Fanfiction
New
FanFictioner144
TRio enthusiast
- Location
- Eterna City
- Pronouns
- him/his/their
Opening and Warnings
An early take of a Christmas tale, one I've been working on since July of this year. Features a mix of "holiday fluff" and "soft dark", where not everyone starts out happy (mirroring the real world, at that).Only two warnings apply:
- This story breaks the conventional "Christmas fluff" format, delving into emotions and struggles that mirror reality;
- Expect a lot of emotional moments, along with some humor to make digestion easier.
Feedbacks of all kinds are welcome - while I do have a preference towards critical ones, both positive and negative.
Summary
A Pikachu that vows to promote inclusion, no matter who;A Meowth who fears inclusion;
A Mightyena in defiance to inclusion;
A group of four Pokémon, bearing a fragile inclusion;
And many others, dependent upon a physical object for inclusion.
Their paths all cross in this Christmas tale, where a symbolic tree star provokes clashes of exclusion capable of destroying an entire holiday.
Chapters
Chapter 1 - Prologue
There it is, the Pokémon world! A place full of joy and adventures, never less so in the penultimate week of December! Cheered by the Christmas spirit, wild Pokémon from within a forest — and probably all over the world, too — reunite to trade talks and honor a peaceful settlement among each other…
..but, wait! We’re no Pokémon dialect experts, so how are we supposed to understand a thing of what they say?.. Well, I’ve taken the step of translating their dialogues for our own sake. Now we shall get into the tale without much more trouble.
Ahem, here I go.
Within a pine forest, four Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, and Buneary) ventured through the grass, each carrying small sets of branches, rocks and berries.
“We’re almost there. I can feel it!” Buneary cheered, throwing its branches slightly upwards.
“Yay! Can’t wait for the eating ceremony!” Mudkip yearned while smelling the berries inside a twig container.
Bulbasaur, the one carrying small rocks, unleashed a vine to rectify Mudkip’s posture. “No, don’t even think of that!” Bulbasaur warned, lightly striking on Mudkip’s head twice.
“N-No! I wouldn’t!” Mudkip stuttered, recomposing itself shortly after.
With a soft smile, Cyndaquil — carrying a few twigs inside its mouth — tapped Mudkip’s side soothingly. “It’s fine. We’ll get to eat soon,” It heartened the tone.
With that, the group continued on their way.
Several meters ahead of them, an opening revealed a place full of decorations, ranging from rudimentary Pokémon sculptures to food baskets. In the center of everything stood a large tree, filled with many molded rocks that gave it a dazzling look. Around it, wild Pokémon of all kinds were scattered, working on their respective Christmas decorations.
At the sight of Buneary and its friends, a select group of Pokémon halted their doings and paced — or hovered — towards them.
“Here we are, everyone!” Buneary announced as all four of them dropped their loads.
A Staravia landed in front of them, its gaze fiercely locked on them. “Finally, after all this time! Any more waiting, and I’d throw you off the canyon!” It snapped, closing its wings.
“S-Stop! We‘re doing our best to help!” Cyndaquil pleaded, its cheeks reddening.
From Staravia’s side, a bouncy Aipom giggled. “Your best, if your intention is to set a mocking target on yourselves!”
Buneary raised its ears flat. “Do NOT insult me or my-“
“TIME OUT!” From behind, a Chikorita shouted. “Our founders celebrated Christmas precisely to prevent those kinds of clashes! It is our duty AND hope to preserve their legacy!”
Staravia turned away. “Ugh, fair enough. Get back to work, everyone,” It said, quickly grabbing a few rocks before flapping away.
Mudkip opened a smile to Chikorita. “Thanks a bunch, Chiko-y!” the former thanked.
“You aren’t the first ones to face that nonsense back there,” Chikorita replied, returning a faint smile.
“Ooo, who were the lucky ones to witness your words of wisdom?” Aipom scoffed. “I bet they’ve been crying on a tree up until now!”
Meanwhile, two vultures lurked on top of a tree, watching the wild Pokémon. On a closer look, one of them was a Mightyena, the other being a Zubat. The former observed all the Pokémon statues, all the displayed food, and especially the most recent conflict among the wild Pokémon; as of the latter, it didn’t have eyes to see, so it waited out.
“Tsk, tsk, Pokémon that can’t even take a word from that Chikorita… ahem.” Mightyena sighed, staring coldly at the biggest tree. “And now, look at us, leftovers of a lost tradition.”
“R-Really?” Zubat cried. “Maybe we could just come out and ask them to forgive last week’s accident?”
“When you get thrown deep into the canyon, you’ll see that it’s of no use,” Mightyena countered.
“Oh… then, what do we do?” Zubat asked in a desperate tone. “I don’t want us spending Christmas like this, without friends!”
Mightyena shifted its perched position, gazing at the giant tree top. “You know one thing they do at dusk? They place the golden star on top of that tree.”
“Aww, the star of hope and union,” Zubat admired. “Without it, no Christmas would be complete, ever.”
“That’s the thing; and tonight, we will place it ourselves.”
“Yes, yes!” Zubat complimented, although it then lowered its head. “But, wouldn’t they attack us, instead?”
“That’s where you come in, to distract them with a few sonic rumbles,” Mightyena replied. “Meanwhile, I put on the star. And when they see what we are doing, they will understand what Christmas really is, and will let us in their festivals.”
Zubat sighed. “I don’t know, but… anything to celebrate Christmas with them.”
The two Pokémon soon left their hiding spot, searching for a more strategic point within the forest.
Chapter 2 - A Christmas for Everyone?
Summary:
Of when Pikachu teams up with Wobbuffet and a Christmas-rejecting Meowth.Of the four friendly Pokémon who invite the others for for a nightly festival.
Aaand...
Of a familiar force showing up to disrupt all the cheer.
Chapter Text:
In a beautiful afternoon, exploring the same forest are Ash’s Pikachu and Team Rocket’s Meowth, the latter followed by Jessie’s Wobbuffet. Taking a vacation away from their respective trainers, both Pokémon groups overlook an inevitable encounter.Oh, I nearly forgot the perspective game! Pikachu has been inspecting wildberries — in most bushes, many of those were already taken —, wondering whether it will meet other Pokémon within the forest; whereas Meowth is constantly complaining about matters such as cold and a “bad omen for the vacation”, with Wobbuffet giggling and reassuring him along the way. Both groups have been enjoying (or trying to enjoy) the ambiance: the pines, the rocks, the bushes, the late-afternoon Sun…
Guess I’ve been narrating for too long. If you’ll excuse me, time skip to this “inevitable encounter” of theirs…
Upon spotting each other, the three Pokémon gasped, standing still and on end.
“Team Rocket! Not today!” Pikachu barked, holding its ground.
“Aight, time out! There ain’t no Team Rocket today!” Meowth panicked.
“As if whatever you say isn’t just a lie,” Pikachu retorted, slightly raising its tail.
Showing his teeth, Meowth turned to his companion. “Wobbuffet, do somethin’!”
Wobbuffet swung its arms. “It’s true! We’re doing a Christmas cheer! No stealing, no fighting!” It explained, almost pleadingly.
“No, not this Xmas thin’!” Meowth complained under wiggles. “It’s just a normal vacation, nuttin’ more!”
Pikachu’s eyes drifted away for a moment. It then nodded, lowering its tail. “Yeah, today’s the day we really should put aside our grudges.” It began stepping towards the other two.
“F-For real?!” Meowth gulped.
“It’s Christmas, Meowth!” Pikachu grinned. “And we’re partying together, friends and foes alike!”
“Count me in!” Wobbuffet cheered, striking its signature salute.
On the other hand, Meowth crossed his arms. “Ain’t no way I’ve got anythin’ to do wit’ this stuff!”
“Why?” Pikachu tilted its head.
“Nuh-uh, I refuse.”
Sighing, Pikachu returned a frown. “Look, Meowth, I don’t wanna fry you today.” A few sparks left its cheeks. “So please, let’s just keep it friendly.”
Meowth panically unfolded his arms. “O-Okay, ya win! We party as one, aight?” He conceded through a yell.
“That’s the spirit!” Pikachu complimented with a small leap of joy.
“We’re gonna have so much fun together!” Wobbuffet added, grinning.
“Ya ain’t helpin’ it,” Meowth murmured privately.
His words did not draw Pikachu’s attention, as it kept leaping forward. “Follow me!” It incited, drifting into the forest.
Meanwhile, Wobbuffet reached out to Meowth. “Come on, give it a shot!” The former encouraged. “It’s not that bad, bud.”
“Sure t’ing, Wobby,” Meowth nodded, hesitantly taking its arm.
And then, the group kept walking at a fast pace, with their set levels of eagerness.
•••
Not even a minute later, chirping noises reverberated through their ears.
“Someone’s ahead,” Meowth pointed out, “an’ I ain’t likin’ any of it.”
“Now, are you always this negative on Christmas?! Of course they’ll welcome us with open paws!” Pikachu replied, twitching its ears.
Wobbuffet nodded without a word, although it released Meowth in favor of remaining upright.
Upon that moment of freedom, he glanced to his sides, then swiftly scurried away from the others. In a moment’s notice, he was gone.
With a renewed burst of energy, Pikachu leaped forward. “Heey, over heere!” It shouted out.
…
“Are you friendly?” The other side asked.
“Rest assured that we are!” Pikachu replied, wiggling its tail.
From behind a tree, a group of four Pokémon walked into visibility: a Bulbasaur, a Cyndaquil, a Mudkip, and a Buneary. Each of them carried branches, rocks, and berries in their own ways.
“Hooray! New friends!” Mudkip greeted them, rushing towards them. However, a stumble over a small rock made the Pokémon drop most berries on the ground. “Oops, sorry.”
Cyndaquil stepped in. “We can fix it,” it encouraged, pulling a berry with its snout.
“Yeah, but you’ll have to wash them later,” Bulbasaur stated, wrapping its vine around some berries.
Each of them, including Pikachu and Wobbuffet, giggled as they put the berries inside the twig container. In no time, the group managed to catch them all, then resumed their conversation.
“Are those for Christmas?” Pikachu inquired, gesturing at the loads.
“Uh-huh, we’re committed to making it the most special day of the year!” Buneary affirmed with a light jump.
“Oh, but none of these are a close match to the star… aww, the golden star,” Mudkip added. “Legends say it carries the spirits of our ancestors, who come down every Christmas to look over the friendships we’ve made!”
Both Pikachu and Wobbuffet glanced at the sky, then returned their gazes to the group. “Uh, when does it appear?” Wobbuffet asked, tilting its head.
“At night, on the largest tree of the forest,” Bulbasaur answered. “No time before that.”
“On a tree?!” Pikachu tilted its head, turning around by 180 degrees. “Meowth, do you think it’s a..- Meowth?”
Everyone ended up staring at nowhere.
“Wobbuffet, have you seen him anywhere?” Pikachu questioned with a frown.
“He was right beside me. I swear!” Wobbuffet exclaimed, frantically glancing everywhere. “I-I can start looking for him, if-“
“And let you run away as well?!” Pikachu retorted. “Meowth has already done enough trouble today!”
As the two Pokémon stared at each other, Buneary stepped in. “Who is this Meowth you’re talking about?”
“Ugh, long dull story,” Pikachu replied, dividing its gaze between Buneary and Wobbuffet.
“Look, I might have an idea where he went,” Wobbuffet claimed, placing an arm on its forehead. “Just, please, let me go, and I’ll come back with him by nighttime. My word!”
“You’ll miss the star placement!” Mudkip voiced its worries.
“It’s okay; my friend needs me more,” Wobbuffet asserted, then turned at Pikachu. “I beg you, please…”
After a long, deep stare into Wobbuffet’s eyes, Pikachu nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll be waiting for you,” It accepted, standing on two paws. “I just hope you’ll be okay. Both of you.”
With a blushed nod, Wobbuffet started to walk away. “Wobbuffet word!” It cheered with a wink. “See you at night!”
“Best of luck!” Buneary encouraged, waving its paw.
However, Wobbuffet was already too far away to look back. As it walked deep into the forest, it studied the environment. “Now, where could he be..?” It pondered, scratching its head.
••••••••••
Meowth supported his paws on a tree, panting a lot — his heart above 120 beats per minute. “Did I lose ‘em?” He verified by looking around.
Their absence led Meowth to take a breath of relief, but it made him cough. Pulling away from the tree, he resumed his walk, arriving at what seemed like a ravine.
The noise of water, coming from the edge, penetrated Meowth’s ears. Upon looking down the canyon, he saw a river at its bottom, surrounded by many sections of mud. He quickly sat down a few inches away from the edge.
“Who does Pikachu t’ink he is, draggin’ me down this mess?” Meowth complained, supporting his chin on both paws. “He t’inks Xmas brings joy n’ stuff?! Like being left out n’ blasted off every twenty-fifth’s a good thin’?!”
Meowth paused to look at the water current below, standing up in the process.
“I know it don’t work the way he t’inks!” Meowth pointed a paw to the sky. “Ye try to party n’ cheer, but all ya get is yer face beaten up every year! It’s just ‘nother usual day, like any other, ever!”
A small tear formed in Meowth’s eyes, although he quickly shook it away.
“I know I’m better off on my own, lazin’ on my own n’ away from anybody,” He kept going on. “And if my quiet spot’s ever found, then boom! Just ‘nother blast-off; it’ll never change!”
Meowth made a final pause to deal with tears, although rubbing his eyes only intensified the flow.
“And I…I’ll never… I never..-” He closed his mouth, allowing himself to sink deep into the tears.
••••••••••
After having invited Pikachu to the party, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, and Buneary guided their new friend towards the largest tree. As they arrived, the place swirled with Pokémon of all types, some working on the final Christmas decors, others chitchatting, and very few standing far from the tree.
Gazing up the huge plant, Pikachu dropped its jaw at the stone spheres that adorned it. “Wow… what a tree!” It praised, leaving its mouth agape.
“Proud you liked it,” Buneary thanked, “although not everyone sees our take in this.”
“Really?” Pikachu looked down. “Oh, I didn’t mean-”
“No worries.” Cyndaquil reassured, stepping to Pikachu’s side. “We’re friends now. Remember?”
Mudkip stepped to Pikachu’s other side, gluing its head onto the other one. “Yeah, friends that’ll always cheer up for-“
“TAKE COVER! IT’S AN ATTACK!” A shout cut off its speech, making everyone stiffen their bodies. Not even three seconds later, many wild Pokémon rushed to check the situation, while others ran away with their lives.
“Attack?!” Buneary gasped. “But it’s Christmas!”
“It was going to happen sooner or later, that much was clear,” Bulbasaur commented with a frown.
“Come on, we gotta check it out!” Pikachu urged, darting towards the scream source.
While Buneary and Mudkip nodded and followed it right behind, Cyndaquil took shaky steps. “I-I don’t like this!” It voiced in desperation.
Nudging Cyndaquil’s back with a vine, Bulbasaur gave it a reassuring look. “Me neither, but we have to protect Christmas,” The latter pointed out, using its vine to push the former forward.
After Cyndaquil nodded, both Pokémon began following their friends in a slower rush.
Not too far from the big tree, Pikachu and the others saw a Zubat high above the ground, emitting supersonic waves into all directions, making several wild Pokémon spin dizzily.
Pikachu was the first to step in. “Hey there! Stop the attack!” It demanded through a yell.
Unfazed, Zubat persisted with its attack, albeit shifting its aim towards Pikachu.
Yelping, it promptly dodged the beam, its cheeks sparkling with electricity. “You asked for it!” Pikachu discharged its thunderbolt on Zubat.
The opposing Pokémon also dodged the attack, descending closer to the field.
As its opponent struggled to stabilize its flight, Pikachu leaped forward speedily with a “YAAAH!”, quickly slamming its body against Zubat. The impact force pulled them both towards a nearby tree. Upon collision, the bat Pokémon closed its eyes, falling to the ground.
At this finale, many wild Pokémon stopped in place, while some others ran away.
“What happened?” A Bidoof asked, its head spinning slightly.
“Who did this to us?” A Geodude added.
Many others screamed as well, although no message could be distinguished from the agitated crowd.
Before any of them could advance towards the fallen Zubat…
“Okay, everyone, LISTEN!” From the sidelines, a Chikorita yelled, launching its leaves at the sky. “Conflict’s over. Calm down and return to our Christmas cheer!”
“Who put you in charge?” A Pokémon in the crowd protested.
“And WHO do you think you are to stand against the harmony our star has brought to us?” Chikorita retorted.
“YEEEEEAH!” A collective bawl sounded from the multitude as it dispersed, most of the Pokémon walking away from the scene.
Among the only remaining ones were Pikachu, its new friends and Chikorita, all staring at the fallen Zubat.
“She returned,” Chikorita remarked, staring blankly at the fallen Pokémon.
“She… who?” Pikachu asked, twitching its ear.
“The news had spread quickly,” Buneary recalled. “She, along with a Mightyena, were kicked out of the festival without warning.”
“It was said that they rampaged on our decorations,” Bulbasaur continued, its posture stiff, “but only two or three were actually torn apart.”
Cyndaquil took a shaky step forward. “But why… why not forgive them?” It pondered, looking down.
As Pikachu glanced at everyone, it locked its eyes on a still blank Chikorita. “Are you okay?” The former asked with a nudge on the plant Pokémon.
“..and to think that everything was under control,” Chikorita mumbled, “that they wouldn’t resort to cruelty in Christmas… and all we did was watch that… dirty bird..!”
The six Pokémon stood silently for a few seconds, still gazing at the unconscious Zubat. However, a faraway roar made their bodies shake slightly.
“What was that?” Buneary called out.
“Hmm… if she came back, then Mightyena might have too,” Bulbasaur suggested, looking at the growl source.
The following instant, two distant Pokémon sprinted/hovered in a chase. On a closer look, a Mightyena was closing in on a Staravia, the latter holding a golden star on its claws.
“Look, that’s… THE STAR!” Mudkip pointed out in alarm.
Right then, Mightyena was seen jumping towards the flying Pokémon, aiming at the star.
Staravia performed a vertical spin, positioning the object above itself. As a result, the opposing Pokémon hit the bird’s back instead, subsequently launching both it and the star into the air.
“Oh, no..- Look! It’s coming at us!” Buneary exclaimed, pointing at the object.
With a moan, Bulbasaur stretched out its vines, quickly wrapping those around the star. “I got it!” Bulbasaur stated, struggling to balance the star in the air.
On the other hand, the others stared at Mightyena. “H-He’s coming!” Cyndaquil panicked.
Already 30 feet away from them, Mightyena growled at Bulbasaur. “Raaagh!” It snarled, leaping towards the star.
Bulbasaur nimbly moved its vines sideways, making Mightyena miss its target and fall back on its paws.
Pikachu took a step towards it. “Peace! Stop attacking at once!” It yelped, its cheeks sparkling with electricity.
“You can’t destroy the star!” Buneary implored, standing its ground.
“Then you’ll take the hit!” Mightyena roared, beginning a dash towards the group.
“Just… STOP!” Pikachu uttered, unleashing its lightning bolt.
Mightyena took a brief jump sideways, dodging the attack. “Graaah!” It growled as it neared Bulbasaur.
With a yell of its own, Buneary stepped in front of Mightyena, brightening its own ears to barrier the opponent’s movement.
The hit flung both Pokémon into opposite directions. In a chain reaction, Buneary bumped into Bulbasaur, who also got flung. As a result, it let go of the star and launched it far into the horizon.
“NOO!” All of them, including Chikorita, yelled in unison, widening their eyes to the maximum.
As for the Mightyena, it landed on its side, lying down for a few seconds. Once it stood on all fours, its eyes met the others’, all frowning.
“What have you done!?” Buneary cried.
“Y-You’re making Christmas worse!” Mudkip added.
“This won’t solve anything!” Chikorita shouted.
Before Mightyena could retaliate, it saw many wild Pokémon running towards the clash, with Staravia leading them.
“There he is, the rascal!” It pointed out, keeping its flight.
“AFTER HIM!” Many Pokémon screamed, making their way towards their enemy.
Gasping, Mightyena turned around and began fleeing towards the denser part of the forest. Within moments, it disappeared among the trees.
Meanwhile, the crowd ran until they ended up surrounding Pikachu and company. Several screams came, an absolute bedlam ensuing.
The situation remained painfully loud for several more seconds.
In front of them, Staravia flapped its wings loudly. “SIIIILENCE!” It shouted.
Within moments, everyone quieted down.
Then, Staravia turned to face Pikachu and company. “Now, you! Show us the star!” It demanded, giving each of them a glare.
The six Pokémon traded uneasy glances before turning back to Staravia. “It was thrown away during the fight,” Bulbasaur replied.
“We couldn’t do anything to stop it!” Mudkip added in despair.
While Staravia toughened its face, everyone else resumed the turmoil, screaming loudly enough to leave anyone temporarily deaf.
••••••••••
“If I were Meowth, if I were Meowth, if I were..-” In the middle of the forest, Wobbuffet mumbled, both arms placed on its head. “I-I don’t know! He could be anywhere!”
Wobbuffet threw its head backwards, its eyes facing the sky. Given a few seconds of looking there, however, it visualized a strange object crossing the skies… a yellow object, at that.
“What..- that’s a golden thing..?” Wobbuffet questioned, watching as it fell in the horizon. A few seconds later, though, it clasped its arms out of enthusiasm. “Bingo! Meowth likes gold, so that’s his call!”
Standing upright, Wobbuffet sprinted towards the direction where the object fell.
Chapter 3 - A Shooting Star of Discord
Summary:
Meowth spots a shooting star, one that should be the key in solving all the problems, and should bring about happiness to him (and everyone else).Should.
Chapter Text:
Close to the canyon border, Meowth relaxes while eating a pile of berries; all he wishes for is a tranquil settlement, away from trouble. However, little does he know that a shooting star is about to change his mind, for better or for worse.To be fair, Meowth is the character I sympathize with the most throughout this tale. After years and years of misfortunes (I’m looking at you, “Pikachu shorts”), a cynical and lonely view of Christmas would be the likely outcome. In order to shed light upon the issue, it is just about time he plays a more critical role within the story.
Time to get my hands dirty again.
As Meowth remained in a lying position, his eyes spotted something falling from the very late-afternoon sky. He quickly stood up, stiffening his body. “What’s it on?” He questioned, watching the object.
Shortly after, it went through some tree branches, losing considerable momentum. Upon reaching ground level, it landed inside a bush.
Meowth gulped, slowly stepping towards the creeping plant. Closer to it, he saw a golden object stuck within.
“What we gotten here..?” Meowth gazed at the thing, putting his paws in the bush. Once he groped the gold, he took a step back. “This can’t be..-“
Meowth groaned as he pulled it out of the bush. A closer look at the object left his mouth agape; it was a slightly cracked star, with roughly 3/4 of his own height.
“..a shootin’ star!” Meowth lifted it up. “An’ it’s all mine! Any wish I could imagine, all for myself!”
He began walking in a bouncy manner, holding the star tightly. However, he abruptly braked into a full stop, his eyes drifting to the horizon.
“Look, if I wanted a…a Xmas that real worked, would it, for real..?” Meowth pondered, glancing at the star. The next second, he tightened his grip even more. “C’mon, Meowth! It’s a shootin’ star; o’ course it will! Lil’ star, gimme all the happiness o’ the world today!”
With that, he resumed his walk, slightly faster than before. A grin drew itself on his face as he ventured through the forest.
..suddenly-
“Meoowth? Meeooowth!” A faraway scream called him, the voice somewhat familiar.
Meowth gasped close to a tree, facing the noise source. He eyed that direction for a few instants, his tail flickering slightly. “Wobbuffet?! Is ya out there?” He shouted back.
“Meowth, friend! It’s me!” The reply came shortly after.
With renewed energy, Meowth drifted off towards the source. In no time, his eyes met with Wobbuffet’s as they neared each other, their distance roughly 10 meters.
“Wobbuffet! Good to see ya!” Meowth greeted, moving the star sideways to look at his friend. “Didn’t mean to ditch ya back there, pal!”
“I know you wouldn’t, bud,” Wobbuffet giggled, then glancing at the star. It quickly raised its eyes. “Hey, isn’t that a-“
“A shootin’ star?” Meowth continued. “No doubt! An’ it’ll make my today’s special wish real!”
Wobbuffet raised its look. “I dunno… what if it’s not? Maybe it’s just a regular tree star.”
“Nah, ya barkin’ up the wrong tree!” Meowth shook his head. “C’mere, Wobby. We’ve gotta go back to that freak Pikachu, an’ this thing’s gonna make all the difference!”
At that, Wobbuffet jumped in excitement. “Yay! Let’s goo!” It cheered with its usual salute.
The duo paced through the forest, trading smiles with each other.
••••••••••
After Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, Buneary and Chikorita finished retelling their earlier clash with Mightyena, an even more intense turmoil ensued among the other Pokémon.
“You’re saying there’s no more star?!” One of the wild Pokémon shouted.
“No more Christmas?!” Another one added.
“The star was our only means of hope!”
“It’s over! All because of that evil Mightyena!”
“And lightning struck upon his ally!”
Their riot only grew worse when many of them started pushing each other, some falling and others sprinting away. Pikachu and company stepped backward out of anxiety.
“I-I don’t like it!” Mudkip cried, sticking extra close to its friends.
In the face of such turbulence, Chikorita launched its vines into the air. “Alright, HALT, EVERYONE!” It commanded, swinging its vines. “Our Christmas is not over, yet!”
Its speech only intensified the others’ screams. “Nobody says anything over the star!” An Eevee retorted.
“GO AWAY!” The crowd yelled.
Many Pokémon shot beams of water, electricity, fire and other elements against Chikorita, most of their attacks hitting the target. As such, it collapsed on the ground, closing its eyes in a faint.
Witnessing this, Pikachu began charging its cheeks with sparks. “Listen, STOP!” It shrieked, launching a large beam of electricity into the sky.
Within instants, a deep silence took over the place as every single Pokémon stared at Pikachu.
“Today’s Christmas! It’s the day we don’t battle over… anything, especially over a star!” It discoursed, its tail flickering in short strokes.
Above the Pokémon mass, Staravia advanced towards Pikachu. “Now, how do you intend to keep the peace without our star, huh? With it destroyed, our integrity is gone!”
As Pikachu took a breath, Bulbasaur stepped forward. “Actually, chances are the star could still be there.”
“Excuse me!? How would it be, after being thrown away like that?” Staravia inquired, flying down to the others’ height.
This time, Buneary came in, “There’s always the chance! If we start looking for it, who knows! We can still save this Christmas!”
“I-It went that way.” Mudkip finished, pointing at the estimated direction.
“The path to the canyon?!” Staravia pointed out as everyone looked in that direction.
After some time gazing into the forest, many Pokémon shouted out of excitement.
“We’re saved!” Many of them celebrated.
“Go, go, go!”
Within the span of a minute, the big Pokémon mass moved into the forest, leaving Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip and Buneary alone…
..with the unconscious Chikorita and Zubat.
The five awake Pokémon advanced towards Zubat, huddling around it.
“What about her?” Mudkip pondered, looking down at the Pokémon.
“I don’t feel like holding grudges today, guys.” Pikachu sighed.
“Neither of us do,” Buneary continued. “Besides, we can’t just leave her like..-“
A faint flap of Zubat’s wings interrupted Buneary, drawing everyone’s eyes to the awaking Pokémon. When it increased the flapping frequency, it slowly ascended from the ground. “Christmas… friends…” It mumbled in its wake.
The others traded glances before staring at the awakening Pokémon. “How are you feeling?” Pikachu spoke first.
Gasping, Zubat flapped its wings even more, flying a small distance away. “Noo! Please, don’t attack me! I beg you, don’t!” It implored.
“It’s alright; we won’t attack,” Buneary reassured.
“We can be friends!” Mudkip offered, wiggling its body.
“R-Really?” Zubat hesitated. “But I… I-“
“It’s okay,” Cyndaquil soothed. “We know you didn’t do that for evil.”
“Just let us know, why did you do that?” Pikachu inquired. “No hard feelings.”
Zubat wobbled in its flight, slowly descending towards the group. “I-I couldn’t… I’m sorry! I was left out of Christmas, away from the others, a-and I..-“ It began its reply. “We wanted to rejoin, and Mightyena suggested us to… I’m so sorry!”
“Don’t be that ashamed,” Cyndaquil consoled. “You had the right idea, just not in the right way.”
“But now, we’re here to help you out… friend.” Buneary added.
“That’s right!” Mudkip cheered. “Welcome to our buddyzone!”
Zubat nodded slightly. “I… How could I repay you?”
“Nobody owes anything in Christmas,” Pikachu heartened the tone. “It’s always in everyone’s hearts.”
“That means no more trouble from now on,” Bulbasaur finished.
Zubat nodded excitedly. “I’ll do it! Thank you!” It appreciated, landing in the middle of the Pokémon circle.
“We’re the ones to thank you!” Mudkip replied with a wide grin, abruptly throwing itself at Zubat. Upon contact, Mudkip rested its paws on the other one, the two of them giggling (excited or slightly nervous) at each other.
Buneary shrugged. “Alright, hugging time, everyone!” It applauded, making its way to the two of them.
“Let’s do it!” Pikachu cheered, going in as well.
Cyndaquil blushed as it also joined in on the moment.
In the end, Pikachu, Zubat, Mudkip, Buneary and Cyndaquil were embracing each other, taking out several giggles of joy.
Meanwhile, Bulbasaur nodded to itself at the scene, to then look away and step towards Chikorita — already stretching out into consciousness. Soon, it began opening and closing its eyes in quick succession. “Aaaahnnn…” Chikorita yawned, glancing around aimlessly.
“Wake up,” Bulbasaur incited. “Is everything alright?”
“..what an attack..-“ Chikorita mumbled, turning to look at Bulbasaur. “Thank you. I’m still holding up, but… where are the others?”
“Down the forest, looking for the lost star,” Bulbasaur replied. “We should get going as well.”
“Agreed,” Chikorita said, gazing up at the sky. “And to think it’s happening all because of last week..- ugh, no. We can’t let Staravia or anyone else thrash our tradition even more.”
Bulbasaur simply nodded, then turned to face the others — all clinging together. “Okay, guys, playtime’s over. It’s time we start looking for the star.”
All five Pokémon stepped (or flew) away from the embrace, ending up a few feet away from each other. “Hey, we’re still gonna have another one, right? Pretty please?” Mudkip pleaded with Zubat.
“Uhh, sure, we can do that.” The latter nodded, swinging by in the air.
“Okay, now, come on, everyone! Let’s save this Christmas!” Pikachu incited, rapidly making jumps towards the canyon route.
“We’re going all out!” Buneary added, also bouncing forward.
Mudkip, Bulbasaur and Chikorita started pacing right behind the duo, while Zubat ascended to the forest heights, using its sonic waves as a means of searching.
••••••••••
“Ya sure ya know where we headin’?” Meowth — still holding the star — doubted, tilting his head at Wobbuffet.
“This gotta be it; he was right here before!” It exclaimed, pointing at a tree.
“Then he’s gotta be close.” Meowth concluded before facing the sky, placing one paw next to his mouth. “AHOOY, PIKAPIKA-Y MOOUSE!”
“Pikachu, we’re baack!” Wobbuffet also called.
The duo kept on shouting, their voices echoing through the dense forest. After a while of unanswered calls, they halted their screams.
“It’s down; he ain’t gonna answer,” Meowth lamented. However, above his downed face, his ears suddenly twitched as he glanced behind his friend.
Wobbuffet scratched its head. “Hmm… What if I said I have an-“
“Shh, quiet! Someone’s lurkin’!” Meowth urged, stepping back.
Frowning, Wobbuffet turned around, its eyes quickly fixating at a silhouette peering out of a bush. The figure appeared to be a Mightyena, its posture flexed as it stood in front of the duo.
Upon locking its eyes on them, the creature held its ground. “I see. You found the star, still in one piece,” Mightyena growled. “Now, give it to me!”
“Fuhget it,” Meowth retorted, erecting his posture. “I found it first, n’ ya ain’t gonna make no wish before me!”
“Rest assured my only wish is to destroy it, come what may!” Mightyena threatened, its front paws dropping slightly.
As Meowth gulped, Wobbuffet tapped his shoulder. “Run for it; I’ll hold him off.”
“Sure, go ‘head…” Meowth faltered, to then sprint away, tightly gripping his paws onto the star.
As he glanced back, he witnessed Mightyena growling and leaping speedily towards Wobbuffet, who then summoned a red aura around itself. Shaking his head, Meowth looked away from them and remained on the run, moaning as he held the star.
“This ain’t what I wished for; no, this ain’t what I wished for!” He mumbled under rigid breaths, shaking the star sideways. “C’mon, make me - safe! Make me happy!”
With that, Meowth kept on running and running.
In his way, two silhouettes — a Geodude and an Aipom — ended his run. Both of them stopped on their tracks, widening their eyes at the incoming Meowth and the star.
“Oho, if that isn’t the piece so dearly searched for,” Aipom stated, erratically approaching Meowth.
“WE FOUND IT! THE STAR!” Geodude shouted.
Gulping, Meowth scurried off, keeping a firm grip of the star. “Too bad!” He cried, making his way while dodging the trees, bushes, and occasional mushrooms.
As the other two Pokémon shrugged at each other, Geodude frowned. “Uhh, shouldn’t we open chase?” It suggested.
Before Aipom could answer, many Pokémon came in from all directions, surrounding the duo in a state of calamity.
Meowth had been running for so long, his pacing shortened until he came to a near full-stop. He rested his back against a tree, his breathing even faster than a Quick Attack. “I’ve gotta… find a way…” He despaired. “T’ink, Meowth, t’ink!”
As Meowth hastily eyed every single direction, an abrupt snarl made him break contact with the tree. A glance at the noise source gave him the sight of a closing in Mightyena, distant by roughly 30 meters.
“YIKES!” Meowth gasped, quickly resuming his run. However, his breathless state rendered him a slower pace than before, allowing Mightyena to gain on him within seconds.
“The star! Raaagh!” It barked, thrusting its head against Meowth.
The impact force launched him several meters forward as he shrieked. He instinctively put the star above himself right before sliding across the rocky floor. Soon, he came to a full stop mere feet away from the canyon border.
As he staggered to stand up, a glimpse of Mightyena recovering its own balance made his heart freeze out of fear. “I can’t be done for! HAVE MERCY!” Meowth yelled, kneeling on the ground.
His opponent made its way towards him, its eyes never leaving the star.
However, before Mightyena could attack, a sudden noise made it turn around, only to witness a barrage of elemental attacks. Some of these hit the Pokémon on its side, knocking it a few inches away.
Head spinning, Meowth looked at the attack source, spotting a wide group of Pokémon nearing the area.
“For the star!” A shout pierced through his ears.
“Get lost, demonic being!” Another one.
“Attack!”
Many wild Pokémon kept bloating as they charged forward, less than 10 meters away from Mightyena.
Meowth sat and watched as the Mightyena wildly swung its body around and faced its opponents, snarling at them. In no time, it began dodging their grass, water, flying and many other attacks, pouncing on any Pokémon who dared get close to it.
“That was… too close of it,” Meowth muttered to himself, his heartbeat still accelerating. However, a glance at the star led him into taking a deep breath. “But this thin’, it had to grant me my dream, my joy! My shot at Xmas! Where’s the joy? The Xmas??”
Meowth twitched his ears as he looked back at the battle, watching as Mightyena threw two Pokémon away with its own head. Reactively, many others continued launching their elemental-based attacks on it, as it strived to evade each one of those.
“That for sure ain’t no joy, n’ this star… it ain’t nuttin’ but a jinx!” Meowth glanced at the object, then back at the fight. “It simply made a target outta me! They’ll come after me next, same as always! Same old, same flat blast-off.”
As he mumbled, a combination of attacks hit Mightyena, making it fall onto the ground. As it struggled to stand up, a Staravia swooped down on it, using its bird claws to grab the opposing one.
“In the name of Christmas, you are NEVER to return to this forest, EVER!” Staravia declared, dragging Mightyena towards the edge of the canyon.
“YEEEAH! Take his wickedness down with him!” Many Pokémon cheered.
With his mouth agape, Meowth furrowed his brows. “Bet Pikachu’s now sayin’, ‘Xmas is joy for everybody!’, when it real ain’t,” He commented, watching as Mightyena strained its body under Staravia’s grasp. “That mighty pooch wasn’t made for this, just like me. Only if that sparky would-“
A faint, yet familiar echo cut him off. Looking in that direction, Meowth visualized the faraway figures of Pikachu, Wobbuffet and several other Pokémon following them.
“Friend! We’ve come for you,” Wobbuffet called, waving its arms.
“Just don’t do anything weird, okay?” Pikachu requested as the whole group neared him.
Gulping, Meowth hastily stood up. “No! S-Stay clear from me-owth!” He pleaded, stepping backward.
The group stood still, 5 meters away from him. “What’s the matter?” Pikachu cocked its head.
From the group, Mudkip pointed its paw. “Look! Over there!”
Each of them looked in that direction, watching the sight of Staravia dragging a struggling Mightyena over the canyon edge. Mere instants later, Staravia threw the other one into a deep fall, while the crowd of Pokémon cheered at the scene.
Pikachu and company froze under horrified looks.
“That’s not it at all!” Buneary objected first.
“He… he did it a-agai..-“ Chikorita shut its eyes, breathing raggedly. “No, that… mindless bird..!”
It took Bulbasaur and Buneary nudging Chikorita to interrupt its rage. In the end, it took a deep breath before reopening its eyes, its body loosening up.
“That’s too… unfriendly and wrong!” Mudkip winced.
“Ain’t that what I get after all those years?!” Meowth retorted. “Now youse sayin’ to care for the left-outs?!”
“I always did, Meowth!” Pikachu countered with shaky eyes. “And I always wanted to celebrate Christmas with you, but we never got a chance to talk about it!”
“But, hey, buddy! This time, we can make a better day, you and me,” Wobbuffet added, tentatively stepping forward. “Trust me, we’ll find joy together this Christmas.”
“We’ll help; don’t be afraid,” From its side, Cyndaquil reinforced.
Meowth’s gaze drifted smoothly into the horizon, his hold on the star softening. “If that’s… I.. uh, well-“
“THE STAR!” An abrupt shout drew their attention towards the mass of wild Pokémon, all facing Meowth.
“Give it back!” Many of them yelled, hastily closing in on him.
“It’s not yours, toddler!”
As they came closer, Meowth stiffened his body, stepping back. “I can’t end up like this!” He winced, standing precisely on the edge of the canyon.
“Come on, Meowth! You’ve got to give the star back to them!” Pikachu incited.
“They’ll leave you afterward,” Bulbasaur appealed. “Wrong time to make second-“
“Do it! Just DO it!” The other group demanded aggressively, their distance from Meowth narrowed down to less than 10 meters.
“Give it up, or else!” Another shout.
“It’s the only way!” Pikachu pushed for it.
Chikorita swung its two vines wildly in the air. “Stop pressing it! Give him breathing room!” It yowled.
Regardless, many other outcries overlapped across Meowth’s ears, making him tighten his clutch on the star. Each second that passed by uplifted his breathing rate, while he watched the other Pokémon surround him more and more. Yells, shrieks, cries, all echoed throughout the place, and would not lower their volumes at any moment.
Moaning, Meowth forcefully closed his eyes. “Augh, JUST TAKE IT!” He lashed out, throwing the star forward. However, he put so much strength in the action that, upon hitting the surface, the object shattered into many small fragments.
Everyone halted their movements, many dropping their jaws.
On the other hand, the flying Staravia immediately swooped down on Meowth. “TRAITOR!” It accused, bumping into his face and pushing him off the edge, into a fall.
“Meoowth!” Wobbuffet and Pikachu cried simultaneously.
Staravia turned around to them. “Are you on his side??” It threatened with its belligerent stare.
“Leave them out of this!” Chikorita vociferated through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Meowth screamed as he fell towards the river deep down the canyon, with nothing to do, no branch to hold on, no more than to wait. ”I knew it, just ‘nother blast-off! ‘nother lost Xmas… why am I so floored ‘bout it?” He lamented right before he splashed into the waters.
