Episode 1: A Legend Set In Motion! Prem and the Poipole!

"I can do this," Prem said to himself repeatedly.

He believed he was capable of more than the average Pikachu, but as it turned out, he didn't do well in cold weather. He was on a journey to the depths of Mount Limber, a mystery dungeon made entirely of ice in Faernia's less inhabited reaches. It was a rescue mission as simple as all the ones before it: explore the region and save any Pokémon in need. His teammates had insisted he stop hours ago, but he wanted the time alone to his thoughts.

"I'm not going to freeze here," he whispered, scouting intently. The path ran underneath a sheet of ice, while a blizzard howled through the caves around him. It was colder than a winter sea and enough to leave his whole body numb. Stretching or jogging didn't help like he thought it would.

He shivered as he pulled his Mega Charizard-styled poncho over himself, his breath causing his view to frost. No. If I stop moving, I'll freeze. I have to keep going. Leos wouldn't give up here, either.

The thought made him raise his head, and his face became fierce. He knew he didn't have to be here. But if there was even one Pokémon that could be saved in the centre of this place, then that was all the reason he needed to push himself this hard. So he pressed on, tensing up to use Flash, and his yellow body began to glow like a torchlight. Right now, an old friend was irrelevant. It didn't matter if he had feelings for Leos or not. They didn't matter anymore.

"Don't kill yourself. Don't kill yourself. Don't kill yourself."

He shuffled across the ice to drown out the heavy sound of hail on the ceiling. All around him was all kinds of ice: black ice, sticky ice, the frostbite kind, even that nasty snow-like stuff that's too mushy to make a snowmon out of. The walls were solid and straight, lined with icicles and thick enough to reflect his yellow glow. Even with his best efforts to light up the dungeon, he couldn't see a single soul, nor could he hear one, either.

"Just a bit further. Just a bit further. Just a bit further."

He changed words for some positivity. His trek brought him to a tall wall where ledges of black ice stuck out in places, which looked to be an easy climb. He stretched in preparation, but quickly retracted. Just that movement made him feel like his arms were going to fall off.

Despite that, he braced for the worst as he threw himself into it with a cry that echoed through the area. He landed on the first ledge and immediately leapt for the next one. From ledge to ledge without rest all the way until he reached the top, where he finally slipped and fell. He yelled and writhed, rubbing his backside.

"Ah… hurts so much," he coughed. As he sat back breathing hard through his mouth, he came to realise how worn out he was. A little tumble like that wouldn't normally hurt him this much, but here he was, feeling like his back had split in two. His fur was damp with chilly particles, while frosty puffs came from every breath.

Maybe he was already frozen. Just waiting for a feral predator to show up and make a meal out of him. He slowly fell back, where his view grew dim as he couldn't summon the energy to stand. I can't be this pathetic. I have to keep going.

Those thoughts wouldn't stop, and his body burned with every breath. He managed to sit up to take one last look around. His hands hovered over his bag to bail out with an Escape Orb. Above him was the darkness of a cloud-covered sky. The walls around him shone a range of blues and whites, all the way down the slope ahead. He had to blink twice as he realised that his yellow glow had stopped when he hurt himself. The cave should have been in complete darkness again.

"What?" he whispered. He strained to walk on all fours as a sharp spike of pain burned with every step. The colours of the icy walls grew richer the further he went, right until he reached the source at the bottom. There, he stood up and gasped in awe.

A wall made of a myriad of colours stood tall before him. It looked like a mosaic made of all the colours of the rainbow and more, and all of it shone and sparkled with natural light. Prem glanced back and forth between the wall and the ceiling, and laughed at the natural wonder he'd discovered.

Sights like these were exactly why he loved to explore. Scenes that were chance encounters but left memories that would last a lifetime. He couldn't get enough of that experience, especially when it was shared with others. This trip was worth it after all.

"Leos would love to see this," he whispered. This was exactly the kind of scene where he would happily wrap an arm around Leos' back, and then the two would sit there and relax, soaking in the atmosphere. That was the thing that completed experiences like this, but the thought made him frown.

Leos isn't here anymore. C'mon Prem, that was a year ago. Stop being so stupid and pathetic! He shook himself again and clenched his fists. He gazed up at the wall one last time, and his heart sped up. Something was there that kept him staring, made him nervous. He stepped closer and squinted, and then nearly had a heart attack when he realised.

As he moved around, so did the colours of the wall due to the way the light refracted. However, one large purple section didn't move, nor did that section fit in with the mosaic theme. The more he stared, the more he realised that purple spot was a living thing. He stopped dwelling on it and whipped his tail into an Iron Tail attack.

He threw himself at the ice and spun his whole body so that his tail slashed it, shattering it in one strike. Only a section broke off, but it was enough to free the Pokémon. It landed in the middle of a rain of clear shards with a light thud.

He'd never seen anything like it. This insect-like Pokémon had three stingers on its head, one for each ear and a large one in the middle. After a long struggle to catch his breath, Prem warily lifted the tiny thing, letting its short stubs for hands and feet dangle. Its front and face was a bright pink. It was as frigid as the area, so he trembled as he dared to feel for a pulse, and flinched when he felt one.

"It's alive. Gods, its alive," he whispered, hoping it would wake up right there. Struggling to keep a hold of the Pokémon, he retrieved his Escape Orb and cast it above him. The orb flashed and surrounded him in a pillar of light, which he vanished into.

In the blink of an eye, he was back outside of the mystery dungeon with the Pokémon still in his arms. Inside of the cave he'd at least been protected from the hail, if not the cold, but now that he was outside, there was no respite from either. It didn't take long before he was sinking into the snow too, and he raised his head in numbing agony. If he didn't hurry, his legs were going to fall off.

"Guys!" Prem called, barely able to move – even a twitch sent a sharp pain through him. Not far from him was a caravan he and his team used, a compact room driven by metal wheels and an electric engine. An Alolan Ninetales just outside of it looked over when he called.

"Prem!" he bolting toward him. The rest of the team, a Raboot and a Morgrem, came out of the caravan and weren't far behind. A few minutes later, the group were gathered inside, where they warmed up thanks to a small fire.

"Four hours! Honestly Prem, you had us worried sick," Ninetales said, its tails stretched high. "I'm the ice type. If you were planning a full trip, you should've made me go instead."

"Never mind that. I'm okay now, thanks to you," Prem replied, paws held over the campfire. Being indoors let him wear his poncho loose, so now his bruises and scratches were poorly hidden. He couldn't stop shivering, either – his frostbite was worse than imagined. His paws were pink and just from standing up, his whole body ached. "More importantly, do any of you recognise this species?"

"I have been thinking about it since you came in. I cannot make any connections," Morgrem answered. She scratched her chin while she mixed a brew above the fire. The purple Pokémon was wrapped up beside her, breathing calmly. "I have never seen anything like it. To think that something like this was frozen in such a desolate place."

Raboot didn't say anything at all, crouched to get a better look at the creature. He kept his paws in his fur pockets while he sniffed it, but he didn't get a reaction at all.

"Out of the way now," Morgrem said, and blew steam off a spoon. She delicately fed the Pokémon her brew, surprised to have it respond and swallow without her help. It cringed and started to shuffle and mumble, so she put it back down. "I know it is horribly bitter, but please try to withstand it."

Prem let out a breath and gestured everyone aside so that he was the first thing it saw when it woke up. He was a little intimidated by its eyes, which slowly opened to reveal a pure cyan glow. Its mouth was the same, pure cyan within. Even its tongue was that alien.

"Huh. A-ah, I'm awake. I'm awake, I'm awake, I'm awake, I'm awake! Hallelujah, I'm awake!" The Pokémon shot up. It spun and danced with swirly movements, but quickly hit the ceiling with a thump before anyone could give warning. It fell into Prem's face, and the two nearly fell over.
"A-are you okay?" Prem took note that the Pokémon was still as cold as he was. Just touching it like this flared up his frostbite, and he grunted in an effort not to scrunch up his face.

The Pokémon blinked continuously, clearly lost in a daze for a moment. "It was you. You got me out of the ice. Thank you so much!"

Prem didn't know how to respond. This little thing sounded more adorable than it looked, and even more in motion. Its voice was high-pitched and smooth, like that of a bright young boy. Before he could figure out what to say, the Pokémon dove in and nuzzled itself right into his cheek.

"A-ah ouch, wait, stop," Prem tried to pull himself free of the pain. He quickly realised just how frail the Pokémon was, and refrained from putting any force. This Pokémon was lighter than expected, and its grip was no more delicate than a newborn. Any force might hurt it, so he put up with its excessive affection. It wasn't showing any signs of stopping, so he made his cheeks crackle a little bit to get it to back off.

"Oooh, you can glow. Your cheeks glow." The Pokémon said, a hand on its lip as it admired Prem up close.

Prem groaned. He had to fix his poncho and look away to keep from blushing. "What's with you?"

A low rumble was his answer, and the Pokémon slumped, rubbing its belly. "The hungry. I have the hungry and my tummy hurts."

"I imagine that's a given." Prem retrieved an apple from his bag and offered it, while his team got to work on a proper meal. The Pokémon eyed the fruit, a hand going to its lip again.

"Is this for me? Is this food?" they wondered.

"Uh, yes? Have you never seen an apple before?" Prem raised an eyebrow.

"Yay!" it squeaked. It snatched the fruit and stuffed it down its gullet, seeds, stem and all, and then begged for more. Seeing the Pokémon as an insect before, Prem wasn't expecting the Pokémon to eat with its mouth, but that was what it did. It didn't seem to have teeth, but it managed the food just fine.

"At least it isn't a picky eater," Ninetales said to the others. Prem shrugged and handed them more of his rations. Apples, biscuits, and a canteen of water. Minutes later and it was flat on its back rubbing a full belly, surrounded by crumbs. With how content it looked, he wasn't even mad that it ate everything he had.

"So delicious. Real food is yummy," it mumbled.

"Um, excuse me," Prem said.

"Oh. Oh!" The Pokémon floated up to Prem, but he pushed away from the cuddle this time. "You saved me again. You saved me from the hungry. Thank you!"

Prem couldn't keep himself from blushing this time. "Urf. Excuse me but, what Pokémon are you? We've never seen your species before."

"What Pokémon am I? Oh no! I forgot, I am in this world now," the Pokémon cried. "Or am I? I do not know. Please tell me where I am."

"We're at the foot of Mount Limber. I found you frozen in ice." Prem pointed out the window. There was a pause. "Er, you know. The northern reaches of Faernia? The fairy kingdom of Etheria."

"Then I am here. I made it! But barely. And you are the one who saved me. That means you are the saviour! And your cheeks can glow, too. You make light. This world has light because of you," the Pokémon said, getting more excited with every word.

"Please calm down. I'm just a Pikachu, nothing special." Prem tugged at his poncho. "I'm the leader of this rescue team. We're just doing our job."

"Sometimes I feel like it's just your job." Ninetales turned away. Morgrem pinched him.

"But I saw light from your cheeks!" The Pokémon pointed.

"That's something Pikachu can do. Lots of Pokémon species can do that." Prem tapped his cheek to let out a light spark. "It's how I use my electric attacks. But enough about me. What about you?"

"This kid's a funny one," Ninetales commented.

"Be wary, but be kind," Morgrem ridiculed. Raboot grumbled, looking like he was half paying attention.

"But you saved me twice. You have to be special. You are the Radiant One, are you?" the Pokémon said. Prem went totally stiff.

"The Radiant One? Way to praise. Have you really never seen a Pokémon glow before?" Ninetales asked.

"You saved me and you made lots of light. You are from this world that has light, too. You have to be the Radiant One! You are the only one who can save my world," the Pokémon squeaked.

"He's probably delirious from the hunger and the cold. Poor thing," Ninetales sighed.

"Guys," Prem hissed, half turned back.

"… Prem?" Morgrem said after a moment.

The Pikachu ignored them. "Please calm down and start from the top."

"I came from a place that does not have light. You cannot see your hand in front of your face because it is so dark. But I found a special Pokémon from a place called Etheria. I want to find that Pokémon so that I can ask it save my world. The story called it the Radiant One," the Pokémon explained.

Prem's heart raced. His thoughts returned to the excitement he struggled to hold in when he saw the ice mosaic. Only now, it was a hyperactive realisation that had him speechless. When he asked for the story, he didn't expect to be told everything he had heard before. Okay, Prem. Keep it steady now. We can help this Pokémon.

He opened his mouth to reply, and then thought twice. There were bigger questions, such as what all this meant, or why this Pokémon was frozen. Settling on a thought, he nodded and smiled. "Okay. We'll help you."

"You will? Yay!" the Pokémon cheered.

"We will?" the others gasped.

"I'm not the Radiant One. But I've heard of it before," Prem informed. He tried to stay calm, but his fingers wouldn't stop fidgeting.

"You have? I mean I shouldn't be surprised, but it's just like you to believe this," Morgrem put a claw on her hip. "What do we do?"

"You're not going to question me on it?" Prem asked.

"Please, it's you. How many times have we pondered over ancient folklore and struck gold?" She winked.

"Your track record will always hold our trust. So don't waver," Raboot said. "What do we do, leader?"

"You guys… okay. We have to find the Radiant One, of course. And for something like that, we need all the help we can get." Prem turned away, and the room became quiet. The others shuffled after a moment, and their faces concentrated.

"Leos," Morgrem said. Prem's hands became fists for good. "You're going to ask Leos for help, aren't you?"

That's the best I can do. He gulped, and a ball of sick churned in his stomach. He couldn't even respond to the question, and blinked away the feeling of oncoming tears. As if sensing his turmoil, Raboot walked into his view and gave him a fiery glare.

"You don't have to do what you don't want to do," Raboot proposed, his tone stale and words just loud enough to be heard. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I… I will. Sorry about that," Prem said just as quietly. He shook his head and turned to the purple Pokémon. "I've heard of the legend of the Radiant One before. I didn't think it was real, but you know it, and the story is exactly the same as what I know."

"You are super nice. I really like you," the Pokémon said.

"We can't help you directly, but I'll take you to a Pokémon that can help you. His name is Leos. He knows lots about old legends and stuff. He'll know exactly where to start looking," Prem continued. "Until then, please stick with us."

"Yes, Daddy!" the Pokémon said, hands on its hips.

Prem flinched. "Daddy? Wa-wait a minute, where did that come from?"

"You are a super nice Pokémon, and I really like you. So I really love you! You will be my Daddy," the Pokémon announced. Prem's team was jaw-dropped, and glanced at him.

"Slow down, back up a few steps. I'm too young to be a dad! At least for a kid your age. Er, that sounds like your age. And that's not how it works. I don't even know what species you are," Prem objected.

"I am called Poipole. But I want you to give me a name. Please give me a name, Daddy." Poipole flew right up to him.

"This can't be happening," Prem whispered. He couldn't close his mouth, leading the others to give him sly looks.

"Well then, better get to it, daddy," Ninetales said, half-lidded.

"And take good care of him, too," Morgrem added.

"Guys, please," Prem sighed and slumped. "Are you for real? I just met you, why would I give you a name?"

"Because I really love you. I want the person I call Daddy to give me a name." Poipole announced.

Wait a minute. I guess this Pokémon is an orphan? They're just not being very clear about it. Prem realised. Poipole patiently stared at him. An innocent smile never left their face. It doesn't seem like they could mean any harm, either. It's unusual, but if we're going to be travelling together, then it at least smooths things out.

"What's wrong with the name Poipole?" Prem asked.

"Poipole is my Pokémon name, like yours is… er, what Pokémon did you say you are called again?" Poipole asked.

"Pikachu. I'm Prem, the Pikachu," he introduced.

"Pikachu! Poipole is my Pokémon name, like yours is Pikachu. But I want a special name. Everyone in a family has a special name," Poipole said.

"Why not these guys? They saved you too, you know." Prem turned to everyone else, but they all shook their heads or turned away.

"But you saved me more," Poipole whined. "You saved me from the ice, the hungry, and now you are helping me find the Radiant One. Pikachu, you would be the best Daddy, and the one I love the most," Poipole reasoned.

"If you're really, absolutely okay with that, then… Laurent," Prem said. His team were surprised.

"Lor-roont?" Poipole replied.

"Laurent. Call you Lau for short. That's your name. Laurent the Poipole. And you can call me Prem, too. I'm Prem, Prem the Pikachu."

"But it is rude to call Daddy by their real name! Daddy is okay." Laurent bounced.

"Please please please don't call me that in public." Prem slumped.

"I'm so happy though. I have a name now. I like it, I like it, I like, I like, hallelujah!" Laurent cheered.

"I really don't want anyone to call me daddy," Prem sighed. What am I doing? I'm not good enough to be a father.

"You really played along. Why the name Laurent?" Morgrem wondered, a claw on her hip.

"It means 'the bright, shining one'. They're a little Pokémon that's come from a world of darkness, hoping to save it by getting light. That's fitting, don't you think?" Prem smiled. "Sorry if that's a little corny. I'm superstitious like that."

"Yes, you are. But if this is real, then that means something dangerous is afoot. A world of darkness, that a mere child has come as a messenger to warn us of," Morgrem stated. Prem frowned.

"That's why we should bring Leos into this. I'm hoping it's nothing big, but whatever it means," Prem replied. "So don't worry about me when it comes to Leos. This is important, so I have to—"

A loud thump and a cry sounded out, and they all turned to see Laurent had hit their head on the ceiling again. They slowly floated down with eyes a daze, where Prem caught them. Laurent warmed up enough for contact not to hurt anymore, to his surprise. All he had left were aches and bruises.

"It means we're probably going to have to get a hole in the roof," Ninetales commented.

"We're not getting a retractable roof! Especially not in this weather," Prem cried.