Pokedex One-Shots (PG)

[kuriboh361]

Woohoo! My request was done. And this bit: While he never blinked his large blue eyes, he made extra sure to keep the kids under his watch. This didn't seem right. Maybe you should replace 'While' with a 'Since'. I love the story by the way and the Wigglytuff in the story was actually just like the one I use for roleplaying. Same for the Duskull as well all though a little bit different. Sigh... Those kids. If I was Wigglytuff, I would've gave them a good spanking.
And here's two request for you to work on:

Cloyster/Crawdaunt. Seaking/Remoraid.

[Ysavvryl]

That one sentence got to me too, but I couldn't figure out how to rework it quickly. Some other entries for Wigglytuff mentions that it never shuts its eyes. See the PMD2 Wigglytuff for proof of concept.

Also, I don't care if you have two requests, just so long as I have a few on hand. It just might take me a while to get around to doing those stories, especially with the November craziness a few hours away.

So, here's (another) Halloween story from me! I love this holiday. Occult meets costumes meets candy meets pranks... yay!

In Process: Charizard/Swablu
On Deck: Cloyster/Crawdaunt, Seaking/Remoraid


HOUNDOOM


Houndoom sniffed around; the sharp odor of disinfectant cleaners threatened to overwhelm his nose. Even the humans sitting or pacing around the room smelled overly clean. Although he didn’t like it, he knew it was for the best. Hospitals were supposed to be very clean. Over the days, he had learned to ignore it.

Today, there was a scent that tugged at his heart. A boy smell, one of muddy puddles and crushed grass. It belonged to a pair of shoes, which were worn by a preteen boy sitting on one of the chairs in this waiting room. Slumped into a defensive heap, he emitted a scent of being deeply worried and upset, but also being irritated with the others who were waiting with him. There was a sense that he might cry, but not around those around him.

Feeling sympathy for the boy, Houndoom walked over quietly and nosed his hand. The hand jerked away in surprise, but on seeing that it was a Pokemon, the boy half-smiled and scratched Houndoom’s head. The canine Pokemon gave him a warm look, suggesting that he knew how he felt and was here to give him some company.

“You oughtn’t get too friendly with that one,” an old woman sitting next to the boy said. Her voice was cold and strict. “That one is the servant of death.”

The boy tensed up; it seemed this woman was the reason he was being defensive. “That’s just an old fairy tale, granny,” he countered, but without much enthusiasm for argument. “It’s just a Pokemon.”

“They aren’t as innocent as you kids think they are,” she went on. “The howl of a Houndoom is a prelude to someone’s death. It is proven in the devilish shape of its horns and the bones which grow out of its skin. It shouldn’t be in a hospital; shoo, you creature of darkness.”

Houndoom whined softly, then looked to the boy. Yes, his bone white horns coiled around to give him a fierce look and he had bone plates growing along his back. But his looks didn’t matter. Many people who knew better said that about him.

“Oh, this one’s not so bad,” a nurse said, pausing to pat Houndoom’s back. “He’s sweet in nature and very well-behaved. He likes to visit patients and visitors, to cheer them up.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that he’s an evil creature from the start,” the old woman responded, not in a mood to hear any reasonable explanation.

Ignoring her, the boy asked, “What’s he doing here?”

“It’s a sad story,” she replied, “but his Trainer got into an accident and died here a few weeks ago. The family released all of his Pokemon, but this one found his way back here and has been hanging around the hospital ever since. We’re not sure if he’s waiting for his Trainer to return or what, but as he’s done no harm, we see no reason to kick him out.”

“You’ll have more dead patients for it,” the old woman grumbled.

“Please don’t hurt or tease him,” the nurse asked as one last effort to get some respect for the Pokemon. “We have a fair number of Pokemon on staff, and he’s become like one of them.”

“So he’s a good Pokemon,” the boy said.

Deciding to pretend he wasn’t there, the old woman picked up a magazine from the table and leafed through it. Houndoom let the boy pet him for a little while longer, then curled up by his feet to nap. As much as he wanted to pay attention to the patients and visitors, he knew that he had to keep his strength reserved for the nights.

-+-

Shortly before night fell, Houndoom got up. The boy and his family were gone. It was uncertain if their loved one had been moved out of the emergency room or if they were just gone for the night. Hoping for the best for them, Houndoom left the waiting area and went to the staff quarters.

Upon his return to the hospital, one of the Chansey that assisted the nurses showed him where the staff kitchen was. It was as clean as the rest of the building. The few cooks were in charge of patient and Pokemon meals. As he came in the same time every evening, the one he knew best was called Charlotte. Tonight, she was dressed in her scrub top that had various Jolly Roger flags printed all over it, along with skull and crossbones earrings.

She noticed him come in despite how quietly he walked. “Oh, hello dear Houndoom! Are you ready for some food?”

He looked up at her with glad eyes and a wagging tail.

Chuckling, Charlotte patted his head, then turned to get a bowl. “You’re such a quiet Pokemon, dear, I wouldn’t have guessed. Most people say that the canines are loud with their barks and yips, but you don’t ever raise your voice. Here you go.” She took the bowl over to an out of the way hall and placed it down for him. “Some stewed beef and gravy tonight. You’ve got to keep your strength up for fighting off all those creepy-crawlies and ghostie-woasties that might be hidden from human eyes.” She patted him, then went back to her work singing.

An odd one, but a good cook. Houndoom ate his meal, then thanked her by offering a paw for a shake. His Trainer had taught him how to do that. Although she cheerfully did so (after taking off her kitchen gloves), Charlotte had no idea how right she was.

Strange things came out at night that most humans didn’t notice. The obvious ones were the Ghost and Dark Pokemon, which used the darkness of night to play mischief. Beyond them, there were some creatures that could do a lot of harm. True ghosts, which sought to pull the living into their realm, were just one threat. There were spirits out there that were attracted to the pain and sorrow that every hospital had; these ones would seek to make things worse to satisfy their evil desires.

While the other Pokemon might notice these things, Houndoom knew that he would notice them first. His affinity with darkness allowed him to know such things, like the difference between a prankster Gastly and a truly menacing spirit. Every night, he went through the halls of the hospital, carefully looking for hidden signs before the spirits could grow into terrible problems. And there was one sign that he was expecting to see.

As he thought, that sign came.

It was past midnight and Houndoom was examining the emergency care area. At one moment, everything seemed fine. In the next moment, he caught the scent of death. It was a smell that crushed one’s heart and made one feel like everything, not just one soul, was lost. And it wasn’t something most beings, Pokemon or not, could sense. Despite how queasy and upset it made him feel, Houndoom followed the scent to a portal.

It was something even he could barely see, a swirling mass right up against the wall. The first time he had seen it had been when his Trainer had been here, on the brink of death. Ever since, he found it from time to time. Houndoom glanced around the hall. There was a Chansey waiting by a doorway. Once she went inside the room, Houndoom went inside the portal.

After several trips inside, the transfer didn’t bother him anymore. On the other side, there was a hallway similar to the hospital’s hallway. It had white floors, white walls, and clean hospital equipment. But there was also a dark violet mist that, while being fine enough to see through clearly, dimmed the lights into something eerie and unsettling. There was also a background noise of moans and cries, as if the patients’ pain were being amplified. And in that strange hallway, he met with Death.

It was a strange creature. Almost human, but no human could possibly live as it was. Standing over six feet tall, its true appearance was hidden by a shabby black cloak. It had no feet and its face was hidden in shadows, but a bony chin showed, as well as skeletal hands that came out of its sleeves. And by Death’s side, there was another Houndoom: same short black fur, same lean muscular form, same curling horns, same bony plates. Houndoom and his peer at Death’s side could have been brothers.

Death’s partner growled, recalling past battles the two Houndooms had fought. The living Pokemon braced himself, expecting another tough battle. Before it could start, the Death creature held up his hand to stop both of them. It turned partly to the left and beckoned something to come forward. A white light came out, then turned into one of the ghosts that Houndoom had been keeping away.

But this one was a young teenaged boy. He had ebony black hair and oak brown eyes. Wearing worn travel clothes, he looked like any other young traveling Trainer. But seeing him made Houndoom raise his ears and wag his tail. It was his Trainer; he even had that scent of dirt and grass that always clung to him even after spending days in a city.

“Houndoom,” he called out, in a mix of joy and sadness. “You can’t beat Death. You just can’t.”

Houndoom whined in worry. He should have been able to save his Trainer from anything. But that couldn’t happen. Since then, he had been trying to save someone from the thing that took his Trainer away. He hadn’t saved any of them. He came up to the ghost of his Trainer; the boy dropped down on his knees and hugged him.

“Can you still protect that hospital?” he asked as he let go, trying to hide his tears. “That’s good of you. Can you do that for me?”

The one he wanted to protect was this one, his Trainer. But that couldn’t be. The hospital, though… Houndoom brought his paw up for a shake, showing his agreement.

“Good.” The ghost boy held onto the paw in one hand and patted it with his other. “You’re a good Pokemon.”

...

D/P Houndoom entry: Long ago, people imagined its eerie howls to be the call of the grim reaper.

[oooo]

Nice doggie.

[LadyMiir]

That was incredibly sad, but so sweet. I love your portrayal of Houndoom. Great job!

[solovino]

Ow... I haven't reviewed here since AGES!!!! (when I requested Scyther). Now, due to the appearance of the Houndoom story, I am back.

Your work with these short stories has been interesting, Ysavvryl, so I'm taking time next summer (that is, December for me) to skim backwards a couple hundred pages and read some of these short stories again. I'm bound to find something interesting.

I noticed the game Dex entries now appear after the stories. Was this done on purpose? It seems to enhance the rereading value of the stories, though, so nice idea.

[growlithe_master]

nice story! poor houndoom, i feel so sorry for it. i liked how you showed what you think its like after death. its like an alternate universe. maybe its the reverse world?

[kuriboh361]

I mourn for the spirit of that poor Houndoom's trainer and feel sad for the cute doggie too. I loved the ending despite it being sad. I love sad endings which is kinda weird...

[SugarPesticide]

Wigglytuff/Duskull:

The troublemakers laughed at the quieter boy. “Don’t be stupid. It won’t do anything to us."

Bolded quotation marks should be added.

“<They’re after Daddy? That’s not good.>” She rustled her black clock.

I know for sure that you meant cloak XD

Do you know how happy this has made me, as a story featuring a Wigglytuff that has nothing to do whatsoever with PMD? It's so refreshing, after it's been stamped into my brain as a stereotype guildmaster! XD

Houndoom:

It was a smell that crushed one’s heart and made one feel like everything, not just one soul, was lost.

I LOVE this sentence. It's so eerily descriptive! Is the HGSS throwback intentional?

A white light came out, then turned into one of the ghosts that Houndoom had been keeping away.

Er. Came out of what? A room? The wall?

This was really creepy. Yay! Houndoom are so awesome, and this one is no exception. Excellent job as usual ^_^

[shiningsloth13]

I haven't posted here in ages, so I dun want it seem like I forgot about these.

I love them ALL, though my favorites were the Rotom, Spiritomb, and Tangela/Tangrowth/Togekiss.

I know you're busy with NaNoWriMo (I have several friends who are entering), so I won't make any requests. However, I'd like to know if I could write a guest entry possibly? I had the best idea today for an Armaldo/Bastiodon epic.

[Killer_Squirtle]

I swear, this story almost brought a tear to my eye. Good Job Yss.

[shiningsloth13]

So, this is approved.

As you can see, this is Ysavvryl-approved. I hope you all enjoy!




Slowly, it emerged from the water. Seaweed dripped from it's body, and saltwater made it's nigh-impenetrable armor glisten. It's sharp claws gleamed in the sunlight, and it's eye-stalks swiveled to survey their new surroundings. It had emerged onto a beach of some sorts; white sands crunched beneath it's massive, two-toed feet, while the roaring surf of it's home crashed behind it. With a lumbering, clumsy step, Rock-Claw the Armaldo made his way into the dense jungle.

Rock-Claw had evolved the day before, and, as was customary with his kin, spent a night in vigil to honor his past form, and the souls of those who had gone before him. After his night of waiting, he was to make his way onto land to start the new life his species was destined for. A small group of Anorith - his younger siblings - gathered to bid him farewell, and with that, he departed. He would return to these waters one day, with a mate of his own, and they would lay their eggs. Their spawn would live in the reefs and shoals of it's ancestors, and they in turn would one day leave and return, with mates of their own. Such was the great Circle of Life, as taught by Armaldo to Anorith.

Rock-Claw hadn't expected the land to be so... well, dry for one thing. He had heard the tales, that it was like the ocean floor without water. He hadn't really believed them though. They were just stories to keep the spawns from venturing above. But apparently the fables were steeped in truth, and Rock-Claw found himself becoming thirsty. Lifting his armored head into the air, he sniffed the steamy air. He smelled water not far away. Where there was water, there would be drink. And where there was drink, there would be prey.

~~~~~~~

A small herd of Bastiodon lingered by a small stream. They had come here to drink water, and to allow the young Shieldons to play. One particular mother Bastiodon was keeping an eye on her newest hatchling. He'd been born only two weeks ago, and his face-plate wasn't quite solid yet. Silver-Maw kept her eyes trained on her young one, making sure he didn't hurt himself by ramming into trees or some such mischief. That kind of tomfoolery was for those silly Rampardos, not for a dignified Bastiodon, like the one her son would one day be.

Her child was sniffing around a fern when he looked up. Letting out a small cry, he hurried to his mother. Silver-Maw immediately made herself alert. Tucking her child behind her large face-plate, she called the other members of her herd, warning them of a possible danger. She didn’t know what her child had sensed, but she knew it was better to be safe then sorry.

~~~~~~~

Rock-Claw was near the source of the water-scent. He sniffed the air again, then picked up his pace. He ached to taste the flesh of a land creature. He wondered whether it would be soft, like a Tentacool, or hard like a Relicanth. Either way, his mouth watered at the prospect of such exotic cuisine. He was nearly on top of the water-scent now, and he slowed his pace. He lowered himself, his lobster-like body laying on the moist earth. He scuttled forward, using his claws to propel himself forward.

He thrust his head through the dense foliage, and looked about. Strange creatures were scattered about the shore before him. He had never seen a sea so small and thin, but he nevertheless knew that it was what had brought the odd creatures here. There around a dozen of them, each one with a massive wall of steel for a head. Behind these imposing mountains of metal however, was a yellow flank, which Rock-Claw predicted would be much softer. Several of the creatures’ young were scattered about the shoreline. One was nearing his position. He tensed his back legs, ready to pounce upon the creature with his powerful claws.

The young spawn stopped moving, and began to sniff the plant Rock-Claw had concealed himself behind. The Armaldo prepared to strike. He could just imagine his claws sinking into the beast’s warm, tender flesh. He could almost taste the meat, still hot and juicy. A harsh cry snapped him out of his reverie, and he realized it had come from the spawn. It quickly bolted away, and hid behind the head of one of the monsters, supposedly it’s mother. The mother made a loud booming sound, and all the other creatures responded with booms of their own. The spawn on the shoreline immediately made a small circle, and the adults surrounded them, their enormous metallic faces ahead. Rock-Claw hissed in annoyance, then emerged from the shrubbery.

~~~~~~~

Silver-Maw smelled the thing before she saw it. It was a large, blue lobster-like creature, with two vicious claws, and stalk-eyes that looked in two directions at once. It reeked of salt-water and rotted meat. The beast’s eyes locked onto the herd’s self-composed wall. It made a shrill screeching sound, then darted forward. It was surprisingly quick for it’s size, and easily covered the distance between itself and the herd. It showed no signs of stopping, and it charged headlong into a Bastiodon to Silver-Maw’s right.

There was a resounding clang, but the creature did not bounce off as most Pokemon would. It simply looked dazed. It shook it’s head, then screeched again. It brought it’s claws down into the Bastiodon’s eyes, and he roared in pain. The monster took this as an opportunity. It leaped onto the Bastiodon’s magnificent metal face, and started to scale it. When he realized what was happening, the Bastiodon furiously shook his head in an attempt to remove the thing.

The creature fell off and hit the ground with a thud, and it hissed as it got back to it's feet. It gave a venomous look to the herd before darting off into the overgrowth.

~~~~~~~

Rock-Claw’s head was still sore from the impact with that metallic monster. He rubbed his face with his claw, trying to rub the pain away. Suddenly, he stopped. His nostrils flared as he took in a new scent. It smelled of plant-life and meat. He took another breath. The scent was tangy yet rich, gamy yet sweet. his mouth began to water, and he made his way toward the new smell. He may have failed to taste metal-head flesh, but he had high hopes for this new prey.

[Legend of Lucario]

Ysavvryl, your Houndoom story was great.

I mean I love how the Houndoom can see ghosts and spirits, and I also love how he found his trainer in the portal! It was so sweet and since the trainer could communicate with Houndoom, even though he had passed away, really made me want to cry in happiness.

That would be a rockin Houndoom to have as well

[kuriboh361]

Nice story, Sloth. I especially like the names, giving it a prehistoric touch. I loved the curiosity of Rock-Claw. Nice job!

[shiningsloth13]

Nice story, Sloth. I especially like the names, giving it a prehistoric touch. I loved the curiosity of Rock-Claw. Nice job!

Well, thank you! It took me... less then an hour to write, actually XD

I didn't actually try to make Rock-Claw a prehistoric Curious George, but he does seem to come off that way, doesn't he? Oh well.

[oooo]

Hmm....is Cradily on the menu next? o.O

[Ysavvryl]

Argh... I was going to post something for the month of November, but missed it by a few hours! Anyhow, this is back! And it happens to have the first fossil entry.

I'm looking for an entry for Christmas, and probably the Winter Solstice too. last year, it was Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres for the former and Froslass for the latter. I am kind of saving a certain legendary for my 50&#37; mark, though.

@shining-sloth: Hey, sorry, I didn't get back to reply on that, but you know that I like that one!

@solovino: Yeah, that was a suggestion that I like, so it's staying that way.

@oooo: I'll add Cradily!


In Process: Cloyster/Crawdaunt
On Deck: Seaking/Remoraid, Cradily


SWABLU, CHARIZARD, AND AERODACTYL


The winds were strong and steady, carrying him over the grasslands. Cutting through the earth was a wandering stream, searching for its way to the river. The ground below seemed like an ocean of green, with the plants being blown in steady waves by the restless air. While it made smaller Pokemon hide, he was quite fine with that. The only ones who would be out today were the strong ones, like himself. It meant that he would have a better chance at finding a good battle today.

With the winds stirring his flames, Charizard felt confident today. Like he could take on anybody and win. His record supported that feeling; ever since evolving, fewer and fewer Pokemon could match his abilities. When it came to the skies, he was the ruler of his home area. He still wished that someone around here would give him a good fight.

He caught sight of another flying Pokemon coming towards him. Charizard discounted it as a potential battle, though. It was a little blue bodied bird with fluffy white wings, like clouds. A Swablu wouldn’t be much of a match. He ignored it.

But that didn’t mean that Swablu would ignore him. “Hellooo!” he called, chirping lightly. “Isn’t the wind great today? Fast enough to be exciting, but not so fast that it makes it hard to fly.”

“It’s good enough,” Charizard replied indifferently.

Swablu shifted directions to fly alongside him. “Whatcha doing?”

“Nothing of concern to you,” he replied, hopefully gruff enough to send the little Pokemon away.

It wasn’t enough. “You want to race with me? I’m fast!”

“No.” He swished his tail, then sped up his flight.

To his merit, Swablu did keep up. “Do you want to play something else then? It’s a fun day, we ought to make it…” his prattle got cut short by a shriek.

Charizard turned his head to see a larger flying Pokemon had dove into Swablu. It was an unfamiliar Pokemon, stone gray with blue under its wings. It had a thick clawed beak, hooked talons, and a wing structure like a Golbat. From the look in its black eyes, it was a predator, trying to catch Swablu. While he didn’t care much for Swablu, the stranger seemed like a worthy foe.

So Charizard slowed a bit to let them get ahead, then snapped his jaws at the stranger’s legs. It let go of Swablu; the small Pokemon kept screaming and flew about in a panic. However, he was out of the way. “You!” He faced the stranger, his jaw aching as the stranger had tougher skin than expected. “This is my turf. You don’t fly here unless I give you permission.”

It screeched at him. “You’re picking the wrong fight,” it said, in a voice that seemed female. “I am descended from the kings of the sky. I am Aerodactyl, and you don’t stand a chance against me.”

“They couldn’t have been very effective kings,” he replied to her. “I’ve never heard of your kind. But everyone around here knows that I, Charizard, am the most powerful Pokemon in the sky here.”

“Well everyone where I came from knew that,” she retorted, her pride making her angry.

“Then go back to where you came from, or fight me to prove your worth.”

“Looks like we’re fighting then,” Aerodactyl said, then lunged ahead to snap at him with her hefty beak. “I came from a rock in a museum and I’m not going back.”

That made no sense whatsoever, so Charizard ignored it. He lashed out with his claw, concentrating energy like steel. As the air currents forced them to move apart to stay aloft, he looked to see what impact it had on her. It didn’t seem like much, though. And the predatory look in her eyes, judging if he’d make a good meal or not, was a little unnerving. He did his best to hide that unease as he circled around to get a clear shot. When he saw an opportunity when she might not turn away, he took a deep breath, then sent a plume of fire at her.

At her cry, he shouted over, “My fire breath can melt anything, and will burn you to a crisp.”

Then she laughed. “Not likely,” she sneered, then turned and rushed at him. A gray glow appeared around her body. On seeing that, he expected her to ram him, but no. Rocks materialized in her wake, then crashed into him when she passed over his path.

The pain was horrible. Most of his body was covered in tough scales too, but his wings weren’t. They had to be flexible so he could fly. Gritting his teeth so that he didn’t scream, Charizard crashed toward the ground by the winding stream. He tried to catch some air to soften his landing, but he still skidded several feet.

Aerodactyl made a primal cry in the air. “You don’t know true royalty when you see it!” she called out, then circled up into an updraft.

Well he’d found his new rival, Charizard considered with a scowl. He didn’t think he could lose so badly anymore, though. After checking over his injured wings, he settled down to rest and recover.

-+-

She had indeed come from a rock in a museum. Humans had brought her to life from a stone. Although she knew that, Aerodactyl couldn’t explain it any more than that. What she could explain, though, was that she was not going back to the human habitation. They lived indoors, in artificial caves with small rooms and artificial things.

At first, she had liked the attention. It was all she had known. But then instinct stirred in her heart stronger than it had before, driven on by a battle she’d had against another one of the museum Pokemon. She couldn’t fully explain that either, but she knew that she was meant for an open place like this, where she could rule the skies over a land of prey and servants.

Aerodactyl settled in one of the scattered trees and observed the grassland. A few local Pokemon were watching her warily and curiously. They didn’t know her, like that foolish Charizard didn’t know her. However, they seemed wise enough to know not to mess with her.

Weren’t there supposed to be others like her around? She could definitely manage by herself. That Charizard was the only Pokemon to challenge her since she left the human habitation far behind. He wouldn’t be a problem.

But as she watched the setting sun turn golden, she wondered if being on her own would be a problem.

-+-

Charizard woke up to an odd sensation; something was brushing over his scales in circular patterns. He bolted upright, getting a small squeal in response. Now that he was fully awake, he realized the he felt strangely damp. He looked down and saw Swablu getting back to his feet. It was the same bird; Charizard recognized the red marks where Aerodactyl’s claws had dug into the smaller Pokemon’s back. “What are you doing?” he demanded.

“Oh, you are back awake!” he cried happily. He bobbed his head up and down eagerly. “I am washing you.”

This didn’t strike him as normal behavior. Then again, he’d never paid much attention to the Swablues before. “Washing me?”

“Oh yes, your scales were quite dim and in need of a good wash and polish. And your bruises needed to be cleaned so they healed well. Pokemon always need to look their best, as you never know if you’ll run into an old friend or a new one, or your mother, or someone you may love. Besides, I can’t help myself when I see something dirty. You look much nicer now, although I’m not quite done yet.” He spoke so eagerly and rapidly that he didn’t seem to take a breath in between all his words.

“Why are you washing me?” Charizard asked sternly, sending a puff of smoke out of his nostrils. “I’m the most… I was the most fearsome Pokemon of this land’s sky. And you only ran into me today.”

“Oh, but you saved my life, Charizard!” He started bobbing again. “That scary gray Pokemon would have killed me, I know. But you distracted it from me enough for me to get away and hide. I can’t thank you enough, but I can try. I’ll help you get revenge on that beast!”

He snorted. “I doubt you can do that.”

“Um, well, I can sing in a really charming way; it puts Pokemon to sleep.” Swablu puffed his feathers up to appear bigger. “And I’ll be big and powerful too. I hope soon, but I don’t know when. I can help you then better. But for now, I’ll just wash you and help you look nice. Will that work?”

“I’ve never needed washing before and I don’t need it now.”

The small Pokemon looked disappointed, losing his puff and appearing smaller than before. “Oh, is that so? But it’s so nice to be clean and good looking. Look at me; I wash myself three times a day and groom my feathers constantly.” Swablu held his fluffy wings out, then noticed some smudges from his grooming of Charizard. “Oh, I should go clean this up before it gets to be gunk. But I wasn’t done with you yet.”

As much as Charizard was annoyed at the unasked for bath, he wasn’t completely cold. Seeing Swablu get disappointed like that tugged at his heart. He had been smaller and weaker before. Maybe not quite as hyper… or obsessed with cleanliness. And Swablu wasn’t too bad, just too trusting. Besides, some Pokemon had funny ideas about being saved and became overly pushy with their gratitude.

He wouldn’t be much good against Aerodactyl, Charizard thought. And the Fire Pokemon wanted to defeat that stranger himself. However, an ally would help when his authority was being challenged.

“Although, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if I let you finish your cleaning,” Charizard admitted. “And if that’s what you want to do to thank me, fine, go ahead.”

Happy again, Swablu gave a cheery whistle. “Of course, I’ll do a great job! Let me wash up my wings so I don’t go smearing more dirt around.” He hopped over to the stream and went right into the water.

Charizard would never be able to bring himself to do that willingly. But every Pokemon had their own way of living. He wondered for a moment what Aerodactyl’s way of life was. However, she was now a rival, a strong one at that. Strong rivals made his fires grow stronger. It was better to consider how to approach their next battle.


...

Emerald entry: A Charizard flies about in search of strong opponents. It breathes intense flames that can melt any material. However, it will never torch a weaker opponent.

Sapphire entry: Swablu loves to make things clean. If it spots something dirty, it will wipe and polish it with its cottony wings. If its wings become dirty, this Pokemon finds a stream and showers itself.

Emerald entry: Aerodactyl is a Pokemon from the age of the dinosaurs. It was regenerated from genetic material extracted from amber. It is imagined to have been the king of the skies.

[foxyman1167]

Wow, that was awesome, quite a story. The battle between Aerodactyl could have been longer, and other than a spelling mistake I found, it was great.

The small Pokemon looked disappointed, losing his puff and appearing smaller than before. “Oh, is that so? But it’s so nice to be clean and good looking. Look at me; I was myself three times a day and groom my feathers constantly.” Swablu held his fluffy wings out, then noticed some smudges from his grooming of Charizard. “Oh, I should go clean this up before it gets to be gunk. But I wasn’t done with you yet.”

Should be wash.

I'd like a Pelipper/Wingull entry please.

[shiningsloth13]

I really liked that, Ysav. I loved Swablu's personality.

[shac]

Welcome back! should I say?

Anyway, that was a good story. I specially liked how you portrayed swablu - very accurate.

[growlithe_master]

nice story! funny swablu! ^_^

id recommend walrein for the winter solstice and stantler for christmas.