Izumi's Baby Sitting Service

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Aries: 8

It was daylight, bright as day in what seemed to be all the land except for the misty terrain that wrapped around the hill known as Pricklemist. It was a bit dim out, the sun being blocked out by mist and clouds above that prevented the sun from reaching the dark hill. In this hill, a Skiddo bounced along happily, a bag around his shoulder as he hopped along happily while humming a tune from his homeland that his mothers used to sing to him. The skiddo was having quite a joyful day, nothing could possibly go wrong!

Shinka: 6

While the skiddo was off having a joyful day, a certain Goomy by the name of Shinka had wandered quite a distance from his home of Grassveil, away from Mammy, Spoop, Cluckoo, and Cupcake, though Cupcake was now considered Taffy no matter how hard the jolteon tried to regain the Goomy's heart. The pile of goop chugged along, having just as much fun chasing a butterfly as the Skiddo was traveling. The goomy's giggles were loud, as he followed the small insect around, letting it lead him to what he thought was going to be cupcakes.

Chiyako watched as the Skiddo bounded off after Izumi and the Kricketot, not really surprised by it's displeasure. "You're going to have to apologize to him later," she commented as she picked the slimy toddler haphazardly in her paws and began to run after the Skiddo. Chiyako was feeling increasingly more worried; trying her best to keep up with the other pokemon in front of her. She was eager to find this ailing Kriketune; the Kricketot had seemed so distraught one couldn't help but consider the situation an emergency.

As soon as Izumi saw the others catching up, she turned back around and began chasing after the Kricketot again, charging forward with as much strength as she could possibly muster. It was about a fifteen minute sprint before the group finally reached the picnic area, about an eighth of the way up the hill, nestled into a group of untrimmed bushes. Resting carefully against one of the bushed was a Kricketune, pale and sickly-looking, but at the same time very calm and serene. He tuned his instrument carefully, occasionally playing a few chords from a certain haunting melody. The tune was punctuated by his coughing, which from time to time would escalate into wild spells of hacking and wheezing. Izumi and Chiyako both approached him carefully, both with sick feelings in their stomachs as they saw him. Somehow, instinctually, their subconsciouses told them both that there was little to be done.

Chiyako set Shinka down and approached the Kricketune; her heart swelling with his sad music. She was entranced by his song, his somber notes crying the acceptance of his inevitable fate. She almost felt like crying. She couldn't help but wonder what such a talented and skillful musician had done to deserve this kind of suffering; this tragically early end.

"Stan!!! Stan, I brought help!!!" The little Kricketot cried, toddling back over to his friend's side.

"Eh? Oh, visitors. Sorry; I'd stand up to greet you, but my legs have gone numb," Stan shrugged sheepishly. "I told Chip not to go hassling strangers; but the poor guy was just in a panic. I don't think he heard me."

"It's alright; you're not hassling us at all," Izumi assured the ailing Kricketune. Unable to just stand there and do nothing, she padded up to Chiyako. "Chi," she said, "you stay here with Aries and the Goomy; I'm going to see if I can't find any medicine or healing items nearby. I'll be within earshot; if anything happens or he starts getting any worse, let me know. I'll come running with whatever I have." Izumi then turned to the Goomy and Aries, "You two stay here and behave, alright? I'll be back soon; Aries, you help Chiyako take care of everyone." With that, the Absol bounded off into the mist in a frenzied panic, searching for anything that could possibly remedy the Kricketune's ailing.

Izumi the Absol - 15 energy

FoxFireAlchemist carried out 10 launched of one Pricklemist Hill :

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Aries: 9
Shinka: 7

Aries, still a bit upset over being bitten by the goomy, kept a distance from Shinka, not quite willing to go near the dragon type after what had occurred fifteen minutes ago. He looked to the Kricketune, wondering what was going on. The bug type looked as if it felt hurt...but didn't have any injuries on its body. Was it sick? Was it preparing to go on a journey? The skiddo laid down, unsure of what to do since he had nothing to do himself that he knew of. He did not seem too worried though, after all, if he did end up going on his journey, they would get better!

Shinka blinked, not quite getting what was going on either. The older pokemon seemed worried about something, and he was soon picked up and carried off by Chiyucko, "Chiyucko?" the goomy inquired, hoping for some kind of explanation that he could comprehend. There was a rather strange looking bug type, it didn't seem to happy. Did a Taffy get to it? The goomy frowned. Did that mean there was a Taffy nearby?

Aries:

Kat carried out 9 launched of one Pricklemist Hill :

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The Kricketune coughed and watched as Izumi ran off with a sad twinkle in his eye and a smile on his stache. The Kricketot also watched, and grew eager to help out, as well. "I'll go find food too!!" he exclaimed, jumping back onto his feet only moments after he sat down. "Don't worry Stan!! I'll go find food to make you better!!" he exclaimed before dashing off into the mist.

"Chip, wait-!" Stan called, but it was too late. The Kricketot was on a mission now, toddling off determinedly into the mist. Stan sighed. "That bug just cannot sit still..." he sighed with a cough.

"Do you want me to go after him?" Chiyako offered, moving nearer to the ailing bug type gently.

"No, no; it's alright. We live around- *cough* -here, so he knows his way around. He knows how to stay safe. I'm just more worried about him not being here..."

"Ah, I see..." Chiyako responded quietly in grim understanding. "...Perhaps hope is not completely lost for you though? Izumi may find something..."

The Kricketune shook his head. "Thank you for the kind words, but I've had this illness was born. It's a terminal disease; it can't be helped. Both my family and Chip's family have searched endlessly for some means of remedy, but everything we tried only prolonged the inevitable," he explained in sad reminiscence. "...However, I'm not sad about leaving this world," Stan continued with a smile, "because I've known what I wanted to do with my life since I was born and never once have I not done it. Even as a young child, I wanted to be a musician. I knew my time was shot, though, so I played as much as possible for as long as possible; making music to my heart's content. Thanks to that; I feel like I can accept what's ahead of me. I fufilled my purpose in this life, and now that I'm done it's time to move on....." He began to strum a tune to punctuate the silence after he finished talking as he took breath after shallow breath.

Chiyako looked at the Kricketune sadly as he played; hardly able to comprehend the situation. He had hardly even had time to enjoy this new stage in his life with his time being cut short by this horrible disease that he hadn't even done anything to deserve. She hardly knew the pokemon, but... she had also never been confronted with death, either. She felt horrible, more horrible than she ever had in her entire life, yet Stan's song was oddly soothing. It made her think about the beautiful music she heard in nature; how colors could be chords and breezes sang to the beat.

"You know.... your music is beautiful," Chiyako murmured, engrossed by the melody. "It makes me think of the greatest song..."

"Nature itself?" Stan asked, beating her to the punch. Chiyako turned to look at him with widened eyes; how in the world had he known that?!?

Nearby, although out of sight, Izumi was tearing through the hillside frantically, sniffing out whatever items she could. A Max Elixir, a Reviver Seed, an Oran Berry..... Even a Quick Seed. Anything that could possibly be used as a medicine. She kept searching and searching, her body running on a massive adrenaline rush.

The two youngsters that did not understand what was going on quite well enough to be in a rush as Chiyako could only remain where they were.

Aries knew at the very least that the bug was going away for a while, going on his journey to get better. Goodbyes were always sad, and they always needed to be prevented, but there was nothing to prevent this one, so it was probably easier to just let the bug go on his journey and just wait for him to come back! The skiddo's ears were flattened though, unsure of what to do himself.

Shinka still had no clue as to what was occurring just knowing that it was sad. The goomy began to tear up, ready to bawl but not quite sure why. He didn't like how everyone was feeling, was there some invisible Taffy doing this to them? The goomy could only cry, and wait for the horrors of reality displaying itself before him to end.

Chiyako was still astounded that the Kricketune had managed to pick up on what she was about to say so quickly, and such an obscure phrase, too. "...How did you know I was going to say that?!" the Purrlion exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the bug pokemon.

"It's how I write music. I just play what I hear nature singing to me; I translate the music not all others are observant enough to hear," Stan commented. He grinned, "I really wouldn't have expected to meet another pokemon all the way out here who can hear it without me playing it... especially not under these circumstances.

Before Chiyako could respond, the Goomy began to cry. The Purrlion's ears reeled back in pain at the shrill noise, and she ran over quickly to try and find a way to calm the young pokemon's cries. "Shhhhh... uh... it's okay..... No need to cry..." Chiyako offered calmly, though unsurely. She stroked the pokemon's head with a soft paw very gently, hoping she might calm the Goomy with the action. She looked to the Skiddo to check on him as well. He was handling this much better than expected, almost disturbingly so. Chiyako couldn't help but wonder how he was able to remain so calm in such a dark and dreary situation, but the she was far too distracted with trying to comfort the crying Goomy to dwell on it.

As the Purrlion comforted the pokemon, the Kricketune started playing a soothing lullaby in an a attempt to help calm the crying child down. The melody was sweet and merry; as if the music itself was oblivious to the dark and foreboding situation it was being born into. Niether Stan nor Chiyako noticed a figure approaching them from the most in the distance.

By the time she was done hunting, Izumi had produced a plethora of items, including a box and a whole trove of items, ranging from a berry to seeds to even a box, which under normal circumstances would have thrilled her. The Absol didn't have time to be happy over her find, though; she was far too frantic to think about boxes. After gathering everything up and slipping it into her bag, Izumi turned and was ready to run back when she suddenly came face-to-face with a Zangoose.

"Where are you taking those items?" The furry beast asked her. His eerie tone of voice suggested he already knew the answer.

Izumi blinked, unnerved by his completely creepy presence. She shook her head and tried to move past him, saying, "I don't have time. There's a sick pokemon nearby and I have to get these items to them."

The Zangoose moved directly into her path, cutting her off again. "There's nothing that can save Stan now. The only thing we can do to help him now is end his misery for him," the Zangoose said in a robotic tone of voice tinged with repression, "The quicker his end comes, the less he suffers."

Izumi could hardly believe that she was hearing what she was hearing. "That's absurd!!" she exclaimed incredulously after taking a moment to process what the Zangoose was saying to her. "Even if the Kricketune goes, he should go comfortably on his own terms!!" The Absol was starting to get angry now. She lowered herself into a menacing position and growled, "Out of my way, or I'll have to force my way through!"

The Zangoose brandished his claws. "I can't let that happen. You might get in the way," the Zangoose responded grimly before slashing at her with Fury Attack. The Absol jumped back, and then countered quickly by slamming her scythe into the Zangoose's stomach in a hasty Feint maneuver; pulling off a critical hit thanks to her ability. The Zangoose coughed in pain and doubled over as he was hit, clearing the way for Izumi to get back to Chiyako and the others. Clearly they were in more trouble than it had originally seemed.

The kitty was patting his head, and then music started to play. The goomy silenced himself for a moment to listen to the Swan Song of the Kriketune. Shinka could not understand what was happening, why was everyone sad? Why was he feeling sad? Where had the absol gone? The goomy was filled with so many questions, however dared not to ask. He feared the answer. This goomy did not know of death, this was his first time experiencing it before him. Whatever it was, the goomy just wished that it would go away and leave the kriketune and the others alone.

Aries was still unsettled by all this, he heard a cry with his excellent hearing. Izumi was in trouble, a Zangoose was attacking her! At least so it seemed to the skiddo. He gave a bleat and darted off to help, leaving the goomy to the purrloin and rushing to defend the absol as much as he could. The skiddo rammed the bent-over Zangoose from behind. Causing it to fly forward onto the ground as it was slowly rising to glare at the absol. A strange wind had been stirring at its claws, but the wind dispersed as Aries interrupted the attack.

Aries had been proud of himself, "Hey!" he called out, desiring to show the others how brave he was, "L-Ah!" he cried out in pain as a red body dove from the sky and collided with the skiddo. The skiddo gave a startled bleat as the normal attack struck him, he backed away, keeping to his hooves only for another being to slam into him while it was on fire. Two fletchlings were now assaulting the Skiddo for hurting their friend, and they did not seem to be in the mood for mercy.

Shinka: 7

Kat carried out 7 launched of one Pricklemist Hill :

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Izumi started to run back to where the Kriketune was in a frantic panic, but not before she was grabbed from behind by the Zangoose's buddy and thrown backwards at the Skiddo. She landed just short of the small goat, digging her claws deep in the dirt and stopping herself just in time. She whirled around to see if he was okay and saw he two Fletchling attacking the poor Skiddo, putting him at a quadruple disadvantage. Behind her, she could sense the Zangoose that had thrown her charging her. His scent rapidly got stronger with his approach. Izumi turned around and jumped, using her claws to climb up his body and propel herself into the air, knocking one of the Fletching back with her Pursuit. She landed lightly and then tore after the Zangoose with her Quick Attack.

While the other two pokemon were distracted, a hidden third Zangoose snuck away from the action and began to advance on the three pokemon silhouettes in the distance. As he approached, two Gastly suddenly materialized in her path, making her stop in her tracks. They had worried, grim expressions on their faces. They were aware of what was going on, and they didn't seem to approve.

"You guys don't have to do this, you know. Stan didn't ask for this," the first Gastly grimaced. "You said he was your friend, didn't you?"

The Zangoose launched a punch at the Gastly, but it passed right through the Gastly's immaterial figure. "You shut up! Nobody asked you!! Stan shouldn't have to suffer like this just so he can experience a few crummy seconds of an even crummier life!!" she howled at the two Gastly, rage and fear causing her voice to quiver.

"He didn't ask you for death, however. He didn't ask anyone or anything to kill him," the other Gastly pointed out.

"He also didn't ask to suffer for so long!!!" the female Zangoose roared. "Out of my way. I'm finishing this NOW!!" She barged past the Gastly, passing right through their amorphous bodies. The two ghosts watched solemnly as she tromped away before vanishing into the thin air that they had just as suddenly appeared from.

Chiyako put her arm around the younger child and leaned against him, beginning to feel weighed down by all the emotions of the moment. Tears slid from her eyes as the Kriketune's bittersweet song danced within her ears. She felt terrible; absolutely awful. His beautiful music would soon end, along with his life... Chiyako heaved her chest with despair. "I guess.... I guess life is kind of like music, huh? It's beautiful, and hard to master, but then it ends..."

The Kriketune smiled almost knowingly. "Or maybe... you just start playing a different song?"


Chiyako was silent.

What was this? A wild Taffy was approaching! Shinka, in his confused and upset state did the reasonable thing for a smalll and terrified child to so. He attacked. He took a deep breath before blowing bubbles at the Zangoose as quickly as he could. The zangoose swatted at the week bubbles, wondering just what the hell these strange things were coming from. While the zangoose was distracted, Shinka drew near the Taffy with a strange glow forming behind him as a stream of purple bubbles forming a long and slim tail like shape. The tail curved and arched like a scorpion, the goomy utilizing Poison Tail to make a more effective attack.

The zangoose looked down at the goomy, however up at the rather disproportionately large tail. The hell was this black magic? The tail stabbed forward, slamming into the Zangoose and piercing the skin slightly and doing rather minimal amount of damage despite the intimidating factor of the attack. Shinka seemed a bit shocked, the poison had coursed through the Zangoose, however instead of getting weaker it had only gotten stronger! What the hell!

The zangoose merely glared down at the goomy, and raised a claw, preparing to smack it aside since it did not seem intent on moving. Shinka was frozen to the spot, the poisonous tail quivering in fear. The zangoose swiped, however it had struck a Spoink that had jumped in the way rather than Shinka. The spoink was slammed aside, laying on the ground motionless. The zangoose seemed utterly stunned, however Shinka was not about to sit there and do nothing. With a cry of mock anger that sounded more like fear, his tail lashed out again.

Meanwhile Aries was having a rather tough time, even when Izumi had assisted him with one of the fletchling. The other continued to assault him, pecking at his head and horns, "Ow! stop, please! I was just trying to-OW!" he cried while running around trying to out run the fletchling. Another fletchling had joined in on the pecking, however it seemed to be attempting to chase off the other fletchling. Aries could feel the amount of pecks lessen, but it still continued so he continued to run. His seemingly limitless energy allowing him to continue running like his life depended on it. However it all stopped all of a sudden, the little siddo had crashed into a tree. The fletchlings as well faced the same fate, and dropped onto Aries's body, the trio was completely knocked out.

Izumi pegged the Zangoose right in the tummy with her Quick Attack, sending him reeling backwards. He doubled over and coughed as bursts of pain radiated out from where he had been hit. He took a minute to catch his breath as his mind tried to help him sort out the situation. He looked up at Izumi with rage distorting his face; his eyes filled with the fires of hate. He made no attempt to approach of attack Izumi, however, so she stayed where she was; muscles tensed and ready to strike.

"Our community has always been poor. There's never been anything here for us; no help, no hope, no future. We were so invisible that we weren't even on the map, which meant help rarely came if ever. All the talent born into our community would leave and start new lives elsewhere. Then, Stan was born into the community." The Zangoose's eyes drifted down to his feet. "He was determined to have a terminal illness at a very young age; one that not even advanced medicine had a cure for."

Upon hearing this, Izumi's heart sunk deep into her stomach. It grew heavier and heavier with the knowledge that there was nothing that they could do for the Kricketune.

"...Even though he knew he was going to die, he still pursued music," the Zangoose continued. "He loved it. He even started getting good at making and playing other instruments on the side. He taught us to play, and then we'd play with him. Pretty soon, pokemon from all over the hill and the marsh were coming to see and hear us. Now that we're sustaining ourselves pretty well... well, now he's going to die. But we didn't want him to suffer. Manyof us in the community wanted him to go out quickly and painlessly," the Zangoose concluded. He looked up at Izumi and grimaced. "YOU don't have any right to intrude on that!! You weren't involved with our troubles!!!"

Strong emotions began to radiate from Izumi, pouring into a small stone in the bottom of her bag. She looked up at the Zangoose and scowled back. "You have just as little right to interfere with Stan's death as I do!!" she exclaimed, her body beginning to light up and glow. "His death should be on his terms, not yours. Especially if he was as good of a pokemon as you say!!!" Izumi became cloaked in a curtain of multicolored light, her now changing form dashing at the Zangoose and knocking him right on the head with a critical Megahorn.

Chiyako whirled around to see what the Goomy was on about and panicked upon seeing the Zangoose stalking up to them. Had it been attracted by the dying Kricketune? Something wasn't right, but Chiyako wasn't much of a competitive fighter. She watched as the Goomy tried to weaken the the Zangoose, but failed and in fact made it stronger. It made sense, seeing how Zangoose was built to handle poison. Chiyako wanted to help, but she wasn't vey good at attacking. What could she do to stop this?

"What are you doing?!?" Chiyako cried out in alarm at the Zangoose.

The Zangoose growled at her menacingly. "I'M trying to HELP Stan!!! None of you outsiders can understand the pain he's going through!! He shouldn't have to suffer through it anymore!!!"

"Wait-" Stan tried to interject.

"THERE'S NO TIME TO WAIT!!! THIS ENDS NOW!!!!!" the Zangoose roared. Chiyako saw the oncoming attack and tried to counter with her own claws, but all she managed to do was get thrown to the ground. She watched in horror as the Zangoose approached Stan with it's claws raised. Just as it was about to impale the Kricketune, it paused. It's face was ravaged with emotion and contemplation, as if questioning all of it's actions...

A noise from behind it made it turn it's head around. There was nothing there.

Then, Mega Izumi decended upon it, a furry winged quadruped with unbounded power. She slamed it with her Megahorn like she had the other Zangoose. The female Zangoose collapsed underneath her attack; a look of surprise and panic plastered onto it's face.

"Get outta here," Izumi demanded, "Or I'll knock you out."

"Over my dead body," the Zangoose seethed. Izumi grimaced before bringing another Megahorn down on the Zangoose, knocking it out completely.

"Sorry you had to see that," Izumi muttered apologetically to Stan, "I know they were your friends."

"Don't worry about it. I know why you did it," Stan replied with a grimly apologetic smile.

Chiyako couldn't believe her eyes. She needed a minute to register exactly what had just happened.

Shinka opened his eyes again, to find the Zangoose passed out on the ground. His eyes widened, he had done that hadn't he?! A big stupid grin formed on his face in momentary triumph, he had defeated the dangerous thing! His poisonous tail disappeared into a puff of purple bubbles that moved upwards before popping into the air. The air was now slightly intoxicating around them, but it was nothing big though it might induce a slight cough.

The goomy looked back to the group to see if they had seen his amazing feat, however they were all still around the kriketune. Shinka tilted his head slightly, his smile fading. Everyone had not seen it, nobody would believe him when he said he had done that. What was so special about that pokemon anyways? He had taken down the Taffy, the bug type had just sat there! Though he did sense that something was wrong with the Kriketune, what could possibly be so wrong that everyone was so head over heels for this pokemon?

Aries woke to find himself covered in Fletchling. He blinked, looking on his back to see the aggressive one was passed out on his flank while the one that had tried to help him was on his head. He forced himself up, the aggressive one falling off only to be caught by a vine and placed on the ground while the helpful one was allowed to stay on his head for a bit. Aries made his way back to the group, seeing that most of the threat had passed while he was gone. Was the kriketune going on its journey now?