Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 57: For A Friend
Okay, so I'm doing something different for this chapter. The entire thing will be told from the pokemon's point of view. It will reveal backstory and everything about Mawile. So please enjoy...
Some time ago...
Mawile's POV
Location: Johto Region's Route 30
After my adventures in Sinnoh with my friends Rio the Riolu, and Terra the Torterra, I have since drifted endlessly throughout the world of Pokemon. With killing Maw, my cursed mouth that once had a life of it's own, and parting ways with Rio and Terra, I've felt lonely. Even so, I have absolutely no regrets righ tnow. I am completely different from the Maya who started her journey at Lake Verity. Oh, Maya was my nickname. But I have since stopped using it because the nickname has slowly faded out of everyday use.
"Hmm, I wonder if I'll ever see them again, 'Little Kid' Rio, and 'Old Man' Terra..." I said to myself as I looked up at the blue sky.
Wandering with no purpose, except to exist. I guess that was just the life of a wild pokemon like me, although I DID have one previous trainer who had released me, leaving me all alone and injured at Lake Verity. Everytime I think back to thaat day, I can't help but wonder if I'll ever be given another chance, with another trainer. But not just any trainer, it has to be a trainer who is willing to stick with a pokemon through thick and thin, whether we win or lose. Where can I find a human like that? I guess only time will tell...
Later...
Sigh...I've been on my own two feet ALL DAY. Where am I going again? I don't even know. Maybe I'll just find a place where I can rest for the rest of the day.
"A-aaaawww." I stretched my arms, and yawned as I began to feel abit sleepy. The sky was quickly turning from blue to orange, and will eventually become black. I couldn't see the sunset too well anymore, and just as I was about to just lay up against a sign I just so happened to pass, I caught sight of a Geodude and Mudkip just passing by. Keeping my eyes on them, they were a few feet ahead when they enterred a cave that I didn't notice until just now.
"Well whaddya know?" I said to myself as I stood up and crossed my arms while examining the cave from afar. "I'll have a rocky roof to sleep under for the night." I said as I started toward the cave. Oh, and before I left the sign, I DID get a quick glimpse of it. I didn't know too much on how to read, but based on what I DID know, I ventured to guess that part of the sign read 'Dark Cave'.
Even Later...
It must be nighttime outside...
At around this time, I had enterred the cave. I realized that THIS was the Dark Cave that the sign was talking about, given the fact that this cave was very dark inside.
Wandering for a perfect spot to sleep, I saw little to no other pokemon in the cave. I wonder where the Mudkip and Geodude went? I wonder where I'M going...Soon, I came across quite the sight in this cave.
"Whooaa..." I stopped as I caught before me the sight of a lake from within the cave. There was no cave ceiling above the lake. Above was only a partial moon and the stars as they made the lake glisten a glowing silver color. "Wooowww...This is perfect...I'll spend the night here."
And with that, I got myself comfortable when I layed on my back, using my recently purified second mouth as a pillow as I looked on into the starry night sky. My night certainly ended on a subtle note...
The next morning...
"Rio...Terra..." I was dreaming about my two dear friends that I still miss.
My eyes were only half open, and I myself was only half awake. I didn't want to open my eyes all the way becuase I obviously wanted to get more sleep.
"Nnn..." I moaned.
"Is she awake?" ...I heard a whisper, and it wasn't me. "Come on! Wake up, you!" Like I said: My eyes were only half open, so as I became more and more awake and aware, I began to notice light. I also realized that I couldn't hear any water. I wasn't at the lake anymore, and I began to feel endangered, so I closed my eyes all the way, trying not to let the stranger know that I was awake.
"Leader, she won'twake up. What should we do?"
"Whaddya think?" There was another voice. "Wake the little girl up yourself!"
"Hey! You!"
:Ah!" I was met with a low kick to the front f my face. "You! I'll-" I got up and immediately laid my eyes on a Graveler. I was about to strike Graveler with my maw before I was held back by someone else. Turning around, I saw a Skarmory keeping me bound by simply stepping on my maw.
"Never seen you around here." The Skarmory said. "Just so you, know, we don't welcome visitors. Especially not a puny little girl like you."
"Puny, huh?" I couldn't help but close my eyes and smile. "Looks can be deceiving." My previous journey with Rio and Terra developed me not only physically, but mentally as well. Having to learn to control my maw back then has really taught me to control my anger.
"Is that so?" Skarmory answered. "Well, in case you didn't know, I run things around here. What I say goes. And I say you'll be working for me from now on whether you like it or not. So do you to do this the hard way, or the easy way?"
Of course this Skarmory wasn't giving me a choice. "You have no idea who you're talking to..." I said.
And so it all began there, on that day...the relationship between Skarmory and I. On that day, I had actually defeated Skarmory with relative ease in battle, taking from him the title of Leader. At first, I was reluctant to stay at Dark Cave, but the pokemon, Skarmory included, they all embraced me very well as their new leader. Theye've given me a love that only Rio and Terra have ever shown me before. Of course, Rio, Terra, and I WOULD always bicker and argue over everything, but still. They, along with the pokemon in Dark Cave were like the family I never had, which was reason enough for me to stay.
In my early days in Dark Cave, I DID have a tough time staying in one place and calling it home for the very first time in my life. I also had to adjust to having power over another living thing for the first time in my life, but we all eventually found a rhythm. I had but one rule change:
Strangers may come and go as they please. Of course, that, and my time as leader would be short lived, as the dragons would soon take over and divide Dark Cave into two halves. One half for the dragons, and the other half for everybody else.
...I'll never forget the day that Skarmory, my best friend since Rio and Terra, was taken away from me by a man named 24(Chapter 12). That man was looking to capture only the most powerful of wild pokemon in Dark Cave, but of course, my looks would deceive the man. His own judgement had Skarmory become his desired pokemon, and when Skarmory was taken away from us, I didn't know how to react. Sure wild pokemon were captured here and there all the time, but Skarmory was different.
The bond between Skarmory and I was...'different'. While the two of us were like family, Skarmory would STILL go on and on about how he was going to defeat me and reclaim his spot as leader one day. That never happened, but us fighting all the time might have actually been what brought us closer together.
I vowed that I would not let our relationship die, by coming to Skarmory's rescue. And when the ultimate opportunity had come across me, I did not let it pass by. I met a trainer that very same day. But not just 'a' trainer, I met 'the' trainer. A person who would stick by their pokemon through thick and thin was who I met in a boy named Seth. The way he never lost hope for his Chikorita, even though the two were frustrated and conflicted with each other. Sure there was a point where he wanted to turn back, but the fact is he stayed by his pokemon even through a struggling relationship, something my previous trainer never did for me. And that's when I knew - in Blackthorn City, where he made up with Chikorita - that's when I knew that I had to have him as my trainer. We both had the same goals of becoming stronger and defeating the rising Team Neo Snagem. And with Seth, I knew that one day Skarmory and I could rekindle the friendship that wasn't dead, just lost...
End Flashback...
Location: Dominion of Shadows
"Skarmory!" I called out, knowing the humans wouldn't be able to understand the words coming from us pokemon. "Skarmory, please!"
Skarmory was standing right next to 24, ready to do battle against our exhausted team. Ursaring and Rapidash were unable to move. Chime, who was in Kashius' arms, was also paralyzed. Our new friend Eevee was in the arms of Chapel after being seriously injured by a powerful Venasaur that had just been defeated by Missingno. The defeated bald man was observing 24 fro ma few feet away. The sky was grey, and the surrounding streets were flooded with fighting between Neo Snagem and members of what Chapel once called the Johto Region's Restoration Committee.
"Skarmory, look at me!" I called out.
Slowly, my friend opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on me without saying a word.
"Do you...Remember me?" I asked.
"Skarmory!" Chapel was also calling out to the opposing Skarmory
"Don't bother." 24 started as we all looked to him. "I may not know why you call out Skarmory's name, but I DO know that you all are just wasting your breath. Know why?" 24 was looking right into the eyes of Skarmory. But when I looked into Skarmory's eyes-
"What?" Skarmory's eyes were a deep purple color.
"What have you done to it?!" Chapel asked.
"The answer is simple, see? Skarmory is now what we call-" 24 pointed at us, directing Skarmory to attack "The Shadow Pokemon that will end your journey!"
The Skarmory was then recklessly charging at us while cloaked in a sparkly blue aura.
"Watch out!" Kashius yelled at Chapel and I. "Brave Bird isn't a low level technique!"
"Mawile!" Chapel called.
I didn't really need Chapel to warn me about the incoming Skarmory because I knew instinctively to move out of the way. And I did so by rolling to my right. After Skarmory's attack missed me, Skarmory crashed into the groun. I was squatting on one knee, waiting for my opponent to move. When a few seconds passed without movement from Skarmory, I got up and quickly ran over to see if my long lost friend was okay.
"Skarmory?" I put one hand on the steel bird's wing, concern written all over my face. "Are you...are you oka-" As soon as he got up, he slapped me away using the back of his wing.
"Ow!" Reacting quickly, I was once again squatting on one knee, but this time I hand clenched the hand that was slapped into a fist at the laughter coming from none other than 24.
"Haha! Hahaha! What a sucker!" 24 was teasing me. I gave him a nasty glare, only for him to react by snickering at me. "Aaaawwww what's wrong? Am I making you mad, you poor little thing? You DO realize you don't scare me with that nasty look on your face, right. Ya don't look like you could hurt me either."
"Err..."
"Mawile, stay calm! Don't let that guy get to your head!" Chapel knew exactly how I was feeling as the man continued teasing and taunting.
"I think I've figured you guys out, you and Skarmory." 24 started as he kept that mocking smirk on his face. "My Skarmory has a close relationship with you, right? Don't worry, I remember you now. You were with that boy, and his Chikorita, AND that talking Slowking. Ah yes, right now, you stare at the man that you just want to punch in the face for taking you best friend away from you. Is that it?"
24 was provoking me...and it was working as I stood up with both my fists clenched. Chapel was trying desperately to calm me, but her words were not a strong as 24's.
"Come on! I'm right here, you waste of space!" 24's arms were open, waiting for me to attack.
"Rrrr...SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" 24 could not understand any of my words as I started charging toward him, eyes intense and fists that weren't being held back as they were both cloaked in a Power-Up Punch aura.
Closing in on 24, I was caught completely off guard when my maw was suddenly grabbed, stopping me in my tracks as I landed flat on my face. It was Skarmory who was using his talons to hold me in place by my maw.
After looking at Skarmory, I once again fixed my eyes on a 24 who was casually walking toward me. I winced as there was nothing I could do as 24 looked down to me with a smirk.
"I'm right in front of you now! Punch me...if you can, haha!" Insult after insult, 24 would not stop tearing me down. "Not only can you not hurt me, but you can't save your friend either. There's a reason why I caught Skarmory that day and not you. It's sbecause you're a weak failure. You failed to defeat me before, and you'll fail to do so again right now. Skarmory!" 24 was calling for Skarmory to attack again.
"S-Skarmory...Please don't-" I was interrupted by my own pain as Skarmory tightened his talons around my maw. He then started to lift me into the air.
"Aaah!" Skarmory then cloaked himself in the sparkly blue aura again as he let go of my maw in mid air and began to drive me face first into the ground.
"Mawile, no!" Chapel yelled as the impact was made.
"It's over." 24 said.
Everything hurt now. My arms and legs ached, and my sore maw was just released from Skarmory's iron grip. My face was flat on the ground, but all those things were not what hurt the most...I kept my face flat on the ground to keep 24 from looking at it. But what on my face was I hiding?...Tears...The change of emotion on my face was subtle, and the tears I desperatley tried to hold back were letting themselves out. If I'm not strong enough to rescue Skarmory, then what did I accomplish on this journey?
Flashback...
Chapter 12:
"What's wrong, Mawile?" I remember the girl named Iris asking me in Blackthorn's Pokemon Center. I had a depressed look on my face in the hours following Skarmory's capture.
"Well, she told me that she was beginning to question her abilities as a leader." I remembered the talking Slowking answering. "She wants to step down as Dark Cave's leader and go on a journey of her own in order for her to become stronger. Which is why she wishes to go with you, Seth."
Of course, I really didn't give Seth a choice that day as I grabbed a pokeball of his and made him capture me before he could give me an answer.
Chapter 39:
I had used my maw to do a push up in order to raise myself. And when I WAS up, I was the winner in the final battle between Seth and Whitney as I stared at the downed Nidoqueen.
"Mawile..." Seth called my name as he approached me. I couldn't stand for long, as I soon fell back to the ground in exhaustion. I remember fixing my eyes on Seth, and smiling proudly at him. "You won."
And when Seth picked me up in a cradle hold, he did something I never thought he'd do: he expressed emotion... An emotion called gratitude toward me as I swept Whitney's entire team...Yes, THAT was a sure sign that both my new trainer and I had gotten stronger.
End Flashback...
"Yes...I HAVE gotten stronger." My face was still buried in the ground. That day...if I was strong enough to change Seth of all people, then surely I'm strong enough to do the same for Skarmory. I couldn't let Skarmory see the weakness in me, which prompted me to try to face him and 24 again.
For a friend, I struggled just to start moving my arms and legs again.
"Huh?" I could hear 24's disbelief. He wasn't expecting me to be able to move.
"Come on..." Kashius said to himself, hoping for me to get up.
The struggle just to stand up contiued. My arms were shaking asI tried to pus myself up, just like against Whitney.
Slowly, my face was coming off the ground. My sight was blurry, and small pebbles were rolling off my face. It was aprocess, but I was finally able to stand on my own two feet. I was breathing heavily as I wiped away whatever tears on my face that I was trying to hold back...If I was going to rescue Skarmory, then I was going to have to fight him.
"Ooohh, are you ready for more?" 24 was still teasing me, but this time his insults didn't hurt as much. I don't need to anyone to tell me how strong I am...I already know that this journey has strengthened me.
"Ready, Skarmory?"
Skarmory continued to stare me down. Drowning out the words 24 was attacking me with, one hundred percent of my attention was now on Skarmory.
"Skarmory, no more holding back! I said. "It's time I strike back!"
"Is that so?/"
"Huh?" That was the voice of the shadow Skarmory. "Skarmory, you're talking?"
"Yes. And it's about time that the old Maya I've come to know - Leader Maya - showed up." Skarmory said.
He was right...was Skarmory waiting for THIS Maya to show up this whole time? "Just so you know, I'll beat the crap out of you if that's what it'll take to rescue you." My face had many expressions written on it. Skarmory - my enemy - was met with hatred from my eyes. While Skarmory - my friend - was met with a warm and serious smile.
"Let's finish this, old friend!" Soon I hope to reunite with him, at long last...
Oh, and thank you Seth...
To Be Continued...
Talk about going outside of my comfort zone. And people, in case you haven't noticed throughout the second part of this fic, Mawile has gotten increased screen time all for this battle. I wanted to expose Mawile to appeal to the readers. She now has EVERYTHING a main pokemon OR character needs: Backstory, characterization, and purpose. And I will be doing a few more chapters from the pokemon's POV throughout the fic. Though these chapters will be intentionally spread out, kind of like the shipping chapters. It'll keep my readers tuned in, and I'll won't have to pull random subplots out of my butt later in the story. Cause I've read stories on here where I believe relationships have started WAAYYY too early, like halfway through a long fic for, an example. So with that out of the way, I've promised to post that status of the major Neo Snagem members' pokemon.
Pokemon name will be followed by gender, and then ability.
Commander 10- Shadow's Party
Klefki- Male, Prankster
Chandelure- Male, Shadow Tag
Gengar- Male, Levitate
Commander 10 has made multiple appearances in this fic, and amazingly, I've yet to introduce ANY of his pokemon. But (SPOILER) I feel we're close enough to the introductions of his pokemon to post anyway.
Commander 07- Sakura's Party
Honchkrow- Female, Super Luck
Mightyena- Male, Intimidate
Commander 04 - Yuna's Party
Bagon- Female, Rock Head
I'll admit it, although Yuna hasn't made many appearances, she IS my favorite Neo Snagem member. And I can't wait to finally put her in the action.
Commander 03 - Kurayami's Party
Salamance- Male, Intimidate
Absol- Male, Pressure
Okay, so 03 hasn't appeared in some time, but she will basically be the main antagonist from Pheobe's POV. After all Kurayami WAS the one who took Pheobe's father from her back in Chapter 14.
Commander 02 - Wes' Party
Umbreon- Male, Synchronize
Espeon- Male, Magic Bounce
Metagross- Genderless, Clear Body
Togepi- Female, Serene Grace
Garchomp- Male, Sand Stream
So that's about it. If you have anything to say, please review...