Smugleaf101: I'll do my best! Thanks again for the review!
trystrike: I know, I know. That was uncalled for. -.- Oh, well. I'm glad you enjoyed that little part. I enjoyed it myself. Forestfireshipping it is!
SnivyLover101: I see you're also enjoying that couple as well. Looks like Oshawott needs to watch out. He's angered half of my reviewers!
Z-Pikachu: Does a few days late count as immediately? XD Yeah, sorry I took so long, but it's here at last! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Be prepared, everyone! Big things await!
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me.
Snivy's POV
"(Well, you seem to be healing properly,)" an Audino muttered, retracting its feeler from her chest. Snivy watched as it debated whether or not to allow her some wandering freedom. She sat upright on the too comfortable bed, waiting for the Hearing Pokemon to, hopefully, allow her the right to move about the Pokemon Center.
One minute… two… two and a half…"(What's the verdict?)" Snivy finally asked when it didn't speak. It gave her one last glance before giving a sigh of defeat.
"(Fine. I'll grant you the right to move about within our property on two conditions. One, don't exert yourself. Two, have an Audino like myself or a friend with you when you do move around,)" the pink Pokemon raised its stretched ears to give itself a more authoritative appearance. "(Is that understood?)" Snivy grinned and nodded. "(I have some other business to attend to, so would you like me to get one of your friends? I can tell you're ready to get out.)"
"('That obvious, huh?)" She said, nodding again.
The Audino chuckled before it gave her a friendly grin, "(Alright. Is there anything else you need?)"
"(No,)" the Grass Snake said, dismissing the pink Pokemon. After it left, she sighed and impatiently waited for it to return.
Day six and the only time I've escaped this stupid pastel room was for that walk with Oshawott, she shifted in the bed, still slightly unnerved from the experience. It... I haven't seen him for a while now… though no one's seen or heard from Dwebble for longer than that, she thought, turning her attention to a different subject. 'Still no sign of him all this time. So much could've happened. We should be looking for him. We would be if it weren't for this stupid injury! I'm holding them back! She hissed, Can't they just go already? The missing Pokemon are of much greater concern than a crippled Snivy in the Pokemon Center. I might be stuck here for a time, the Grass Snake sighed at the thought of being unable to be of use, but at least there would be some more assistance. That should be the first priority.
"(I'm back; sorry for the wait,)" she looked up to see the Audino at the door, smiling sweetly. "(You have such wonderful friends! When I asked, every last one of them volunteered! Unfortunately, we can't have everyone flooding the halls, so I just picked one,)" it turned to face someone hidden from Snivy's view. "(You can come out now. Don't be shy.)"
There was a familiar moan of reluctance as a certain Sky Squirrel dragged herself into the room. Snivy blinked in surprise. Emolga. The dual type shot Audino an annoyed look. "(Don't be like that. You volunteered, remember? Now cheer up,)" the pink Pokemon said, giving her a hard stare. Emolga just flicked an ear and glanced away. "(Well, I'll leave you two alone for now. Tell me if you need anything,)" it said, walking off.
"(Don't think I wanted to do this,)" Emolga said as soon as the Hearing Pokemon was out of earshot. She glared at her, though, to the Grass Snake, it appeared weaker than ones before, "(It just grabbed me and left.)"
"(I'll accept that,)" the Grass Type leaped from the bed, skipping the chair and onto the floor. She ignored the sting of her injury as a result. She couldn't help but notice her rival watch her warily. Not you too. I already have enough worried blockheads to live with. What am I going to do if you start worrying, too? "(Unlucky you had to get stuck with me, huh?)" She said, walking towards the exit. We're supposed to be rivals! You should be rubbing this in my face!
Emolga raised her head high in an attempt to appear rebellious, but Snivy saw straight through it - she had already seen her concern. "(You got that right,)" the Sky Squirrel huffed before a mischievous grin spread spread on her face. "(I suppose this means I'm in charge, though, doesn't it?)" The Grass Snake halted beside her, giving her a hard stare.
At least you're trying to act normal. "(What gives you that idea?)"
"(Well,)" her rival said smugly, "(I was told that I was to make sure there weren't any problems. 'So I just do what I think will avoid trouble.)"
Snivy stifled a laugh, avoid trouble, huh? Funny. I didn't think that was your area, Emolga.
"(I could send you back to bed, for example. I'm sure that would prevent a lot of disasters,)" the dual type continued.
"(I doubt that,)" Snivy smirked. "(I could always start a riot in here. It wouldn't be too difficult.)" She walked into the hallway, "(I wouldn't even need to get out of that bed. A Vine Whip to your face would do the trick.)" She looked back to evaluate her rival's reaction.
"(Feeling rebellious, huh?)" The dual type kept her cool, following her. "(I'm still in charge though,)" she pointed out. "(You have to do everything I say.)"
"(And what would you want me to do?)" the Grass Snake asked. An impish expression crawled onto Emolga's face. Snivy sighed, quickly adding, "(Forget I asked. I don't think I want to know what's going through your head right now.)"
The Sky Squirrel just giggled.
"(Since you think you're so almighty and powerful,)" Snivy rolled her eyes, ignoring a small sting from the left side, "(where are we going?)"
"(Well, I came across this mini Pokemon Salon-)"
"(Your one requirement for playing leader is to avoid trouble,)" the Grass Snake snapped, immediately cutting her off. "(You're walking straight into it.)" Being the tomboy she was, a Pokemon Salon - most female Pokemon's heaven - was practically a huge offense to her. As if the smell of the salons wasn't revolting enough, Pokemon were groomed to "perfection", extremely pampered, and, in some cases, dressed up. None of those appealed to the Grass Snake. She prefered battling to getting a massage.
Emolga raised her arms in surrender - something she would have never done around the Grass Type under normal circumstances - and grinned, "(Alright, alright. I just wanted to see your reaction. You can stop glaring now.)" She lowered her arms, "(Where do you want to go? I don't particularly care for too much here.)"
"(So you ask for my opinion.)"
"(Geeze, Snivy! The one time I try to be the peacekeeper-)" she cut herself off. "(... Nevermind. We'll just go to the cafeteria. I already ate, but since you aren't agreeing with me, it'll have to do.)"
Peacekeeper, huh? I guess that means I'm the troublemaker, the Grass Snake smirked at the thought. It actually appealed to her right now. Some adventure, some distraction from her condition and Dwebble's situation. Just some mischief that Emolga was, amazingly, avoiding.
She followed the Sky Squirrel as she walked off, what am I thinking? She laughed silently at some of the different schemes running through her head, I'm supposed to be the responsible one, not another Emolga. She shook the thoughts from her mind, Besides, a walk with her's bound to be trouble, whether I cause it or not.
The travelled in silence for several moments before the hall opened up into a rather large room, and the scent of food hit their noses. There were many people and Pokemon in the room, though Snivy couldn't see any of their friends. A loud thud caught her attention as she whipped around to face the sound's origin. A large blue Pokemon had taken a small step, and individuals around it fled to give the Ground-Ghost Type some room to roam. It gingerly gave its large bowl to two other Pokemon - a Froslass and an Audino- who brought the huge dish to another room. It then began to walk towards an exit near Snivy and Emolga.
"(Let's move!)" Emolga turned to leave. The Grass Snake toon one last glance at the Pokemon. It looked just like any other Golurk, except for where yellow normally gleamed off of it, an ominous bright violet glowed.
Not this idiot again, Snivy thought in irritation. She began to dash after her rival, but a spasm erupted from her injury, causing her to stiffen. She hissed and tried to find her legs again.
"(What are you-?)" The Sky Squirrel cut herself off, obviously spotting her. "(Really? This has to happen now?)" She returned to the Grass Type. She grabbed onto her arm, "(Do we need to head back?)"
Snivy inhaled deeply. When she had regained her limbs, she pushed the Sky Squirrel's paws away and took a step forward with more caution, "(No, I just-)"
"(*Hello, Smugleaf. I didn't expect to see you again,*)" the addressed Pokemon sighed at the automatic, yet naughty voice. "(*I thought you were a goner. Oh well,*)" a large rocky hand pushed Emolga away and turned the Grass Snake around to face the gigantic Pokemon, "(*I suppose little pests like you justs die hard.*)"
"(Look, Goljerk, I'm not in the mood,)" Snivy hissed, glaring at the dual type easily four times her size. Trouble may have sounded nice before, but not if it meant that Pokemon.
"(*Aww, little Smugleaf's not in the mood. Isn't that just disappointing, Frillish?*)" The Grass Snake jumped at a ghostly touch on her shoulder. The pink tentacle wrapped around her stomach, trapping her left arm in the process. She glared at what she could see of the Water-Ghost Type's head.
"(I dunno, Golurk. It's always so much more fun when they're grouchy,)" Frillish giggled, hugging her tighter. Snivy winced as her scar protested from the pressure. The dual type giggled again before loosening her grip and twirling to face her. She wore a large mischievous grin. "(Hi, Smugleaf!)" She sang. "(Did ya miss me?)"
The Grass Snake flexed her previously trapped arm, ignoring Frillish. The pink Pokemon huffed before she flicked the Grass Type with a tentacle. It's always better just to ignore her, Snivy thought, still refusing to respond.
"(The silent treatment, eh?)" Frillish's tone was annoyed. "(That's not very nice - all I did was ask a question!)"
Snivy staggered forward at a weak - yet sudden and forceful - shove from a rocky hand. She managed to regain her footing, despite her injury, when she heard Emolga's voice. "(Hey! Knock it off!)" She yelled. The Grass Type turned to find her rival glaring at Golurk.
"(M-Miss Emolga!)" Alarm filled Frillish's voice as if she hadn't noticed her before. She began to cover herself, "(I'm sorry! I-)"
"(*This isn't Elesa's. Use your mind, Frillish,*)" the Floating Pokemon closed her eyes in concentration as Golurk spoke. "(*It's just a pipsqueak trying to act tough. What do you want?)" The Automaton Pokemon directed its last words to Emolga.
"(I want you to stop bothering her!)" A few heads turned their way.
"(*Why should we?)"
"(Because, if you don't, I'll take care of you personally!)" The Electric-Flying Type's cheeks sparked angrily.
Golurk let out an odd sound that could've been a laugh, "(*So Smugleaf needs a chaperone to keep her safe - and it's another Emolga! How cute!*)"
Snivy was about to retort when her rival interrupted, "(Don't push my buttons! Go away and no one gets hurt!)"
Her threat didn't faze it. In fact, it made it "laugh", "(*And how do you plan on doing that, you pitiful Electric Type?*)"
Emolga's cheeks sparked angrily again, but before she could do anything, another voice interrupted, "(Golurk, stop this at once!)" Snivy turned to see another Pokemon she knew - the Froslass from before. She glided upward, eye level with the nine-foot Pokemon, "(I swear, I cannot leave you two alone for one second.)"
Golurk "laughed" again, "(*Guess who came back?)"
"(Snivy, yes, I sense her. Now move along - I don't want you causing anymore trouble.)"
"(Yes, ma'am!)" Golurk said in mock obedience. It gave Snivy one last shove before leaving, still making the odd noises.
"(You, too, Frillish.)" The named Pokemon muttered a few things as she followed her friend. Froslass sighed. She lowered herself beside the two smaller Pokemon, "(I apologize. They can be a bit… rude.)"
"(Yeah, what's with that?)" Emolga grunted. "(Aren't Golurk supposed to be 'ancient protectors' or something? And why's it in the Pokemon Center? It didn't look hurt to me. Neither one of them did.)"
"(Well, Golurk used to be like the rest of her kind, but she had a few… difficulties. Long story short, she's part Golurk, part Gengar, and she went from honorable warrior to irritating prankster… to put it lightly,)" the Snow Country said, voice hinted with exasperation. "(The reason they're here is because Golurk's mixed condition is unstable. She has to stay here for checkups and such. Frillish and I stay with her to help… though Frillish prefers fun over work,)" she sighed again. The Ice-Ghost Type continued, "(That aside, it's nice to meet you, Emolga. I'm Froslass.)" The Sky Squirrel blinked, obviously not remembering mentioning her name. "(Snivy, it's good to see you're alive and well. I was worried about you.)"
The Grass Snake eyed Froslass, "(... What kind of prank is this?)" When she had last seen her, the Ice-Ghost Type would have joined in on the "pranks". While she was intellegent, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. She was prideful and had a rude attitude. She wouldn't have cared less what had become of Snivy.
"(No, Snivy, this isn't a prank, though I know what you mean,)" the dual type's eyes narrowed apologetically. "(I'm sorry for my attitude towards you. I began to realize what a bother I'd been to everyone about a year after you left. I'm glad I have the chance to apologize.)"
"(That was just plain cheesy,)" the Grass Snake flicked her tail, "(but apology accepted.)" If she's playing, I'll know soon enough.
"(Thank you,)" Froslass blinked gratefully.
It got awkwardly silent.
"(... Snivy,)" the Ice-Ghost Type started hesitantly, "(Don't take this the wrong way It might sound odd, but I have to ask,)" she watched Snivy carefully as she spoke, "(has something happened to your mind?)" Snivy blinked. "(I'm sorry; I could've approached that better. You're aware of my ability to sense the ones around me, correct?)" The Grass Snake nodded. "(Well, you see, I met this Shelmet a while back., and we became rather close friends. Recently, however, he evolved into Accelgor, and his mind changed. It felt different from any other I had encountered. It was… well, I can't describe it. When I asked him about it, he said that, though he wasn't sure, it might've been because of his… odd evolution.)"
"(Odd evolution?)" Snivy echoed. Emolga flicked an ear.
"(You see, for a Shelmet to evolve, they must be traded with a Karrablast. He, however, just flat out evolved for no reason whatsoever. He wasn't eating, in battle, or being traded. He just evolved.)"
"(He… how?)"
"(He doesn't know. Either way,)" Froslass continued, getting back onto the original topic, "(after a little experimentation, we figured out he could use telepathy.)"
"(You're saying he could speak through thought?)"
"(Yes, and he could faintly feel other's minds as well. Not necessarily read them, but he could feel their presence and occasionally emotions. Somewhat like what many Psychic and Ghost Types like Golurk, Frillish, and myself have the ability to do, though not quite as clear. I believe that, with a little practice, that could be fixed, however.)"
"(What are you suggesting?)"
"(W-well… Your mind feels a lot like his,)" Froslass said. "(It's nothing more than a guess, but I think you have the same ability.)"
Snivy stared at her incredulously, "(I-)"
"(I know, I know,)" the dual type interrupted. "(It's a fairly farfetched theory with not much of a backbone. You obviously haven't evolved, but your mind has undoubtedly changed. Has anything odd happened recently?)"
"(Her scar reopened,)" Emolga piped up from her unusually quiet state, "(and it definitely wasn't by any normal means. She was battling, sure, but Tepig didn't even hit her when she started going this weird shade of green. That's when her scar appeared.)"
I was glowing? Snivy blinked. How haven't I heard of this?
"(Glowing green?)" Froslass repeated. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "(Were you trying to evolve?)"
She shook her head, "(Not that I'm aware of.)"
"(Odd… though it's not impossible. I've heard that injuries as serious as your own prevent evolution. The body cannot support it,)" the Ice-Ghost Type said. "(You may have been evolving subconsciously, but your scar reopened and stopped it.)"
"(That's nice to know,)" Snivy said sarcastically. "(I'm never going to evolve. Wonderful.)"
"(Hey, you aren't the only one,)" Emolga grinned from beside her. Snivy sighed.
"(I apologize, though it may still be possible,)" the Snow Country Pokemon added. "(Either way, has your head been feeling 'funny' lately? That's how Accelgor described it, though I do wish he could've been more accurate.)"
Snivy checked her head again. That same feeling from before the walk with Oshawott hadn't gone away. It felt exactly the same; it wasn't even fading. "(By 'funny' would you mean… new, weird, and, yet, not annoying in the slightest? Or would that be the sedatives?)"
"(I'm pretty sure that's what he meant by 'funny'. Sedatives are… different,)" Froslass responded.
"(So, wait - you actually think she can thought speak?)" Emolga stared at the Snow Country Pokemon in disbelief.
"(That's what we've been discussing,)" she nodded.
"(I don't believe it.)"
"(There's only one way to figure out,)" the Ice-Ghost Type said, turning her attention back to Snivy. "(A demonstration, please? All you have to do, according to Accelgor, is focus on one or more mind to direct the message to.)"
"(... You're serious,)" the Grass Snake said dryly, staring at Froslass. She appeared to grin encouragingly. Snivy glanced at the Electric-Flying Type.
"(Just do it,)" Emolga rolled her eyes. "(I promise I won't laugh… too much.)"
"(Gee, thanks for your support,)" the Grass Snake said dryly.
"(C'mon, I'm waiting,)" her rival lifted a paw to her ear, "(but I don't hear anything.)"
"(Actually, you won't hear it with your ears. It'll just sound in your head,)" Froslass corrected.
"(Yeah, sure. Just bring on the thoughts.)"
Looking at both of them, Snivy knew she wasn't going to escape attempting the stunt. This is ridiculous. I've never been able to use telepathy, so why would that change? Nevertheless, at another push from Froslass, she began to focus on both of them. She could've sworn there was some sort of click in her mind as she "spoke", "Do you two hear me?"
"(Loud and clear, Snivy,)" Froslass responded nonchalantly while Emolga's jaw dropped.
"(You… you actually heard that?)" The Grass Snake blinked. What…?
"(I don't believe my ears,)" the Sky Squirrel paused. "(Or… whatever was used to hear that.)"
"(What did I tell you?)" Froslass glanced at Emolga. "(A 'sound in your head'.)"
Emolga glared at her briefly. She turned to Snivy, though she was addressing the Ice-Ghost Type, "(Anything else we need to know?)"
"(She can also send visual thoughts, like memories and pictures, though memories are a bit more complex that just sound and sight. I wish I could explain any other details on her end, but Accelgor didn't share anything else with me.)"
"(Where is he?)" Snivy asked.
"(Gone. He was one of the missing Bug Types.)"
"(Oh.)"
Froslass paused, "(Perhaps I shouldn't bring this up, but I will. Each of the missing Pokemon were either Bug or Grass Type, correct?)" Both of the smaller Pokemon nodded. "(Well, Accelgor is a Bug Type. Snivy, you're a Grass Type. You both have the same uncanny ability with telepathy and something odd happened to each of you. I can't help but wonder…)" she gave her a meaningful glance, "(what if you two were the original targets?)"
Original targets?! A shock ran through the Grass Snake. Where did she even get that idea? How would she know someone didn't just want a bunch of those two Types? Why-? It took her a short time before she recovered herself. This must be a prank. She would pull something like this. She hasn't changed at all. For all I know, she's making Emolga and I think I have telepathy. What a jerk. "(I've had enough drama this week - don't make it worse,)" Snivy groaned at last.
"(This has to be considered, though. I don't see any other connection between the two Types. Why would someone want a bunch of Bug and Grass Types? It's obvious the Pokemon were under some sort of command to find something. Don't-)"
"(Fine then. Assume that was the case,)" the Grass Type sighed, "(then why would some idiot want a couple of Pokemon - who were otherwise completely normal - suddenly able to use telepathy? Even then, some Pokemon naturally have the ability.)"
"(I don't think it's just telepathy. That's only part of the picture, though I don't know what else there is. Accelgor and I didn't have the time to figure it out.)"
"(There's still several other explanations,)" Snivy reasoned. Why is she still playing this game? Is she preparing for something? Some grand finale, or is she trying to get under our skins?
"(Yes, I realize that,)" the dual type said, her blue eyes giving her a hard stare, "(but if my theory is true, you could be in serious danger. I thought you might want to be aware of that possibility.)"
Snivy glanced at Emolga. She appeared deeply engrossed in all of it, taking each word in and, from the looks of it, she was taking it seriously. Very seriously. It was kind of scary.
"(Oh, dear!)" Froslass suddenly exclaimed before Snivy could say anything. She gave the two an apologetic look, "(I forgot I have to be with Golurk for her checkup. I'm afraid I have to go. It was nice to see you two!)" She began to glide away, "(Be careful.)"
They watched her go.
Maybe this isn't a trick at all, the Grass Type thought. If it's got Emolga acting like this, then this theory might actually be something to take to notice. Perhaps Froslass has changed. She may actually be taking this seriously. She may truly believe what she claims... She may really be trying to help.
"(Still hungry?)" Emolga asked with a nervous chuckle, breaking the Grass Type from her thoughts.
"(I don't think I was hungry to to begin with,)" the Grass Snake said, turning to face the Sky Squirrel. The atmosphere around the two grew awkward.
Great. Another walk gone wrong.
Tepig's POV
Tepig bit into another bite of his Pokemon food, glancing at his rival warily. Oshawott had finished his food already, and when he did, he always seemed to enjoy stealing from the Fire Pig.
However, the Water Type just stared at his empty bowl. Tepig wasn't too sure if he was expecting it to magically refill or if there was something wrong with him, though the second seemed to be more likely. The Sea Otter had been acting oddly for a while now. He constantly zoned out, he hadn't caused any havoc - the one he annoyed most should know - and, quite possibly the oddest, despite the many female Pokemon they had seen in the Center, Oshawott hadn't flirted with a single one of them. He almost seemed to avoid them. Now he wasn't even making an attempt to get more food, and his distant eyes told Tepig he had entered his own little world again.
The Water Type wasn't like this when they first arrived. He wasn't exactly concerned for Snivy's condition like everyone else - he either really trusted the Center, he knew something they didn't, or he was more of an idiot than originally anticipated - and, while he was worried about Dwebble, he didn't let it get to him. However, at some point, something just changed. At first, Tepig thought that his rival was just absorbing the situation their friends were in, but when he had addressed it, the Sea Otter just said, "(Yeah, everyone's pretty worried about that, but I'm pretty sure it'll turn out just fine.)" There wasn't any doubt in his voice, and the Sea Otter was normally pretty honest. He didn't tend to hide anything - in fact, he rubbed a lot of things in Tepig's face - so, while something was definitely bothering him, it wasn't Snivy's injury or Dwebble's disappearance.
Tepig didn't know what it was, but he was going to figure out.
Taking a deep breath, he stood up, leaving his bowl half full, and walked over to the Water Type. He didn't notice him. Tepig nudged him, and he glanced upward. He blinked, "(What d'ya want, Tepig?)" The Fire Pig pointed his nose to his left, away from the group. Oshawott kept staring at him blankly.
He sighed, "(Come on, I want to talk to you.)"
"(Why? Can't we talk here?)"
"(Just… come on!)" Tepig hissed, giving him a hard shove. He didn't have the patience to deal with his rival being difficult.
"(Alright, alright!)" Oshawott yelped, jumping to his feet. "(I don't get what's so important, but-)"
"You two better not be fighting!" They turned to see Iris and Ash towering about them. The two rivals wilted under their harsh glares. A few heads of their friends turned.
"(W-we're not!)" Both Pokemon whimpered.
The two trainers observed them before Ash spoke up again, "Now get along." He returned to his food. Iris paused, then she followed him, muttering something under her breath.
"(... Thanks,)" Oshawott muttered, glaring at him.
"(Sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen,)" the Fire Pig apologized quietly. He then nodded in the same direction as before.
"(Sure,)" the Sea Otter drawled. He began to walk to where he was pointing.
The Fire Type sighed and followed him.
When they were a good distance from the others, Oshawott whipped around, "(Alright, what do you want?)"
"(I just wanted to talk.)"
"('Bout what?)" His rival tapped his foot impatiently.
"(About your behavior lately,)" Tepig said. The Sea Otter growled defensively.
"(I haven't been bothering you, so why are you-)"
"(That's it!)" Tepig snapped. The Water Type eyed him, confused and annoyed. Taking a deep breath, he tried again, "(I'm not trying to insult you or start a fight, but you haven't been bothering me lately. You haven't been acting like yourself. What's up?)"
Oshawott blinked, "(What are you talking about?)" Tepig just stared at him. "(No, seriously! I don't- oh,)" he seemed to remember something.
"(Well?)" The Fire Pig pressed.
"(It's nothing, honestly,)" the Water Type glanced at the ground uncomfortably. "(I've just been thinking about some stupid thing I said a few days ago.)"
"(It's not nothing if it's affecting you like this,)" Tepig said, flicking an ear. Oshawott thinks he said something stupid? He'd never believe, much less admit something like that.
"(... I suppose that's true.)"
"(So, what happened?)"
Oshawott stared at him incredulously, "(You want me to just tell you?)"
The Fire Pig shrugged, "(Better to tell someone than to keep it bottled up.)" His rival did something he didn't expect.
He burst out laughing.
"(Did I say something funny?)" Tepig asked, confusion evident in his voice.
"(... No, no… Just ironic,)" the Sea Otter fought back his laughter, though a few chuckles occasionally escaped him.
"(Ironic how?)"
Oshawott took a deep breath, still trying to abolish his fit of laughter. He was still beaming and humor danced in his eyes as he spoke, "(I was just… well…)" He paused, growing slightly more serious, "(I was visiting Snivy when I said that last.)"
"(You were telling her not to keep things bottled up?)" Tepig frowned. He didn't remember the Grass Snake having any emotional problems.
"(Kind of. It was a bit different than that, though,)" the Water Type shuffled nervously, "(and I really shouldn't be talking about it. I don't think she'd appreciate it.)"
"(Is that what's bothering you?)" The Fire Pig questioned. What's going on? What can't he talk about?
"(No… not that part anyway,)" a harsh blush appeared on Oshawott's face. "(I just said something dumb.)"
"(I'm confused. Is she mad at you or something?)"
"(No. At least, I hope not,)" Oshawott sighed as he slumped onto the ground. "(She said she wasn't. Or that she didn't hate me, rather.)"
"(Hate you?)" the Fire Type sat beside his rival. His brows creased, bewildered, "(Why would she hate you?)"
"(I-I actually asked her. I was a little worried. We didn't talk after I… uh…)" he bit his lips nervously. "(Well, she didn't sound mad.)"
"(Snivy isn't exactly the type to keep her opinions hidden. If she were upset, I'm sure she'd make sure you knew.)"
"(Yeah, but… I think she was trying to avoid hurting my feelings.)"
"(What exactly happened? I might be able to follow you better if you tell me.)"
The blush on the Sea Otter's face intensified, "(I dunno… It's a little embarrassing.)"
"(I won't tell anyone that makes you feel any better.)"
"(No laughing?)"
"(I'll try my best, though no guarantees.)"
Oshawott fiddled with his scalchop for a few moments before he spoke up again. "(I… erm… complimented her.)"
"(And that's bad?)" Oshawott, I swear you make no sense sometimes.
"(I said 'you're pretty'.)"
Tepig blinked. "(Oh.)"
"(Yeah. And that's before I started rambling, trying to cover myself, but I only made things worse,)" the Sea Otter sighed and stared at his scalchop. "(The weird thing is, normally, complimenting a girl isn't a problem, but I just… I dunno. I freaked out.)"
"(And this is what's upsetting you?)" Tepig watched as his rival began to polish his precious item with his paws.
"(Not exactly,)" Oshawott sighed. "(I wanted to try and help her at first, but it turned out all wrong - I think I made it worse. I believe that's what's really bothering me.)"
Tepig was about to speak when Ash's voice interrupted him, "Tepig! Oshawott! Where are you two? You'd better not be fighting!"
"(We'd better go,)" the Sea Otter stood up. "(We can talk later.)"
The Fire Type got onto his feet as well, "(Yeah, I s'pose so. 'Don't exactly want Ash to bite our heads off again.)"
"(Yeah,)" his rival gave him an amused look, "(you still owe me for that.)"
"(Alright. How does a bowl half full of food sound?)"
Oshawott blinked, "(Seriously?)"
"(Sure. If you want it-)"
"(Food, here I come!)" The Sea Otter exclaimed as he darted away.
Tepig chuckled and followed after him. I'm glad you still have your appetite, Oshawott.
"Oshawott! Where are you going?" The Sea Otter ran straight past his trainer. Ash blinked and turned to Tepig, "Well, I guess he'll hear about it from the others."
The Fire Pig tilted his head to the side, "(Hear about what?)"
Ash grinned and knelt down beside his Pokemon, "They figured out where Dwebble is."
After Tepig swallowed his trainer's words, he bounded closer to him. He looked into his trainer's eyes - they revealed the joy Tepig himself was feeling - and beamed, "(Where?)"
"Officer Jenny's talking to Iris and Cilan right now. I think she said something about Driftveil City," Ash patted his Pokemon's head, brows furrowing as he suddenly became grim. "That would make sense. There was some sort of organization there when we tried to go there last. They're probably behind it." A few seconds passed before he spoke again, "Tepig, can you go get Snivy and Emolga? Audino gave Snivy permission to roam around the Center and grabbed Emolga to keep an eye on her, so they should be in the same place."
"(Snivy and Emolga got stuck together?)" Tepig blinked. That can't be good.
"I know. I'm kind of worried about how much trouble they've gotten into," Ash winced. "They never seemed to like each other very much."
"(I'll get them,)" the Fire Pig took a few steps back from his trainer, glancing at a few possible hallways they could've gone through. This is going to take a while, he thought, the large building suddenly seeming bigger.
"Thanks, Tepig. We should be right outside those doors," his trainer pointed to a small exit.
He snorted in acknowledgement before he selected a random hall and darted away.
After searching unsuccessfully for about ten minutes, he was finally able to find a Pokemon who had seen them.
"(Yeah,)" the Timburr said. It gestured with its wooden log, "(I saw a those two in the cafeteria a little while ago. Caused a bit of a scene.)"
"(Figures. Sorry, they don't always get along very well,)" Tepig dipped his head apologetically.
"(What are you talking about?)" The Fighting Type blinked. "(They weren't fighting with each other. Golurk spotted them.)"
"(Golurk?)" Well, it's nice to know they weren't arguing.
"(She's kinda the… big bully of the Center, along with Frillish,)" Timburr glanced back and forth as if it were being watched. "(Stuff like that happens everyday. Nurse Joy and the Audino try to keep it under control, but I guess it's kind of hopeless since she's part Gengar.)"
"(What…?)"
"(Just go check on your friends. Golurk seemed to enjoy teasing them a little too much. I'm worried she might try it again.)"
"(Right, sorry,)" Tepig turned to leave. "(Thank you!)" He called over his shoulder.
He quickly made it to the cafeteria he had been at earlier. This would've been so much easier if I had just followed Oshawott, he sighed and observed the loud, crowded room. Impatience to return to the others and figure out more surged through him, but he kept searching. He padded around for a time before spotting a Froslass gliding away from the two Pokemon he was searching for. He darted towards them, "(Hey you two!)" They turned to look at him. "(It's nice to see you haven't torn down the place yet,)" he joked.
"(Yet,)" Emolga repeated grimly.
The Fire Pig laughed.
"(You seem awfully happy,)" she grunted, flicking her tail.
"(I am,)" he beamed. "(We think we've located Dwebble and the other missing Pokemon!)"
"(Really?)" Emolga blinked; she seemed to lighten up a bit. The Grass Snake beside her perked up slightly.
"(Yeah, Officer Jenny's talking to our trainers right now. Ash sent me to get you.)"
"(Alright, lead the way,)" the Sky Squirrel said. He whipped around and began to dart away, though he stopped a second later when he heard Emolga say, "(We are not doing this again.)" He turned to see the dual type grabbing her rival's arm and give her a brief hard look before turning to Tepig, "(We can't go quite as fast as you.)"
He smiled sheepishly, walking back to the two female Pokemon, "(Sorry, I got a little too excited.)"
"(And you have every right to be,)" the Sky Squirrel nudged Snivy, "(but our little cripple already tried that. Didn't go too smoothly.)" The Grass Snake glared at her; Emolga ignored it.
"(What were you two doing?)" He asked, the Golurk Timburr had mentioned flashing through his mind. He then began to lead them slowly towards the exit.
"(Trying to avoid being flattened by a Golurk,)" Emolga muttered, "(that jerk.)" She glanced at Snivy, "(You make way too many enemies. Me, that Gothita, the Golurk and Frillish… Froslass said she used to mess with you, too, and I know you've probably argued with a bunch of others.)" The Grass Snake shrugged. "(... And now that I think about it, we're all girls. Sure, Golurk shouldn't count, but Froslass kept saying 'she' - I guess that Gengar caused it,)" the dual type sighed, continuing. "(Is there a girl you haven't argued with?)"
"(Tranquill,)" the Grass Type responded.
"(That's it?)"
"(From the ones I grew to know, basically.)"
Emolga stared at her. "(I don't believe you,)" she said, shaking her head.
Tepig chuckled, "('Glad I'm not a girl. I don't want to fight you all the time.)"
"(Just because I argued with a bunch of them doesn't mean we didn't get along. Elesa's Emolga and I get along just fine even though we tend to argue.)" The Emolga with them flicked an ear.
"(I find it weird you got along with an Emolga at all.)"
"(You aren't the only one in the world,)" the Grass Type retorted.
Tepig, not too sure whether the girls' conversation was going to result in a fight or not, continued, "(Yeah, but I'm probably better off not arguing. I've already got Oshawott to deal with.)"
Snivy fidgeted slightly, "(True.)"
Tepig blinked, why did she fidget? I didn't say any- oh… Oshawott. I guess she may still be kind of upset about that. The group dodged a few legs of people. She is the tomboy of the group. … We really need to figure this out. We have enough problems already.
They eventually made it to the automatic door. It slid open and they slipped out. Their friends were all there with Officer Jenny, and an Audino took notes beside them.
"No. Cilan is allowed to come because he is a Gym Leader, but I can't allow two children to walk into danger," the Fire Pig heard Jenny say as they drew nearer.
"Please, Officer Jenny! We want to help!" Iris pleaded.
"No."
"It's alright, you two," Cilan rested a hand on each of their shoulders. "Dwebble's my responsibility, and, besides, Snivy needs you two here."
Tepig quickly glanced at the Grass Snake. She didn't react to Cilan's mentioning of her, though he guessed that she wasn't too pleased with the connoisseur's words. She likely wanted to go and assist them. Instead, Cilan was using her as an excuse for the other two trainers not to go. At least, that's probably how she thinks of it, Tepig thought.
"But Cilan-" the young girl began to protest.
"What?!" The cop's sharp voice made everyone jump. Jenny was glaring at the ground. She held a black device to her ear, "How?! … Are you sure? … What-? … Alright, I'll be there soon." She removed the machine from her ear.
"What's going on?" Cilan asked.
"We're having some difficulties. I need to go-"
"Wait!" Iris shouted as the policewoman began to leave. "Please! Let us help!"
"No," Officer Jenny said firmly. "Have a good day," she darted away quickly.
"But…" the girl left off, noticeably disappointed.
"Don't worry, Iris," Cilan gave her a small smile. "Like I said before; Snivy will need you here." Tepig winced at the second use of the Grass Snake's name. Glancing at her, he saw she was beginning to show her agitation.
"I still feel like we should be helping you," she sighed. "I mean, yeah, Snivy's important, but the Pokemon Center's taking care of it. None of us know if Dwebble's even safe or not."
"Yeah, but Iris," Ash spoke up, "A lot of people are helping with this - Cilan included. If they need help, I'm sure he can tell us."
Iris stared at the other trainer in surprise, "Y-you're agreeing with this? I thought you would've-"
"I know, but, like Cilan said, Snivy needs us here. It wouldn't be right to leave it all alone."
The Fire Pig glanced at Snivy again. She was clearly very frustrated now - she was glaring daggers in front of her. "(Heh, I'm surprised you haven't yelled at them yet,)" Tepig decided to distract the Grass Snake while the others talked.
"(Yeah, well, I'm fixing to do something much worse than that,)" she sighed. The Grass Type calmed herself and turned to face him.
"(Scary,)" he grinned.
Snivy just rolled her eyes.
Tepig rummaged through his mind for something to say. "(... Have you eaten yet?)" He asked lamely.
"(I ate this morning.)"
"(Are you hungry now?)"
"(I'd rather figure out where Dwebble is.)"
"(Ash told me-)"
"You found them, Tepig!" His trainer interrupted. He and the other two humans kneeled beside them, "That's great! Do you know what's going on?"
Tepig nodded, addressing Snivy and Emolga when he said, "(Supposedly, the missing Pokemon are at Driftveil City.)"
"Good. Only Cilan and his Pokemon are allowed to go, so we'll just-"
"(Ash! Just go!)" Snivy snapped.
The trainer turned to her, "We'll be staying with you. Cilan will do fine; he'll have lots of help from Officer Jenny, Driftveil City's Gym Leader, and the-"
"(Ash!)"
"Snivy, I'm not going to leave you alone if that's what you're asking," Ash said firmly.
They stared each other down.
"Umm, hello?" The door slid open behind them. Tepig turned to find a skinny blond-haired woman join them. She spotted Snivy and Ash, who were still glaring at one another. "Is this a bad time?"
"Kind of," Cilan sighed. "Sorry, Elesa."
Elesa! Tepig thought in alarm. That's the Gym Leader here! The one Snivy knew. The one Ash just battled against. What's she doing here? According to what I've heard, she's always so busy with modelling and being a Gym Leader - and the recent dilemma would be making her busier than ever!
"If I can ask, what's going on? I had some free time, so I came to visit each of you," Elesa frowned. "Though it appears you are having some difficulties."
"It's the missing Pokemon. Since they were located, I was allowed to go and assist everyone in Driftveil City, but Iris and Ash are too young to get involved, according to Officer Jenny. Ash is fine with that. He's fine with staying with Snivy… though it seems to want him to go anyway."
"I see," Elesa bent down and tapped the ten year old on his shoulder. He reluctantly removed his gaze from the Grass Snake to look at her. "Ash, Snivy," she said, also getting the Grass Type's attention, "you two battled so well. Regardless of the outcome, you two shone so brightly throughout the whole thing. I could see your strong relationship and trust with one another. Now put that to use and resolve this together. Ash, as a trainer, you must understand your Pokemon's view in this situation. You have to understand what Snivy is feeling and figure out what will benefit it best. I want you to get past that dull wall between you two and live through Snivy's eyes. Do you understand?" The young boy blinked before nodding. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly agape in a numbing wonder at her words. "Snivy," Elesa continued, "I wasn't able to connect with you before, but I'm sure you can help your trainer discern you. Not only that, I want you to understand him. It may make you feel as if your glow just isn't quite bright enough, but if you can get past those negative thoughts, you can finally correctly understand Ash's worries." Snivy stared at the fashion model. "Do you understand?" The Grass Snake nodded. "Good. I'm glad," Elesa smiled and stood back up.
"Elesa," Ash started, also getting to his feet, "I know you have a point, but that doesn't change the fact that Officer Jenny doesn't want us to go."
"Since when has that stopped you before?"
"What do you mean?" The trainer's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Call it intuition, but I believe you've gone against more than one Jenny's orders in situations like this," the Gym Leader rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's a part of the dazzling light you have. Right now, though, you're too focused on Snivy's condition. It's like this," the hand on Ash's shoulder flew up and gripped the front of his cap, bringing it high into the air, out of the boy's reach.
"Hey!" Ash yelped.
"Aren't you going to fight me for it?" Elesa asked. She waved the accessory in order to taunt him.
"Fight you for it?!" He stared at her in shock.
"What's the matter? I'm sure you've fought others for your dear cap, so why not me? Am I too special?" She frowned.
"What-? It's just… It's… You're…" Ash fought to find the correct words, though he only succeeded in stuttering.
"'I'm a well-known Gym Leader and fashion model. You shouldn't be playing childish games with me like you would with your friends'."
"Kind of, but-"
"'I'm too weak and injured. You should be taking all measures to babysit me instead of everything else you would normally be doing to help the Pokemon'."
"What're you-" Ash cut himself off. "Oh."
"Precisely."
The raven-haired boy bent down beside Snivy, getting eye level with her, "You think you're holding me back?" The Grass Snake stared at him measuredly. Ash's brows furrowed. "... I guess I can see how you'd think that. In most situations, you're right, I'd be headed for Driftveil City - running if I had to - despite what anyone said. But, Snivy…" he took a deep breath, "I'm worried. What if those Pokemon come back? How am I supposed to help if I'm not here?"
The Grass Snake opened her mouth to retort, but, at a sharp glance from Elesa, clamped it shut and thought for a few moments, a careful concentration written on her face. She sighed, "(I get it.)"
Ash, though he didn't know what she had said, had heard the reluctant acceptance in her voice. He smiled softly, "I guess we both understand each other now. What do you think we should do?" He bit his lip, "We both have some pretty good points…"
"You two aren't considering all of the possibilities," Elesa said. The raven-haired boy turned to look at her, confusion swimming in his eyes. "There's one more option I think would make each of your dazzling arguments blend together harmoniously. Just think. Ash, you want to keep an eye on your Pokemon. Snivy wants you to help the missing Pokemon…" she left off.
"(You want…)" the Grass Snake's eyes widened in surprise. It took Ash a little longer to figure out what the Gym Leader was hinting at. When he did, his eyes almost popped out of his head. He stared at Elesa, shock evident on his face.
"You want me to take Snivy into Driftveil City?" He yelped, jumping to his feet. "B-but that's where those Pokemon are, right? Why would I take it away from the Pokemon Center, away from where it's recovering, and bring it into the danger?" Elesa smiled. "How is that supposed to help it?"
"Now you aren't giving Snivy enough credit," the fashion model lightly scolded. "It can fend for itself up to a certain point. Don't forget, it lived on its own for a time with its injury. When it joined you, it's obvious the fact that it was cripple at all evaded you completely - until it got injured again. It can still put up a fight - I said so during our battle - and even though the wound's reopened, Snivy still has experience with it," she placed the cap back on the boy's head. "All the while, I'm sure you'll be looking after it."
"But what it gets hurt again?" Ash's voice dripped in worry.
"I know Cilan has some medical experience, and the Nurse Joy from that area will be there. I'll make sure to get you get the right supplies."
In one last attempt to defeat her, Ash pathetically said, "How are we supposed to get there? Snivy shouldn't be travelling too much."
Elesa had an answer to that as well, "I'm having a shipment from Mistralton City being sent here by plane. Since this is their last stop, I can convince them to give you a ride to Driftveil City upon their way back." She paused and gave Snivy an apologetic look, "Sorry. I'm not too sure how fond you are of planes right now. Especially cargo planes." The Grass Snake grunted and looked away, eyes searching some distant thought.
"Why would Snivy have a problem with planes?" Iris spoke up. The Electric Type specialist didn't remove her gaze.
"Are you okay with me telling them?"
"(I'm not that sensitive. It's not like the plane gave me any trouble,)" the Grass Type nodded.
"When Emolga and I first found it," the Gym Leader's eyes slowly turned to the trainers, "Snivy was in a cargo plane, and its glow wasn't very strong as you all know. This leads me to believe that it either got its injury during the ride or from Mistralton City. The pilots didn't hear anything, though, so I think Mistralton City's a good guess, regardless of the distance. Snivy probably snuck on for some reason, or perhaps boarded on pilots didn't realize it was even there for quite some time."
"(Geeze, Snivy. A plane?)" Emolga shook her head. "(You're just full of surprises today.)" The Grass Type shrugged.
Elesa caught sight of the Sky Squirrel and smiled, "Another Emolga friend? They seem to like you."
"(More like hate me,)" Snivy muttered.
"('Hate' is a little harsh… though pretty accurate,)" the dual type smirked, "(in my case, anyway.)"
"Either way, we're getting off topic," the fashion model said. "What do you two think? Is it something you two could agree on?"
"(Hold on!)" The Audino with them finally spoke. "(I have to disagree with this! It's completely-)"
"Relax, Audino," she murmured. "I understand your worry, but I think this is something these two need to decide on as Pokemon and trainer." The Hearing Pokemon flicked an ear, uncertainty flickering in its eyes, but it didn't speak again.
Ash glanced at the Grass Snake again. Something flashed between the two. "Alright," the boy said, "we'll do it."
Elsa smiled, pleased, "I'm glad to hear that. Meet me at the Gym tomorrow morning. I'll go talk to Nurse Joy about this. See you!" They watched as she slid through the doors once again.
"I guess this means we should start packing," Iris said after a second. "I'll get started," she followed the Gym Leader's trail through the doors. Her Pokemon paused before darting after her.
Cilan started to join her, but he stopped and turned to Ash, who was watching the Grass Snake. "I'll be there in a sec," the boy said, his eyes not trailing from his Pokemon. The connoisseur nodded before taking off again. His Pokemon ran after him, leaving only Ash and his team behind.
The ten-year-old paused before facing the rest of his team, his eyes uncertain as he searched the six Pokemon several times over. "I guess that's that," he finally said. He took a deep breath before continuing, "To be honest, I'm not too sure what to think. Everything's happening all at once. I hoped that I might've been able to keep Swadloon, Snivy, and Pansage here - since they're all Grass Types, they may've been targeted - then send a few of you with Cilan… But it doesn't look like that's happening." His eyes landed on his two Grass Types, who happened to be side by side. "You two will have to be careful. I don't know if they're still after Bug and Grass Types or why, but… Snivy, are you okay?" The Grass Snake had flinched while their trainer was talking. She glanced briefly at Swadloon before she turned to Ash and nodded. "Are you sure? I could-" he stopped himself when Snivy's eyes narrowed warningly. "Oh, right. No 'babysitting'. Sorry," he gave a short nervous chuckle while the Grass Type rolled her eyes, though a smile had made it's way onto her face. He paused before a small grin had made its way onto him as well, "I guess we'll just have to see how it turns out, huh? No point in worrying about the future." Though his voice was firm, uncertainty leaked into it.
Ash is trying to deny his feelings again. He's trying to be strong, Tepig thought, but he doesn't realize that he already is. He's trying to work all of this out on his own; he's put a lot of thought into this. I'm glad he's telling us what's going through his mind - that's good. He just needs to realize that we're all here to help. That he isn't alone."(We'll just have to deal with it when the time comes,)" the Fire Pig spoke up. His trainer turned to look at him as he placed his front hooves atop the boy's legs in order to bring himself closer to him. He grinned broadly, "(We can do it.)"
"(Tepig's right,)" Swadloon agreed, joining him. "(It may be a little risky, but we Grass Types can fend for ourselves. I know we can count on you, too.)"
"(You're our trainer, Ash,)" Pikachu laughed, bounding onto the boy's shoulder. "(You shouldn't be so concerned; you're great at what you do. I've been with you long enough to know how this'll go. I know we can all pull this off.)"
"(I may not have known you as long as Pikachu,)" Oshawott started, "(but I have no doubt that he's right. You've helped us all so much; I don't think that there's anything we can't do.)"
"(Uh…)" a young fifth voice paused. Tepig turned his gaze to glance at the dual type behind them. Scraggy blinked, staring at each of them blankly while he considered his words. He grinned widely, finding his response, "(What they said!)" He headbutted the air in front of them, "(We'll kick those bad guys' butts!)"
The Pokemon chuckled at the young one's claim. "(He took the words right out of my mouth,)" Snivy said, amusement dancing in her eyes. She looked at Ash again, "(Taking care of a few Pokemon shouldn't be much of a problem. With the right strategy - Ash strategy - they won't stand a chance. We'll get the others back.)"
"Everyone…" Ash murmured. Tepig turned his gaze to look at his trainer again. The boy smiled. Understanding crossed his features, despite his lack of knowing his Pokemon's exact words. He brought each of them into a great hug, "Thank you." Tepig was breathing in his trainer's scent for several moments while the boy embraced them. As Ash drew back, the Fire Pig spotted a huge grin on his face, and his eyes glittered determinedly. "That's right. We can do this," he said, "together."
And this time, it wasn't uncertain.
Sorry, the ending's a little... off. I just don't have the time to edit it right now, and I'm WAY late. I hope you all don't mind. I might try to fix it later. And Tepig's reaction to Oshawott's... mistake... wasn't exactly what I was aiming for, but it'll have to do.
Well, what d'ya think? A little extreme? Unrealistic? A plane? Yeah, those crossed my mind, but I figured, "Why not?" Snivy glowed in the beginning for a reason and the plane.. err... sorry. I couldn't find much a way around it.
The rivals are actually getting along! ... That's also a little odd... and scary...
I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by next week, but no guarantees. This is where things start slowing down since not everything's completely written... and I'm having some trouble accessing stuff in fanfiction. I'll work as fast as I can, though!