There is a popular legend about a society of pokemon spelunkers in ancient Unova, set before humans first settled the area, which was administered by a group of Happiny called HAPPI. This HAPPI – an organization which in modern Unova is often given backronyms, because of the extreme rarity of Happiny today, but was derived quite clearly from the pokemon which was initially said to run it - performed functions similar to the pokemon leagues of modern human society, categorizing and aiding the successes of many a pokemon adventurer.
Today, when the legend is said to have factual basis at all, it is said to be inspired by the sight of cave-dwelling pokemon caring for orphaned Happiny. The feud between Kyurem and Hydreigon is echoed in many mythologies, and the world destroying bitter cold is a memory of the ice age given a moral spin. The key role of HAPPI is far more difficult to explain away, so it is attributed to the active imaginations of storytellers and prophets.
It should not be, for the Happiny were not associated with HAPPI by chance. As brutal as competition for mates and food in the wild can become, Happiny may freely ignore it, for they can subsist off their own yolk for long periods at a time and usually reproduce by parthogenesis. No matter how awful the world becomes, Happiny still turn their talents to aiding pokemon and trying to spread compassion around the world, because they need not compete to survive.
Perhaps a remarkable group of Happiny was so successful that they inspired or even organized other pokemon to save lost travelers in caves and take down pokemon who were too inclined to bullying, and from there the story of HAPPI was born. Perhaps HAPPI was more than mere legend.