Chapter Text
When I woke up today, it was to Kokiri’s beaming face. His wide grin was less of a ‘good morning’ and more akin to ‘I’ve been watching you sleep for the last two hours’. It was either that, or my mind was twisting things; I’m not sure which alternative was more weird.
I jumped back immediately, “Gah! I’ve had enough of getting stared down while I sleep, what is wrong with you?”
Kokiri pressed a scythe to his chest like I’d just shot an arrow through it. “Ah, milady, it is not my fault the very sight of your tranquil slumber compels me to bask in its glory!” He swept his leafy arms in a dramatic arc, bowing gracefully. “Truly, it is an image worthy of song!”
“You sound like a bad romance novel with a cliche plot involving vampires and high school students. Next time you hover over me, I’m kicking you onto the curb.”
“If it brings a smile to your lips, then gladly will I accept such punishment!”
Deciding the idiot was beyond reason, I instead took a peek at the environment outside of the bar.
The storm from last night had finally passed, leaving the jungle steaming and damp. Despite the sudden temperature drops the day before, the sun was beginning to crawl out from the horizon again and things were starting to heat up. The air was humid and heavy, thick with petrichor and the faint sweetness of flowers and pollen. Arceus, I hated this tropical weather.
“Ah, finally up, are we?” Mr. Guru’s voice reached me, he was sitting cross-legged on a stool nearby.
“The sun’s barely risen; it’s pretty early, actually.”
“I suppose it is, I think you should get a head start on your journey. If you wish to cross through the jungle safely, you should do it while its inhabitants are still recuperating from last night’s fierce gales.”
“Fair enough,” I stepped over a sleeping Larvesta, “Thanks for the shelter.”
“Yes, indeed, thank you.” Kokiri repeated, before dropping down to one knee, “Milord Guru, words fail to encapsulate the gratitude bursting from this humble knight’s heart. Should you ever request help, know that I am indebted to you and will-”
“Alright, enough with the theatrics,” I interrupted, nudging him with my sepal. “The guy gave us a roof, we’re not in a blood pact or anything.”
The Oranguru chuckled dryly. His gaze lingered on us a moment longer, and I felt the same strange prickle in my chest as last night, it was almost as if he was employing his psychic powers to look into my fate or something. “Take good care of yourselves, the road ahead will demand more of you yet.”
Yup, still as cryptic as ever.
Bidding him farewell, Kokiri and I squeezed through the entrance of his bar and set off for our trek through Lush Jungle. I could only pray the Pokémon Centre wasn’t far, because at our pace we’d never cover enough ground before the forest’s predators woke up and decided we looked like breakfast.
“Ugh, everything’s soaked,” I grumbled, sidestepping a puddle only to land in another one with a splash. “Figures. One night hiding from thunderbolts and the whole forest turns into a hellish mud pit.”
“Ah, but behold how the world glistens after the sky’s weeping!” Kokiri twirled once in the misty light filtering through the canopy. Droplets clung to his fronds, which he flung about as he struck pose after pose. “It is nature herself putting on a magnificent performance!”
“Yeah, well, tell nature her performance stinks. My leaves are sticky, I smell like moss, and I’m extremely miserable.”
He pressed his hands together, eyes softening in that annoyingly earnest way of his. “Then allow me to escort you, fair one, back to our sanctuary. The Centre will surely have breakfast fit for champions.”
“Champions don’t usually smell like wet mulch, and they don’t look like two pathetic dolts.” I bit back.
“On the contrary,” He replied, lowering his voice with mock seriousness, “True champions are forged in storm and mud, and now you shine brighter for having endured such struggles!”
I stopped in my tracks and squinted at him. “… Dude, do you practice these lines in a mirror, or do they just come naturally?”
His grin faltered, just for a flicker, before he pasted it back on. “Oh, naturally, of course, hahaha…!”
He made a disjointed laugh that sounded as if he needed something to cover the silence. Something about his forced reaction unnerved me a tad, but I shoved the feeling down - we had to work on getting out of this damn place first.
The two of us wound our way through the dripping greenery, the path opening little by little until the jungle gave way to familiar dirt roads and the silhouette of the Pokémon Centre rose from beyond the hill. For probably the first time ever, we made it through the journey without any incidents whatsoever. There were no Murkrow attacks, no runaway trolleys, or sudden, falling trees. It was nothing more than a peaceful walk back to where we belonged.
“Finally… home.” I huffed, pleased. The sight loosened a tightness in my chest.
The word tasted strange on my tongue. Once, it had meant a warm bed, the smell of dinner cooking, and the quiet cosiness of familiarity. Now it meant a downsized building run by an overworked nurse where every piece of equipment is either haunted or on the verge of breaking down. But it’s what I’ve got, so I might as well make the most of it.
“Indeed,” Kokiri said softly, his usual bravado dimmed as he gazed at the Centre. Then, when he caught me looking, he perked right back up, forming a knightly posture. “Though any place with you, my lady, is a sanctuary beyond compare!”
I surveyed the damage outside. There were loads of fallen branches everywhere, but the Centre was mostly fine - no fallen trees could crumble this ancient building, it seemed. The doors slid open for the two of us and we sauntered in… only to stop dead at the sight of Cheryl in the doorway. The Blissey had her arms crossed, a shadow falling across her usually warm face. I felt something sink in my stomach.
“Oh, thank Arceus,” She spoke, voice smooth and sweet at first, but quickly sharpening like a whip. “The two of you made it.”
Kokiri lit up, waving dramatically with one leafy arm. “Of course we did, not even the fiercest thunderstorm can-”
“You’re lucky you’re still alive,” Cheryl cut him off. “Do you have any idea how worried everyone was? You were both missing for an entire night!” She leaned down until her eyes were level with mine. “And now you’re both covered in mud and leaves.”
I bristled, resisting the urge to shrink under her glare. I hated being treated like some kind of reckless kid. “We didn’t run off, alright? The storm caught us out. We found a shelter and stayed put. That’s all.”
“Mm-hm.” Cheryl’s eyes narrowed, searching through me like she could squeeze the truth right out of my pulp. Then, after a beat, she sighed and straightened, the motherly warmth slipping back into her expression. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
Behind her, an incredibly tired Nurse Joy leaned against the counter, half-asleep on her elbow. When she noticed us, she gave a tired wave, her smile stretched thin. “Welcome back,” She stated flatly, voice devoid of its usual sing-song. “We’re getting ready for the day, so put on your hats and go do whatever you need to do upstairs.”
The difference between her and Cheryl couldn’t have been starker. One was simmering with both relief and frustration, while the other was barely even present.
Kokiri, of course, didn’t notice the iciness at all. “Who wishes to hear me regale our triumphant battle with the storm?”
Instead of answering, Cheryl grabbed the Fomantis in one arm, stepping forward with surprising speed for someone her size. After wrangling Kokiri without so much as a grunt, she turned her attention to me. “The two of you need a bath, a meal, and a lecture, and you’re getting all three in that order.” She, too, plucked me right up from the ground before I could even turn to run.
A sudden urge to fight back crossed my mind for a split second, before the ire from Cheryl’s eyes subdued just as quickly… At least we were back someplace dry. That’s all I could really ask for right now.
Warm water lapped against my skin as Cheryl’s broad hands scooped me up and set me in the wooden tub. Kokiri had already been dunked in the other basin, and he was wriggling around like it was a spa day, “Ahh, positively divine!” He crooned.
“Hold still, you’ll splash everywhere,” Cheryl scolded, but there was no real heat in it. She pulled her arms out, reaching for a brush. “Honestly, you two look like you spent the night wrestling a Muk. Dirt in your leaves, scratches all over… I’m surprised you haven’t been poisoned yet.”
I let out a long sigh as the water soaked into my rind. Once again I found myself being scrubbed by her; maybe I should just give up that whole ‘being dignified’ talk at this point.
Cheryl hummed as she worked, scrubbing gently but firmly, the way someone might handle a fussy toddler. “You scared me half to death, y’know,” she said quietly. “Storms like that… they're no joke, there’s a reason they’re always at the forefront of every weather report.”
She kept going on and on about all the Pokémon she had found battered by similar tropical downpours in the past, noting something about how even the mightiest oaks were felled by the fearsome winds… I was starting to tune her out by then. But goodness, I still couldn’t help the flicker of warmth I felt whenever I thought about her - Cheryl cared for us. She was saying these things for our sake, and that thought bloomed something childish and joyous in me, wishing nothing more than to hold onto her maternal comfort and never let go.
Nurse Joy, meanwhile, barely even blinked when the two of us ran in caked with filth. She cared enough to keep this place running, sure, but it felt like all her warmth had been squeezed out of her, drop by drop, until only an eerie, plastered smile was all that remained. Yeesh.
It was strange, really. Two caretakers under the same roof, yet standing on opposite ends of the spectrum: one smothering with affection, the other starved of it. I knew I said I wouldn’t pry, but I was seriously wondering how this had happened. What sort of history caused the mess I had to call home right now? What… What broke Nurse Joy? Her other family members had always presented themselves as so unflappable… God, do I even want to know the answer to that question?
“Penny for your thoughts?” Cheryl asked suddenly, wringing out the cloth. Her eyes were sharp but kind.
“No, I’m fine… Just a bit weary.” I muttered, sinking lower in the water. No way was I about to tell her I’d been comparing her to her boss while she scrubbed dirt off me.
Kokiri piped up from the other basin. He never knows when to shut up, does he? “She was thinking of me, I bet! Our glorious survival in the storm!”
“Cheryl, drown him for me, please.”
“Um… I hope the soup is to your liking.” Fuka bowed, before retreating.
I lapped it up instantly. Wow, heated food. I hadn't tasted something so nice and rich and filling since… forever! Well, not really, but spend one night outside your house in a jungle and you tell me how it feels to be eating hot food again.
God, I’m starved. We probably should’ve asked Mr. Guru for some food before we left, but it was probably better that he saved those berries for the other Pokémon. After all, me and Kokiri had a place to return to. They likely didn’t.
“So what exactly happened?” Cheryl, deciding I was making a fool out of myself eating, sat down and began to ladle spoonfuls of soup into my mouth.
Kokiri froze, searching for words. I, on the other hand, was busy trying to pretend I could sink through the floor. Great. Just what I needed: a lecture from a Blissey who could fold my ass like a lawn chair.
“Well, to begin, we spent a little longer than anticipated at the ranch dropping off our packages. And then we had an argument about whether or not we should cut through Lush Jungle or go the long way around it, which ended up getting us caught in the storm…” I started, but before I could elaborate further, Kokiri spoke up.
“It was my fault.” He stated plainly, I shot him a puzzled stare, but he didn’t acknowledge it in the slightest. “I failed to be swift in delivering our goods, and once more when I let her get attacked by a Greedent.”
“You were attacked?” Cheryl gasped, her hands clenched as though she was ready to wring a certain squirrel’s neck if I just pointed the way.
“N-No, not really! The Greedent just thought I was a berry and tucked me away to bring to an Oranguru, who lived in a bar and let us stay there when it was pouring. I-I know that sounds insane, but if it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have had shelter to hide during the storm!” Feverishly, I exclaimed - The words tumbling out of my mouth, trying to defuse the situation before it somehow got even worse.
“I-It wasn’t that dramatic,” I insisted, heat rising in my cheeks. “I was fine. Totally fine. The Oranguru was cool about it too, he gave me juice, a lecture, and a roof over me and Kokiri’s heads. There was no harm done.”
Cheryl rubbed her face, clearly torn between consoling me and throttling me. “Sweetheart,” She spoke at last, voice strained with a mix of relief and exasperation, “You have got to stop putting yourself in these situations. Greedent may not be the most dangerous predator in the jungle, but what if it had been something else? You probably could have stayed at the ranch, the folks there likely wouldn’t have objected to letting a couple of Pokémon Centre workers hang around a little longer.”
“Like I said, it’s my faul-”
“Listen here, young man,” Cheryl boomed, her voice cutting through the Centre like a war drum. She bent down, scooped Kokiri up by the scruff like he weighed nothing, and plopped him unceremoniously into a chair. “You do not get to go around declaring yourself a failure every time something happens to your partner!”
“But-” He started.
“No buts!” Cheryl frowned, towering over him. “You think protecting someone means throwing yourself into danger, or wallowing in guilt when things go wrong? No, protection means being there, keeping calm, making smart choices. You do not serve her, you support her.”
Just as I was starting to enjoy watching Kokiri squirm, Cheryl’s gaze swiveled toward me like a turret. My leaves stiffened. Uh oh.
“And you, young lady,” She said, voice dropping to that deadly emphasis that only she and my mother could pull off. “Don’t think you’re walking away from this without a word.”
“‘Y-Young lady’? You’ve never called me that. And besides, I-I didn’t do anything! I was the one who got kidnapped, remember?”
“Exactly. You got kidnapped because you decided to take extra time to bicker about routes in the middle of a storm, your arguments alerted the nearby Pokémon and got you caught.”
“Well, I had a plan to get us to safety! Sort of…”
“Ignoring the possibility that you just made that up right now, did your partner know about this plan?”
I turned to Kokiri, silently pleading with him to save me.
“Um… yes, I knew about her most w-wondrous plan of… uh…” He stammered awkwardly. Well, he sure faked it, but it was clear he wasn’t gonna make it.
“I’m going to assume you didn’t inform him, did you?”
“... There might have been a slight… miscommunication between us.”
“Learn to lean on your friends, you’ve helped so many people, you need to let them help you, too - You’re stronger together than apart.”
Hm, she sure sounded like Mr. Guru for a sec there, are my flaws really that easy for everyone to read?
I glanced at Kokiri, who was still sitting stiff in his chair like he’d just been baptised in holy scolding. He gave me a sheepish little nod, which I reluctantly returned.
“… Fine,” I muttered, kicking at the floor. “I’ll try not to get kidnapped again, and I’ll communicate with him more. Happy?”
“Ecstatic.” Cheryl gave a satisfied nod, then clapped both of us on our backs hard enough to nearly knock us off our seats. “Good. Now that we understand each other, you’re going to rest, finish your food, and get off of courier work for a while. I’ll hear no arguments.”
Deciding it wasn’t worth it to test her patience, Kokiri and I nodded almost instantly. By the time Cheryl finally released us from her lecture-hold, my legs felt like jelly and my soul like it had been wrung out and hung to dry. Kokiri looked worse, slumped like a wilted berry, his leaves droopy all over.
“Holy moly, you guys look like you just got patched into depression.” Lei waved, flanked by Carole and Fuka. The three of them were outside, waiting for us.
“You could say that again.” I pouted.
“Dang. Cheryl really totaled your morale, huh?” Lei gave an apologetic chuckle.
“She didn’t need to yell,” I muttered, staring at the floor like it had personally betrayed me. “She used disappointment, it feels like… I dunno how to put it.”
“Like we’ve failed her.” Kokiri mumbled, “And by extension, each other.”
“Yeah, what he said.” I parroted.
Carole clapped him on the shoulder with one of her vines. “Yeah dude, that’s called ‘being Mum-scolded’. You live and you learn, I suppose.”
“… But like. Being for real here, glad you two are okay.” Lei followed up. She wasn’t loud, or sparkly, but she was sincere.
“You um… probably heard it from her already, but we really were worried.” Fuka chimed in alongside her, tiny but earnest. I nearly jumped out of my skin. Right, I forgot she was here. The girl had about as much presence as a shadow on a cloudy day.
Carole, meanwhile, rolled up beside us buffeted by her own cotton fluff like a smug little cloud. “Eh, speak for yourselves. Personally I’m a little offended you guys didn’t die. I was this close to inheriting your bed, Bounsweet.”
“I beg your- You already have a much bigger one, why do you want mine?!”
She shrugged, infuriatingly smug. “Just because! Yours has that delicious, fruity scent, while mine just smells like makeup and dried leaves.”
“That’s because you keep applying tons of it on yourself!” I snapped back, sepals spinning in frustration.
“Oh, don’t diss self-care, now,” The Eldegoss smirked, flicking my forehead with a vine. “But then again, you wouldn’t know anything about looking good even if it hit you right in the head.”
“Sheesh, well, I can see it didn’t take long for Bounsweet to recover from her scolding.” Lei guffawed at our banter. I took a step back, and yeah, she was right. Whatever it was blocking me from metaphorically breathing had left, leaving me feeling a lot lighter. I looked to the Eldegoss in question, who only gave me a wink that was quickly swallowed by that smirk of hers.
“What about you, Kokiri…?” Fuka slid her tassel tail under the Fomantis’ head, gently lifting his face up.
“I would… like some water, and maybe… some electrolytes.”
“That’s doable.” Fuka agreed, vanishing down towards the kitchen to get him something to drink.
Kokiri stayed where he was, staring at the hall we’d just come from. No farce comments, nor any extreme poses. I nudged him lightly with my leaf. “Hey. We survived. We’re back home now, everything’s fine.”
“O-Of course,” He assured me, but refusing eye contact, “Naturally. All is… well.”
That night, I slept really well. No more cursed flashbacks, or hearing the thunder strike through the darkness. I was too busy savouring the relief of tasting the disinfectant in the air and going lax in my pet bed to really care anymore.
The next few days came bright and fresh. After that debacle with the cart (which was now lost to the jungle forever), Kokiri and I stuck around the Centre instead, working on separate shifts. I was pretty much freeloading, though. I couldn’t really do much in the way of healing patients, so at most all I could help with was occasionally passing a tool the doctors needed using my mouth, and even then I was still limited in that regard. The item couldn’t be too heavy, or too large. And it also had to have a handle or some other part that was easy for my mouth to latch onto. Still, I could kind of hold things now. And like I’ve said before, in this body, anything is a luxury.
Slapping my hat onto my head, I indulged in a quick breakfast before heading downstairs for work, the entire Pokémon Centre seemed to buzz with motion as everyone slowly aroused from their slumber. I headed down to the front reception and squeezed into a chair, waiting for patients to show up.
Waiting.
Waiting…
But no one showed up.
A sharp, blaring alarm suddenly tore through the morning calm. My heart jumped. All around me, startled voices rose into chaos. Folks shouted over each other as they rushed to gather supplies and belongings. Our very limited staff members poured in from every hallway, their faces pale with confusion. “Emergency!” someone yelled.
I grabbed onto a passing Lei, “What’s going on?” I demanded, “Why’s the alarm sounding, and why is everyone gathering here?”
Lei adjusted her hair. “Oh, when the alarm goes off, it means there’s an emergency. All Centre operations are suspended, and every available staff member has to assemble at the front.”
“When was the last time something like this happened?”
“Hmm… actually… never? I mean, I don’t remember it ever going off. Like, ever-ever.” Lei rubbed her head confusedly, “This place is usually, like, the opposite of exciting. We treat sprained paws and seasonal flu, not-”
Another alarm blast cut her off. That meant occurrences like these weren’t common, it must be something rather serious, then.
Moments later, Nurse Joy stepped over to the centre of the mass. And I had to admit, she looked marginally better than she usually did. I mean, the dark bags were still present under her eyes, but at least she ditched the creased apron for a worn coat instead. Things really were getting dire if even Nurse Joy was bothering to give a crap, huh? The room quieted instantly at her arrival. Every head turned toward her as she cleared her throat, clipboard in hand.
“Attention everyone!” She called out, “I thank you all for coming here on such a short notice, but as time is of the essence, I’ll be brief with these announcements. A local report has tipped us off that many Pokémon have been severely wounded in what appears to be a ferocious battle over territory in the Lush Jungle. There are many in desperate need of medical attention.”
Murmurs spread among us; I tensed up when she said ‘Lush Jungle’. I wonder if Mr. Guru got caught up in that fight? Hopefully not, he was eccentric, sure, but he seemed like he had a good head on his shoulders. If anything, he’s probably treating some of the wounded right now. Good for us, honestly; saves us from having to do more work.
“To speed up evacuation,” Nurse Joy continued, “I’ve managed to get into contact and coordinate with the Courier company to bring them in as transport.”
I took a peek behind me, where a small fleet of Pelipper, Tropius and Braviary were standing. Ah, so that explains the impromptu visitors.
“They’ll be here to carry medical staff and supplies to the scene and bring back the wounded. Each Flying type can handle two passengers and a stretcher. Priority goes to senior staff.” And with that, the Nurse began to list off names of Pokémon that will be sent to the scene. Kashu, Fuka, Carole, Lei, Cheryl and even that night shift Umbreon I had never interacted with were all being sent into the fray. More and more Pokémon disappeared between the large glass doors of the Pokémon Centre, urgency painted on their faces. I wondered if I would ever be selected.
Part of me wanted to go and prove I could be more than the Centre’s freeloading mascot, but the other part of me wasn’t really fancying a flight so close to birds of prey. I wasn’t expecting us to have fancy self-driving ambulances or anything like the other Pokémon Centres (especially considering we didn’t even have a garage) but wow, relying on the god damn mail service to bail us out? This is definitely a new low.
“I myself will also be personally supervising the operation. Bounsweet, Kokiri, I trust that you two will oversee the Pokémon Centre in our absence.”
I looked around, and then I realised that… basically all the Pokémon around us were gone. I suppose that’s the side effects of having such a minimal staff; literally only me and Kokiri were left.
Everyone selected surged forward, urgency replacing fear. I caught Cheryl’s eye as she strapped on her kit, calm and unshaken as always. She shot me a look that was part reassurance and part warning.
“Don’t worry, sweetpea, just keep things tidy till I’m back.” She encouraged as she passed by.
And then she was gone, disappearing through the glass doors as a flurry of Pelipper swooped down outside, their wings cutting through the morning light.
“Guess we’re the B-team,” I said under my breath, trying not to sound as bitter as I felt. But it was hard. Everyone else was doing something important. And us? We were supposed to… what, sit in the bleachers and tidy up?
The lobby emptied out, and the air stilled. It was just me, Kokiri, and Lei.
Wait… what? Lei?! Why was she still here?
I gave the Comfey a deadpan expression. “Uh… didn’t you get called?”
Lei fiddled with her flower crown, gaze sliding away. “I, uh… didn’t hear my name. Must’ve been a tragic oversight. Rip me.”
“... How.” It wasn’t a question that slipped out of me, but a statement. How is this girl so deaf she didn’t hear her own name in a list containing six Pokémon in total? “Well, it doesn’t matter. If you go now, you can still catch up.”
“Oh, yeah, but the idleness for you guys must be totally lame.”
Kokiri folded his tiny arms and nodded solemnly. “Yes, a knight’s duty is to serve, not to stand still. This… this idleness is torture.”
“Yep, I agree. But it makes sense, you know?” I spared a glance at Kokiri, “They absolutely need some of us to stay back in case more patients show up here, we’re unstaffed enough as it is. We can’t be shirking our basic duties.”
Kokiri’s leaves dipped, and his gaze flickered downward before he straightened again as if bracing his posture back into place.
Lei pursed her lips in mock contemplation. “Hmm. Okay, but… what if,” she said, eyes glimmering with mischief, “We, like, didn’t sit around?”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Yeah, hear me out…” Lei zipped in a quick circle around us, her petals leaving faint motes of glitter in the air. “What if we just… went anyway? I don’t have wings but I can still fly. I could totes fly you guys to the jungle, no pro. It’ll be way faster than waiting for another Pelipper convoy to swing back.”
“She has a point.” Kokiri added. “If our comrades are wounded and the need is dire, then hesitation will… do us no good.”
“Don’t encourage her!” I hissed. “Lei, this isn’t a joyride. If Cheryl catches us, we’re literally going to die. End of story.”
Lei saw the hesitation in me and went for the kill. Her eyes narrowed, and I could practically hear the anime protagonist soundtrack fade in. “Bounsweet,” She said slowly, “You don’t believe that.”
I bit my lip. I didn’t. Arceus help me, I really didn’t. “Oh, alright.” I caved, “But who’s gonna stay and deal with potential patients?”
Kokiri shot up an arm, “I shall… volunteer.”
Lei’s eyes widened. “Wow, splitting up from your homie? That’s rare.”
“Well, if you can safely get milady to the Jungle, she’ll probably be much safer there protected by the staff members than here, with me… alone.” He cleared his throat. “Strategically speaking.”
Something tugged at me, something off in his voice and the sudden drop in self-esteem, but I realised a more pressing matter at hand, “Right, but by yourself, you’re not gonna get much done.” I rebuked, ignoring his tiny frown, “You can’t even reach the medicine cabinets.”
“I can acquire a stool.”
“If more patients start coming in, then you won’t be efficient enough by your lonesome. Sorry, Lei, it’s just not worth it. I don’t-”
Suddenly, there was a flicker above us, the fluorescent light brightened until I thought the bulb was going to explode, before what appeared to be an orange will-o-the-wisp popped out from within.
“Ahh!” I flinched, Kokiri immediately jumped to my side, but Lei simply waved at the ghostly creature that flew right out of the ceiling.
“Bzzt! Backed up? Your old pal Rotom is here to lend a hand!” It shouted, flitting down to the floor.
“Hey, Rotom, it’s been a while since you've come out of the wiring!” Lei floated over, giving the creepy thing a high five.
“In the flesh! Or, plasma, rather!” The Electric type puffed up proudly, “And you’re that chick who screamed when I possessed the alarm clock!”
“... That was you?! C’mere, you stupid little gremlin!” I snarled, but before I could do anything, I felt Lei’s paws grab me by the stem.
“Well, won’tchu look at that, destiny spawned a helper for you, hehehe! Coolio, that settles it!” Lei beamed, “You two can stay and handle things here, and we’ll give those folks at the jungle an extra set of hands!”
Rotom zipped toward the nurse station, already opening drawers with its electrical appendages, which it used as smoothly as hands, because logic be damned. “Bzzt! Medical protocols loaded! Someone find me some gloves so I look official!”
“So, off we go, to our big adventure~!” I felt myself leaving the comfort of the ground as I was hoisted away, I didn’t protest, but it was certainly a bit of a lurch. God, I hope we don’t encounter any turbulence.
“On second thought, this doesn’t seem like a really good idea!” I half-shrieked, half-yelled as I was lifted way too high above the Pokémon Centre.
“What do you mean, ‘not a good idea’? This is peak productivity, babe!” Lei chimed, swaying her body mid-air as if we weren’t dangling over a drop that could turn me into jam. “Work smarter, not harder, right? Also…” She used one arm to fluff the tuft of petal-fur behind her head like she was prepping for a selfie. “The breeze up here is kinda slaying? My flowers are, like, thriving.”
I could only emit a noise that fell somewhere between a whimper and a death rattle.
At least the world below looked unreal, rooftops shrinking into squares, the dirt road unfurling like a ribbon through the clearing. Even the tiny dots moving far below felt surreal; Pokémon were bustling about their day, blissfully unaware of what was happening directly above. Tree canopies blurred like waves of green ocean, and every now and then the sunlight flashed off a river stream, making it sparkle like silver. It’s not every day you get a view like this.
But like most things in this new life, I didn't get to enjoy them. Because, to see the view, I am also required to be looking down. And when you’re this high up in the air and only thirty centimetres tall, it’s fucking terrifying to be looking down - falling to a gooey splat wasn’t exactly on my agenda.
Lei hummed as she zipped forward bobbing like this was a casual shopping trip, though I guess she’s probably flown up high plenty of times before, so she’d be used to it by now. “Okay sooo, heads up: vines in Lush Jungle are super extra. Like, clingier than a Love Ball. I gotta thread us through the trees, so hold on tight! I’ll try not to drop you~!”
“What do you mean ‘try’?!”
“Relax, bestie!” Lei sing-songed, rotating mid-air in a twirl that made my stomach do acrobatics. “I’ve only, like, hardly ever dropped someone before.”
“HARDLY EVER?!” I shrieked.
“I mean, I don’t really fly anyone, either, so both of these are like, firsts for me. But you’re doing amazing!” She replied with a wink. “A little panic is good for blood flow!”
“I don’t have blood, I have juice!”
“Well then, stay pulpy, queen!” Lei winked. “Lush Jungle coming up!”
And there it was, a wall of impossibly dense greenery rising to meet us, vines like coiled ropes, leaves thick enough to block out the sky. The place where no matter how much I tried to avoid it, I always ended up back at.
It wasn’t actually all too difficult to locate where the battle had taken place. There was a lot of shouting in the distance, presumably from the doctors sent by the Pokémon Centre, so we headed there.
Lei curved past a protruding branch with a barrel roll, nearly hurling me into a tree in the process.
“Watch it!”
When we arrived, it had been a bit of a mess. A lot of the staff Pokémon weren’t used to the terrain; a few even tripped over the small rocks and stones that jutted from the ground.
Most of the worst-injured Pokémon were already gone, probably airlifted out via the Flying types. Only those stable enough to remain or still waiting for treatment lay scattered on makeshift leaf mats and broken stumps. Poor Kokiri’s gonna have a real hard time dealing with that influx, sucks to be him.
Cheryl spotted us as we touched down, her expression flattened into that tired, paper-thin patience she used when deciding whether she should scold us or just take a page out of Nurse Joy’s book and ignore the problem forever.
I hurried over to Cheryl, who looked at me without expression as she drifted a handheld device across the arm of an injured Passimian, “You aren’t supposed to be here. Still… better here than not, any help that we can get is more than none at all.” She eyed the tiny monitor of her device. “A fracture, not good… Can you pass me the bandages?”
I eyed a first aid kit sitting a few metres away, I managed to grab the handle with my mouth, tasting the mouldy grosgrain ribbon as I awkwardly handed off the bag.
“Thank you. Please relax, sweetheart, you’ll feel much better after this.” Cheryl cooed. The Passimian hissed and braced against the pain; Cheryl’s fur twitched, but her touch remained steady and gentle. “The Morelull Kashu is treating needs a Burn Heal, bring one to him.”
Okay. Keep moving. Help where you can. I passed by Carole making an improvised cushion with her cotton and Fuka firing off a Heal Pulse at a fainted Kecleon as I went over to the Wigglytuff.
And so I continued. I darted around handing out bandages, disinfectant sprays, rolls of wrap. Whatever the nurses barked out, I fetched. My little feet skidded over the mixed terrain, the dirt was spilt in all directions, multiple plants had been uprooted and tossed about, it seemed a violent and chaotic battle had already taken place. The place reeked of churned soil and adrenaline. This wasn’t just a scuffle. The dirt was gouged in deep trenches, vines snapped and flung like broken whips. Bark scarred; claw marks everywhere.
Was this the result of two groups fighting? Or three? Or everyone against everyone? Free-for-all? No humans. No rules. Just instinct and the wilderness; nature baring its teeth.
I shook the thought away before it settled too deeply. Thinking about that stuff made something twist in my stomach. Probably shouldn’t stray too far from the main group, there might still be enemies trying to clean up potential stragglers.
“Medical kit!” someone called. I hurried and dropped it off. I was just about to turn back, already planning who needed what next, when I froze.
Did I just hear a sound? It was a guttural cry, one of distress, maybe?
I paused in my step and waited, nobody else had reacted at all, was it just me? Was I finally starting to lose my marbles from all the chaotic shit going on around me?
“H-help me…”
There it was again! The mental asylum employees can buzz off, I definitely heard a voice this time.
“Somebody…”
That voice came from my left side, I turned from my original course, scurrying over past a fallen tree trunk in search of the mysterious voice. “Hello? Is somebody there?” I called out, hoping to get answers to guide me. The only noise I heard was a weakened whimper.
I had gone pretty far off from where the main battle had taken place. But some poor soul out there is in pain, and I suppose as a nurse, it really was my job to find them. “I can help, a-and I will! Just please tell me where you are!” I called, treading past twisting vines.
“Down here…”
The voice called out again - faint and pained, sure, but unmistakably real. It came from beneath a small hill which I stood on. My body rolled forward before I could think, bouncing down the slope in a blur until I skidded to a halt at the bottom.
There, pinned against the earth, was a tiny Pikipek. One of its wings was trapped beneath a jagged boulder nearly as big as me, far too heavy for something so small to push away. Its feathers were ruffled, its beak trembling.
My chest clenched in anticipation, “H-Hey, it’s going to be alright, I'll get you out of here, I promise.” The Pikipek blinked up at me, startled. Its beady eyes widened, as if it couldn’t quite believe someone had finally come. “Don’t worry,” I said, trying to sound steady. “I’m here now.”
But instead of relaxing, the little bird shook its head and pointed weakly upward. “C-careful of the… the tree up there!”
“What tr-” My eyes trailed after the direction of the Flying type’s wing, only to immediately freeze up at the sight.
Overhead, a massive trunk loomed, splintered and hanging at an unnatural angle. The storm from last night must have toppled the tree, but it hadn’t fully fallen. No, its fall was arrested only by a web of frayed vines and branches so thin in comparison they looked like they’d snap any second now. I gulped, feeling my round body go cold all over. Oh boy, one snapped branch and I can kiss goodbye to this life as well.
“I-I’ve been here for hours, th-that tree’s going to collapse soon and…” The Pikipek coughed a bit, looking up at me with tearful eyes that made my heart melt like wax over an open flame.
“Shhh…” I hushed the bird, forcing calm into my voice that I didn’t feel. “You’ve held out long enough, kid, you should save your energy. I’ll get you out of here, even if it kills me.” I sell my lie with gusto, I’ve no arms nor any body strength. The kid’s wedged under that thing real deep and I had no idea if we had minutes or only seconds before the tree came down. So honestly, I’m scared out of my mind, too. But I’ve gotta put up a brave front, the little fella could use some assurance after everything it’s been through.
Above us, the vines creaked. A warning sign that would’ve frightened all but those powerful and stupid. Given that I was still moving forward, I’m absolutely certain I fell in the latter category.
“Oh no…” The Woodpecker Pokémon whimpered, more tears threatening to spill.
“Oh wait, wait, wait, don’t do that-!” Shit, the tiny bastard’s crying real hard now… Maybe that joke wasn’t in good taste. Wh-What do I do?! I tried to rake my mind for any advice when encountering a crying child but… I’m not my mum, I’ve never had to deal with raising a kid. Hell, I’m basically still a kid myself. But… damn it, the poor thing had suffered enough. I’ve gotta at least make an attempt to soothe ‘em.
Okay, random bullshit, go.
“Um… hey kid.” I stammer out, voice wobbling, “K-Keep up the waterworks and you’ll end up growing an entire beanstalk. You don’t want to be eating plates of green beans for dinner forever, do you? So don’t cry, o-okay?”
Pikipek hiccupped mid-sob and gave me the tiniest, most bewildered look. “I… I kinda like the taste of beans, actually.”
“Really?” I question, “Wanna tell me why?”
“W-Well, there was this island I went to with my parents, that was full of heart-shaped beans everywhere. They were crispy and very tasty!” The cracked tone of the bird faded somewhat, and relief flooded me so fast I nearly sagged.
“Yeah? Describe them to me, that island sounds lovely.” I said quickly, seizing the thread. “What did the place look like?”
As Pikipek sniffled and began haltingly describing the trip, I shuffled closer. A few drops of nervous sweat dripped down my forehead as I tried to jam my sepals under the rock to heave it away. Every creak of the vines above made me flinch. Still, I forced myself to focus. I just needed to get a good grip…
I wedged the thinner edges of my sepals under the boulder, they ended up cutting in just enough to give me a little leverage. Once I had my way in, I began to tilt my head ever so gently upwards, I just needed to get enough space for the kid to get out.
“Almost there,” I murmured through clenched teeth, my voice louder than the panicked beat of my heart. “Just keep talking, kid. Keep talking about those beans.”
And all the while, the vines above us frayed thinner and thinner, each sound a reminder that time was running out. Arceus, what am I getting myself into?
At first I thought my strength wasn’t enough. The rock barely budged against my spinning sepals, and every nerve in me screamed that I was too weak to lift it. The vines above rustled louder, it was as if the jungle itself was counting down to our burial. Then, with a desperate push, I finally lifted the rock just enough for the Pikipek to drag its injured arm out. Its whole body was battered and bruised, but at least the little guy was free.
I didn’t get the chance to breathe out a sigh of relief, as that was when I heard a telltale ‘snap’ that resounded throughout the jungle.
Of course they did - Damn my shitty luck.
Pikipek staggered upright, instinct driving him to run. He made it three steps before collapsing in the dirt with a strangled cry, his injured wing folding awkwardly beneath him. He tried to crawl, but his little talons scrabbled helplessly against the soil.
“Move it, kid!” I shouted, shoving against him with all my tiny weight. But my round body just bounced uselessly, not enough force to roll him clear. The tree’s shadow swallowed us both. We were both so dead. This was where our lives were going to end.
…No.
No… no… no. I can’t let my life, nor the Pikipek’s, end like this!
I have to protect him.
A brilliant burst of blue light formed around me, my body undergoing its own little metamorphosis. The light surging through my form was like springwater bursting from beneath the earth… this feeling… was I evolving? Wait, what?! Could I even do that? I mean, yeah, I’m basically the same as any other ordinary Bounsweet, but I dunno, I thought maybe my past as a human meant I shouldn’t be able to evolve or something-
Whatever! I’m getting caught up in useless semantics! The glow was beginning to fade, meaning my transformation would soon be at an end, and there was a tree about to crush us both to death.
I stumbled forward on new legs that were longer and stronger and a tad unfamiliar. I found myself gasping at the sensation of weight shifting through limbs that I hadn’t possessed a second ago. Without a second thought, I scooped up the Pikipek into my arms. His small body struggled weakly against me, feathers brushing my chest, but I held him tight and bolted. My legs carried me faster than I’d ever dreamed possible, the ground pounding beneath my feet as the trunk thundered down behind us.
Timber! The world exploded into dust and debris. The crash was deafening, shaking the earth so hard I lost my footing. I clutched the bird tightly as I rolled against the floor. A choking cloud of dirt surged around us, stinging my new eyes. But we were alive.
After rubbing my bleary eyes open, I stared at the tree that crashed to the ground beside me; I let out an incredibly grateful sigh. It was lucky that my body had chosen exactly that moment to evolve, otherwise both me and the kid would have been flatter than your average Stunfisk.
Speaking of the Pikipek, the tiny little bird smiled at me, curled up between the crook of my arms, before he went limp.
Oh shit. He still had like, a dozen injuries, didn’t he? His wing was at an odd angle, feathers singed and ruffled, scratches crisscrossing his body. How had he even stayed conscious this long? Panic racing through my mind, I ran back for more supplies straight away.
“Cheryl, I’ve got a patient!” I’d like to say my voice sounded confident and heroic and didn’t crack in horror like I just witnessed something cute getting gored, but that wouldn’t be true. And Kokiri always pulled off the reassured soap opera actor tone better than me, anyway.
Cheryl turned, ready to scold me into paste, but the second she saw the tiny, limp Pikipek in my arms, her eyes widened and she moved. No hesitation, no lecture. Just pure, calm, trained instinct.
“Over here,” She ordered, ushering me toward one of Carole’s cloth-covered cushions. “Lay him down, gently. Mind the wing.”
I obeyed, or tried to. My new legs wobbled as if my kneecaps were on the wrong way, and my arms felt like they belonged to a marionette held by a drunk puppeteer, but I managed to lower him as best as I could.
“I-Is there a procedure for this? I-I don’t think I’m qualified to treat him!”
“You aren't,” Cheryl affirmed, voice even but firm. “But you are here, and so is he. So take a breath and listen.”
Her tone didn’t rise. That steadiness alone felt like a safety net.
I sucked in air, still shaking. “Okay. O-Okay.”
“Scan first.”
Right. The Blissey handed the portable scanner she was using earlier to me, I jolted when my arm moved correctly. My palm curled fluidly. The handle fit in my palm. My hand felt so light and coordinated, like someone attached actual purpose-built limbs to my clumsy berry-body.
… Which, yeah, that’s what evolution was. I was still not over that.
I ran the device over him; glowing lines traced his tiny frame. The result flashed: Compound wing fracture. Internal bruising. Severe fatigue.
My heart dropped. “Oh no…”
“Not fatal,” Cheryl stepped in quickly, before my thoughts could get any messier. “He’ll make it. Focus.”
I swallowed, nodding hard. “R-Right. Okay. Uh… m-maybe a splint for that?”
“Perceptive.” Cheryl complimented, a bundle of small splinting sticks already out of the bag. “Support his limb, don’t squeeze. You’re holding the wing like it’s made of glass.” As delicately as I could, I cupped the feathery appendage until it was horizontal to me. “Good, maintain that posture. Now bandage with gentle pressure, and no twisting.”
My hands trembled, but they worked. The bandage went around his injury, careful and slow, my hands adjusting and smoothing the fabric in ways I never could have imagined doing as a Bounsweet. Every time I faltered, Cheryl murmured quiet corrections to guide me back.
“Now he should be protected enough for you to apply a Potion over him. Give him a light, misty spray.”
I grabbed the Hyper Potion bottle. It felt shockingly natural to hold. Trigger under one hand, the other steadying the bottle at the bottom. The spritz coated his feathers, and angry red scratches faded like morning mist under sunlight.
“Great, now the final step.” She handed me a golden diamond: a Revive.
I cracked the medicine into two halves, letting the pale, silvery dust drift onto the Pikipek’s beak. He twitched, then slowly breathed deeper, feathers ruffling.
“Don’t you dare check out on me now, kid.” I whispered, hearing his hoarse breaths and watching his chest heave and fall.
Cheryl placed a gentle paw on my shoulder. “He won’t. You did well. We’ll airlift him back to the Centre to rest.”
I blinked at her with a stunned look. “I… did?”
“For someone who evolved five minutes ago and sprinted through a battlefield? Yes. You kept calm enough to perform first aid, you didn’t drop him, and you followed instructions.” A tiny smile tugged at her mouth, she was proud of me. “You can panic later.”
My breath let out in one shaky whoosh as warmth raced through my every fibre. Something exhilarating rolled through me, leaving bursts of satisfaction in its wake. I did it, I saved him. “Okay. Good. Because I would love to panic later.”
“Well, if you wouldn’t mind, sweetie, could you panic after you help me set up the rest of the patients that we will be airlifting back to the Centre?”
“Y-yeah, I’d be happy to.”
"This Pokémon is always bouncing around energetically. Other Pokémon are attracted by its lively appearance and pleasant aroma." (Steenee's Moon entry)