rested a bouquet on his back to make sure he knew she wasn't going to hurt him. He flinched at the touch, but looked up regardless. He looked into her eyes...and felt strangely comforted. Those eyes were kind and compassionate. It reminded him of his mother...He whimpered at the thought of his mother. Masquerade then spoke.
[Calm yourself, child. I do not wish to harm you.] She said in the gentlest tone she could muster. Lightning felt comforted by that tone... [Now...If you would come with me, we have the ability to heal all your injuries.] The Pichu whimpered again. [I promise you...nothing is going to bring any harm to you while you are with me. Now please...I implore you...come.] The Pichu hesitated, then shakily got to his feet. Masquerade picked him up in her bouquet, much easier than you'd think, and held him up against her chest. [Worry not, little one. You are under my protection.] She assured softly. The Pichu rested his head against her chest. He let the first smile he'd had in such a long time come across his face...
Midna the Weavile
Midna was adjusting pretty well to her new "gang" as she liked to call them. She still had a long way to go before redeeming herself of all the terrible things she had done in the past, but hey...she hadn't stolen anything in weeks, nor had she attacked any innocent bystanders, so she was making progress. Little did she know, the main cause for her complete redemption was just around the corner...
Midna was lying against a tree, both arms behind her head as a makeshift pillow of sorts. She closed her eyes in content...and then they quickly shot open when she heard what sounded like a child yelling out in pain. She blinked, then got to her feet. She frowned.
[Huh...Not sure what that is, but I'd better tell the boss man...] She muttered to herself. Quickly, she ran over to Josh, who was busy working on the fire. [Yo, Josh. I'm hearin' screamin' off in the woods over there.] She pointed a claw behind her. [Somethin's up. There's trouble, I can tell.]
"Not now, Achmed, I'm trying to get the fire started." Josh waved Midna off, not even bothering to look up, clearly not paying attention to who it was since he mistook someone with a Brooklyn accent for Achmed. Midna rolled her eyes.
[Whatever, man, I'll go tell someone else then...] She muttered as she walked away.
"Good for you, Popeye." Josh replied absentmindedly. Midna approached the aforementioned sailor, who was busy chopping firewood.
[Ey, uh, sailor guy.] She began. [Ya hearin' those screamin' sounds?]
"I ain't got time to talk, Midna." Popeye said apologetically. "I gots ta finish choppin' the wood up." Midna shook her head in annoyance.
[Fine. You keep doin' that...] She muttered before walking off. She decided to try asking Deadpool.
[Crazy guy! There's somethin' goin' on in them woods over there.] Deadpool looked over at her.
"Yep!" He said casually. The two stared at each other for a few moments. Midna tapped her foot on the ground impatiently, then sighed in exasperation.
[Y'know what, screw it! I'm gonna go check this out myself!] And with that, Midna stormed off into the woods, muttering under her breath. Deadpool cheerfully waved her off.
"Later, mother of the year!" He called. She didn't hear him.
Beforehand...
The tiny Pichu timidly stepped into the clearing. He looked around thoroughly. Nothing seemed to be attacking him... Tentatively, he stepped forward slightly...but he cringed as he stepped on a twig. The snapping sound caught the attention of a nearby group of Pokemon.
[Ey! What's that noise?] A Brooklyn accent sounded out.
[Somethin's on our turf!] Another one said.
[Let's rough 'em up, boys!] A third one chimed in. The little mouse Pokemon whimpered in fear and stumbled back as a herd of Sneasel stepped out of the bushes, glaring viciously at him. One of them spoke.
[Looky here, fellas. Looks like we got ourselves a little brat. Where's your mommy, kid?] Lightning flinched and whimpered sadly when the Sneasel mentioned his mother. The bigger Pokemon smirked. [You guys here that? No mother! That means the kid's fair game!] The Sneasel all approached the tiny Pokemon with evil smiles, fully prepared to tear him to pieces.
[No...P-Please...I'll do anything...] The Pichu's soft pleads fell on death ears, and he yelled out in pain as he felt razor sharp claws digging into his back. He bit his lip and flinched as the herd pounced him, clawing him all over his tiny, fragile body. He managed to let out a soft whimper of pain... Oh how he wished he was never born...
Present time...
Midna ran off in the direction she had heard the yell come from. She skidded to a halt as she saw a herd of Sneasel attacking something. Her eyes widened in realization. It was her old gang! What were the odds of her coming across them again...? Then she noticed what they were attacking, and her eyes widened in shock. It was a child! A young child! What the hell were they thinking?! She'd specifically told them that children were strictly off limits when she had been leading them! She scowled and stepped out into the clearing. This had to end...
[Well, well, well. Ain't this a sight to see? My old gang beatin' on a little kid. Tryin' to kill him.] The Sneasel all turned, and their eyes widened upon seeing who it was.
[B-Boss?!] One of them said. [Y-You came back!]
[Save it, buddy!] Midna snapped. [I ain't comin' back to lead you bozos! Especially not after what I just saw ya doin'!] The Sneasel looked taken aback.
[Y-Ya mean takin' care of this intruder? W-We're just tryin' to do this in your memory, boss-]
[BULL! SH*T!] Midna snapped. [I FLAT OUT TOLD YA NO HURTIN' KIDS! AND HERE YA ARE, MURDERIN' ONE! I DON'T WANT NOTHIN' MORE TO DO WITH THE LOT OF YA, SO YOU'D BEST CLEAR OUT OR I'M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE YA!]
[But boss...] One of the Sneasel began.
[BEAT IT!] Midna snapped. The Sneasel all ran in fear, knowing better than to incur the wrath of their much more powerful ex-leader. Midna scowled after them with a hand on her hip, then sighed and turned to the Pichu, who was looking at her with an expression of sheer, unadulterated horror. She blinked at this, but shrugged it off and began to approach.
The Pichu watched the much bigger Pokemon coming towards him with a panicked look. The razor-sharp claws, the pointed fangs sticking out of her mouth, the pitch-dark color...she was TERRIFYING. Quickly, the Pichu stumbled to his feet and began to run...but he didn't get far before tripping over an exposed tree root. Upon making contact with the ground, the cuts the Sneasel had given him opened further, causing fresh blood to trickle down his fur. He whimpered in pain.
Midna cringed at the pitiful sight in front of her. Quickly, she ran to his side and bent down to pick him up. [Okay, kid, we'd better get ya...] She was taken aback when, before she even touched him, he flinched away and began to panic.
[N-NO! PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE! DON'T! I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE!]
Midna looked at the tiny mouse Pokemon in pity. Gently, she bent over and scooped him up. The Pichu screamed and thrashed in her grip for about fifteen seconds...until he felt himself being gently cradled in a warm pair of arms. He blinked in confusion, and looked up at the Weavile holding him. She gave him a reassuring smile. He simply looked at her with big, confused eyes. Midna internally d'awwed.
[Don't worry, kid. Trust me, I'm one of the good guys. You're safe with me, a'ight?] Lightning blinked. [Now, I'm gonna take ya back to my trainer, and we're gonna get ya fixed up. Sound good?] Lightning blinked, then let the slightest hint of a smile come across his face. He closed his eyes, reflexively snuggled closer into the Weavile's embrace, and then fell asleep happily. Midna looked down at him with a raised brow, confused...then she let a ghost of a smile come across her face. She carried the little mouse back to the clearing where they were stopping for lunch. He was in desperate need of a senzu bean...