Flygon

Once upon a time, there was a cruel king ruling over these fair lands. His name was Labem Abem Vincen Winsem Tarquesveiden the Third, although it was rumored that he wasn't the third of any line. He dealt out strict punishments, such as cutting out the tongues of those who made fun of his name and death to any who dared have a longer name. His reign was so terrible that even to this day, people hesitate before speaking of him. Partly because of his terror and partly because they have to remember how to say his name right.

After beheading his fourth wife for not singing to his command (she had a sore throat), King Labem Abem Vincen Winsem Tarquesveiden the Third announced that he was going to marry again. He had not gotten a suitable heir in any of his marriages and was determined to get a perfect son to follow him, one whom knew that his father was the best at everything. So he issued a decree, stating that he would choose his next wife in a singing competition.

"For my wife is not only to provide me with an heir," he stated, "but to amuse me and do everything with grace and beauty. The best singer that I have ever heard was a mysterious maiden in the Whirling Desert, singing a wordless melody despite the endless sandstorms. Any man who find her or who finds a maid that can sing better than her will be granted a large sum of money, an estate along the Azurite River, and my eldest daughter in marriage."

Now the people who lived near the Whirling Desert were amused by the decree. They heard the singing in the desert on a daily basis, but they knew it was no human. Instead, the song belonged to the desert spirits, elusive Pokemon that stirred up the sand into the multitude of cyclones that gave the Whirling Desert its name. But none of them would dare correct the menacing monarch.

However, there was one who dared to something more audacious than that. His name was Jack and he was a clever, if unscrupulous, man. He sold extremely weak fish Pokemon to travelers, claiming they were strong and powerful. He diluted medicines and hawked Gastrodon oil as a positive cure-all. And now he saw a golden opportunity that couldn't be passed up.

For many years, he had trained one of the desert spirits himself. This Flygon was called Guinevere and she had helped Jack in many of his schemes. Whether capturing Gastrodons or watching out for knights, she did so unfailingly, believing it was best to do as her Trainer asked. She was a good-hearted Pokemon, although a little frightened of crowds. Jack instructed her on her part of the plan, gathered some of his friends to help, made a few bribes within the castle, and was soon set to claim his fortune.

The day finally came, with the competition for the next queen. King Labem Abem Vincen Winsem Tarquesveiden the Third brought each of the competitors into the throne room for their introductions. Despite his ruthlessness and advancing age, the large reward had drawn in plenty of con men. Low class cons, Jack thought to himself with some pride. They tried to bring in dim-witted or naive girls and passed them off as acceptable with heavy makeup, grand clothes, and specific instructions. There were even some ambitious women who thought they could gain the upper hand over the king. If they were half as clever as Jack, he thought, it might work for them. But obviously they weren't.

Guinevere was settled into a chair, looking quite regal. The sand dragon had large red eyes that sparkled like stained glass, so Jack had accentuated that by subtly dulling her eyelids. While her wings naturally had a pretty look, he added inked floral designs to make her special. She also wore elegant jewelry: a gold collar with a ruby pendant, ruby earrings, and a diamond bracelet. As there was certainly someone in the castle staff that could identify true gems from fake, these pieces were real. Jack had tricked their previous owner into thinking they were fake, then trading 'real' fakes back to her.

With the clamor of a gong, a servant called out, "Next up, Princess Guinevere and her guardian, Jack Rivers."

Jack waved to his Pokemon to follow him, then entered the throne room. With a grand bow, he addressed the court. "Your Eminence, the mighty King Labem Abem Vincen Winsem Tarquesveiden the Third, so wonderful to meet you at last. I am Jack Rivers and I speak for my pure-hearted but unfortunately changed ward, Princess Guinevere Terra A'Draken." He waved his hands reverently towards his Flygon.

"Changed?" the king asked skeptically.

"Yes, your Eminence, changed. The lovely Princess had many jealous enemies and I was charged with protecting her. However, a wretched witch transformed her into a Pokemon under my nose. She was not able to hide her completely, though. As I'm sure someone of your God-sanctioned position can tell, Guinevere is still as regal, beautiful, pure, and lovely as ever."

The servant, who was in on Jack's plan, stated, "She must have been wonderful to be turned into this gentle dragon."

"Quiet, you!" the king shouted. However, now that a servant had recognized the changed princess, he had to astound everyone and prove his power. "Guinevere is still exquisite and elegant. I wasn't sure what you meant by changed, because she is certainly of royal descent. It is terrible that she would be mistaken for a Pokemon by the peasants, though. We will have to find a way to uncloud your eyes."

"I knew the witch's curse couldn't fool you," Jack said happily. "I have heard that it can be fixed by true love's first kiss, although that may be a sentimental old wives tale. If not that, I'm sure you, in your deep wisdom and wide knowledge, that you would be able to find a way to restore her to her true form."

"But sire," one of his advisers whispered something more.

"Are you not worthy enough to see Princess Guinevere's true beauty?" he demanded.

"I... there is something about her," he hastily replied.

"But can she sing?" another asked.

"Of course," Jack stated. "My lady, would you grant them their request?"

Guinevere nodded and took off from the ground. A Flygon's song did not come from her throat, though; it came from her wings. While she carefully altered her beat speed, angle, and other factors, the humming of her wings produced haunting and sweet notes that were eerily like a woman's wordless song.

After a few note changes, the king's eyes were wide and his lips trembling. He jumped from his throne and shouted, "She's the one I heard in the Whirlwind Desert! That song is unmistakable."

Guinevere was a little puzzled, since her wing song was never the same twice. But Jack distracted the court from noticing. "It is unique, your Eminence. She has always sung like this, never saying a word we mortals on Earth can understand. But you cannot mistake her pure and loving heart for anything else."

"We shall consider that, Mr. Rivers."

At the end of the day, King Labem Abem Vincen Winsem Tarquesveiden the Third announced his intentions to marry the angelic Princess Guinevere Terra A'Draken.

-+-

Guinevere sighed and flew to another window. She had been in this castle for ten days now, without Jack. Other times when they pulled this kind of job, he would break into the victim's house in order to retrieve her within three days. Often, she was replaced with a different Pokemon. This place was more secure than a commoner's home. Still, ten days?

And it wasn't just the waiting that was getting to her. Various people were trying to turn her from a Flygon into a human. She had never been a human and wasn't that interested in becoming one. Especially not when she was expected to marry this king, who eagerly sought out flaws to punish his followers for. He seemed to enjoy their suffering more than their service.

While they treated her well on occasion, giving her excellent choices of meats, vegetables, and fruit, they also made her try all sorts of 'cures' for her condition. Bitter potions that disturbed her stomach, holy chants that required her to sit still or endure the whole process again, strange rituals involving needles, candles, and a spark-happy Pikachu... it was horrible. What had she done to deserve this?

Guinevere's watch for her true Trainer got interrupted yet again by the king. "There she is. Leave us be."

The servant bowed. "Yes, King Labem Abem Vincen Winsem Tarquesveiden the Third." He went back down the hall and out of sight.

As he came over, Guinevere scratched her scales under her collar. While it had been fun to dress up, wearing these jewels was starting to irritate her. It was like how living in this castle had been fun for a couple of days. But now she wanted to go back to Jack. He let her fly about in the open on her own, if he had nothing for her to do. In the castle, there was always a guard watching her, and they didn't let her fly freely outside.

The king stopped by the window she was perched in. "My lovely Princess, I hope you're enjoying the view."

Below her, there were soldiers practicing their skills at blades. Past the wall where she was really watching, there was a dusty old road leading towards her birthplace, the Whirling Desert. That is, it led there after four days of travel. She still hadn't seen Jack, so it wasn't an enjoyable view.

He placed his hand between her wings. "We really need to get you out of this cursed state. Announcements have gone out, but some of the imbeciles are already saying that we've been duped. But I know your story is true; I believe it and I will help you." The king leaned in closer to her.

That was much too close. Guinevere ducked and hopped out of the window. Quickly, her wings caught up and she landed on the outer rim of the window. She had to watch him closely.

His eyes narrowed. "This is not the time to play coy, Guinevere. We need to restore you to your true self before the wedding. And I don't want to accidentally transform you in thin air."

"Your Majesty!" One of the advisers came running down the hall. "We have some troubling news about your daughter."

"What is it? It can't be so important that you have to interrupt my time with my betrothed."

He glanced out the window nervously. "Actually, sir, we have word that Jack and your daughter escaped the winter castle and left the country by way of ship. They took all the gold you had given them, plus various treasures from the castle. And we've heard that before he left, Jack boasted that he had tricked you by getting you to marry a Flygon. She's not a human under a curse, she's a born Pokemon. And while he lost his Pokemon, he says it was a good trade-off."

Feeling her heart broken, Guinevere cried out. So Jack had abandoned her this time? She was all by herself?

"WHAT?" the king screamed. As his cheeks turned red in anger, he glared out at her. "Kill that worthless Pokemon!"

Guinevere flew off, but dove down past the wall. While archers were trying to prepare their bows, she stirred a strong cyclone from her wings. Dust from the old road swelled up and obscured the sight of those in the castle. Then the Flygon flew off for the Whirling Desert.

What was she to do, now that her Trainer had repaid her loyalty and obedience with abandonment?

...

Sapphire entry: Flygon whips up a sandstorm by flapping its wings. The wings create a series of notes that sound like singing. Because the "singing" is the only thing that can be heard in a sandstorm, this Pokemon is said to be the desert spirit.

I wrote this after a TV Tropes reading binge. Can ya tell?