~ Countdown ~
Chapter One
In which Oshawott gets a warning note
"Mister Pawniard! Mister Pawniard!"
...The Steel-type froze upon hearing the breathless shouts. He turned around and glared. There was Tepig Pokabu of the Crag Area, bounding towards him. Behind him were three of his friends, Oshawott of the Beach Cove, Timburr of the Tech Area, and Arbor Area's own Princess Snivy. Oshawott and Timburr were lugging a cannon.
"What?" Pawniard snarled grumpily.
"Umm, I was wondering," Tepig said once he'd screeched to a stop, "If we could play with Darumaka's cannon in the Arbor Area. Timburr wanted to see the Arcane Area from the sky and-"
"No," Pawniard snapped. "Playing with cannons? That's the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard. Besides, Queen Serperior just wouldn't allow it, I'm sure, and neither would Bisharp. Oh, and Princess..." He turned to the grass snake, "Lilligant and Leavanny were looking for you. They said you should get ready."
"Oh no," groaned Snivy. Since today was the day of the Arbor Area's annual Coming of Spring festival, she was supposed to get ready wearing her princess-y regalia for the party tonight. The festival was exactly like New Year's, but the Pokémon of the Arbor Area celebrated the coming of spring instead, when flowers began to bloom in abundance, making the area even more beautiful.
Snivy groaned again when she saw the queen's attendants hurrying towards them. "Oh help," she yelped and attempted to hide behind Timburr.
Too late. Lilligant and Leavanny had already seen her.
Lilligant, who was also once a tomboy, called, "Princess, please! We need to get you ready! I know how much you hate flowers on your head, but Her Majesty Queen Serperior has also been searching for you."
Eventually there was nothing the reluctant snake could do but let them herd her back to Verdant Court, but not before she asked her friends, "You guys are coming to the party tonight, right?"
"Of course!" Oshawott replied. "I wouldn't miss the free food for anything."
After they left, polite Tepig attempted to resume the conversation.
"Oh, that's a shame," he said, referring to their cannon idea. "I was hoping we could see the Serperior statue from the air. Well, no matter. Anyway, where were you going, Mister Pawniard?"
Pawniard scowled. "It's none of your business," he grumbled. "And make sure you get that hideous cannon out of the Arbor Area." Without even saying his farewell, he stormed off. "And don't call me Mister Pawniard!"
"I was only trying to be polite." Tepig rolled his eyes. "So what are we going to do now?"
"How about soccer at the Beach Cove?" Oshawott suggested.
"Yeah!" Timburr agreed.
"OK." Tepig nodded. "...After we return this cannon."
...
After a brief stop at the Crag Area, they went to the Beach Cove. There, they enjoyed a fun game of soccer right by the sea.
That was before the warning note.
Oshawott didn't know why he had happened to be looking past Samurott's lighthouse. He just did, and that was when he saw the note taped to its door which wasn't there the first time they'd arrived at the Beach Cove. Leaving Tepig and Timburr to chat with the Maractus dancers, he went and took it off the door.
It promptly made his fur stand on end, for it read:
⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ »̶✽«̶
OSHAWOTT MIJUMARU:
Unnamed dangers are surrounding the Arbor Area's Coming of Spring festival tonight.
Only you can stop it.
If you don't act, by the time the countdown to midnight is over, Princess Snivy will be DEAD.
P.S. The only souls whom you can tell about this are Tepig of the Crag Area, Timburr of the Tech Area, and Princess Snivy herself. If you tell anyone else, you and your two friends will be in unthinkable peril also.
⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ ⌣»̶✽«̶ »̶✽«̶
⌣»̶✽«̶
As Oshawott, Tepig, and Timburr ran to the Arbor Area to warn Snivy, Oshawott wondered who had written the note, who was planning to murder Snivy. Of course, if Snivy was dead, Queen Serperior would be left without a heiress to inherit the throne. The note-writer could have been anyone who wanted to rule the Arbor Area.
There, they met Pawniard again.
"Pawniard, have you seen Snivy?" Oshawott demanded.
"No, she's still getting ready."
"We need to see her right now!"
Pawniard glared. "Is it really that important?"
"Yes," wheezed Tepig.
"It's a matter of life and death," Timburr added.
Pawniard blinked and frowned. Then he looked at the three with a calculating look as if wondering whether or not he should believe them. "Sounds mighty serious. Maybe you could go find her if you PROMISE not to disturb the-"
He didn't get to finish his sentence because Oshawott had already dashed past him.
Finally, they saw the princess standing by herself grumbling.
"Snivy!" Oshawott shouted, clearly disturbing the party preparations. "We need to talk to you about something really important..."
And they told her all of it.
...
First, Snivy was wide-eyed and speechless. However, then she got as determined as she had been during the time of Darkrai's Wish Park scheme.
"What do we do to prevent it?" she asked, getting down to the strategy. "Of course, I'm positive I can take care of myself and don't need the help of you guys, but you ARE the receiver of the letter, Oshawott..."
"The simplest thing would be to have you near us at all times during the party tonight," Tepig said. "Especially during the countdown to midnight, so we can catch whoever tries to get to you before he can do anything."
Snivy glared. "Are you nuts? I can't stay with you all the time, especially during the countdown. That's like the most important part of the party. I'm not even sure you guys will be able to see me. I mean, I'm royalty."
"She's right," Oshawott fretted. "She's the princess of the Arbor Area. There must be somewhere she has to stand during the countdown."
"And I bet it'll be very crowded." Timburr frowned. "Even Conkeldurr is coming. Snivy's right, she may be up there in the front and us all the way at the back behind a sea of Pokémon..."
"Then what are we going to do?" Snivy murmured.
"What you're going to do is come with us."
There was a new voice, and then Snivy felt a pair of pincers on her shoulder.
... ...
Snivy was a Battle Girl. She wasn't the Princess Peach type who needs help from Mario every time she gets into trouble.
Vines shot out from her shoulders and coiled around the pincers. In one lightning motion, she twisted out of the grip and at the same time automatically twisted the would-be murderer's pincers also with her vines. The Pokémon let out a yelp of pain.
"...Leavanny?" Snivy stammered.
"Princess..." Leavanny moaned as Snivy let go of her pincers. "What did you do that for?" She massaged her twisted muscles.
"Sorry." Snivy's face reddened. "I thought you were... someone else."
Leavanny sighed. "All right, but let's get back to the business, shall we, Princess? Your accessories are ready to be worn. Lilligant and I will help you wear them."
"But...!" Snivy protested. "I'm having an important conversation with my friends right now! It's a matter of life and death!"
"And Her Majesty Queen Serperior also has an important party coming up, and it's a matter of life and death that you get all dressed up before the guests arrive."
"Lilligant." Snivy looked pleadingly at the Grass-type who had just arrived at the scene.
Lilligant, being the tomboy she had been in the past, was the queen's attendant who understood her most. However, this time, she shook her head.
"Sorry, Princess," she said. "Leavanny's right. You need to get ready."
She took the grass snake's hand and began to lead her back to Verdant Court. Snivy followed reluctantly while Leavanny brought up the rear, still holding her sore pincers.
Oshawott just stared.
Snivy was already getting all prettied up for the party... Her last one if they didn't know what they were going to do to protect her.
And they didn't.