A/N: I think this chapter came out a little faster than the previous two. Let's hope that it continues! Please enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
Chapter 35: Singin', Swingin' Swablu
A huge bolt of lightning lit up the night sky which was followed by a loud crack of thunder. There was a heavy thunderstorm coming down along the path to Meteor Falls. The group was huddled up in their respective tents as they waited for the thunderstorm to pass. Hopefully, it would be gone by the time morning came.
Though a thunderstorm was nothing new to the group in their travels, there was often a Pokemon Center in the area that they could take shelter in. According to May's Pokenav Plus, however, there wasn't a single Pokemon Center on the way to Meteor Falls. It was probably because it wasn't a heavily traveled area. That forced the group to try to wade out the storm in their tents.
May winced and covered her ears as the thunder boomed outside. She was sharing a tent with Serena and had her Pokemon out to ease their fears. Though, it seemed to working the other way around, too.
"Geez! Could this thunderstorm get any worse?!" May exclaimed as the rain and wind pelted the tent, "Do you think the boys are able to sleep?"
"Brock may still be up, but I'm sure Ash is out like a light," Serena replied before she giggled, "He could sleep through a tornado going through a nitroglycerin plant."
"Tornado?" May asked fearfully.
"I…I didn't mean one was going to drop out of the sky right now," Serena muttered before she added, "At least I hope not."
That didn't appear to make May feel any better, and it was only made worse that Azurill started to cry. May picked it up and hugged it against her chest to console it. Electrike was feeling apprehensive as well and hobbled over to May's hand and bit down on it for reassurance. May winced from the pain this time before she stroked her Electrike and Azurill along their backs for comfort. Even the playful Skitty appeared to be a little nervous and snuggled up next to May. Dustox clung to her hair.
The only one who didn't appear worried was Combusken. It was seated along the edge of the tent and noticed that May appeared to be having a hard time comforting all of her other Pokemon. Combusken sighed before it scooted over to May and offered to at least relieve her of the crying Azurill. May smiled and nodded her head appreciatively as Combusken scooped Azurill into its arms and rocked it back and forth.
"Wow, Combusken. I'm really impressed how much you've matured since evolving," May told it, "When you were a Torchic, you would've been buried into my stomach like Azurill was."
"Busken," Combusken replied in agreement and blushed a little bit.
"Sometimes Pokemon mature or change personalities when they evolve," Serena said.
May began to visibly relax despite the pounding their tent was receiving. Brock had anchored them pretty sturdily so they would be able to make it through the storm. May sighed in contentment was just about to nod off when a horrible booming should shook the ground all around them. This time May, Serena, and all of the Pokemon screamed.
"It's the tornado!" May shouted in panic.
"I don't think that was it," Serena replied though she was still panting from how loud and close the noise was.
A few seconds later, a dark shape appeared outside the girls' tent with a bright light around it. May froze in fear as her Pokemon were put on alert. Combusken jumped in front of them and was prepared to give a viscous kick to whoever was trying to get them.
However, the zipper on the tent was quickly undone and Brock appeared with a lantern and his Lotad next to him. The rain was collecting in the dish on Lotad's head and spilling out over the edges. Lotad appeared to enjoy the rain, though.
"Are you all okay?" Brock asked before he noticed Combusken relax from its fighting position. Thank goodness he explained himself quickly to avoid a foot in his face.
"Brock, what was that?" Serena questioned, "Is Ash okay?"
"He, Pikachu, and Togetic are fast asleep," Brock responded and looked around, "I'm not exactly sure what it was, but it sounded like a tree falling."
"A tree?" May asked before she noticed some of Lotad's water was spilling into the tent, "Hey! Watch it!"
"Lotad," Lotad murmured lazily and leaned back outside which let all of the water fall out of its dish and on the ground. It quickly began to fill back up again, however.
"Yeah. It's hard to tell how close it was, but we'll be able to see it a little better in the morning. The radio said the storm should clear up by then," Brock reported.
"Good," Serena said before she cast a worried look at Brock, "Brock, you should get back in your tent. You're getting soaked. May and I will be fine."
"Okay. Good night," Brock replied before he and Lotad left and zipped up their tent.
May didn't look convinced. Whatever that was, it had been too close of a call. What if they had decided to set up camp just a little farther away? If it was a tree, it could've fallen right on top of them. The thought made her shiver.
"May, it will be okay," Serena tried to assure, "All the trees around here are pretty sturdy."
"Tell that to the one that fell," May muttered.
Serena sighed and laid down in her sleeping bag, but she knew she wouldn't be falling asleep anytime soon. Between May's nerves, the storm, and May's Pokemon causing a commotion, it was going to be a long night.
The sun shone in the morning sky as the group emerged from their tents. They discovered the effects of the previous night's storm was still apparent. There were several branches down along the path, and the ground was as muddy as could be. Thank goodness Brock had anchored the tents down really well so they weren't blown away.
"Ew. Ew," May muttered as her sneakers sloshed through the mud.
"Man. We slept great!" Ash said as he stretched with Pikachu and Togetic, "How about you guys?"
"You've got to be kidding me," May uttered, "How did you not hear that?"
"Hear what?" Ash questioned as he and Pikachu got a confused look on their faces.
May just rolled her eyes and turned away. "Never mind," she said.
Brock began to collect some of the scattered rocks from the area to form a fire pit while Serena laid a large blanket on the ground. At least that way they would be able to sit on something dry. Brock soon started a fire and got a pot out to start breakfast. Ash and Serena were sitting on the blanket and chatting with each other while May inspected the area around her. She was curious just how close that supposed tree actually was.
May wandered a short way off the path in the direction she heard the crash. Sure enough, May peeked around the bushes and discovered a tree had been completely uprooted. May grimaced as she looked at the tree and was about to head back before she heard a whimper.
May stopped and turned back to the tree. That whimper certainly hadn't come from the direction of their camp. She soon heard another whimper and hurriedly began to look around the tree for the source of the noise. She peeled back a few branches and soon discovered the source.
A small, blue bird-like creature with fluffy clouds for wings was caught between several branches and whimpering in pain. May soon saw why. There appeared to be a stick that was lodged in its wing.
"Oh. You poor thing," May said sadly was she reached forward to try to untangle it.
The Pokemon noticed May's hand reaching for it and immediately got defensive. It began to struggle even harder to free itself. May withdrew her hand and knew she would need help with this.
"Hey guys! Over here!" she called.
Ash, Serena, and Brock soon came running over to where May was which ended up splattering mud on the lower part of their clothes. However, that didn't concern them as May's call had seemed pretty urgent.
"What is it, May?" Ash asked.
"There's a Pokemon caught in these branches," May replied "I think it's a Swablu!"
The group looked and saw the trapped Pokemon. They realized it must've been in the tree when it fell last night and wasn't able to escape in time. There were a lot branches that were in the way so they would need a little help to get the Pokemon.
"Yeah. It's a Swablu, alright," Brock confirmed, "And it's got a stick in its wing."
"We should help! Come on out, Corphish! Use your claws to crush some of these branches!" Ash called.
"You help, too, Zangoose!" Serena added.
"And you, Combusken!" May said.
The three Pokemon were released from their pokeballs and immediately set to work. Corphish was doing a good job at tearing away the branches with its strong claws while Combusken and Zangoose's natural strength helped a lot, too. Zangoose noticed a small flower on a branch it had cleared and smiled. It placed it behind its ear before it set back to work. Sweet, man.
"Don't worry. We'll have you out of there in a jiffy," May told it.
Swablu, however, didn't appear so keen on watching all of these Pokemon tear at branches in front of it to get at it. Swablu got a fearful expression on its face and let out a peaceful and beautiful melody. Despite that, the group wasn't happy to hear it.
"Oh, no. It's Sing!" Serena exclaimed before her eyes drooped along with the rest of the group and Pokemon.
They then fell over in the mud and were soon asleep. Swablu then realized that enough of the branches had been torn off to where it could free itself. Swablu then landed on the ground and attempted to take flight but was unable to due to the stick in its wing. Swablu grimaced in pain before it attempted to run for it, but its lack of coordination while running caused it to trip over Combusken.
Combusken awakened from its slumber and sat up. Upon seeing Swablu, it attempted to put on a comforting look and assure Swablu they were only trying to help it. However, Combusken wasn't the gentlest-looking Pokemon in the world so Swablu still looked unsure. Combusken sighed before it went over and shook May a little to wake her up.
May groaned and turned back on her side to sleep. Combusken then opted for a more forceful method and pecked May on the nose with its beak. May gave a shriek as her eyes snapped open, and she immediately clutched her stinging nose.
"Wow. Thanks for the nice awakening, Combusken," May said sarcastically while Combusken smirked slightly.
May then noticed Swablu was still standing there giving May a weary eye. May gave the friendliest look she could as she scooted closer to the Swablu. It backed up a little bit, but it didn't attempt to run away this time.
"Swablu, it's okay. I promise I won't hurt you. We just want to help. We have to get that stick out of your wing," May said and gestured to said stick.
Swablu cast a look at the stick in its wing before it looked back to May. Truthfully, this stick really did hurt a lot. Swablu also knew it wouldn't be able to reach the stick with its beak, and its cloud-like wings weren't strong enough to pull it out. Despite being nervous, Swablu knew it had no choice. It shuffled a little closer to May which made her smile.
"Thank you, Swablu," May said in a relieved tone before she reached into her bag and took out a Super Potion, "The first thing we need to do is get that stick out."
Combusken then went behind Swablu and propped its wings so the stick was facing upward at May. May then took a deep breath as she slowly reached for the stick. She noticed Swablu flinch as her hands got closer. She just had to get that stick out, and then she could apply treatment.
"I know this will hurt for a second, Swablu, but I promise this will help," May said before she counted, "Okay. One…two…three!"
On three, May grabbed the stick and gave a gentle yet firm tug at the stick. Thankfully, the stick wasn't in too deep, and the make up of Swablu's wings made it come right out. Swablu gave a brief cry of pain but soon relaxed as May immediately applied the Super Potion to its wing.
"There we go. Good job," May told Swablu before she got the bandages, "Now, let's get you wrapped up."
While May applied the bandages to Swablu, Combusken took this opportunity to wake up the others. It used the same method and mischievously pecked at their noses the same way it did with May. Each member and Pokemon yelled in pain as they were jolted from their sleep. Corphish looked like it wanted to start a fight with Combusken, but it backed down. Combusken wasn't as easy to push around now that it evolved.
By that time, May had finished bandaging up Swablu. She stood to the side and stared proudly at the others in front of her.
"Look! I was able to fix up Swablu and got the stick out," she told them.
Ash had to stifle a laugh as Serena and Brock gave nervous chuckles. Yeah. May had bandaged Swablu up alright, but she did too good of a job. The bandages were practically covering its whole body. May didn't appear to have much experience with this.
"May, Swablu looks like a mummy," Ash said.
"Well, excuse me! I was the only one awake!" May replied heatedly and placed her hands on her hips.
"It's fine," Serena said as she knelt down and unwrapped some of the bandages until they were only around Swablu's wing, "There. All better."
Swablu stretched out its wings a little. The Super Potion had definitely helped. It then smiled at the group before it went to take flight again, but it promptly tripped and fell face first in the mud. The group frowned at that.
"I guess that it'll have to rest until its wing is feeling better," Brock stated.
"What can we do, Brock? We can't just leave it here," May said.
"Why don't you try your Pokenav Plus again, May? I know there aren't any Pokemon Centers around, but maybe there's something else," Brock suggested.
"Good idea," May replied as she searched around in the device, "Hey. It says that there's a ranger's cabin not too far from here. We can take Swablu there to rest."
"Sounds good!" Ash said with a smile, "Let's have breakfast and feed our Pokemon and Swablu. Then we can head over there!"
With that, the group began to head back to the camp, but Swablu hesitated. It was true they had helped it, but Swablu hadn't been around humans too often. It was true, however, that it being out here by itself when it was injured wasn't good, either. Swablu then gave a small chirp as it followed them.
"Well, here's the cabin," May announced as she checked the Pokenav Plus for accuracy.
"I wonder if there is anyone home," Brock mentioned, "If the owner is a ranger of this area, it's very possible he's on patrol right now."
"I hadn't thought of that," May replied as she looked over a Swablu.
Surprisingly, the Pokemon had agreed to be carried by her. It could hop around okay, but such a task got very tiring when one was used to flying around. May seemed sincere enough, but it was still a little weary of all of them. The Swablu gave a sad chirp at May.
"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out," May stated as she walked up to the door and knocked a few times, "Excuse me!"
The group breathed a sigh of relief when they could hear shuffling inside the cabin. Soon, the door was unlocked a man clothed in a ranger's outfit answered. A Nuzleaf also peeked out from behind the man's leg. He inspected the group before he nodded at them.
"Hello, kids. May I help you?" he asked.
"Yes. We found this Swablu injured from last night's storm. We were hoping it could rest here," May replied and gestured to the Pokemon in her arms.
"Oh! Of course! Come in!" the ranger ushered and moved aside for them to pass.
The group entered the cabin and looked around it. It seemed quite small yet cozy. It was one large room with the exception of a door in the back which was probably the bathroom. It had a kitchen area and a table. There was also a small living area with a couch in front of a small fire and bookcase. Finally there was a twin bed and a bedside table in one corner of the room. The ranger motioned for the group to follow him, and he had May place Swablu on the couch.
"There. I'm sure Swablu will be just fine after a good rest. You all already seemed to do a pretty good job getting it patched up," the ranger told them, "Anyway, my name is Morita, and this is my Nuzleaf. I take it you kids are Pokemon trainers?"
"That's right," Ash confirmed, "My name is Ash, and that's Pikachu and Togetic. I'm aiming to enter the Hoenn League."
"I'm Serena. I'm the Johto Queen, and am training May," Serena introduced.
"I'm May, a Pokemon coordinator. I recently got my first ribbon," May said.
"And I'm Brock. I'm a Pokemon breeder but about to start Pokemon doctoring school in Lilycove City. I patched Swablu up," Brock said, and upon seeing May frown, he added, "And May helped, too."
"Great. May I offer you all something to drink?" Morita offered as he headed for the kitchen, "Tea, perhaps?"
"Tea sounds great!" Serena answered with a smile.
Morita took out five mugs and set a kettle of tea on to boil. He then took the kettle and brought it over to the table as the group sat down. He then poured each of them a cup before he poured one for himself.
"So, how did you all find Swablu?" Morita asked as he took a sip.
"We found it near a fallen tree. It was tangled up pretty badly, and we needed some of our Pokemon to help clear it out," May replied, "Its nest was probably in that tree."
"Yeah. The storm from last night caused a lot damage. A lot of Pokemon nests were destroyed," Morita said, "I had actually just gotten back from inspecting the damage when you arrived."
"So, I wonder if this Swablu was separated from its flock," Brock said thoughtfully as they all cast a look back at Swablu.
"More than likely," Morita replied, "You see, Swablu and Altaria migrate a lot during this time of year. It's possible they took off during the storm and didn't realize one was left behind."
"Swablu and Altaria," Ash mused and took out his national dex, along with Serena and May.
"Swablu, the Cotton Bird Pokémon. Swablu loves cleanliness and is quick to wipe off any unclean surface with its cotton-like wings. Altaria, the Humming Pokémon. Altaria is the evolved form of Swablu. It uses its fluffy wings to catch updrafts and is known for its beautiful high-pitched song," the machines informed.
"Oh yeah. Lisia has an Altaria," Serena remembered as she thought about the Pokemon usually hovering around the eccentric girl.
"Beautiful song," May said dreamily, "Oh. I would love to hear Swablu and Altaria sing."
"Their songs really are pleasant," Morita said with a nod of his head and smiled, "I'm sure after a couple of days of rest here, Swablu will be ready to fly again and find its flock. I'll take good care of it!"
"That's great!" May exclaimed before she looked slightly nervous, "Um, Mr. Morita, is it okay if we stay around while Swablu is healing? I really want to make sure it's okay."
"That sounds okay to me," Morita said.
"Is everyone else okay with it?" May asked the group.
"That's fine with me," Ash stated.
"Me, too," Brock added.
"I'm good with it, too," Serena said before she added, "You've really taken a liking to that Swablu, haven't you?"
"Well, of course. I can only imagine how scared it must be after the storm and being separated from its flock. I want to make sure everything works out okay for it," May answered.
"Well, I guess that's settled. If you like, you all can stay here in the meantime. I don't have an extra bed, however," Morita said.
"That's okay. We can use our sleeping bags," May responded and went over to the Swablu, "Just you wait. You'll be feeling better in no time."
The Swablu gave a small chirp in response and smiled weakly. It then closed its eyes and went back to sleep. May smiled before she sat down next to Swablu and began to lightly stroke it. Who knew she would be this concerned for a Pokemon with how she was when she first started out?
It was nighttime, and Brock had just stepped out of the bathroom from taking a shower. He saw Ash and Serena seated by the table while Morita read a book as as they watched Swablu and May. May had her head down on the sofa in front of Swablu, and her soft breathing indicated she was asleep. Brock smiled to himself at how dedicated May was to watch Swablu like that, but maybe she needed a little break. He walked over to May and shook her gently.
"Hmm…what?" May asked groggily as she opened her eyes.
"Hey, May. It's your turn for the shower. Why don't you take a break? I'll take over from here," Brock suggested.
"No thanks, Brock. I'm fine for a little longer," May replied.
"May, it's barely eight o'clock, and you already fell asleep. Besides, I need to change Swablu's bandages," Brock said.
"Umm…will you show me how?" May requested.
Brock regarded May for a moment. She was clearly tired, but she still insisted on taking care of Swablu. Now, that he thought about it, Brock realized he had never shown May how to properly treat Pokemon. He had shown it to Ash, Serena, and Misty, but never May. Now was as good a time as any to teach her since he wouldn't be around forever.
"Of course. Now, pay attention. We don't want Swablu to end up like it did at first," Brock said and smiled slightly.
May rolled her eyes at the joke but nodded nevertheless. Brock then knelt down and began to instruct May on the different medicines Swablu needed as well as how to change the bandages. May was attentive and listened to everything Brock told her. By the time Brock was done, May had it down to a tee.
"There. That wasn't so hard," May said as she finished bandaging up Swablu's wing.
"Not at all, but you still need to be careful. Caring for Pokemon is just as delicate as caring for a person," Brock warned.
"Right," May replied with a nod.
As Brock got up, the radio on the table began to crackle. Morita looked up from the book he was reading before he reached over and adjusted the antennae a little. He had to work with it quite a bit, though, since they were in the woods.
"….Aqua…Team Magma…" said the radio as Morita continued to find a signal.
The group immediately became alarmed as their attention was briefly taken away from Swablu to the radio. Morita managed to adjust the antennae enough to get a signal as the radio broadcast continued.
"….Magma have appeared in large numbers at Meteor Falls. Police have been dispatched to the area to find and arrest them. Their leader, Maxie, is said to be among them along with other high-ranking officers. This can only mean they are after something that would be very critical in whatever plans they have. Due to this event, all civilians are forbidden from entering the mountain until the threat of Team Magma has been taken care of," the report said.
"Didn't you all say that you were heading to Meteor Falls?" Morita questioned as the report finished.
"Yeah…" Ash muttered as his thoughts went to Riley and Yellow. It seemed their lead was correct.
"Well, as I said, you all are welcome to stay here until things settle down," Morita said before he looked to the radio, "I sure hope the police are able to get them this time."
"I'm calling Uncle Riley," Ash said as he got out his Pokegear.
Upon receiving a questioning look from Morita, Serena explained that Ash's uncle was among the special team after Team Aqua and Team Magma in Meteor Falls. As Ash tried Riley's number, he frowned when Riley didn't answer. He then tried Yellow, but she didn't answer, either. It was starting to put Ash on edge. He hated being in the dark like this about how they were doing. The tranquil evening had been broken up with a room filled with tension.
"Ash, they're busy right now according to that report. I'm sure they'll call us once things have settled down," Serena consoled as she rubbed his back.
"Still," Ash mumbled.
Ash knew the group was going to stay anyway while Swablu healed. Even so, it would be hard for him to focus while he knew about the activity going on at Meteor Falls, now. The report mentioned that Maxie was there along with Tabitha and Courtney, probably. He could only imagine that if Team Magma was there for something big, the police wouldn't only be there but Team Aqua would probably show up, as well. He hoped Riley and Yellow would call soon.
A couple of days passed, and May continued to work diligently to treat Swablu. After Brock had shown her how, she had become a natural and was able to swap the bandages and give Swablu the medicine at all of the appropriate times. The group still hadn't been able to get in contact with Riley or Yellow, but seeing Swablu healing nicely was lifting their spirits.
On the third day, May unwrapped Swablu's bandages again and discovered the wound that was on its wing was gone. Swablu itself also seemed a little better. May smiled broadly when she saw it.
"Hey! Your wing is as good as new! We did it!" May cheered.
"Bluuuuu!" Swablu chirped in happiness, as well.
"We didn't do it, May. You did it," Brock told her.
"You should definitely be proud of yourself. I am," Serena added.
"Thank you," May said gratefully.
"I bet with a few flaps of your wings, you'll be flying high and seeing your friends again, Swablu," Morita said.
Swablu gave another chirp and began to flap its wings to take flight. It rose a few feet, and then promptly fell back down on the sofa. It then tried again, but the same thing happened. The group looked inquisitively at it.
"I guess Swablu isn't healed, after all," Ash muttered.
"Hmm…" Brock mused as he walked over and inspected Swablu's wing, "It looks fine to me."
"Is it possible Swablu forgot how to fly?" Ash suggested.
"Uh…is that possible? It's a flying Pokemon," May asked.
"Well, there's one way to find out. We should take it outside and see if it flies," Morita suggested.
The group nodded and followed Morita outside with May carrying Swablu. It was still a little muddy, but not to the point where their shoes sank into the ground anymore. May smiled and held Swablu up to the sky.
"Go on, Swablu. Try to fly," she told it.
Swablu leaped out of May's hands and flapped its wings. However, it immediately plummeted towards the ground, and May hastily reached out and caught it.
"I wonder what could be wrong," May mumbled.
"Here. Let's try to show Swablu how to fly again!" Ash declared, "Go, Taillow! Show Swablu how to fly!"
"You join in, Wingull!" Serena called out.
The two Pokemon appeared from their pokeballs and took flight. They flew in circles above the group as Swablu watched in interest. It was going quite well until Taillow felt a little mischievous. It zoomed ahead of Wingull and gave it a funny face which Wingull didn't take too kindly to. It narrowed its eyes at Taillow and used its Agility to speed ahead of Taillow.
It wasn't long until their competitive nature and overall dislike of each other turned a friendly flying exercise into a race. Taillow and Wingull were soon nothing more than a blur as they sped around the sky and tried to outmaneuver each other. Ash and Serena frowned at this, but soon they heard angry squawking which signaled a fight was about to break out.
"Hey! Quit it!" Ash hollered at them, "You're supposed to be helping Swablu remember how to fly, not fighting!"
"Work together for once!" Serena added.
Taillow and Wingull soon slowed down and flew back to the ground, though they still shot each other angry glances. Ash and Serena sighed before they turned back to Swablu.
"Well, did that help any, Swablu?" Serena asked hopefully.
They got their answer when Swablu hopped away and hid behind May's leg. Great. Taillow and Wingull probably ended up scaring Swablu more than anything. How could Swablu remember how to fly when it watched those two Pokemon try to outdo each other?
"You know, I don't think this is as simple as Swablu forgetting how to fly," Morita spoke up, "I think it makes more sense that Swablu is afraid to fly. That confirmed it to me when it hid behind May just now."
"Why would it be scared to fly if it had been flying before?" May asked.
"This kind of fear can happen after a traumatic event," Brock answered instead, "With us finding Swablu tangled up in branches and the storm the other night, Swablu's clearly been through a lot."
"Right," Morita confirmed, "However, this can take a while to fix."
"Do we really have that kind of time? I know you still have to visit your gyms, Ash, and Serena needs to shoot her movie, and Brock needs to get to Lilycove City, too," May said.
"Well, I say you take all the time you need, May! The Hoenn League is still several months away, and I can leave if I have to even before Swablu can fly," Serena replied.
"Yeah. Meteor Falls is still closed to the public as far as we know, too. We can't really go anywhere yet," Ash added.
"And I can start Pokemon Doctoring school at any time," Brock said.
May smiled in happiness that all of her friends were supporting her in this. They were going out of their way to help Swablu and putting their own goals on hold for her.
"You all mean it? Oh, thank you so much!" May said gratefully.
"Anything to help a Pokemon in need!" Ash replied with a thumbs up.
"It the meantime, I'll see if I can locate Swablu's flock," Morita spoke up.
"You hear that, Swablu? You're going to be just fine! We'll have you back to your friends in not time!" May told it and rubbed its head.
"Bluuuu!" Swablu chirped in excitement.
Serena then thought that it would be better if they tried a different approach. If Swablu was afraid to fly, they may have to show it just how fun it was to fly again. What better way than that to get a firsthand experience? She then nodded her head to Wingull.
"Hey, May. Why don't we let Swablu ride Wingull? I think Swablu is light enough to where Wingull can handle it. We can show it there's nothing to be afraid of," Serena suggested.
"That's a good idea!" May replied and looked at Swablu, "Do you want to give it a try?"
Swablu looked a little hesitant to do so. It still remembered how Wingull and Taillow were fighting not too long ago. It didn't want them to start fighting while it was on Wingull's back. Serena saw Swablu's expression and turned to Wingull and Taillow.
"You guys will behave yourselves this time, right?" she asked.
Upon receiving a not from the two bird Pokemon, Serena and May both smiled back at Swablu. The cotton bird Pokemon then hopped over to Wingull and got on its back, though it still looked a little nervous. Wingull then flapped its wings and slowly took off into the air with Taillow following it. The group saw that Swablu gave a small chirp and shut its eyes as Wingull gently carried it around.
"Open your eyes, Swablu! Take a look at how great everything looks!" May told it.
The group sighed. Wingull and Taillow weren't even that high off the ground, but Swablu was still scared. It managed to crack one eye open, but it immediately shut it back. Wingull then flew back to the ground, and Swablu quickly got off and hid its face in May's leg. This was going to be a lot harder than they thought.
"There's got to be something we can do for Swablu," May said sadly.
"It's like Mr. Morita said. This isn't the kind of thing that can be fixed quickly," Brock reminded her.
May then thought for a moment. Maybe the reason why Swablu was afraid to fly was because it could be scared of falling or something happening to it. May could recall a time when she was much younger that she was afraid of the dark. Her parents had given her a nightlight and told her it was an anti-monster defense system that would keep them away while she slept. May soon learned that the nightlight actually did nothing and there wasn't anything to be afraid of in the dark, after all. Perhaps Swablu needed something similar to overcome its fear.
"I've got it!" May suddenly exclaimed.
"What is it?" Ash asked.
"We'll use magic!" May answered with a smile.
"Uhhh…magic?" Serena questioned as she and the others looked at May in confusion.
"That's right!" May replied, "Come on out, Dustox!"
Dustox soon appeared from its pokeball with a cry. May then motioned for the group and Pokemon to huddle up with her so she could explain their plan. After hearing what May had in mind and her past experience, they weren't quite so sure it would work as this and being afraid of the dark weren't the same thing. They were worried it might cause a problem in the future.
"Are you sure about this?" Brock asked.
"Positive! It'll work for sure!" May said confidently.
The group shrugged their shoulders as May turned to Swablu. The cotton bird Pokemon had been left out of the huddle and looked at May curiously. She then winked at the others, and Taillow stood underneath Dustox.
"You see, Swablu, I think the reason why you can't fly is because you haven't had the magic dust like Taillow, Dustox, and Wingull," May said.
"Blu?" Swablu asked.
"That's right. It's the magic dust that enables you to fly. Watch," May said and nodded to Dustox to show she was ready.
Dustox nodded back and lightly sprinkled a light brown dust on Taillow. Taillow gave a caw and spread its wings wide before it took the sky. Wingull was next and stood underneath Dustox. As Dustox sprinkled brown dust on Swablu, Wingull gave a cry and began to fly, as well. Swablu tilted its head in curiosity at the strange dust as May turned to it.
"Okay, Swablu. You're up!" May told it.
Swablu hopped over underneath Dustox and awaited its turn. It soon felt the brown dust fall over it, and as soon as it did, Swablu felt full of energy. It felt like it could do anything! The magic dust was really making it feel good and melt all its worries away. Swablu took a deep breath before it spread its wings and flapped. Soon, it rose a few feet off the ground, and it saw everyone smile. Swablu then figured why it should only stop there and flew even higher, and then higher until it was at the same height as Wingull and Taillow. It was soon joined by Dustox, and the four Pokemon began to fly in a circle.
"You're doing it, Swablu!" May cheered, "You're flying!"
Swablu chirped happily as it flew just as well as it did before the storm. It then swooped back down and flew into May's arms where she wrapped it up in a hug.
"You did so well! I'm proud of you! See? I knew you could do it!" May said happily.
"Wow. It actually worked," Ash said.
"For, now, anyway," Serena muttered, "I just hope it's enough to keep Swablu's confidence up to where it won't need it soon."
It was a couple of hours later, and the group was back inside Mr. Morita's cabin eating lunch. Morita was trying to find out what he could about where the Swablu and Altaria flock was while Ash listened to the radio to try to hear more about what was happening at Meteor Falls. So far, there had been nothing. Whatever was going on must've been intense if Riley or Yellow hadn't answered his calls yet. Ash couldn't help but let out a sigh.
"I just wish Uncle Riley would answer me," Ash mumbled.
"Maybe no news is good news?" Serena tried, "Mr. Riley and Ms. Yellow are important in the capture of Team Magma and Team Aqua. I'm sure if something happened to them, we would know through a report."
"Well, yeah. I guess," Ash replied, but he didn't sound entirely convinced. He really wished Meteor Falls wasn't closed to the public right now.
May took the last bite of her food and stood up from her chair. She then looked over at Swablu who was still resting on the couch and figured this would be nice to spend time with the Pokemon. Her time with Swablu was limited, and she knew Swablu would need to return to its flock when Morita found it.
"Hey, guys. I'm going to go with Swablu on a walk. Maybe we'll even find its flock along the way," May told them, "We won't go far."
"Alright. We'll call you if something comes up," Brock replied, and Ash and Serena nodded their heads, too.
"How does that sound to you, Swablu?" May asked it.
"Bluuuu!" Swablu chirped and flapped its wings in excitement.
May then picked up Swablu and walked outside with it. She figured she would let Swablu rest for the day since it had already flown once. She would make sure to use more of the magic dust tomorrow to give Swablu more confidence, and they could continue doing it until Swablu was able to fly sky-high. May then walked off into the forest and after walking a few minutes, she began a conversation with Swablu.
"You know, I'm actually a Pokemon coordinator," May told it.
"Blu?" Swablu asked.
"Right. I help my Pokemon look super great and have them perform a lot of stylish moves through a lot of practice. I hope to enter the Grand Festival someday," May continued.
"Blu," Swablu replied with a nod.
They continued on for the next few minutes as May talked about her goals and some of the other Pokemon she had while Swablu listened. Swablu even snuggled into May's arms even more which May thought was absolutely adorable. She didn't think it was possible, but Azurill and Skitty now had a rival for the most adorable Pokemon May had met so far. She just wanted to hug it to death. Speaking of how adorable Swablu was, May realized there was one part of Swablu she didn't know about yet.
"I heard from the pokedexes that Swablu have beautiful voices. Would you mind to sing for me, Swablu? I'd really love to hear you before I let you go," May requested.
Swablu nodded its head and began to sing. May closed her eyes as she thought the melody sounded beautiful. However, she gasped when she realized she didn't specify how she wanted Swablu to sing. It was singing alright, but it was its Sing attack, and May felt herself getting droopy.
"Wait. Not your Sing attack…Swablu…" May mumbled after a yawn.
Swablu stopped the Sing as it realized what May meant. It then thought for a moment and looked away in embarrassment. Even though, May wasn't asleep, she was still drowsy and gave a tired smile to Swablu.
"I'm sure your natural singing sounds beautiful. No need to be shy. You can sing for me," May encouraged it.
Swablu still looked unsure as its natural singing was…
Unfortunately, before Swablu could get any notes out, May didn't notice a steep hill before her in her drowsiness. She gave a cry as her foot slipped in the still slightly muddy ground, and she and Swablu tumbled down the hill. May could see a drop coming as she rolled and gasped as she managed to grab onto a low branch just before she fell off. May looked down and noticed about a twenty foot drop below her. It wouldn't kill her if she fell, but two broken legs wasn't an experience she wanted to go through.
"Bluuuu!" Swablu chirped in fear as it clung to and hid itself in May's chest.
"It's okay, Swablu. We'll just pull ourselves up," May told it, now wide awake as she looked around something else to grab onto but found nothing, "Hmm…I know, Dustox can help!"
May then let go of the branch with one of her hands and reached for Dustox's pokeball. However, that also made her grip loosen more. May gasped and hastily clung back to the branch with both hands.
"Okay! Bad idea! Bad idea!" May said frantically before she looked at Swablu, "Swablu, you have to fly back to Mr. Morita's cabin and get the others. I can't get up by myself!"
Swablu peeked out from May's chest before it hid itself again.
"Please, Swablu! You were flying so well earlier, remember? You can do it!" May said.
However, Swablu continued to hide itself, and May knew why. Swablu really believed the only reason it was able to fly earlier was because of the so-called magic dust from Dustox. Maybe this was why the others seemed reluctant to go along with the plan. It offered a temporary solution, but when it came down to it, that ultimately did nothing so soon. May bit her lip as she knew she had to come clean.
"Swablu, that dust from Dustox was nothing special. I just told you it had magic powers so you could fly again," May said.
"Blu?" Swablu asked as it looked up at May.
"I'm sorry that I tricked you. I just wanted to see you fly again, but the good news is that it proved that you could fly all along, and nothing bad happened," May continued.
Swablu blinked a few times as it let May's words sink in. The dust was just normal dust. It was really flying all on its own with no help. What's more? It was flying quite well and was even doing a few flips in the air. There was nothing wrong with its wing anymore.
"Please, Swablu. I really need your help right now. I can't hold on to the branch forever!" May pleaded.
Swablu got a resolute expression on its face as it took a deep breath. May was right. She had helped it in more ways than one. She freed it from the tree. She healed it, and she helped it regain its ability to fly. Now, May needed Swablu's help, and Swablu was definitely going to help her. It gave a flap of its cloud-like wings and smiled when it managed to take flight. I really could fly again on its own!
"See, Swablu? You were able to do it the whole time!" May said.
"Blu!" Swablu chirped in agreement before it flew off to Morita's cabin.
May smiled as she watched Swablu leave. Her hands were getting pretty tired, but she would make sure to hang on for Swablu.
Ash's eyes lit up with excitement at what he heard on the radio. Meteor Falls had been opened back up to the public, and several arrests were made on Team Magma's side. Apparently, Team Aqua hadn't shown up, but that was okay. Just the fact that some of them were arrested was enough. However, the report also mentioned that Maxie, Courtney, and Tabitha had gotten away.
"Yeah. They tend to run away when things don't go their way," Riley's voice came from the radio which also relieved Ash, "As soon as the police got here and found them, they took off."
"Do you have any idea what it was they were after in here?" a reporter asked.
"I wish I did, but whatever it was, it's safe now. Yellow and I are going to stay here a while to try to sort out the mess and look for clues on what Team Magma was looking for," Riley replied.
"We wish you the best of luck," the reporter said.
"Thanks. We'll let the police know what we find. Hopefully then, that would give us some clue about what it was Team Magma was actually trying to do here," Riley said.
Ash then smiled that things had tended to work out at Meteor Falls. This news report also confirmed that Riley and Yellow were safe. He thought about trying to call one of them right now, but he didn't get the chance. There was a tapping at the door, and the group went over and opened it to discover Swablu there jumping up and down frantically.
"What is it, Swablu? Where's May?" Serena asked.
"Blu! Blu!" Swablu chirped frantically and gestured for the group to follow it.
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu said to Ash.
"I think they're trying to say May's in trouble! Let's go, guys!" Ash stated.
Swablu then took flight and flew off into the woods. They group didn't have time to marvel that Swablu actually flew as they followed it. They had to save May first.
Despite May's athletic body, even she was getting pretty tired at holding the branch for so long. Thankfully, she didn't need to wait too much longer as she saw the group soon arrive, and they looked down the hill and soon saw her.
"Hey, May! How are you doing?!" Ash asked her.
"Just hanging around!" May half-joked.
"Hold on! I got my rope!" Morita said.
He then took it out and tied one half of it around a tree. He then tossed it down the hill to where it was just in front of May.
"Okay. Go ahead and grab on!" Morita instructed.
May let go of the branch and immediately grabbed the rope before she started sliding. The group then gave a mighty heave as they began to pull May up the slope. Even Pikachu, Togetic, and Nuzleaf were at the end and pulled May along, too. May grimaced at her stomach scraping along the hill as they pulled, but it was a little too steep for her to find her footing.
Soon enough, May was completely up the hill, and she let go of the rope and rolled off to the side while panting. She was soon met by Swablu who flew down and landed on May's stomach while chirping happily.
"Hey, Swablu. You were actually able to fly back and get the others. I'm so proud of you," May told it and gave Swablu a hug.
"I think it's safe to say Swablu has made a full recovery," Brock stated, "You did it, May."
"I guess that means you'll be ready to go to back to your friends, right?" May asked, though there was a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Bluuu," Swablu replied, and it sounded sad, too.
"Hey. Why don't we head on back to my cabin so I finish trying to locate Swablu's flock? We wouldn't want to miss them," Morita said.
The group nodded as they followed the ranger back to the cabin. As they walked, May and Swablu kept exchanging glances with each other. There was a part of May wishing that Swablu would stay with her because of the bond they created with each other, but she knew that would be selfish. It would be much better off with its flock. That didn't mean she was looking forward to that time, though.
It was the evening time, and Morita had managed to find the Swablu flock. The group hopped into his jeep and drove a short distance over to a nearby lake. Sure enough, a flock of Swablu and Altaria there. The setting sun reflected off of the waters which created a nice sparkle and made the air feel magical with the flock there. By the way the Swablu and Altaria were staring, it was like they were waiting for their lost friend to join them.
"Well, there they are, Swablu, and they even waited for you," May told it as they got out of the jeep. That proved it was better to let it go.
The rest of the group hung back to give May some more time with Swablu. May felt her eyes get wet before she took a deep breath to steady herself. She knew if she started crying that Swablu would, too, and that would just make this even harder.
"Well, I guess this is it, huh? You better not keep your friends waiting any longer. You should go," May said.
Swablu sadly nodded its head and flew out of May's arms. The other Swablu and Altaria let out a beautiful chirp that sounded like they were calling their friend over to them. Swablu nodded its head before it turned back to May.
"It's better this way," May said before she couldn't hold it back, and her voice cracked, "I'll sure miss you, though!"
"Bluuu!" Swablu cried as tears came to its eyes, too.
"Goodbye, Swablu," May whispered.
Swablu gave another chirp before it turned around and flew back to its flock. As it did, May thought about Swablu and the moments they shared even though it was only for a short time. She remembered feeding it, nurturing it, teaching it to fly with the magic powder. They even shared a few laughs as it was healling and had gotten to know each other. Now, it would all be over.
She watched Swablu make it to the others, and they all gathered around it in greeting. Swablu then twirled around in the air a little bit to show them it was feeling great. She thought they looked so happy together.
"Swablu," May muttered before she noticed something.
Swablu appeared to conversing with the other Swablu and Altaria, and they were taking glances at May occasionally. May and the others couldn't help but wonder what was going on. She then gasped when one of the Altaria appeared to hug the Swablu, and then Swablu flew back down to where May was and chirped in excitement at her.
"What is it, Swablu?" May asked.
"Blu! Blu! Blu!" Swablu squeaked and seemed to bounce in the air up and down.
"You know, May, it sounds like Swablu doesn't want to leave and prefers to stay with you," Brock said as he and the others came up behind her.
"Is…Is that really true, Swablu? You'd prefer to come along with me?" May asked hopefully.
"Blu!" Swablu replied in agreement.
May's heart felt ready to burst at that. She couldn't believe it. She had been dreading to say goodbye to Swablu, but it actually wanted to stay with her. May finally let the tears flow, but this time from joy, and she wrapped Swablu in a big hug.
"Thank you, Swablu! I'm so glad!" May exclaimed through her tears.
"Bluuuu!" Swablue chirped.
The others watched May and Swablu hug and felt happy themselves. They didn't want to see Swablu go, either, but now it looked like it was staying. Those two had built a great friendship and would be quite the team together.
The Swablu and Altaria watched for a moment before the apparent leader gave a cry and turned to leave with the others following it. May and Swablu turned to watch them go and waved goodbye as the others joined in.
"Thank you! I'll take really good care of Swablu! None of you will have to worry!" May called after them.
The flock continued to fly off into the sunset until they disappeared. May then smiled as she turned back to her new Pokemon.
"We're going to have a lot of fun times, Swablu," she told it.
"Blu!" Swablu chirped.
"In fact," May began, "I actually never got to hear you sing naturally. If you don't mind, would you do that for me, please?"
"I'd like to hear it, too," Serena added.
The others gathered around and awaited Swablu to sing. Swablu looked at everyone watching it and rubbed its cloud-like wings on the back of its head. It didn't usually join in its friend's melodies due to its style. May thought it was cute that Swablu was being shy, but she still encouraged it.
"Go on, Swablu. Please?" May asked gently.
Swablu then gave a determined nod as it began to sing. The others closed their eyes as they let a beautiful melody fill their ears…huh? Well, it definitely sounded like chirping which confirmed Swablu was singing. However, it wasn't the harmonious sound they were expecting to come from Swablu like with its Sing. It sounded more like…
"Is it rapping?" Ash asked as they watched Swablu make pumping sounds with its cloud wings against its beak.
"Uhhh…it does," Serena replied as the others felt like their jaws would drop to the ground. Out of all the music they expected to come from Swablu, rapping was not one them. Who knew the little guy was hiding something like this from them the whole time?
"So, I have a rapping Swablu?" May asked as she pictured Swablu in a pair of sunglasses and a hat on sideways. She then shook the stereotype from her head and picked it up as Swablu finished, "That was…great, Swablu. It wasn't what I expected, but I still love you anyway!"
"Heheh. My Blastoise and Croconaw would love you," Ash told Swablu with a chuckle before he looked at May, "Well, May, it looks like you got yourself a singin', swingin', Swablu!"
Swablu is male, by the way.
This was an easygoing chapter to prepare for the next few as they'll be quite intense. After those chapters happen, and something else, Ash will finally battle Norman, and like I said before, it won't be in the way you expect.
Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner rather than later as I'm looking forward to writing them. Until next time, have a good one!
Chapter 36: Mayhem at Meteor Falls