Pokémon Inclusion - A Christmas of Pokémon

[FanFictioner144]

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​

Spoiler: Chapter 1 - Prologue

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.

Spoiler: Chapter 2 - A Christmas for Everyone?

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 a pine 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, mostly empty ones. Where are the berries, it wonders? Perhaps wild Pokémon had taken those… meaning Pikachu had a chance at meeting new friends!

Meanwhile, Meowth is constantly complaining about cold and a “bad omen for the vacation”. Wobbuffet, in turn, giggles and reassures 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 and froze on the spot.

“Team Rocket! Not today!” Pikachu barked.

“Aight, time out! There ain’t no Team Rocket today!” Meowth panicked.

“As if whatever you say isn’t just a lie,” Pikachu retorted, crouching and 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 frantically unfolded his arms. “O-Okay, ya win! We party as one, aight?” He conceded.

“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!”


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, faint voices 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, he was gone.


With a renewed burst of energy, Pikachu leaped forward. “Heey, over heere!” It shouted out, facing a cluster of pines.

…

“Are you friendly?” The other side asked.

“Rest assured that we are!” Pikachu replied, wiggling its tail.

From behind the trees, 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. Some of these popped open, marking the ground in a red juice. “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.

“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 blush, 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 pounding. “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 decorations. Others were 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.

“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 this place,” 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!”, slamming its body against Zubat. The impact pushed them both towards a nearby tree. In seconds, the bat Pokémon fell to the ground, its wings no longer wiggling.

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, their yells so loud that nothing could be understood.

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 cheer 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 roar 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 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.

Spoiler: Chapter 3 - A Shooting Star of Discord

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.

Spoiler: Chapter 4 - Mending Conflicts, Part I

Chapter 4 - Mending Conflicts, Part I​

Summary:​

When Meowth realizes the drawbacks of tearing down a whole tradition...

"No star, no Christmas!" Many Pokémon protest.

Caught in the turmoil, Pikachu and friends find themselves in a bad spot. They must stand up in the name of Christmas.

Chapter Text:​

By the canyon river, the water current drags Meowth along the way, while he strives to float. Nothing in this Christmas has worked in his favor, perhaps nothing will… or maybe, only perchance, things might turn around when an unexpected paw grabs his own and rescues him from his predicament.

No more commentary.



Upon standing on solid surface, Meowth frantically shook his body to drive away the water droplets, taking several hard breaths.

“Welcome aboard, outcast,” A voice grumbled through his ears.

Meowth gasped, turning around to face his savior, none other than Mightyena. “You!?” He shouted, stepping away. “What sorta’ tricks is ya onto?”

“No tricks, I assure you,” Mightyena stated, staring into his eyes. “Tell me, Meowth, what happened to the star?”

“The shiny’s… gone, okay?” Meowth replied, looking away from Mightyena. “But it don’t matter! That golden stray jinxed me all ‘long!”

“Correction, it matters a lot,” Mightyena countered, softening its gaze. “After all, they failed to see the deceit behind the star, unlike us.”

“What bogus is ya sayin’??” Meowth inquired.

Mightyena shifted its gaze towards the night sky, a waning moon lighting most of the canyon. “An outsider… listen closely, Poké-cat,” It began, taking a breath before returning its stare at Meowth.

“You see, they believed solely upon that star. According to tradition, Christmas could only happen on its behalf, never in its absence.” Mightyena narrowed its eyes. “..so deceitful!”

Meowth slowly uncrossed his arms. “So they lived fairytale way… an’ I..-“ He lamented, placing a paw on his chin.

“Yes, they did,” Mightyena continued. “And while I was there, doing my own things for the festival, I thought so too. That was a mistake on my part, and I only came to realize it when Staravia hard accused me of sabotaging decorations.”

“Woah, woah, woah!” Meowth interjected, a smirk shaping his lip. “Ye lowkey grinched their Xmas?!”

“That’s the point; I didn’t even get close to anything not mine!” Mightyena exclaimed. “Yet, I damaged some of my own decorations, and suddenly, I was facing charges for harming the whole community.

“It was a matter of time; Staravia swooped down on me and dragged me down this desolate canyon,” Mightyena continued, returning its stare at Meowth. “I recall all it said, word by word… nothing you’d like to hear, either way.”

After a slow breath, Meowth began gesturing with his paw. “Heh, betcha’ really wanna pounce that pesky bird!” He sneered.

“Not the case,” Mightyena answered, steadily walking towards the river border. “It was not his fault that the star tricked him into that.”

“I dunno,” Meowth said, following Mightyena’s steps. “Birdy’s gotta be the one who didn’t stick to the Xmas program, no?”

Mightyena shifted its paws, raising an eye. “Are you saying that he turned away from the tradition itself?”

“Who knows, maybe he only played ‘long ‘cause the star was t’ere,” Meowth suggested, “‘sides, it don’t feel like an Xmas t’ing to blast yer own folks…” At that, he glanced downwards, then quickly back at Mightyena.

Looking down the river, the latter’s eyes drifted from one water flow to another. “So the star, and the tradition around it… have they no worth?”

Meowth hung his head. “Uhh, it ain’t that simple… I think it’s sorta’ t’ing ya have to believe in, y’know?” He inferred. “But now, it’s over. Their reason to believe in Xmas, gone. An’ I…I’m the one who took it ‘way.”

Mightyena contemplated the river before nodding softly. “So truly, the star wasn’t the issue. Destroying it only made it worse for them, and also for us.”

Meowth and Mightyena shared a few moments of silence, their gazes fixed on the river. For a while, the only noise within the area came from the water current.

Supporting both paws below his chin, Meowth sighed. “Maybe I shoulda’ went ‘long with Pikachu back t’ere…” He mumbled in a low voice.

“Huh?” Mightyena turned to face him.

“Uhh, never mind!” Meowth gasped, hastily glancing down the river course. After a few seconds, though, he turned back at Mightyena “Hey, pal, what’s that on t’ere?” He called, pointing at an artificially bright horizon.

Mightyena eyed the same faint light. “That’s a human town, a place I’ve been hanging around lately,” It explained, “and also the only way out of here.”

“A town, ya say…” Meowth weighed Mightyena’s words, moving a paw across his chin. “Maybe if we found somethin’ shiny to replace that star… maybe that’d do the trick! Y’know what they say, life’s short, so we gotta clean up our grudges, or somethin’ like that.”

“Hmm… How exactly do you plan on replacing it? That tree is too tall to climb up.” Mightyena frowned.

“Trust me, I got it all within this lil’ Meowth.” He quickly stood up from the ground. “So, mind sharin’ this Meowth ‘ere a ride?”

Standing up, Mightyena gave him a sharp look. “Fine, I’ll bring you to the closest retail store,” it stated, slightly lowering its body. “Hope you really know what you’re doing, cat.”

Meowth quickly jumped on Mightyena’s back. “Y’er a real one, pooch.” He complimented. “Now, let’s get goin’; the sooner we find a shiny, the sooner we get this Xmas rollin’ again!”

Mightyena roared in ardor before sprinting towards the town, following the river course. As they went through, the canyon barriers began lowering in height, until even the slightest jump would easily position them above it.

••••••••••

All wild Pokémon had already returned to the area where their Christmas decorations stood. Besides the ornamental sculptures and berry containers, the giant tree stood nearby, filled with lots of rock spheres — little had changed…
..except for the star absence and the Pokémon turmoil around the tree. Their screams overlapped within the forest.

Safely distant from the commotion, Pikachu, Wobbuffet, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, Buneary, and Zubat remained vigilant, their mouths either agape or blank in contemplation.

“It can’t be over! There must be a way to save Christmas!” Buneary uneasily exclaimed.

“Unlikely,” Bulbasaur commented. “The star was the only thing that could bring harmony. Without it, little can be done about that.”

“Wait, what?” Pikachu questioned, tilting its ear. “Christmas is more than just a star! Wha are they thinking?”

Zubat hovered towards Pikachu. “But Christmas IS the star!” The flying Pokémon interjected, shaking its body out of anxiety. “Or it was before, but… i-it’s tradition!”

“Really?! You too?!” Pikachu frowned. “Christmas is more! It’s a time of joy-“

Two frantic taps on its ears interrupted its speech. “Over there!” Wobbuffet’s voice followed.

Along with the others, Pikachu turned to face Wobbuffet, who pointed at an unwinding Pokémon mass; their yells and screams slowly faded into a state of complete silence. Each of them faced a trio of Pokémon below the big tree: Chikorita, Staravia, and Aipom.

“It’s about time you folks quieted down, no?” Aipom scoffed, then pointed its hand-tail at Chikorita. “Ahem, little wiseman right there’s got a word to say, and I’m sorry to inform you that there are no more trees to cry on top.”

After a sigh of annoyance, Chikorita stood slightly higher. “Now, everyone! This is the moment of high importance for Christmas!” It discoursed. “I know we saw the star shattering in front of us; a star molded by our most honorable ancestors!”

A pause for breath preceded several seconds of chirps, comparable to the noise of cricket Pokémon.

“See, we all know of the conflicts and battles they once deemed irredeemable!” Chikorita continued. “Of the whole generations impacted in those clashes! It went on until one day, when they agreed on a truce to create it, the golden star of Christmas and-”

“Cut it to the point, will you?” Staravia interrupted, crossing its wings. “What does it all have to do with the broken star?”

“That’s the point!” Chikorita exclaimed. “It’s not about the star! It’s about the initiative our elders had taken to preserve harmony with it. Our harmony! If we don’t honor it, then what about the effort they put into it? What about our own effort to keep … …”



As it spoke, Pikachu and company listened.

Bulbasaur shook its head. “The others don’t seem to be going along with it,” it commented in a low voice.

“That can’t be,” Buneary whispered back. “His words feel so right!”

“I don’t know...” Zubat pondered, ascending slightly in its flight. “Feels like he doesn’t care that our star got... gone.”

“Hey! He does care!” Buneary countered, pointing its paw at a slightly downed Chikorita. “Just look at his face! It’s not something you see every day!”

Sighing, Wobbuffet tapped its paws together. “I see it, but they don’t,” It chimed in, although its gaze remained fixed on the crowd. “All they see is that Meowth broke the star… Meowth, my friend.”

Pikachu glanced downwards. “I hate it when it comes down to Meowth’s faults,” It grumbled. “It’s as if I can never cheer at Christmas with him!”

Mudkip and Cyndaquil widened their eyes noticeably. “That’s so sad,” They both stated in unison, both glancing at each other and then blushing.

“Shh! They’re still speaking!” Bulbasaur murmured, swinging its head at Aipom, Chikorita and Staravia.

Nodding, the others turned to watch the three Pokémon speak.



“... … realize that the star is just broken shards now?!” Staravia yelled, spreading its wings. “And with it, our harmony is also broken! Wake up, Chikorita! We can’t recover from this!”

“Yes we can!” Chikorita objected. “Isn’t harmony what we want? We can rebuild it and thrive in it; you just have to believe it!”

Aipom jumped and landed on top of its hand-tail. “Aww, did you hear that, folks? Belief?!” It snickered. “What a sweet irony to our unbelievable state, don’t you think so?”

“Yes, belief,” Chikorita continued, stepping forward. “We can have our Christmas sabotaged and our star torn apart, yet still stand up in our belief. With it, we can restore our Christmas, our cheer, even our harmony! So, everyone, I ask you this: raise your paws if you share the same belief in your hearts!”

A vast minority of Pokémon raised their paws with a shout, including Pikachu, Wobbuffet, their friends, some wild Pokémon and even Aipom. Their numbers barely comprised 15% of the total Pokémon in the area.

“Who said it will work?” One of them yelled.

“Only a new star can bring our hope back!” Staravia declared, hovering above the ground.

“It doesn’t work that way!” Chikorita voiced its desperation.

“No star, no harmony!!” Many other Pokémon protested.

In no time, a turmoil engulfed them all in a series of roars and cries as they pushed each other. Their volumes escalated so quickly that grasping each meaning became virtually impossible.

Amidst the chaos, Chikorita and Aipom stood close to each other, trading glares with Staravia.

“It’s over, Chikorita, and you know it!” Staravia yelled, ascending in its flight.

“It’s all your fault!” Chikorita lashed out, holding its ground. “Since the moment you kicked Mightyena out of Christmas, since you took away their-“

With a battle cry, Staravia began diving towards its enemy.

Chikorita hastily unleashed its vines, its head shaking.

However, before it could use them, a hand suddenly grabbed the leaf over its head, pulling it away from Staravia’s swoop.

“Take away what, their sense of dignity?!” Aipom spoke, still pulling Chikorita. “Because I’m sure they’re completely fine taking ours, too.”

“Drop me now!” Chikorita demanded, swinging its head in a struggle to release itself. “I have to show that bird!“

“Oooh, now that’s what I call a dignity loss,” Aipom scoffed, stopping in its tracks to release Chikorita carelessly. “Go on, let that bird Sky Attack you all it wants. I’ll be looking for the best tree to stay on top, by your leaf.”

Standing up, Chikorita glanced at the Pokémon mass, all pushing each other violently while starting blows here and there. Above them, Staravia stared at the two distant Pokémon, waiting two seconds or so before turning away and joining in on the battle.

Moaning, Chikorita gritted its teeth. “Lose it hard, birdmash!” It roared, sprinting back to the battlefield.

“Tsk, pure comedy.” Aipom giggled halfheartedly, shaking its head. In a flash, it turned around and made its way into the forest, the small brightness from the moon reflecting on its emerging tears.



Still away from the wild Pokémon mass, Pikachu and the others observed wide-eyed, either holding paws or positioned fully upright.

“That’s awful!” Mudkip squirmed beside Buneary and Cyndaquil. “No, I can’t look at that!”

They all witnessed a few blows within the Pokémon mass, signature of element-based attacks.

“Are they really going to battle because of a star?!” Buneary cried, shaking its body out of anxiety. “They have to stop! It’s Christmas!”

“Alright, guys, we won’t leave it be!” Pikachu incited, lowering its front paws.

In contrast, Bulbasaur shook its head. “Watch out! There are too many of..-“

Yet, Pikachu had already sprinted off.

“…them.” Bulbasaur finished, hanging its head. Despite its frown, seeing its friends go along led it to start moving as well.

In the end, Buneary and Bulbasaur followed Pikachu right behind, with Cyndaquil and Mudkip moving behind everyone. They shouted and cried together.


On the other hand, Wobbuffet and Zubat stood in place, their looks contemplative.

“What are we going to do?” Zubat asked, flying down to Wobbuffet’s side.

“No idea,” The latter replied, looking downwards. “By now, I’m sure my friend Meowth would leak a way… I miss him a lot.”

“Oh..- but still, maybe we should battle alongside our friends?” Zubat suggested.

“I can’t.” Wobbuffet backed away. “It’s time I settle down for the night and forget all of this. For myself and for Meowth.”

As Wobbuffet went through with its decision, Zubat faced downwards, faltering in its position. “I don’t know anymore. Where’s Christmas? Where’s the cheering, below the big tree? I-I don’t see that anymore!”

After a few seconds, it began flying towards the blue Pokémon, slow and shakily.

“Perhaps I believed too hard.” Zubat sighed along the way. “Maybe he’s right and… we just forget.”

In the end, the two of them sat down close to a tree, looking up at the constellations. Excluding one murmur or another from them, the night remained quite silent, far away from the noises of that wild battle.

Spoiler: Chapter 5 - Mending Conflicts, Part II

Chapter 5 - Mending Conflicts, Part II​

Summary:​

Our five protagonists are no match for the wild Pokémon; it is literally five against a horde. But when an external force promises a solution, Pikachu and friends set out to assist with all their might.

Especially when Meowth is the one behind their new hope.

Chapter Text:​

Amidst the chaos, the fantastic five Pokémon barge in with their willpower and a dream, to end that battle and restore Christmas. Truly a dream, if they think they have any chance of winning… but, oh, they’ve got to try. So try they shall.

Here, I pause the climax to leave a provocation: how much does a tree star weigh for Christmas? Is it possible to celebrate without the star, or are the people bound to exclusion? The way I see it, you don’t have to destroy it like Mightyena or reject it like Meowth. But clinging to it like the others inevitably fails all the same. So instead, I hold my ground onto Pikachu’s example: Christmas is for everyone, even when the star is not.

Now, where was I..- Oh, yes! The big battle!


In a matter of seconds, Pikachu and its friends stood close to the battlefield. Immediately, they were greeted by a loose stream of water making its way towards them.

All they could do was gasp before the attack hit Buneary’s and Bulbasaur’s heads. Thankfully, all it did was push them slightly backwards, the water flow quickly dissipating.

After a rapid glance at its friends, Pikachu’s gaze locked at the battling Pokémon. “STOP IT!” It vociferated, electricity flowing through its cheeks.

A pack of wild Pokémon turned to face Pikachu and company, initiating a sprint towards them.

The sparks around Pikachu’s cheeks became lengthier. “I said STOP IT!” It repeated, unleashing a large beam of lightning at its opponents.

Instantly, a yellow cloud of electricity engulfed the charging Pokémon, making their entire bodies shake out of shock. Once the attack dispersed, each of them collapsed on the grassy ground.

However, this strike drew the attention of many other Pokémon, who did not waver before launching a barrage of elemental attacks at Pikachu.

Before it could dodge, two vines abruptly wrapped around it and pulled backwards, away from the offensive. Consequently, each beam passed by and soon faded away.

“Take care!” Bulbasaur instigated, swiftly bringing Pikachu to the floor and releasing it.

“They won’t be easy to talk around!” Buneary exclaimed, stepping forward.

“Then we’ll give them a reason to stop!” Pikachu leaded, quickly turning to face its adversaries for another electrical strike.

After a quick nod, Buneary began charging towards the wild Pokémon, while Bulbasaur swung its vines against them.

In the back, Cyndaquil and Mudkip remained side by side, their whole bodies trembling at each new blow.

“The fight… it’s just..- I can’t stand it!” Mudkip moaned. “I don’t wanna be part of it! I can’t!”

“I feel you!” Cyndaquil agreed, leaning slightly against its friend.

The pair kept watching their friends face all the rioting Pokémon. Despite the massive disadvantage in numbers, Pikachu, Buneary and Bulbasaur held their ground, managing to attack more than get attacked.

However, as the battle moved on..-

“HEEY, WATCH YOUR FLAAANK!” A sudden call echoed through the place, startling every Pokémon.

Nearly all of them halted their attacks to face the source. Given the surrounding darkness, they could only see a figure emerging from the sparse forest.

“Who’s that?” Buneary pondered as they all watched the figure’s quadrupedal walk.

“YES, HEERE!” The figure shouted as it slowly walked towards the Pokémon mass. “Listen to me! I know a way to mend the star! Give me the time; you won’t regret it!”

A few moments later, the other Pokémon visualized the figure better, identifiable as Mightyena — the same one.

“YOU AGAIN!” Taking flight, Staravia scolded. “How dare you violate our space AND your punishment?”

“You filthy evil!” Many Pokémon yelled.

“CLAWS ON THAT TRAITOR!”

Given a collective roar, all the standing Pokémon ran after Mightyena, who in turn sprinted off, back into the forest.

On the other hand, Pikachu and the others stayed behind, wearing perplexed looks as they watched the chase.

“How’s this possible?” Buneary stated, tilting its head. “He was attacking us before, and now he came back to help?!”

“Uh, what if deep down, he really regrets the attack?” Cyndaquil suggested, glancing at each of its friends. “Maybe he’s trying to fix things up.”

“Even so, he should know that he cannot do it all by himself,” Bulbasaur reflected.

“Yeah, but I think Mightyena’s got a plan,” Buneary pondered, placing a paw on its chin. “Just look at his pose; he seems way too confident to be random.”

Mudkip raised its fin. “Maybe he’s got a friend with him!”

Everyone gave it a baffled look.

Mudkip gulped. “Y’know, someone who’s willing to help him change things… for the better.”

At that, Pikachu’s ears twitched up. “Meowth!”

Buneary tilted its head. “You mean the one who broke the star?” It doubted.

“Uh-huh, that one,” Pikachu assented. “If anyone has these sorts of weird plans, I’m pretty sure it’s him.”

“That’s weird,” Buneary said.

“Then Mightyena could be a bait… or a distraction,” Bulbasaur pointed out.

“True,” Buneary conceded, “and perhaps we can step in and make our own distraction to rescue him!”

“Great idea,” Bulbasaur commended. “Now, we’ve got to catch up with them. Go!”

After trading a final glance at each other, the five Pokémon set out into the woods, following the general direction where Mightyena fled from the wild Pokémon mass.

“Hope this ends in Christmas cheer,” Mudkip wished.

“Meowth, whatever reason you’re doing this,” Pikachu whispered to itself, “I hope we can share a laugh together this year.”

••••••••••

“Welp, ‘ere comes nuttin’,” Meowth mumbled, peeking out from some bushes.

Wrapped around his arms, a star shined dimly under the moonlight, some of its glitter sticking to him. In essence, it was a wide plastic star, light enough for Meowth to carry and dense enough to resist the wind.

“Ugh, how much longer do I gotta hold this sticky?” Meowth complained, rubbing a paw on his arm. “At this rate, I’m gonna become a sparklin’ laughin’ furball!”

As he made his way through the forest, Meowth quickly glanced around, his gaze fixating at where Mightyena and every other Pokémon went.

“Uhh, why’s it that I feel kinda bad for that mutt?” Meowth’s tail flattened. However, he then tightened his grip on the star. “No, not the time! It’s ‘ready settled. I just gotta put this thingy where it belongs, an’ then… all’s good for us both!”

Meowth grinned, jumping for a 270° spin. As he landed, he gasped at the following sight: two figures lying against a tree, both also turning to face him.

Two seconds of baffled looks passed by.

Immediately, the one with a round head sprinted forward. “Friend! You’re back!” It shouted.

His heart pounded within his chest. “Wobby?!” Meowth asked, his tone mildly anxious.

“Meowth, bud, friend!” The other side replied joyfully as they picked up the pace.

He faltered before making his way. In no time, Meowth was standing right in front of Wobbuffet. “Hey, uh… been away for a lil’ while, but-“

Wobbuffet cut him off by hugging him, and did so tightly. “Buddy, we can’t keep staying away from each other! From now on, let’s glue ourselves together, thick as thieves!”

“Yeah, I’m real glad to be wit’ ya too,” Meowth replied, his arms too limp to return the hug. However, he ended up glancing at the flying Pokémon beside Wobbuffet, narrowing his eye. “Hold on, haven’t seen ya before!”

The stranger flapped its wings at a faster pace. “Yes, I-I’m sorry. I’m Zubat, nice to you mee..- uh, to meet you!” It introduced itself nervously.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, really!” Wobbuffet giggled, breaking the hug with Meowth. Its look quickly turned to the star in Meowth’s arms. “But, hey! Friend, isn’t that a-“

“A plastic star?!” Meowth carried on. “I know, I know, but it sure ain’t gonna be bad for a last-minute replacin’, dontcha ‘gree?”

“That’s my buddy!” Wobbuffet cheerfully struck its salute, although looking at Meowth’s glittery form snatched a chuckle from it. “Well, Meowth, your body shines just as brightly as your ideas!”

“Don’t get me started on that,” Meowth dismissed.

On the other hand, Zubat leaned forward, its flight becoming more trembled. “Wait, what if the others don’t follow along?” It voiced its concern. “I mean, you broke the previous star… n-no offense! It’s just, they might not see through this… coming from you.”

Meowth tensed up his posture, scratching his head. “Yeah, I’d be blamed n’ get my tail handed to..-” Despite his moaning, he briskly shook his head. “No. Just quit it, will ya? I haven’t come all the way back ‘ere for nuttin’, so get outta my way!”

Gulping, Zubat flew a few feet away, its shaky wings soon slowing down.

Meanwhile, Wobbuffet simply nodded. “I know you’ll do it!” It encouraged.

At that very moment, a faint noise echoed through the forest; it sounded like the combination of shouts and Pokémon attacks. Each second that went by, the sound only increased in volume.

“No, no, no! They back!” Meowth deplored.

“They who?” Wobbuffet tilted its head.

“Ain’t got no time to explain!” Meowth replied, pointing at the top of the largest tree. “Look, I need ya to throw me up that tree o’ weird stone decors. Got it?”

“Are you sure, friend?” Wobbuffet questioned, moving an arm to Meowth’s shoulder.

Given two quick breaths from him, Meowth frantically nodded. “Do it now! Before I change my mind!” He implored.

After another instant of tensed posture, a red aura enveloped Wobbuffet as it moved its other arm to Meowth. “Alright, heere wee goooo!” It bellowed.

Once Meowth collided with the psychic aura, Wobbuffet quickly raised its arms, dragging him upwards. In a moment, he took off in the air, making his way higher and higher up. “AAAAH!” He screamed, tightening his grip on the star.

During his whoosh, Meowth glanced at a massive group of Pokémon chasing one too small for him to see. Despite the fair distance between pursuers and target, they were quickly closing in.

“Just a lil’ longer, pal,” Meowth murmured to himself.

In the following second, he landed on one of the highest branches of the giant tree, holding onto it with his free paw. However, the impact made the whole plant start swinging, forcing Meowth into a struggle to keep his balance.

“Don’t let go, Meowth! Ya hafta make it!” He spoke out of desperation, his paw barely holding onto the branch.

After a few more seconds of struggle, an abrupt force began pushing him upwards. “Aargh, I gotcha!” Zubat’s voice came right away.

Groaning at the effort, Meowth began climbing up the tree, branch by branch, taking advantage of Zubat’s push. Eventually, they arrived at the top, with him tensing his body, just to keep hold of the highest branch.

“Phew, too close of it!” Meowth exclaimed, his other arm clutching the star tightly. “Thanks a bunch, Batzu. Ya helped me big time out t’ere.”

“You’re welcome, Meowth, haha,” Zubat welcomed with a giggle.

After a few more seconds of joyful laughter from them both, a faraway elemental explosion halted their rejoice, making them look at the ground. Approximately 25 meters away from the tree base, a wave of Pokémon ran towards an unmoving Mightyena. A cloud of dust covered the latter.

Meowth’s tail flickered. “Uh, oh, it’s tight! The star’s gotta get a spotlight! Go! Go tell ‘em!”

“O-Okay!” Zubat nodded before flying away from him, making its way towards the enormous amount of Pokémon on the ground.

In his wait, Meowth sweated, his grasp of the star ever so tight. “Welp, guess it’s time.” He muttered. “All I wanted was a joyful Xmas for me, n’ now look at me, ready to spread joy for everyone. And for what? As if they won’t just kick me off the tree the second I start talkin’!”

Meowth paused to look down at Zubat, the latter getting close to the wild Pokémon commotion.

“Ehh, whatever. Can’t be holdin’ this grudge forever.” He sighed, pulling the star closer. “Ooh, poké, if we make it through December… it don’t hafta be all right, I know.”

••••••••••

“WE GOT ‘EM!” A pack of wild Pokémon cheered loudly.

“Serves it well for ruining our Christmas!” Above them, Staravia swaggered.

Still catching up with the others, Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip and Buneary stiffened their bodies at the cries.

“It’s now or never!” Buneary urged its friends.

Pikachu assented, taking a deep breath. “HEEY! WATCH OUT!” It called as loud as it could.

“HERE, LISTEN!” Buneary emphasized.

In seconds, the wild Pokémon mass quieted down drastically, turning — one by one — to look at Pikachu and company.

“Look at ourselves! We’re hurting someone in plain view of Christmas!” Pikachu pointed out.

“What if he really wants to make amends? Listening to him won’t hurt!” Buneary added.

From the swarm, many Pokémon shook their heads, starting a new commotion.

“Won’t hurt?! This worm has already hurt us enough!”

“Are you with him? Are you our-”

At that very moment, a high-pitched shriek broke their shouts, making every single Pokémon turn around to face the noise source. In a split second, they found a Zubat flying right above them.

“S-Sorry, but… there’s something you have to..- Up the tree! Th-The biggest!” It stuttered, striving to stabilize its flight.

Grumbling among each other, all Pokémon, including Pikachu and company, tilted their heads to look at that tree. Their eyes soon fixated on a small white figure, fairly illuminated by a waning Moon, standing on top of the highest branch. Leaving their mouths agape, the attentive wave of Pokémon began a slow walk towards the large plant. They even walked past the unconscious Mightyena.

As they neared the tree, the figure’s voice became marginally audible.

“Who’s that?” One of them loudly asked. “What’s he saying?”

Meanwhile, Pikachu stood up, turning to face its friends. “That’s gotta be him! It’s Meowth!” It inferred.

“Yaay! It’s him!” Mudkip cheered.

“He’s trying to say something,” Bulbasaur pointed out, “but he’s too far!”

Lucid up until then, Zubat frowned. “Oh, no! Don’t worry! I-I’ll pass along his words!” It announced to the crowd, pausing for a quick breath. “He’s saying that he brought a new star, and you have to, uh..- He’s gonna place it on the tree!”

All Pokémon narrowed their eyes to observe the Meowth. Despite the distance, they could see him dragging a shiny object - a big star - to the highest twig, tying them both together. At this sight, the massive crowd started yet another commotion, this time a rather excited one.

“Look, he brought a new star!” Within the crowd, Chikorita pointed out.

“After destroying the one we had?!” Staravia doubted.

“No, wait! We’re saved! He’s a hero!” A Geodude celebrated.

Continuing with similar shouts, the Pokémon mass dispersed into all directions, surrounding the tree in a fast closing circle.

On the other hand, Pikachu and its friends remained close together, turning to face each other.

“He did it! He pulled the trick!” Buneary bounced in its cheer.

“He and his partner Mightyena!” Mudkip chirped.

Pikachu wore a big smile on its face. “We have a lot to talk about, Meowt-“

“WATCH OUT! He’s gonna fall!” A scream from the crowd pierced the joy.

All of them looked above, witnessing the wind swing the tree violently. Meowth swung with it, right, left, right, left, right…

..until yet another swing launched him off the tree and into the skies. An inaudible yell came from him, right before he disappeared into the darkness.

“NOOOOO! BUD, COME BACK!” From the sidelines, Wobbuffet ran towards him, ending up close to Pikachu and the others.

“That’s terrible! Someone’s gotta help him!” Buneary cried out loud.

“No, Meowth… this isn’t over yet!” Pikachu vowed, its front paws digging to the ground.

“Hey, watch yourself,” Bulbasaur asked. “Where are you going?”

“Meowth needs my help,” Pikachu replied before turning to look at Wobbuffet. “Our help. Let’s go, you too!” With that, it took off without warning.

Bulbasaur frowned, yet its mouth flinched. After a moment, it silently nodded.

Wobbuffet nodded before running right behind Pikachu. “Let’s make his Christmas the most special he’s ever had!”

Mudkip waved at them. “Good luck with your friend!”

“Hope he likes your gifts,” Cyndaquil wished in a timidly high pitch.

In no time, Pikachu and Wobbuffet disappeared from view, leaving Buneary, and its friends glancing at each other.

A few silent seconds went by. Then, a smile cracked on each of their lips.

“Yay! It’s so good when they’re all cheering together like this!” Mudkip celebrated at the Pokémon crowd.

“It wouldn’t have gone any other way,” Buneary added. “Christmas always ends up in cheer, no matter what happens to the star.”

At that moment, two Pokémon — Zubat and Chikorita — approached the quartet from the same direction.

“Hi there, uh… friends,” Zubat greeted.

“Hey there! Long time no see!” Buneary waved its paw in their way.

“You were so amazing out there!” Mudkip praised Zubat. “The way you flew by and talked to us about the new star… it felt straight out of a dream!”

“Oh, it was nothing, thank you,” Zubat replied as it flew down to the ground.

“But really, thank you for helping save our Christmas,” Chikorita thanked Zubat, then turned at the others. “That goes to you as well. Thank you all.”

“Glad we could help,” Cyndaquil said, blushing with a smile.

They all took a breath in silence.

Not even a second later, Mudkip’s fin stretched upwards. “Hey, guys! Now that it’s all cheer again, let’s do another buddyzone hug!”

“I’m in!” Buneary walked towards the center of their circle, a grin covering its face.

“Not the right time,” Bulbasaur interjected. “Mightyena’s still down. He won’t be able to get up on his own.”

“But wasn’t he..-“ Chikorita paused mid sentence, widening its eyes. “Ohh, I get it! He was also helping!”

“Exactly! He was working with that Meowth,” Buneary pointed out.

“Um, guys… isn’t this talk taking too long?” Zubat questioned, then gulped. “N-No offense, really!”

“You’re right,” Bulbasaur agreed. “This isn’t over, yet.”

“Alright! Let’s go help a Pokémon in need!” Chikorita led the way.

With that, the six Pokémon made their way towards Mightyena, nearing it in no time.

From above, a Staravia followed them, its eyes narrowed.

Spoiler: Chapter 6 - Inclusion: Of Stars and Strays

Chapter 6 - Inclusion: Of Stars and Strays​

Summary:​

Part I:
Will Buneary and its friends be able to redeem Mightena, despite all its deeds and the wild Pokémon against it?


Part II:
Knowing Meowth is upset, his two allies will find a way to get to him. Even more, Pikachu looks forward to fulfilling its own wish with him:

For all the years they had stayed apart.

Chapter Text:​

Cheers! Harmony has been restored! Wild Pokémon from all over hold paws and celebrate their settlement! Sure, their joy was only restored because of a tree star (a plastic tree star, of all things!), but it is still joy… and Christmas is supposed to be just like that!

Following that principle, Chikorita, Buneary, and all their friends reach out to the downed Mightyena. A delicate matter, given that the ever-so fierce Staravia does not forgive as easily, and will gladly swoop down on its enemy in the name of integrity.

As for Meowth and Pikachu..- Hold your horses! We will get to that right after this. For now, I bid you farewell from my narrations and commence a resolution (what a wordplay!) that sinks deep into the characters’ hearts.

Oh, and… Merry Christmas!



••• Part I (of Mightyena) •••


“Wake up, Mightyena,” Bulbasaur called.

“Come on! You can’t sleep the whole Christmas!” Buneary prodded Mightyena a few times.

A few seconds went by before Mightyena’s eyes swung open, staring directly at the others. Its gaze met the sights of Buneary, Mudkip, Cyndaquil, Bulbasaur, Chikorita, and Zubat.

“Hey. Stay with us,” Chikorita requested.

“Grr-hrrngh..!” Mightyena grumbled in its wake. “What are you-“

“Stop right there, beast!” From above, Staravia dived towards them, quickly landing on the ground.

Mightyena simply snarled.

Meanwhile, Buneary crossed its arms. “Hey! It’s not cool to call someone a beast!”

“H-He helped save our Christmas,” Cyndaquil argued. “Don’t be too harsh on him!”

“Like I’m buying any of that,” Staravia retorted, opening its wings. “EVERYONE, the beast has woken up! I REPEAT, the beast has woken up!”

In just a few seconds, many wild Pokémon came in and surrounded the area, their eyes focused on Mightyena.

“Evil Mightyena! Evil Mightyena!” An Eevee growled.

“You won’t ruin Christmas again!” A Murkrow yelled.

“Grrr, I don’t wish doing that again,” Mightyena countered.

“Yes you do!” Staravia jumped forward, landing a few feet from Mightyena. “Else you wouldn’t come back after we clearly forbade you from that!”

Chikorita’s vines were partly out, swinging in the air. “Don’t you dare-“

“TIMEOUT!” Buneary yelled.

The turmoil quieted down, turning their attention at the bunny Pokémon.

Buneary cleared its throat. “What are we aiming at, another battle?! We can’t let ourselves ruin this day because of him!” Buneary paused to point at Mightyena. “Yes, he attacked us in plain view of Christmas. Yes, he defied us for horrible reasons. Yes, he got our previous star destroy-“

Zubat chimed in, “But he didn’t do that on purp-“

“Quiet,” Bulbasaur cut it off, lightly swinging a vine at the poison Pokémon. “Let him finish.”

“I..- never mind!” Zubat gulped, flying away.

Once everyone returned their looks at Buneary, it reopened its mouth, “I myself don’t think he can be forgiven for all the evil he’s done to us.

“But now, it’s all in the past,” Buneary continued. “Now we have a new star to cheer on. All that’s left now is that we let Mightyena join us and sort it out, once and for all!”

Among the crowd, whispers filled the night ambiance for a while.

“Forget it! That heartless beast doesn’t even regret the evil he’s done to us!” The same Eevee yelled.

“YEEEAH!” Many shouted, advancing towards Mightyena.

Holding its ground, it sniffed. “It’s all pointless; I do regret what I’ve done. I was irresponsible in what I deemed to be a bad thing for us all. When all I did was make it even worse for all of you, and for myself. The star… I should have never dared get close and personal about it. I…I’m sorry.”

A collective gasp came from all the wild Pokémon, including Buneary and its companions. “You… feel sorry?” Geodude asked.

“Truly, indeed,” Mightyena reinforced, gazing downwards.

A smile covered Chikorita’s face. “See?! We didn’t have to throw him away at the canyon!”

“Right on!” Mudkip jumped out of joy.

“You did it, Mightyena!” Zubat praised.

In turn, Mightyena softened its stand, glancing around at all the Pokémon cheering at it. A soft smile cracked its canine lips.

On the other hand, Staravia abruptly took off in the air. “Gahh, what kind of nonsense is this? Are we forgetting about who wrecked our star??” It aggressively pointed at Mightyena. “It’s obvious; that thing’s trying to deceive us all! He will destroy our new star as soon-“

“BOOOOOOOOO!” Many wild Pokémon interjected.

“Our star stands for peace, not intimidation!” A Noctowl declared.

“It’s YOU who’s going against Christmas, not him!” A Charmeleon accused.

Wincing, Staravia took flight. “No, that’s foolish! I’ve been trying to protect us all from the likes of him!” It shakily pointed at Mightyena.

Chikorita glared at the bird Pokémon. “That’s exactly what makes you so desp-“

A vine abruptly attached itself to Chikorita. “Don’t,” Bulbasaur’s voice came from behind. “This has to be settled now.”

“Don’t be mad,” Cyndaquil called, walking to Chikorita’s side, “Everything’ll be fine.”

As Bulbasaur released Chikorita, all the latter did was sigh in a nod, its leaf drooping.


“No one’s above the star. Not even you, Staravia!” In the front row, Eevee stated.

“Mightyena IS partying with us!” Buneary added.

“You see, birdie, you can either like it or lump it,” a shout came from within the crowd. “No dumping it, either.”

The following seconds featured the crowd cheering, quickly dispersing within the forest. Mightyena, Chikorita, Buneary, and its friends were no longer encircled, their bodies already softened.

However, Staravia did not leave at first; it hovered down to their level. “Listen up, Mightyena. You may stay with us as you wish, but if you disrupt our peace again, you’re out. You’ve been warned.” With that, Staravia flew away, towards the largest tree.

The group watched it hover close to the Pokémon mass, until it disappeared from sight. Each of the seven Pokémon turned to look at each other. “Yeeah, we did it!” Buneary beamed with a bouncy excitement.

“We’re wrapped in red again, this time even stronger!” Chikorita partied, hopping around.

“And we’ve got a new friend!” Mudkip cheered, clinging to Mightyena’s side.

Mightyena sidestepped, moving away from Mudkip. “No hugging me,” the former growled.

“Hehe, you mean two new friends,” Buneary chimed in, waving at the flying Zubat. “C’mere, chum! Let’s cheer this Christmas up!”

Zubat gasped, steadily descending to the ground and landing close to Mightyena. “Uh, yeah. For the staar… I guess?”

“I know the feeling,” Cyndaquil soothed the tone, looking at Zubat and Mightyena. “Let’s try not to be too… reserved today.”

“Fair enough,” Mightyena agreed.

“I can do that,” Zubat agreed as well.

“Okay, let’s try again, gang! For the star!” Buneary encouraged.

“FOOR THE STAAAAR!” The others cheered in unison, each with their set eagerness levels.

At that, the conversation dissolved as everyone gazed at the star on top of the largest tree. They all paced (or flied) in that direction, where a multitude of Pokémon were seen celebrating as one.

On the move, each of them showed different looks and postures:

Buneary smiled as it made light bounces on the ground;
Mudkip fully grinned, glancing at its friends all the time;
Cyndaquil simply gave a soft smile and a steady walk;
Bulbasaur did the same as Mudkip, a nod and a smile coming after each glance; and
Zubat hovered close to the others, especially close to Mudkip.


Meanwhile, Mightyena stayed behind. Chikorita lowered its eyes, standing close to the other Pokémon. “Hey, something in your mind?”

The dark-type turned a blank stare at Chikorita. “It was never about me. From the time I got banished into that canyon, all that moved them was the star. All that agony because of a star.”

Chikorita raised its eyes. “Hold on. You don’t have to dwell in the past.” It leaned forward to Mightyena. “They’ve already forgiven you. Have faith in yourself!”

“Tch, only because of the star,” Mightyena countered. “They never believed in it. Especially not Staravia. They followed it like a symbol trampling over our tradition.” It then sighed. “Is that even a Christmas I want to be part of?”

Aside from softening its eyes, Chikorita did not speak back, its mouth left agape.

Instead, another voice came out, “As a wise monkey once said, you either like it or lump it... y’know the rest.”

The two Pokémon turned to look at the source, eyes meeting with an Aipom bouncing away from a tree. “..no dumping it, either,” Mightyena finished.

“Mank, you’re awful good at quoting! Give this Mighty a yummy treat at once!” Aipom burst into laughter.

“This is serious!” Chikorita yelled. “He’s distressed because of what happened, and all you do is poke fun like a child?!”

“Needless to fight; he’s not completely wrong,” Mightyena reflected. “Even if they fail to realize their flaws, we cannot change that, much less thrash them for that.”

“Yes, yes! Don’t show them!” Aipom chimed in with a bounce.

“Can you please..-“ Chikorita’s posture loosened as it sighed. “Ugh, I give up. Go on.”

“About that, a clever Meowth once told me, ‘it’s the sort of thing you have to believe in’,” Mightyena continued. “Because what really matters is if you believe in the tradition, not just follow it… or the star.”

“Now that you mention, could that be the same Meowth who saved us all?” Chikorita raised its head.

“Mhm, so he truly did it. That’s redemption for both of us, I see.” Mightyena looked at the sky, a smile covering its face.

Chikorita and Aipom glanced at each other, both raising an eye. After a collective chuckle, the three Pokémon shared a moment of quiet, looking at the cheering crowd in the distance.

Then, Chikorita turned around, its leaf drooping. “Still, Aipom, thank you… for standing up for me, when I was trying to-“

“No brushing off tears now, Mr Leafy,” Aipom cut it off. “I’d hate to run outta trees for you to cry on top of.”

“Seriously?! Even when I’m thanking you?!” Chikorita complained, but then laughed. “You know what, I’m starting to get your sense of humor.”

“Why, of course you do!” Aipom giggled, bouncing around. “Now’s my turn to make a thanks for it. Take it before it’s gone, leafy!”

Mightyena chuckled for a moment, then returned an unwavering stare at the others. “So where’s Meowth now?”

“After he replaced our star, he also got flung away from the tree,” Chikorita explained. “We don’t know where exactly he landed, but his two friends went looking for him.”

“In that case, I’m rooting for them. For Christmas, and for Meowth,” Mightyena said, looking towards the horizon.

“I’m sure they’ll make it,” Chikorita added, its leaf standing upright. “After all, it’s Christmas that we’re talking about!”

“Heh, guess I’ll climb a tree just to see that happen,” Aipom joked, its tail swinging loosely.

A shared laugh came from each of them, the brightness of the Moon lighting up their faces. Together, they walked towards the largest tree of the forest, trading looks and giggles along the way.




••• Part II (of Meowth) •••


Sitting on a low branch of an irregular pine was Meowth. His paws were positioned below his chin. Darkness swallowed his surroundings; little moonlight could reach that part of the forest, given its moderate tree density.

“To t’ink, even for a sec, I had a shot at this Xmas t’ing… like it’d be any better than the other times,” Meowth mumbled, blinking as tears, dry as they were, dropped from his eyes.

Ahead of him, the faint glow of a human city caught his attention. Meowth watched its luminous sources flashing continuously in the distance. A sigh came from his mouth.

“O’ course they got the lights, while I get the strings, n’ the cold,” Meowth raised his voice, his body shivering. “Some folks get to live their fairytales, while others like me got nuttin’ but..-”

Meowth abruptly stood up, a weak chuckle coming from him.

“What’re I even on ‘bout?! C’mon, y’er better than that, Meowth! Xmas, light, happiness, it’s all their business, not mine!” He shouted.

The branch beneath Meowth creaked mildly at the cold wind, leading to a rustling of leaves. Ignoring this, all he did was force a grin on his face.

“It’s on; I’ll spend my vacation right ‘ere, me n’ this big ol’ pile o’ leaves!” Meowth hugged the tree trunk firmly, more tears flowing down his cheeks. “Proud to have my own pine tree to part up ‘ere, ‘way from folks who take my-“

A sudden rustling of bushes. Loud as it was, Meowth gasped, slowly turning to face the source.

“Eh?! Who’s t’ere?” Meowth shouted, only to then cover his mouth.

The rustling only grew louder. “Meowth!” A voice called.

“Friend! We’re coming for you!” Another call.

Meowth’s heart sped up in a gulp, his mouth still covered. From some bushes, two figures emerged, their heads turning everywhere. Once they stepped into the moonlight, Meowth froze; the two Pokémon were already looking at him. They were Pikachu and Wobbuffet.

“Yay! Found you, bud,” Wobbuffet cheered, waving at him.

“How are you doing, hero?” Pikachu smiled widely.

Meowth leaned his back against the tree. “N-No! Nobody invited youse to my party! Go find yer own tree!”

The duo’s smiles faded away. “What’s the matter?” Pikachu asked, walking closer to him.

“All our hero needs a little fun with friends!” Wobbuffet giggled as it trailed along Pikachu. “Come on, jump down here to us, so we can have some jumps together!”

“Leave it,” Meowth denied. “Youse can go bounce off without me tonight.”

“Not a chance! We’re not leaving you like this!” Pikachu began climbing up the tree.

Gasping, Meowth retreated from the trunk, balancing himself on the branch. “What’re ya doin’? Y’er gonna make t’ings worse!”

Upon climbing to a fair height, Pikachu jumped onto the same branch as him, beginning a steady advance. “You really wanna stay up here all alone?! That’s how you’re gonna spend the rest of
Christmas?!”

“How’d I do it any other way?” Meowth jumped to another branch higher up. “I ain’t got no pals to cheer me up, nobody to gimme a single Xmas gift. Youse always kick me away like some yarn ball for sale! Always t’ere to send me rollin’ down the string!”

“That’s not it; this time, you’ll be fine!” Pikachu jumped to the same branch, waggling its tail. “After all, you saved Christmas! Everyone back there was cheering for you. Even I’m amazed by you!”

Meowth’s tail flickered agitatedly as he jumped to yet another branch. “It was never ‘bout makin’ anyone happy. I just did what I had to, get rid o’ the grudges.”

“Don’t be like that! Passing over this kind of opportunity doesn’t suit you! Where’s that eager Meowth who’d always take advantage of everything?” Following his movements, Pikachu had little trouble steadying itself on the branches — unlike him.

After a few more jumps, the two Pokémon landed on a very high branch. Meowth stood on the edge, while Pikachu landed close to the trunk. There were no branches below, meaning their only way down would be falling to the ground.

At that sight, Meowth shivered.

“It’s all right, Meowth. I know things’ll change for better,” Pikachu pleaded on its way to him.

“Heey! Don’t worry if either of you falls! I’ll be right here to catch you both!” From below, Wobbuffet shouted, swinging its arms.

Pikachu gave it a quick smile.

On the other hand, Meowth’s fur stood on end. “Leave me ‘ready! Ya can’t change how t’ings work. It never works!”

“That’s because you never try!” Pikachu kept walking forward, already halfway to Meowth. “If you never believe, it’ll never work for you! Don’t give up on the chance; you have to cling onto it as hard as you can!”

Shutting his eyes, Meowth clenched his fists, hard enough to hastily shake them both. His breath came in shallow gasps, over and over again.

Halting, Pikachu twitched its ears. “Meowth, what’s wrong? Don’t keep it to yourself; just tell me! I promise I’ll-“

“SHUT IT!” Meowth’s tail swung hastily. “It’s not my fault I’ been like this all time! T’ink I always had a chance, n’ I try so hard, my body been achin’ for a Xmas I never gotten! Years o’ fightin’ n’ believin’ gone junk, n’ ya tell me I never tried?!”

Pikachu stood still in silence, its ears falling flat.

“It don’t matter how I try an’ spend this jinxed t’ing!” Meowth shook his head, his narrowed eyes holding back tears. “Don’t matter if I’m goin’ for a walk, or lootin’ Santa’s house, or prayin’ over a shootin’ star, all ends the same! Me blastin’ off to a flop, left wit’ nuttin’ but aches n’ scraps o’ my hopes!”

Tears were filling up Pikachu’s downed eyes as it struggled to focus its look at him.

Meowth looked down for a second, then retuned his stare at Pikachu. “For you, it’s easy to t’ink there’s a chance. Ya get pals everywhere ya go, n’ the world listens when ya smile. Even when the twerp’s ’round, ya never been left out in the dirt, thinkin’ y’er just a pile o’ nuttin’ every single Xmas!”

With a trembling body, Pikachu resumed walking forward, its cheeks sparking dimly. “Meowth..-“

“What, ya gonna jolt me the usual?!” Meowth cut it off, crossing his arms. “Comin’ from you, it’s the least I can get to finish off today.”

“But that’s not gonna make you happy.” Pikachu got right in front of Meowth, its eyes still teary.

“Happiness don’t matter anymore. It went downhill ‘long wit’ me trynna make t’ings better for a change.” Meowth then pointed a glare at Pikachu. “Now get this over wit’ n’ blast me off ‘ready. No one’s gonna mind it; no one cares, n’ y’er the last in the line to even-“

A sudden thrust forward from Pikachu enveloped Meowth in a hug, its grip tight around his chest. “Y-You think I don’t care?! I’ve been trying to help you for a while..-“ Its words pushed through ragged breaths, a result of its tears. “I didn’t know, Meowth! I didn’t know you were hurting this badly! I’m sorry!”

Meowth’s face became flushed. “Ya don’t hafta-“

“DON’T!” Pikachu cut him off, a few tiny sparks bursting off its cheeks. “Just, listen. You stood up for the other Pokémon when no one else could. You gave them a new star and a reason to stop that mess. You made things better, even when things never worked out for you!”

“It never were to-“

“JUST LISTEN!” Pikachu yelled, unleashing a bolt upon Meowth for a brief moment. Despite not being visually intense, the attack took out a groan from him, his head spinning aimlessly. Gasping, Pikachu tightened its grip on him with all it could. “Meowth! I didn’t mean to! Don’t fall over! Don’t, DON’T!”

It took him a while to recover, his look then landing on Pikachu’s eyes. All he did was swallow hard, his body fully immobile.

“All those years, I just wanted to find you, to spend Christmas together with you. I didn’t want to seem heartless!” Pikachu’s continuous cry led it to cough a few times. “But every time I wanted to say something, the holiday went by, and you were gone. I couldn’t find you to say how much I wanted to stay with you, and now I’m seeing you so lonely because I couldn’t help you!”

For a brief moment, Meowth’s eyes lowered, his first tears kicking out.

“I can’t stand it anymore,” Pikachu continued under a few sniffles. “All I want is to see a smile on your face. Just a smile… I-I’ll do anything for that, I promise. Just… don’t give up, Meowth. It’s Christmas… please.”

As Pikachu closed its eyes, Meowth dropped his jaw, his body slowly falling backwards. It took some time before both Pokémon fell off the branch, quickly descending towards the ground.

A gasp from each of them.

Standing right below, Wobbuffet quickly raised its arms, grabbing them both midair. The blue Pokémon, eyes slightly teary, groaned as it held them. It soon brought them to the ground. “See? I told you I’d catch you!” It chuckled softly at them.

“Yeah, thanks,” Pikachu replied, scratching its head with a thin smile.

However, Meowth did not look at them; instead, he was gazing at the rest of the forest. His eyes were so full of tears, covering those with his paws did little to stop the flow. Leaving his paws there, he sat down on the grassy floor, face down.

…

A figure — Pikachu — stood to his left, placing its paw on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for saying all the horrible things. Just, please, give me a smile. Even your thinnest one.”

A few silent moments went by before Meowth uncovered his eyes, looking back at Pikachu. “I thought nobody ever cared ‘bout me or all the joy I never-“

“I’m right here, buddy,” Wobbuffet chimed in, placing its arm on his other shoulder.

“Nobody except you, Wobby… ya get the idea,” Meowth replied, giving Wobbuffet a weak chuckle.

“Clear as the wind!” Wobbuffet cheered with a salute.

The two of them traded a giggle to each other, with Meowth standing up rather quickly.

Pikachu’s ears perked up for an instant. “Meowth, is that..- look! You’re smiling!” It pointed out, giving him a smile of its own.

“Heh, no gettin’ over the top now, Pipsqueak,” Meowth joked.

“I know, I know,” Pikachu said with a chuckle. “Just don’t hide that smile next time, okay? It kinda feels sweet on your face.”

Meowth glanced sideways, blushing. “Ya really… mean it? Guess I just ain’t used to someone meanin’ it.” He took a deep, deep breath, only to then wrap his arms around Pikachu, pulling it closer in a soft hug. “Y’know, I mighta’ been fine on my own, like I’d usually be, but… th-thanks.”

After dropping its jaw for a moment, Pikachu returned the hug in an equally gentle way. “Meowth…”

The two of them closed their eyes, tails wagging relaxedly. Here and there, they gave each other brief giggles, leading them to gradually tighten their grips on each other.

Meanwhile, Wobbuffet scratched its head. “So what now? Are we going back?” It asked.

Ears perking up, both Pikachu and Meowth disbanded the hug, turning to face the blue Pokémon. “Oh, right! Our friends are still waiting for us. Let’s go!” Pikachu recalled, already pacing forward.

“Hold on, who’re those friends y’er talkin’ about?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I gotcha,” Wobbuffet began. “They’re a group of four Pokémon we met, and they’re really nice. Like, really, really nice.”

“You’d have no trouble becoming friends with them if you hadn’t caused all that mess,” Pikachu added with a slightly stern eye at him.

“Hey, don’t gimme that look! It weren’t all my fault they got that star lost in the first place!” Meowth excused, raising his paws in the air.

“You could’ve at least given it back gently, instead of throwing it.” Despite that remark, Pikachu’s eyes softened, ears lowering. “So! Are we going now or what!? Come on, we have a Christmas to cheer!” It invited as it bounced forward.

“Right behind you!” Wobbuffet ran behind it, looking back at its friend. “Right, Meowth?”

On the other side, he moved a paw in the others’ direction. “Hang up! I ain’t ready to go just yet!” Meowth ran forward, whimpering along the way.

Pikachu was the first to step towards him, a blink on its eyes. “What’s up, Meowth? Something in your mind?”

As he stopped in front of his friends, Meowth rubbed the back of his head. “No big deal, just… maybe we could… uh, y’know, walk together. Like holdin’ paws or somethin’.” He then glanced away, a nervous laughter taking place. “I know what y’er thinkin’, ‘what a silly t’ing to ask’, an’ there’s no way-“

A yellow paw attached itself to his own. Raising his look, he dropped his jaw at the sight of Pikachu, a grin on its face. “Why, of course we can! I thought you’d never ask!”

By his other side, Wobbuffet gave Meowth an elbow before getting hold of his paw. “Woo-hoo! We’re all set now, team!”

“Nah, not ‘xactly a team,” Meowth amended, alternating his look between Wobbuffet and Pikachu. “We’re still Team Rocket; n’ y’er still our final prize.”

“Give it a break! We’ve got so much going on together!” Pikachu wore a frown, although its face quickly returned into a grin. “Besides, Meowth, it’s Christmas!”

“And we’re partying it all together!” Wobbuffet added, raising both Meowth’s and its own arms in the air.

“Yeah, friends n’ foes too, all’s good,” Meowth finished.

And so, the trio shared a laugh before resuming their handholding walk, navigating through the dark forest. Silence did not persist; Pikachu and Wobbuffet quickly started a talk about their new friends. Meowth, on the other side, kept dodging the topic in favor of talking about their place — especially his own — in Christmas.

Above all, a smile painted Pikachu’s, Wobbuffet’s, and Meowth’s faces. Even their occasional handshakes took out giggles from them.

After a while of walking and talking, the group made a brief stop, grips tightening, with each of them looking at the sky and shouting, “Merry Christmas for all!”

Laughter ensued for a few more seconds.

Even more laughter later on.



The End

 

[FanFictioner144]

Work is complete. Happy reading!

 

[K_S]

Prologue complete

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! (16) 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…(31)

..but, wait! We’re no Pokémon dialect experts, so how are we supposed to understand a thing of what they say?..(18) Well, I’ve taken the step of translating their dialogues for our own sake.(12) Now we shall get into the tale without much more trouble.(11)

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. (23)

“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.(10)

Bulbasaur, the one carrying small rocks, unleashed a vine to rectify Mudkip’s posture.(13) “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.(15) “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.(22) In the center of everything stood a large tree, filled with many molded rocks that gave it a dazzling look.(19) Around it, wild Pokémon of all kinds were scattered, working on their respective Christmas decorations.(15)

At the sight of Buneary and its friends, a select group of Pokémon halted their doings and paced — or hovered — towards them.(22)

“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.(13) “Finally, after all this time! Any more waiting, and I’d throw you off the canyon!”(15) 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!”(13)

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!(11) It is our duty AND hope to preserve their legacy!”(10)

Staravia turned away. “Ugh, fair enough. Get back to work, everyone,” It said, quickly grabbing a few rocks before flapping away.(15)


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.(14) On a closer look, one of them was a Mightyena, the other being a Zubat(15). 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.(35)

“Tsk, tsk, Pokémon that can’t even take a word from that Chikorita… ahem(13).” Mightyena sighed, staring coldly at the biggest tree. “And now, look at us, leftovers of a lost tradition.”)10)

“R-Really?” Zubat cried. “Maybe we could just come out and ask them to forgive last week’s accident?”(14)

“When you get thrown deep into the canyon, you’ll see that it’s of no use,”(14) 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!”(10)

Mightyena shifted its perched position, gazing at the giant tree top(11). “You know one thing they do at dusk? They place the golden star on top of that tree.”(10)

“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.”(10)

“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,”(13) 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.”(20)

Zubat sighed. “I don’t know, but… anything to celebrate Christmas with them.”(10)

The two Pokémon soon left their hiding spot, searching for a more strategic point within the forest.(17)

Alright, so I shamelessly picked the shortest section to see if an old issue (sentence length) was still present. Before I start poking at the plot/setting/characters, let's see how a more modern work holds up to an old concern?

(Alright, I'm halfway in... and it's a concern... I'm boldong sections I'm gonna dissect later)

Mathing it out...

Sentence count: 79

10 or more: 33 (I skipped a few because sound effects and some dialogue tricks expanded things but added realism so I saw no need to change them, but had I tagged them i,n we got up to about 35)

So we're looking at about half of your lines are long runners.

Examples and exceptions

3 notable samples:

a) There it is, the Pokémon world! A place full of joy and adventures, never less so in the penultimate week of December! (16) 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…(31)

b) Within a pine forest, four Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, and Buneary) ventured through the grass, each carrying small sets of branches, rocks and berries. (23)

c) 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.(35)

The exceptions I noticed:

So the break from this issue seems to be rare dialogue descriptors. Basically, people aren't talking too long, and their action/descriptor of the chatter, and the text immediately bracketing the chatter, seems to provide the lion's share of your smaller sentences.

Here is a sample of what I'm talking about.

“Yes, yes!”(2) Zubat complimented, although it then lowered its head.(8) “But, wouldn’t they attack us, instead?”(6)

As you can see, zubats lines are pretty short. This is really common w all the dialogue.

His status of compimenting (though nitpick "agreeing" seems more accurate) and the action of lowering his head, is pushing it count wise. The moment could be separated into two sentences for variety's sake if you wanted to, but it's an example of a short action around the talking that I was mentioning earlier...

Candidly, if your cast weren't such chatterboxes, I suspect that this would be an even bigger problem.

Fixing and playing with exceptions
section a
There it is, the Pokémon world! A place full of joy and adventures, never less so in the penultimate week of December! (16) 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

So we got a narrator who loved his chatter. The move is very "anime verse nod" by the way. I barked a laugh at it thinking.. well, how did you lose an au/world so quickly? The word choice made me think of someone loudly announcing "I FOUND it"....

Let's see what we can do with Mr.disconected chaterer's segment.

First fix. "joy and adventure" can be it'd own line. Also, I made it singular. Not for any grammar reason, it just sounded a bit off when read out loud. You can of course, change it back if you like.

The whole penultimate section could be dropped. Also, while December is a nice date drop, xmas mentioned mere words away also serves as a date drop. A more accurate one. so I nixed the December part too.
added a "the" to wild. makes it clearer. cut things off at reunite.

decided that the idea within the lines (universal xmas cheer sentiment) needed a new home and I restructured the tail. peace and trade talks got swept up in the fixer upper...

I cut settlement among each other... because that's sorta like reuniting/visiting.. and boiled down things to a list at the end. I kept your word choice as best I could and made a large 46 plus segment into smaller pieces that are hopefully easy to read.

Take a look at the altered section and tell me what you think...

edited version:

There it is, the Pokémon world!(6) A place full of joy and adventures. ever less so in the penultimate week of December! (7) Cheered by the Christmas spirit, (the) wild Pokémon from within a forest — and probably all over the world, too — reunited.(13) This time of year was for mon all over to talk trade, be peaceful, and celibrate.(16) trade talks and honor a peaceful settlement among each other

section B)

Within a pine forest, four Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, and Buneary) ventured through the grass, each carrying small sets of branches, rocks and berries. (23)

While lists can be useful, see above sample... here are two here back to back. We got cast and carrying things, and it's very impersonal, about on par to checking things off of a grocery run. I'll show you one method to address it and you can use it if you like...

you can keep the list but break it down to show the cast doing something w each item...

also I cut the pine forest out because literally one line above you told the reader this was happening in a forest. I did bop in a detail though to keep the "pine" part for the readersto pick up....

I used a pretty common cut and paste method for introducing the 4.

action, character, location for bulba.
character, action, history between cast for cy'
character, action for mud
character(mud), action (huddling), ties to/introduces new character (bun)

edited:

Within a pine forest, kicking up pine needles and snow w every step, bulbasaur took the lead.(13) Mudging aside half frozen tall grass.6 Cyndaquil was carrying the groups rocks.6 He was a fire type after all, and no one wanted a repeat of the fall fesitvals popped corn incident20. Mudkip was a safe ways away.6 Carrying the groups gathered flamables5. The water type was lagging a bit, half huddled against bunnery.11 He was trying to get the rabit mon to use tier ears as a shellter from the snowfall.16 four Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, and Buneary) ventured through the grass, each carrying small sets of branches, rocks and berries. (23)

This is all tossed together on the cuff... and it's meant to show how the trick works. You know these four better than me and can def replace anything that doesn't work. Flavor text wise, or filler. While this section is now longer its much more personal than the previous list. IT also avoids the dreaded jessiejamesmeowth shenanigans of my last visit...

and yes, I noticed its about a fifty fifty sentence length issue but i managed to make some breathing spaces between the longer sections so it doesn't look too bricky. at least imho

section c

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

we got a list, underlined, and a two-way perspective switch since character a can see, but character 2 can't,.. lets restructure to make this less... clunky.

I'd scratch the observed part... it seems obvious since the pov is using sight to note all these things, and move the conflict to the front...
this gave the listed statues and food a means to be interacted with... aka its being guarded by others. pushed aside because of the fight. I reinforced might;s location by having him interact with it. and had him narrate the scene and tued it back to both zu's blindness and the holi spirit.. the last bit was mainly for funsies...

edited version

The former observed There had been a row. ;ooked like a wild pokemon started it. Figured. Piled food was being guarded by those closest. All the Pokémon statues had been pushed out of the way.11 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 Shifting in his percht, Might' gave Zu all the juicy details.11 Why? Well call it a early xmas gift. Zu, always appreciated all the gssip.

so I had 2 long ones... and 7 long ones.

And in other news.. (yes I am moving on)

about the text, again, the intro lines was very hammy anime nod. which was fun.

the cast certainly is lively. though bulba correcting mudkips posture left me baffled. I was expecting "no slotching" not a "no hands in the cookie jar" sort of thing... I imagined cy's voice bein muffled, how their carrying sticks and all that...

question, molded as in moldy or molded as in shaped?

lovely birb and monkey, seems to be some tensions... hope they aren't in the guildmaster's good books or things might get dicy for the cast post-holiday romp... especially if they are this nasty during truce time...

you know I'd argue about the dark type and his poison cahoot being vultures. they (if they're being sincere) just want to set up the star... seems perfectly benign. Seriously, starrap' seems more of a problem than anything else. Perhaps they'll toss him over the cliff ala the bumbler?

Its a hope.

seems like the situation is ripe for misunderstandings and shenanigans. looking forward to the fallout.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[FanFictioner144]

Firstly, I appreciate your feedback.
Now talking about the points you raised:

Sentence length​

I would say length, on its own, is usually not a problem (save for some 30+ word sentences). But, as you mentioned:

So the break from this issue seems to be rare dialogue descriptors.

That follows my pattern of {long_insightful_descriptions} paired with {short_dialogue_descriptors}. So, aside from redundancies and similars, I would rather keep longer sentences, as long as they are readable.

Section A​

There it is, the Pokémon world! A place full of joy (...)

This reminds me of the original concept: a meta-narrator who criticises their own voice. Later, I scrapped the idea, but I also forgot to rewrite that section. Well-placed!
Also, the edited version helps guide my rewrite. Not exactly what I am going for (granted, I like to connect as many clauses as I can), but it gives me a good picture.

Section B​

While lists can be useful, see above sample... here are two here back to back (...)

This points at two concepts I adapted:

1. Impersonal description - I chose the "outside-view" for the most part, which does not allow omniscient narrating (AKA character thought);
2. Event sequence - I first introduce the characters/events, to then give more details along the way (which I later did to some degree).

Comparing this with your concept, this stands as a choice:

• Option 1, compress the details for gradual expansion (what I did)
  • Benefit - reader goes from A ---> B.
  • Flaw - descriptors delay pacing.
• Option 2, expand the details in one go (what you did)
  • Benefit - reader grasps the full picture.
  • Flaw - too many details to keep track of.

Here, I opt to keep it the way I originally wrote (except for that "pine forest" part. Which is tied to Section A issues).

Section C​

(...) lets restructure to make this less... clunky.

When I read this, I laughed at myself; it does feel clunky (or rather, it lacks immersion).
Your edition does a great job at mitigating the issue. Especially this part:

Piled food was being guarded by those closest. All the Pokémon statues had been pushed out of the way.

And also the beat:

Shifting in his percht, Might' (...)

I plan to adapt from it, in my own way.

Other News​

Here you explore a stylistic choice of mines: I do leave it "open for reader interpretation". Goes doubly for dialogues.
For example:

I imagined cy's voice bein muffled, how their carrying sticks and all that (...)

Exactly that way.

lovely birb and monkey, seems to be some tensions (...)

Very lovely, indeed. Staravia was made nasty. Aipom, however, plays "comical relief" as well.
Now, into worldbuilding matters:

(...) they (if they're being sincere) just want to set up the star... seems perfectly benign (...)

That was my original idea for them (especially for Zubat). Only issue here was, Mightyena had to fulfill the "direct antagonist" role. And so, its actions are (partially) vindicated later. But by no means, it falls into "perfectly benign".

seems like the situation is ripe for misunderstandings and shenanigans

Indeed.


Once again, I liked your review. Looking forward to [what the future brings].

 

[K_S]

I'll ease up on the analysis then, unless i see sonethibg confusing lije the mold section... or i spot another 30er, then i figure its fair game!

I'll pop chapter 2 up when tine pernits.

 

[K_S]

Chapter 2 review
Complete happy holiday!

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.

So clarity concern.. the same forest as the might' and zu's planned schenanigans or the same woods as in... jjm and ash and co are cohabiting in the forest as each other, hence why the rival mons are getting a bonding day?

Oh, I nearly forgot the perspective game! Both groups have been enjoying (or trying to enjoy) the ambiance: the pines, the rocks, the bushes, the late-afternoon Sun…

Laughs at first line. I dunno if that qas a typo or a jab but it was pretty funny regardless.

So about that immersion se tion... did you happen to notice how long it wad. We are cspping at 50+ words.. so free game i guess?


The loong one

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.(51)

The berries being stripped bare is idea one.

Pika inspecting is idea 2

Wondering is idea 3

Meowth moaning and groaning idea 4

Wob being the bestest boy idea 5

Heres how i would restructure.

"Rats, empty again!" Pika huffed.(5) Where were all the berries?(10) Someone'd picked them clean so where were those someones?(9)

Further breaking the xmas mood was Meowth. (9) The cats yowling about bad omens and the cold wasbt exactly caroling.(12) Only wob's giggles fit the holiday season. (7)

Guess I’ve been narrating for too long. If you’ll excuse me, time skip to this “inevitable encounter” of theirs…

rolls eyes. alright, fine, hit the fast forward button then...

Upon spotting each other, the three Pokémon gasped, standing still and on end.

On end of what? Thier paws, claws, wob's really weird psuedopods? And the forest terrain seems uninclined for them to have edges to stand on, so i got a hair confused to put it mildly.

Also while standing still works, why not use freezing? Adds a frision of tension.

“Team Rocket! Not today!” Pikachu barked, holding its ground.

As no ones moving per the earlier "standing still " section is seems excessive.for chu to be holding his ground... if you wanna keep it i guess i'd ask, how is holding ground different then standong still? You might wanna lay down an example to make chus stance really pop...

Also, somewhere in the woods... ash is hearing the tr theme music in his head and he doesnt know why...

“Aight, time out! There ain’t no Team Rocket today!” Meowth panicked.

Considering his decades long stints of being blaseted off. Fair to panic.

“As if whatever you say isn’t just a lie,” Pikachu retorted, slightly raising its tail.

I mean fair point. Meowths pulled so many fake defections i doubt none of ashs regular crowd would trust him...

So about pikas pose... if he's bipeding it hes almost shaped like a u... one sec...



Okay so imagine this more side view (i couldnt find a good one so bare w me) the outer part.of the "u" woukd be chus belly, paws.. all his roundness thats forward facing. The back part.of the u would.be the tail.

Minus the ears, chus tail would be about level w his head...

So is he crouching a bit to get that tal up? How does that work mechanically?

Showing his teeth, Meowth turned to his companion. “Wobbuffet, do somethin’!”

Laughs. Wobs whole schick is not doing something...but responding last minute. This is the completely wrong mon to ask to be proactive, kitten.

Wobbuffet swung its arms. “It’s true! We’re doing a Christmas cheer! No stealing, no fighting!” It explained, almost pleadingly.

What s a chrismas cheer, is it lije wild mon charoling?

“No, not this Xmas thin’!” Meowth complained under wiggles. “It’s just a normal vacation, nuttin’ more!”

I see what you mean about meowth not being a holiday fan. Wonder if jessie and james knew thier real reason for "taking a walk" if james would put a santa cap on the two. He seems the type.

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.

So... i guess wild mon and tamed mon have an xmas sense? Wonder if its a different day from human xmas?

“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.”

I suspect meowths last life was a retail cashier. That or he was traumatized a black friday like scene as a small kitten in this life...

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.

Panically? Ypu mean fearfully? Or perhaps it was a typo and you meant partially?

Also word choice quibble... but normally youre conceeding loudly, you could also conced with a yell, rather than through.

“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.

Well glad to see his privatly worked as pika didnt over hear.... i bolded the it because after saying it out loud with a d with it being dropped it sounded better (less fuss/more natural) not present but i wanted to leave that chice in your hands...

Incited? So i actually looked it up... and it really doesnt fit the moment. Yes chu can be considered starting something... but we have it taking the lead w it keeping leaping forward... so it feels like it can easily be dropped. And theres no clarity issues as to whose talking ect.

Also as they are already in the forest, unless they are drifting deeper in (which has been shown earlier) that sextion can also be dropped.

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.

In short, meowth and wob have jkined the party! Or rather wob has and is dragging meowth, ignorw the claw marks in the forest floor.

•••

Not even a minute later, chirping noises reverberated through their ears.

So as thier all mon wouldnt they all hear the "chirps" as words? Also normally isnt it alarming when the forest sounds turn off (aka theres somethinf scary enough that the birds shut uo when its prwsent)

“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.

Nice nod to wob and meowths height difference w wob havong to bend over double to handle dragging the relictant feline...

I bolded the word notoce... because it doesnt particularly fit the scene and could be dropped. Meowth's not giving notice/warning, he's just booking it.

…

“Are you friendly?” The other side asked.

Wonder what the other side looks/soubds like and why they canymt be seen, even as outlines?

“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.

I... thought they already made it to camp w thier load and were dealing w drama monkey and defenstration birb? Also, musta been a veeery big tree.

.

“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.”

And thus xmas jam was discovered...

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!”

I see chus goodwill is thimble deep... joy...

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.”

Its team rocket. Not okays baseline...

With a blushed nod, Wobbuffet started to walk away. “Wobbuffet word!” It cheered with a wink. “See you at night!”

So blushing and nodding are vwry different beasts. You can blush and nod. But the nod shouldnt cause blushing and visa versa.

“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.

So meowths got a portable heart monitor? It seems hyper specific.

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.

Is this the ravune where starraptor chucks bad pmd adventurers? Will meowth meet anyone whose been tossed into the depths.

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.

hmm so his reluctance js less a xmas hater and more an exasperated w his present lot in gettibg blasted off instead of getting a party... wonder how the himan half of team rocket wpuld react to that outburst. Thier rather quixotic csnonically so its quite the toss up.

••••••••••

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,×

Decorations?

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.

Since tones dont ususally unhinge jaws leaving them agape... the praise coukd be one sentence. The jaw drpp another... post neck cricking look up that is...

“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.

Its a bit odd...but ash had/has a cynaquil, a bulbasaur, and i think all of the wild mon as part of his team... as this fic goes on just usong the mon names is giving me something like mental disodence as i keep expecting the wild 'saur to act like ash's 'saur.

Its not quite dejavu but its something like it...

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.

As xmas is a day rather than a thing i'd suspect they need to help protect the other mon, the tree, ect instead of the day itself....

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.

I see might's plan is going well... also w the mythology of the star being expanded on i'm wonderung how much water it will hold...

Unfazed, Zubat persisted with its attack, albeit shifting its aim towards Pikachu.

Snorts. Zubats not aware of chus dues ex mechanica status isnt he? This will go well.

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.

Well its a 50/50 wun win. Closer tonthe fneikd means more concentrated supersonics... but also less time to dodge lightning... could go either way...

As its opponent struggled to stabilize its flight, Pikachu leaped forward speedily with a “YAAAH!”, quickly slamming its body against Zubat.

... so it didnt swoop down of its own will and control? It dropped, ergo the destabilization? This is all guess work because zu going from "i am scream master of confusion" and blitzing who swaths of wilds to "i can barely fly!" Threw me for a loop.

Since chu lept forward"speedily"the "quickly" of the slam feels excessive.

The impact force pulled them both towards a nearby tree. Upon collision, the bat Pokémon closed its eyes, falling to the ground.

So you have another double kinda like the speedily/quickly sect8on" but closer. The "impact force" is very much repatative.

Let me explain

Impact, is a force, aka a collision and...

reads ahead... that you just used.

okay, rubs temples...

Lets wind this back a bit...

Orig text altered (aka how it looks when you realize it all basicall means the same thing. Yes there are subtle differences in the terms but its so subtle more would overlook it...

The impact impact pulled them both towards a nearby tree. Upon impact, the bat Pokémon closed its eyes, falling to the ground.

So besodes gently reminding you that zu is blind and has no eyes to close... ergo why i scratched it out (the only alt i coukd think of was to have zu go limp but i'm sure youll think of something better so i left if blank)...

Theres a lot of synonims of impact here. More uses of impact than scentrnces even.

We have 3 uses of impact basically back to back in 2 lines.

Also one mere line ago pika taclked/body slammed zu. We've seen the impact hapoen during the previous section during the tackle... to this whole tangle can be restructured even further...

The impact force pulled (pushed)them both towards a nearby tree. Upon collision, (they) (duo) bat Pokémon closed its eyes, falling to hit the ground.

I left one impact alone.
Dropped force because the motion towards the tree covers that.
Swapped pulled for pushed because pulled makes it sound like the tree did it.
i know the tree didnt do it, its not a treevent, but still pulled sounds like the agency goes to the tree and i wanted to clean that up.
Used "they" because the previous attacking scene showed the two mon to still be tangled together.
Swappped falling for hit to hold the previous tone of the scuffle and to counter how nuetral sounding falling is.

At this finale, many wild Pokémon stopped in place, while some others ran away.

Tips head. Either wild mon are suuuper peaceful or timid natured mon bred like bunnies in this area...

“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.

Can you expmain the messege dostinguished section? you completely lost me there.

Before any of them could advance towards the fallen Zubat…

Considering chu is sitting on the critter that'd be a feat...

“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.

"Well they both are now... since theyre arguing... but since i want holi munchies i'll keep my snout shut and leave them to it."

most of the remaining npcs... probably...

“YEEEEEAH!” A collective bawl sounded from the multitude as it dispersed, most of the Pokémon walking away from the scene.

Wait what? So if they'e collectivly bawling theyre... group crying? and then they just leave? But the text indicates cheering..

Scratches head...

i know bawling can also be an anger sound(though rarely used that way) or just a loud sound (very very rarely used) but the negative emotive insinuation (mainly per audages like "bawling like a baby" and "bawling ones eyes.out") are inceridibly hard for me to shake and its throwing me for a loop.

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..!”

Looks like birb has its detrscters. Good for chikorita at least. Though seriously thuer defenstration was over torn holi decorations?

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.

Growl tends to be softer than roaring i'd almost rec nixing ornupgrading it for that alone...

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.

Yeah this dumpster fire is gunna ender might and zu to the masses... i'm feeling more bad for zu than anyone else who seems to be sweet talked into something they dont understand.

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.

Cue a soft ting and jessie and james shivering from dejavu. Wonder if itll clonk meowth in the head? Thats one way to bring the spirit to Mr. Shiny Things Fan.

“NOO!” All of them, including Chikorita, yelled in unison, widening their eyes to the maximum.

If "all of them" are wailing why would you need to point out specifically that chic was too? I scratched that out.

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

All they need are pichforks and torches... bet bad birb blames the newcommers...

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.

Called.it...

••••••••••
“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!”

shake a treat bag... or produce a ball of yarn. Works on r.l. cats too... wondrr if.the old pspsps trick would fly here?

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.

Snorts. Even if it doesnt bink meowth in the head odds of probability is itll land close to him...so good call wob...

And done. Drf feels like a lost episode here. Will drop a line on chaoter 3 as time permits.

 

[K_S]

chapter 3

review complete

Sorry had to use my phone and cold weather murders my typing.. so youll have to bare w more typos than standard

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

Well he's better at scavenging than pika, figures.

; 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.

Natiator and narrstion feels a bit squishy here. We are swapping from meowths pov, to anime esk narritive voice over, to omniscent narritive... and its a bit jarring to say the least. I'd rec lumping all of it together at the top then flipping to meowth and staying there for clarity reasons...

Time to get my hands dirty again.

Case in point... gestures to line above...

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.

Spoken lije a true master of blasting off..

Meowth gulped, slowly stepping towards the creeping plant. Closer to it, he saw a golden object stuck within.

Was the plant creeping? Or do you mean its a vine, perhaps? Because you are also calling it a bush... and i'm confused.

“What we got 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!”

Snorts. And scenes like this and all the chu nappings explain why he's perpetually on the naughty list.

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.

Instead of saying "walking in a bouncy manner" why not say he "bounced about"? Also if he were "hugging" the star rather than "holding it ckose" well it adds more emotion and clips off some excessive wordsge.

“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.

Did he take the star w him or plop it doen since he used its wish?

..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.

So flickering is like... the edge of a cnadles light, fadding in and out of existince. Flicking is more of a whip like swish wiggle that cats do pre pounce.

“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!”

Oh so he did tote it aroubd. I imaginw the drag mark was pretty impressivr.

“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.

Wonder why meowth thpught his "shooting star" woukd make a difference. He wished on it and all...maybe it needs proximity?

(Or maybe ist just so shiney he doesnt want to let it go?)

••••••••••
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!”

Um lightning what? are they blaming zu or pika... because pika tackled to minimize damages...

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!”

Someone reward that chikorota w a megaphone... and possibly a leadership position... its the one grass type w a braincell and the spine to use it.

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.

Yeah you gotra be cautious about the mon who tusseled w actual mon god and won.. leaning more on origins than anime base canon.. but still

“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.

Theres a lot of its, the rioting mon, chik, and pika... at this point its getting a mite confusing to keep track of whose who...

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!”

Snorts. Since integrety is an internal trait and tje stars an external focus.... i cluld poke a lot of holes into Star's argument. And is star' swooping in or hopping over? Because bird walks are anything but intinidating when they hobble over on foot... its just too bouncy to be anything but silly.

As Pikachu took a breath, Bulbasaur stepped forward. “Actually, chances are the star could still be there.”

? There makes it soubd like "in the tree" . nearby might be a better choice to ckear things up...

“Excuse me!? How would it be, after being thrown away like that?” Staravia inquired, flying down to the others’ height.

... youre a bird, who likely drops things while flying... think about it for a min...

This time, Buneary came in,

Came in makes it sound like bun left and then came back. Chimmed might worj better..

“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.

Im imaginine a scene where the star falls into the canon where a mob of defenstrated pokemon go all "finding nemo seagulls" and start screaming "mine" all at once while huddling aroubd the star.

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.

Itd be lije attacking roadkill. Even jessie and james would balk at it

“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!”

Ubderstandably clear as mud. Poor bats been boinked sensless.

“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.

How do hugs work w wings? Thank goodness no ones got quills...

“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.”

Curious as to what star did (besides defenstration)? I susoect the birb is the real villian and mights kinda a well meaning but dense sub boss in the grand schene of things

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-“

I suspect wob was about ready to make a ketchup joke... its where my mind went.

“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!”

Ah theres the roaming wrench in the plans... meowth might be a bit overpowered here... granted most might' attacks are bite flavored which means wob should probably use counter, right?

“Fuhget it,” Meowth retorted, erecting his posture. “I found it first, n’ ya ain’t gonna make no wish before me!”

Wait meowth akready wished. Pass it over its a dud now!

“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.

Open chase, sounds a bit gruesome for someone named chase... on the other hand giving chase.. or chase them is more fitting... also i stand corrected about mights motives.

Before Aipom could answer, many Pokémon came in from all directions, surrounding the duo in a state of calamity.

State of calamity... as in mass destruction/disaster? But no ones thrown down an attack yet? Theyre all just galoping over...

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.

Wide... as in they were all routound? Or large as in numerous... if they were fanned out as in "spread wide" theyd be spaced few and far bwteen... anyway the terms a bit confusing...

“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,

Bloating as in indigestion struck them all. The blorbs?

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??”

Mm its playing keepaway.. wondering how the attacks havent hit the star to be honest.

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?!”

Hes got a point. Its a bit more c9mplicated (tr's less than moral employment under gio, and the pikanappings) but yon cats got the gist of why its wrong.

“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!”

Shakey eyes, as in thwyre tembling... um. Ew... bad brain...

“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.

I'm les afraid and more wkrried about the sight of splat haolening in the background. Also meowths got the star... hw cluld use it as leverage to make star' gently put down thw dark dog type...

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.

Or not. Plus one int point for the masses i guess.

“Give it back!” Many of them yelled, hastily closing in on him.

“It’s not yours, toddler!”

Toddler? Makes confused noise.

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.

Amazing that meowth giving it up caused it to shatter after the choas of running and combat didnt... less blast off and more blast down. Winces. Can meowth swim? Cue water rescue sub epidose i guess.

As always thanks for sharing.

 

[FanFictioner144]

The amount of times I laughed at myself... [I laughed a little too much]

Getting to the point:
Anything I do not comment on = I agreed with your mention + I have nothing else to say. Here we go:

So about that immersion se tion... did you happen to notice how long it wad.

A section worth highlighting. I do agree with you; I have restructured the scene differently from your draft. Still a good inspiration source.

So about pikas pose... if he's bipeding it hes almost shaped like a u... one sec...

Another one I agree with. But that Pikachu picture is [sooo cute]! Had to cite.

What s a chrismas cheer, is it lije wild mon charoling?

Kinda the point of the story: Pokémon partying at Christmas. Something close to how humans would, while not being the exact same way.

So... i guess wild mon and tamed mon have an xmas sense? Wonder if its a different day from human xmas?

Speculation.

i bolded the it because after saying it out loud with a d with it being dropped it sounded better (less fuss/more natural)

Whenever Meowth's speech gets too confusing, I write in normal text. Makes it less impossible to understand. And readers imagine Meowth talking the way he usually does.

Wonder what the other side looks/soubds like and why they canymt be seen, even as outlines?

Me not being good at suspense... anyway, text depicts a tree blocking the view. [And that tree will give birth to several ones, for my edit]

I... thought they already made it to camp w thier load and were dealing w drama monkey and defenstration birb?

Me trying to [insert] another search for resources. After Staravia says, "Get back to work". Might add more context in the prologue.

Is this the ravune where starraptor chucks bad pmd adventurers?

That was a coincidence. I never played PMD. Might expand the reference, if that is the case.

Its a bit odd...but ash had/has a cynaquil, a bulbasaur, and i think all of the wild mon as part of his team...

I see. My [random Pokémon generator] has betrayed me. Well done, rPg.

This is all guess work because zu going from "i am scream master of confusion" and blitzing who swaths of wilds to "i can barely fly!"

Foreshadow to Zubat's fragilities.

So besodes gently reminding you that zu is blind and has no eyes to close...

How did that one slip from my mind... is beyond me.

Though seriously thuer defenstration was over torn holi decorations?

Foreshadowing.

Another appreciated review. Have a great [sequence of days]!

 

[K_S]

Chapter 4 i.p.

chapter 4 review i.p.

I wound up bolding my comments/suggestions because for some reason I cant get the spoiler box to divide up like normal. Your text is in mormal btw.

Chapter 4 - Mending Conflicts, Part I
Summary:
When Meowth realizes the drawbacks of tearing down a whole tradition...

"No star, no Christmas!" Many Pokémon protest.

Caught in the turmoil, Pikachu and friends find themselves in a bad spot. They must stand up in the name of Christmas.

Chapter Text:
By the canyon river, the water current drags Meowth along the way, while he strives to float. Nothing in this Christmas has worked in his favor, perhaps nothing will… or maybe, only perchance, things might turn around when an unexpected paw grabs his own and rescues him from his predicament.(33)

I'm limiting myself to one sentence... this one w 33 words is it.

first off looking at the following line the no commentary, it seems like this was supposed to be narrative speaking... but it doesn't sound like it... so I'll open in saying I'm a little confused...

moving along w structural issues:

Nothing in this Christmas has worked out.

cut "in his favor since "out" means the exact same thing here. Also cut it off at out. Is one idea ergo one sentence.

perhaps nothing ever would.

Cut down for the same idea.

or maybe, perchance, things might turn around when an unexpected paw grabs his own and rescues him from his predicament.

This works fine as a stand alone, I know it's not the best way to open w a sentence "or" but it's different nad rarely used so it adds some spice to this section while helping make the long run on more manageable.



No more commentary.



Upon standing on solid surface, Meowth frantically shook his body to drive away the water droplets, taking several hard breaths.



“Welcome aboard, outcast,” A voice grumbled through his ears.



Meowth gasped, turning around to face his savior, none other than Mightyena. “You!?” He shouted, stepping away. “What sorta’ tricks is ya onto?”

“No tricks, I assure you,” Mightyena stated, staring into his eyes. “Tell me, Meowth, what happened to the star?”



“The shiny’s… gone, okay?” Meowth replied, looking away from Mightyena. “But it don’t matter! That golden stray jinxed me all ‘long!”



“Correction, it matters a lot,” Mightyena countered, softening its gaze. “After all, they failed to see the deceit behind the star, unlike us.”



“What bogus is ya sayin’??” Meowth inquired.

Bogus... you mean what lies? what junk... it's an odd way to use bogus and seems even odder in meowth venecular...

Mightyena shifted its gaze towards the night sky, a waning moon lighting most of the canyon. “(you're) an outsider… listen closely, Poké-cat,” It began, taking a breath before returning its stare at Meowth.

“You see, they believed solely upon that star. According to tradition, Christmas could only happen on its behalf, never in its absence.” Mightyena narrowed its eyes. “..so deceitful!”

Funny how the dark type/evil type whose stereotypically evil sees the truth o it. Guess this is the mon' version of rampantent comercialism.

Meowth slowly uncrossed his arms. “So they lived fairytale way… an’ I..-“ He lamented, placing a paw on his chin.



“Yes, they did,” Mightyena continued. “And while I was there, doing my own things for the festival, I thought so too. That was a mistake on my part, and I only came to realize it when Staravia hard accused me of sabotaging decorations.”

Hard accused? I'm thinking this is a case of bad wordage?

“Woah, woah, woah!” Meowth interjected, a smirk shaping his lip. “Ye lowkey grinched their Xmas?!”

“That’s the point; I didn’t even get close to anything not mine!” Mightyena exclaimed. “Yet, I damaged some of my own decorations, and suddenly, I was facing charges for harming the whole community.



“It was a matter of time; Staravia swooped down on me and dragged me down this desolate canyon,” Mightyena continued, returning its stare at Meowth. “I recall all it said, word by word… nothing you’d like to hear, either way.”



After a slow breath, Meowth began gesturing with his paw. “Heh, betcha’ really wanna pounce that pesky bird!” He sneered.



“Not the case,” Mightyena answered, steadily walking towards the river border. “It was not his fault that the star tricked him into that.”

“I dunno,” Meowth said, following Mightyena’s steps. “Birdy’s gotta be the one who didn’t stick to the Xmas program, no?”

Mightyena shifted its paws, raising an eye. “Are you saying that he turned away from the tradition itself?”

“Who knows, maybe he only played ‘long ‘cause the star was t’ere,” Meowth suggested, “‘sides, it don’t feel like an Xmas t’ing to blast yer own folks…” At that, he glanced downwards, then quickly back at Mightyena.

Looking down the river, the latter’s eyes drifted from one water flow to another. “So the star, and the tradition around it… have they no worth?”

Meowth hung his head. “Uhh, it ain’t that simple… I think it’s sorta’ t’ing ya have to believe in, y’know?” He inferred. “But now, it’s over. Their reason to believe in Xmas, gone. An’ I…I’m the one who took it ‘way.”

Mightyena contemplated the river before nodding softly. “So truly, the star wasn’t the issue. Destroying it only made it worse for them, and also for us.”

Meowth and Mightyena shared a few moments of silence, their gazes fixed on the river. For a while, the only noise within the area came from the water current.

Moewth in an AU of this AU
-after a long long moment staring at the water: "So's ya wanna join up w' me an m' friends? We break stuff all th' time an' get paid for it by a fat cat in Veridian... An' we got a balloon, can't be defenstrated outta that puppy easy.. An Jimmie boy he's nuts, he like's dogs... no offence... But it's an open offer?"



Supporting both paws below his chin, Meowth sighed. “Maybe I shoulda’ went ‘long with Pikachu back t’ere…” He mumbled in a low voice.

“Huh?” Mightyena turned to face him.



“Uhh, never mind!” Meowth gasped, hastily glancing down the river course. After a few seconds, though, he turned back at Mightyena “Hey, pal, what’s that on t’ere?” He called, pointing at an artificially bright horizon.



Mightyena eyed the same faint light. “That’s a human town, a place I’ve been hanging around lately,” It explained, “and also the only way out of here.”

Smart Doggo making a plan b. Wonder if he'll take zu w him.

“A town, ya say…” Meowth weighed Mightyena’s words, moving a paw across his chin. “Maybe if we found somethin’ shiny to replace that star… maybe that’d do the trick! Y’know what they say, life’s short, so we gotta clean up our grudges, or somethin’ like that.”



“Hmm… How exactly do you plan on replacing it? That tree is too tall to climb up.” Mightyena frowned.

“Trust me, I got it all within this lil’ Meowth.” He quickly stood up from the ground. “So, mind sharin’ this Meowth ‘ere a ride?”



Standing up, Mightyena gave him a sharp look. “Fine, I’ll bring you to the closest retail store,” it stated, slightly lowering its body. “Hope you really know what you’re doing, cat.”

Meowth quickly jumped on Mightyena’s back. “Y’er a real one, pooch.” He complimented. “Now, let’s get goin’; the sooner we find a shiny, the sooner we get this Xmas rollin’ again!”

I'm imagining all the insane shiny things Meowth can scrounge from, say a Walmart... if we're going full tilt parody mode will meowth swipe a lamp with a leg as a stand.

Mightyena roared in ardor before sprinting towards the town, following the river course. As they went through, the canyon barriers began lowering in height, until even the slightest jump would easily position them above it.

••••••••••

All wild Pokémon had already returned to the area where their Christmas decorations stood. Besides the ornamental sculptures and berry containers, the giant tree stood nearby, filled with lots of rock spheres — little had changed…

..except for the star absence and the Pokémon turmoil around the tree. Their screams overlapped within the forest.



Safely distant from the commotion, Pikachu, Wobbuffet, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, Buneary, and Zubat remained vigilant, their mouths either agape or blank in contemplation.


mouths can be open, closed, or twisted into fun expressions... I've never seen a moth go blank before... except in some horror stories... you might wanna update that line and say their expressions were blank or something...



“It can’t be over! There must be a way to save Christmas!” Buneary uneasily exclaimed.



“Unlikely,” Bulbasaur commented. “The star was the only thing that could bring harmony. Without it, little can be done about that.”



“Wait, what?” Pikachu questioned, tilting its ear. “Christmas is more than just a star! Wha are they thinking?”

Zubat hovered towards Pikachu. “But Christmas IS the star!” The flying Pokémon interjected, shaking its body out of anxiety. “Or it was before, but… i-it’s tradition!”



“Really?! You too?!” Pikachu frowned. “Christmas is more! It’s a time of joy-“



Two frantic taps on its ears interrupted its speech. “Over there!” Wobbuffet’s voice followed.



Along with the others, Pikachu turned to face Wobbuffet, who pointed at an unwinding Pokémon mass; their yells and screams slowly faded into a state of complete silence. Each of them faced a trio of Pokémon below the big tree: Chikorita, Staravia, and Aipom.



“It’s about time you folks quieted down, no?” Aipom scoffed, then pointed its hand-tail at Chikorita. “Ahem, little wiseman right there’s got a word to say, and I’m sorry to inform you that there are no more trees to cry on top.”



After a sigh of annoyance, Chikorita stood slightly higher. “Now, everyone! This is the moment of high importance for Christmas!” It discoursed. “I know we saw the star shattering in front of us; a star molded by our most honorable ancestors!”



A pause for breath preceded several seconds of chirps, comparable to the noise of cricket Pokémon.

“See, we all know of the conflicts and battles they once deemed irredeemable!” Chikorita continued. “Of the whole generations impacted in those clashes! It went on until one day, when they agreed on a truce to create it, the golden star of Christmas and-”



“Cut it to the point, will you?” Staravia interrupted, crossing its wings. “What does it all have to do with the broken star?”



“That’s the point!” Chikorita exclaimed. “It’s not about the star! It’s about the initiative our elders had taken to preserve harmony with it. Our harmony! If we don’t honor it, then what about the effort they put into it? What about our own effort to keep … …”

As it spoke, Pikachu and company listened.

Bulbasaur shook its head. “The others don’t seem to be going along with it,” it commented in a low voice.



“That can’t be,” Buneary whispered back. “His words feel so right!”



“I don’t know...” Zubat pondered, ascending slightly in its flight. “Feels like he doesn’t care that our star got... gone.”



“Hey! He does care!” Buneary countered, pointing its paw at a slightly downed Chikorita. “Just look at his face! It’s not something you see every day!”

I nickname Chickorita Linus... because they got the memo... if not the speech capacity to get people to get the real reason... granted I don't know how well it's going to take but.. it's a hope..

Sighing, Wobbuffet tapped its paws together. “I see it, but they don’t,” It chimed in, although its gaze remained fixed on the crowd. “All they see is that Meowth broke the star… Meowth, my friend.”



Pikachu glanced downwards. “I hate it when it comes down to Meowth’s faults,” It grumbled. “It’s as if I can never cheer at Christmas with him!”

Um.. faults... this year meowth was scared silly and dropped something shiny... I'd argue against Chu's logic...


Mudkip and Cyndaquil widened their eyes noticeably. “That’s so sad,” They both stated in unison, both glancing at each other and then blushing.



“Shh! They’re still speaking!” Bulbasaur murmured, swinging its head at Aipom, Chikorita and Staravia.



Nodding, the others turned to watch the three Pokémon speak.

“... … realize that the star is just broken shards now?!” Staravia yelled, spreading its wings. “And with it, our harmony is also broken! Wake up, Chikorita! We can’t recover from this!”



“Yes we can!” Chikorita objected. “Isn’t harmony what we want? We can rebuild it and thrive in it; you just have to believe it!”



Aipom jumped and landed on top of its hand-tail. “Aww, did you hear that, folks? Belief?!” It snickered. “What a sweet irony to our unbelievable state, don’t you think so?”



“Yes, belief,” Chikorita continued, stepping forward. “We can have our Christmas sabotaged and our star torn apart, yet still stand up in our belief. With it, we can restore our Christmas, our cheer, even our harmony! So, everyone, I ask you this: raise your paws if you share the same belief in your hearts!”

A vast minority of Pokémon raised their paws with a shout, including Pikachu, Wobbuffet, their friends, some wild Pokémon and even Aipom. Their numbers barely comprised 15% of the total Pokémon in the area.



“Who said it will work?” One of them yelled.



“Only a new star can bring our hope back!” Staravia declared, hovering above the ground.



“It doesn’t work that way!” Chikorita voiced its desperation.



“No star, no harmony!!” Many other Pokémon protested.Saddly this play out feels pretty true to how I ould see real people acting in this scenario. thwumps over. hopeful I know, but this the season...


In no time, a turmoil engulfed them all in a series of roars and cries as they pushed each other. Their volumes escalated so quickly that grasping each meaning became virtually impossible.



Amidst the chaos, Chikorita and Aipom stood close to each other, trading glares with Staravia.



“It’s over, Chikorita, and you know it!” Staravia yelled, ascending in its flight.



“It’s all your fault!” Chikorita lashed out, holding its ground. “Since the moment you kicked Mightyena out of Christmas, since you took away their-“



With a battle cry, Staravia began diving towards its enemy.



Chikorita hastily unleashed its vines, its head shaking.

However, before it could use them, a hand suddenly grabbed the leaf over its head, pulling it away from Staravia’s swoop.



“Take away what, their sense of dignity?!” Aipom spoke, still pulling Chikorita. “Because I’m sure they’re completely fine taking ours, too.”

“Drop me now!” Chikorita demanded, swinging its head in a struggle to release itself. “I have to show that bird!“

“Oooh, now that’s what I call a dignity loss,” Aipom scoffed, stopping in its tracks to release Chikorita carelessly. “Go on, let that bird Sky Attack you all it wants. I’ll be looking for the best tree to stay on top, by your leaf.”

Standing up, Chikorita glanced at the Pokémon mass, all pushing each other violently while starting blows here and there. Above them, Staravia stared at the two distant Pokémon, waiting two seconds or so before turning away and joining in on the battle.



Moaning, Chikorita gritted its teeth. “Lose it hard, birdmash!” It roared, sprinting back to the battlefield.



“Tsk, pure comedy.” Aipom giggled halfheartedly, shaking its head. In a flash, it turned around and made its way into the forest, the small brightness from the moon reflecting on its emerging tears.



Still away from the wild Pokémon mass, Pikachu and the others observed wide-eyed, either holding paws or positioned fully upright.

“That’s awful!” Mudkip squirmed beside Buneary and Cyndaquil. “No, I can’t look at that!”



They all witnessed a few blows within the Pokémon mass, signature of element-based attacks.



“Are they really going to battle because of a star?!” Buneary cried, shaking its body out of anxiety. “They have to stop! It’s Christmas!”



“Alright, guys, we won’t leave it be!” Pikachu incited, lowering its front paws.



In contrast, Bulbasaur shook its head. “Watch out! There are too many of..-“



Yet, Pikachu had already sprinted off.

“…them.” Bulbasaur finished, hanging its head. Despite its frown, seeing its friends go along led it to start moving as well.

Pika takes on arceus for grinding purposes... he'll be fine.

In the end, Buneary and Bulbasaur followed Pikachu right behind, with Cyndaquil and Mudkip moving behind everyone. They shouted and cried together.

On the other hand, Wobbuffet and Zubat stood in place, their looks contemplative.



“What are we going to do?” Zubat asked, flying down to Wobbuffet’s side.



“No idea,” The latter replied, looking downwards. “By now, I’m sure my friend Meowth would leak a way… I miss him a lot.”

“Oh..- but still, maybe we should battle alongside our friends?” Zubat suggested.



“I can’t.” Wobbuffet backed away. “It’s time I settle down for the night and forget all of this. For myself and for Meowth.”



As Wobbuffet went through with its decision, Zubat faced downwards, faltering in its position. “I don’t know anymore. Where’s Christmas? Where’s the cheering, below the big tree? I-I don’t see that anymore!”



After a few seconds, it began flying towards the blue Pokémon, slow and shakily.



“Perhaps I believed too hard.” Zubat sighed along the way. “Maybe he’s right and… we just forget.”

In the end, the two of them sat down close to a tree, looking up at the constellations. Excluding one murmur or another from them, the night remained quite silent, far away from the noises of that wild battle.

And things deolve into a mad house... and there's only 2 chapers to calm the mad masses... this'll be interesting to see come together.

 

[K_S]

chapter 5 i.p.

Chapter 5 - Mending Conflicts, Part II​

Summary:​

Our five protagonists are no match for the wild Pokémon; it is literally five against a horde. But when an external force promises a solution, Pikachu and friends set out to assist with all their might.

Especially when Meowth is the one behind their new hope.

Chapter Text:​

Amidst the chaos, the fantastic five Pokémon barge in with their willpower and a dream, to end that battle and restore Christmas. Truly a dream, if they think they have any chance of winning… but, oh, they’ve got to try. So try they shall.

Here, I pause the climax to leave a provocation: how much does a tree star weigh for Christmas? Is it possible to celebrate without the star, or are the people bound to exclusion? The way I see it, you don’t have to destroy it like Mightyena or reject it like Meowth. But clinging to it like the others inevitably fails all the same. So instead, I hold my ground onto Pikachu’s example: Christmas is for everyone, even when the star is not.

Now, where was I..- Oh, yes! The big battle!


In a matter of seconds, Pikachu and its friends stood close to the battlefield. Immediately, they were greeted by a loose stream of water making its way towards them.

All they could do was gasp before the attack hit Buneary’s and Bulbasaur’s heads. Thankfully, all it did was push them slightly backwards, the water flow quickly dissipating.

After a rapid glance at its friends, Pikachu’s gaze locked at the battling Pokémon. “STOP IT!” It vociferated, electricity flowing through its cheeks.

A pack of wild Pokémon turned to face Pikachu and company, initiating a sprint towards them.

The sparks around Pikachu’s cheeks became lengthier. “I said STOP IT!” It repeated, unleashing a large beam of lightning at its opponents.

Instantly, a yellow cloud of electricity engulfed the charging Pokémon, making their entire bodies shake out of shock. Once the attack dispersed, each of them collapsed on the grassy ground.

However, this strike drew the attention of many other Pokémon, who did not waver before launching a barrage of elemental attacks at Pikachu.

Before it could dodge, two vines abruptly wrapped around it and pulled backwards, away from the offensive. Consequently, each beam passed by and soon faded away.

“Take care!” Bulbasaur instigated, swiftly bringing Pikachu to the floor and releasing it.

“They won’t be easy to talk around!” Buneary exclaimed, stepping forward.

“Then we’ll give them a reason to stop!” Pikachu leaded, quickly turning to face its adversaries for another electrical strike.

After a quick nod, Buneary began charging towards the wild Pokémon, while Bulbasaur swung its vines against them.

In the back, Cyndaquil and Mudkip remained side by side, their whole bodies trembling at each new blow.

“The fight… it’s just..- I can’t stand it!” Mudkip moaned. “I don’t wanna be part of it! I can’t!”

“I feel you!” Cyndaquil agreed, leaning slightly against its friend.

The pair kept watching their friends face all the rioting Pokémon. Despite the massive disadvantage in numbers, Pikachu, Buneary and Bulbasaur held their ground, managing to attack more than get attacked.

However, as the battle moved on..-

“HEEY, WATCH YOUR FLAAANK!” A sudden call echoed through the place, startling every Pokémon.

Nearly all of them halted their attacks to face the source. Given the surrounding darkness, they could only see a figure emerging from the sparse forest.

“Who’s that?” Buneary pondered as they all watched the figure’s quadrupedal walk.

“YES, HEERE!” The figure shouted as it slowly walked towards the Pokémon mass. “Listen to me! I know a way to mend the star! Give me the time; you won’t regret it!”

A few moments later, the other Pokémon visualized the figure better, identifiable as Mightyena — the same one.

“YOU AGAIN!” Taking flight, Staravia scolded. “How dare you violate our space AND your punishment?”

“You filthy evil!” Many Pokémon yelled.

“CLAWS ON THAT TRAITOR!”

Given a collective roar, all the standing Pokémon ran after Mightyena, who in turn sprinted off, back into the forest.

On the other hand, Pikachu and the others stayed behind, wearing perplexed looks as they watched the chase.

“How’s this possible?” Buneary stated, tilting its head. “He was attacking us before, and now he came back to help?!”

“Uh, what if deep down, he really regrets the attack?” Cyndaquil suggested, glancing at each of its friends. “Maybe he’s trying to fix things up.”

“Even so, he should know that he cannot do it all by himself,” Bulbasaur reflected.

“Yeah, but I think Mightyena’s got a plan,” Buneary pondered, placing a paw on its chin. “Just look at his pose; he seems way too confident to be random.”

Mudkip raised its fin. “Maybe he’s got a friend with him!”

Everyone gave it a baffled look.

Mudkip gulped. “Y’know, someone who’s willing to help him change things… for the better.”

At that, Pikachu’s ears twitched up. “Meowth!”

Buneary tilted its head. “You mean the one who broke the star?” It doubted.

“Uh-huh, that one,” Pikachu assented. “If anyone has these sorts of weird plans, I’m pretty sure it’s him.”

“That’s weird,” Buneary said.

“Then Mightyena could be a bait… or a distraction,” Bulbasaur pointed out.

“True,” Buneary conceded, “and perhaps we can step in and make our own distraction to rescue him!”

“Great idea,” Bulbasaur commended. “Now, we’ve got to catch up with them. Go!”

After trading a final glance at each other, the five Pokémon set out into the woods, following the general direction where Mightyena fled from the wild Pokémon mass.

“Hope this ends in Christmas cheer,” Mudkip wished.

“Meowth, whatever reason you’re doing this,” Pikachu whispered to itself, “I hope we can share a laugh together this year.”

••••••••••

“Welp, ‘ere comes nuttin’,” Meowth mumbled, peeking out from some bushes.

Wrapped around his arms, a star shined dimly under the moonlight, some of its glitter sticking to him. In essence, it was a wide plastic star, light enough for Meowth to carry and dense enough to resist the wind.

“Ugh, how much longer do I gotta hold this sticky?” Meowth complained, rubbing a paw on his arm. “At this rate, I’m gonna become a sparklin’ laughin’ furball!”

As he made his way through the forest, Meowth quickly glanced around, his gaze fixating at where Mightyena and every other Pokémon went.

“Uhh, why’s it that I feel kinda bad for that mutt?” Meowth’s tail flattened. However, he then tightened his grip on the star. “No, not the time! It’s ‘ready settled. I just gotta put this thingy where it belongs, an’ then… all’s good for us both!”

Meowth grinned, jumping for a 270° spin. As he landed, he gasped at the following sight: two figures lying against a tree, both also turning to face him.

Two seconds of baffled looks passed by.

Immediately, the one with a round head sprinted forward. “Friend! You’re back!” It shouted.

His heart pounded within his chest. “Wobby?!” Meowth asked, his tone mildly anxious.

“Meowth, bud, friend!” The other side replied joyfully as they picked up the pace.

He faltered before making his way. In no time, Meowth was standing right in front of Wobbuffet. “Hey, uh… been away for a lil’ while, but-“

Wobbuffet cut him off by hugging him, and did so tightly. “Buddy, we can’t keep staying away from each other! From now on, let’s glue ourselves together, thick as thieves!”

“Yeah, I’m real glad to be wit’ ya too,” Meowth replied, his arms too limp to return the hug. However, he ended up glancing at the flying Pokémon beside Wobbuffet, narrowing his eye. “Hold on, haven’t seen ya before!”

The stranger flapped its wings at a faster pace. “Yes, I-I’m sorry. I’m Zubat, nice to you mee..- uh, to meet you!” It introduced itself nervously.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, really!” Wobbuffet giggled, breaking the hug with Meowth. Its look quickly turned to the star in Meowth’s arms. “But, hey! Friend, isn’t that a-“

“A plastic star?!” Meowth carried on. “I know, I know, but it sure ain’t gonna be bad for a last-minute replacin’, dontcha ‘gree?”

“That’s my buddy!” Wobbuffet cheerfully struck its salute, although looking at Meowth’s glittery form snatched a chuckle from it. “Well, Meowth, your body shines just as brightly as your ideas!”

“Don’t get me started on that,” Meowth dismissed.

On the other hand, Zubat leaned forward, its flight becoming more trembled. “Wait, what if the others don’t follow along?” It voiced its concern. “I mean, you broke the previous star… n-no offense! It’s just, they might not see through this… coming from you.”

Meowth tensed up his posture, scratching his head. “Yeah, I’d be blamed n’ get my tail handed to..-” Despite his moaning, he briskly shook his head. “No. Just quit it, will ya? I haven’t come all the way back ‘ere for nuttin’, so get outta my way!”

Gulping, Zubat flew a few feet away, its shaky wings soon slowing down.

Meanwhile, Wobbuffet simply nodded. “I know you’ll do it!” It encouraged.

At that very moment, a faint noise echoed through the forest; it sounded like the combination of shouts and Pokémon attacks. Each second that went by, the sound only increased in volume.

“No, no, no! They back!” Meowth deplored.

“They who?” Wobbuffet tilted its head.

“Ain’t got no time to explain!” Meowth replied, pointing at the top of the largest tree. “Look, I need ya to throw me up that tree o’ weird stone decors. Got it?”

“Are you sure, friend?” Wobbuffet questioned, moving an arm to Meowth’s shoulder.

Given two quick breaths from him, Meowth frantically nodded. “Do it now! Before I change my mind!” He implored.

After another instant of tensed posture, a red aura enveloped Wobbuffet as it moved its other arm to Meowth. “Alright, heere wee goooo!” It bellowed.

Once Meowth collided with the psychic aura, Wobbuffet quickly raised its arms, dragging him upwards. In a moment, he took off in the air, making his way higher and higher up. “AAAAH!” He screamed, tightening his grip on the star.

During his whoosh, Meowth glanced at a massive group of Pokémon chasing one too small for him to see. Despite the fair distance between pursuers and target, they were quickly closing in.

“Just a lil’ longer, pal,” Meowth murmured to himself.

In the following second, he landed on one of the highest branches of the giant tree, holding onto it with his free paw. However, the impact made the whole plant start swinging, forcing Meowth into a struggle to keep his balance.

“Don’t let go, Meowth! Ya hafta make it!” He spoke out of desperation, his paw barely holding onto the branch.

After a few more seconds of struggle, an abrupt force began pushing him upwards. “Aargh, I gotcha!” Zubat’s voice came right away.

Groaning at the effort, Meowth began climbing up the tree, branch by branch, taking advantage of Zubat’s push. Eventually, they arrived at the top, with him tensing his body, just to keep hold of the highest branch.

“Phew, too close of it!” Meowth exclaimed, his other arm clutching the star tightly. “Thanks a bunch, Batzu. Ya helped me big time out t’ere.”

“You’re welcome, Meowth, haha,” Zubat welcomed with a giggle.

After a few more seconds of joyful laughter from them both, a faraway elemental explosion halted their rejoice, making them look at the ground. Approximately 25 meters away from the tree base, a wave of Pokémon ran towards an unmoving Mightyena. A cloud of dust covered the latter.

Meowth’s tail flickered. “Uh, oh, it’s tight! The star’s gotta get a spotlight! Go! Go tell ‘em!”

“O-Okay!” Zubat nodded before flying away from him, making its way towards the enormous amount of Pokémon on the ground.

In his wait, Meowth sweated, his grasp of the star ever so tight. “Welp, guess it’s time.” He muttered. “All I wanted was a joyful Xmas for me, n’ now look at me, ready to spread joy for everyone. And for what? As if they won’t just kick me off the tree the second I start talkin’!”

Meowth paused to look down at Zubat, the latter getting close to the wild Pokémon commotion.

“Ehh, whatever. Can’t be holdin’ this grudge forever.” He sighed, pulling the star closer. “Ooh, poké, if we make it through December… it don’t hafta be all right, I know.”

••••••••••

“WE GOT ‘EM!” A pack of wild Pokémon cheered loudly.

“Serves it well for ruining our Christmas!” Above them, Staravia swaggered.

Still catching up with the others, Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Mudkip and Buneary stiffened their bodies at the cries.

“It’s now or never!” Buneary urged its friends.

Pikachu assented, taking a deep breath. “HEEY! WATCH OUT!” It called as loud as it could.

“HERE, LISTEN!” Buneary emphasized.

In seconds, the wild Pokémon mass quieted down drastically, turning — one by one — to look at Pikachu and company.

“Look at ourselves! We’re hurting someone in plain view of Christmas!” Pikachu pointed out.

“What if he really wants to make amends? Listening to him won’t hurt!” Buneary added.

From the swarm, many Pokémon shook their heads, starting a new commotion.

“Won’t hurt?! This worm has already hurt us enough!”

“Are you with him? Are you our-”

At that very moment, a high-pitched shriek broke their shouts, making every single Pokémon turn around to face the noise source. In a split second, they found a Zubat flying right above them.

“S-Sorry, but… there’s something you have to..- Up the tree! Th-The biggest!” It stuttered, striving to stabilize its flight.

Grumbling among each other, all Pokémon, including Pikachu and company, tilted their heads to look at that tree. Their eyes soon fixated on a small white figure, fairly illuminated by a waning Moon, standing on top of the highest branch. Leaving their mouths agape, the attentive wave of Pokémon began a slow walk towards the large plant. They even walked past the unconscious Mightyena.

As they neared the tree, the figure’s voice became marginally audible.

“Who’s that?” One of them loudly asked. “What’s he saying?”

Meanwhile, Pikachu stood up, turning to face its friends. “That’s gotta be him! It’s Meowth!” It inferred.

“Yaay! It’s him!” Mudkip cheered.

“He’s trying to say something,” Bulbasaur pointed out, “but he’s too far!”

Lucid up until then, Zubat frowned. “Oh, no! Don’t worry! I-I’ll pass along his words!” It announced to the crowd, pausing for a quick breath. “He’s saying that he brought a new star, and you have to, uh..- He’s gonna place it on the tree!”

All Pokémon narrowed their eyes to observe the Meowth. Despite the distance, they could see him dragging a shiny object - a big star - to the highest twig, tying them both together. At this sight, the massive crowd started yet another commotion, this time a rather excited one.

“Look, he brought a new star!” Within the crowd, Chikorita pointed out.

“After destroying the one we had?!” Staravia doubted.

“No, wait! We’re saved! He’s a hero!” A Geodude celebrated.

Continuing with similar shouts, the Pokémon mass dispersed into all directions, surrounding the tree in a fast closing circle.

On the other hand, Pikachu and its friends remained close together, turning to face each other.

“He did it! He pulled the trick!” Buneary bounced in its cheer.

“He and his partner Mightyena!” Mudkip chirped.

Pikachu wore a big smile on its face. “We have a lot to talk about, Meowt-“

“WATCH OUT! He’s gonna fall!” A scream from the crowd pierced the joy.

All of them looked above, witnessing the wind swing the tree violently. Meowth swung with it, right, left, right, left, right…

..until yet another swing launched him off the tree and into the skies. An inaudible yell came from him, right before he disappeared into the darkness.

“NOOOOO! BUD, COME BACK!” From the sidelines, Wobbuffet ran towards him, ending up close to Pikachu and the others.

“That’s terrible! Someone’s gotta help him!” Buneary cried out loud.

“No, Meowth… this isn’t over yet!” Pikachu vowed, its front paws digging to the ground.

“Hey, watch yourself,” Bulbasaur asked. “Where are you going?”

“Meowth needs my help,” Pikachu replied before turning to look at Wobbuffet. “Our help. Let’s go, you too!” With that, it took off without warning.

Bulbasaur frowned, yet its mouth flinched. After a moment, it silently nodded.

Wobbuffet nodded before running right behind Pikachu. “Let’s make his Christmas the most special he’s ever had!”

Mudkip waved at them. “Good luck with your friend!”

“Hope he likes your gifts,” Cyndaquil wished in a timidly high pitch.

In no time, Pikachu and Wobbuffet disappeared from view, leaving Buneary, and its friends glancing at each other.

A few silent seconds went by. Then, a smile cracked on each of their lips.

“Yay! It’s so good when they’re all cheering together like this!” Mudkip celebrated at the Pokémon crowd.

“It wouldn’t have gone any other way,” Buneary added. “Christmas always ends up in cheer, no matter what happens to the star.”

At that moment, two Pokémon — Zubat and Chikorita — approached the quartet from the same direction.

“Hi there, uh… friends,” Zubat greeted.

“Hey there! Long time no see!” Buneary waved its paw in their way.

“You were so amazing out there!” Mudkip praised Zubat. “The way you flew by and talked to us about the new star… it felt straight out of a dream!”

“Oh, it was nothing, thank you,” Zubat replied as it flew down to the ground.

“But really, thank you for helping save our Christmas,” Chikorita thanked Zubat, then turned at the others. “That goes to you as well. Thank you all.”

“Glad we could help,” Cyndaquil said, blushing with a smile.

They all took a breath in silence.

Not even a second later, Mudkip’s fin stretched upwards. “Hey, guys! Now that it’s all cheer again, let’s do another buddyzone hug!”

“I’m in!” Buneary walked towards the center of their circle, a grin covering its face.

“Not the right time,” Bulbasaur interjected. “Mightyena’s still down. He won’t be able to get up on his own.”

“But wasn’t he..-“ Chikorita paused mid sentence, widening its eyes. “Ohh, I get it! He was also helping!”

“Exactly! He was working with that Meowth,” Buneary pointed out.

“Um, guys… isn’t this talk taking too long?” Zubat questioned, then gulped. “N-No offense, really!”

“You’re right,” Bulbasaur agreed. “This isn’t over, yet.”

“Alright! Let’s go help a Pokémon in need!” Chikorita led the way.

With that, the six Pokémon made their way towards Mightyena, nearing it in no time.

chapter 6 i.p.

Chapter 6 - Inclusion: Of Stars and Strays​

Summary:​

Part I:
Will Buneary and its friends be able to redeem Mightena, despite all its deeds and the wild Pokémon against it?


Part II:
Knowing Meowth is upset, his two allies will find a way to get to him. Even more, Pikachu looks forward to fulfilling its own wish with him:

For all the years they had stayed apart.

Chapter Text:​

Cheers! Harmony has been restored! Wild Pokémon from all over hold paws and celebrate their settlement! Sure, their joy was only restored because of a tree star (a plastic tree star, of all things!), but it is still joy… and Christmas is supposed to be just like that!

Following that principle, Chikorita, Buneary, and all their friends reach out to the downed Mightyena. A delicate matter, given that the ever-so fierce Staravia does not forgive as easily, and will gladly swoop down on its enemy in the name of integrity.

As for Meowth and Pikachu..- Hold your horses! We will get to that right after this. For now, I bid you farewell from my narrations and commence a resolution (what a wordplay!) that sinks deep into the characters’ hearts.

Oh, and… Merry Christmas!



••• Part I (of Mightyena) •••


“Wake up, Mightyena,” Bulbasaur called.

“Come on! You can’t sleep the whole Christmas!” Buneary prodded Mightyena a few times.

A few seconds went by before Mightyena’s eyes swung open, staring directly at the others. Its gaze met the sights of Buneary, Mudkip, Cyndaquil, Bulbasaur, Chikorita, and Zubat.

“Hey. Stay with us,” Chikorita requested.

“Grr-hrrngh..!” Mightyena grumbled in its wake. “What are you-“

“Stop right there, beast!” From above, Staravia dived towards them, quickly landing on the ground.

Mightyena simply snarled.

Meanwhile, Buneary crossed its arms. “Hey! It’s not cool to call someone a beast!”

“H-He helped save our Christmas,” Cyndaquil argued. “Don’t be too harsh on him!”

“Like I’m buying any of that,” Staravia retorted, opening its wings. “EVERYONE, the beast has woken up! I REPEAT, the beast has woken up!”

In just a few seconds, many wild Pokémon came in and surrounded the area, their eyes focused on Mightyena.

“Evil Mightyena! Evil Mightyena!” An Eevee growled.

“You won’t ruin Christmas again!” A Murkrow yelled.

“Grrr, I don’t wish doing that again,” Mightyena countered.

“Yes you do!” Staravia jumped forward, landing a few feet from Mightyena. “Else you wouldn’t come back after we clearly forbade you from that!”

Chikorita’s vines were partly out, swinging in the air. “Don’t you dare-“

“TIMEOUT!” Buneary yelled.

The turmoil quieted down, turning their attention at the bunny Pokémon.

Buneary cleared its throat. “What are we aiming at, another battle?! We can’t let ourselves ruin this day because of him!” Buneary paused to point at Mightyena. “Yes, he attacked us in plain view of Christmas. Yes, he defied us for horrible reasons. Yes, he got our previous star destroy-“

Zubat chimed in, “But he didn’t do that on purp-“

“Quiet,” Bulbasaur cut it off, lightly swinging a vine at the poison Pokémon. “Let him finish.”

“I..- never mind!” Zubat gulped, flying away.

Once everyone returned their looks at Buneary, it reopened its mouth, “I myself don’t think he can be forgiven for all the evil he’s done to us.

“But now, it’s all in the past,” Buneary continued. “Now we have a new star to cheer on. All that’s left now is that we let Mightyena join us and sort it out, once and for all!”

Among the crowd, whispers filled the night ambiance for a while.

“Forget it! That heartless beast doesn’t even regret the evil he’s done to us!” The same Eevee yelled.

“YEEEAH!” Many shouted, advancing towards Mightyena.

Holding its ground, it sniffed. “It’s all pointless; I do regret what I’ve done. I was irresponsible in what I deemed to be a bad thing for us all. When all I did was make it even worse for all of you, and for myself. The star… I should have never dared get close and personal about it. I…I’m sorry.”

A collective gasp came from all the wild Pokémon, including Buneary and its companions. “You… feel sorry?” Geodude asked.

“Truly, indeed,” Mightyena reinforced, gazing downwards.

A smile covered Chikorita’s face. “See?! We didn’t have to throw him away at the canyon!”

“Right on!” Mudkip jumped out of joy.

“You did it, Mightyena!” Zubat praised.

In turn, Mightyena softened its stand, glancing around at all the Pokémon cheering at it. A soft smile cracked its canine lips.

On the other hand, Staravia abruptly took off in the air. “Gahh, what kind of nonsense is this? Are we forgetting about who wrecked our star??” It aggressively pointed at Mightyena. “It’s obvious; that thing’s trying to deceive us all! He will destroy our new star as soon-“

“BOOOOOOOOO!” Many wild Pokémon interjected.

“Our star stands for peace, not intimidation!” A Noctowl declared.

“It’s YOU who’s going against Christmas, not him!” A Charmeleon accused.

Wincing, Staravia took flight. “No, that’s foolish! I’ve been trying to protect us all from the likes of him!” It shakily pointed at Mightyena.

Chikorita glared at the bird Pokémon. “That’s exactly what makes you so desp-“

A vine abruptly attached itself to Chikorita. “Don’t,” Bulbasaur’s voice came from behind. “This has to be settled now.”

“Don’t be mad,” Cyndaquil called, walking to Chikorita’s side, “Everything’ll be fine.”

As Bulbasaur released Chikorita, all the latter did was sigh in a nod, its leaf drooping.


“No one’s above the star. Not even you, Staravia!” In the front row, Eevee stated.

“Mightyena IS partying with us!” Buneary added.

“You see, birdie, you can either like it or lump it,” a shout came from within the crowd. “No dumping it, either.”

The following seconds featured the crowd cheering, quickly dispersing within the forest. Mightyena, Chikorita, Buneary, and its friends were no longer encircled, their bodies already softened.

However, Staravia did not leave at first; it hovered down to their level. “Listen up, Mightyena. You may stay with us as you wish, but if you disrupt our peace again, you’re out. You’ve been warned.” With that, Staravia flew away, towards the largest tree.

The group watched it hover close to the Pokémon mass, until it disappeared from sight. Each of the seven Pokémon turned to look at each other. “Yeeah, we did it!” Buneary beamed with a bouncy excitement.

“We’re wrapped in red again, this time even stronger!” Chikorita partied, hopping around.

“And we’ve got a new friend!” Mudkip cheered, clinging to Mightyena’s side.

Mightyena sidestepped, moving away from Mudkip. “No hugging me,” the former growled.

“Hehe, you mean two new friends,” Buneary chimed in, waving at the flying Zubat. “C’mere, chum! Let’s cheer this Christmas up!”

Zubat gasped, steadily descending to the ground and landing close to Mightyena. “Uh, yeah. For the staar… I guess?”

“I know the feeling,” Cyndaquil soothed the tone, looking at Zubat and Mightyena. “Let’s try not to be too… reserved today.”

“Fair enough,” Mightyena agreed.

“I can do that,” Zubat agreed as well.

“Okay, let’s try again, gang! For the star!” Buneary encouraged.

“FOOR THE STAAAAR!” The others cheered in unison, each with their set eagerness levels.

At that, the conversation dissolved as everyone gazed at the star on top of the largest tree. They all paced (or flied) in that direction, where a multitude of Pokémon were seen celebrating as one.

On the move, each of them showed different looks and postures:

Buneary smiled as it made light bounces on the ground;
Mudkip fully grinned, glancing at its friends all the time;
Cyndaquil simply gave a soft smile and a steady walk;
Bulbasaur did the same as Mudkip, a nod and a smile coming after each glance; and
Zubat hovered close to the others, especially close to Mudkip.


Meanwhile, Mightyena stayed behind. Chikorita lowered its eyes, standing close to the other Pokémon. “Hey, something in your mind?”

The dark-type turned a blank stare at Chikorita. “It was never about me. From the time I got banished into that canyon, all that moved them was the star. All that agony because of a star.”

Chikorita raised its eyes. “Hold on. You don’t have to dwell in the past.” It leaned forward to Mightyena. “They’ve already forgiven you. Have faith in yourself!”

“Tch, only because of the star,” Mightyena countered. “They never believed in it. Especially not Staravia. They followed it like a symbol trampling over our tradition.” It then sighed. “Is that even a Christmas I want to be part of?”

Aside from softening its eyes, Chikorita did not speak back, its mouth left agape.

Instead, another voice came out, “As a wise monkey once said, you either like it or lump it... y’know the rest.”

The two Pokémon turned to look at the source, eyes meeting with an Aipom bouncing away from a tree. “..no dumping it, either,” Mightyena finished.

“Mank, you’re awful good at quoting! Give this Mighty a yummy treat at once!” Aipom burst into laughter.

“This is serious!” Chikorita yelled. “He’s distressed because of what happened, and all you do is poke fun like a child?!”

“Needless to fight; he’s not completely wrong,” Mightyena reflected. “Even if they fail to realize their flaws, we cannot change that, much less thrash them for that.”

“Yes, yes! Don’t show them!” Aipom chimed in with a bounce.

“Can you please..-“ Chikorita’s posture loosened as it sighed. “Ugh, I give up. Go on.”

“About that, a clever Meowth once told me, ‘it’s the sort of thing you have to believe in’,” Mightyena continued. “Because what really matters is if you believe in the tradition, not just follow it… or the star.”

“Now that you mention, could that be the same Meowth who saved us all?” Chikorita raised its head.

“Mhm, so he truly did it. That’s redemption for both of us, I see.” Mightyena looked at the sky, a smile covering its face.

Chikorita and Aipom glanced at each other, both raising an eye. After a collective chuckle, the three Pokémon shared a moment of quiet, looking at the cheering crowd in the distance.

Then, Chikorita turned around, its leaf drooping. “Still, Aipom, thank you… for standing up for me, when I was trying to-“

“No brushing off tears now, Mr Leafy,” Aipom cut it off. “I’d hate to run outta trees for you to cry on top of.”

“Seriously?! Even when I’m thanking you?!” Chikorita complained, but then laughed. “You know what, I’m starting to get your sense of humor.”

“Why, of course you do!” Aipom giggled, bouncing around. “Now’s my turn to make a thanks for it. Take it before it’s gone, leafy!”

Mightyena chuckled for a moment, then returned an unwavering stare at the others. “So where’s Meowth now?”

“After he replaced our star, he also got flung away from the tree,” Chikorita explained. “We don’t know where exactly he landed, but his two friends went looking for him.”

“In that case, I’m rooting for them. For Christmas, and for Meowth,” Mightyena said, looking towards the horizon.

“I’m sure they’ll make it,” Chikorita added, its leaf standing upright. “After all, it’s Christmas that we’re talking about!”

“Heh, guess I’ll climb a tree just to see that happen,” Aipom joked, its tail swinging loosely.

A shared laugh came from each of them, the brightness of the Moon lighting up their faces. Together, they walked towards the largest tree of the forest, trading looks and giggles along the way.




••• Part II (of Meowth) •••


Sitting on a low branch of an irregular pine was Meowth. His paws were positioned below his chin. Darkness swallowed his surroundings; little moonlight could reach that part of the forest, given its moderate tree density.

“To t’ink, even for a sec, I had a shot at this Xmas t’ing… like it’d be any better than the other times,” Meowth mumbled, blinking as tears, dry as they were, dropped from his eyes.

Ahead of him, the faint glow of a human city caught his attention. Meowth watched its luminous sources flashing continuously in the distance. A sigh came from his mouth.

“O’ course they got the lights, while I get the strings, n’ the cold,” Meowth raised his voice, his body shivering. “Some folks get to live their fairytales, while others like me got nuttin’ but..-”

Meowth abruptly stood up, a weak chuckle coming from him.

“What’re I even on ‘bout?! C’mon, y’er better than that, Meowth! Xmas, light, happiness, it’s all their business, not mine!” He shouted.

The branch beneath Meowth creaked mildly at the cold wind, leading to a rustling of leaves. Ignoring this, all he did was force a grin on his face.

“It’s on; I’ll spend my vacation right ‘ere, me n’ this big ol’ pile o’ leaves!” Meowth hugged the tree trunk firmly, more tears flowing down his cheeks. “Proud to have my own pine tree to part up ‘ere, ‘way from folks who take my-“

A sudden rustling of bushes. Loud as it was, Meowth gasped, slowly turning to face the source.

“Eh?! Who’s t’ere?” Meowth shouted, only to then cover his mouth.

The rustling only grew louder. “Meowth!” A voice called.

“Friend! We’re coming for you!” Another call.

Meowth’s heart sped up in a gulp, his mouth still covered. From some bushes, two figures emerged, their heads turning everywhere. Once they stepped into the moonlight, Meowth froze; the two Pokémon were already looking at him. They were Pikachu and Wobbuffet.

“Yay! Found you, bud,” Wobbuffet cheered, waving at him.

“How are you doing, hero?” Pikachu smiled widely.

Meowth leaned his back against the tree. “N-No! Nobody invited youse to my party! Go find yer own tree!”

The duo’s smiles faded away. “What’s the matter?” Pikachu asked, walking closer to him.

“All our hero needs a little fun with friends!” Wobbuffet giggled as it trailed along Pikachu. “Come on, jump down here to us, so we can have some jumps together!”

“Leave it,” Meowth denied. “Youse can go bounce off without me tonight.”

“Not a chance! We’re not leaving you like this!” Pikachu began climbing up the tree.

Gasping, Meowth retreated from the trunk, balancing himself on the branch. “What’re ya doin’? Y’er gonna make t’ings worse!”

Upon climbing to a fair height, Pikachu jumped onto the same branch as him, beginning a steady advance. “You really wanna stay up here all alone?! That’s how you’re gonna spend the rest of
Christmas?!”

“How’d I do it any other way?” Meowth jumped to another branch higher up. “I ain’t got no pals to cheer me up, nobody to gimme a single Xmas gift. Youse always kick me away like some yarn ball for sale! Always t’ere to send me rollin’ down the string!”

“That’s not it; this time, you’ll be fine!” Pikachu jumped to the same branch, waggling its tail. “After all, you saved Christmas! Everyone back there was cheering for you. Even I’m amazed by you!”

Meowth’s tail flickered agitatedly as he jumped to yet another branch. “It was never ‘bout makin’ anyone happy. I just did what I had to, get rid o’ the grudges.”

“Don’t be like that! Passing over this kind of opportunity doesn’t suit you! Where’s that eager Meowth who’d always take advantage of everything?” Following his movements, Pikachu had little trouble steadying itself on the branches — unlike him.

After a few more jumps, the two Pokémon landed on a very high branch. Meowth stood on the edge, while Pikachu landed close to the trunk. There were no branches below, meaning their only way down would be falling to the ground.

At that sight, Meowth shivered.

“It’s all right, Meowth. I know things’ll change for better,” Pikachu pleaded on its way to him.

“Heey! Don’t worry if either of you falls! I’ll be right here to catch you both!” From below, Wobbuffet shouted, swinging its arms.

Pikachu gave it a quick smile.

On the other hand, Meowth’s fur stood on end. “Leave me ‘ready! Ya can’t change how t’ings work. It never works!”

“That’s because you never try!” Pikachu kept walking forward, already halfway to Meowth. “If you never believe, it’ll never work for you! Don’t give up on the chance; you have to cling onto it as hard as you can!”

Shutting his eyes, Meowth clenched his fists, hard enough to hastily shake them both. His breath came in shallow gasps, over and over again.

Halting, Pikachu twitched its ears. “Meowth, what’s wrong? Don’t keep it to yourself; just tell me! I promise I’ll-“

“SHUT IT!” Meowth’s tail swung hastily. “It’s not my fault I’ been like this all time! T’ink I always had a chance, n’ I try so hard, my body been achin’ for a Xmas I never gotten! Years o’ fightin’ n’ believin’ gone junk, n’ ya tell me I never tried?!”

Pikachu stood still in silence, its ears falling flat.

“It don’t matter how I try an’ spend this jinxed t’ing!” Meowth shook his head, his narrowed eyes holding back tears. “Don’t matter if I’m goin’ for a walk, or lootin’ Santa’s house, or prayin’ over a shootin’ star, all ends the same! Me blastin’ off to a flop, left wit’ nuttin’ but aches n’ scraps o’ my hopes!”

Tears were filling up Pikachu’s downed eyes as it struggled to focus its look at him.

Meowth looked down for a second, then retuned his stare at Pikachu. “For you, it’s easy to t’ink there’s a chance. Ya get pals everywhere ya go, n’ the world listens when ya smile. Even when the twerp’s ’round, ya never been left out in the dirt, thinkin’ y’er just a pile o’ nuttin’ every single Xmas!”

With a trembling body, Pikachu resumed walking forward, its cheeks sparking dimly. “Meowth..-“

“What, ya gonna jolt me the usual?!” Meowth cut it off, crossing his arms. “Comin’ from you, it’s the least I can get to finish off today.”

“But that’s not gonna make you happy.” Pikachu got right in front of Meowth, its eyes still teary.

“Happiness don’t matter anymore. It went downhill ‘long wit’ me trynna make t’ings better for a change.” Meowth then pointed a glare at Pikachu. “Now get this over wit’ n’ blast me off ‘ready. No one’s gonna mind it; no one cares, n’ y’er the last in the line to even-“

A sudden thrust forward from Pikachu enveloped Meowth in a hug, its grip tight around his chest. “Y-You think I don’t care?! I’ve been trying to help you for a while..-“ Its words pushed through ragged breaths, a result of its tears. “I didn’t know, Meowth! I didn’t know you were hurting this badly! I’m sorry!”

Meowth’s face became flushed. “Ya don’t hafta-“

“DON’T!” Pikachu cut him off, a few tiny sparks bursting off its cheeks. “Just, listen. You stood up for the other Pokémon when no one else could. You gave them a new star and a reason to stop that mess. You made things better, even when things never worked out for you!”

“It never were to-“

“JUST LISTEN!” Pikachu yelled, unleashing a bolt upon Meowth for a brief moment. Despite not being visually intense, the attack took out a groan from him, his head spinning aimlessly. Gasping, Pikachu tightened its grip on him with all it could. “Meowth! I didn’t mean to! Don’t fall over! Don’t, DON’T!”

It took him a while to recover, his look then landing on Pikachu’s eyes. All he did was swallow hard, his body fully immobile.

“All those years, I just wanted to find you, to spend Christmas together with you. I didn’t want to seem heartless!” Pikachu’s continuous cry led it to cough a few times. “But every time I wanted to say something, the holiday went by, and you were gone. I couldn’t find you to say how much I wanted to stay with you, and now I’m seeing you so lonely because I couldn’t help you!”

For a brief moment, Meowth’s eyes lowered, his first tears kicking out.

“I can’t stand it anymore,” Pikachu continued under a few sniffles. “All I want is to see a smile on your face. Just a smile… I-I’ll do anything for that, I promise. Just… don’t give up, Meowth. It’s Christmas… please.”

As Pikachu closed its eyes, Meowth dropped his jaw, his body slowly falling backwards. It took some time before both Pokémon fell off the branch, quickly descending towards the ground.

A gasp from each of them.

Standing right below, Wobbuffet quickly raised its arms, grabbing them both midair. The blue Pokémon, eyes slightly teary, groaned as it held them. It soon brought them to the ground. “See? I told you I’d catch you!” It chuckled softly at them.

“Yeah, thanks,” Pikachu replied, scratching its head with a thin smile.

However, Meowth did not look at them; instead, he was gazing at the rest of the forest. His eyes were so full of tears, covering those with his paws did little to stop the flow. Leaving his paws there, he sat down on the grassy floor, face down.

…

A figure — Pikachu — stood to his left, placing its paw on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for saying all the horrible things. Just, please, give me a smile. Even your thinnest one.”

A few silent moments went by before Meowth uncovered his eyes, looking back at Pikachu. “I thought nobody ever cared ‘bout me or all the joy I never-“

“I’m right here, buddy,” Wobbuffet chimed in, placing its arm on his other shoulder.

“Nobody except you, Wobby… ya get the idea,” Meowth replied, giving Wobbuffet a weak chuckle.

“Clear as the wind!” Wobbuffet cheered with a salute.

The two of them traded a giggle to each other, with Meowth standing up rather quickly.

Pikachu’s ears perked up for an instant. “Meowth, is that..- look! You’re smiling!” It pointed out, giving him a smile of its own.

“Heh, no gettin’ over the top now, Pipsqueak,” Meowth joked.

“I know, I know,” Pikachu said with a chuckle. “Just don’t hide that smile next time, okay? It kinda feels sweet on your face.”

Meowth glanced sideways, blushing. “Ya really… mean it? Guess I just ain’t used to someone meanin’ it.” He took a deep, deep breath, only to then wrap his arms around Pikachu, pulling it closer in a soft hug. “Y’know, I mighta’ been fine on my own, like I’d usually be, but… th-thanks.”

After dropping its jaw for a moment, Pikachu returned the hug in an equally gentle way. “Meowth…”

The two of them closed their eyes, tails wagging relaxedly. Here and there, they gave each other brief giggles, leading them to gradually tighten their grips on each other.

Meanwhile, Wobbuffet scratched its head. “So what now? Are we going back?” It asked.

Ears perking up, both Pikachu and Meowth disbanded the hug, turning to face the blue Pokémon. “Oh, right! Our friends are still waiting for us. Let’s go!” Pikachu recalled, already pacing forward.

“Hold on, who’re those friends y’er talkin’ about?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I gotcha,” Wobbuffet began. “They’re a group of four Pokémon we met, and they’re really nice. Like, really, really nice.”

“You’d have no trouble becoming friends with them if you hadn’t caused all that mess,” Pikachu added with a slightly stern eye at him.

“Hey, don’t gimme that look! It weren’t all my fault they got that star lost in the first place!” Meowth excused, raising his paws in the air.

“You could’ve at least given it back gently, instead of throwing it.” Despite that remark, Pikachu’s eyes softened, ears lowering. “So! Are we going now or what!? Come on, we have a Christmas to cheer!” It invited as it bounced forward.

“Right behind you!” Wobbuffet ran behind it, looking back at its friend. “Right, Meowth?”

On the other side, he moved a paw in the others’ direction. “Hang up! I ain’t ready to go just yet!” Meowth ran forward, whimpering along the way.

Pikachu was the first to step towards him, a blink on its eyes. “What’s up, Meowth? Something in your mind?”

As he stopped in front of his friends, Meowth rubbed the back of his head. “No big deal, just… maybe we could… uh, y’know, walk together. Like holdin’ paws or somethin’.” He then glanced away, a nervous laughter taking place. “I know what y’er thinkin’, ‘what a silly t’ing to ask’, an’ there’s no way-“

A yellow paw attached itself to his own. Raising his look, he dropped his jaw at the sight of Pikachu, a grin on its face. “Why, of course we can! I thought you’d never ask!”

By his other side, Wobbuffet gave Meowth an elbow before getting hold of his paw. “Woo-hoo! We’re all set now, team!”

“Nah, not ‘xactly a team,” Meowth amended, alternating his look between Wobbuffet and Pikachu. “We’re still Team Rocket; n’ y’er still our final prize.”

“Give it a break! We’ve got so much going on together!” Pikachu wore a frown, although its face quickly returned into a grin. “Besides, Meowth, it’s Christmas!”

“And we’re partying it all together!” Wobbuffet added, raising both Meowth’s and its own arms in the air.

“Yeah, friends n’ foes too, all’s good,” Meowth finished.

And so, the trio shared a laugh before resuming their handholding walk, navigating through the dark forest. Silence did not persist; Pikachu and Wobbuffet quickly started a talk about their new friends. Meowth, on the other side, kept dodging the topic in favor of talking about their place — especially his own — in Christmas.

Above all, a smile painted Pikachu’s, Wobbuffet’s, and Meowth’s faces. Even their occasional handshakes took out giggles from them.

After a while of walking and talking, the group made a brief stop, grips tightening, with each of them looking at the sky and shouting, “Merry Christmas for all!”

Laughter ensued for a few more seconds.

Even more laughter later on.