FA+
Shop
1386 submissions
Another story finally done. This one didn't take too long to write, so, I think I'm getting better. Here's a story about BIG boy Alex and his best bud Eki!
The scooting of a stool squeaked along the pine wooden floor, a short, stout Pikachu pushed it along. This part of the kitchen wasn’t made for Pikachu in mind, but it was something the little athletic rodents could traverse. Well, when you’re just a bit too short, it’s a struggle to even hop up the counter when you can’t even grab on! Alex hopped up the stool, then jumped up to grab the counter. Whiff. Whiff. Miss. His little paws flailed in an attempt to grab ahold, until finally, he pulled himself up beside the bread box, the cookie jar, and the cabinets above. With a little wriggle, Alex found the flour container, then hopped down onto the stool, then the ground.
“Got it!” He chirped, then hobbled over to the counter. The Pikachu awkwardly scuttled to bring the stool with him, namely with little kicks of his tiny feet. That same struggle was cut off when a pair of strong claws gripped onto the box Alex had held.
“Dear, let me.” A gruff, yet sweet tone spoke from a giant in comparison to Alex.
The voice came from a typical Kangaskhan, who wore a baby-blue apron that covered their vacant pouch. She wore similar colored bows around her upper arms, and a barret that covered her dark gray cranium. The name tag on her apron was made from copper, etched into it was the name ‘Raine’. This sweet woman plopped the flour down on the counter, then bent down to pat Alex on the head.
“Don’t exert all that energy!” She jokingly warned, “You’ll be exhausted by the time you make it to the coastline!”
Silveredge Coastline, Alex could imagine that town by the beach in his head. More importantly? The Silveredge Explorer’s Guild, something him and his friend yearned to join since they were kids. Every application process was turned down for ten long years, until finally, they got approved four weeks after Alex’s eighteenth-birthday. Both him and his best bud spent three days preparing their belongings, saying their goodbyes, taking in the last of the pine forest smells. Today was their departure.
“Fine, fine.” Alex chuckled. “It’s just gonna be a while before I can come back and help again.”
Raine giggled with Alex, flattered by the Pikachu’s assistance. “If I ever need my big, strong boy, I can just put a job listing!”
“That’s not how it works!”
Their sense of humor was pretty pure, the most light-hearted jabs were usually what had them throwing their heads back in laughter. Then was no exception, Alex and Raine both had their paws/claws on their stomach, their guffaws echoed about the kitchen walls. With a wipe of his eye, Alex got back on track, readying to head out. Satchel, check. Badge, check. Scarf, check. Extra supplies, check. That bitter-sweet feeling of leaving home, checked off for sure. Before he could make it out the door, Raine dashed up from behind him to scoop him into a hug.
“You and Eki better be careful!” She warmly advised, “If you so much as get a bonk on the head too hard, you’ll be cleaning the café!”
“Mom, I’ll be fine!” It was hard for Alex to speak with how hard Raine squished him, “Trust me, we’re not weak!”
With a ruffle to the head, Raine gently set her Pikachu down to the floor. Alex was about to dash out the door, before he scooted to a halt. There-in the doorway-stood a tall, menacing figure. With a pale blue stomach, holes in its body, and a cold stare. In its short claws…a pail and a gardening shovel.
“Oh, didn’t know you were up, pops!” Alex chirped.
Raine’s long beloved husband, Roq, usually did upkeep on the house while the Kangaskhan was gone. It was comical to see a Tyranitar of all things be a stay-at-home dad, but he seemed to like the role. Of came the gloves from his claws, and another headpat was administered to Alex’s head.
“Love you too, dad.” He replied to his dad’s silent sign of affection, before he dashed off. “And love you, mom!”
Roq turned around and slightly shuffled behind his wife, while Raine waved off their son. “Be sure to stay full and hydrated!”
Through Pricklepine Alex dashed past lumbered pinewood homes with smokestack chimneys, then a small market center. He scooted past his mother’s branch of Café Connection, zipped past the Kecleon Wares, hopped over some lumber, before he quickly made his drift-stop right beside a lone Pokémon. A Cyndaquil stood alone, they bounced up and down with grand excitement, their red scarf and their shiny badge paired quite nicely with one another, and, with their satchel, it was obvious they were ready for travel.
“Ekiiii!” Alex yelped out while the dust from his drift kicked up behind him.
“Aleeeex!” The Cyndaquil cheered, before she dashed up to Alex. “Did it go okay?! Your ma cool?! Your DA cool?!”
“They’re fine!” Promised Alex, “What about your folks?”
“Dad was cool, mom took a bit of convincing. Now c’mon!” Eki got onto her nubby little paws to dash away, which led Alex to follow behind.
They’ve been through thick and thin, Alex and Eki. When Alex got bullied as a child for his height, Eki was there to back him up, or when Alex couldn’t evolve past his Pikachu form, Eki refused to evolve so that he had someone who’d relate to him. Eki often had issues with socializing, something Alex seemed to find himself easily able to do, same with expressing himself. Eki’s the smart hand, Alex’s the charm hand. Two Cherubi’s in a stem, one might call them! They ran past a Pachirisu, who spun around and stumbled from the speed the two garnered together. This Pachirisu humphed, then crossed her arms before she wandered along once more. The two buds sped past their old town’s dusty trail, ready to take on any of the morning’s trials! There was one last detour they had to take before they felt truly comfortable leaving their home behind. Alex dashed up a dilapidated set of cobblestone steps, Eki ran up the stone rail beside him. Up the hill, the ideal hangout spot, the old out-of-place oak tree right beside the rarely used, metallic and rugged wishing well. It was a fantastic view of not just their village, but of the coast far in the distance. The vague shapes of large buildings were faint blue outlines to them. Those shapes were nothing more than excitement producers, never before have they been somewhere so large…
“It’ll take a day for us to get there.” Alex reminded, his paws placed in front of him, in a comical sitting position.
Eki gently nodded, then turned to look at the Pikachu. “I packed my old blanket, so, I’ll be fine.”
“Isn’t that too small for you?” Alex chuckled. “It might be more my size.”
“Hey, you’re not getting my blanket! Get your own!”
They both had a laugh at themselves, jokes and rebuttals like those were pretty common among those two, especially in this part of town. Something about the strong berry scent from far above their heads, coupled with old memories of similar jests, influenced how they felt. Though, there was one thing that they’d never done before. Eki tossed Alex a single Poké coin, which he barely caught.
“What’s this for?” He pondered.
Eki pointed over to the wishing well, a knowing grin on her face. “Why not get us some good luck?”
He understood why he was given a coin now, but the whole thing felt silly to him. “I dunno…I don’t think it really works, Eki. That whole wishing well stuff’s just for kids.”
“Might be the last time we ever get the chance.” Eki pressed, “Besides, it’s my coin anyway. Not like you’ll be losing any money, right?”
The Klinklangs in Alex’s head grinded together, before their luminescent eyes glew. With a smug look on his face, the Pikachu hopped from his spot, and trotted along to the well. “We got all the luck we need.” He promised, and stood by the well, shallow enough to go up to half his height. “Alright, I’d wish I was taller.”
The coin was discarded into the hole, then disappeared into the maws of darkness within it. The two didn’t hear a splash, they didn’t hear anything for a while. The calm silence was disturbed by yelps of the bird Pokémon, who scattered across the skies when the earth began to rumble. Alex gasped when a bright, magenta-red light shot from the hole and into the skies above. Other spots within the forest beamed up those lights, the ground’s quaking threw off both of their balances.
“What’s happening?!” Screeched Eki, who clung to the ground for dear life.
Alex couldn’t answer, he did his best to keep his balance, yet it was fruitless. The vibrations of the hill below them practically pushed him down into the hole behind him. Alex’s yells were drowned out by the echoed reverb of the steel walls beside him, alongside the earth shifting from all around.
“Aleeeex!!!”
Eki’s scream at least signified that he wasn’t ignored, though what could be done? Who knew how far the fall would be?
The calm village of Pricklepine was sent into shambles as the ground shifted and moved below them. The beacons of light that pierced the clouds began to tinge them a magenta color. The sun slowly succumbed to its swallowed demise from these cumulus clusters, which caused concern and chaos. An Unfezant guided her children away from the outside and back indoors. A Sawsbuck butted his head against his business’s door from the inside, the Open sign swished to closed quickly. The old schoolhouse was guarded by its principal Bewear, who outstretched her arms so that kids couldn’t run off in the dangerous outdoors. The Pachirisu those two friends bumped into earlier scrambled for a place to hide out, though everyone else was too scared to let her hide away. Most importantly though, a Xatu watched on at the hill, perched up on a strange hut made from faux hide and a long stick. His voided eyes waited, waiting for something to occur.
Alex’s fall was thankfully not that long. Something broke his fall after a couple seconds, it was soft, squishy, and prevented Alex from having an untimely demise.
“I’m okay!!” He cupped his paws around his mouth, then threw his voice up. “A little sore but fine!!”
“Okay, just, what do I do?!” Eki called back desperately.
Alex mulled it over. Truth be told, he couldn’t think of anything. “Just, stay up there and take cover! There could be aftershocks! I’ll go search for an exit!”
Easier said than done. The dark hole that Alex had fallen into was slightly illuminated by the beam of red energy that shot from the middle. It seemed that Alex had fallen into a large stretch of hollowed out earth, held up by supports of sturdy granite. He hadn’t landed on the ground, but whatever he was on broke his fall. Hard to make out any colors when that warm hue obscured much of one’s vision. He squinted down to the bottom, able to see Poké of large quantities amassed in a pile, like a treasure hoard. Nuggets, treasure boxes, food and crystalized candy, along with weird rocks he’d never seen before! Alex was careful to hop off the cushion surface and onto the ground, his tail swished from right to left. If there’s one thing that ever peaked Alex’s interest, it was treasure. Not for the material value, but for the stories they tell…sadly for him, these just seemed like generic boxes and porous rocks. His concentration, however, was thrown off balance when he heard a low, monstrous growl behind him. Close behind him. As if it had always been there. Shaking, Alex turned around to see a ghastly monster behind him! Giant, red eyes stabbed him through his courage, a round muzzle with two protruding fangs longer than he was tall, antennae that stretched up above its head, surrounded by clouds of a similar hue to the light from the ground. Its claws dug into the earth while it stood up, then, ascended up into the air on its light refracted wings. Dust and powder fell off its body into the craggy earth below, before it unleashed a roar so strong it quaked the hill once again.
Alex never felt so miniature in comparison to another Pokémon before. Usually, he was fine with the way he was built. But this? Not even a few inches could save him from this. His natural instinct was to run in fear, he wouldn’t know where until his feet took him there. This insect, nay, insect was too small a word! This gargantuan goliath gained up on Alex fast. He knew he had to do something, but what? His thought process was cut short when the boy tripped, he yelled out of fear before something lodged itself in his throat. It was a harsh gulp and cough afterward to get it down, though it did feel a little gross. Toxic, in a way. His paws sifted around for anything, all he could find were more of those strange, purple rocks with harsh red lights that glowed from its core. He felt sick at first, then had a strange tingle along his spine. Something activated in him that jolted the boy upright, a sensation he hadn’t felt since his evolution from Pichu to Pikachu.
He yipped loudly when his body surged upward and out, the process was more like a pinch all over than anything else. Alex stumbled backward, and kicked away the same strange rocks that must have enabled this weird change in him. A loud gurgle emerged from his belly, as it pushed itself outward while he stretched upward.
“W-What’s going on?!” Alex screeched loudly, his cry reverberated from the walls of the cave itself.
Eki, who had taken the duck and cover approach away from the giant tree, sprung up when she heard Alex’s voice again. She would’ve run over to the well again, but another tremor held her in place. “AAAAA-LEEEEX!” She cried out in a shaky, off balance voice. “IS EVERYTHING OKAAAAAY?!”
Alex could not respond, he was too distracted with where his body led him. Purple and red energy seemed to push his growth about, while the young man was pulled up, he felt his tail notch about, over and over again. It got a bit skinnier in the process, something the rest of his body was not blessed with. He felt his arms grow heavy and padded, his buttocks and legs jiggled with every slight step back, the ground quaked beneath him, but he wasn’t thrown off balance. No, was he in tune with the shaken up earth? The Pikachu gasped, he felt the edge of the enclosure beneath the well grow ever tighter. He was at the edge! Eki heard earth get dislodged and unsettled moments after, she crawled on the ground to investigate the source of the noise, only to find two mounds of yellow and a giant, illuminated lightning bolt made of fur and flesh to poke out. Then, out stumbled the beast that caused this mess. It was yellow, with red cheeks, blackish brown eyes…whatever this thing was, it stroke a grand resemblance to…
“Alex?!” Eki squeaked out.
Of course, it had Alex’s voice, though it was thrown horridly off balance by its own body. Down into the ground it went, that giant flab rippled at any motion it did. There was a whiny, huffy groan from the creature…
“Owowowowwwww…” Alex rubbed his noggin, everything about him was oversized to the tenth degree. “What…just happened…?”
Eki blinked, then tried to look for a way down. “U-Uh, I guess you got your wish…” She choked out finally. Her mood lightener was delivered shakily, a poor time to tell a joke.
Alex screeched when the creature that chased him flew out of the giant hole he made, its giant wings beat so hard the air around them crackled. The gusts from the flaps themselves knocked Eki on her butt again, before she took notice of the beast before her.
“What is THAT THING?!” Eki screeched.
Alex watched the beast fly away into the darkened skies above, its eyes set somewhere important. He gasped, then scrambled to his feet. “It’s heading for Pricklepine!”
“That thing’s heading for home?!” Eki yipped, then paced back and forth. “There’s no way we can contain that thing alone! It’ll take the whole village to stop it! No one from there’s built to fight! We’re the only ones who stand a GASTLY of a chance! What do we do what do we do what do we do?!”
While Eki panicked, Alex took a look at his paws. He was big now, a bit taller than that creature was. He hadn’t felt taller than something in a while, and now? That big beast wasn’t so scary. With a proud pout, he clenched his fists tight. “We go after it!” His cheeks sparked slightly from anticipation.
“Go after it?!” Eki screeched. “Highly illogical, we’re probably gonna get curbstomped!”
“Trust me.” Alex looked back to Eki with a nod. “We’re not weak!”
Eki flinched at the encouraged assurance. Her memory dialed back to their grade school days, when Alex was still a tiny Pichu who got bullied by a Pancham. The first thing she ever promised him was that they weren’t weak, that they could stand up to any challenge. It was a generic motto, but it was theirs. She became tranquil again, then took a couple steps back. With a running start, Eki leaped off the cliff and onto Alex’s head.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s go stop that thing!”
“Yeah!” Alex began to stomp over to the village, significantly slowed down by his bulk now.
That monster managed to beat them to their town with ease, its roar loud and overwhelming. A Meowth ducked under a wheelbarrow, Vivillions fluttered away in fear, even the Keckleon shop closed up to hide. The only Pokémon out was a Caterpie, who stared up at the creature. His eyes didn’t blink, they just reflected the monster that headed down right for him. Thankfully for him, the Pachirisu from earlier had taken notice.
“Kid!!!” She yelped, then nearly transported in his place. In reality, she used her speed to pull off an impulsive U-Turn, though while it saved the Caterpie, the Pachirisu quickly realized what trouble she was in. That monster had eyes for her now.
She recoiled in fear, if only she knew Double Team! She could’ve gotten out of there much easier! All that was possible for her was to curl up into a ball and whine. Her senses were tuned out, maybe if she just disassociated it would be over sooner. Eventually though, she did open an eye, only to see a slightly familiar face…a lot bigger than normal. Alex had taken a brunt of the blow, he used his back to stop the creature’s descent down onto that Pachirisu, his paws gripped into the dirt beneath him. It was hard to hold this creature back for so long, the boy started to sweat. The Pachirisu could feel a blush spread across her face, as she once again felt her grip on reality slip. She was hyper fixated on this chunky hero.
“H…Hey, you should…ghk, take cover!” Alex warned her, “Café Connection is open…to everyone! Just…tell the owner…I sent you!”
She popped back into reality long enough to get back into motion. “W…Write me!” She begged, then dashed off to the popular chain store.
With determination, Alex flung the beast off his back just enough to where he could readjust himself. He did his best not to squash any buildings below, but with all that fat, a few things did get crushed or knocked over. Eki stared down the Pokémon, then wiggled a bit on Alex’s head.
“This thing looks like a Bug type!” She presumed, “And its wings make me think it could be a Flying type, too!”
“It’s got good enough control in the air, I figured that one on my own.” Alex gripped his tail like a club. “I’m gonna knock it out of town! When I get up close…”
“Ember it!” Eki finished Alex’s plan for him.
The fatty yelled a battle cry as he charged, each step, his tail grew brighter and brighter, and surged with electricity. Pokémon gathered by their windows to watch, while each step Alex took caused furniture and non-affixed items to bounce and fly around. With his tail up as high as it would go, the giant Pikachu crashed it down into the monster’s head. Eki bounced off Alex’s head to give the creature a light singe on its side, to which, it roared from the damage. Eki was flown right off when the beast could shake her, though Alex was careful enough to have caught her before she became a pancake on the worn path below.
“You good?” Alex asked, while he stepped backward.
Eki groaned slightly, but got back on her feet. “Never better…”
The Xatu watched on, still the only one who hadn’t taken any cover yet. He watched those two giants fight, some shine finally came back to his eyes.
“It is as fate predestined.” His voice was deep, smooth, but had a gravitas to it only that of a wise, aged Pokémon’s would. “A hero born of the mountain…”
The flying creature’s wings beat harder and harder, while Alex tried to take a majority of the blow. Alex stood headstrong, and covered his face to the best of his ability. Eki was thankfully shielded by his cupped paw. Still though, this wasn’t an ideal situation to be in. If they let this thing tire itself out, it would no doubt rip apart the village behind Alex!
“The winds are too strong…!” Alex relayed to Eki, “If I take a step, I might fall over!”
The Cyndaquil wracked her brain to the best of her ability, what could be done? She thought, thought, thought, until…a proverbial lantern lit in her brain. “Throw me!”
“WHAT?!”
“Nono, trust me!” Eki prepared herself. “I’m gonna prepare Rollout and hit you a bit. You throw me at the monster, I’ll have prepared a Rollout so strong it’ll knock it down! I believe in your throwing arm!”
“I don’t, but…we don’t have many other options!”
Eki curled up into a ball and rolled around Alex’s paw. She was sure to bop into his fingers and arm fat to build up speed. With a determined glare, the fatty Pikachu hurled his tiny friend through the wind. The inertia was faster than either of them could have built up on their own combined, Eki felt the air around her part to grant her passage. Truly, a dumb idea such as this granted her the worthiness of passing. She met head-on with the noggin of this gargantuan giant, which whined pathetically. The beast was dazed, one could see the toonish stars around its head spin while it fell butt first on the ground. Eki bounced off of Alex, then made a safe landing on the ground below. She dug her nubby paw into the dirt to drift two-hundred-seventy degrees, then lurched her head upward.
“Finish it off!”
With another roar, Alex grabbed his tail, then collided it with the monster’s noggin. Sparks of electricity flew among the battlefield, as the monster fell backward. It left a large imprint in the dirt, its antennae came too close to the school house for comfort, but otherwise, it simply just brushed the Bewear’s body. Those wings draped over buildings, as the beams’ intensity started to dim. Clouds parted and returned to their normal hue, the sun shined down on the thwarted titan… There was silence, until, grand amounts of cheering. Pokémon jubilated about the two, those that hid in fear came out from their hiding spots to cry out in joy.
“Alex did it!” One called out.
“He got on the monster’s level!” Another yelled to the top of their lungs.
“We’re saved!” Screamed another.
Eki wasn’t short of praise either, she was hoisted up by other Pokémon and showered with celebration. Two of which, being two Typhlosions. One fierce looking fire type lady, and one mellow ghostly man. They didn’t say much, just hugged their daughter with glee. Eki wordlessly accepted the affection gratefully. There was, however, one Pokémon that didn’t celebrate with the others. The Caterpie from earlier scooted along past the crowd, the tiny little thing made his way over to the beast that would have surely seen him as no more than a snack, which caught Alex’s eye.
“K-Kid!” He called out. “Stay away from that! It might-”
Alex was surprised to see light burst from the creature, as it quickly shrunk back down to something more…recognizable. Everyone else stopped their cheers to watch on, when the pink light dimmed, a Butterfree lay in the comically large crater it left.
“Eughhhh, how long was I out for…?” The friendly voice from the worn out, groggy Pokémon was like a breath of fresh air. Though, the Caterpie tackled the flying type back down to the ground instantly.
“Papa!” He called out, then curled up on his presumed father.
Everyone glanced around, glad that the Butterfree was okay, but unsure of how he could have been the monster. He didn’t seem in control of himself, that much was obvious. It was then Xatu flew down to the level of the townsfolk, for the first time in forever. “There is quite the explanation needed.” He revealed.
Gathered in the town’s center, Xatu had weaved a tale he normally never had the energy to expend, where a mass crowd listened on. This crowd included Alex, who did his best to listen while, unintentionally, having provided a few Pokemon a nice, cushy wall to lean up against with his sizable stomach. The Xatu only exposed his left eye, his right was covered by an eyepatch painted to resemble the eye pattern on his belly.
“Long ago, Pricklepine was the host of many creatures capable of a fantastic, frightening power. In their genes, a strand of this power was carried on. Beastial Pokémon dubbed Gigantamax Pokémon came from within them when the time called. The origins of this strength were muddled and mysterious, but those of Pricklepine took great care in using their strength accordingly. The power from the earth awakened these strengths, which the guardians of our village made extra care in seeing that this power was not squandered. The Reliable Rillaboom, the Cindering Cinderace, and the Intelligent Inteleon were the main three guardians of Pricklepine, along with two Pokémon dubbed ‘Urshifu’. These twins were said to have been the heroes of Pricklepine, however, one day, they used their powers irresponsibly. It is said these twins took competition more seriously than the livelihoods of those around them, and sought to prove once and for all who was the strongest of the two. Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon sought to prevent any damage, and banished them both to the opposite sides of the earths. The followers of these twins scattered about in their path, and joined other settlements. In their old age, the three remaining guardians decreed that those with the Gigantamax Gene were to be banished as well, so incidents such as this could no longer happen in this forest. The three of them held up their own promise once they were sure that no other line stayed. However, the prophecy of another hero lingered on in writing. A hero would emerge out from where this energy spills from, born again of the mountain.”
Xatu took a moment to flip his eyepatch off of his right eye, then to his left.
“The hidden line of Gigantamax Pokémon would bring about a new, chaotic time in Pricklepine unintentionally. However, he would be there in the village’s most dire of time to assist. This hero…is you, Alex.”
Alex blinked, then glanced down to his paws once again. “Me?” He wondered aloud. “I don’t know, Prophet, I’m just a nobody.”
The Xatu flipped off his eyepatch entirely, then pocketed away in his feathers. “A hero does not start from perfect circumstances all of the time.” Promised Prophet. “You are a clear example of that.”
“You did save us, after all.” Eki’s father gently patted on Alex’s stomach with a soft smile. “I mean, we woulda been up slop creek without a paddle if it weren’t for you.”
“Anybody could’ve done it.” Alex sighed. “It was just my dumb butt that fell in.”
Prophet extended his wingspan, then looked up to the sky. “And yet, I have seen the story you will tell. You were born from those who were scared of your fate.”
Alex blinked slightly, then looked down to the Kangaskhan and Tyranitar he called his parents. “W…you were scared of me?”
Both of them looked at each other, nervous of where to go next with that statement. Roq nodded gently, before Raine looked up to Alex. “Son, we were never scared of you.” She assured him, “We love you with all our heart, even while you’re a big, wide lad. But there’s something we haven’t told you because, well, we were scared what you would think.”
“Y…Yeah?”
Raine clasped her paws together, then breathed deeply. “...Alex. When you were an egg, I found you cold and alone. So, Roq and I decided to take you in and bring you home. You’re…”
“Adopted.”
Alex finished off the big reveal with a heavy sigh. He seemed disappointed at first, then, smiled big and wide to his two foster parents.
“I mean. It makes sense now. A Kangaskhan and a Tyranitar can’t make a Pikachu egg…!”
Raine, pleasantly surprised, wiped the sweat from her brow. Eki, meanwhile, just looked at Alex dumbfounded at how he couldn’t have known such an obvious fact prior. The Prophet looked back to Alex, with a serious squint.
“Your birth parents,” He began, “they are still alive. Do you wish to see them?”
That took Alex aback, he’d just found out he had another set of parents, and knew that they were alive? Curiosity got the best of him, he took a deep breath. “I’m destined to meet them anyway, aren’t I?”
“I am afraid so.”
“Figures.” Alex chuckled. “Alright, where do you see me then?”
The eyepatch came right back on, while the Xatu’s right eye darted around. “It comes to me. You are in a forest, full of bright fluffy oak trees. You see them. A Pikachu and a Raichu. They wait by the lakeside.”
“Wait, huh?” Alex watched Pokémon stir away as he stood up. “Then they’ll have to wait some more.”
Eki blinked a bit, her eyes opened to big, round circles when Alex said that. “Wait, what?!”
“We made other plans, didn’t we Eki?” His big smile was heart warming for certain, but it confuddled Eki even more.
“You dummy!” She jumped and waved around. “You just got told your birth parents are somewhere out there, you grew up to the size of an overfed Groudon, you just got told a prophecy, and now you’re wanting to go dungeon spelunking?! We can’t even fit you in the guild, let alone the dungeon! How’re we, ha…how?!”
“Eki.” A gruff, low woman’s voice broke the Cyndaquil’s concentration. Her mother stared her down with that intense glare she gave her as a kid. “I think his mind’s made up.”
Her father patted Alex again and snickered. “No need to cause a fuss about it.” He stressed. “You can never convince Alex out of something.”
That was beyond true, she remembered a couple times Alex got way in over his head. Like when he volunteered to decorate the stage for the school play, Eki remembered how he was strung up and hung by ribbons…but she helped him out of that tight spot. She looked up to Alex again, that infectious smile soon spread to her.
“I…can’t say no to my best bud.” She relented. “Okay Alex, let’s go to Silveredge Coastline.”
“Before you go!” A shrill voice broke through the crowd, before Butterfree dashed up to Alex’s face. In his small hands was a box, diligently wrapped in a blue sash.
Alex gently took it and squinted. “A…A present?”
“I know I wasn’t in control of myself,” The Butterfree admitted, “but I wanted to make this for you as an apology.”
Carefully, Alex opened the box by undoing the sash with one digit, then, he gently scooted the lid away. Inside was a cute little wood doll, carved to look just like him. “Aw, Mr. Geppy, this is so cute…!”
Geppy rubbed the back of his head. “It’s the least I could do Alex.” He stressed, “Especially on such short notice.”
“I think Eki will get to put this in her room.” Alex giggled, before he picked up his pal. “It’s a bit too small for me to admire fully.”
“It’s the thought that counts.” Geppy replied, then flew out of Alex’s way. “Go on! Safe travels!”
The big Pikachu slid the present into his other hand, where Eki grabbed onto it. The Cyndaquil was placed safely on his shoulder, where she nestled herself next to some neck fat. Alex carefully stomped along, with polite little ‘excuse mes’ when he needed Pokémon beneath him to move out of the way. He slipped on by, before something stopped him in his tracks.
“Hey.”
It was a cold, gruff voice, raspy as if he’d done so much yelling it tore his throat apart. Alex turned back, glisten-eyed. Roq turned his head upward, then gave an assured nod.
“Love you, son.”
That kind hearted Pikachu sniffled, then wiped his eyes with his free hand. “Thanks, pops…” He smiled back. “Love you, too. No matter what!”
Onward Alex and Eki went, their path set before them. It would’ve taken a day to get to Silveredge Coastline at normal size, but even accounting for Alex’s sluggishness thanks to his fat, there was a high likelihood they could get there in the early evening. What wonders awaited them, they thought to themselves? Alex just wandered on, his eyes shut. The cool breeze never felt so good as it did before against his cheeks…
The scooting of a stool squeaked along the pine wooden floor, a short, stout Pikachu pushed it along. This part of the kitchen wasn’t made for Pikachu in mind, but it was something the little athletic rodents could traverse. Well, when you’re just a bit too short, it’s a struggle to even hop up the counter when you can’t even grab on! Alex hopped up the stool, then jumped up to grab the counter. Whiff. Whiff. Miss. His little paws flailed in an attempt to grab ahold, until finally, he pulled himself up beside the bread box, the cookie jar, and the cabinets above. With a little wriggle, Alex found the flour container, then hopped down onto the stool, then the ground.
“Got it!” He chirped, then hobbled over to the counter. The Pikachu awkwardly scuttled to bring the stool with him, namely with little kicks of his tiny feet. That same struggle was cut off when a pair of strong claws gripped onto the box Alex had held.
“Dear, let me.” A gruff, yet sweet tone spoke from a giant in comparison to Alex.
The voice came from a typical Kangaskhan, who wore a baby-blue apron that covered their vacant pouch. She wore similar colored bows around her upper arms, and a barret that covered her dark gray cranium. The name tag on her apron was made from copper, etched into it was the name ‘Raine’. This sweet woman plopped the flour down on the counter, then bent down to pat Alex on the head.
“Don’t exert all that energy!” She jokingly warned, “You’ll be exhausted by the time you make it to the coastline!”
Silveredge Coastline, Alex could imagine that town by the beach in his head. More importantly? The Silveredge Explorer’s Guild, something him and his friend yearned to join since they were kids. Every application process was turned down for ten long years, until finally, they got approved four weeks after Alex’s eighteenth-birthday. Both him and his best bud spent three days preparing their belongings, saying their goodbyes, taking in the last of the pine forest smells. Today was their departure.
“Fine, fine.” Alex chuckled. “It’s just gonna be a while before I can come back and help again.”
Raine giggled with Alex, flattered by the Pikachu’s assistance. “If I ever need my big, strong boy, I can just put a job listing!”
“That’s not how it works!”
Their sense of humor was pretty pure, the most light-hearted jabs were usually what had them throwing their heads back in laughter. Then was no exception, Alex and Raine both had their paws/claws on their stomach, their guffaws echoed about the kitchen walls. With a wipe of his eye, Alex got back on track, readying to head out. Satchel, check. Badge, check. Scarf, check. Extra supplies, check. That bitter-sweet feeling of leaving home, checked off for sure. Before he could make it out the door, Raine dashed up from behind him to scoop him into a hug.
“You and Eki better be careful!” She warmly advised, “If you so much as get a bonk on the head too hard, you’ll be cleaning the café!”
“Mom, I’ll be fine!” It was hard for Alex to speak with how hard Raine squished him, “Trust me, we’re not weak!”
With a ruffle to the head, Raine gently set her Pikachu down to the floor. Alex was about to dash out the door, before he scooted to a halt. There-in the doorway-stood a tall, menacing figure. With a pale blue stomach, holes in its body, and a cold stare. In its short claws…a pail and a gardening shovel.
“Oh, didn’t know you were up, pops!” Alex chirped.
Raine’s long beloved husband, Roq, usually did upkeep on the house while the Kangaskhan was gone. It was comical to see a Tyranitar of all things be a stay-at-home dad, but he seemed to like the role. Of came the gloves from his claws, and another headpat was administered to Alex’s head.
“Love you too, dad.” He replied to his dad’s silent sign of affection, before he dashed off. “And love you, mom!”
Roq turned around and slightly shuffled behind his wife, while Raine waved off their son. “Be sure to stay full and hydrated!”
Through Pricklepine Alex dashed past lumbered pinewood homes with smokestack chimneys, then a small market center. He scooted past his mother’s branch of Café Connection, zipped past the Kecleon Wares, hopped over some lumber, before he quickly made his drift-stop right beside a lone Pokémon. A Cyndaquil stood alone, they bounced up and down with grand excitement, their red scarf and their shiny badge paired quite nicely with one another, and, with their satchel, it was obvious they were ready for travel.
“Ekiiii!” Alex yelped out while the dust from his drift kicked up behind him.
“Aleeeex!” The Cyndaquil cheered, before she dashed up to Alex. “Did it go okay?! Your ma cool?! Your DA cool?!”
“They’re fine!” Promised Alex, “What about your folks?”
“Dad was cool, mom took a bit of convincing. Now c’mon!” Eki got onto her nubby little paws to dash away, which led Alex to follow behind.
They’ve been through thick and thin, Alex and Eki. When Alex got bullied as a child for his height, Eki was there to back him up, or when Alex couldn’t evolve past his Pikachu form, Eki refused to evolve so that he had someone who’d relate to him. Eki often had issues with socializing, something Alex seemed to find himself easily able to do, same with expressing himself. Eki’s the smart hand, Alex’s the charm hand. Two Cherubi’s in a stem, one might call them! They ran past a Pachirisu, who spun around and stumbled from the speed the two garnered together. This Pachirisu humphed, then crossed her arms before she wandered along once more. The two buds sped past their old town’s dusty trail, ready to take on any of the morning’s trials! There was one last detour they had to take before they felt truly comfortable leaving their home behind. Alex dashed up a dilapidated set of cobblestone steps, Eki ran up the stone rail beside him. Up the hill, the ideal hangout spot, the old out-of-place oak tree right beside the rarely used, metallic and rugged wishing well. It was a fantastic view of not just their village, but of the coast far in the distance. The vague shapes of large buildings were faint blue outlines to them. Those shapes were nothing more than excitement producers, never before have they been somewhere so large…
“It’ll take a day for us to get there.” Alex reminded, his paws placed in front of him, in a comical sitting position.
Eki gently nodded, then turned to look at the Pikachu. “I packed my old blanket, so, I’ll be fine.”
“Isn’t that too small for you?” Alex chuckled. “It might be more my size.”
“Hey, you’re not getting my blanket! Get your own!”
They both had a laugh at themselves, jokes and rebuttals like those were pretty common among those two, especially in this part of town. Something about the strong berry scent from far above their heads, coupled with old memories of similar jests, influenced how they felt. Though, there was one thing that they’d never done before. Eki tossed Alex a single Poké coin, which he barely caught.
“What’s this for?” He pondered.
Eki pointed over to the wishing well, a knowing grin on her face. “Why not get us some good luck?”
He understood why he was given a coin now, but the whole thing felt silly to him. “I dunno…I don’t think it really works, Eki. That whole wishing well stuff’s just for kids.”
“Might be the last time we ever get the chance.” Eki pressed, “Besides, it’s my coin anyway. Not like you’ll be losing any money, right?”
The Klinklangs in Alex’s head grinded together, before their luminescent eyes glew. With a smug look on his face, the Pikachu hopped from his spot, and trotted along to the well. “We got all the luck we need.” He promised, and stood by the well, shallow enough to go up to half his height. “Alright, I’d wish I was taller.”
The coin was discarded into the hole, then disappeared into the maws of darkness within it. The two didn’t hear a splash, they didn’t hear anything for a while. The calm silence was disturbed by yelps of the bird Pokémon, who scattered across the skies when the earth began to rumble. Alex gasped when a bright, magenta-red light shot from the hole and into the skies above. Other spots within the forest beamed up those lights, the ground’s quaking threw off both of their balances.
“What’s happening?!” Screeched Eki, who clung to the ground for dear life.
Alex couldn’t answer, he did his best to keep his balance, yet it was fruitless. The vibrations of the hill below them practically pushed him down into the hole behind him. Alex’s yells were drowned out by the echoed reverb of the steel walls beside him, alongside the earth shifting from all around.
“Aleeeex!!!”
Eki’s scream at least signified that he wasn’t ignored, though what could be done? Who knew how far the fall would be?
The calm village of Pricklepine was sent into shambles as the ground shifted and moved below them. The beacons of light that pierced the clouds began to tinge them a magenta color. The sun slowly succumbed to its swallowed demise from these cumulus clusters, which caused concern and chaos. An Unfezant guided her children away from the outside and back indoors. A Sawsbuck butted his head against his business’s door from the inside, the Open sign swished to closed quickly. The old schoolhouse was guarded by its principal Bewear, who outstretched her arms so that kids couldn’t run off in the dangerous outdoors. The Pachirisu those two friends bumped into earlier scrambled for a place to hide out, though everyone else was too scared to let her hide away. Most importantly though, a Xatu watched on at the hill, perched up on a strange hut made from faux hide and a long stick. His voided eyes waited, waiting for something to occur.
Alex’s fall was thankfully not that long. Something broke his fall after a couple seconds, it was soft, squishy, and prevented Alex from having an untimely demise.
“I’m okay!!” He cupped his paws around his mouth, then threw his voice up. “A little sore but fine!!”
“Okay, just, what do I do?!” Eki called back desperately.
Alex mulled it over. Truth be told, he couldn’t think of anything. “Just, stay up there and take cover! There could be aftershocks! I’ll go search for an exit!”
Easier said than done. The dark hole that Alex had fallen into was slightly illuminated by the beam of red energy that shot from the middle. It seemed that Alex had fallen into a large stretch of hollowed out earth, held up by supports of sturdy granite. He hadn’t landed on the ground, but whatever he was on broke his fall. Hard to make out any colors when that warm hue obscured much of one’s vision. He squinted down to the bottom, able to see Poké of large quantities amassed in a pile, like a treasure hoard. Nuggets, treasure boxes, food and crystalized candy, along with weird rocks he’d never seen before! Alex was careful to hop off the cushion surface and onto the ground, his tail swished from right to left. If there’s one thing that ever peaked Alex’s interest, it was treasure. Not for the material value, but for the stories they tell…sadly for him, these just seemed like generic boxes and porous rocks. His concentration, however, was thrown off balance when he heard a low, monstrous growl behind him. Close behind him. As if it had always been there. Shaking, Alex turned around to see a ghastly monster behind him! Giant, red eyes stabbed him through his courage, a round muzzle with two protruding fangs longer than he was tall, antennae that stretched up above its head, surrounded by clouds of a similar hue to the light from the ground. Its claws dug into the earth while it stood up, then, ascended up into the air on its light refracted wings. Dust and powder fell off its body into the craggy earth below, before it unleashed a roar so strong it quaked the hill once again.
Alex never felt so miniature in comparison to another Pokémon before. Usually, he was fine with the way he was built. But this? Not even a few inches could save him from this. His natural instinct was to run in fear, he wouldn’t know where until his feet took him there. This insect, nay, insect was too small a word! This gargantuan goliath gained up on Alex fast. He knew he had to do something, but what? His thought process was cut short when the boy tripped, he yelled out of fear before something lodged itself in his throat. It was a harsh gulp and cough afterward to get it down, though it did feel a little gross. Toxic, in a way. His paws sifted around for anything, all he could find were more of those strange, purple rocks with harsh red lights that glowed from its core. He felt sick at first, then had a strange tingle along his spine. Something activated in him that jolted the boy upright, a sensation he hadn’t felt since his evolution from Pichu to Pikachu.
He yipped loudly when his body surged upward and out, the process was more like a pinch all over than anything else. Alex stumbled backward, and kicked away the same strange rocks that must have enabled this weird change in him. A loud gurgle emerged from his belly, as it pushed itself outward while he stretched upward.
“W-What’s going on?!” Alex screeched loudly, his cry reverberated from the walls of the cave itself.
Eki, who had taken the duck and cover approach away from the giant tree, sprung up when she heard Alex’s voice again. She would’ve run over to the well again, but another tremor held her in place. “AAAAA-LEEEEX!” She cried out in a shaky, off balance voice. “IS EVERYTHING OKAAAAAY?!”
Alex could not respond, he was too distracted with where his body led him. Purple and red energy seemed to push his growth about, while the young man was pulled up, he felt his tail notch about, over and over again. It got a bit skinnier in the process, something the rest of his body was not blessed with. He felt his arms grow heavy and padded, his buttocks and legs jiggled with every slight step back, the ground quaked beneath him, but he wasn’t thrown off balance. No, was he in tune with the shaken up earth? The Pikachu gasped, he felt the edge of the enclosure beneath the well grow ever tighter. He was at the edge! Eki heard earth get dislodged and unsettled moments after, she crawled on the ground to investigate the source of the noise, only to find two mounds of yellow and a giant, illuminated lightning bolt made of fur and flesh to poke out. Then, out stumbled the beast that caused this mess. It was yellow, with red cheeks, blackish brown eyes…whatever this thing was, it stroke a grand resemblance to…
“Alex?!” Eki squeaked out.
Of course, it had Alex’s voice, though it was thrown horridly off balance by its own body. Down into the ground it went, that giant flab rippled at any motion it did. There was a whiny, huffy groan from the creature…
“Owowowowwwww…” Alex rubbed his noggin, everything about him was oversized to the tenth degree. “What…just happened…?”
Eki blinked, then tried to look for a way down. “U-Uh, I guess you got your wish…” She choked out finally. Her mood lightener was delivered shakily, a poor time to tell a joke.
Alex screeched when the creature that chased him flew out of the giant hole he made, its giant wings beat so hard the air around them crackled. The gusts from the flaps themselves knocked Eki on her butt again, before she took notice of the beast before her.
“What is THAT THING?!” Eki screeched.
Alex watched the beast fly away into the darkened skies above, its eyes set somewhere important. He gasped, then scrambled to his feet. “It’s heading for Pricklepine!”
“That thing’s heading for home?!” Eki yipped, then paced back and forth. “There’s no way we can contain that thing alone! It’ll take the whole village to stop it! No one from there’s built to fight! We’re the only ones who stand a GASTLY of a chance! What do we do what do we do what do we do?!”
While Eki panicked, Alex took a look at his paws. He was big now, a bit taller than that creature was. He hadn’t felt taller than something in a while, and now? That big beast wasn’t so scary. With a proud pout, he clenched his fists tight. “We go after it!” His cheeks sparked slightly from anticipation.
“Go after it?!” Eki screeched. “Highly illogical, we’re probably gonna get curbstomped!”
“Trust me.” Alex looked back to Eki with a nod. “We’re not weak!”
Eki flinched at the encouraged assurance. Her memory dialed back to their grade school days, when Alex was still a tiny Pichu who got bullied by a Pancham. The first thing she ever promised him was that they weren’t weak, that they could stand up to any challenge. It was a generic motto, but it was theirs. She became tranquil again, then took a couple steps back. With a running start, Eki leaped off the cliff and onto Alex’s head.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s go stop that thing!”
“Yeah!” Alex began to stomp over to the village, significantly slowed down by his bulk now.
That monster managed to beat them to their town with ease, its roar loud and overwhelming. A Meowth ducked under a wheelbarrow, Vivillions fluttered away in fear, even the Keckleon shop closed up to hide. The only Pokémon out was a Caterpie, who stared up at the creature. His eyes didn’t blink, they just reflected the monster that headed down right for him. Thankfully for him, the Pachirisu from earlier had taken notice.
“Kid!!!” She yelped, then nearly transported in his place. In reality, she used her speed to pull off an impulsive U-Turn, though while it saved the Caterpie, the Pachirisu quickly realized what trouble she was in. That monster had eyes for her now.
She recoiled in fear, if only she knew Double Team! She could’ve gotten out of there much easier! All that was possible for her was to curl up into a ball and whine. Her senses were tuned out, maybe if she just disassociated it would be over sooner. Eventually though, she did open an eye, only to see a slightly familiar face…a lot bigger than normal. Alex had taken a brunt of the blow, he used his back to stop the creature’s descent down onto that Pachirisu, his paws gripped into the dirt beneath him. It was hard to hold this creature back for so long, the boy started to sweat. The Pachirisu could feel a blush spread across her face, as she once again felt her grip on reality slip. She was hyper fixated on this chunky hero.
“H…Hey, you should…ghk, take cover!” Alex warned her, “Café Connection is open…to everyone! Just…tell the owner…I sent you!”
She popped back into reality long enough to get back into motion. “W…Write me!” She begged, then dashed off to the popular chain store.
With determination, Alex flung the beast off his back just enough to where he could readjust himself. He did his best not to squash any buildings below, but with all that fat, a few things did get crushed or knocked over. Eki stared down the Pokémon, then wiggled a bit on Alex’s head.
“This thing looks like a Bug type!” She presumed, “And its wings make me think it could be a Flying type, too!”
“It’s got good enough control in the air, I figured that one on my own.” Alex gripped his tail like a club. “I’m gonna knock it out of town! When I get up close…”
“Ember it!” Eki finished Alex’s plan for him.
The fatty yelled a battle cry as he charged, each step, his tail grew brighter and brighter, and surged with electricity. Pokémon gathered by their windows to watch, while each step Alex took caused furniture and non-affixed items to bounce and fly around. With his tail up as high as it would go, the giant Pikachu crashed it down into the monster’s head. Eki bounced off Alex’s head to give the creature a light singe on its side, to which, it roared from the damage. Eki was flown right off when the beast could shake her, though Alex was careful enough to have caught her before she became a pancake on the worn path below.
“You good?” Alex asked, while he stepped backward.
Eki groaned slightly, but got back on her feet. “Never better…”
The Xatu watched on, still the only one who hadn’t taken any cover yet. He watched those two giants fight, some shine finally came back to his eyes.
“It is as fate predestined.” His voice was deep, smooth, but had a gravitas to it only that of a wise, aged Pokémon’s would. “A hero born of the mountain…”
The flying creature’s wings beat harder and harder, while Alex tried to take a majority of the blow. Alex stood headstrong, and covered his face to the best of his ability. Eki was thankfully shielded by his cupped paw. Still though, this wasn’t an ideal situation to be in. If they let this thing tire itself out, it would no doubt rip apart the village behind Alex!
“The winds are too strong…!” Alex relayed to Eki, “If I take a step, I might fall over!”
The Cyndaquil wracked her brain to the best of her ability, what could be done? She thought, thought, thought, until…a proverbial lantern lit in her brain. “Throw me!”
“WHAT?!”
“Nono, trust me!” Eki prepared herself. “I’m gonna prepare Rollout and hit you a bit. You throw me at the monster, I’ll have prepared a Rollout so strong it’ll knock it down! I believe in your throwing arm!”
“I don’t, but…we don’t have many other options!”
Eki curled up into a ball and rolled around Alex’s paw. She was sure to bop into his fingers and arm fat to build up speed. With a determined glare, the fatty Pikachu hurled his tiny friend through the wind. The inertia was faster than either of them could have built up on their own combined, Eki felt the air around her part to grant her passage. Truly, a dumb idea such as this granted her the worthiness of passing. She met head-on with the noggin of this gargantuan giant, which whined pathetically. The beast was dazed, one could see the toonish stars around its head spin while it fell butt first on the ground. Eki bounced off of Alex, then made a safe landing on the ground below. She dug her nubby paw into the dirt to drift two-hundred-seventy degrees, then lurched her head upward.
“Finish it off!”
With another roar, Alex grabbed his tail, then collided it with the monster’s noggin. Sparks of electricity flew among the battlefield, as the monster fell backward. It left a large imprint in the dirt, its antennae came too close to the school house for comfort, but otherwise, it simply just brushed the Bewear’s body. Those wings draped over buildings, as the beams’ intensity started to dim. Clouds parted and returned to their normal hue, the sun shined down on the thwarted titan… There was silence, until, grand amounts of cheering. Pokémon jubilated about the two, those that hid in fear came out from their hiding spots to cry out in joy.
“Alex did it!” One called out.
“He got on the monster’s level!” Another yelled to the top of their lungs.
“We’re saved!” Screamed another.
Eki wasn’t short of praise either, she was hoisted up by other Pokémon and showered with celebration. Two of which, being two Typhlosions. One fierce looking fire type lady, and one mellow ghostly man. They didn’t say much, just hugged their daughter with glee. Eki wordlessly accepted the affection gratefully. There was, however, one Pokémon that didn’t celebrate with the others. The Caterpie from earlier scooted along past the crowd, the tiny little thing made his way over to the beast that would have surely seen him as no more than a snack, which caught Alex’s eye.
“K-Kid!” He called out. “Stay away from that! It might-”
Alex was surprised to see light burst from the creature, as it quickly shrunk back down to something more…recognizable. Everyone else stopped their cheers to watch on, when the pink light dimmed, a Butterfree lay in the comically large crater it left.
“Eughhhh, how long was I out for…?” The friendly voice from the worn out, groggy Pokémon was like a breath of fresh air. Though, the Caterpie tackled the flying type back down to the ground instantly.
“Papa!” He called out, then curled up on his presumed father.
Everyone glanced around, glad that the Butterfree was okay, but unsure of how he could have been the monster. He didn’t seem in control of himself, that much was obvious. It was then Xatu flew down to the level of the townsfolk, for the first time in forever. “There is quite the explanation needed.” He revealed.
Gathered in the town’s center, Xatu had weaved a tale he normally never had the energy to expend, where a mass crowd listened on. This crowd included Alex, who did his best to listen while, unintentionally, having provided a few Pokemon a nice, cushy wall to lean up against with his sizable stomach. The Xatu only exposed his left eye, his right was covered by an eyepatch painted to resemble the eye pattern on his belly.
“Long ago, Pricklepine was the host of many creatures capable of a fantastic, frightening power. In their genes, a strand of this power was carried on. Beastial Pokémon dubbed Gigantamax Pokémon came from within them when the time called. The origins of this strength were muddled and mysterious, but those of Pricklepine took great care in using their strength accordingly. The power from the earth awakened these strengths, which the guardians of our village made extra care in seeing that this power was not squandered. The Reliable Rillaboom, the Cindering Cinderace, and the Intelligent Inteleon were the main three guardians of Pricklepine, along with two Pokémon dubbed ‘Urshifu’. These twins were said to have been the heroes of Pricklepine, however, one day, they used their powers irresponsibly. It is said these twins took competition more seriously than the livelihoods of those around them, and sought to prove once and for all who was the strongest of the two. Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon sought to prevent any damage, and banished them both to the opposite sides of the earths. The followers of these twins scattered about in their path, and joined other settlements. In their old age, the three remaining guardians decreed that those with the Gigantamax Gene were to be banished as well, so incidents such as this could no longer happen in this forest. The three of them held up their own promise once they were sure that no other line stayed. However, the prophecy of another hero lingered on in writing. A hero would emerge out from where this energy spills from, born again of the mountain.”
Xatu took a moment to flip his eyepatch off of his right eye, then to his left.
“The hidden line of Gigantamax Pokémon would bring about a new, chaotic time in Pricklepine unintentionally. However, he would be there in the village’s most dire of time to assist. This hero…is you, Alex.”
Alex blinked, then glanced down to his paws once again. “Me?” He wondered aloud. “I don’t know, Prophet, I’m just a nobody.”
The Xatu flipped off his eyepatch entirely, then pocketed away in his feathers. “A hero does not start from perfect circumstances all of the time.” Promised Prophet. “You are a clear example of that.”
“You did save us, after all.” Eki’s father gently patted on Alex’s stomach with a soft smile. “I mean, we woulda been up slop creek without a paddle if it weren’t for you.”
“Anybody could’ve done it.” Alex sighed. “It was just my dumb butt that fell in.”
Prophet extended his wingspan, then looked up to the sky. “And yet, I have seen the story you will tell. You were born from those who were scared of your fate.”
Alex blinked slightly, then looked down to the Kangaskhan and Tyranitar he called his parents. “W…you were scared of me?”
Both of them looked at each other, nervous of where to go next with that statement. Roq nodded gently, before Raine looked up to Alex. “Son, we were never scared of you.” She assured him, “We love you with all our heart, even while you’re a big, wide lad. But there’s something we haven’t told you because, well, we were scared what you would think.”
“Y…Yeah?”
Raine clasped her paws together, then breathed deeply. “...Alex. When you were an egg, I found you cold and alone. So, Roq and I decided to take you in and bring you home. You’re…”
“Adopted.”
Alex finished off the big reveal with a heavy sigh. He seemed disappointed at first, then, smiled big and wide to his two foster parents.
“I mean. It makes sense now. A Kangaskhan and a Tyranitar can’t make a Pikachu egg…!”
Raine, pleasantly surprised, wiped the sweat from her brow. Eki, meanwhile, just looked at Alex dumbfounded at how he couldn’t have known such an obvious fact prior. The Prophet looked back to Alex, with a serious squint.
“Your birth parents,” He began, “they are still alive. Do you wish to see them?”
That took Alex aback, he’d just found out he had another set of parents, and knew that they were alive? Curiosity got the best of him, he took a deep breath. “I’m destined to meet them anyway, aren’t I?”
“I am afraid so.”
“Figures.” Alex chuckled. “Alright, where do you see me then?”
The eyepatch came right back on, while the Xatu’s right eye darted around. “It comes to me. You are in a forest, full of bright fluffy oak trees. You see them. A Pikachu and a Raichu. They wait by the lakeside.”
“Wait, huh?” Alex watched Pokémon stir away as he stood up. “Then they’ll have to wait some more.”
Eki blinked a bit, her eyes opened to big, round circles when Alex said that. “Wait, what?!”
“We made other plans, didn’t we Eki?” His big smile was heart warming for certain, but it confuddled Eki even more.
“You dummy!” She jumped and waved around. “You just got told your birth parents are somewhere out there, you grew up to the size of an overfed Groudon, you just got told a prophecy, and now you’re wanting to go dungeon spelunking?! We can’t even fit you in the guild, let alone the dungeon! How’re we, ha…how?!”
“Eki.” A gruff, low woman’s voice broke the Cyndaquil’s concentration. Her mother stared her down with that intense glare she gave her as a kid. “I think his mind’s made up.”
Her father patted Alex again and snickered. “No need to cause a fuss about it.” He stressed. “You can never convince Alex out of something.”
That was beyond true, she remembered a couple times Alex got way in over his head. Like when he volunteered to decorate the stage for the school play, Eki remembered how he was strung up and hung by ribbons…but she helped him out of that tight spot. She looked up to Alex again, that infectious smile soon spread to her.
“I…can’t say no to my best bud.” She relented. “Okay Alex, let’s go to Silveredge Coastline.”
“Before you go!” A shrill voice broke through the crowd, before Butterfree dashed up to Alex’s face. In his small hands was a box, diligently wrapped in a blue sash.
Alex gently took it and squinted. “A…A present?”
“I know I wasn’t in control of myself,” The Butterfree admitted, “but I wanted to make this for you as an apology.”
Carefully, Alex opened the box by undoing the sash with one digit, then, he gently scooted the lid away. Inside was a cute little wood doll, carved to look just like him. “Aw, Mr. Geppy, this is so cute…!”
Geppy rubbed the back of his head. “It’s the least I could do Alex.” He stressed, “Especially on such short notice.”
“I think Eki will get to put this in her room.” Alex giggled, before he picked up his pal. “It’s a bit too small for me to admire fully.”
“It’s the thought that counts.” Geppy replied, then flew out of Alex’s way. “Go on! Safe travels!”
The big Pikachu slid the present into his other hand, where Eki grabbed onto it. The Cyndaquil was placed safely on his shoulder, where she nestled herself next to some neck fat. Alex carefully stomped along, with polite little ‘excuse mes’ when he needed Pokémon beneath him to move out of the way. He slipped on by, before something stopped him in his tracks.
“Hey.”
It was a cold, gruff voice, raspy as if he’d done so much yelling it tore his throat apart. Alex turned back, glisten-eyed. Roq turned his head upward, then gave an assured nod.
“Love you, son.”
That kind hearted Pikachu sniffled, then wiped his eyes with his free hand. “Thanks, pops…” He smiled back. “Love you, too. No matter what!”
Onward Alex and Eki went, their path set before them. It would’ve taken a day to get to Silveredge Coastline at normal size, but even accounting for Alex’s sluggishness thanks to his fat, there was a high likelihood they could get there in the early evening. What wonders awaited them, they thought to themselves? Alex just wandered on, his eyes shut. The cool breeze never felt so good as it did before against his cheeks…
Category Story / Macro / Micro
Species Pokemon
Size 120 x 92px
File Size 118.7 kB
Listed in Folders
Comments