Author's Notes
Knock knock, it's me. Ya' boi Fluffarooni back with another mediocre pokémon fanfiction!
Thanks for reviewing: no one, nobody, and not a soul. How come? It's the first chapter, that's why! You can't review a story before it's even posted.
Also, this story is going to be first person instead of third person like previous story.
Blah blah, here's some formatting mumbo-jumbo.
Normal test is someone talking.
Italics is someone thinking.
Daisy's Point of View
My day hadn't started different from any other, but I remember it clearly due to the distinctly abnormal events that would soon follow.
I stretched with a yawn as I awoke. I flexed my stiff limbs, my dream already fading from mind. Something about oran berries... I think?
Anyhow, I quickly banished any thoughts of going back to sleep from my mind, and climbed out of my small den near the river.
It was still dark out; the sun's warm embrace was not yet gracing my bright leaves.
Oh- how silly of me! I forgot to mention that I'm a leafeon. One of quite a few in this forest.
The ground was damp, and the air was humid. I gingerly walked over to the river for a drink, as my tongue was dry as an autumn leaf.
As I lapped at the water, enjoying the cool liquid on my tongue, I saw a magikarp swimming by. I hadn't eaten much recently or had the time to sit down and soak up some sun, so I figured why not?
I slowly stepped into the flowing rapids. The water was too shallow to be that dangerous to me; the surface only reached half up my forelegs. I began a determined sprinted through the channel, my dainty brown paws lightly splashing each step. The magikarp I was chasing was fast, but I was confident that I was faster.
I lowered my head, quickening my downstream tread. I was gaining on the magikarp, but my advantage was quickly running out. As we traveled, the stream widened and the water deepened.
I thought the magikarp was in reach, so I lunged forward with my fangs bared. My jaws clamped down on... nothing! The clever fish had avoided my attack, and my blunder in judgement had cost me a few meters of gain. Deterred but not yet defeated, I started to pump my legs and swim forward toward the karp.
My grass type abilities came in handy. I called out to the river flora, having it gently pull me through the water at my command. While this offered me a bit of extra speed, it wasn't anywhere near enough. I swam sideways toward the shoreline, never taking my eyes off my prey.
As soon as my paws touched the bank, I pulled myself up and began running next to the river alongside the magikarp. I absorbed the water in my fur, and propelled myself forward at high speeds.
The karp kept it's eye on me, judging my every move. It knew I would lunge again, and it recalled how it had escaped from me before. So naturally, it would do the same thing if I went for it again.
This fish was smart, but I was smarter. While it could learn, I could adapt. I crouched low to the ground, and leapt toward the water. Just as I had suspected, it slowed down in the hope that I'd harmlessly splash down in front of it. But to it's surprise, I angled my pounce slightly backwards, and caught the magikarp in my jaws.
It flopped and flailed as I plucked it from the water. I smiled happily to myself as I swam back to the riverbank. I climbed out with my prize in my mouth, tossing it onto the ground and circling it to inspect it.
"Hold still!" I shouted at the flopping fish. It didn't understand me of course. Or if it did it wasn't obeying.
It was a large one; this was a fairly good catch. It would feed me for a good few days. I batted it around with a paw for a bit, watching the fish flop around.
I soon got tired of playing with my food. It had been flopping back toward the water, so I sank my teeth into it's tail fin and pulled it back.
I raised my tail, preparing to tear it through the fish's skull with a leaf blade attack to end it's life. I did feel bad about killing, but I had to eat somehow.
It was at that moment that I heard familiar thumping paw steps approaching.
"Hey, Daisy!" the approaching pokémon called. "Did you catch me something to eat?"
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"Catch something yourself, Fawn. You're perfectly capable."
The zorua finally appeared from the bushes, walking up to me with a pout on her face.
"Awww, but Daisy!" she whined. "I'm lazy! And I'm so hungry..."
"You know tha-" I started, before I heard a light splash. We both slowly turned our heads back to the river, where the magikarp I had caught was quickly swimming away.
I turned back toward my friend with a piercing glare. She shrank back with a sheepish smile.
"I uh..."
"You're gonna help me catch another one, and you can only have the bones."
"Aww, but I don't like the bones!"
"And I don't like that my breakfast swimming away."
"Okay, fine..."
The two of us ran along the riverbank, searching for another fish. We soon found another magikarp, a much larger one than before.
My zorua partner morphed her appearance into that of a magikarp, hopping into the water in front of it.
The real fish stopped in it's tracks. It looked at the 'magikarp' in front of it curiously, as I snuck up behind it.
With one quick motion, I bit it's tail and flung it from the water. I caught it before it landed, and swam back to the riverbank once again. Fawn retook the form of a zorua.
I cut the fish in half with one quick swipe, pushing half of it towards my zorua companion. She looked at me confused.
"I thought you said I could only have the bones?"
"Just take it before I change my mind."
Fawn didn't object any further. She tore the red flesh off from the fish, moaning loudly as she chewed up the fish and filled her belly.
I sighed, smiling to myself as I began to do the same. Not as savagely, of course.
When we finished our meals, the zorua gave a loud burp.
"Oh, man! I'm stuffed... Thanks, Daisy!"
"It's no problem. Now, go back to doing whatever you were gonna do, we can hang out later."
"Oh, okay!" She ran off without another word.
I looked down to examine what was left of the fish. Fawn had completely demolished her half, save for the bones. I had only eaten a small portion of mine, saving the rest for another day.
I picked up what was left of the fish in my maw and continued to walk along the river. It was early morning, so most of the intelligent pokémon were not up and about yet.
We had a community, of sorts. Intelligent pokémon didn't attack or eat each other. We all helped provide for each other, and used berries as a sort of currency in exchange for services and items.
I approached a large clearing in the middle of the forest where most of the shops were set up. There were very few dens around here, the landscape instead being littered with primitive buildings.
From what I heard, they were nowhere near as advanced as humans could build. I had never seen a human building before. I had never even seen a human! All I knew was that they were scary and dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs.
Everyone had heard the legends. Large, imposing pokémon that captured everyone else in tiny balls, enslaving them to do their bidding. The slaves were used for labor, trade, and battling for their amusement.
I shuddered at the thought. I hoped I would never encounter one of them.
Soon enough, I came into the clearing. There were very few other pokémon roaming about. A few eevees were playing, a froakie was inspecting it's shop, and some pokémon I didn't recognize bartering with a pignite over something.
I didn't have any berries on me, so I opted not to wait around for the clearing to start filling up.
I walked back into the thickets, choosing a random direction to explore. The forest was still dark, the sun's bright rays only barely illuminating the sky above. I pranced through the thick woods, enjoying my surroundings and the serene atmosphere of the early morning.
I hadn't been keeping track of how long I had running, but when I stopped to look around I was in an unfamiliar part of the forest. The sky was a dark blue, and it was getting easier to see as the minutes passed.
The heightened visibility allowed me to make out an odd detail. Next to a tree, there was a large pokémon lying unconscious. I gingerly walked up to it.
It was large, and lanky. It had strange, loose skin in some areas, and regular tight skin in others. There was a thick web keeping it attached to the tree.
I observed it curiously, the light began to reveal something that surprised me. There was number of gashes and wounds covering it's body.
I quickly sniffed at it. It didn't smell infected, but that didn't mean I was going to neglect treating it. I worridly looked into the sleeping pokémon's face.
How had something so large been injured so badly? If there was a pokémon capable of such feats nearby, then I and the sleeping pokémon certainly stood no chance against it.
Whatever it was, it was probably coming back soon. I bit into the large beast's loose skin, and began dragging it back the way I came from.
It took a while, but I managed to drag the beast to my den. I crammed it inside the best I could, and hopped in with it. There was barely enough room to fit the two of us, but it would have to do.
I began my work on cleaning it's wounds. I gently lapped at them with my tongue, making sure not to cause the sleeping beast too much pain.
It flinched every once in a while, but otherwise laid still. Well, I guess I shouldn't call the beast an it. It was a he, as I had found out by accident when my paw brushed over something it shouldn't have.
After I was content with my work, I had nothing else to do but wait for him to wake up. I studied the creature carefully. It both looked and smelled weird. It was one of the larger pokémon I've seen.
I layed on my back and continued to wait. And wait. And wait. Soon I got fed up, and smacked him across the face with my tail.
It didn't work, so I did it again. And again. I was preparing for a fourth hit, but his eyes began to flutter open.
The beast looked around a bit, before it's eyes landed on me. It gasped in shock, and began to try and back away. I took a step forward, but it began shouting in a strange tongue.
"Calm down!" I pleaded. Against my will, my ears flattening against my head as I backed up in fear. I'm not sure if it understood me, but it did calm down enough to not seem scary. It spoke more in that weird language, opting my to tilt my head.
"Eat," I commanded, nudging the rest of my magikarp towards it. The beast looked down in confusion, seemingly unsure what to do with the fish. I took a bite and nudged it forward a bit more. That beast seemed to understand.
It reached out with it's large hand, looking into my eyes without grasping it. It began to say something else, so I just nodded. The beast grabbed the fish. It slowly began to eat it, still staring at me.
I turned my back away from it and laid down, hoping to appear less threatening to whatever it was. Judging by the gross sounds it made while it quickly ate, I was correct.
Maxwell's Point of View
It was an exciting prospect, to say the least. I had never been on a camping trip before, so my parents were excited to teach me everything about it! My sister had never been either, but she didn't seem to share my enthusiasm.
It was a strange idea. Nineteen years on this planet, and I had never once slept outside before. To any other species it'd be a strange concept, but for a human it felt normal.
My dad smiled brightly as we parked near the edge of the forest, the joy clear on his bearded face.
"We're here!" he cheered, clicking a button to unlock the doors. The four of us poured out of the van.
We all walked down a well-worn trail, gazing around the forest and admiring all the flora and fauna.
"This place is amazing!" I breathed. I hadn't meant to say it outloud, but my family didn't need to know that detail.
"It is, isn't it?" my mother agreed.
My sister walked close to my father's legs, visibly scared of the forest around. He picked her up and carried her with a smile.
"Don't be afraid!" he laughed. "The pokémon won't hurt you!"
We soon arrived at our campsite.
My dad began to pitch a tent, my mother and sister digging through a bag to look for food.
"Hey boy!" my dad called, prompting me to look in his direction. "Go search for some good firewood, will ya'?"
I nodded, and wandered off into the forest.
I was looking for firewood at first, but I soon zoned out and simply admired the forest's beauty. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours.
I was snapped out of my thoughts by the rustling of a bush. I looked in it's direction and saw nothing, so I looked away and continued.
The longer I walked, the more frequent and intense the rustling got. Eventually I stopped in my tracks. So did the rustling. I turned around, when suddenly a pokémon leapt at me.
It was large, and I didn't know what it was. It tackled me to the ground, beginning to tear up my skin. I landed a punch on it's face, but it didn't seem affected.
We rolled around in a tussle, when it got fed up and tore it's horns across my face. I covered the new wound with my hands, screaming in pain. It took this opportunity to charge at me, sending my flying into the tree.
It took a look at me (presumably to make sure I wouldn't go anywhere), before spitting some sort of web all over me and leaving.
I just laid there in pain. I have no idea how long. My vision was beginning to fade, and I accepted my fate and closed my eyes, letting sleep take me.
When I had again awoken, it was in unfamiliar territory. I was in some sort of dirt enclosure. A very small one. I looked around for a bit, before my eyes landed on a pokémon.
Already shaken and scared from my last encounter with a pokémon, I tried to back up, but a sharp pain in my leg and the wall behind me prevented me from making much progress.
"Ah, god damn it!" I shouted, as pain flared up my leg.
The pokémon cried out, backing up and looking a bit scared. I felt bad about scaring it and stopped moving. I took a closer look at my company: the pokémon was a leafeon. A very cute one. It perked it's ears up and looked at me.
"Uh, I'm sorry..." I mumbled to it.
The leafeon cried out at me once more, nudging a dead magikarp toward me. I was a bit confused. It leaned down and took a bite, before nudging it further.
Now understanding that it was food, I reached for it but stopped. Maybe it wasn't offering? It didn't hurt to ask.
"Is this for me?" I asked, receiving a nod in response. I took the fish and slowly began to eat it, staring at the strange pokémon in front of me. It eventually turned away and laid down.
Shrugging, I began to eat the magikarp faster, in deep thought.
The leafeon was cuter than most pokémon I've seen, but that wasn't the only thing abnormal. It seemed more intelligent than I would assume at first, and it was seemingly trying to help me.
It seemed friendly, but I couldn't help but let my mind wander to ulterior motives.
Perhaps it was going to kill me itself? But, that didn't make sense. Why would it feed me if it was going to kill me?
Well that's easy enough to counter. Maybe it was fattening me up to eat me later. But in that case, why wasn't I restrained?
That's easy too. My leg is injured, I won't be going anywhere.
But then again, why not just eat the magikarp? If anything, the leafeon would be losing out on more food by giving it to me instead. Perhaps it just wasn't as smart of a pokémon as I assumed. But somehow, I felt that wasn't true.
Maybe it was just helping me out of the kindness of it's heart, maybe it had other motivations. But at least for the time being, I was still alive and thankful for that.