Venia Silente
For your ills, I prescribe a cat.
Leader for a New Era
Bingo entry: "New Leader"
Bingo entry: "New Leader"
A large group of reptilian and flying Pokémon of various kinds hosted their party, for they were soon to go to an expedition to a new continent. From Gyarados to Heliolisk to Jumpluff to Hydreigon they went about throwing good-natured jabs at each other.
Except when it came out to the time to designate the leader of their wing, for the current leader of the wing, an Old Dragonite, was Old and wanted to step down. Even the Pokémon with experience were nervous about standing before the rest, with some Talonflame and Unfezant preening themselves and staring at each other, and some Dragonite and Haxorus rubbing their scales.
Eventually the first one to pound the table was a Mothim. “I would like to have some screenti—“
A Salamence stomped on the ground. “Old Dragonite is old, but if he would approve, we should go in with the new, newer and cooler Pokémon like me. With me as your leader, we shall rain fire and death upon whatever enemies try to resist us!”
A Noivern quickly flew at the Salamence’s face and the two promptly started argument spoken mostly in claw swipes and bites.
“You? ‘New’? Sounds like an argument for an even newer and better Pokémon!” the Noivern screeched.
“Sod off! We eat killed prey, not fruit and berries!” answered the Dragonite.
A Skarmory took the chance as the other two were distracted, and hopped to the center, she bowed before the Old Dragonite.
“Old leader, force is something our group already has, and more is not needed,” offered the metal bird. “A voice to lead the group needs to be smaller and nimbler, like the Old Dratini once was; we Skarmory are good fliers and also we can take a hit and we don’t have… illusions of grandeur.” She narrowed her eyes to two bickering dragons as emphasis.
Various Pokémon hushed about as they considered the offer. However a Pidgeot stepped in to challenge her while waving her head crest and showing off his plumage.
“A leader needs to look the grandeur, look majestic and dignified before any locals; your kind looks like Almighty Sinnoh let loose running around with scissors.”
“So we are expected to take orders from you?” challenged a Flygon from the back, “Your kind needs help from a human to achieve their best form.”
To that the Pidgeot answered with flapping his wings and letting out a mocking cry.
“At least we have a Mega form,” she cackled derisively at all the Flygon in the back.
The Skarmory tapped the ground with her talons. She let out a chirp. “We don’t need to evolve, we are already perfect.”
Various Pokémon started complaining and joining in into the ruckus, with no hint that they were to come to agreement soon. Old Dragonite let out a sigh, but he went unnoticed.
A Charizard was next to step forward. “Look, this event is important, we are headed to a new region,” he roared, turning to Old Dragonite with an amicable gesture, “and you really thought you’d do this without the leadership of *the* OG awesome Pokémon and dragon?”
Some Kilowattrel cackled openly at the Charizard. “Oh please, you’re not even a dragon!”
“Says WHOOO??”
“Says TOO!”
“I hope your argument is better than just chirping and nibbling on wires like a common Pikachu!”
“This *thing* over here is more a dragon than you!” yelled one of the Kilowattrel while pointing at a random Goomy. Then the bird added: “No offense.”
“No, I’m with you on that one,” answered the Goomy with a blobby gesture that the bird chose to interpret as a shrug.
“Enough,” spoke Old Dragonite suddenly. “This story was supposed to be short and I’ve made my decision.”
Everyone fell silent, the various Pokémon turned to the Old Dragonite and held their breath.
“A leader of reptiles and others various must be tough but also welcoming and inspiring. Be the part, look the part. We’ve grown over the eras, our scales are tough, our hide is rough, our frills are a warning, our feathers a haven.”
Old Dragonite raised a paw and pointed it at a Pokémon amidst the group.
The Tyrantrum with a small blue hat gulped and eagerly stepped forward. “Old leader, I accept the mission you have entrusted to me.” The Pokémon turned and posed majestically for the rest of the group.
“My kind is old, even older than Old Dragonite. In the lands before time our roars were feared, our maws prowled supreme. I can assure you, my friends—“
“Excuse me,” Old Dragonite tried to interrupt while waving his paw at the Tyrantrum.
“—and under my leadership we shall take that new region and live there for millions of years—“
“Ahem…”
“—that nothing but the fall of the stars would challenge our designs.”
Old Dragonite shuffled about and coughed and called attention to himself. “As I was saying, I’ve made my decision.”
He then pointed his paw at the Tyrantrum, and visibly raised it up to more precisely point at the little blue hat that the Tyrantrum was wearing.
“W-what…?” asked the Tyrantrum in confusion.
Old Dragonite let out a friendly call. “Come here, little thing.”
The Swablu that was previously napping on Tyrantrum’s head flew over to where Old Dragonite was and perched on the elder’s paw. Instantly there were cries of alarm and surprise among the gathered Mons.
“Omg! Look at that little thing!”
“What is it?”
“Is it a bird?”
“I could have sworn it was a silly hat…”
Old Dragonite raised his paw and met the Swablu at eye level. “So, what are you?”
“I’m a Swablu!” spoke the little Pokémon, batting its cottony wings.
Immediately a few Pokémon in the group approached. The Charizard from before tentatively brushed the Swablu’s wings and marvelled at their softness; the Haxorus that had been nervous before circles around and gave friendly greetings to the small bird.
“Oh look at that!” spoke a Goodra from somewhere. “It’s so small.”
“It deserves to be protected,” interjected a Tyranitar.
The Charizard lost himself into the fluffiness of the Swablu’s wings. “It’s so smooth.”
The Haxorus looked at the bird from all sides. “It’s so round.”
Swablu let out a happy trill and turned to face Old Dragonite. “Oh I’m young today but one day when I’m older I’m gonna Mega Evolve, too.”
The various Kilowattrel roosted besides Old Dragonite, starting to feel dazed. “What a beautiful singing voice. It’s so relaxing…”
Tyrantrum looked around at the response Swablu got from everyone. “G-guys…?”
The Noivern from before flew before Old Dragonite and bowed before him and the Swablu. “But, Old Dragonite, we seek a new leader. Do you think this little creature will know how to guide us?”
To that, Swablu turned and faced the various Pokémon. It quickly started giving instructions.
“But of course, I already took an online course,” Swablu began. “We would assemble in four columns, two for exploration, an advance group tasked with seizing any location where it might seem we’d face resistance, and a fourth group tasked with settling on conquered lands and building up nesting grounds. Staraptor, Aggron and Hydreigon will be at the front of the advance group. Communication between the groups will be tasked to nimble and clever Pokémon in smaller and more compact forms. And then…”
Old Dragonite carried Swablu about and the various Pokémon followed them, taking notes on the big project and conversing on how a Swablu, in the future an Altaria, as a leader was obviously the smartest and most beautiful choice.
Tyrantrum remained alone behind, watching with some sadness and displeasure at how Swablu was paraded around.
“But it can’t be,” mused Tyrantrum. “My kind has millions of years of experience in roaming about and conquering lands, and we are paragons of power and ability.”
The Pokémon brushed his own feather collar and rubbed his crest clean. “We even have those newfangled feathers, we are not pale and simple. We are even movie icons! Can it be… that I’m out of tune with the times?”
The older Pokémon, now alone, looked as the various other Pokémon went about breaking berries and eating together and celebrating their upcoming migration, with the Kilowattrel and Pidgeot doing various dances and chants. He rubbed his chin and thought for a moment.
He was, despite everything, self-assured in his importance.
“No, it’s the Neoaves who are wrong.”