Snippet #2775067

TEAM STRANGE

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“So in preparation for the coming storm- if it does spread out across the regions- the teams are being sent around the globe to help fellow wildlings prepare.” The Gengar nodded to the Galvantula's exposition. “Easy enough,” The Operative shrugged, “And we’re heading back to Kanto because…”

“We’ll focus our efforts there," Elder replied, "If we make our way to the Graveller tribe, that’ll be a bonus.”

“I don’t imagine them having much issues; they already have their homes and caves,” Crystal noted.

“Yes, but it’d be good to let them know.”

“We’re coming down now,” The Dragonite announced.

“Thanks for the ride, buddy!” Elder chimed. Team Strange waved goodbye as the Dragonite left them behind without a moment’s rest. There were still many teams to move around the globe.

They had landed, as before, near Fuchsia City. The wildlings of the Safari Zone included many birds. They would be able to spread information very quickly if they could just reach some. Elder also wanted to check up on the ruins of the Estate after such a time being away. As they passed by the front gate, the ground shuddered at an immense rumbling sound.

"What the..." The group assumed a defensive formation, but the minor tremors shuddered the ground. "It's coming from... within the walls?" Crystal rose a brow.

Curious, the group carefully inched inside. Weather had not been kind to the splintered woodwork, and the gardens had become overrun with fresh weeds and other forest plants. Beyond the house, the gnarled ancient tree appeared truly dead- its leaves had lost colour and fallen. Elder still couldn't believe his eyes, seeing the Lord-Regent's home like this. All that remained of his original belongings... well, those were in the Treehouse now. Though the memories were not erased, the source of the memories were.

Beyond the gaping hole through the mansion, Elder noticed a strange mound poking out from the excavation that was the remnants of the Catacombs. The mound rose… and lowered. Elder hovered over while everyone else stood watch. The Gengar would see that the immense figure within the hole was a Snorlax. Further investigation revealed a massive hole in the wall, where debris had tumbled into the same hole.

"Hey," Elder called to the Snorlax, but there was obviously no response. “Oh, right,” Elder mumbled. He glanced around before finding a fruit tree- now growing wild with the lack of human tending. Elder swooped up and snagged an apple from its branches. He then hovered close to the Snorlax and held the fruit in front of its face. By then, the rest of the group had arrived at the hole to check out what was happening. The Operative kept watch by climbing atop some still-standing beams.

“Snor…” The Snorlax sniffed, then opened its great maw. Elder pulled away just in time as the Snorlax chomped down on nothing. “What the-“ The Snorlax’s slit eyes opened… apparently… and the massive beast swiped a claw upward to try to grab the apple.

“Sorry to disturb you man!” Elder called, “But you’re... what are you doing here?”

“Ohh?” The Snorlax looked around at his predicament. “Hurm… must’ve rollllled by mis… take.” The Snorlax stood up in the middle of the hole. He then bellowed a great yawn that shuddered the ground. “Thaaat was a gooood ressst.”

“Yeah, sorry to wake you up, buddy.” Elder sheepishly grinned.

“Buddy…” The Snorlax repeated. He then leaned towards Elder and sniffed at the air. Despite his face changing not at all, there was an odd aura of nostalgia, “Why… I haven’t beeeen called that in years… What’s yooour name?”

“Elder, and this is Rage, Suros, Crystal, Operative, and Chrome.” He introduced the rest of the team.

“A pleasurrrre to be surre,” the Snorlax bowed, “I am Falco.”

“Falco?” Elder’s spines twitched with recognition, “Falco as in Radegast’s friend?”

“Radegassst! That’s whoooo you sound like!” The Snorlax’s hand reached out and Elder shook it. “How is that chiiillld?”

"Wow," Elder smirked widely in awe as the massive size of the creature in front of him. He then caught himself, "Uh... Radegast is doing well, I think..."

"Youuu think?" Falco tilted his head, then beckoned for the group to follow. "I'm surrrre he wooould be fine. I taught him eeeevvverything I knoooow."

"YOU DID?" Rage bellowed, "WAIT, TEACH HIM WHAT? TEACH US THESE THINGS!"

Falco scratched his back and snorted, "Okaaayy whyyy not? Let's see..." Snorlax counted on his stubby digits, "I taught him... how to live like us... how to take care of himself... and how to surviiiiive."

"That can be boiled down into one thing," Elder spoke flatly.

"Ooohh?" Falco thought for a moment, then guffawed, "You're funny, smaaaaalll friend."

"Plus he taught us that as well." Crystal added.

"Is thaaaat so?" Falco began to slowly climb out of the hole, then he beheld the ruins. "Oooh!" The shock was apparent, but somewhat dulled by the Snorlax's slow demeanour. "Ohhh nooo... This was his home, I remember. What has happened?"

Elder didn't really know what to say. It had been a good long while since the destruction that took place. "A group called the Psychic Rebellion," He replied.

The Snorlax stood. His back muscles rippled as he leaned back with an enormous deep breath. With a terrible sound, a beam of light fired into the sky. For a minute, the beam emitted from the beast's maw, before finally dissipating. Elder and the others could see tears streaming from the corners of Falco's slit-like eyes.

"They were sad when he disappeared," Falco spoke weakly, "They... they were strooong for their friends, but I could tell." Falco sat down by what remained of the mansion entrance. Elder sat down beside the Snorlax, while the others formed a ring. "The pooooor boy doesn't realise how cruuuuel he has been." Everyone looked at Falco, startled at the claim. "Is he stiiillll alive?"

Elder thought for a moment, then said "No," This time, everyone else shot a glance at Elder. The Gengar scanned the Snorlax's expression for a moment, then added, "At least, not the way he was."

"He was not as immovable as he thought then."

Elder nodded slowly. He carefully chose his words. "Do you still... like him?"

"Like a son," Falco replied simply, "It is... strange... I miss the boy heeee used to be."

---

I haaaadn't expected to see a human, let alone a smaaalll human, running into the woods faaaarther south. The rain was coming down thick, and there was eeeeeven threat of lightning. I imagine there werrrre some Pikachu scurrying about looking to... feeeed. No human would ever stumble around these parts, aaaand yet... Thiiiis boy was cold, covered in mud, and seemed aaaawfully distraught. As I approached, I saw bruises from some previous engagement.

I wasn't Totoro, though. He's a fellow Snorlax I met near the Grave Tower. He treated human children as well as a Drampa. But seeing this boy, pathetic as he was, made me want to help him.

So I did. I used some leaves to make a quick shelter, and built a small fire.

("Hang on, building a fire?" Elder asked.)

Sometimes I just wanna cook.

("Uhh... sure.")

He seemed aaawwfully afraid of pokemon... Maybe those injuries had soooomethin' to do with it. I asked about it, but... Humans don't really understand us that well, do they?

("Apparently humans hear us speak the name of our species over and over.")

Thaaaaat's strange... Anyway, this verrrry young child asked me questions I had never heard a child ask before, especially not soooo... Well, he asked me, "Why are humans so cruel."

I didn't really know hoooow to answer that- I mean, he's a human. I tried to respond, but he couldn't really understand me. I had learned to replicate those symbols I see on human signs, and other writings, so I tried writing in the mud with a stick. It... didn't turn out so well. It seeeemed to give the boy hope, though. I helped him retuuuurn to his hoooome... this place... and he said heeeee'd come back tomorrow. Come back, he did, and he brought a large notebook and a pencil I could fit between my claws.

We talked properly for the first time then. He came back the next day, and the day after. It was... nice. He taught me how toooo write, I taught him how to liiiive in the forest, how to forage for beeerries, how to make a fire... Aaaaand how to fight. Before my very eyes, he'd come every day, loooooking stronger and stronger. Weeee talked more and more, and developed a mutual understanding of each other. I felt I understood huuuumans, he felt he understood pokemon.

More and more often, however, he seemed sad, and he had difficulty putting his thoughts into words. He didn't like trainers, he didn't like the idea of capturing Pokemon. I guess seeing me as competent as I was, he felt pokemon didn't necessarily need a trainer; instead, they just need a mentor, or a friend.

But then one day, after hundreds of visits... he stopped coming. I thought it was because of the storm last night at-first. I followed his usual trail back to his home, only to find that many humans were searching. I recognized his family, and I kneeeew he had done something cruel.

I think i fiiiiinally had an answer to his question then...

---

"What answer was that?" Elder asked.

The Snorlax looked at Elder for a moment, and smiled, "It's his answer, iiiisn't it?"

"Well, we could..." Elder spoke up, but stopped, The Gengar nodded briskly, then continued, "We'll bring him to you next time we're around."

"For ooooold time's sakes," Falco agreed.

For a moment, Falco continued staring at the ruins, "The power that would be needed to do this... it's a terrible thing."

"Yeah,"

Silence. Elder found himself thinking about how sturdy the remnants of the mansion were to have stood as well as they did after so long since the battle. He glanced to Suros, who had perched atop one of the exposed beams on one far side. Elder couldn't see the Talonflame's face, but her spiritual aura seemed weakened by being in the mere presence of this place.

"He has nowhere to go when he finally figures things out," Falco suddenly spoke up.

Elder looked up to the Snorlax, "Not true," The Snorlax met the Gengar's gaze, "There is a place in the Alola region. It is a home to us."

"Aloooola?" Falco scratched whatever equivalent there was to a Snorlax chin, "That's awwwfully far... But I would like to visit one daaaaay... Soooo..." The Snorlax loomed closer to the Gengar, "If you doooon't mind me asking, what are friends of Radegast doooooing far away from Radegast?"

Elder flinched, "Oh yes, we came here to warn the fellow wild Pokemon of a looming threat in Unova, something about some princess who took over, and she's trying to expand her influence across all regions. There's strange weather patterns that, if they spread, could affect everyone. Could you help spread the word?"

Falco tilted his head, then chuckled, Elder mirrored the motion, but stared in confusion. "What's so funny?" Elder asked.

"Noooo one can take over the world," Falco wheezed, "Not even Arceus." Elder stared, puzzled, at the Snorlax.

"It is the saddest existence, to beeee at the top," Falco then stood up, "I will spread the woooorrrrd."

---

Despite themselves, the group took to carefully searching the ruins once more- just in case of anything that anyone before could have missed. All that remained were splinters, porcelain shards, and Arceus-knows-what. The reclaimed garden growth was slowly inching toward the mansion proper, ready to extend its roots between floorboards and cracks between the walkways.

Come to think of it, Elder thought, The Lord-Regent's cousin took one of those coffins out from the Catacombs before... No, focus on one thing at a time. "We'll bring him next time, alright Falco?"

"I eagerly awaaaait... but..." Falco emitted a rumbling yawn that, like most things about a Snorlax, shook the ground around them. "I'm going to find a safer place to take a naaaap."

"AND SPREAD THE WORD!" Rage shouted.

"Yeah maaaan," Falco flashed a thumbs-up at the constantly quivering Primape, "Keeeep it real, small friend."

"I WILL FIGHT YOU AT A LATER DATE AS WELL!" Rage promised.

"Coo." With that, Falco headed into the forest. Surprisingly enough, despite the surrounding trees losing their leaves, it was easy for a Pokemon to vanish within the forests around Fuchsia City.

"Do you have to challenge everyone you meet?" Suros asked as she swooped down and landed on the floor near the group.

"IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THAT, I SEE IT NOT!!"

"This one feels the group should recover focus on the objective," Chrome piped up. The Metagross- now the largest of the group- seemed focused on scanning the area around them. Between Chrome's psychic probe, Elder's shadow and mist forms and ability to detect life, and the Operative's own agility and sharp eyes, they made an excellent scouting party.

Suros also had sharp eyes, even sharper than the Galvantula that bounded and swung between trees as they headed north-west towards where humans had set up the bike road. However, she opted to roost on top of Chrome's chassis.

"You really miss him, don't you?" Crystal asked.

Suros didn't reply.

"As soon as we're done here, we'll get back to him."

"That weather stuff," the Talonflame suddenly spoke, "This diancie thing... I get why he's doing it, but... There's something worse out there. We should be focusing on that... shouldn't we?"

"Well..." Elder hummed to himself, "If she's looking to get more powerful, like you and Radegast said before... then it'd stand to reason that she'd want to take out the Diancie problem herself... Unless she didn't need or want to... but why?" He asked more to himself than anyone. "I can't fathom her reasoning..."

Ghe group continued onward. Despite the slow start, they were determined to complete their mission: to spread the word as they made their way to the Graveller Tribe. With so much ground to cover, their warning and other information would easily spread far and wide amongst the wildlings of Kanto and Johto. In truth, with Chrome's tireless form and large disc-like body that could accomodate the weight of everyone, they could move non-stop, day-in and day-out. Like an inexplicably good contagion, they spread the news far and wide, and the ones they informed informed others in turn. After a while, they started coming across pokemon who had already just heard the news from pokemon they had just informed.

"At this rate, we might not even need to reach the Graveller Tribe," The Operative clicked.

"We should see it through," Crystal replied, "We're Team Strange now, we've built up a reputation."

Indeed, all of them did have scarves now, wrapped around their necks or other appendages. Rage had his wrapped repeatedly around one arm, while the Operative had it wrapped around the point between the head and the abdomen. Chrome had his wrapped around the narrow part of one leg, and Elder had his partially absorbed into his torso, held in place by his solidified form. Whenever he reverted to mist or shadow, he'd lose the scarf, which was often picked up by Rage and wrapped around his other arm. All of the scarves had the same embroidered symbol: the same circle with a diagonal T-shape that was on Radegast's old cap. It was the only symbol they had in mind at the time.

Within a few days since speaking with Falco, they had finally arrived at the faraway valley, distant from any human civilization. As the group glanced down the seemingly impassable valley, they spotted a group of Graveller organized in a circle around the arena. There was a duel happening, and festivities appeared to waft through the air in the form of delicious meals.

Thanks to the trust the Tribe had with them, the group knew the trick to descending safely into the valley. As they moved, they came across some Geodude sentries who recognized them. "You're just in time," One said, "How did you know we were having our Harvest festival?"

"We didn't," Elder replied, "We've come bearing some news that might affect us all."

"Sounds grave," the Geodude replied, "You'd best get to our elder then."

"That's the plan, bud," Elder smiled and saluted the guard. The Geodude returned the salute and allowed them passage. The group went on to inform the old Golem, and their mission was officially complete.

By that point, far far away, a Skrelp was drifting around the Whirlpool Islands. Skrelp were not exactly common sights within that particular region of ocean, and yet here one was.

The Skrelp appeared to be waiting, shifting itself and flapping its tiny kelp-like fins to stabilize and prevent itself from getting carried away by the current. "What news?" The Skrelp asked seemingly to no one.

From the ocean in front of the Skrelp, a seemingly invisible thing broke through the water's surface. A massive sheet of blue emerged, flat and seemingly featureless. The thing curled upwards and suddenly beat downwards like a bending plastic sheet springing back to its original flat form. The Mantine splashed against the water after that short leap into the air, splashing the front of the Skrelp by mistake.

"Sorry!"

"It's fine," The Skrelp replied, "The Six ask what's been happening."

"Still the Six, huh?" The Mantine took a breath, "There's been a disturbance in the Unova region. Dark clouds causing weather that's harming everything and everyone, and a so-called Pokemon Princess to blame for it."

"We have scouts who can confirm this. Good cover is required to avoid the negative effects," The Skrelp replied, "But the same goes for rain and snow, after all."

"Indeed. It's still fantastic to know."

They continued exchanging news for a while, until eventually the Mantine headed off. The Skrelp watched the horizon- clear for now, but no one knew what the future held. After a while, the Skrelp dove into the ocean waters once more.