Pokémon Mystery Dungeons
Vulpix's Pain.
I own NOTHING here, just the plot bunny that bit me with this idea.
Pokémon belongs to those who created it, the game is the same.
The song used is Somewhere by Within Temptation.
It was dark along the beaches of the island; no one was out, all the Pokémon that lived there in the village were either tucked up in bed and sleeping, or enjoying the night... Some members of the Wigglytuff's Guild were resting, while others worked...
Alone and walking slowly along part of the beach, was a female Vulpix, her fur gently swaying in the night breeze and her six tails dragging behind her in the sand while her eyes, shimmering with as yet unshed tears, scanned the horizon and ocean, searching for something.
Even with the full moon's light Vulpix found her search to be in vain, even the shore line didn't give her anything not even a small sea shell and her heart's pain became worse, forcing her to stop her slow walk and bow her head, tear slipping down her muzzle to dampen the soft sand.
Vulpix lowered herself onto the sand, crying quietly so as not to attract any attention and closed her eyes, seeing the face of the one she was looking for and a few precious memories of her time with him, as his friend, partner and lover...
Seeing his face again, the smiles and the times they'd been together, from the moment they met on this very same beach to the painful moments he had vanished from her life only days ago made her feel numb and cold.
Lost in the darkness
Hoping for a sign
Instead there's only silence
Can't you hear my screams?
Never stop hoping
Need to know where you are
But one thing's for sure
You're always in my heart
She remembered everything, from the first time he appeared washed up on this very beach, with no memory to who he was or where he came from, only that he had once been a human... the whispered words they shared at nights, snuggled together in the straw bed or on the floor during their missions together, to that final, painful good-bye when he's body had begun to fade becoming a ball of light and then floating off into the sky, leaving her cold and alone on the island she called home.
Every night she dreamed of him, felt his warmth against her and felt his arms around her... She felt his lips, always soft and caring, press against hers, making her feel warm inside and safe just being close to him... She heard him whisper the way he felt around her, that human word 'love' came from him so many times she couldn't remember a time she never even knew the word...
But every morning she'd wake up and search for him in her room, even going as far as to call for him. Then the cold reality would sink in and she would feel the warmth from her dreams leave her and curl up again, not to sleep, but to cry, softly repeating his name over and over again.
There was no denying it, every Pokémon who had known him, knew that the two were more than friends and exploration partners, they were lovers and ever since he had left, Vulpix's life had become miserable. She'd tried to continue, she'd attempted to go with other teams on their missions, but the memories that came to her made it hard for her to focus and she stopped going on missions with the other teams after two days, over the following days, she even stopped going to Wigglytuff's Guild regularly and gone back to her own home near the beach. Searching the beach every day and night for any sign of the one her heart called for.
Yet, even though she found nothing in the five days she'd spent out here alone, searching without pause, she felt a painful realization try to creep into her mind...
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying
Until my dying day
I just need to know
Whatever has happened
The truth will free my soul
Vulpix didn't know how long she'd been crying when she felt something soft cover her body, a spark of hope struck her fast as she looked up, a few tears jolting lose from the movement and she spoke for the first time that day. "Riolu?"
"No Vulpix, Chatot and Wigglytuff." The Pink Pokémon said softly, sitting beside her while Chatot settle on the rock behind her. "You'll catch a cold out here alone." Wigglytuff continued adjusting the blanket he had brought, making sure Vulpix was would be warm.
"Why... are you both here? I thought you would be so busy with new exploration teams...?" Vulpix asked her voice broken and weak from all the crying she'd done.
Chatot smiled in his way. "We came to make sure you were ok, Vulpix. You've not been to see us in almost six days, we got worried." He said.
"Oh... I'm sorry... It's just I've been..." Vulpix tried to think of a reason, but again, images and memories floated by her eyes, making tears swell again. "I've... been..." she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth a little, ~ "Stop it, Vulpix, you're in front of the two Pokémon you should be showing strength too, not crying like a newly hatched cub! Be brave, be strong and stop crying... brave Pokémon don't cry... brave Pokémon shouldn't cry..." ~
The voice that made her feel safe, warm and happy came back to her then, just a whisper, but so close to her ear she thought he was sat right beside her. ~ "Brave Pokémon aren't afraid to cry when they are hurt..." ~
Wigglytuff put a comforting hand on Vulpix's head, gently stroking the tuff of fur there. "You've been hiding away to cry because you think the others at the guild will see you as a weakling." He said softly and Vulpix looks at him, tears threatening to spill no matter how much she tried to blink them away. "There's nothing wrong with crying Vulpix, its shows you are as brave as Riolu believed you were, and how brave you have become..."
Lost in the darkness
Tried to find your way home
I want to embrace you
And never let you go
Almost hope you're in heaven
So no one can hurt your soul
Living in agony
Cause I just do not know
Where you are
Unable to hold back anymore and too tired to argue with herself about it, Vulpix all but threw herself at Wigglytuff and sobbed into his shoulder, tails dropped completely and her ears drooped low, Wigglytuff simply sat there, one arm on her back and the other gently stroking her to help calm her. "Let it out Vulpix... let it all out... Shhhhh, shhh, shhh... it'll be ok..." he mumbled softly, trying to sooth her while Chatot looked to the sky and then took off silently towards the Guild.
"I... I miss... him... so... so much..." Vulpix cried between sobs, her whole body shaking now she had stopped fighting the sadness and let it flow through her, "It hurts... every night... I see him... I want... I want him back... I.. I..."
"Shhhhh, shhh, shhh, shhhhh... I know Vulpix, I know, we all miss Riolu, he was a good friend and a wonderful Pokémon... but hiding from the sadness will only make it hurt more... Riolu wouldn't want you hurt like that would he?"
Vulpix gulped in air and shook her head. "No... He'd... he'd want me... to be happy... but its hurts so much... I... I don't know what to do, Wigglytuff... my head says he's never coming back... but my heart..." She couldn't continue, another wave of sobs battled its way from her throat.
She didn't notice Chatot coming back with the other members of the Guild, or everyone quietly settled down around her, the small fire that was made to keep everyone warm, all she did was continue to cry herself out on Wigglytuff's shoulder.
Wigglytuff continued to gently stroke and rub her back, softly mumbling comfort to her while the small waves softly lulled the night on. "What does your heart tell you Vulpix?"
Vulpix sniffled, tears still falling from her eyes. "That he'll come back... somehow... he'll come back... one day... I'll wake up... and he'll be there... he'll be with me again... and he'll never go away... just like he promised... that first night we stayed in the guild room... but..."
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying
Until my dying day
I just need to know
Whatever has happened
The truth will free my soul
"But nothing Vulpix." Chatot said gently but firmly. "If there was one thing I learned about Riolu, he never broke a promise he made and if he promised he'd never leave you, he will comeback."
"How? He said... his time as a Pokémon was over... how can he comeback... he didn't know where he was from... so how could he find us...?" Vulpix asked, "What if he's forgotten everything... like when he showed up here...?"
"Somehow I doubt he's forgotten you or any of us." Wigglytuff said, letting Vulpix settle again on the sand. "Just like we won't forget about him."
Vulpix nodded once and then the rest just become a blur, a surge for hunger hit her body and she found she'd forgotten to eat over the past five days in her sorrow and the strain had finally caught up with her.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself not in her own home, or at the beach, but the room she and Riolu had shared in at the Guild, slowly she lowered herself back on to the straw and in hailed, it was weak, but she could just pick up on Riolu's lingering scent.
Wherever you are
I won't stop searching
Whatever it takes me to know
It gave her a little comfort to know that his scent remained here, even after all the time he'd been gone. She stayed still, letting the faint lingering scent provoke her memories, memories of his voice and the words he'd spoken, the promises he'd made about their future together.
Vulpix didn't know how long she slept for, or how many times she woke up to Wigglytuff or Chatot next to her, feeding her easy foods, like berries and soft herbs, slowly she got her energy back and began to walk around a little, the empty feeling that had been inside her was still there, but somewhat... less than it had been, she was surrounded by friends and it helped with the pain.
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying
Until my dying day
I just need to know
Whatever has happened
The truth will free my soul
Even though she knew she might never see Riolu again, she knew now, she didn't have to suffer the pain alone...
...it made her feel... just that tiniest bit better...