Post by Akinai on Mar 22, 2013 19:13:01 GMT -5
Notes: Story that I wrote for WWC 2012. This placed second, and was my first story in first person.
Pokémon Caught: Mawile, Sableye
Currently Found: In stats
There are those who, for some strange reason or another, absolutely hate being a Contest Pokemon. They call it undignified, having to stand around wearing a ridiculous outfit while a crowd of humans look at you. Whenever someone asks me why I share my Trainer's love of the sport, I simply ask in turn: who wants to spend every moment of their lives fighting until you black out, when you can just show off a few moves and call it a day? A few have called me lazy for thinking this way, some have even used the word crazy.
I, on the other hand, call it smart.
“Hey, are you going to eat the rest of those berries?”
In response to my polite question, I was rewarded with an especially annoyed glare from my partner. “You have your own share. Don't tell me you already finished them off?”
“Of course! I had so little, and you took the best ones!” I replied, emphasizing the second part to make a better point. I had always been told that all non-Spoink tended to be self-centered but, after spending the past few months with Sumac, I was certain that he broke the record for the most selfish Pokemon ever.
“Right, I'm certain that they were completely out of Sitrus berries before you hopped over there,” Sumac said, the Treecko sliding his share of the food further away as he turned his back to me. “Speaking of hopping, try to tone it down a bit. If you keep it up, you're going to end up blowing our cover.”
“How so? We're completely hidden, and the humans are too busy stuffing their faces.” I gave an especially proud bounce to this, pleased that I had suggested hiding underneath the banquet tables. After all, who would bother looking there when all the food is on top and in plain sight? “Just leave the worrying to me, Sumac.”
“Whatever you say, Rose,” the green lizard muttered in reply, turning his attention to the food. “Just don't say I didn't warn you.”
“Right! And since I am so generous, unlike some Pokemon, I will ignore that last remark,” I said, taking a dignified hop away. Hearing no response, I took a quick peek over at Sumac, only to watch the oversized lizard continue shoveling his face with food. Determined to not comment on this atrocity, I opted to practice my bounces instead. While all Spoink had a remarkably strong tail to support themselves and facilitate the constant movement they must endure, it was always advised to exercise regardless. After all, who knew when an emergency would come up and a high ledge was the only getaway? Tightening the coil on my tail, I took a couple practice bounces, only to rise a few inches with each one. “Hm, I must be out of practice.”
Sumac, hearing the statement, turned around to see just what the Spoink was doing. As it dawned on him just what his partner was doing, his large yellow eyes widened. “Rose, This is really not the best place...”
At this point, I was fully content to ignore Sumac for now. What would his species know about bouncing, anyway? All they did was climb trees all day and sometimes chew on twigs. In order to prove just how wrong the Treecko was, I resolved to give my all in this next jump, surged upwards... and was instantly beamed as the pearl on my head collided with something solid and hard.
As I started seeing stars, the table shook from the collision, causing Sumac to freeze in place. “We're dead,” he groaned, counting the seconds until a curious human peeked under the tablecloth to see what had caused the disturbance.
After taking a moment to wait for the world to stop spinning (during which time I did NOT start blaming imaginary Pokemon for attacking me, thank you very much), I felt an odd sensation. It took a moment for me to piece the puzzle together- the constant weight that adorned my head was gone. “Sumac, do I look any different to you?”
“Yeah...your pearl is gone. That's not important at the moment, though! Any second someone is going to find us, and then it's back to our room!” Sumac darted his head about wildly, looking for a spot to hide.
I had more pressing issues to attend rather than watch a dense Pokemon flail around. “Nothing is more important than my pearl, fool! I need to go search for it-”
Sumac rushed ahead, blocking my path before I could make it past the tablecloth curtain, “Forget about that silly gem for now. We need to see where the humans are at, and pick the opposite direction! If only we had a distraction-”
“What do you mean, 'we won't be in Slateport by tomorrow'!?” a voice shrieked out, causing every head in the dining hall to turn towards the voice.
“For the last time, miss, the ship won't be able to even leave port until tomorrow evening...”
Both Sumac and I peeked our heads out, recognizing just who had spoken. Up ahead, a teenaged girl was currently glaring daggers at a middle-aged man, a sailor from the looks of it. The girl's showy appearance, from having her long brown hair styled to stay in place and possessing overly long sleeves on her lilac dress, far outshone the plain naval uniform the sailor was currently wearing.
“Becka to the rescue,” Sumac said with a sigh upon seeing our Trainer, crawling all the way out from under the table. “Quick, let's sneak out before she sees us.”
“I'm not going anywhere without my pearl,” I replied, hopping out from under the table myself. Scanning the hall, all I could see were humans in formal wear everywhere, with an odd Pokemon or two standing close to their Trainers. One of them, a Mightyena, gave a low growl as he saw me looking at him, edging closer to his Trainer. “Did you see where it rolled? I don't see it anywhere.”
“No, and I don't really care either. I'm not sticking around to have Becka put another pink ribbon on me.” Sumac shuddered from the thought. Even though he was male, Becka was determined to have everyone believe that she only used female Pokemon. She simply chose to ignore the fact that her starter was, in fact, very much a boy. “I'll see you back in the hotel room once she rounds us all back up.”
“Fine, let me shrivel up and die,” I sulked, even trying to move as little as possible to express just how upset I was to the Treecko. Instead of receiving a heartfelt apology, Sumac ran off, muttering something that sounded extremely similar to “drama queen”. Still, I couldn't help but feel more than a little upset at this abandonment. Without that pearl, my energy would dissipate in no time, leaving me absolutely useless for anything...let alone Contests.
“...Excuse me, but you said something about a pearl?” a voice nearby stated, sounding meek and contrite.
“Yes! Have you found it?” I immediately asked, turning to look at this new speaker.
What I witnessed made me at loss for words. Standing before me was a Pokemon slightly shorter than myself, her body mainly a yellow color save for her paws and ears, along with the top part of her head. These were an ebony shade, managing to somehow match the main color scheme. This was not the creature's most distinct feature though, not even her somehow innocent-appearing red eyes. No, what struck out the most to me was the large horn she sported, attached to the back of her head. Running along it were multiple white bumps, and the appendage moved as if it were a separate entity.
Noticing that I was staring at her, the creature stepped back shyly. “I'm sorry, but it was so lovely I had to take a closer look at it, no matter how brief.” She held the pearl forward, helping me attach it to my head once more. Before I could respond back, she added, “It truly belongs with its owner. Such an elegant sheen, and it matches so well with your dark gray complexion...” She trailed off a moment, then covered her mouth with a paw, as if embarrassed. “Oh! Where are my manners... I'm Mawile. Whose acquaintance do I have the pleasure to meet?”
“I'm Spoink, but you may call me Rose,” I elegantly replied. “I normally don't allow anyone other than Becka and my partners to call me by my stage name, but you possess manners that I normally don't see in other Pokemon. The one who taught you such manners, was it your Trainer?”
Something flashed in Mawile's eyes that looked similar to anger upon hearing the last part of my statement, but it disappeared so quickly I was certain I had imagined it. “Oh no, I never had the honor of possessing a Trainer. I have always loved Contests though, and I try to follow the grace and elegance that I see the Pokemon in them possess.”
I puffed up my chest at this, glad to be in the presence of one who loved Contests with the same passion I had. “Well, it does take a certain personality to participate in one, let alone win. You seem to be perfect for them though, so how about I introduce you to my Trainer? She would love to have someone with your zeal on the team!”
“I deserve no thanks. After all, if it was not for me you would have found your beautiful pearl much sooner,” Mawile replied, bowing her head in shame. Her horn seemed twitch a moment before she spoke once more. “In fact, I was hoping to share a secret with you in order to make amends.”
I tried not to laugh in response to this. What could a wild Pokemon offer me that I could use? Still, I decided to humor her. “What secret would this be?”
Mawile looked around, as if afraid someone would overhear. Seeing that no one was within earshot, she began. “Your pearl is beautiful, of that no one can dare say otherwise. It shines so brightly, and has not a single scratch on it. However, I know of a cave not far from here that has pearls, ores and gems that would make even yours appear dingy and worthless. It is watched over by Sableye, a very dear friend of mine.”
“Impossible, there are no pearls that can outmatch mine. There are none better to hold my power!” I declared, more than a little upset at hearing Mawile's secret. It had taken weeks of searching to find my current pearl, and all of the other Spoink in the community had agreed that it was indeed quite the prize. From the perfect round shape to the rose-shaded sheen that had helped Becka decide on a name for myself, there was no way any others could be any better. “Perhaps you were mistaken.”
“That may be the case. After all, I am just a stray Pokemon,” Mawile spoke in a low, humbled voice. “Still, there may be a chance that the cave indeed holds a gem more beautiful than your own. Sableye is very generous. I'm sure he would let you trade your own pearl for one in his possession!”
I mulled the thought over a bit, idly bouncing in place. There really was no harm in checking out Mawile's claim. Sneaking out of the hotel was a laughably easy feat; Sumac had managed to discover a loose air duct in our Trainer's room, and showed me before how to use it to access the kitchens or even outside if I “decided to get some fresh air once a year” as he had so smugly said. Still, it meant exploring alone, and in a filthy cave of all places! “I may be willing to accept your apology and have a look at this supposed place, but I'm afraid that my sense of direction is terrible.”
Mawile clapped her paws in glee, her eyes practically sparkling with happiness. “Excellent! Do not worry about a thing, I will lead you there. Meet me outside of this building close to midnight. You will not regret this, I promise!”
“I shall be the judge of that,” I replied, trying to sound indifferent. In reality, I was seeing gems. If any of them were even close in caparison to my pearl, it had to be a wondrous place indeed.
“There is one small problem though,” Mawile added as an afterthought. “You had a Treecko with you earlier. Is he a companion of yours?” seeing my nod in response, her face hardened slightly. “I was afraid of such an answer. He does not appear to know true beauty as you do. When you rendezvous with me later on, bring no one else with you. That includes your Trainer and your Treecko companion.”
As I watched the elegant Pokemon slip away, careful to stay out of sight now that the humans were done watching Becka's little tirade, I realized that Mawile had never answered my earlier question about meeting my Trainer. Even stranger: why had she been in the building in the first place?
As I had predicted, leaving the hotel had been far too easy.
Due to Becka's trend of keeping her partners outside of their Pokeballs (“Why should I hide any of you darlings, when I want the world to see every one of you?” she had said to us once), the hardest part was simply waiting for everyone to fall asleep. While Becka had retired long before the time I was expected to meet back up with Mawile, Sumac was proving to be especially stubborn. It was barely fifteen minutes until midnight, according to the large Hoothoot-shaped clock in the room, and the Treecko was still wide awake. Seeing that I could not wait any longer, I made my way over to the loose air vent.
“And just are you going this late?” Sumac asked disinterestedly, barely looking up from some brochure he had found in one of the waste bins earlier. It appeared to be an advertisement promoting some kind of park or nature preserve, but I didn't bother asking about the details.
“Midnight snack, of course!” I replied airily. “After all, you did eat most of the food we had both snagged earlier.” I gave myself a mental pat on the back for this excuse. Not only would this likely be true on any other night, but Sumac would be none the wiser. Sure enough, the Treecko merely shrugged and went back to his reading.
In no time at all, I managed to remember Sumac's directions from before, looking for one vent that was only slightly screwed in place and had a partial view of the outdoors. Not wishing to wish possible injury on my form, I focused on the two remaining screws, using the innate psychic power all my kind possess to remove them from their holdings. With that, the only thing needed was to pull the grate forward and I was free to explore the outdoors to my whim.
“Over here!”Mawile's voice called out from across the street, keeping to the shadows. She appeared uneasy, looking about as if expecting some spectre to appear before us. “I was afraid you had reconsidered our little meeting.”
“I'm a Pokemon of my word, you have no need to worry,” I reassured her. It was strange to see Mawile so worried when before she seemed just fine, even when surrounded by Trainers. “After all, a lady never backs out on her promises, especially a Spoink.”
“Yes, I can see that! Still, we need to hurry. The cave is close to the water, and I wish for no one to see us.” Without a moment to waste, Mawile began to run away, towards the nearby shore. “You will love Sableye, I just know it. He always has the best stories the share, and his eyes sparkle just like the jewels he keeps...”
I followed along, bouncing at a fairly quick pace, but was only halfway listening to Mawile. Plus, I saw no harm in looking about while doing so. The streets of Dewford Town were small, the area being mostly dead even during the day thanks to the area hardly receiving many visitors save for those wishing to challenge the Gym here. The beach and port nearby, however, were another story entirely. While most of the humans had retired to sleep hours ago, there were still several Machop walking about helping unload cargo from a ship moored to the dock. Near the water a Skitty prowled about, every now and then pouncing upon an unwary Krabby that skittered too close to dry land. To complete the cycle, there was even a Poochyena, its scraggly fur and unkempt appearance marking it for a stray, chasing after the Kitten Pokemon once it managed to secure its seafood prize. This, along with the peaceful sight of seeing the sea crash along a rocky shore, made me slightly wonder if I had been right to stay inside all the time. If the rest of the world was really this wondrous...
“Here we are! Is this not the most beautiful place you have seen?”
Lost in my thoughts, I nearly bumped into Mawile as she had stopped in place. Curious to see just what this fabled cave looked like, I peered around her... and saw what had to be one of the most water-logged places in Hoenn, and that was saying something. From afar, the cave appeared to be an outcropping of rocks hugging the shoreline. As one approached closer, however, there was a small entrance that could be barely seen, leading underground. Still, the entrance had to be at least partially submerged during high tide. “You are joking, correct? How can anyone live there?”
“It's drier than it looks.” Mawile happily bounded forward, beckoning me to follow, “The rocks outside are elevated just enough so the inside stays nice and dry... well, unless there is a storm, but at least it stays safe. I will meet you further inside, but first I have to tell Sableye to expect a visitor!” On that note, she disappeared inside the rocky cavern.
“Well, if such an innocent-looking Pokemon can enter without worry...” I muttered, steeling myself to follow along. Something about the cavern was telling my instincts to just turn around and go back to the hotel. Sumac was likely wondering where I was by now, and if he had woken up Becka as well... but if I continued on ahead, I could return to them both with a prize that would make even Treecko realize true beauty! There was little to lose, and so much more to gain. Still feeling a little uneasy, I hopped on forward.
Surprisingly, Mawile had spoken true about the inside being somewhat dry. It had been a hassle to maintain a high enough bounce to get past the rocks just within the entrance, but I managed to do so after the fifth try. Still, neither of us could have expected that there was another creature waiting for us within- well, other than Sableye, but I doubted this was him.
“Tricked yet another Pokemon to follow you, Mawile?” the creature asked in a masculine voice, frowning at the nearby frozen Mawile. This newcomer was of a similar yellow and black color, but had far more muscle and a stockier frame. In addition, his eyes appeared to be permanently shut and possessed red circles on each cheek. “I was right to assume you were on the hunt again tonight, since you almost never leave here.”
“Makuhita,” Mawile tersely replied, backing up. “My actions are no concern of yours, go off and beat up trees or whatever it is you normally do.” Still, it was apparent even to me that she was afraid; her form was shivering. As she gave a look back and saw that I was watching the spectacle, she immediately dashed behind me, trying to shrink down. “You have to stop him, Rose! He is always trying to hurt me and Sableye.”
I backed up at this, bumping into Mawile this time- surprisingly, she didn't budge, and it was like hitting a iron wall. Plus, something about this whole situation situation just seemed wrong. Just who was Makuhita, and what was he talking about? “I know nothing about battling! I'm a Contest Pokemon, remember?”
“Well, you're a normal Pokemon now,” Mawile replied, her normally meek tone suddenly fierce. “Now, go!” with a shove, she pushed me directly in front of the Makuhita.
“Anyone who protects the Deceiver is an enemy to me!” Makuhita declared, thrusting an arm forward in a punch. Knocked off balance thanks to Mawile's sudden action, I was helpless to defend as the Fighting-type landed three swift jabs at my midsection.
I tried to bounce to the side, managing to avoid two more blows. “That hurt, you tub of lard!” I shrieked, more annoyed than feeling any actual pain. Unable to think of anything else and seeing that Makuhita was readying yet another attack, I simply moved to ram my opponent, focusing more psychic power into my pearl than usual. Both my head and the gem collided with his stomach, making the Fighting-type wheeze and back up a few steps.
“Not...going down that easily,” Makuhita grunted, shoving me away and quickly kicked up some mud from the cavern floor. The grime seemed to stick like glue, obscuring some of my vision and overall ruining my pristine clean hide. “Stop bouncing around and fight!”
At this point I was beyond listening. First that brute had attacked me without warning, and now he had the audacity to mar my perfect appearance? Such a transgression could not be forgiven with an apology, or even a promise to leave me alone. This creature was going down, like it or not. Remembering a technique I had seen my mother use long ago, I invoked a swirling wisp of light into being, taking care not to look. Instead, I directed it straight at Makuhita.
Unsure how to fight this new move, Makuhita carefully watched the Ray's movement, becoming surprised as it began to spin around him, darting just outside of his eyesight. Now growing angry, he took a deep breath as he charged up power for what was bound to be a deadly move. Once this was done, he ran towards what he likely thought was a Spoink- and instead crashed into a rock outcropping to the right instead. Dazed, Makuhita looked about, trying to figure out just what had happened.
By this time, I had a move of my own charged and ready for use. Focusing on the power stored in my pearl once more, I shot off a multicolored beam towards the confused Pokemon. Already hurt from before, Makuhita slumped to the ground with a groan.
“You did it! My hero,” Mawile cried, hugging me from behind. For being such a small Pokemon, she sure had a vice-like grip...it was almost unsettling. “I'll make sure to tell Sableye that you saved me as well, I am sure he will be more than grateful.”
“There will be no need for that, not at all,” a new voice said in the darkness up ahead, and a shape slowly began to take form. “I witnessed the entire show, I saw the entire thing.”
Whatever I had expected Sableye to be, it was definitely not this. He approached at a crouch, watching me warily with two sky blue eyes that, sure enough, did sparkle like sapphires. While hunched over, it was still easy to tell that he was a good foot or so shorter than me, and possessed a dark violet hide. Along his backside, even more jewels lay embedded in his skin. What surprised me the most though was the fact that I could see right through him. Sableye was a Ghost!
“I get that response a lot, many are surprised by me,” Sableye said with a slight chuckle, obviously seeing my shock. “Let me guess, little Spoink. Mawile told you about my gems, yes? Said I had lots of shiny shiny rocks?”
“You mean they are real after all?” I asked incredulously, hardly daring to believe it. Sableye appeared to be a creature literally made of gems. If such a living work of art deemed collection of jewels worthwhile, they were bound to be beautiful. “May I see them?”
“Oh, you will see them all, yes you will have a look at them,” Sableye replied, his eyes glinting dangerously. But...why go all the way inside my home, what is the point of going back?” he jerked his head to the side, likely towards Mawile.
Instantly, I was gripped by a set of sharp jaws, the teeth enclosing the lower section of my body and tail. Unable to hop away, I was completely trapped. Barely able to let out a cry of protest, I looked down to see just who my attacker was.
The jaws possessed the same black shade as Mawile, with the upper jaw containing a similar yellow spot that her horn had on the appendage. A burst of terror struck me as I realized that those strange bumps I had seen earlier were not bumps at all... they had been teeth.
“We do apologize for deceiving you, indeed we are sorry,” Sableye said, revealing his own set of sharp teeth. “Mawile is always so hungry though, and I do so love to collect new gems.” He plucks my prized pearl from my head, holding it in reverence. “I wouldn't try to use any of those attacks you used before, no, not at all. My kind are quite durable to you Psychics, and I daresay you have something more precious to fight for at the moment.”
Already it was becoming hard to breathe. I attempted to move, even slightly, in order to keep some momentum going. Mawile appeared to be expecting this though, and held her vice-like grip steady.
“Not so fast, Rose,” Mawile derided, using my name as an insult. Her voice, once so shy and polite before, was now brimming with unbridled hate. “I abhor your kind, those who decide to crawl to the humans and throw away your dignity just for a dry roof under your head. Those who participate in Contests are even worse! Parading about while a group of humans fawn all over you.”
I tried to say something, anything that would make either Pokemon change their mind. It was hard to focus now, and the world was blurring around the edges.
“Your Trainer will wonder where you have gone, but she will be back the next year with another Pokemon. Maybe another Spoink! That will give both of us a treat once more. Either way, your show ends here.”
I barely registered Mawile's words, only able to feel the tight pressure surrounding my body at this point. Even escaping seemed fruitless, as already it seemed as if everything was fading away. During my final moments, I could only wonder one thing: was my pearl truly as wondrous as the gems Sableye possessed?
Mawile's jaws tightened once more as they finally closed together, and a loud crack resounded across the cavern.
Pokémon Caught: Mawile, Sableye
Currently Found: In stats
There are those who, for some strange reason or another, absolutely hate being a Contest Pokemon. They call it undignified, having to stand around wearing a ridiculous outfit while a crowd of humans look at you. Whenever someone asks me why I share my Trainer's love of the sport, I simply ask in turn: who wants to spend every moment of their lives fighting until you black out, when you can just show off a few moves and call it a day? A few have called me lazy for thinking this way, some have even used the word crazy.
I, on the other hand, call it smart.
~*~
“Hey, are you going to eat the rest of those berries?”
In response to my polite question, I was rewarded with an especially annoyed glare from my partner. “You have your own share. Don't tell me you already finished them off?”
“Of course! I had so little, and you took the best ones!” I replied, emphasizing the second part to make a better point. I had always been told that all non-Spoink tended to be self-centered but, after spending the past few months with Sumac, I was certain that he broke the record for the most selfish Pokemon ever.
“Right, I'm certain that they were completely out of Sitrus berries before you hopped over there,” Sumac said, the Treecko sliding his share of the food further away as he turned his back to me. “Speaking of hopping, try to tone it down a bit. If you keep it up, you're going to end up blowing our cover.”
“How so? We're completely hidden, and the humans are too busy stuffing their faces.” I gave an especially proud bounce to this, pleased that I had suggested hiding underneath the banquet tables. After all, who would bother looking there when all the food is on top and in plain sight? “Just leave the worrying to me, Sumac.”
“Whatever you say, Rose,” the green lizard muttered in reply, turning his attention to the food. “Just don't say I didn't warn you.”
“Right! And since I am so generous, unlike some Pokemon, I will ignore that last remark,” I said, taking a dignified hop away. Hearing no response, I took a quick peek over at Sumac, only to watch the oversized lizard continue shoveling his face with food. Determined to not comment on this atrocity, I opted to practice my bounces instead. While all Spoink had a remarkably strong tail to support themselves and facilitate the constant movement they must endure, it was always advised to exercise regardless. After all, who knew when an emergency would come up and a high ledge was the only getaway? Tightening the coil on my tail, I took a couple practice bounces, only to rise a few inches with each one. “Hm, I must be out of practice.”
Sumac, hearing the statement, turned around to see just what the Spoink was doing. As it dawned on him just what his partner was doing, his large yellow eyes widened. “Rose, This is really not the best place...”
At this point, I was fully content to ignore Sumac for now. What would his species know about bouncing, anyway? All they did was climb trees all day and sometimes chew on twigs. In order to prove just how wrong the Treecko was, I resolved to give my all in this next jump, surged upwards... and was instantly beamed as the pearl on my head collided with something solid and hard.
As I started seeing stars, the table shook from the collision, causing Sumac to freeze in place. “We're dead,” he groaned, counting the seconds until a curious human peeked under the tablecloth to see what had caused the disturbance.
After taking a moment to wait for the world to stop spinning (during which time I did NOT start blaming imaginary Pokemon for attacking me, thank you very much), I felt an odd sensation. It took a moment for me to piece the puzzle together- the constant weight that adorned my head was gone. “Sumac, do I look any different to you?”
“Yeah...your pearl is gone. That's not important at the moment, though! Any second someone is going to find us, and then it's back to our room!” Sumac darted his head about wildly, looking for a spot to hide.
I had more pressing issues to attend rather than watch a dense Pokemon flail around. “Nothing is more important than my pearl, fool! I need to go search for it-”
Sumac rushed ahead, blocking my path before I could make it past the tablecloth curtain, “Forget about that silly gem for now. We need to see where the humans are at, and pick the opposite direction! If only we had a distraction-”
“What do you mean, 'we won't be in Slateport by tomorrow'!?” a voice shrieked out, causing every head in the dining hall to turn towards the voice.
“For the last time, miss, the ship won't be able to even leave port until tomorrow evening...”
Both Sumac and I peeked our heads out, recognizing just who had spoken. Up ahead, a teenaged girl was currently glaring daggers at a middle-aged man, a sailor from the looks of it. The girl's showy appearance, from having her long brown hair styled to stay in place and possessing overly long sleeves on her lilac dress, far outshone the plain naval uniform the sailor was currently wearing.
“Becka to the rescue,” Sumac said with a sigh upon seeing our Trainer, crawling all the way out from under the table. “Quick, let's sneak out before she sees us.”
“I'm not going anywhere without my pearl,” I replied, hopping out from under the table myself. Scanning the hall, all I could see were humans in formal wear everywhere, with an odd Pokemon or two standing close to their Trainers. One of them, a Mightyena, gave a low growl as he saw me looking at him, edging closer to his Trainer. “Did you see where it rolled? I don't see it anywhere.”
“No, and I don't really care either. I'm not sticking around to have Becka put another pink ribbon on me.” Sumac shuddered from the thought. Even though he was male, Becka was determined to have everyone believe that she only used female Pokemon. She simply chose to ignore the fact that her starter was, in fact, very much a boy. “I'll see you back in the hotel room once she rounds us all back up.”
“Fine, let me shrivel up and die,” I sulked, even trying to move as little as possible to express just how upset I was to the Treecko. Instead of receiving a heartfelt apology, Sumac ran off, muttering something that sounded extremely similar to “drama queen”. Still, I couldn't help but feel more than a little upset at this abandonment. Without that pearl, my energy would dissipate in no time, leaving me absolutely useless for anything...let alone Contests.
“...Excuse me, but you said something about a pearl?” a voice nearby stated, sounding meek and contrite.
“Yes! Have you found it?” I immediately asked, turning to look at this new speaker.
What I witnessed made me at loss for words. Standing before me was a Pokemon slightly shorter than myself, her body mainly a yellow color save for her paws and ears, along with the top part of her head. These were an ebony shade, managing to somehow match the main color scheme. This was not the creature's most distinct feature though, not even her somehow innocent-appearing red eyes. No, what struck out the most to me was the large horn she sported, attached to the back of her head. Running along it were multiple white bumps, and the appendage moved as if it were a separate entity.
Noticing that I was staring at her, the creature stepped back shyly. “I'm sorry, but it was so lovely I had to take a closer look at it, no matter how brief.” She held the pearl forward, helping me attach it to my head once more. Before I could respond back, she added, “It truly belongs with its owner. Such an elegant sheen, and it matches so well with your dark gray complexion...” She trailed off a moment, then covered her mouth with a paw, as if embarrassed. “Oh! Where are my manners... I'm Mawile. Whose acquaintance do I have the pleasure to meet?”
“I'm Spoink, but you may call me Rose,” I elegantly replied. “I normally don't allow anyone other than Becka and my partners to call me by my stage name, but you possess manners that I normally don't see in other Pokemon. The one who taught you such manners, was it your Trainer?”
Something flashed in Mawile's eyes that looked similar to anger upon hearing the last part of my statement, but it disappeared so quickly I was certain I had imagined it. “Oh no, I never had the honor of possessing a Trainer. I have always loved Contests though, and I try to follow the grace and elegance that I see the Pokemon in them possess.”
I puffed up my chest at this, glad to be in the presence of one who loved Contests with the same passion I had. “Well, it does take a certain personality to participate in one, let alone win. You seem to be perfect for them though, so how about I introduce you to my Trainer? She would love to have someone with your zeal on the team!”
“I deserve no thanks. After all, if it was not for me you would have found your beautiful pearl much sooner,” Mawile replied, bowing her head in shame. Her horn seemed twitch a moment before she spoke once more. “In fact, I was hoping to share a secret with you in order to make amends.”
I tried not to laugh in response to this. What could a wild Pokemon offer me that I could use? Still, I decided to humor her. “What secret would this be?”
Mawile looked around, as if afraid someone would overhear. Seeing that no one was within earshot, she began. “Your pearl is beautiful, of that no one can dare say otherwise. It shines so brightly, and has not a single scratch on it. However, I know of a cave not far from here that has pearls, ores and gems that would make even yours appear dingy and worthless. It is watched over by Sableye, a very dear friend of mine.”
“Impossible, there are no pearls that can outmatch mine. There are none better to hold my power!” I declared, more than a little upset at hearing Mawile's secret. It had taken weeks of searching to find my current pearl, and all of the other Spoink in the community had agreed that it was indeed quite the prize. From the perfect round shape to the rose-shaded sheen that had helped Becka decide on a name for myself, there was no way any others could be any better. “Perhaps you were mistaken.”
“That may be the case. After all, I am just a stray Pokemon,” Mawile spoke in a low, humbled voice. “Still, there may be a chance that the cave indeed holds a gem more beautiful than your own. Sableye is very generous. I'm sure he would let you trade your own pearl for one in his possession!”
I mulled the thought over a bit, idly bouncing in place. There really was no harm in checking out Mawile's claim. Sneaking out of the hotel was a laughably easy feat; Sumac had managed to discover a loose air duct in our Trainer's room, and showed me before how to use it to access the kitchens or even outside if I “decided to get some fresh air once a year” as he had so smugly said. Still, it meant exploring alone, and in a filthy cave of all places! “I may be willing to accept your apology and have a look at this supposed place, but I'm afraid that my sense of direction is terrible.”
Mawile clapped her paws in glee, her eyes practically sparkling with happiness. “Excellent! Do not worry about a thing, I will lead you there. Meet me outside of this building close to midnight. You will not regret this, I promise!”
“I shall be the judge of that,” I replied, trying to sound indifferent. In reality, I was seeing gems. If any of them were even close in caparison to my pearl, it had to be a wondrous place indeed.
“There is one small problem though,” Mawile added as an afterthought. “You had a Treecko with you earlier. Is he a companion of yours?” seeing my nod in response, her face hardened slightly. “I was afraid of such an answer. He does not appear to know true beauty as you do. When you rendezvous with me later on, bring no one else with you. That includes your Trainer and your Treecko companion.”
As I watched the elegant Pokemon slip away, careful to stay out of sight now that the humans were done watching Becka's little tirade, I realized that Mawile had never answered my earlier question about meeting my Trainer. Even stranger: why had she been in the building in the first place?
~*~
As I had predicted, leaving the hotel had been far too easy.
Due to Becka's trend of keeping her partners outside of their Pokeballs (“Why should I hide any of you darlings, when I want the world to see every one of you?” she had said to us once), the hardest part was simply waiting for everyone to fall asleep. While Becka had retired long before the time I was expected to meet back up with Mawile, Sumac was proving to be especially stubborn. It was barely fifteen minutes until midnight, according to the large Hoothoot-shaped clock in the room, and the Treecko was still wide awake. Seeing that I could not wait any longer, I made my way over to the loose air vent.
“And just are you going this late?” Sumac asked disinterestedly, barely looking up from some brochure he had found in one of the waste bins earlier. It appeared to be an advertisement promoting some kind of park or nature preserve, but I didn't bother asking about the details.
“Midnight snack, of course!” I replied airily. “After all, you did eat most of the food we had both snagged earlier.” I gave myself a mental pat on the back for this excuse. Not only would this likely be true on any other night, but Sumac would be none the wiser. Sure enough, the Treecko merely shrugged and went back to his reading.
In no time at all, I managed to remember Sumac's directions from before, looking for one vent that was only slightly screwed in place and had a partial view of the outdoors. Not wishing to wish possible injury on my form, I focused on the two remaining screws, using the innate psychic power all my kind possess to remove them from their holdings. With that, the only thing needed was to pull the grate forward and I was free to explore the outdoors to my whim.
“Over here!”Mawile's voice called out from across the street, keeping to the shadows. She appeared uneasy, looking about as if expecting some spectre to appear before us. “I was afraid you had reconsidered our little meeting.”
“I'm a Pokemon of my word, you have no need to worry,” I reassured her. It was strange to see Mawile so worried when before she seemed just fine, even when surrounded by Trainers. “After all, a lady never backs out on her promises, especially a Spoink.”
“Yes, I can see that! Still, we need to hurry. The cave is close to the water, and I wish for no one to see us.” Without a moment to waste, Mawile began to run away, towards the nearby shore. “You will love Sableye, I just know it. He always has the best stories the share, and his eyes sparkle just like the jewels he keeps...”
I followed along, bouncing at a fairly quick pace, but was only halfway listening to Mawile. Plus, I saw no harm in looking about while doing so. The streets of Dewford Town were small, the area being mostly dead even during the day thanks to the area hardly receiving many visitors save for those wishing to challenge the Gym here. The beach and port nearby, however, were another story entirely. While most of the humans had retired to sleep hours ago, there were still several Machop walking about helping unload cargo from a ship moored to the dock. Near the water a Skitty prowled about, every now and then pouncing upon an unwary Krabby that skittered too close to dry land. To complete the cycle, there was even a Poochyena, its scraggly fur and unkempt appearance marking it for a stray, chasing after the Kitten Pokemon once it managed to secure its seafood prize. This, along with the peaceful sight of seeing the sea crash along a rocky shore, made me slightly wonder if I had been right to stay inside all the time. If the rest of the world was really this wondrous...
“Here we are! Is this not the most beautiful place you have seen?”
Lost in my thoughts, I nearly bumped into Mawile as she had stopped in place. Curious to see just what this fabled cave looked like, I peered around her... and saw what had to be one of the most water-logged places in Hoenn, and that was saying something. From afar, the cave appeared to be an outcropping of rocks hugging the shoreline. As one approached closer, however, there was a small entrance that could be barely seen, leading underground. Still, the entrance had to be at least partially submerged during high tide. “You are joking, correct? How can anyone live there?”
“It's drier than it looks.” Mawile happily bounded forward, beckoning me to follow, “The rocks outside are elevated just enough so the inside stays nice and dry... well, unless there is a storm, but at least it stays safe. I will meet you further inside, but first I have to tell Sableye to expect a visitor!” On that note, she disappeared inside the rocky cavern.
“Well, if such an innocent-looking Pokemon can enter without worry...” I muttered, steeling myself to follow along. Something about the cavern was telling my instincts to just turn around and go back to the hotel. Sumac was likely wondering where I was by now, and if he had woken up Becka as well... but if I continued on ahead, I could return to them both with a prize that would make even Treecko realize true beauty! There was little to lose, and so much more to gain. Still feeling a little uneasy, I hopped on forward.
Surprisingly, Mawile had spoken true about the inside being somewhat dry. It had been a hassle to maintain a high enough bounce to get past the rocks just within the entrance, but I managed to do so after the fifth try. Still, neither of us could have expected that there was another creature waiting for us within- well, other than Sableye, but I doubted this was him.
“Tricked yet another Pokemon to follow you, Mawile?” the creature asked in a masculine voice, frowning at the nearby frozen Mawile. This newcomer was of a similar yellow and black color, but had far more muscle and a stockier frame. In addition, his eyes appeared to be permanently shut and possessed red circles on each cheek. “I was right to assume you were on the hunt again tonight, since you almost never leave here.”
“Makuhita,” Mawile tersely replied, backing up. “My actions are no concern of yours, go off and beat up trees or whatever it is you normally do.” Still, it was apparent even to me that she was afraid; her form was shivering. As she gave a look back and saw that I was watching the spectacle, she immediately dashed behind me, trying to shrink down. “You have to stop him, Rose! He is always trying to hurt me and Sableye.”
I backed up at this, bumping into Mawile this time- surprisingly, she didn't budge, and it was like hitting a iron wall. Plus, something about this whole situation situation just seemed wrong. Just who was Makuhita, and what was he talking about? “I know nothing about battling! I'm a Contest Pokemon, remember?”
“Well, you're a normal Pokemon now,” Mawile replied, her normally meek tone suddenly fierce. “Now, go!” with a shove, she pushed me directly in front of the Makuhita.
“Anyone who protects the Deceiver is an enemy to me!” Makuhita declared, thrusting an arm forward in a punch. Knocked off balance thanks to Mawile's sudden action, I was helpless to defend as the Fighting-type landed three swift jabs at my midsection.
I tried to bounce to the side, managing to avoid two more blows. “That hurt, you tub of lard!” I shrieked, more annoyed than feeling any actual pain. Unable to think of anything else and seeing that Makuhita was readying yet another attack, I simply moved to ram my opponent, focusing more psychic power into my pearl than usual. Both my head and the gem collided with his stomach, making the Fighting-type wheeze and back up a few steps.
“Not...going down that easily,” Makuhita grunted, shoving me away and quickly kicked up some mud from the cavern floor. The grime seemed to stick like glue, obscuring some of my vision and overall ruining my pristine clean hide. “Stop bouncing around and fight!”
At this point I was beyond listening. First that brute had attacked me without warning, and now he had the audacity to mar my perfect appearance? Such a transgression could not be forgiven with an apology, or even a promise to leave me alone. This creature was going down, like it or not. Remembering a technique I had seen my mother use long ago, I invoked a swirling wisp of light into being, taking care not to look. Instead, I directed it straight at Makuhita.
Unsure how to fight this new move, Makuhita carefully watched the Ray's movement, becoming surprised as it began to spin around him, darting just outside of his eyesight. Now growing angry, he took a deep breath as he charged up power for what was bound to be a deadly move. Once this was done, he ran towards what he likely thought was a Spoink- and instead crashed into a rock outcropping to the right instead. Dazed, Makuhita looked about, trying to figure out just what had happened.
By this time, I had a move of my own charged and ready for use. Focusing on the power stored in my pearl once more, I shot off a multicolored beam towards the confused Pokemon. Already hurt from before, Makuhita slumped to the ground with a groan.
“You did it! My hero,” Mawile cried, hugging me from behind. For being such a small Pokemon, she sure had a vice-like grip...it was almost unsettling. “I'll make sure to tell Sableye that you saved me as well, I am sure he will be more than grateful.”
“There will be no need for that, not at all,” a new voice said in the darkness up ahead, and a shape slowly began to take form. “I witnessed the entire show, I saw the entire thing.”
Whatever I had expected Sableye to be, it was definitely not this. He approached at a crouch, watching me warily with two sky blue eyes that, sure enough, did sparkle like sapphires. While hunched over, it was still easy to tell that he was a good foot or so shorter than me, and possessed a dark violet hide. Along his backside, even more jewels lay embedded in his skin. What surprised me the most though was the fact that I could see right through him. Sableye was a Ghost!
“I get that response a lot, many are surprised by me,” Sableye said with a slight chuckle, obviously seeing my shock. “Let me guess, little Spoink. Mawile told you about my gems, yes? Said I had lots of shiny shiny rocks?”
“You mean they are real after all?” I asked incredulously, hardly daring to believe it. Sableye appeared to be a creature literally made of gems. If such a living work of art deemed collection of jewels worthwhile, they were bound to be beautiful. “May I see them?”
“Oh, you will see them all, yes you will have a look at them,” Sableye replied, his eyes glinting dangerously. But...why go all the way inside my home, what is the point of going back?” he jerked his head to the side, likely towards Mawile.
Instantly, I was gripped by a set of sharp jaws, the teeth enclosing the lower section of my body and tail. Unable to hop away, I was completely trapped. Barely able to let out a cry of protest, I looked down to see just who my attacker was.
The jaws possessed the same black shade as Mawile, with the upper jaw containing a similar yellow spot that her horn had on the appendage. A burst of terror struck me as I realized that those strange bumps I had seen earlier were not bumps at all... they had been teeth.
“We do apologize for deceiving you, indeed we are sorry,” Sableye said, revealing his own set of sharp teeth. “Mawile is always so hungry though, and I do so love to collect new gems.” He plucks my prized pearl from my head, holding it in reverence. “I wouldn't try to use any of those attacks you used before, no, not at all. My kind are quite durable to you Psychics, and I daresay you have something more precious to fight for at the moment.”
Already it was becoming hard to breathe. I attempted to move, even slightly, in order to keep some momentum going. Mawile appeared to be expecting this though, and held her vice-like grip steady.
“Not so fast, Rose,” Mawile derided, using my name as an insult. Her voice, once so shy and polite before, was now brimming with unbridled hate. “I abhor your kind, those who decide to crawl to the humans and throw away your dignity just for a dry roof under your head. Those who participate in Contests are even worse! Parading about while a group of humans fawn all over you.”
I tried to say something, anything that would make either Pokemon change their mind. It was hard to focus now, and the world was blurring around the edges.
“Your Trainer will wonder where you have gone, but she will be back the next year with another Pokemon. Maybe another Spoink! That will give both of us a treat once more. Either way, your show ends here.”
I barely registered Mawile's words, only able to feel the tight pressure surrounding my body at this point. Even escaping seemed fruitless, as already it seemed as if everything was fading away. During my final moments, I could only wonder one thing: was my pearl truly as wondrous as the gems Sableye possessed?
Mawile's jaws tightened once more as they finally closed together, and a loud crack resounded across the cavern.