Author's Note: This story is for Volt Tackle! I told her I'd write a story with her characters, so Bayleaf and Magmarashi belong to her, not me. (I hope I'd gotten them right!)
Cover (c) PurpleKecleon on DeviantART.
And enjoy!
CHARACTERS
BAYLEAF - used to be a female Bayleef, now a Meganium.
MAGMARASHI - used to be a male Quilava, now a Typhlosion.
~ The New Us ~
B
My name is Bayleaf.
Oh, don't look at me like that. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Bayleef anymore. I've evolved, and now I'm a Meganium. However, everyone knows that names stay the same and don't evolve along with us. For example, you may call a Trainer with a shovel Doug. But when he loses his shovel, you don't just change into calling him Douglas.
So yeah, call me Bayleaf.
You may have known me as that powerhouse when I was still in my Stage 1 form. I used to use my strength to solve almost every problem. There was a weird time when I was on some chaotic adventure, which involved my being trapped in a glass cage along with one of my... Um, friends. He'd sat in the corner, trying to talk me into giving it up, but you can never do that to me. Instead, I'd slammed myself again and again against the glass, but for some reason, it wouldn't break.
Yeah. Good times.
My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the squealing of a young Pokémon. I am brought back into the present and look down to see a Marill shooting past right in front of my feet. A slightly younger Azurill is chasing after him, shouting happily, "I'll catch you, Marill!" which is replied by the Marill's "Oh no you won't!"
After a moment, another Pokémon comes running up. Chasing after them is a huffing and puffing Chansey. She is red in the face and stops in front of me.
"Sorry if they were bothering you," she pants, trying to catch her breath. "I can never seem to keep them under my control. They've got little legs but they move like wasps! Always buzzing everywhere and getting into other people's business."
"It's OK, I think they are delightful." I'm telling the truth.
Suddenly, Chansey tilts her head. "Oh, wait a second. I think I should know you. Are you Bayleaf?"
"Why, yes. You're the Chansey who owns the day care?"
"Yes, I am!" Chansey smiles. "Great, it's nice to meet you, Bayleaf! I need to thank you for having volunteered to help out at the day care today. I'm sure your help would be indispensable. It's quite difficult looking after so many kids under one roof... And the eggs! The eggs are what I need to keep an eye on the most. Then when you've got your attention on the eggs, Marill and Azurill would shoot out of the day care like lightning. It'll take ages to bring them back."
"Don't worry, Chansey," I tell her. "I'll help you in any way I can."
She smiles another exhausted smile. "Thank you, Bayleaf. I don't know what I'd do without you today. Come, we will go to the day care."
That's when she realizes something.
"Oh yes. Before we do that, we need to find Azurill and Marill." She sighs.
I laugh helplessly and with her start to follow the path Azurill and Marill has taken.
Yes.
Call me Bayleaf, the former villain-busting powerhouse, but now I take care of little kids at the day care.
Talk about a subtle change in personality.
However, I have to admit that it's true. Since the time I evolved into a Meganium, I've been thinking about how I've been acting during that chaotic adventure. How I voiced my opinions. How I solved problems.
Banging on an unbreakable glass cage.
Ouch.
Yes, I've been thinking. Maybe it was time I became a girl who actually acted like a girl. I'd think before I acted. If an action seemed useless or unnecessary, I'd rather not do it. I'd be warmer, friendlier, and more forgiving, like how women are supposed to be.
Anyway, the day I evolved was the day I last met him.
In fact, all this - I'm doing it for him.
...
M
My name is Magmarashi, and I'm dodging a barrage of poisonous thorns.
Holy cow, this Roselia is good, I think. It doesn't seem to matter that he's a whole few feet shorter than myself, and I am a fully-evolved Typhlosion. Nor does the fact that he's at a disadvantage because Grass-type attacks are weak against Fire-types.
This is the exciting thing about Marowak Dojo in Treasure Town, where I've been toughening up these recent times. You can meet all sorts of Pokémon there, so it's guaranteed that you'll get a lot of battling experience. Also, most of Marowak's people are good.
Like this guy, for example.
Up to this moment, the Roselia has Leech Seeded me and poisoned me with Toxic Spikes. Even now he's preparing a Sludge Bomb, the attack he's mostly been relying on.
But my name is Magmarashi, and I am not the old timid companion of a Quilava.
Before I evolved into a Typhlosion, I was the docile kind of Quilava. I hated conflict, and would only fight when I really needed to. As for the glass cage, I already found it indestructible, so I'd just stayed put in the corner while watching Bayleaf try to break it down. And as for those metal cuffs, I'd only had the courage to melt them down when the enemies weren't looking. I wanted to escape our situation with as little trouble as possible.
Yep, although Bayleaf and I are childhood friends, we were so different, which we learned during our chaotic adventure together.
Good times.
"Sludge Bomb!" the Roselia suddenly exclaims, and I see a purple ball of poisonous sludge being hurled in my direction.
In the past, Bayleaf would have been on it immediately, being the battle girl she is. She'd have confronted her opponent head-on. I'd have probably tried a much safer approach.
But not anymore, for I am Magmarashi the Typhlosion. It's high time I showed some strength.
I use Flamethrower to counter the sludge bomb. By the time the smoke clears, the Roselia has sent another barrage of thorns at me. However, this time I'm ready. I can't let Bayleaf trump me when it comes to power, right?
"Fire Spin!" I cry, creating a spiraling twister of fire. Roselia's poisonous thorns get trapped in the fiery vortex, spinning and spinning. And then, I suddenly let the Fire Spin die down and the thorns are instead flung back towards Roselia instead of towards me. Even better, they're still burning.
I have found during one of my many training sessions that it is fairly easy to deflect your opponent's attacks so that they come around and get them when they least expect it.
While Roselia is momentarily distracted after taking damage from his own thorns, I attack with another Flamethrower. However, he's still too good - he manages to dodge my shots with a series of intricate jumps manageable only by lightweight Pokémon like himself.
He suddenly shoots out a prickly vine from inside his rose, aiming it straight at me. I feint to the right but he keeps attacking with a barrage of Poison Jabs. Though he's slowly but surely backing me into a corner, he's never been lucky enough to actually hit me.
Then comes the plot twist.
I suddenly grab one of his vines which is in the process of doing another Poison Jab and give it a strong tug. He gets pulled towards me with a surprised gasp. I keep pulling his vine. It's like I'm reeling in a fish from the river.
Only at the end of this line, the fisherman is waiting with a Fire Punch.
WHAM! KA-POW!
Marowak enters the room just in time to witness the curious event of a Roselia flying over his head and smack into a wall.
"S-sorry!" I exclaim, running towards the unconscious Thorn Pokémon. "I didn't mean to hit him that hard."
"I knew that," Marowak sighs, and when he goes in, I notice that he's carrying a first-aid kit. "I have been watching you. You're my most loyal customer, so by now I already understand how you battle. I think it is safe to say that you are a very powerful Pokémon... thus the first-aid kits."
I smile sheepishly.
I have to admit that it's true. Since the time I evolved into a Typhlosion, I've been thinking about how I've been acting during that chaotic adventure. How I voiced my opinions. How I solved problems.
Staying put while unknown Pokémon force you into a glass cage and take you to an unknown location.
Yikes.
Yes, I've been thinking. Maybe it was time I became a tough boy who actually acted like a toughie. I'd voice my opinions. Stop standing around in the background. Train to be a good fighter. Be braver, bolder, because that's how tough guys are supposed to be.
Anyway, the day I evolved was the day I last met her.
In fact, all this - I'm doing it for her.
...
B
Soon I find out the hard way that Azurill and Marill like to escape Chansey's day care more than once.
Chansey herself needs to keep an eye on the eggs, so she's entrusted the care of the small Pokémon into my hands. Most of the Pokémon here are quite well-mannered - they're easy to distract with Poké Dolls and berry juice from bottles. Give them some plushies and some juice, and that ought to do it until at least afternoon.
However, it's another story altogether when it comes to Azurill and Marill. They seem to have so much interest in the outside world that if you take your eyes off them for just a few seconds, by that time they would have reached Chansey's front lawn.
I'm back to chasing them on the path that leads to downtown Treasure Town, all the while calling for them and receiving no response whatsoever.
...
M
Soon after Marowak has revived Roselia, I pack up my things and excuse myself.
"See you next time, Most Loyal Customer," Marowak says. "I do hope you come and train with us again."
"And I won't lose," Roselia adds.
I wave to them, chuckling. I won't lose, indeed.
From Marowak Dojo, I turn up in downtown Treasure Town. I haven't gone a few steps past Kecleon's store when someone crashes into me.
OK, maybe not someone, rather two small someones.
I look down and see a Marill and an Azurill, rather dazed after having crashed into a Pokémon many times their height. They look really small, as if they're not supposed to run around town without their parents in sight. Can they be infant Pokémon that have escaped from Chansey's day care?
I'm bending down and am about to ask them whether they're all right when a voice interrupts.
"Sorry, sorry. I'm after two small Pokémon who escaped from Chansey's. Sorry, I think I stepped on your foot. Ah, sorry..."
Suddenly, it's as if I've been electrocuted. The voice is mind-bogglingly familiar...
"C'mon, Magmarashi, can't you do an Ember or a Flamethrower? I mean, seriously, home's just an hour away."
Then I had muttered, "I'm not strong."
I look up with a start and see a Meganium. She is a soft pale green in color with a gentle face and elegant pink petals around her slender neck.
She is my long-not-seen friend, Bayleaf.
And she is beautiful.
...
B
When the crowd parts, I see Azurill and Marill...
And a Typhlosion. He looks like he means business, with fangs and a tall stature and a "you-mess-with-me-you're-going-to-regret-it" face. Flames are crackling from his back, shooting out in embers.
He is my long-not-seen friend, Magmarashi.
Unconsciously, my eyes widen.
Wow.
Talk about a subtle change in personality... and appearance.
I am glad he can't read my thoughts. If he could, it would have been wholly embarrassing, because I simply repeat:
Wow.
...
Dear reader, I confess I need to distract myself from the "wow" figure in front of me, so I think I will just so enthusiastically tell you why Magmarashi and I have hardly seen each other much - until now, that is.
Well, it's not that we had a fight or a quarrel or anything that made us have to stay away from each other.
The reason we hardly saw each other was simply because we needed to find ourselves.
...
I have not even finished my story yet when the Typhlosion comes over to me, after telling Azurill and Marill to stay put (which they miraculously obey).
"Bayleaf," he says hesitantly. "... We need to talk."
...
M
Bayleaf turns out to be volunteering at the Chansey Day Care. However, we make plans to meet each other again after she finishes her job for the day.
My first thought is:
What, the powerhouse kick-butt Bayleaf is volunteering to babysit kids?
But it's quickly overshadowed by my second thought:
We're going to meet each other again. It's been a long time since we last did that.
And so, that afternoon we meet again at the beach some distance away from the bustling center of Treasure Town.
I arrive there first, and the sun is just setting. The Krabby come out and blow bubbles.
I turn away from the setting sun and see Bayleaf. She's standing a few paces away from me, hesitating.
"Magmarashi. I... I'm sorry."
Bayleaf is apologizing? That's weird. She's not one to apologize. At least, that's what I remember from our adventure together.
"Why? Why are you apologizing?" I ask. Another weird thing today. I never ask about anything - I usually wait until he or she is ready to say more. Then again, I've felt myself change in many ways since meeting Bayleaf for the last time.
"We parted for the time being because we were going to find ourselves," she says. She's repeating something she had said before we went our separate ways. "I'm apologizing because to tell you the truth, I have somewhat failed to do exactly that. To 'find myself', I mean. To figure out who I am and what I want to do and what I want to achieve. I can't find Bayleaf. I don't know what she's really like. I don't know if the real her is the powerhouse or the forgiving..."
My face softens, losing its tough guy expression.
"That's okay, Bayleaf," I say, "because I feel like that too. I can't find Magmarashi; I don't know what he's really like. I don't know if the real him is the timid companion or the tough guy. But what I know..."
I turn and look at the setting sun. The Krabby's bubbles float past my vision, distorting the setting sun and the reddish-orange sky beyond.
"... Is that any Magmarashi wouldn't be quite complete without a Bayleaf by his side. That's the sole thing I learned after all this time, I'm afraid."
Bayleaf suddenly goes over to me. There's a smile on her face. "Hey, that's what I learned too. I may not have found which Bayleaf is the real Bayleaf, I may not have discovered whether I enjoy being a powerhouse or a forgiving girl more, but I did realize that you're an important part of any Bayleaf."
I smile too.
"Well. We spent time apart to learn different things, but all we found was exactly the same, not quite what we expected..."
"But it's an answer," Bayleaf finishes. She leans her slender pastel green head on my shoulder.
Although she can't see it because I'm staring out at the sun, I smile.
"Yeah, it's an answer."
And that's all that matters, really.
-End-