Everyone in London knew the buzzing. Every day, the buzz would loom over their land, and no one would be too worried. No. Not until it stopped.

You see, when it stopped, a bomb was about to make impact from above. That's when you had to run, duck, and hope you come out of the situation alive.

Arthur was a bit of an exception, you see. He was an immortal, not his pokemon, but he was. He had a Draonite, a Rapidash, a Clefable, and a Leafeon. He always owned an Eevee evolution. And they always refused to stay in the pokeball, but as of recent, if his pokemon were out and he heard buzzing, he'd recall all of them except his Leafeon. And would take cover with it in the basement.

His house had never been struck, but Arthur himself… He was England, and with every bomb dropped, he would find himself in immense pain, burning and bleeding, crying, and his Leafeon… Leafeon would be distraught, worried, licking his tears and blood, trying to soothe the nation.

Over the years, you'd think that Arthur would grow numb to pokemon's affection, with them living the longest span at a one hundred and fifty years or less, but how could he? He had a soft spot for the creatures, especially when they gave all of their love and affection to him. He could only give that affection back. And they all lived a long, full life, and he never forgot any of them. They were all important to him, dead or alive. They all loved and protected him and he only ever did the exact same.

Arthur had been drinking tea with his Clefable, endearingly named Pip, and Leafeon, who he named Juniper. But something couldn't shake a foreboding, worrisome feeling. "Pip..", he began with a weak smile, "Don't eat your biscuits too fast, are you even tasting them, love?", he questioned, chuckling a bit, to which the pink pokemon replied in a sing-songy: "Faaable~ 3"

Juniper wasn't convinced by such a smile, she knew that her master hurt everywhere. It's why he needed Pip's help to walk, and why he seemed so worrisome about the time of day. Pokemon were far more in tune to time periods and emotions, and she knew that the buzzing would start. She didn't understand why it hurt Arthur, but she knew that it just… Did.

And once the buzzing started, the Brit shakily stood, "P-Pip… Juniper…", he groaned. These attacks every day… They were wearing Arthur out. He wouldn't let someone help him move about. He wasn't so fast to trust people, but his beloved pokemon? Even then, he wouldn't want their help if he could do something on his own. The Brit on was weak. He started falling backwards until large pink arms caught him, "P-Pip… Thank you…", The pkemon helped him to the basement, Juniper following and using vine whip to secure the basement door, before following her master.

He moved to a small spot, in the corner, crawling and aching as he mentally prepared himself. "Pip… I want you to go back in your pokeball…", he groaned. The Clefable listened closely and moved next to him, "Fable…", he whined, shaking his head. Arthur simply let it go, he wasn't in any mood to argue, and the odds of a bomb hitting him was about…

The buzzing stopped.

Shit.

Arthur started feeling a tearing, burning, crushing pain in his chest. He clutched at his chest, Breathing in a fast, but even pace, and… Breathing hurt. Not breathing hurt. London was ablaze, and if that wasn't enough, he felt his own home rocking, burning, melting, and breaking apart. He thrashed, falling on his side, shaking as he felt the world in slow motion. The Briton bit his lip, to halt his tears. He heard it. Screaming. The screaming of families and small children, teenagers, adults… Everyone as people burned, were crushed, torn away from life or just from their families. He could feel them burning, the stinging and blurring of their vision as they were separated from people and objects of endearment. He felt everything, things that he shouldn't feel. And he felt it every day.

This is what madness felt like…

The blonde man felt his house crumbling; his chest started burning more and more as his breaths became short and erratic. Tears clouded his vision and he felt the wetness rush down his cheeks, hot against his skin. He thrashed about, screaming as most would if the felt such horrid things, unable to register anything but pain and insanity. Arthur was willing to do anything right now to make the voices, sensations, and crashing stop. He bit at his lips, scratched at his face, trying to remind himself that he wasn't just England but he was Arthur Kirkland. One man that was loosing everything.

His pokemon wouldn't have him hurting himself, like that. "F-fable!", Pip wined, pinning his hands, the large grass type rested on his legs as beams started breaking, showing the destruction above, of the distorting, crashing, burning house… Arthur's squirming became weaker and weaker, his thrashing diminishing into a shaking as his mind soaked in what just happened. Screams and sobs becoming more than just squeaks and whimpers.

"I-is this what I've finally become…?", he questioned dryly. The Leafeon moved up to lick Arthur's face, cleaning it of the tears and ashes. Arthur thought now… That he was really going to die. He'd lost control of most of his territories after being unable to really pay for them, so his muscle mass had decreased, and he didn't know how much longer he could take these bombings… London was his heart, and if this kept up…

He couldn't support anything anymore. Arthur was convinced he was going to die.

"J-Juniper…", he began, to which the pokemon let out a low cry. The air was thick with smoke, making it hard for… Anything to breathe. Arthur sat up as far as he could, hugging his loyal pokemon, "Juni… I need you to do something for me, a-and it's very important… I need you to run. Run far away from here…" Arthur could feel his voice cracking, his choking on his words, as he fought back sobs, "A-and you can't stop. Not for anyone… Don't stop until you reach the pier. I want you t-to go back to Ireland… Where Erin found your egg… G-go back to her…" Juniper seemed really upset and gave a soft mewl. "Please, go… P-please. I'll be fine… I'll meet you soon enough, I swear…", he whispered.

Juniper wasn't stupid. She was a very bright pokemon, and she knew that this was a spike in depression. It was bound to happen with the current war. Arthur stroked the pokemon's fur, "Go. I can't take care of you anymore, Juni…! I'm homeless…!", he choked out. The pokemon gave a weak mewl and simply laid down before him. "Juniper, don't you understand…? I'm releasing you! Go!", the pokemon winced at the harsh words, but didn't budge. "Go, you…! You! I don't want you anymore!", of course that was a lie. But Arthur felt it safest, if his beloved Juniper stay elsewhere, at least until after the bombings. The Leafeon looked up, particularly injured by those words. Arthur cupped the pokemon's face, the amount of tears in his eyes distorting his Leafeon's face, though Arthur knew Juniper was crying too. "I. Don't. Want. You… Go. Please, go…"

The Leafeon finally obeyed. She backed up, and used a few discarded boxes as stairs to escape the basement that she id in with her owner so many times as of recent. Arthur wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. Thankful that Juniper was obedient.

He looked to Pip, "N-now you… What are you waiting for, g-go make sure Juniper stays safe…" It seemed the safest route for his friends. To release his team.

However, Pip wasn't as obedient as the rest of his team. In the Clefable's mind, Arthur clearly needed someone. Someone to keep him safe. "Fable…", he said, hugging onto his master. "N-No… I can't…", he hiccupped, "I d-don't even have the recourses to take care of myself…!" The pokemon didn't let go, "F-fable!", he whined, little wings fluttering. He was like a small child with big dreams, and couldn't be convinced that he was wrong. Arthur was a bit strange, his emotions would push those he loved away in situations in which he felt that he'd hurt them somehow. He felt like he was going to die, so he felt that he should release his pokemon.

"Pip, I don't have much time, /please/ go… You'll be fine, I swear…"

And then the worst-case scenario happened. "Herr Kirkland… ", came a gruff, smug voice in a thick German accent. No. No… He looked up, ad at ground level, looking down at him was Ludwig, Nazi Germany, and his Houndoom. The opponent's pokemon growled at Pip, stirring a sort of rage in the Clefable. There was no way he was going to let the German hurt his master! "You've held off for a long time…", Ludwig mumbled with a smirk. The German jumped down, followed by the dog. Pip sneered at the foe, holding Arthur tighter; "It figured that I'd find you in a hole, hugging a fairy."

Ludwig smirked, "Do you like my bombs, Herr Kirkland…? Because there are things I like about you… Like… How you're secluded on an island… With no friends to help you besides your pathetic pokemon…", "My team is not pathetic…!", Arthur spat, cutting off the German. "Don't you normally have a Leafeon…? Mein Hundchen would love a snack…", "Juniper died. In the fire", Arthur quickly lied. "Mm… Too bad… Especially sad, since you will join it soon."

Arthur's eyes widened, "Wh-what?", so soon…? He felt there would be more suffering. "I have one bullet left… I saved it just for you, Herr Kirkland…" So Ludwig had helped the death rate by killing off people… Arthur hugged his Clefable tighter. "Germans are the superior breed of people… You are but a stepping-stone for me to reach my glory… You aren't an empire anymore, Gilbert and I took care of Francis, Kiku is handling Yao, Ivan cannot help you, and Alfred isn't coming to anyone's rescue… There is no one to save you…" Everything, unfortunately, was true. Alfred… Alfred didn't care. He was just in the war to show his power, really…

Arthur swallowed hard, he didn't want to believe Ludwig, but… Things seemed grim. Arthur just assumed accept his fate… Pip would survive, as would the rest of his pokemon… That's all that mattered. Arthur was tired. Tired of suffering everyday, and maybe… Maybe if his land died, he people would as well, and quickly. "Herr Kirkland, you won't be missed…", Ludwig said coldly, before pulling the trigger.

*BANG*

Arthur was moved slightly, not much. He wasn't hit, but… When he looked up, the only thing that separated Ludwig's bullet was… Was…

"P-Pip…!"

His pokemon couldn't stand the thought of Arthur dying, and though he wasn't the best in the entire world, his master made him feel that way. He'd protect Arthur, no matter what. "P-Pip… Why on Earth did you do that…?", he half scolded softly.

"F-F… Fable…", it's cry was weak, as it fell forward, Arthur being taunted by the feeling of his loyal pokemon's blood tracing over his fingers. "Pip…! Pip! Answer me! I-I can get you to a pokemon center! They can fix you…! Th-they can…" However despite Arthur's tears and pleas… Pip didn't answer or move…

Ludwig killed Pip. And he didn't seem to give a rat's ass.

"Mm… If you love your pokemon so much, why don't you keep it out of the way of gunfire, Herr Kirkland…?", Ludwig turned away, readying to leave. "I'll be back everyday with more bombs. Ready to destroy you. Goodbye", and with the promise of pain and death… Ludwig left.

Left Arthur to sob over his dead pokemon.

All of Arthur's pokemon died of old age, living a full life… Until now.