Of Meadows and Tremors
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, it's merchandise, yadda yadda. It's copyright of its creator, and Nintendo, etc.
Chapter Content: Suggestive frolicking and sudden earthquakes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bright Future, Hazy Past
Chapter Five: Of Meadows and Tremors
I woke up with a start to the sound of flapping. Feathers, catching the air currents of a nice spring breeze. The mail is here.
I look around; Trevor is nowhere to be found. This made me shiver as I suddenly notice the lack of his embrace. The thought of seeing him again motivated me to sit up, and I rubbed my eyes, yawning groggily.
Exactly how late had I slept in?
I wandered outside, and sure enough, Trevor was checking the mail. He frowned, clicking his tongue. As soon as he saw me, however, his expression changed. His lips curled to a soft smile, his eyes calm.
"Hey Darius," he called, a little forlornly. He shook the paper at me gently, a cue for me to take it to examine it myself. "A copy of the Pokémon News came in today. That Sunkern was rescued by another team..."
I smiled softly. "At least he's safe..."
The air thickened. Sorrow hung over us like fog over a lake. I decided to break the silence by waddling over to the mailbox to see what else the kind pelican brought for us today. Placing a claw on the mouth of the box, I pried it open slowly, causing the metal contraption to leak soft squeaks. This needs oil.
There was nothing inside. I frowned. "Oh well," I thought aloud. "Let's go check the bulletin board, then..." I turn to Trevor expectantly, and he shakes his head.
"Not today!" he cheers, grabbing my hand. "I have a surprise for you!"
A surprise? It seemed rather suddenâ�"random, if anything else. But I did like surprises. I decided to play along.
"A surprise, hm? What could I have done to deserve such a thing?" the inquiry was laced with a tone of humor, but I was, in fact, extremely curious. What did he have in store for me?
"Close your eyes," he said, and I abided. I could feel him sliding my claw into his paw, and he gripped it firmly. "Okay, no peeking!"
Without even looking behind himself, he had caught me! I blushed. Was I really that predictable? I clamped my eyes shut, dismissing the matter. Besides, I didn't want to spoil the surprise.
At least, now I didn't.
Trevor guided me along the familiar dirt that I knew was the path to our base, until my feet touched against the cobblestone of the city square. It was as busy as ever, and with my sight cut off I could even more easily catch the gossip flying around. Not that any of it mattered, since the only others I know are Trevor and the shopkeeps, and I don't even know them all that well.
As I pondered, I lost track of where we were headed. My feet had left the smooth cobblestones and were now padding along soft dirt once more. I could hear water rushing in the distance.
Rain?
No, it's too loud.
A waterspout?
But, we'd have to be on water.
Wherever we were, it sounded beautiful. Birds of unknown origin sang, the wind catching their melodies as it slowly glided across the lush field of grass I could feel between my toes. The warm sun beamed down from above, bathing every scale in an inviting glow. Mixed with the rushing water, this place felt and sounded like paradise.
"You can open your eyes, now," Trevor said, letting go of my hand. Before I could open them, I heard his footsteps retreat, sounding off-beat. He must be skipping.
I did as I was told, and my breath was taken away.
A breeze caught the bordering trees passing by, ruffling the pink flowers littered among the green leaves and shaking loose their soft petals, allowing them to soar across the area, tumbling and weaving through the currents.
A lake lay a few yards away, rippling with life, yet somehow remaining still. It glimmered as the sun's rays played on its surface, allowing one to look deep into its mysterious depths.
What amazed me the most, was the source through which the lake was being fed.
Towering above me, an earthen wall blanketed in flowering Berries was home to not one, not even two, but three gorgeous, refreshing waterfalls. The torrents of dazzlingly clear water cascaded down to kiss the lake, emitting clouds of water vapor that mingled with one another to produce an awe-inspiring rainbow.
My eyes hardly hid my astonishment, sparkling brightly with amazement. I clasped my hands in front of my chest, looking around and taking in the wonder one sense at a time, shuffling my feet against the soft grass, smelling the enticingly sweet aroma of the flowering blossoms, listening to the songs of the birds and the water entwining...
A lemon-colored blur knocked me off my feet and sent me tumbling through the field, laughing. We came to a stop, and I found myself lying underneath my companion, wearing a silly little grin on my face.
He smiled at me, his gaze unwavering as it delved into my own, as if searching for the answer to some unspoken question.
"Do you like your surprise?" he asked hopefully. "I knew how terrible you felt last night and I wanted to cheer you up."
"I love it," I blurted mindlessly. And I absolutely meant it. To ensure he understood, I nodded approvingly.
He looked into my eyes, his own half-lidding. I don't know why, but that look, it caused my heart to race. My blood rate must have skyrocketed well over the healthy limit.
I could feel the tension; it was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I just stared back in awe, adoring the mouse that held me willingly captive.
He moved.
Closer.
He was leaning down. My heart was practically charging head on at my ribcage. My mind was a blur. I didn't know what to do!
"Now then...what are you two young ones doing here?" A calm, airy voice proclaimed from beyond, shocking us both out of our trance.
Someone had been watching.
Here I am, lying under my teammate, my wrists pinned, body weighed down with his, gazing deeply into his eyes and mentally panicking, and someone was watching. A crimson blush, which, unfortunately, I was unable to hide since Trevor had me pinned down, was smeared across my face.
From whence the voice came, we weren't sure. Trevor looked around, too, a brow furrowed in confusion.
"Over here," the voice chuckled, and the Pikachu rolled off my scaly body, allowing me to sit up. In the middle of the waters floated a large, cerulean catfish. Long, goldenrod whiskers extended from the corners of his bloated lips, and trailed along behind him, stopping just short of his robin's egg fin. A letter 'W', was plastered on his forehead like a birthmark.
A Whiscash.
"What are you two young ones doing here?" he reiterated, more sternly this time. He exuded an aura of authority, and wisdom.
We stood, our attention focused on the elder before us.
"We, er..." Trevor tried, vainly, but bravely attempting to explain himself. "We were just visiting, you see, andâ�""
"I can see that," the Whiscash bellows, humored. He chuckles. "What is your purpose here?"
"Truthfully, sir, my friend Trevor was trying to cheer me up." I waited for another joke from the fish, as it was the perfect opportunity for one, even though I didn't intend for it to be. When he said nothing, I continued.
"We're Team Orion, you see, and we botched a mission, yesterday, and...to be quite honest, I felt terrible. I felt at fault for our failure, and the weight of such failure overcame me. When he saw how distressed I was, he surprised me with a trip here." I took a breather. After all, it was hard work, pouring out your soul to a complete stranger.
He took a moment to process my words, and nodded. "Team Orion," he started calmly. "You are not defeated by failure alone. You are defeated by the lack of willpower that failure brings. Overcome that with confidence and courage, and soon you will be successful."
As cheesy and fortune cookie-esque as it sounded, he was right. By letting myself become encased with guilt, I had lost all motivation. I recalled myself even resenting the chore of checking the Bulletin Board. What's gotten into me?
I nodded to him, letting him know I understood. Trevor did the same.
"Now go, young ones...and remember..." he said, letting his sentence trail off. He shrunk back into the water, slowly sinking in until his form was no longer seen.
Trevor and I exchanged glances, and I blushed.
"Come on," I said. "Let's go check that bulletin board." Smiling, I held out my claw.
"Alright!" Trevor cheered, displaying his trademark grin, allowing his pearly whites to gleam in the sunlight. He took my claw and led me down the dirt path, and into town once again.
***
I didn't expect to find myself so drained of energy from the frolicking in the meadow. Perhaps my senses were overwhelmed with the beauty of it all...and from what had happened...
"Darius," Trevor called to me, bringing me to the present. He smiled. "There aren't any jobs on this board that haven't been taken by other Rescue teams, so I'll go check inside for any heads-ups on job postings, okay?"
I nodded my agreement, and Trevor shuffled his way inside the building. He was more familiar with the workers there than I was, so I opted to stay outside and wait for him whilst he conversed. I tended to get uncomfortable around those I don't know.
As I waited, I found myself bored. He was taking a long time, that's for sure. I grew tired of waiting, and eventually sleep claimed me as I slid into an easy catnap.
I found myself in the dream realm once more, thrown into that brilliant vibrancy and surrounding by the welcoming warmth and colors.
"I recognize this place..." I thought to myself, though it doesn't seem to reach the little Charmander sitting in the middle of the realm, asleep.
I reminded myself that the little Charmander was a dream-fabricated version of myself, and that he couldn't hear me, nor sense my presence. Though, I could receive his thoughts, as they were my own.
"......"
He stirred.
"............"
A snore escaped him, a soft, relaxed breath. His breathing neither quickens nor slows. He is at peace.
"........................again? Am I dreaming again?"
A distant voice called to me. I could sense a presence...one that is familiar, yet at the same time undiscernable. I couldn't place a finger on it, but for some reason, I felt like I knew whatever else was here.
"It's that Pokémon again. ...Huh?"
The voice called to me again, and I picked up some of what it's saying. I could form words from the faraway source, but just barely.
"They're...talking to me...? What're they saying? I can't hear them clearly..."
As I pondered what whomever is talking to me is saying, the world began to quake. My dream self seemed unperturbed by this shaking, but I, on the other hand, am caught off guard.
"Huh? It's shaking! An earthquake?" The tremors worsened. "It's...it's getting worse!" I could feel myself shaking terribly, as if I'm having a seizure. It all felt so terribly real!
I suddenly jolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat, my heart racing. I clenched my chest...what had happened?
I looked around, wiping my forehead of the beads of perspiration that nested there. No sign of Trevor yet, and the sun was climbing high.
As I wonder where he is, the same voice that called to me in my dream began speaking to me again. I caught it on the wind, as if it were but a whisper, or a sigh.
"Hello? You are Darius..." I shivered, scared by the thought of the horrid nightmare that had come to visit me in reality. Or at least, my reality. "Oh, you can't see us," the voice called, and the ground opened before me, causing me to jump to the bulletin board in fear, clinging to it for dear life.
Three large, fuzzy, sausage-like heads poked through the surface from the hole, looking around blankly until their beady eyes became fixated on me. Their red noses twitched in unison.
"We are Dugtrio," they said, at the same time. These three acted as one, and it creeped me out even more. Though, the source of the earthquake in my dreams was the source of an earthquake in the waking world. I had felt the shaking whilst I slept.
That made sense. ...Right?
The Dugtrio continued, and, becalmed by their amiability, I released the board and stood in front of them, listening raptly.
"During the earthquake our child Diglett was kidnapped and spirited away to a tall mountain peak!"
So, they weren't the source of the earthquake? This world really must be in crisis... "We couldn't possibly climb somewhere so high up! We beseech you for your team's help, Darius."
"Us? But we--" Before I could bring up the failed mission, they continued.
"Diglett was abducted by a Pokémon named Skarmory. He's a terror, so please do be careful!" with that, that vanished back into the ground, and the hole filled up of its own accord. I wonder how it did that...
I stared at the spot where Dugtrio had once been. That was so sudden, there was no time to decline...I'd better go!
I looked to the building and was about to dash inside when Trevor came bumbling out, waving his arms in a panic.
"Did you feel that earthquake, Darius?!" he cried, his fur flying. I stopped him with an outstretched claw and explained the situation. "Huh? You were just asked to go on a rescue mission?" His eyes twinkled with that urge to explore, and he forgot all about the earthquake.
As I was about to reply, Dugtrio surfaced right between us, knocking us back and onto our sensitive derriéres.
"Yes!" they cried. "Our child was taken to Mt. Steel! To the very top! You must help!" and as suddenly as they had reappeared, they vanished.
"Uh...Okay. Well, then, let's go." And with that, we headed outside the city limits once more, to begin a rescue mission unlike any we've had before.
Chapter Content: Suggestive frolicking and sudden earthquakes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bright Future, Hazy Past
Chapter Five: Of Meadows and Tremors
I woke up with a start to the sound of flapping. Feathers, catching the air currents of a nice spring breeze. The mail is here.
I look around; Trevor is nowhere to be found. This made me shiver as I suddenly notice the lack of his embrace. The thought of seeing him again motivated me to sit up, and I rubbed my eyes, yawning groggily.
Exactly how late had I slept in?
I wandered outside, and sure enough, Trevor was checking the mail. He frowned, clicking his tongue. As soon as he saw me, however, his expression changed. His lips curled to a soft smile, his eyes calm.
"Hey Darius," he called, a little forlornly. He shook the paper at me gently, a cue for me to take it to examine it myself. "A copy of the Pokémon News came in today. That Sunkern was rescued by another team..."
I smiled softly. "At least he's safe..."
The air thickened. Sorrow hung over us like fog over a lake. I decided to break the silence by waddling over to the mailbox to see what else the kind pelican brought for us today. Placing a claw on the mouth of the box, I pried it open slowly, causing the metal contraption to leak soft squeaks. This needs oil.
There was nothing inside. I frowned. "Oh well," I thought aloud. "Let's go check the bulletin board, then..." I turn to Trevor expectantly, and he shakes his head.
"Not today!" he cheers, grabbing my hand. "I have a surprise for you!"
A surprise? It seemed rather suddenâ�"random, if anything else. But I did like surprises. I decided to play along.
"A surprise, hm? What could I have done to deserve such a thing?" the inquiry was laced with a tone of humor, but I was, in fact, extremely curious. What did he have in store for me?
"Close your eyes," he said, and I abided. I could feel him sliding my claw into his paw, and he gripped it firmly. "Okay, no peeking!"
Without even looking behind himself, he had caught me! I blushed. Was I really that predictable? I clamped my eyes shut, dismissing the matter. Besides, I didn't want to spoil the surprise.
At least, now I didn't.
Trevor guided me along the familiar dirt that I knew was the path to our base, until my feet touched against the cobblestone of the city square. It was as busy as ever, and with my sight cut off I could even more easily catch the gossip flying around. Not that any of it mattered, since the only others I know are Trevor and the shopkeeps, and I don't even know them all that well.
As I pondered, I lost track of where we were headed. My feet had left the smooth cobblestones and were now padding along soft dirt once more. I could hear water rushing in the distance.
Rain?
No, it's too loud.
A waterspout?
But, we'd have to be on water.
Wherever we were, it sounded beautiful. Birds of unknown origin sang, the wind catching their melodies as it slowly glided across the lush field of grass I could feel between my toes. The warm sun beamed down from above, bathing every scale in an inviting glow. Mixed with the rushing water, this place felt and sounded like paradise.
"You can open your eyes, now," Trevor said, letting go of my hand. Before I could open them, I heard his footsteps retreat, sounding off-beat. He must be skipping.
I did as I was told, and my breath was taken away.
A breeze caught the bordering trees passing by, ruffling the pink flowers littered among the green leaves and shaking loose their soft petals, allowing them to soar across the area, tumbling and weaving through the currents.
A lake lay a few yards away, rippling with life, yet somehow remaining still. It glimmered as the sun's rays played on its surface, allowing one to look deep into its mysterious depths.
What amazed me the most, was the source through which the lake was being fed.
Towering above me, an earthen wall blanketed in flowering Berries was home to not one, not even two, but three gorgeous, refreshing waterfalls. The torrents of dazzlingly clear water cascaded down to kiss the lake, emitting clouds of water vapor that mingled with one another to produce an awe-inspiring rainbow.
My eyes hardly hid my astonishment, sparkling brightly with amazement. I clasped my hands in front of my chest, looking around and taking in the wonder one sense at a time, shuffling my feet against the soft grass, smelling the enticingly sweet aroma of the flowering blossoms, listening to the songs of the birds and the water entwining...
A lemon-colored blur knocked me off my feet and sent me tumbling through the field, laughing. We came to a stop, and I found myself lying underneath my companion, wearing a silly little grin on my face.
He smiled at me, his gaze unwavering as it delved into my own, as if searching for the answer to some unspoken question.
"Do you like your surprise?" he asked hopefully. "I knew how terrible you felt last night and I wanted to cheer you up."
"I love it," I blurted mindlessly. And I absolutely meant it. To ensure he understood, I nodded approvingly.
He looked into my eyes, his own half-lidding. I don't know why, but that look, it caused my heart to race. My blood rate must have skyrocketed well over the healthy limit.
I could feel the tension; it was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I just stared back in awe, adoring the mouse that held me willingly captive.
He moved.
Closer.
He was leaning down. My heart was practically charging head on at my ribcage. My mind was a blur. I didn't know what to do!
"Now then...what are you two young ones doing here?" A calm, airy voice proclaimed from beyond, shocking us both out of our trance.
Someone had been watching.
Here I am, lying under my teammate, my wrists pinned, body weighed down with his, gazing deeply into his eyes and mentally panicking, and someone was watching. A crimson blush, which, unfortunately, I was unable to hide since Trevor had me pinned down, was smeared across my face.
From whence the voice came, we weren't sure. Trevor looked around, too, a brow furrowed in confusion.
"Over here," the voice chuckled, and the Pikachu rolled off my scaly body, allowing me to sit up. In the middle of the waters floated a large, cerulean catfish. Long, goldenrod whiskers extended from the corners of his bloated lips, and trailed along behind him, stopping just short of his robin's egg fin. A letter 'W', was plastered on his forehead like a birthmark.
A Whiscash.
"What are you two young ones doing here?" he reiterated, more sternly this time. He exuded an aura of authority, and wisdom.
We stood, our attention focused on the elder before us.
"We, er..." Trevor tried, vainly, but bravely attempting to explain himself. "We were just visiting, you see, andâ�""
"I can see that," the Whiscash bellows, humored. He chuckles. "What is your purpose here?"
"Truthfully, sir, my friend Trevor was trying to cheer me up." I waited for another joke from the fish, as it was the perfect opportunity for one, even though I didn't intend for it to be. When he said nothing, I continued.
"We're Team Orion, you see, and we botched a mission, yesterday, and...to be quite honest, I felt terrible. I felt at fault for our failure, and the weight of such failure overcame me. When he saw how distressed I was, he surprised me with a trip here." I took a breather. After all, it was hard work, pouring out your soul to a complete stranger.
He took a moment to process my words, and nodded. "Team Orion," he started calmly. "You are not defeated by failure alone. You are defeated by the lack of willpower that failure brings. Overcome that with confidence and courage, and soon you will be successful."
As cheesy and fortune cookie-esque as it sounded, he was right. By letting myself become encased with guilt, I had lost all motivation. I recalled myself even resenting the chore of checking the Bulletin Board. What's gotten into me?
I nodded to him, letting him know I understood. Trevor did the same.
"Now go, young ones...and remember..." he said, letting his sentence trail off. He shrunk back into the water, slowly sinking in until his form was no longer seen.
Trevor and I exchanged glances, and I blushed.
"Come on," I said. "Let's go check that bulletin board." Smiling, I held out my claw.
"Alright!" Trevor cheered, displaying his trademark grin, allowing his pearly whites to gleam in the sunlight. He took my claw and led me down the dirt path, and into town once again.
I didn't expect to find myself so drained of energy from the frolicking in the meadow. Perhaps my senses were overwhelmed with the beauty of it all...and from what had happened...
"Darius," Trevor called to me, bringing me to the present. He smiled. "There aren't any jobs on this board that haven't been taken by other Rescue teams, so I'll go check inside for any heads-ups on job postings, okay?"
I nodded my agreement, and Trevor shuffled his way inside the building. He was more familiar with the workers there than I was, so I opted to stay outside and wait for him whilst he conversed. I tended to get uncomfortable around those I don't know.
As I waited, I found myself bored. He was taking a long time, that's for sure. I grew tired of waiting, and eventually sleep claimed me as I slid into an easy catnap.
I found myself in the dream realm once more, thrown into that brilliant vibrancy and surrounding by the welcoming warmth and colors.
"I recognize this place..." I thought to myself, though it doesn't seem to reach the little Charmander sitting in the middle of the realm, asleep.
I reminded myself that the little Charmander was a dream-fabricated version of myself, and that he couldn't hear me, nor sense my presence. Though, I could receive his thoughts, as they were my own.
"......"
He stirred.
"............"
A snore escaped him, a soft, relaxed breath. His breathing neither quickens nor slows. He is at peace.
"........................again? Am I dreaming again?"
A distant voice called to me. I could sense a presence...one that is familiar, yet at the same time undiscernable. I couldn't place a finger on it, but for some reason, I felt like I knew whatever else was here.
"It's that Pokémon again. ...Huh?"
The voice called to me again, and I picked up some of what it's saying. I could form words from the faraway source, but just barely.
"They're...talking to me...? What're they saying? I can't hear them clearly..."
As I pondered what whomever is talking to me is saying, the world began to quake. My dream self seemed unperturbed by this shaking, but I, on the other hand, am caught off guard.
"Huh? It's shaking! An earthquake?" The tremors worsened. "It's...it's getting worse!" I could feel myself shaking terribly, as if I'm having a seizure. It all felt so terribly real!
I suddenly jolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat, my heart racing. I clenched my chest...what had happened?
I looked around, wiping my forehead of the beads of perspiration that nested there. No sign of Trevor yet, and the sun was climbing high.
As I wonder where he is, the same voice that called to me in my dream began speaking to me again. I caught it on the wind, as if it were but a whisper, or a sigh.
"Hello? You are Darius..." I shivered, scared by the thought of the horrid nightmare that had come to visit me in reality. Or at least, my reality. "Oh, you can't see us," the voice called, and the ground opened before me, causing me to jump to the bulletin board in fear, clinging to it for dear life.
Three large, fuzzy, sausage-like heads poked through the surface from the hole, looking around blankly until their beady eyes became fixated on me. Their red noses twitched in unison.
"We are Dugtrio," they said, at the same time. These three acted as one, and it creeped me out even more. Though, the source of the earthquake in my dreams was the source of an earthquake in the waking world. I had felt the shaking whilst I slept.
That made sense. ...Right?
The Dugtrio continued, and, becalmed by their amiability, I released the board and stood in front of them, listening raptly.
"During the earthquake our child Diglett was kidnapped and spirited away to a tall mountain peak!"
So, they weren't the source of the earthquake? This world really must be in crisis... "We couldn't possibly climb somewhere so high up! We beseech you for your team's help, Darius."
"Us? But we--" Before I could bring up the failed mission, they continued.
"Diglett was abducted by a Pokémon named Skarmory. He's a terror, so please do be careful!" with that, that vanished back into the ground, and the hole filled up of its own accord. I wonder how it did that...
I stared at the spot where Dugtrio had once been. That was so sudden, there was no time to decline...I'd better go!
I looked to the building and was about to dash inside when Trevor came bumbling out, waving his arms in a panic.
"Did you feel that earthquake, Darius?!" he cried, his fur flying. I stopped him with an outstretched claw and explained the situation. "Huh? You were just asked to go on a rescue mission?" His eyes twinkled with that urge to explore, and he forgot all about the earthquake.
As I was about to reply, Dugtrio surfaced right between us, knocking us back and onto our sensitive derriéres.
"Yes!" they cried. "Our child was taken to Mt. Steel! To the very top! You must help!" and as suddenly as they had reappeared, they vanished.
"Uh...Okay. Well, then, let's go." And with that, we headed outside the city limits once more, to begin a rescue mission unlike any we've had before.