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Butterfree's antenna twitch. His wings are drooped onto the ground, their once pristine whiteness flaking off dried blood. Tiny blue paws stroke the pink head of his mate, being mindful of the bent antenna. Red eyes are glazed, staring aimlessly at the once beautiful wings of the other Butterfree, now reduced to nothing more than shredded and bleeding tatters.
Butterfree nuzzles his mate, trying to escape the images of their eggs laying broken and smashed around him. Her scent already reeks of decay. He knows she is dead. Her and their unborn children murdered when he went out to collect them berries for dinner. His, admittedly weak, sense of smell is just strong enough to pick up the stench of humans. Of insane glee and perverse pleasure.
Whoever did this to his family enjoyed it. Thrived on it.
Glistening tears begin to well in his red eyes, the saltine wetness making twin streaks down his purple face.
That is when he hears it.
Or him to be more exact.
"Are you sure this is the right way Vulpix?" A male voices questions from somewhere behind him.
"Of course Ash. I might not be an Arcanine but my sense of smell is still better than a lot of other Pokémon. Now, the Team Rocket member's scent follows this path."
"I'm sorry," The voice sounds contrite, "I don't mean to doubt you we have just been walking for what feels like forever trying to find him."
Butterfree can feel his body tense. The conversation that had been going on behind him comes to a sudden halt. The trainer and his Pokémon had just entered the small clearing.
"Oh my Arceus." The human's, Ash's if he heard right, voice breathes from behind him. The horror in it is obvious.
The trainer slowly approaches Butterfree, his movements remaining largely unthreatening; Vulpix staying at the mouth of the clearing.
"Hello." His voice is a hushed whisper, as if he is scared the slightest wrong move will set off Butterfree. "My name is Ash. I am so sorry for your loss." He continues the few more feet that separates them and kneels down next to the distraught Pokémon. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Butterfree doesn't know if it is the calming, soothing, loving aura that encases the young human like a cocoon, or the shock of what just happened finally sinking in, but the next thing he knows he is in the human's arms. Tears are now freely pouring down his purple face, and small blue paws are clutching at the white shirt of the trainer.
"Please don't leave me. Please." Butterfree begs. "I don't want to be alone. Please."
Ash clutches the wailing Pokémon tightly, yet gently. "Shh." Ash says, running a calming hand up and down the back of the Butterfree. "I promise not to leave you. You're safe with me."
Butterfree doesn't know why, but he believes him.
Mount Moon is one of Ash's favorite places. The Pokémon are friendly, it is secluded enough that he doesn't have to deal with too many other people, and it is home to one of his good friends, Professor Seymour.
It is with these thoughts in mind that the young trainer enters the renowned Mountain of the Kanto region.
Only to abruptly stop in confusion.
There is usually an active energy in the cave, the walls and floors vibrate with the movement of the cave dwelling Pokémon. Even before his senses were trained, Ash could feel the slight energy that the Zubats' echolocation gave off.
But now? Nothing.
Tightening the hold on his pack that contains his sleeping Pikachu, Ash creeps forward into the darkness.
Amber eyes scan his surroundings, a faint blue tint belaying his use of aura.
His sneakers make crunching noises under his feet, causing him to wince slightly. Whatever it was that could make an entire cave full of Pokémon silent was enough to make the young trainer weary.
It wasn't until he reach midway into the cave that he came across his first Pokémon. A sleeping Paras.
With black markings littered all over its' small orange body.
Cocking his head in confusion, Ash squats down next to the bug Pokémon. Hovering a hand over its' body, he does a cursory check only to be confused when all of its vitals come back clean. The only thing wrong with the Paras was that it is asleep.
Scrunching his brows together in confusion, Ash gazes deeper into the tunnel, surprised when he finds more Pokémon in similar situations.
Feeling more curious than weary, the Pallet Town native makes his way towards the Moon Stone, knowing that Professor Seymour might be able to explain what is going on.
Carefully stepping over the sleeping Clefairy, Ash is unsurprised to find the occupants of this room asleep too.
What he is surprised to find is a Jigglypuff drawing squiggles on Professor Seymour's snoring face.
"What are you doing?" Ash questions.
The Jigglypuff jumps in surprise, the black marker/microphone jerking up in her hand causing a weird line to be slashed across the Professor's face.
Turning her plump body to face the trainer in front of her, Jigglypuff's cheeks blow out in an adorable pout.
"I came here to see if any of these Pokémon would listen to me sing. They fell asleep! That hurts my feelings you know? Everyone always falls asleep when I try to perform for them! I thought that because these Pokémon lived in a cave that they would be able to listen to my beautiful voice! But no! They just wanted to sleep too!" Jigglypuff rants, her small pink fist shaking angrily in the air.
Tilting his head in consideration, Ash mulls it over. "Do you ever think that because you are singing, you might be using your ability Sing which is putting people to sleep?"
Stuttering, Jigglypuff stares broodily at her microphone. "It is the only way I know how to sing."
"Well," Ash states, moving towards the pink Pokémon. "How about you perform for me? If I don't fall asleep you have to promise to not draw on anymore faces, and to help me clean them off."
Eyeing the young human sitting next to her, Jigglypuff weighs her options. On one hand she could sing to this young trainer and he would actually stay awake during it, which would finally give her an audience. Or, he would fall asleep and she could just draw on his face too.
It was a win win for her.
"Okay fine, but you have to stay awake during the whole thing and you have to pay attention." Jigglypuff bargains, waggling a threating finger at the human male.
Putting his hands up in a placating gesture, Ash nods his assent. "Fine, fine."
Nodding resolutely, Jigglypuff climbs further up onto the rock formation and turns to face her, hopefully, captivated audience.
And then she begins to sing.
Ash, who manipulated his aura to his ears, keeps his eyes locked on
Jigglypuff's the entire time.
Jigglypuff, surprised that this human hasn't fallen asleep yet, continues to sing. She loses track of how long she sings for. But she knows she has never felt this exhilaration before.
She begins to jump from one foot to the other, doing little twirls as her voice rises and falls in tone.
Reaching her crescendo, Jigglypuff gives a large bow towards her captivated audience of one.
Giggling, Jigglypuff beams at the dark haired trainer. "You did it! You stayed awake! How?"
Ash only shrugs his shoulders. "Trade secret." He tells her, winking.
Standing up and dusting off his jeans, he gives the pink Pokémon a stern look. "Now you have to help me clean the markings off of all the Pokémon you drew on."
Jigglypuff pouts, but nods her head anyways. "Fine."
It took them several hours, but they had finally managed to help clean up all the Pokémon in the cave.
Ash and Professor Seymour are sitting next to each other, enjoying the show the Clefairy are putting on. Their dancing and twirling beautiful in the moonlight that glitters off of the rocks inside the cave.
Taking a sip of his hot chocolate Seymour gives the young Pallet Town trainer a small smile. "Thanks for today Ash."
Ash, who had been watching Jigglypuff and a Clefairy compare notes over drawing techniques, turns to give Seymour a bright smile.
"It was no problem Professor. I was happy to help."
Ruffling his shaggy brown hair, Seymour smiles impishly at the younger man. "You don't have to call me professor Ash, Seymour is just fine."
"Of course Seymour." Ash says quietly, cupping his cup of hot chocolate between both of his hands.
They continue sitting there, letting the lull of activity surround them.
Seymour is about to say something else, when they hear it. A keening shriek. It continues for several more seconds, the sound a tortured one.
Ash is up and running down the darkened tunnel towards their left before Seymour has time to process what's happening.
It takes him several minutes to find the source of the cries, but when he does Ash stops cold. A Zubat, no bigger than Ash's hand, is fluttering underneath a rock.
A portion of its wing is caught underneath a rock. The young Zubat is furiously trying to escape, only causing itself more pain as the thin membrane of wing tears against the constant pulling and tugging.
Rushing forward, Ash kneels beside the young Zubat, hovering his hand over its tiny body and releasing small amounts of calming waves through his aura.
"Don't worry little guy, I'll get you out."
The young Zubat, now that it is no longer in a panic, turns its' eyeless face towards Ash, taking comfort in his presence.
"Help?" He squeaks out weakly.
"Yes young one, just stay still and I will get you out as soon as I can."
The Zubat nods slightly, his blue body shivering in pain.
Ash steps over the quivering Pokémon, making sure not to step on him, and assesses the rock. It comes up to waist and is as wide as a Graveler. He might not be able to push it off entirely, but he might be able to life it enough for Zubat to get his wing out.
Nodding to himself, Ash squats back down next to Zubat and rests a calming hand gently atop his head. "This is the plan. I'm not strong enough to completely move the rock, but I should be able to lift it a bit to help you get your wing out from underneath it. When I say to move, can you move?"
Zubat's eyeless face somehow gives an air of determination. With a jerking nod of his head, Ash knows this little guy can handle it.
"Okay."
Squatting in front of the rock, and over Zubat, Ash wiggles his fingers as much as he can underneath the rock. "Okay, I'm going to lift now. As soon as you can, move your wing out."
Getting a squeak in reply, Ash gets a firm grip before lifting up with his legs as much as he can.
Hearing the sound of Zubat scuttling slightly across the floor, Ash drops the rock thankful that it was over quickly because his arms had already begun shaking.
Looking towards the quivering Pokémon, Ash gently bends down to examine him. The membrane on his right wing is torn, leaving bloody tatters behind. Even with his progress in aura training, Ash knew he would not be able to heal this.
"I'm going to take you to Nurse Joy. Hopefully she will be able to help you." Ash tells the small Pokémon, gently scooping him up and making his ways towards the Pokémon Center, unaware of the two Pokémon following behind him.
Nurse Joy's lips are pursed tight, a sure sign of her mood. Her usually impeccable hair is sticking out in little strands around her head, her cap lost somewhere in the Operating Room underneath pounds of bloodied gauze.
Her usual warmth filled eyes have dimmed. She has a speck of blood on her cheek. Chansey, her Pokémon partner, is gently rubbing her stubby hands against the Nurse's back.
"I was able to heal Zubat's wing however," here she takes a deep steadying breath, "He will never be able to fly again."
Ash felt the wind being knocked out of him. His heart aching for the tiny Zubat sleeping on the white bed.
"What will happen to him?" Ash questions, unsure he wants the answer.
Nurse Joy's face is crushed. "If he goes back to the cave you found him in, he will no longer be able to look for food for himself. He will starve to death. No trainer will want him because he is useless in battle."
Nurse Joy settles a warm hand on his shoulder. "The humane thing to do would be to euthanize him."
Ash's head whips around in shock, tears burning against his eyes. "No!" He yells at her, before shaking himself and calming down slightly. "No, I will take care of him. I don't care if he can never battle. He's just a child. So little."
Nurse Joy gives the young trainer a proud smile. "I knew my sisters were right about you Ash. You really do have a heart of gold."
Ash shrugs uncomfortably. "I'm sure anyone would do the same."
Nurse Joy does not say anything. She only smiles.
It is as Ash is leaving Pewter City, a tiny Zubat sitting atop his head nibbling on his hat and Pikachu in position on his shoulder that Ash runs into the mischievous Jigglypuff and her new companion Clefairy.
"We want to go with you!" Jigglypuff exclaims happily to the confused young trainer.
Cocking his head, Ash eyes the two warily. "Why?"
Clefairy, who is standing just behind the other pink Pokémon, speaks up. "Because we want to help Zubat. When Jigglypuff sang earlier it made the other Pokémon in the cave fall asleep, We heard from a Paras that lives in there that a Golem accidently fell into a wall and it caused the rock to fall that landed on top of Zubat."
Ash nods in understanding. "So you want to try to earn Zubat's forgiveness?" He questions the plump Pokémon.
Jigglypuff nods her head rapidly. "Yes please."
"And you Clefairy?"
"I want to go with Jigglypuff because she is my friend."
Ash makes an 'ahhing' noise. "And is this okay with you, Zubat?"
Zubat, who is still trying to cope with the loss of his ability to fly, nods with a jerk of his head.
"Yes."
Ash brings his hands together in front of his body. "Well okay then."
Tossing two Pokeballs at the pink Pokémon, he continues his journey down the sandy path and into the sunset.