If I owned Pokemon I would have a lot of money. I do not have a lot of money, therefore I do not own Pokemon. Nintendo does. Not me. Comprende?
Alola was best known for its beautiful islands, each with their own unique climatology and layout. Melemele Island, Akala Island, Ula'ula Island and Poni Island each provided a different experience for both residents and tourists.
Akala Island, widely considered to be the most popular vacation destination for tourists visiting Alola, had something for everyone. Beaches, hiking trails and hotels were just some of the many attractions of Akala Island. There was even a Pokemon Ranch where pokemon grazed on open farmland and, during mating season, searched for their ideal mate in a protected environment. The island seemed to have everything someone could want without any of the drawbacks.
One of Akala Islands most noteworthy locations resembled an overly shaded jungle. Known simply as the Lush Jungle, some of the regions rarest Grass-types made their homes within the dense tree line. Unlike the rest of Akala Island, where the sun shined without obstruction, very little of it was able to pierce through the dense foliage. This, combined with the landscape inside resembling that of a wetland, made it quite humid during the late morning hours and into the early evening. Humidity often snuck up on unprepared tourists wandering into the jungle.
The scarce lighting did not help matters. Most of the trails lead to dead ends, some of which were incredibly deep into the jungle. Ill-prepared adventurers and even pokemon could become dehydrated if they panicked from being lost. Luckily there were very few such cases due to the abundance of shops and lakes to slate ones thirst. These shops were located less than a quarter-mile away, along with a Pokemon Center mere yards from the dirt trail leading into the jungle.
What truly made the Lush Jungle stand out, however, was that it was a designated Trial Site. Trial Sites were locations hand-picked by the captains of its respective island. Due to most of the participants of these trials being only eleven years old it was designed to be doable, without the fear of life-threatening injury. This, combined with the plethora of sightseers and rest stop accommodations, made the one negative about Akala seem like something only a paranoid person would fret over.
The sun had just reached its highest point over Akala Island, marking the time right at noon. The Island Challenge would not be for another month so tourists were the primary populace around the island. One such tourist, a boy from the Hoenn region, had just finished his preparations for a deep exploration of the Lush Jungle.
Mike wiped his forehead with his shirt sleeve as he approached the tree line denoting the entrance to the Lush Jungle. A nearby post, normally occupied by a Trial Site observer, was vacant with a sign reading "Trial Site Observer away, enter at your own risk!" Doing one last inventory check of his bag he walked past the warning sign and pulled out his camera.
There was one other unique feature it was known for but only in the inner circles.
As a professional photographer and Pokemon Ranger-in-training, Mike knew the Lush Jungle offered excellent spots to view the pokemon that lived there in all their natural glory.
Mike had found one spot in particular that overlooked the nearby hiking trail, its proximity to the ocean also granting an unblocked view of a berry tree as well as a Stuffel nest. Some of the more aggressive pokemon were further into the jungle, a place Mike had no reason to go to due to the lack of safe photo spots.
"Well, time to shine! Let's go, Melody!"
Mating season.
If there was one aspect of her life she dreaded it was having to find a mate. Two pitch-black-tipped ears wiggled around, sensing the air around her before lowering. Apparently satisfied there was no danger the small Mouse Pokemon emerged from her hiding spot in a nearby clump of foliage.
Her mother had warned her about mating season, about the effects it would have on her body. Pikachu, unlike most pokemon, emitted pheromones that affected numerous species, not just their own. As a result she had to be careful not to attract the wrong mate or a pokemon that could potentially hurt her. Pikachu, unfortunately, had no say in who would pick up her scent, nor did she have much in the way of offensive capabilities to ward off aggressive pokemon.
In short she was having to play it extremely cautiously.
Pikachu carefully threaded along one of he narrow dirt paths, hoping it would lead her out of the jungle. The heat had been doing a number on her body, being that most of the lakes in the jungle itself were unsafe to drink out of for those of her species. At times like this she envied Grass-types.
'If only I had a landmark to go by...'
No sooner had the thought entered her mind that a pair of mysterious footprints could be faintly made out in the dirt. Weighing her options as best she could, Pikachu decided against following the footprints left behind whatever creature had been here. She didn't want to test her luck any more than she already had just from wandering into the jungle to begin with. Turning on her heel she went down a different path when a rustling noise hit her sensitive ears.
Pikachu went completely still, paws and hind legs spread apart in a defensive posture as her ears attempted to pinpoint the direction the noise came from. Normally she would have used her nose to pick up the scent of other Pokemon but, given the fact she had entered her heat, it was taking everything in her just to focus on a routine other than giving in to her body and its demands.
For several minutes Pikachu waited for whatever had created he sound to reveal itself. The humid conditions inside the jungle had begun to drain her of her stamina and, combined with her other problem, the strain of fighting her body was making Pikachu weak in the knees.
Another sound jostled Pikachu from her daze just long enough to catch a glimpse of light being reflected from a nearby berry tree. Closer inspection revealed it to be a Wiki berry tree, her absolute favorite.
Wiki berries were one of the driest berries in the world and Pikachu immediately dropped her guard and went for the lowest hanging berry. Her small yellow paws were just within reach of a berry when a rustle louder than any of the rest occurred.
"Scy...THER!"
CLICK CLICK CLICK
CLICK CLICK CLICK
A group of Bounsweet were joyfully dancing in a circle around a lone Tsareena, her green "hair" covering the entire back of her body. She let out a happy "Ree!" before joining the Bounsweet in dance, her long, pointed legs moving with the grace of a professional ice skater.
Mike had wanted to see a Tsareena with his own eyes ever since his plane landed in the Alola region. His hometown back in Hoenn was well known for Gardevoir, one of the first Pokemon ever documented to exceed what most would consider "proper" relations with their trainer. While most Gardevoir were kept in-line with anti-pokephilea laws in Hoenn, there was no mention of the same laws being in Alola. Whether or not this was due to its incredible distance from the rest of the world ,or something else, people and pokemon were not forbidden to engage in some of the more taboo practices here.
Shaking his head of such thoughts, Mike returned to his camera as a pair of Steenee joined the dance. This sight alone would generate incredible buzz for the Pokefinder Monthly, even more once he showed this to his boss back in Hoenn.
Mike was about to take more pictures of the scene before him when he noticed the Bounsweet had stopped dancing and were all staring into the distance at an incredibly deep part of the jungle. The Tsareena and Steenee were looking there as well. The sight in itself wasn't that unusual; many pokemon had keen hearing. What made it stand out was the look of fear on Tsreenas' face, what wasn't covered by her flowery purple veil.
From what little information he had been able to gather on them, Tsareena were incredibly courageous, holding lofty positions of royalty among the many Grass-type pokemon. This royalty was not gained through chance or luck, but through experience and hardship. There was very little that could rattle Tsareena.
Whatever it was that had caught her attention must have been very bad news.
Mike briefly considered packing his equipment up and leaving the jungle early. He only had Melody as his backup, his other pokemon were resting at the Pokemon Center just outside the entrance to the jungle. Another part of him didn't want to abandon his photography session right as it was getting started. If he could just get back to the center and get his pokemon back he might still be able to salvage the day and still make the boat to Ula'Ula Island before dusk.
Mike closed the shutter on his camera and made a hasty retreat to the jungle entrance. Right as he was about to pick up the pace a gut-wrenching cry pierced the eerie silence.
"PIKAAAAAAA~"
'That was a Pikachu! What is one doing all the way out here on Akala Island?'
Now conflicted with what he should do, Mike reached for his lone pokeball. It was going to be a risky proposition if he went through with what he had in mind. As a photographer he wanted to get the best shot possible and avoid dangerous situations. As a Pokemon Ranger in-training, however, it was his duty to provide assistance to any human or pokemon that would need it.
With his mind made up, Mike clutched the pokeball in his hand and broke into a sprint towards the source of the cry.
She had to get away. NOW.
This was not simply avoiding being violated, this was about not being sliced and diced. Pikachu was running as fast as her body could manage but she lacked something her pursuers did not.
Wings.
The enraged pack of Scyther glided through the heavy foliage as if it were second-nature, only having to slice through the occasional tree with their deadly scythes from which they derived their name.
Pikachu frantically willed her body to press on, knowing she would eventually have to reach an exit of some sort. Inspite of such optimism, however, she kept running into dead ends.
Her body, wracked with fatigue from the chase she was part of and the burning heat assaulting her loins, was slowly running out of steam.
'Gotta...Gotta...escape! Please! Don't...Don't let them...'
Pikachu was distracted by two things- the lethal blades of the Scyther chasing her and the raging erections they were sporting after having caught whiff of her scent. The former should have kept the adrenaline pumping so she could escape but the latter was toying with her mind, begging her to just stop running and accept the what her body was craving.
Unbelievably Pikachu began to give in to what her body wanted, disregarding the danger entirely. Her vision began to blur and her legs felt like jelly. She couldn't keep going after all.
'Mom...I'm sorry I didn't listen to you more...'
Right before her body fell to the dirt beneath her she heard the most pleasing song echo through her mind. Just hearing the mysterious siren call was enough to disperse all of the fear and pain she had been feeling, replaced with a warmth very reminiscent of her mother.
'At least I'll have this to carry me to Arceus.'
With that thought leaving her, as well as the rest of her consciousness, Pikachu let sleep take over her body. Right before darkness engulfed her vision she saw a lone figure reach out towards her with a mysterious floating object right next to it, a tint of green flowing down the top of it.
Mike watched Pikachus' chest rise and fall with her labored breathing. Arceus only knows what might have happened had he not found the pokemon when he did. Quickly shaking his head of the thoughts invading him the Ranger reached over with his uncovered left hand and felt along Pikachus' forehead.
'She's burning up. Could be the adrenaline wearing off or...' Mike took out a tiny container of water mixed with sanitizer and coated his right hand in it. After ensuring his hand was clean for what he was about to do the young Ranger-in-training carefully slipped his thumb and index finger along the bottom and top of Pikachus' jaw. What he saw confirmed his suspicion immediately.
'This Pikachu is suffering from severe dehydration. Her tongue is as dry as anything I've ever seen.'
Thinking quickly Mike reached into his pack and pulled out a canteen of water. It took only a few seconds to get the opening in its proper place and, still keeping Pikachus jaw parted with his two fingers, very carefully poured a small amount of around the pokemons gum lining. After ensuring he hadn't spilled any the Ranger tilted Pikachu up so she was in a seated position, making sure she wouldn't choke on the very thing that would rehydrate her.
The entire time this was going on a peculiar Pokemon with a thin black dress and hair the brightest green around watched her trainer work.
"You may have saved Pikachus life, Melody. Thank you so much."
The pokemon hovering just over Mikes right shoulder gave him an acknowledging wink while pushing her green hair back with her left hand.
"Loetta!"
The Melody Pokemon landed on the rangers' right shoulder, her aquamarine eyes suddenly looking down mournfully at the unconscious Pikachu in the boys' arms. Mike, to his credit, sensed the change in Meloetta and offered a warm smile her way.
"It had to be done, Melody. Trust me when I tell you this- Pikachu WILL make a full recovery, mark my words. Besides..." He stopped his sentence to take a look at the pack of Scyther slumbering peacefully a few dozen yards away. "...I doubt we could have calmed them down any other way."
Meloetta sighed with a hint of apprehension inspite of her trainers' comforting words. She hated using her talent to battle but she could forgive herself if it was to save a life.
Seemingly satisfied with Meloettas acceptance Mike pulled out his Pokedex and triangulated his coordinates. He needed to get Pikachu to a Pokemon Center immediately. There were numerous scars on her face and upper body, as well as her private regions; something that the Ranger-in-training was not expecting.
'Was this Pikachu raped? Scyther do not normally breed with Pikachu so what could have caused these Scyther to do this to her?'
Mike was intently focused on these new thoughts, so much so he failed to see two pitch black eyes looking in his direction.
"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy!" A bright-eyed boy of around ten years chirped happily as two pokeballs were handed back to him curtesy of an on-duty Chansey.
"Why, certainly, Robert! You take care of Yungoos and Litten!" A red-haired woman of about twenty-seven responded with equal...well, joy. After watching the boy leave the Pokemon Center the nurse looked at her phone and noticed it was nearly time for her lunch break. It had been a rather uneventful day, not that there was anything wrong with that, of course. The less stress the better.
She was about to clock out when the sliding partition was practically forced open by a panting young man.
"Goodness! Those are automatic doors you kn-" Nurse Joys banter was cut abruptly short when she saw the condition of the pokemon in the mans arms. She was about to lash it at the irresponsible trainer when he held his hand up, as if he knew what she was about to say.
"My name is Mike Hemmingfield, Pokemon Ranger-in-Training. I found this Pikachu deep in the Lush Jungle. She is severely dehydrated and has numerous lacerations along her body. A pack of highly aggressive Scyther were chasing her.
The nurse seemed to calm down briefly after hearing that this was a concerned Ranger and not some reckless newbie. Still, something was off about the man and, despite the situation at hand, she asked another question.
"There aren't any Pokemon Ranger groups in Alola so how are you-"
Mike was getting frustrated with the delays in getting Pikachu treated. He wanted to pull his Ranger trainee badge out but then he realized she wouldn't recognize the Hoenn region seal.
"I'll explain everything. Just get this Pikachu into treatment asap!"
The nurse gave an approving nod, her suspicion still not going away but, she figured, he would have plenty of time explaining what was going on after Pikachu had been admitted.
"You're a professional photographer and a Ranger-in-training from the Hoenn Region?"
"Yes ma'am. I was sent here by my boss, Professor Birch, head of Pokemon research and founder of the Hoenn Pokemon Ranger School. Our task is two-fold- to uphold the balance of the pokemon world and provide assistance to both Pokemon and their trainers should it be necessary. I was sent here to Alola to study the pokemon here and report back to Professor Birch with my findings."
The nurse tilted her head to the side, curiosity evident in her dark green eyes. "What will your findings net? Surely there is a bigger goal you are aiming at?"
Mike nodded his head. "You are correct in assuming that, Nurse Joy. The purpose of my findings it to determine if the Alola Region would benefit from having its own franchise of Ranger schools. From what I've heard about Alola, its islands are rich with pokemon lore and each island is connected to its own Guardian Deity."
"For someone who has never been to Alola you sure are familiar with it."
"All part of being a Ranger, ma'am. We are to uphold the balance of the pokemon world, something that would be rather difficult if we didn't even know their customs and etiquette."
For the first time since his arrival the nurse smiled, her hands folded across her blouse. "I'm glad to hear it, sir. If you'll excuse me, now, I need to heck on the status of the Pikachu you brought in."
Mike gave a gentle nod as the nurse stood from her seat and went behind a dual-partition. Sitting alone now the young Ranger-in-training pulled out his cellphone and selected one of his contacts. After a few seconds of ringing the other line picked up and an energetic man boomed through the phone line.
"Mike Hemmingfield! How are you? Enjoying Alola?"
"I'll get to that in a moment. First I need to give you an update on my findings..."
The man on the other end could sense the change in the boys demeanor and reacted accordingly.
"What did you find?"
"The pokemon here seem to travel in packs. The Bounsweet I photographed earlier were clumped together as a group of twelve. I also encountered a Pikachu fleeing from a pack of six Scyther."
"What of the Pikachu? I know you are a Ranger-in-training but surely-"
"I was able to save the Pikachu without harming any of the Scyther." The phone went silent for several awkward moments and, for a brief time, Mike was worried he had been disconnected.
"Please don't tell me you used Melody..."
The mans question was met with silence.
"Michael Henmingfield! I TOLD you not to use her unless there was no other alternative!"
"There WASN'T another alternative, Professor Birch! If I hadn't acted as I did than Pikachu-" Mike suddenly realized he was bout to traverse a particularly sensitive subject and hesitated on finishing his sentence.
"Listen, Mike...I just don't want Melody to fall into the wrong hands. I've heard of some kind of gang over in Alola made up of former Island Captains. I don't want them to get ahold of such a rare pokemon."
"I promise you, Professor. I'll defend Melody with my life if I have to."
"Good to hear you say that. Be careful with her and make sure you update me on the status of that Pikachu."
"I will, bo-I mean, Professor."
Mike pushed the "end call" on his phone screen and placed the device in his back pocket. His thoughts drifted back to the Pikachu he had saved back in the Lush Jungle and a sigh of resignation escaped his lungs.
Being a Ranger was a lot harder than he was expecting. If he had to rely on Melody so soon after being assigned his first task then he had a lot to learn on being a proper Pokemon Ranger. Deciding to put those thoughts on the back-burner he found an unoccupied seat and decided to catch a few winks of sleep while waiting for word on Pikachu.
Every part of her body was hurting.
Why was she in so much pain?
Pikachu struggled to remember what had happened to her, the details becoming blurry right after she had resigned herself to death at the hands of the Scyther pack. That thought, as if it were the spark which started a wildfire, slowly caused more of the recent events to reveal themselves to her.
The mysterious song she had heard before losing consciousness.
A figure reaching for her.
That floating object next to the figure.
A blur of green.
A voice.
A quenching feeling in her throat.
Another voice, this one much higher in pitch.
Her eyes had opened briefly to take in what she could and the blurry figure turned out to be a human it seemed. Did that mean she had been saved by a human? The firm yet gentle grip they had on her body indicated it was probably a male human. What of the song, though? No human male she knew had such a beautiful voice.
"You saved her life, Melody."
Melody...a pokemon, perhaps? Did that mean he was a trainer?
Pikachu wanted to open her eyes so badly but just the effort required to do so was a strain. Where was she, anyway? There was something soft under her and what felt like protrusions in her arms. Why did it only just dawn on her that there was something covering her mouth?
She suddenly felt like she needed to get out of wherever she was. She didn't like that she could hardly move. What was that beeping sound? Why did it take so long to hear it?
"What's happening!"
"Her pulse is rising dramatically!"
What was happening to her? Why was this happening to her?
"Pulse is 115 and still climbing!"
'Pulse?' What was pulse? Why was the beeping sound getting faster?
'I'm scared! Mom! Mom, where are you?!'
"Now pulse is dropping! 100! 95! 90! 80! 70!"
'The beeping is slowing down and...I'm feeling a little...warmer...'
"E.S.P. STAT!"
'Huh? I see a face...it looks like...'
"Prepare the E.S.P.!"
'I feel so much warmer now...think I see mom!'
"Patient has flat-lined! Set ESP to one-thousand volts! Charging! Charge complete! Three...Two...One! CLEAR!"
Mike could not get comfortable no matter what position he tried. Just when he would get close to being comfortable his entire body would start aching as if his bones were made of glass.
'What's wrong with me? I've never had issues just sitting in a chair.'
This thought was quickly replaced with the conversation he had earlier with the Professor regarding Melody. While it was true she was an incredibly rare pokemon, as all Mythic-Class were, why was her singing so detrimental? Was there some major aspect of Meloettas voice he had overlooked?
Deciding to do some research on-the-fly Mike opened his phone and did a search on Meloettas songs. The very first result that came up was an in-Depth study of the side-effects Meloetta caused with each of her four songs.
'Standard Octave: The most basic of Meloettas songs, pokemon who hear it are lulled into a deep slumber. No known side-effects besides restful sleep.'
Mike scrolled down past Hyper Song and Relic Song. Hyper Song had no drowsiness associated with it and Relic Song, while causing occasional sleepiness, would have caused Meloetta to undergo a dramatic transformation. That left only one other Song category.
"Perish Song..."
Just saying those two words sent unpleasant shivers up and down the Rangers spine.
'Rarely heard in public places, this song hastens the end of life for whoever hears the song in its entirety. Those affected by this song will often relive memories of days gone by, especially those involved with loved ones, in such a way that forces their body to want to shut down so they can reunite with their memories.'
Mikes' blood practically stopped flowing after reading such horrendous information. Knowing what he now knew, it was no wonder the Professor was so angry that he allowed Melody out. Deciding to brave the report further, he went on.
'Those who inadvertently hear this song, while normally leading to death, are not entirely lost. There have been extremely rare cases of both humans and pokemon returning from beyond, though speculation continues on whether it is done via a conscious decision on the victims part or merely a stroke of luck.'
Mike turned off his phone and covered his face with his left hand, rubbing his temple tenderly from the onset of a massive migraine.
'I better check up on Pikachu.'
No sooner had the words finished playing in his mind than the doors leading to the infirmary flew open and a panting Nurse Joy gave Mike a look that indicated something had gone horribly wrong.
"Mr...Welling...field! Please...Quickly!"
Mike scrambled from his seat and hurried past the infirmary doors, following Nurse Joys frantic sprinting. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl for the Ranger-in-training, his rapid heartbeat the only thing reminding him that the world had not slowed down. As they pushed past a doors labeled "Emergency" Mike felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach.
Had he been too slow in aiding Pikachu? Was there bodily harm he had overlooked? Was his using Melody the reason for this twist of fate? What was he going to do if Pikachu died because of him? Those negative thoughts were just some of the many swirling around the young boys' mind, his depreciative insight brought back to reality by a prolonged beep.
"What's happening to her?!"
One of the assistants gave no attention to the new arrival, her focus entirely on recharging what looked like two paddles. Strong currents of electricity surged between them, confirming what the EKG already had.
Pikachu had flat-lined.
Pikachu was currently dead to the world.
She would not respond to anything happening around her.
It was simply too much for the young Ranger-in-training, his legs giving out from under him as he fell to the floor. Both fists were balled up and the first trace of tears began forming within his eyes.
"Pikachu...Pikachu..."
Slowly Mikes' fists began hitting the cold tile floor of the enclosed room he was in, progressively rising in frequency and violence until his knuckles started to bleed.
"Pikachu...PIKACHU!"
He wanted to say he was sorry. He wanted to tell her he was sorry for using Melody without thinking of the ruinous consequences. Above all, though, he wanted to tell her he was sorry for not being able to help her.
The Hall of Origins.
Considered by many to be the most sacred place in the pokemon world, the Hall of Origins was home to every known Legendary and Mythic-class pokemon save for the Guardian Deities of Alola.
It was here, within these hallowed walls, world-altering decisions were made in the interest of both humans and pokemon. In spite of the magnitude of these decisions the council appointed with these choices were comprised entirely of pokemon. To offset the one-sided majority a panel of three pokemon, each with their own aspect in dealings with humans, were given the power to approve or deny presented issues.
Arceus, the first pokemon to ever exist, and creator of the pokemon world, was the most revered and exalted of all within the Hall of Origins. The word of Arceus was final, save for times when both of his closest advisors disagreed with his ruling. In terms of power Arceus was unmatched, able to create as well as destroy. The judgement of Arceus was absolute and so was his compassion.
Palkia, one of the two appointed advisors to Arceus himself, possessed the ability to alter dimensions and, if need be, rend the very fabric of space to ensure the preordained prophecy comes to pass. While not as revered as Arceus, Palkia was a beloved pokemon and those who managed to meet her would marvel at her sense of duty.
Dialga, the second of the two appointed advisors to Arceus himself, possessed the power to bend time to his will, speeding it up, slowing it down or stopping time altogether in accordance with preordained prophecy. While normally level-headed, Dialga often disagreed with the ruling of Arceus due to his possessing far more sympathy to the human race than either Arceus or Palkia. Due to his brash behavior many felt indifferent to Dialga, if nothing else but to avoid Arceus' judgement.
A gathering of the council was underway and, as per the norm, all eyes were on he speaker.
"M'lord Arceus, we have sent our children to the chosen ambassadors and are awaiting word from Alola."
"Very good, Lugia. If all goes according to plan we will have four new members to the Council and, hopefully, learn more about the humans who live on their islands."
The Deep Sea Pokemon bowed his head respectfully before taking his place amongst the Council.
"On the issue of the humans causing trouble in Alola, I have discussed matters with my advisors and we have come to the conclusion that direct interference, while potentially helpful, would go against potential customs of the Tapu. Until we hear word from our four ambassadors we will remain vigilant but not interfere with Team Skull or the Aether Foundation."
Arceus had barely finished speaking when a member of the Council sprang up.
"M'lord! I have seen the true intentions of the Aether Foundation and I humbly ask you to reconsider! These particular humans seek to pierce the boundary between worlds and usher in unknown creatures from a parallel universe!"
The Alpha Pokemon gave the argument a considerable amount of thought before shaking his head somberly. "Celebi, your insight into what the future holds has been of utmost importance to the Council. I must ask, however, what other alternative do you propose that would not potentially alter the timelines in a land we are not familiar with?"
Large sky blue eyes looked down at the floor with dejection. "I...I do not know, m'lord."
"Believe me when I say this, my child, I do not trust the Aether Foundation, not in the slightest. Despite this we are tasked with upholding the balance of both the pokemon world and the human world. If we interfere with the human world to benefit the pokemon world it would go against our ideals. We must do what will benefit both worlds equally."
Celebi closed her eyes in thought but eventually gave a polite nod, taking her place back amongst the Council.
"Regarding the final order of business, the building of the Pokemon League in Alola, I feel it would be best-"
"M-M'lord! Urgent news!"
All eyes looked at the unannounced guest, a small cat-like pokemon with a long pink tail and pure blue eyes. She was flying to and fro in random directions, waving her small hands frantically as if in a state of extreme panic.
"Dear Mew, what has you so troubled? We are in the middle of a meeting. Can this wait for a little bit?"
"It's about one of the ambassadors!"
The tone in the room changed as if someone had flicked a light switch, anxiety and worry were immediately apparent on the complexion of nearly every Council member at the potentially disastrous news.
"Go on." Arceus spoke with such seriousness it could have made steel bend in half.
"The Akala Island ambassador is in a state of emotional turmoil! He has already voiced his regret on using the pokemon tasked to him and I fear he will lose sight of the destiny he is to partake in if something doesn't change!"
"Why is the boy in such distress, Mew?"
Mew closed her eyes and focused her psychic powers towards the center of the room. Afterwards she played back the events of the day to the rest of the Council, including what was going on at the Pokemon Center. Many of the Council members were brought to tears at the predicament both the ambassador and Pikachu were in while a select few groaned with disapproval at what they saw.
"Tch! That boy is supposed to be an ambassador?"
Several eyes gazed at the source of the voice, a dark orange pokemon hovering in the air on all fours.
"Need I remind you, Landorus, of the purpose of the ambassadors?" Arceus was staring daggers at the legendary, a sight which would have instilled fear in the hearts of all but a few.
"I know all about the human 'ambassadors' and I think this is a colossal waste of time. Humans are weak-willed, this one more than others! Can you truly rely on someone who balks at the first exposure to adversity?"
"How DARE you!" A new voice chimed in, amber eyes burning with rage at Landorus' heartless accusations. "That boy tried protecting that Pikachu and now it's on its deathbed!"
"Well, Latias, perhaps if the boy had used a little of that brain he possesses that Pikachu might have a fighting chance. The pokemon world is no place for the weak-minded."
"As if YOU could have handled those Scyther without harming them! Last I checked you have trouble dealing with those that can fly, Landorus!"
Landorus felt his blood begin to boil at the slander, his fangs beginning to show and his mighty aura flaring to life. "Perhaps you would like to see for yourself!"
"ENOUGH!"
A mighty hoof slammed against the floor, the shockwaves it created echoing across the sacred halls. Any hostilitythat had been in the air was quickly and unceremoniously sniffed out by Arceus' fury.
"This is a sacred place! There will be no fighting amongst the Council. Do I make myself clear?"
Every single head in the room nodded quickly.
"Now, if you will excuse me, I must console with my advisors as to a plan of action." Arceus cleared his throat and teleported himself and his two advisors to a secluded part of the hall.
"How much longer do you think intimidation tactics will work on Landorus, m'lord? His temper grows more and more violent with each passing day."
"Worry not, Palkia. Landorus, while powerful in his own right, knows he cannot do much here in the halls. In one regard he is correct, however."
"What do you mean, m'lord? You cannot possibly mean to say you agree with his stance on the humans."
"I do not in the slightest, Dialga, I was merely talking of Landorus' dealings with Team Plasma and how wicked that organization was. While humans are far from weak-willed they have a tendency to rely on pokemon more than their own abilities."
Dialga and Palkia both nodded.
"However...this discussion is leading us nowhere. We must decide on how to handle this delicate situation with our ambassador...hmmm?"
Arceus, Palkia and Dialga all turned their heads at the unannounced visitor in the room.
The new arrival was a most peculiar one, possessing a black torso and pink curly hair. It's eyes were a tint of blue with pink lines along the middle of the iris. Thin arms were accompanied by digitless hands and separated by what could only be described as thick bracelets. The lower half was an even bigger mystery, resembling a shell worth face-like features. The back of the shell wasn't adorned with small wing-shape s protrusions in the form of a butterfly. The top of the shell was actually on the creatures head and resembled a hat.
Dialga and Palkia both stared at the strange being with suspicion while Arceus simply chuckled and made his way over towards the creature.
"Well, it seems thing as have worked themselves out with the Akala Island Ambassador. Do you not agree, Tapu Lele?"
"CLEAR!"
Another jolt of electricity went through Pikachus' chest, another failed defibrillation attempt. Mike was clutching the baseboard of the Infirmary window, begging whatever being he could think of to bring Pikachu back.
'Why must Pikachu suffer as a result of my carelessness? Pikachu didn't do anything to deserve this fate'
Mike gazed up from his somber perch and finally let his tears flow freely. Drop after drop landed on his shoes, each failed resuscitation attempt causing them to fall at a faster rate. For five minutes straight revival attempts were made on Pikachu, five minutes that felt like an eternity to the grief-stricken Ranger-in-training. Mike was not the only one being affected emotionally by what was going on, however.
Nurse Joy was breaking down into tears as well with every shout-out. At some point the ESP finally ran out of juice and the distraught nurse let her hands fall limp with resignation. The two paddles were let go unceremoniously as a nearby Chansey prepared to hook Pikachu up to a respirator.
Mike was about to head out of the Pokemon Center when, either by a sliver of hope he had been clinging to or a preconceived notion that he had to apologize one last time to Pikachu, a miracle occurred.
strange luminescent scales were filtering in through the air-conditioning duct, landing squarely on the lifeless body of Pikachu. Mike assumed Rhiannon was just dust falling from the ceiling and took this as an insult from above. Before he could act on his frustration he took another look at Pikachus' face.
Pikachus' eyes were open.
Pikachu had opened her eyes and she was staring right at him. A pokemon he had only just met, just attempted to save, had just died in front of him, was now staring at him.
He wanted to say something. He wanted to say ANYTHING to break the silence. No matter how hard he tried his tongue refused to untangle itself from the lump in his throat. Not trusting his voice to do the right thing he let his body speak for him.
Mike pushed past the doors leading into the operating room, nearly knocking both Nurse Joy and Chansey over in the process. He would have to apologize later, though; he had to express his happiness that Pikachu was alive.
Both of the young boys' hands were cupped alongside Pikachus cheek-pouches, his tears still flowing freely while Pikachu kept her gaze locked on Mike.
"Pikachu...hic...I...I..."
Mike pressed his face against Pikachus scalp, taking in her scent and never wanting to let the pokemon go. Pikachu, for all that she had been though recently, took the overly affectionate display in stride, weakly nuzzling the boys' chin with her nose.
Neither of them moved away from the other, seemingly afraid that this was all a dream.
"P-Pi...ka?"
"I'm here, Pikachu...I'm so, so sorry...I promise I'll take care of you every waking day of my life...I'll make it up to you, I swear!"
Pikachu was simply enjoying being given such tender, loving affection. She was just happy to have someone who apparently cared about her as much as this boy did. Deciding to simply bask in his love and affection Pikachu let sleep reclaim her.
It would be a most pleasant, restful sleep.