Pokemon Daycare!
Ya'Masquerade!
By: Cutegirlmayra (Alright! I really do love doing this series. It's so easy to create plots/arcs for it! It never gets old. Now, on with the adventure!)
The children all gathered around Candy, as she held out the new premiere ball that shined in the window's light.
"What kind of pokemon is it?" Tia looked up at Candy, as Mia lightly hit her sister's head.
"Dummy, you should know! We foresaw that hours ago!"
"But I didn't want them to know that!"
"Why? It's not like it's rude to look into someone else's future…"
Cleo held the baby Totodile in a doll's blanket, as it squirmed to try and get lose, before she swayed her arms lovingly left and right, and rocked the Totodile into being calm.
Brandon held his little cracked egg with a peek hole in it, and shyly ducked down towards it, as the little Yamash head peeked out to see why everyone was gathered in a semi-circle around Candy's outstretched hands.
"Wait, you saw it before I did?" Candy looked to the twins, who sheepishly smiled.
"Well, I hope it's a goody." She admitted.
The twins both looked at each other, silently expressing the irony.
Everyone moved in around the premiere ball, as both Pearl and her Octillery and Murkrow also peered down to spy who the new pokemon was.
Candy took in a deep breath, before Zippity, Cuddles, and Flower all burst from their pokeballs.
"AHHH!" it startled her so much that she had flung up the premiere ball, and stumbled back, flailing. "Oh no!"
The Three were just as excited to meet their new teammate, and were surprised they had startled their trainer.
Everyone's eyes were on the now loose premiere ball, as it burst to life and opened wide.
Another Pichu shook her head, and blinked as she looked down.
The kids all stared back, as Candy leaned up, "Huh?" she let out a gasp, "Another one?"
It snickered, seeing a pair of new and fresh eyes made it excited to perform…
It snickered with a huge grin, and began to use a Scary Face.
The children, all in horror, ran away in fright, hiding behind Candy as Brandon almost had a heart attack, along with Yamask, who just rolled away with fainted eyes.
"Zor, zor, zor, zor!" The Pichu snickered again, having it's two tiny arms up to her face in her laughter.
"Wait…" Pearl squinted her eyes, "That's no Pichu!" she then dramatically flipped her poncho she was wearing at the time, having been prepared to leave after the introduction for the grocery store, and positioned her cane out to the side of her.
"Nevermore! Use Wing Attack!"
The Pichu flinched, and quickly arched its back up, hissing like a cat.
As Murkrow zoomed in for it's hit, the Pichu leapt forward with a Foul Play.
Murkrow fell straight down and bounced on impact, not fainted yet, but definitely taking a surprise blow.
It wasn't effective, but it's powerful attack stats had been used against him, leaving a good number of damage, though, not leaving him in any dangerous health situations.
Murkrow got up and flapped his wings, clearly upset by the attack.
"Ah! I'm pretty sure that was a dark move!" Candy gasped, as Zippity put her hands to the sides of her face, amazed at this powerful new Pichu!
The Pichu landed on the ground and snickered again, "Zor, zor, zor!"
Finally, Totodile blinked his eyes at the injustice, and then narrowed them angrily.
He struggled in his swaddled up blanket, but finally broke free from Cleo's grasps, and leapt forward to challenge the Pichu.
Murkrow looked to the side of him, surprised once again at the new friend wanting to correct the wrong.
"Ah! Baby!" Cleo exclaimed, having seen him as her true friend, but also treating him very much like she was his mother too.
Totodile looked determined to help, and Murkrow nodded at his resolve, flapping his wings to regain himself again.
Zippity also wanted to join the battle, racing forward and wanting to test her skills against this Pichu, but Candy reached out and pulled her back. "Oh, no you don't!"
"Reveal yourself!" Pearl demanded, and outstretched her cane again, "Nevermore, Swift!"
"Totodile, pwlease come back!" Cleo tried to recall him, having tears in her eyes from him placing himself in dangers way.
Totodile shook his head, and charged the Pichu, raising his hand to scratch it.
The Pichu looked at the Murkrow flying high and letting a swarm of flying stars from it's wings out towards her, and then with glee, turned to see the Totodile.
It laughed once again, closing it's eyes and darting with amazing speed upwards.
Totodile's eyes widened, moving too fast on his little legs to stop himself, he ran right into the swift attack.
Murkrow sweatdropped in worry, as Totodile wobbled with swirls in his eyes backwards, zig-zagging off balance and falling back into Cleo's lap, fainted.
"Oh, my pwoor friend!" she snuggled him tight, and cried softly at him getting hurt. Truly a mother's love he had gained from the start.
"Why you rascal!" Pearl turned towards the shelf the Pichu was laughing on, having a hoot before seeing Candy stand up, and Zippity leap forward.
"Alright, you trouble maker, you! I'm Candy! I wanted to introduce myself and meet you, but I think you'd rather do the introductions through battle!"
Zippity sparked her cheeks.
The Pichu looked down, and smirked all the more, before sticking her tongue out and then turning around to pat her bottom, mockingly.
Candy's eyebrow twitched as Zippity froze white, before fuming with offense.
"Zippity! Use Quick Attack!" Candy called out, as Pearl nodded, and continued her own commands.
"Nevermore, once more."
Murkrow flew up as Zippity climbed up towards the Pichu with super speeds, attempting to ram into it a few times as it skillfully dodged with a smirk, moving backwards down the shelf.
The Murkrow let out another Swift attack, as it looked up and used Agility, dodging the stars as if it was dancing, though, only having a limited space to do so.
It then Taunted the two by wiggling it's butt to it's side, on all fours, and lifting it's eyebrows up and down before jumping off the shelf. "Zorrrrr!"
It landed on some bookshelves below, and turned to watch its opponents race after it, before dashing off and knocking books off as it went.
"Ah! I just organized those!" Candy raced to try and catch the falling books and put them back in place, but Zippity used her head to land on and then bounce off to try and Thundershock the Pichu, missing and toppling over more toy-baskets and blocks that the Pichu used to dodged the Thundershocks, running behind them to have it take the blow instead.
"Zor, zor, Zoura!" it then leaped to Cleo, who looked up in fright, tears still fresh on her face, before Totodile emerged in the Pichu's lane of sight, and swiped a powerful scratch on it's face, knocking it down.
"Ah! Totodile!" Cleo clasped her friend close to her, relieved he woke up, though was still badly injured from the last attack.
Totodile, even while being held, glared down with fury towards the Pichu.
Upon impact, the Pichu rolled on the ground before a strange aura flickered and formed around it, and a black and red fox pokemon showed forth.
"Ah, what's that?" Candy was holding Zippity in her arms, racing back, as Zippity was clearly hit on the head for using Candy like it did. "Did it transform?"
"It's a Zorua." Pearl outstretched her arm at an angle, as Murkrow landed on it. "The trickster pokemon." She stepped forward, and shook her head.
"A trickster? You mean… it was just playing around?" Tia looked down at the scary pokemon, who shook its head and looked up, before zipping to it's feet, and trying to act tough, but was clearly more afraid of them then they were of it now.
"Zor.." It looked nervous, having been found out from its game.
Totodile took it's arm, and pulled down his own eye to mock the Zoura, which made it flinch and growl.
"A trickster… hmmm…" Candy thought a moment, "…Maybe… I'll name you, Jokes!"
The children and Pearl all flung themselves to the side in an anime dramatic way of her lame name-calling.
"W-what? Is it bad?"
Zippity face-palmed herself, but was slightly relieved that she wasn't going to be replaced with a stronger Pichu.
"This pokemon takes the image of people and pokemon to play tricks on them. I think the name 'Jokes' is a joke itself…" Pearl muttered out, after getting up. "But she is yours, and by such, you have right to call her whatever you see fit…" she used her cane to pick herself up again, as Nevermore shook his head.
Brandon was now exposed and freaked out, seeing he needed a hiding place fast before the new pokemon turned scary again, he ran towards the Yamask egg and scooped it up, turning then to hide behind the rocking chair.
Cleo, seeing his action, also took her weakened Totodile, and ran to where Brandon was, making him even further nervous as he jolted at her sitting by him.
"Good Idea, Memster." Her childish slur made him blink his eyes in silence, before realizing she meant 'Mister'.
He still shook in fear though, not really caring about her words, but mostly that he wasn't completely safe and alone anymore.
He pulled his blanket that Candy had tied as a sort of 'cape' around himself and away from her, horrified that she might get it dirty again.
Cuddles and Jigglypuff both looked to each other, before back at the Zorua.
Jigglypuff happily raced forward to greet the pokemon, not realizing the danger that that could cause.
"Mun-Munchlax!" in fear for his friend, Munchlax tried to tell her not to go, but his cries were in vain as she happily looked down at the Zorua.
Using Fake Tears, The Zorua put a paw over her face and cried, peeking to see if the Jigglypuff would put it's guard down.
"Jigglypuff!" Tia cried out, and held Mia's hand, as she also cried out, "Be careful!"
The two were ready to use any amount of their physic abilities to protect their innocent Jigglypuff, as it continued to happily outstretch it's arm, wiggling it around to further show it wanted to greet the pokemon.
Zorua raised an eyebrow, seeing it didn't understand, and nipped at the hand.
Jigglypuff froze.
The room grew cold and silent…
A sudden heat sprang around Jigglypuff, as she happily giggled a creepy laugh of anger, but didn't look upset at all, which made it even the more terrifying.
Zorua flinched and fell back! Darting away before Jigglypuff puffed up her cheeks, and let out a very high-pitched song note.
Everyone got frazzled and plugged their ears.
"Now I see why that old man wanted me to trade Combusken so bad!" Candy shakily let out.
The Zorua stopped at the door.
Its head lowered.
Its ears perked back slowly.
So that's why she was here…
She darted out of the home, and raced for a river in the forest.
"Candy!" Pearl snapped back, after Jigglypuff was being consoled by the two sisters, sending her good energy vibes with their opposite hands and muttering chants to her as she chibi-teared up and hiccupped.
Munchlax also grabbed her hand and rubbed it lightly, blushing as he did so, but wanting to be somewhat a hero to her in this moment, but not really succeeding.
Flower flipped her leaf like a high-class lady, and huffed at the drama going on, as if she was above it all.
"You must be more careful! She's your new pokemon after all! Consider her feelings. She was just summoned to an unknown location with unfamiliar faces, and to say something like that to her… have you thought that maybe she lashed out with her tricks because she knew she was traded? Feeling abandoned? It wasn't her choice to be traded like Combusken, after all."
Candy lowered her head, "B-but she…"
"No buts. She may have caused havoc, but you have created your own." Pearl glared, and turned around to chase after the new pokemon.
Candy whimpered, "Will I ever do anything right..?"
Zippity shook her head.
"Well, I can always count on you to be honest with me." Candy sarcastically looked to her insensitive partner. "But who am I kidding, I was insensitive too… spur of the moment isn't a good excuse for this now, either." She sighed, rubbed her head, and looked back to see Brandon and Cleo cowering in a corner.
She walked over to them to try and coax them out of hiding, showing them it was safe, and got her pokemon to help her clean up, even getting Flower to lift her vine and put the blocks back up too, much to her dismay.
She looked as though she was forced to have to touch germy objects, and flung them into place rather than linger her dainty touch on them.
"Well, you were no help." Candy stated, before realizing her bluntness again, and sighed. "Okay, nevermind. I'm sorry."
Flower vinewhipped her.
"YE-OUCH!"
Pearl walked around to try and find the Zoura, and finally found her staring into a calm stream, looking awfully lonely…
She took a relaxing breath and sat down by the pokemon, who didn't move at first, before seeing her place her cane up and quickly jumped to the side, barking at her.
"Hmm?"
Pearl rested it on her lap.
The Zoura seemed surprised, but calmed down when she noticed it was lowered and paced back to the river's edge.
"You must forgive your new trainer, she didn't realize how you were feeling."
She wiggled her nose with a huff.
"You really were being mischievous back their though. Much to your nature, I'm sure… but the children were afraid. And we can't have that." Pearl went on to explain the daycare, and what it did for both pokemon and children.
"You have great potential for battling. I noticed those dance moves, I'm sure you picked them up in your performing years. But these years will be very different from the pervious life you've known… I hope you can have patience with Candy, and much love in your heart for the purpose of our daycare, and for the children." She looked down at the pokemon, who was staring with a tight line on her face towards the water.
"I know you're upset with having been given this fate, but I can assure you, there is much joy that can be found in change… No matter how hard the beginning, the ending is forever sweet." She got up then, and tapped her cane to the ground, stretching out her back. "Oh, my. I'm still old and finding joys in my life. I'm sure you'll do the same. Now then, offph! That was a crack. Ahh… let's get you home."
"To your new home."
Zorua clenched her teeth, and spun around to whack a rock with her tail into the still river, causing it to ripple over her appearance.
She stared again at the water, such anger, such frustration.
But also… it looked to her that she had been given up on being a contest-star by the old man, and tears formed in her eyes, seeing her reflection turn back into who she truly was.
A failure.
She lowered her head and cried silently, as Pearl watched as the ripples reformed her true self, a self… it seemed… she despised.
"You seem to long to take on the image of others… but I wonder what image you truly take on… when you are yourself."
Jokes slowly looked up at Pearl, a hurt upon her face, but clearly, Pearl had an understanding of her.
In a desperate moment for relief of her pain, she jumped into Pearl's arms, and Pearl let her cry there, and held her for a while before heading back into the Daycare.
"I would give this little one some rest. She's had a hard day."
"SHE'S had a hard day!?" Candy had a broom in her hand, and looked upset by her words. "What about us!?"
"Hush. Return her to her ball."
Candy didn't like how Pearl was taking sides with the trouble-maker, but conceded to picking up the premiere ball, and returning Zorua back to her ball.
"Now then, it's about nap time." Pearl stated, seeing Brandon yawn.
"B-but you're leaving…" Candy reminded her.
"Yes, and I expect you to guard and watch the children and pokemon until I return." She adjusted her poncho, as Octillery was standing nearby.
She outstretched her arm and he crawled along it, plopping a hat on her for her journey, and then suction cupping himself to the side of her head once more.
Nevermore looked deafly afraid of leaving Candy in charge, as he spread his wings slightly and looked to Candy, then his beloved trainer, and then back to Candy.
"Not a caw out of you." She stated, putting Nevermore under her arm and walking out.
"B-bu-bu-but!" Candy tried to stop her, but froze at her cold stare behind her shoulder she gave, and withdrew her hand from stopping her. "T-…Take care." She waved, sweatdropping.
As Pearl kept her steady pace, Nevermore looked down, clearly concerned for the Daycare in Candy's hands…
"Don't worry, my old friend." She stated, as Nevermore turned his gaze up towards her.
"I have a feeling the girl needs some responsibility. After all, she wants to be a good pokemon trainer, and in order to do so she must be willing to learn how to solve, and do things, on her own."
Nevermore seemed to understand that, but still lowered his beak and eyes… just knowing he could trust his Trainer's judgments.
"Alright! Nap time! I can do this! I got this..! Heh heh…" Candy clasps her hands together, before looking afraid and doubting herself, her eyes shrinking in fright.
"J-jigglypuff? You know the drill! You're up!"
The kids had all gathered their pillows and blankets in a row, and got their favorite stuffed animals or pokemon by their sides.
"Here we go~" Tai chimed.
"On with the show!" Mia sang.
Jigglypuff took a toy microphone and cleared her throat, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
Candy looked smug in being able to get the kids together, before realizing something horrible.
"I forgot the earmuffs!"
Usually, Pearl and Candy would wear earmuffs to watch the kids without falling asleep to Jigglypuff's singing… but…
She forgot.
Jig~…ga-lypuff. Jig-ga-ly~ E-e-puff…
As everyone slowly fell asleep, Candy frantically reached for the earmuffs, slowly descending downward from the table, "No, no, no!" she fell asleep as quickly as the children did, softly snoring.
Munchlax tried to applaud, but also fell backwards and asleep.
Zippity had tried to push the earmuffs towards Candy, before giving up and putting them on herself, but right before she could, she was lulled to sleep.
The door was wide open.
The windows all opened too.
A hot day that deserved its pleasant breeze~
After a few hours, and Jigglypuff having also fallen asleep between the two twins that snuggled up on each of her round sides, Brandon was the first to yawn awake and blink his eyes.
He leaned up, rubbing them, and noticed that everyone was still asleep.
He thought of his parents, missing them, but trembled when he thought of his strict and angry nanny at home.
He looked back at the Yamask egg, hearing the soft breathing from sleeping inside echo slightly, and smiled.
He picked up his friend, took a moment to move his legs right and get back up, moving his butt up first before his body, and began walking to the door.
He peered out, and having noticed the quiet day, jumped down the first step and starting contently walking off.
He was down the road leading out of the forest, having remembered it because his earliest memories of both his father and mother being home were driving in an old fancy car, though he didn't really get that it was an expensive antique, only that it was a rare time for him to be with both his parents.
They would point out the road and different things along it, and laugh as he would excitedly lean across their laps to look over at whatever they had pointed to.
But as he was getting nearer to the city, a couple of boys, one with his hat flipped around, the other with a purple beanie, and one with a bandana tied around his head, were rolling dice and playing with certain pokemon figures.
"Ha! That's a solid six! My Charmander blazes your pokemon to a crisp!"
"Wha?! Not fair!"
"Oh yeah? Don't worry. I'm evolving my Exeggcute next turn. Then your pathetic fire type is gonna be no match for a raging Leaf Storm!"
"It lowers your special attack!"
"Like I freakin' care. It will wipe you out with just one hit! So what?"
Brandon paused, blinking at the older boys as Yamask finally turned around in his egg, blinking his eyes, and then jolting at the new surroundings, frantically turning left and right and wondering where he was.
"Hey, hey… look at the new guy." The purple beanie nudged the bandana kid.
"Huh?" He turned around, and glared. "What are you staring at?!"
Brandon lowered his head to the egg, shy.
"Heh. Hey, he looks like that rich kid… Yeah, the same kid whose father fired my dad!" The bandana kid rose up suddenly, shaking his fist in hostility. "My dad cursed your dad! Said he was a wannabe professor that didn't have his facts straight! He couldn't tell a boy wobbuffet from a girl!"
The kids laughed, as Brandon grew afraid, stepping back.
"Hey!" The kid with the backwards hat also got up, pointing to Brandon. "He's running away!"
"Get him!"
The kids charged him as Brandon's eyes shrunk and shook with terror.
He ran as fast as he could away, but tripped as the Egg flew in the air, and then toppled down to the ground, rolling up against a wooden brown fence that separated some of the road from the forest.
Yamask had his eyes closed, before blinking them open and jolting.
Brandon was crying, having his hands over his head and being curled up on the ground, the boys kicking him over and over again.
"Hold on." The boy put his hands up and pushed the other two away. "Quit crying like a little girl!"
He kicked him harder when he cried out in pain, as Brandon rolled along the dirt.
"Haha! He's nothing but a whimp!" the boy teased, as the others snickered with him. "Come on, this one's for my dad!" he punched a hand into his other open one, and started to step towards Brandon again.
Already having his face covered in dirt, Brandon kept his eyes shut and shook, his mouth open wanting to cry, but dared not make a noise, besides some whimpering from the pain.
Yamask shook in violent terror, as the boys grew closer and closer to his friend.
He closed his eyes, before feeling his heart race.
He sudden opens his eyes with a determined glare.
The boys suddenly stop when they hear some rattling.
"Huh? What was…" the boy with the purple beanie turned around, as the boys looked off to the side, and noticed an egg shaking uprightly back and forth.
"What on earth is that?" The bandana boy stated.
"An egg? All the way out here?"
The egg then burst forth, as Haze filled the area, a looming presence as a pair of eyes flashed.
"Ahh! It's a monster!" the three boys, in terror, ran away from the piercing glare of glowing eye sockets, as Yamask floated up out of the haze, and watched them retreat.
He then flew and circled around Brandon, "Yamask! Ya! Yamask!" he was frantically worried, but was tearing up when Brandon leaned upward, his body still shaking from pain.
"T-they… they ran off…" he looked up to his friend, who put his two hands together and nodded happily, seeing that his friend would be okay now.
"They ran… cause they were afraid…"
Yamask blinked his eyes a moment.
Then… the widest and biggest grin came upon Brandon's face.
"I … I love that your scary!"
Brandon then grabbed his friend and gave him a hug, as Yamask blinked his tears away and happily cheered in the boy's arms.
"As long as you're scary, no one will hurt you." The boy stated, quite clearly, and pulled away from his friend. "I wanna be scary too!"
"Brandon!"
Brandon twitched, and turned around.
Candy and the other children were following Tia and Mia, their hands together as they pointed while running, stating, "There he is!" in unison. "Right there!"
Candy took a second to regain her breath before scolding Brandon.
"Where were you!? Where'd you run off to, huh? We've been looking everywhere for you! You had us worried sick! You can't just leave the daycare like that!"
Brandon got up to his feet with the help of Tia and Mia, as Cleo held a hand up to her mouth, shocked.
"He lwooks dirtie!" she exclaimed.
"What were you doing? Rolling around in the mud? Shame on you!" she went over and dusted off his shirt, before putting her hands to her hips. "You're nanny's gonna have a tissy fit if we don't clean you up first! Ah! Pearl's gonna have a tissy fit if we don't clean you up first!" she seemed more afraid of Pearl than the nanny… "Quick! No dilly-dallying! We have to get back to the daycare and hose you off!" she stretched her leg out to run with a greater stride, as Brandon closed his eyes from being scolded, and Yamask hid behind him, placing his mask over the boys face to hide him too.
"…Candy…"
"Y-yes.. P-Pearl?" Candy shivered.
"…Why is Brandon… all wet?"
The boy held down his light blue shirt, his hands not exposed, and his big shirt now showing a little bit of his shoulder from being drooped down by the weight of the water.
He shivered as well, but because he was cold, not because he was scared.
"I… I can explain." Candy whimpered, before Pearl took her judging eyes and slowly rolled them up to her, her eyes showing a distinct look of not taking any nonsense.
"You get over here and take your beating, young lady!"
"Miss Pearl, no!"
"Come'ere now!"
The two raced around the Daycare, Candy dodging her cane swings as Pearl ran with groceries in hand after her.
Brandon blinked his eyes and continued to shiver, as Yamask floated out from behind him, peeking first, and then looking sadly to his friend.
Brandon smiled slightly, "She was scared too." He teased, as Yamask tilted his head in confusion.
(Lol! I kinda envisioned Brandon becoming the 'Creepy Trainer' that has dark eyes and long robes that you play in the game. Their usually girls, but I wanted him to get into the dark type pokemon and so I led him in with a backstory of why! :D I don't know if I'll be able to explain him growing up to being into those superstitious things, but I wanted to mention it cause he gets a little awkward and more creepier after this xD hehe!
See you next time! :D
Also, is it me? Or has Pearl gotten a little crankier over the episodes..?)