Pokémon Oblivion’s Wings Find A New Purpose

[Hanafuda]

Prologue: Awaken​

“Oof. Everything hurts.”

Seb woke up, finding himself laying down on grass. The sight shocked him.

“Huh? This is weird. Did I sleepwalk outside last night? Where is this, anyway?”

He looked around, seeing a vast grassy plain under a clear sky. There didn’t seem to be any buildings in sight. Not even any signposts or concrete.

“Freaky. I must’ve ended up in the wild. Just what happened, really?”

As he moved his right hand to his head, he noticed it looked different. His eyes widened when he saw it resembled a wing with black feathers. His left arm was also the same.

“Woah! Is this a dream?”

He pulled on one of the feathers with his other hand, feeling a sting of pain.

“Ah. I still can’t believe this. It’s gotta be a lucid dream.”

He rubbed his face, bumping on something sticking out of it. He looked down at the protrusion, seeing a pale-yellow jagged beak. He softly knocked on it, feeling a few vibrations around his face.

“Maybe this isn’t a dream after all.”

He put his right hand on his head, feeling something bushy and thick. He flinched in shock. He moved his hand around the bushy thing. He felt three pointy protrusions. Most likely a crest. Then, he was able to see what looked like the rim of a hat on him.

“A hat, eh? Okay, I’m pretty sure I know which Pokémon I got turned into. But I need a mirror, just to make sure.”

He sat up, seeing a pair of pale-yellow talons. He wriggled them as he smiled at how they moved. There was also a small sting of pain on his rear. He shifted and saw a bundle of black feathers tied around in a red band of sorts.

“Tail.”

He checked himself once more, noticing his humanoid shape. There seemed to be some small ripples of muscle beneath his plumage, most notably on his chest.

“Guess the transformation came with an increase in strength. Yeah, valid, since all Pokémon can fight, so I’ll take it.”

He stood up, wobbling a bit.

“Oh, right, I forgot my feet are different. Hope I can get used to it quickly.”

As he started walking with careful steps, he noticed a small pond beside him. He went to it and gazed upon the water’s reflection. The avian humanoid with the wizard hat crest and red eyes was everything he needed to confirm his suspicions.

“Yup. I’m a Murkrow.”

He looked back up. He breathed in and put his arms over his shoulders.

“Holy crap, I’m a Murkrow.”

With the repetition of those words, his excitement grew. His beak opened wide as he exclaimed loudly to the sky.

“I’m a friggin’ Murkrow, baby!”

Suddenly, a startled Pokémon bumped onto his leg. He looked down and saw a Shroomish glaring up at him. He simply waved at him.

“Oh, hey there, little fella. Sorry I scared you.”

The Shroomish shook itself, releasing yellow spores at Seb.

Seb’s body spasmed a few times as the Stun Spore shocked his body. “Oh! Ah! N-Not even a hello!?”

The Shroomish headbutted Seb’s leg with force.

“Gah! That hurt a lot more than I expected.”

As Seb shook off the paralysis off of his body, he stretched his arms as he prepared himself to fight. “Okay, time for a test drive in this new body.” He took a fighting stance and stood there for a few moments, silently staring at the Shroomish. “Uh, how do I do a move again?”

The Shroomish hopped up and slammed itself onto Seb’s belly.

Seb caught the Shroomish in his hands as he took the full brunt of the Headbutt. “Okay, it goes like this, right?” He dove his head down, slamming his beak onto his opponent. It squealed in pain as it fell back to the ground and scurried away. He stood speechless for a few moments, staring at where the Shroomish ran. “Um… I actually pecked someone?” He looked down at his beak in confusion. “Gross. It felt like kissing a bush. Well, at least that got the job done. Good thing I still know my elements. Alright, where was I? Ah, yes.”

Seb went to look back at his reflection on the pond’s surface. He smiled, admiring his new appearance and striking a pose. He closed his eyes, lifted his head and chest up, spread his arms wide and put his right leg forward. “I’m a friggin’ Murkrow.” He chuckled, slowly transitioning into soft laughter. “Oh, heck yeah! This has always been my dream and it’s finally coming true! I can do so much like this! Fly, fight, talk to other Pokémon and look epic!” He took a few breaths, lowering his arms and head as he relaxed. “But if I go back home like this, will Mom recognize me?” He spoke with a worried tone. “Oh man, how will I be able to tell her it’s me? She’ll only hear squawking and screaming. Is there a way to turn back?” He held his face and took a deep breath. “Better not think about that right now. I gotta know where I am first.”

With that, he walked away, his destination unknown.

As he went, Seb had a lot of questions in his mind. What exactly happened? How did he get here and get turned into a Pokémon? Where was he, exactly? How far was he from Kalos? Was there a way back home? Nonetheless, he still pressed forward, ready to see what the world had to offer. The answers he sought would come in due time.

 

[Hanafuda]

Chapter 1: A Café In Need​

As Seb went on through the grassy plains, he saw what looked like several sets of wooden tables and stools. There was also a small stand nearby, attended to by a Heatmor. Curious and tired, he went to sit on one of the chairs, resting his legs and sighing.

“Oh, at last, a customer!” the Heatmor exclaimed, sounding relieved. He went to speak with the Murkrow, hands clasped together. “Good morning! How can I help you?”

Seb flinched in surprise at the sudden approach. “Uh, hello?”

The Heatmor tilted his head as he examined Seb. “Hmmm… Now that I see you up close, you look rather strange for a Murkrow. I thought you were a Blaziken at first.”

“Y-Yeah, it’s kinda weird for me, too.”

The Heatmor shook his head. “Well, let us get to the important things right now. What would you like to eat, dear customer?”

“Huh?” Seb stared at the Heatmor in confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Ah, of course, silly me. Welcome to Heatmor’s Café. It’s not much right now, but I assure you, you will love the food I can offer.”

“A café, huh…” Seb looked down with a grimace. His stomach grumbled. “Sorry. As much as I’d like to enjoy your food, sir, I just came here and don’t have any money.”

“What!?” Heatmor exclaimed, incredulous. “Oh dear, oh no!” He held his head in his hands, desperate. “No, come on, Heatmor, you can do this. You can’t lose this customer, not when you haven’t had any in days. You can’t afford to fail today. What to do? What to do?”

“Uh, sir? Everything alright?” Seb looked at Heatmor with worry. “You’re creeping me out.”

“N-No no, please, don’t be scared.” Heatmor waved his hands around frantically. “Everything will be fine.”

Seb put his elbows on the table, resting his head on his left palm. “You know, how about I help you? You said you didn’t have any customers in days, right?”

“Ah.” Heatmor looked up with wide eyes. Did I really say that out loud?”

“Sorry if I’m prying too much into this, but personally, whenever I go to a small restaurant with few people, I always wish it could get bigger and get more customers. Maybe I could help you by spreading the word?”

“Huh? Are you sure? But you’re a customer, and—”

“Well, maybe I can be a customer first and a worker after. Just gimme a taste of what you have, please. Maybe one of your pastries, if there’s any. Something with sweet jelly.”

“Oh, yes, right away!”

With that, Heatmor went to the kitchen he had behind his stand. Well, it didn’t look so much like a kitchen; just a campfire with a stone pot, a wooden table and some boxes scattered around. Meanwhile, Seb thought to himself.

It was definitely weird to see a Heatmor attending a café, not to mention all the tables being outdoors. Maybe that Pokémon was handling things while his Trainer was busy doing other things, but that sounded a bit ridiculous. How was a Heatmor gonna take care of a café like that? Maybe the reason why it was so empty was because of neglect. If so, it sounded tragic. A life that depended on the success of their location had it difficult, especially with the publicity, or lack thereof, in this case. Was it really worth it to help a stranger, though? He would feel good about it, but what if he was wasting his time? He still had to find out how to get back home and become human again. But what if he brought that Heatmor with him? No competent Trainer survived alone, after all, so having some help sounded nice, especially when there was a chance to befriend him.

After a while, Heatmor returned, bringing a small plate with a warm round bun. “Here it is, dear customer! On the house!” As he put the pastry on the table, he looked at Seb with an expectant expression.

“Um… Really?” Seb looked conflicted. “But don’t you need the money?”

“It is free just this once. Now please, enjoy!” There was a hint of desperation in Heatmor’s expression.

“Okay, but I’ll try to pay later.” Seb grabbed the bun and held it close to his face. He hesitated for a moment before diving his open beak into it. He was able to find the sweet taste of jelly within as his tongue reached for it. As he retracted from the bun, he gave Heatmor a delighted look. “Hey, this is great! Which Berry did you use for this?”

“Oh, I usually use Pecha berries for the jelly, but I used a Mago Berry just for you, dear customer!” Heatmor clasped his hands together with a resounding clap, his tongue sticking out. “I thought it would make the pastry more delicious. I’m so glad you liked it!”

“I adored it! That’s saying a lot more, you know, sir.” As Seb pecked the bun a few more times, he gave a suggestion to Heatmor, careful not to spit any crumbs. “Ever tried any sour flavors?”

“Oh, I use Sitrus Berries for that. I have many.”

“Well, I think I have a great idea. I did say I wanted to help, right? Hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, it would be delightful to have some assistance here!”

“Okay. Is there a town a few feet from here?”

“Ah, you mean Lively Town? Of course! It’s right past those trees.” Heatmor pointed a claw towards a yellow stone bridge in the distance. “You can’t mistake the bridge and gate at the entrance. It’s most known for its main building, which houses the Expedition Society.”

“Oh, that sounds really interesting.” Seb finished eating the bun before speaking once more. “So, I was planning on making a few deliveries where I sell some of your stuff around town. Hopefully, once we satisfy enough buyers, they’ll wanna check out your place to see what else you got.”

“Are you sure it will work like that?”

“Well, I’m not exactly a business expert, but yeah. It’s still worth a shot either way.”

“I appreciate it deeply, kind customer,” Heatmor said, nodding his head a few times. “But tell me, why exactly do you wish to help me? Was it pity for this poor cook?”

“Uh, kinda, yeah, sorry about that.” Seb rubbed the back of his neck, grimacing. “I’d feel bad for leaving you like this, so helping ya was the first thought that came to me.”

“Oh, no need to apologize. Your compassion is welcome. Now, let us get started with the cooking!”

 

[Hanafuda]

Chapter 2: Plea To The Wishing Star​

“Oh man, I’m super nervous. Will this really work? What if no one wants any of this?”

Seb stood in front of the entrance gate of Lively Town, holding a basket full of warm buns filled with different flavors of jelly. He was looking up at it with worry, holding a hand over his hat crest.

“I’m pretty sure this place already has a restaurant of sorts that everyone likes. People always prefer what’s popular because they can trust the quality of the place, so maybe trying to sell these buns will be a waste of time.”

He sighed and shook his head before starting to walk forward.

“Still worth a shot. Gotta do this for that Heatmor. Gotta earn that food and money for me, too.”

As he entered, he stiffened his shoulders at the sight of all the Pokémon around town. Snubull, Krokorok, Darumaka, Magnemite, Beedril… The place was definitely crowded. A small squawk escaped his beak from the overwhelming nervousness.

“Eep.”

The states from all the Pokémon around him did not help. They all exchanged murmurs with each other.

“Woah, that Pokémon looks strange.”

“Is that a Murkrow?”

“I’ve never seen someone like that.”

“He kinda looks like Hawlucha.”

Seb held a hand onto his shoulder, averting his gaze from all the Pokémon. “Um… Hi, good morning… P-Please, stop looking…”

The murmurs did not stop, but the humanoid Murkrow still had a job to do. He slowly grabbed a bun from the basket and showed it to the crowd.

“Would… Would anyone like some delicious jelly-filled bread for five Poké?”

“He’s selling bread?”

“Should we take it?”

“I wouldn’t trust that guy if I were you.”

“Yeah. He doesn’t look normal, so he probably filled that bread with something bad, like poison.”

“N-No!” Seb looked dismayed after overhearing those words. “How could you say that?” He ran away to one of the nearby buildings.

“Oh, he’s gone. Good. I don’t like seeing a Pokémon that weird.”

“Have some respect, dear.”

---

Seb was sitting down on the ground beside a small observatory, curled up as he wrapped his arms around his legs. He never expected all the attention he got, not even the disrespectful comments he got. It was nothing insulting to him, but being untrusted hit him hard. But why did he let those words affect them? Maybe because he expected to be trusted immediately? He did prove himself trustworthy to many people. He even had a Pidgeot and a Farfetch’d as friends back home. But he looked weird to others? What was so bad about having a humanoid body?

His thoughts were interrupted when someone came out of the observatory and spoke to him.

“Oh, hello!”

Seb did not look up at the owner of the soft, chipper voice. “Hi…”

“You don’t look so happy. What happened?”

“Do you have to know?”

“Um, well, if you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you… I got nervous in front of a crowd. They called me weird.”

“Huh? Are you sure you look weird?”

“Has there been one time when our reflections in the mirror were weird to us?”

“Kind of a strange comparison, but…”

“Look, just… Want a bun? Five Poké each.”

“Yeah, that sounds delicious! I’ll take one!”

Seb’s tone became lighter as he looked up and extended his hand. “Alright. Now, then…” He gasped, left his beak open and stared wide-eyed and speechless at the Pokémon floating above him. It was a small white humanoid with arms that resembled tunic sleeves, blue markings under its eyes resembling tears, yellow cloth flowing from behind and a yellow star-shaped head with blue ribbons on each of its tips. “You!”

The floating Pokémon tilted their head and put a hand over their mouth in confusion. “Everything okay?”

“Jirachi, the Wishing Star!” Seb quickly stood up and bowed to Jirachi. “It’s an honor to be in your presence.”

“What? Oh, you don’t have to be so formal with me.” Jirachi laughed softly at Seb’s gesture.

“But you’re a Legend! Shouldn’t you be treated with the respect you deserve?”

“It’s alright. Well, how do you know about me? It must’ve been from word of mouth.”

“Uh, how should I explain this?” Seb did a double-take, becoming more surprised. “Wait, shouldn’t you be in the sky granting wishes to everyone at night?”

“Oh, I have a job here at the Expedition Society. I’m its astrologist! I observe the stars and announce forecasts depending on their current position.”

“The heck!? Isn’t that a job for other humans!?”

“Humans? What are you saying?”

Seb stuttered and moved his head in different angles, speechless for a few minutes. He let out a caw, flabbergasted. “Do you even know what a human is!? Have you seen one in your life!? Speaking of, where are all the humans!? Why is everyone just letting their Pokémon out in the open like that!? Is Team Plasma back at it again!?”

Jirachi held their hands on their mouth as they giggled.

“What is so funny!?”

“You’re overreacting a bit.”

“What’re you talking about!? EXPLAIN!”

Jirachi calmed down from their giggling fit before they spoke once more. “Of course I know what humans are. They come here all the time!”

“Really!? Then why haven’t I seen any yet!?”

“It’s because they get turned into Pokémon when they arrive to this world.”

“HUUUUUUUUH!?”

“Judging from all the things you said, you’re from the human world, aren’t you?”

“Yes! Yes, I’m a human! A poor human trapped in this world as a Murkrow helping a Heatmor with his café! I just wanna know how I got here and why I’m here! How do I even go back home!?”

“If you’re here in this world…” Jirachi looked up at the sky with a serious expression. “…then that means another disaster might be approaching.”

“W-What!?” Seb rubbed his face and breathed out sharply, trying his best to calm down. “Okay, gimme a minute, I need to cool down.” He breathed deep and blew out a soft sigh, clasping his hands together. “Alright. I’m listening. I need to hear this. Tell me everything.”

“About what?” Jirachi asked, tilting their head.

“About why I’m here.”

“Ah, yes. Humans are brought here to help save this world from any and all disasters.”

“Hm? The world’s in danger, then?”

“I think so. These humans are usually seen with another Pokémon as their partner, too.”

“Just like with Trainers?”

“Well, I’m not so sure about that. It must be something from the human world.”

“You don’t know what a Trainer is?”

“I think you mean the dojo masters from the other continents.”

“Guess you don’t know. Well, we humans train Pokémon to make them stronger in battle and make friends with them. We use these capsules called Poké Balls to catch them and—”

“Oh, that doesn’t sound so good. It must be horrible to be inside a capsule.”

“No, trust me. Those things are bigger on the inside, so it’s not cramped.”

“Oh, interesting. Now I wanna see one!” Jirachi bobbed around in the air.

“Okay, back on topic.” Seb stood straight, adjusting his hat crest. “I’m here to save the world, right? From what?”

“I don’t know yet. Last time it was stopping the planet from being pulled into the sun.”

“You gotta be kidding!” Seb jumped back in shock, his arms extended in front of him.

“Nope! It did happen!” Jirachi looked up at the sky. “There were a few others that came before that, too.”

“Oh, man. I wonder if the Pokémon here feel fine after seeing so many disasters.” Seb made a mental note to see if there were any therapists in this world.

“Either way, it looks like you’re the next hero! Aren’t you excited?” Jirachi smiled with anticipation at Seb.

“Uh…” Seb lowered his hat crest, covering his eyes. “No, not really.”

“Hm?”

“I… I did save the world once. Well, the multiverse, to be exact. There were a lot of people and Pokémon there, and we all did our best to beat up a Hoopa that wanted to make a world where the strong survive and the weak are disposed of. As exciting as it felt to be there, it was also scary. I don’t wanna go on another adventure where I beat a mad god to save the world.”

Jirachi looked at Seb with a small frown, keeping quiet.

“So you can go find yourself another hero. It doesn’t have to be a human from my world; any Pokémon will do. Besides…” Seb picked up the basket of warm buns into his right hand. “I’ve never been a fan of destiny. I don’t need that chain to pull me down and stop me from enjoying other things. And so I say to you…” The Murkrow grabbed one of the buns and held it to Jirachi. “You wanted a bun, right? It’ll be five Poké.”

Jirachi looked dejected, holding their hands together. “Alright, then.” They took a golden coin with a ‘P’ imprinted on it from a satchel in the observatory and gave it to Seb as they went and took the pastry into their small hands.

“Before I go,” Seb said as he put the coin into the basket, “is it okay if I tell you a wish?”

“Go on.” Jirachi nodded.

“Wait, if I tell it to you, it’ll still come true, right? So long as no one else hears me…”

“Yeah.”

“Well… I just wish Heatmor’s place could get some more help. Not just from me. I just wanna see it succeed.”

“Alright. Best wishes.” Jirachi had a small smile as they waved at Seb.

Seb smiled back. “Thanks. I hope we can meet again, Jirachi.” He turned back and walked away to the nearby Kecleon Shop, bracing himself.

“I hope so, too.”