Hey all I am back with another exciting chapter for Legend of the Mightyena child.
I am back from my trip have been for a few weeks. Sorry it takes me so long to get these chapters done. I do have other stories I am working on. Also, changed the rating from M to T. I hope this will go over well.
Reason I made it M in the first place because I know later in the story, something happens that is potentially a life and death situation. Though other than that nothing that mature really happens and I have seen worse happen in T rated stories before.
Enough about that though, onto the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon
(Michael's POV)
"I can't go on a journey without a human companion to help me out." Mary tells me before continuing. "Mama and Papa will only agree if you pass the test. So, will you do it?"
Will I do it? Uh let me think about that…NO! Why should I risk my life for a girl I don't even know? Sure, she was willing to help me out of the woods and yes, she was just protecting me from her overprotective wolf parents. But I don't owe her anything!
I then make the mistake of looking at Mary. At this moment, it is not hard to believe Mary was raised by Mightyena. She has that sad puppy dog look down pact. I will not give in though! I am getting out of these woods tonight!
Why should I care if some girl I just met couldn't leave the forest she grew up in? Sure, she may never get out of here and fulfill her dream, but that's not my problem! Will I feel guilty I didn't help her…? Fine! Fine, I'll do it I'll help her get out of here. But only so I don't have a guilty conscience and because that puppy dog look is killing me!
"Where do I set up camp?" I ask Mary with a sigh.
Away went the sad puppy dog and in came a kid on Christmas. That is how happy Mary looked. She probably would have hugged me if Dorothy wasn't floating in front of me and glaring at her, and if her parents weren't behind her. Needless to say, I don't think anyone was expecting me to say that.
The big male Mightyena barked something at Mary and she nodded. Sheela then went to Mary's side as the female Mightyena came over and nuzzled them both. To think Mary's family was better than mine could ever be. Not that it was hard but I am still envious she has parents who love her. Adoptive parents that is. I would need to hear a backstory later but now all those rumors of the Mightyena Child make sense. It was Mary.
"Papa told me where I can help you set up." Mary finally tells me as the rest of her family clears out. "Follow me it's not that far."
As I follow Mary I try and calm Dorothy down. She was not too happy about agreeing to this test.
"Doroth please don't be like that." I plead with her. "I know you think this is her fault but it was my choice. If I don't help her I know I'll feel guilty later."
"Mis mis dreavus." Dorothy pouted.
"You know I can hear you right Banshee?" Mary then tells Dorothy while she continues to lead us to the campsite. "You can blame me all you want but that won't change things. I know it's my fault and I'm sorry. This is why I was following you from the treetops."
"I take it you've done this before then?" I ask her. If she answered yes, then it would explain the whole trainers being too scared to return thing as well.
"…I have." Mary answers. "The only difference is you're the first to make it well…this far. The other trainers just begged me to guide them out safely and promised never to mention me again. The pack scared them all away."
No one else was brave enough to try and help this girl? That's just sad. Then again, I'm not exactly brave either. I just know if I didn't at least try to help I would regret it for the rest of my life.
"I see." I answer just as we reach a spot with a stream nearby and some berry bushes and an oran berry tree.
"This is it." Mary then announces. "This is where we will be camping tonight. This is considered neutral territory by my pack and the Vigoroth herd. Though don't expect the Vigoroth to be any less hostile here."
"What is going on between your pack and the Vigoroth?" I ask. This has been bothering me a while. According to what I had heard from the locals, the herd of Vigoroth that live in these woods had only become dangerous about two months ago.
"They're invading our territory because Papa didn't agree to Victor's marriage offer." Mary replies.
"Mis Misdreavus Mis?" Dorothy then asks…I think. Sounded like a question in my mind. Must have been about Sheela because she barked and growled at Dorothy. Mary was glaring at her as well.
"Call my sister a mutt again and I will personally send you back to the Spirit World! As for your question, no the marriage offer was not for Sheela. It was for me." Mary tells Dorothy and I just stare at her in shock.
"You? B-but why? You're human." I state still dumbfounded.
"I am also the eldest child of Adolph and Eyolf." Mary says. Those must be her parent's names. "Victor wanted to marry me because he has thing for humans. To make it sound like a peace offer he asked to unite our clans by marrying the Head Alpha's eldest daughter."
"Are you saying your Papa is the top Alpha of your pack?" A Vigoroth that likes human girls. Now I have heard everything.
"Yeah he is." Mary answers simply. "He said no and the Vigoroth have been acting out against us ever since. They are trying to force Papa and I into changing our minds. It is why I must get out of here and become a trainer. If I can become a strong trainer I can battle Victor and make him leave my family alone, by beating him. The Vigoroth are much too strong not even Mama and Papa would last long against them if a war were to break out."
That's what this was about. Not about accomplishing a dream, but protecting her family. To think I almost wasn't going to help her. I must help her now. I could just beat this Vigoroth up for her but I doubt that would change anything. Mary was right it had to be her if the message was going to be heard loud and clear.
I then walk up to Mary and put a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me how I can help."
"W-what?" Mary looks at me in surprise as does Sheela. Thankfully she does not growl at me for touching her sister.
"You want to protect your family. I get it now, if my family were anything like yours…I'd probably do the same thing in your shoes." I tell her before glancing at Dorothy. "Er… No offense Doroth, obviously I don't mean you."
"Mis, mis." Dorothy says before nuzzling me. I assume that meant she wasn't offended.
"My point is Mary, while I was reluctant at first I do truly want to help you now. Just tell me what I can do." The look on Mary's face was one of shock and awe. I also saw gratitude and tears building up in her eyes as she pulled me into a tight hug.
"…Th-thank you." Mary says her voice muffled by my shoulder. Hesitantly I hug her back. I am not all that used to human contact or affection. Most affection I have gotten from anyone was nuzzling and the occasional hug from my team and Dorothy. Hugging Mary though feels nice and…right? I am rather confused by this feeling.
Mary is an attractive girl but she is too young for me and I am not attracted to her in any way. So how come hugging her feels right? It doesn't make sense. As I release Mary from the hug I give her another look over. It sounds crazy but she still looks familiar to me somehow, yet I cannot place where I might have seen her before.
Something else is also bothering me. How had Mary ended up being raised by Mightyena. As much as I don't want to pry, I need to know what happened to her. As I help Mary set up camp I try to think of a way to bring up the topic. Though by nightfall I have no plan other than the direct approach. Not that I want to, for it could lead to her questioning me as well. I don't like to talk about my past, but if I had to I could just tell her I ran away when I was ten years old. That should suffice for now.
As Mary starts making a campfire I find the courage to speak up. "Mary, may I ask you something?"
"Um sure what is it?" She asks while rubbing some sticks together.
"Why were you raised by Mightyena?" I ask and she drops her sticks.
(Mary's POV)
Why were you raised by Mightyena? Michael's question played through my mind for like the third time in a row. How am I supposed to answer him? Would he be able to handle the truth?
I clumsily try and pick up the sticks again but my hands are shaking. I really was not expecting him to try and delve into my past. Why should it matter if I tell him? I'm over what happened to me right? I don't care that I was abandoned or wonder why it happened…. okay I do care and I do wonder why. I have the faintest memories of my birth parents. Only blurred images of what they looked like since I was only a baby.
I wish I knew why they abandoned me and left me to die. Papa says it doesn't matter that they shouldn't have done it in the first place. He says they don't need a reason to be evil. Me though? I can't help but question why they didn't want me. Was it because of my powers?
I must have spaced out for a while because I felt Sheela nudging me. "Mary? You okay?"
"Y-yeah sis I'm fine." I whisper to her as I try once again to start a fire.
"You don't look fine." Michael then says. "I am sorry if my question freaked you out. You don't have to answer."
"It's not that it's just I don't really talk about it." I tell him awkwardly as I fail at starting a fire. "Stupid sticks!" I curse and throw the sticks into the bush.
"Want some help with that?" Michael asks before gesturing to Dorothy. "Dorothy, do you mind?"
"Only for you Michael" She then answers before using Wil-O-Wisp to light a fire. Someone could have mentioned she could do that sooner. Though I have a feeling Banshee said that because she sees Michael more than just a brother. I don't think he sees her the same way though.
"Thank you." I tell them both before sitting down by the fire with a sigh. Normally around this time I would be helping get the pups ready for bed while Sheela and Mama went to get them some food. Papa would be making his nightly rounds with Uncle Reggie. Thanks to Sheela I know there is someone else from our Pack nearby watching us to see if Michael passes his test. Though this Mightyena is around mostly to make sure Sheela and I are okay probably. Papa can be so overprotective.
"You're welcome, though you know you can trust Michael. He won't judge you because of your past." Dorothy tells me.
"Yes, well my sister's past is a rather sensitive topic." Sheela then says in my defense.
"Michael's past is no fairytale either!" Dorothy then counters with a glare at my sister and I sigh.
"Could you two not fight please?" I then ask them and Michael looks to me for a translation. "They were fighting over whose past is worst. Mine or yours."
"Well it would be easier to judge if I knew yours. But since you don't want to talk about it…" Michael trails on. Not a fair tactic on his part.
"You already said I don't have to tell you." I poke at the kindling in the fire with a stick. Why can't he just leave it alone?
Michael sighs and comes over so he's right beside me. "Please Mary. I just want to know what happened. Were you orphaned as a child? Did you get lost and separated from your family? What happened?"
I sigh and look at Michael. So far, he is different from other humans I have met. Perhaps I could trust him with the truth. I had almost told my only friend back at school the truth. Wally had been so kind to me and stood up for me even though he was so sickly. He protected me from bullies that often bothered him as well. Like me though he would not be allowed on a journey because of his weak lungs. I felt sorry for him and I hoped to visit him once I got permission to leave the forest again.
"I was abandoned." I then say out of the blue.
"Wh-what?" Michael asks sounding confused.
"You asked what happened to me." I remind Michael before explaining. "I don't know much other than what Papa and Mama told me. They found me not too far from here actually. I had been placed by some Rosemary that was growing nearby. I was only a baby when they found me. Not even a week old from what they could tell. My parents had left me in these woods to die."
Michael didn't speak he looked as if he was taking it all in. He had wanted the truth now he got it. Question is how will he handle it?
"M-Mary..." Michael begins looking at me with pity and understanding in his eyes. "I-I am so sorry…really I am. No one should have to deal with something like that…"
Michael then takes me into a hug. I'm not sure what I expected but this was not it. Pity yes, I expected that. I am used to humans giving me pity. This though? It felt like Michael was sympathizing with my situation.
How could he understand though? Was he abandoned as a baby? No, he mentioned having a family. So, then why does he seem to understand these feelings of hurt, betrayal and neglect I feel when I think about my birth parents? How can he possibly understand what it feels like to remember them and feel unwanted?
"I am sorry was well Mary." The Banshee then speaks up. She was giving me a look of full pity. "No parent should do such a thing to their child."
"Now you understand why my sister doesn't talk about it." Sheela then tells her. "As Mary said we don't know much about the situation or even what her parents looked like. They were long gone by the time Mama and Papa found Mary. Papa tried to track them down to see if they had just gotten separated from her but…that wasn't the case."
In a pained voice, I translate the story for Michael and he just hugs me tighter. "W-why are some parents just so cruel…"
I want to ask Michael what he means by his choice of words, but before I can our moment is interrupted.
Hooting and hollering can be heard from the treetops all around us along with a lot of rustling. Then the Vigoroth from Victor's herd drop down from the trees. Victor himself is not present thankfully but his second in command is.
"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" Bruce, Victor's second in command then asks grinning as he spots me. "My, my Mary a little far away from the den, aren't we?"
"Leave her alone Bruce!" Sheela then growls as she jumps infront of me and Michael. Bruce stood out from the rest of the herd because of the red star shaped mark on his eye. Victor had a similar stand out trait only it was on his paws and he has a scar on his left eye after a fight between him and Papa. Guess these stand out traits is how Vigoroth picked their leaders.
"Bwhahaha well look if it isn't little Sheela too. Both of Adolph's precious daughters came to me as a present and it's not even my birthday." Bruce laughed while I glared at him.
"Hey! Michael and I are here too you big oaf!" Dorothy then shouted at him. "And we will not let you lay a hand on Mary or the Mutt."
"Really Banshee? You're still calling me a mutt in a situation like this?" Sheela growled at her while still glaring at Bruce.
Bruce then looked at Michael as if he hadn't seen him standing next to me before. "You! Boy hand over the girl and no harm shall come to you or your pet."
"Pet?! He did not just call me a pet!" Dorothy shrieks then looks to Michael. "Come on Mike let me at him!"
Michael then put me behind him. "Sheela! Dorothy get behind me and guard Mary. I may not be able to understand Pokespeak but I can tell you want to take Mary." Michael then takes a Pokeball from his belt. "Well that's not gonna happen. Mary is under my protection! Go Kamehameha!"
From the pokeball emerges a Pokemon I have never seen before. No wait I do recognize it…it looks like a Sandslash? This was no Sandslash like I have ever seen before though. The skin or fur was a very light blue while it's belly was as white as snow. The spikes on his back looked like…was that ice? I thought Sandslash were ground types. What's going on?
"Kamehameha is a Sandslash Michael got in a trade with a trainer form Alola." Dorothy then tells me. I must have been gawking a little too much since I had not noticed her or Sheela do as Michael asked.
"Alola?" I asked her. My time in school was rather brief and because I can't read I missed out on learning some things. We had covered the other regions but I only vaguely remembered the names of all of them.
"It's a far away exotic region with Pokemon you will not find anywhere else…but we'll talk more about it later. Right now…this is Mike's test isn't it?" The way Dorothy is looking at me she seems a little worried.
"It is." I tell her and Sheela growls.
"Yeah well Bruce better be glad I can't interfere. Otherwise I would have pulverized him." Sheela sounds as if she is grinding her teeth in anger. I understand why she's angry. I really do, but I am glad Michael is here. My little sister would not be able to fight off this many Vigoroth.
I then turn my attention back to Michael and Kamehameha. Kamehameha looks to Michael and he just gives a simple nod. I amazed me how even though Michael couldn't understand pokespeak like I could he and his pokemon could still communicate. Trainers truly did have a special bond with their pokemon.
"Well aren't you the weirdest Sandslash I've ever seen." Bruce comments. "No matter I can still take you, lets rumble!"
Instead of replying Kamehameha starts…was he dancing?
Sure enough he was, though it was the weirdest dance I had ever seen. Mind you I have not seen many dances but I am positive this was not the tango or a square dance. Though Bruce seemed less than pleased.
"What the heck is this Sandslash doing?!" Bruce exclaimed. "Hey you! This is a fight not a dance off!"
"Wait isn't that an a Alolan dance?" One of the Vigoroth asks.
"No wonder he looks so weird he's an Alolan pokemon!" Another Vigoroth then says.
Suddenly the dance stops and Kamehameha glares at the Vigoroth. "Are you talking to me?"
"Uh-oh they shouldn't have said that." Dorothy then comments to me and Dorothy.
"Are you talking to me?" Kamehameha repeats.
"They really shouldn't have done that." Dorothy comments again but she looks as if she's trying to contain her giggles.
"Are you talking to me?! The call me Mr. Alolan!" Kamehameha then charges at the Vigoroth in front of us, his claws get bigger and glint silver as he then proceeds to swing them wildly. He had beaten up at least three Vigoroth before heading straight for Bruce.
Bruce then looked at his fallen companions and paled. "Retreat! This guy is crazy!"
The rest of the surrounding Vigoroth then ran away as if their ability was Run Away. He did it, he actually did it. He was able to scare away the Vigoroth!
"Hmph Yeah you better run chumps!" Kamehameha shouted after the Vigoroth.
"Great job Kamehameha." Michael said before turning to me. "You okay Mary?"
"I'm better than okay" I told Michael while pouncing him in a hug. "You did it! You passed Mama and Papa's test! I've never seen Bruce and the rest of Victor's cronies run away so fast!"
"Bruce? Was he the one with the red star mark on his eye?" Michael asks, though he seemed clearly taken aback by my hug.
"Yeah that was him." I then release Michael. "Sorry for surprising you but I'm just so happy."
"N-no don't worry about it…I mean we have hugged more than once tonight already…I just didn't expect you to be so strong." Michael then holds his side. "I think you cracked one of my ribs."
My eyes widened with surprise. "I did?! Oh, I'm so sorry!"
"Mary…I'm joking you're strong but not that strong" Michael chuckles. "Can't believe you thought I was serious."
"Why you! Of course, I thought you were serious! You were holding side as if in pain!" I shout at him while pouting that he was laughing at me.
"Get used to it wolf girl." Dorothy then speaks up. I jump because I had forgotten she was there. "Also, consider it a privilege Michael doesn't make jokes like that with just anyone. Only ones he considers his friends."
Looking between her and Michael a slight smile appears on my face. I guess Michael and I really were friends now. I can officially say I have more than one human friend now.
"So, uh…Michael this is the girl you're protecting?" Kamehameha then asks before looking me up and down. "She's a little young to be your girlfriend, isn't she?"
"Do I even want to know what you just asked me Kamehameha?" Michael then groans so I think he knows what his Sandslash was asking. I can't help but giggle at the interaction. I do believe I will enjoy journeying with this group.
(Victor's POV)
"So, let me get this straight." I start while looking at Bruce my right hand Vigoroth. He was visibly shaking as I tried to make sense of his story. The wise fool, he should know by now I don't tolerate failure. "Mary and Sheela were away from Adolph and Eyolf. There were no other Mighyena around from their pack from what you could tell. There was only a boy and his Misdreavus. Yet you were still unable to capture Mary and Sheela? Is this correct?"
"Y-yes sir…" Bruce said.
"Well then…JUST HOW WEAK ARE YOU?!" I yell in outrage as I hit him with a Brick Break and send him flying into a tree. "I mean really you idiot! How hard is it to defeat one weak and pathetic human?!"
"T-this human…w-was not…s-some newbie t-trainer though Victor…a-and he had this crazy Sandslash from that Alola region! H-he was crazy strong!" Bruce cried as struggled to get up. "A-and he said Mary was under his protection."
"Did he now?" Scratching my chin, I ponder who this human is. Was he her boyfriend? No Eyolf and Adolph would never allow such a thing to happen. They would sooner kill the human than let him date their daughter. So just who was he?
"What did this human look like? How old was he?" I then ask Bruce.
"The-the human…well um…actually sir now that you mention it…he looked like Mary. Same dark hair, same kind of facial structure despite being older than she was and a male. B-but his eyes were a different colour from hers…and it was almost as if they changed." Bruce explained.
"What do you mean changed?" I then asked.
"Well at first his eyes were grey then they changed to red when he glared at me." Bruce then shuddered. "It was the creepiest thing I have ever seen! I have met a lot humans but I have never met any that can change their eye colour!"
"I see. Well then why don't we keep an eye on this human. Figure out who he is and what his weaknesses are. Once we do, Mary is all mine." The last part I say with a sadistic grin. Ever since I first laid eyes on Mary when she was all grown up, I have been obsessed. She went from an awkward wild child to woman as if overnight.
"Who should we send sir?" Bruce then asked.
"Go to the females and have one of the Slakoth go spy. Adolph and Eyolf wouldn't expect us to use one of our young as a spy afterall." I explain. I also know Adolph was too soft and wouldn't hurt a Slakoth even it was a spy. Ever since he became a father he won't even attempt to harm a young one.
"Right away sir." Bruce then hurried off to where the females were.
I then return to my tree where I had made a carving of Mary's face. "Soon my sweet Mary, soon you will be mine, all mine…"
TO BE CONTINUED…
So, Michael passes his test but gains an enemy. I am cruel to my characters.
The dance Hamehameha did was a Maori Haka War Chant if anyone was interested.
But I am so sorry this took so long to get this chapter up. I had started writing this just before Christmas but now it's been a month and I finally just got this done. Again, I am sorry but I was busy playing Pokemon Sun which I had just gotten for Christmas.
For those whom have not played it yet, may I just say it is an amazing game. Great story, great characters and of course great Pokemon.
Did you like the addition to Alolan Sandslash? I got the idea from my boyfriend who created Michael. So, hope you enjoyed this chapter and will continue to support this story. Until next time bye.