PMD - Dark Times Chpt 1

Chapter One - Storm At Sea!</u>

KER-RASH!!

“Whoa!!”

“Are you okay?!”

KER-RASH!!

“No, don’t let go!! Hold on, just a little longer!!”

“I can’t hold on much longer!!”

KER-RASH!!

“Waaaaaaah!!”

“No!! Sarah!!!”

KER-RASH!!

“Whoaaaaaaaaa!!”

…………

The ocean waves crashed violently while the heavy downpour fell from the dark heavens above. Lightning flashed and thunderclaps were heard. The storm seemed ceaseless.

…

The sun shone over the becalmed ocean, the skies were clear and golden yellow, and a gentle breeze blew across the beach.

“Wh-where…where am I?”

A lone Pikachu lay on the soft golden sand. She opened her teal blue eyes ever so slightly.

“I…can’t…drif…ting…off…”

Pikachu closed her eyes as her consciousness escaped her grasp.

Meanwhile…

“Hmm…” A lone Torchic stood in front of a Wigglytuff shaped hut with two large torches burning on either side. A totem pole stood in front of each torch; the totem pole to Torchic’s left depicted Aipom, Duskull and Zigzagoon, while the pole to Torchic’s right depicted Hoothoot, Anorith and Noctowl. Torchic paced around as she stood before a rounded grate embedded into the floor.
“No, I won’t let fear overcome me this time!” Torchic said to herself keenly. “Dixie, today, you put all of your courage together!” She walked over to the grate and waited.

“Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!”
“Whose footprint?! Whose footrpint?!”
“The footprint is Torchic’s! The footprint is Torchic’s!”

“Aagh!” Dixie took a quick step backwards off of the grate as she yelped in fear. She breathed heavily as she looked around hastily.
“That was too shocking!” she exclaimed. She sighed with relief before she sighed with concern. “I guess today isn’t the day…I told myself it would be, but I just can’t do it…” She looked down at the small brown rock strung around her neck remorsefully. “And to think this treasure of mine would inspire me… but I’m just a coward.” She turned away from the hut and she headed towards the steps leading away from the hut. As soon as Dixie left the cliff top, a Zubat and a Koffing flew into view; they looked towards the stairway with their own nasty smirks.
“Hey, Zubat, did you see that?!” the Koffing asked keenly.
“You bet I did, Koffing,” the Zubat responded. “It looked like a treasure of some kind.”
“Are we going after it?” Koffing asked cunningly.
“Oh, you bet we are,” Zubat sniggered as he and Koffing flew after Dixie.

Dixie walked onto the beach as bubbles of varying sizes blew around the area. Dixie watched the bubbles in awe.
“Oh, how pretty!” she exclaimed happily. The rays from the setting sun reflected on the bubbles as well as the calm and clean ocean. The bubbles and the ocean seemed to sparkle in the evening sunlight.
“I love coming here. The sight of the Krabby’s bubbles shining in the sunlight always makes me smile,” Dixie smiled. She spontaneously looked to her left. “Hm? What’s that?” Dixie started to walk to her left when she suddenly stopped. “Oh no!” Dixie ran over to the collapsed Pikachu and used her left talons to nudge her left shoulder. “Hello? Can you hear me? Please, wake up!”

“Mmmm…n’urgh…” Pikachu gradually regained her consciousness and stood onto her own two feet. Pikachu looked rather unusual; she wore an aqua green headband underneath her fringe, and she wore a round amethyst pendant around her neck. She was also rather slender for a Pikachu. The heart-shaped dent on her tail appeared to be sharper than average. She looked around in confusion.
“Fantastic, you’re awake!” Dixie exclaimed with relief. “You weren’t moving, I was worried that you were dead! How did you pass out all the way out here?”
“…I was passed out?” Pikachu questioned towards Dixie.
“Yes. Anyway, my name’s Dixie,” Dixie smiled. “It’s very nice to meet you, even though I’ve not seen you around here before.” Pikachu scoffed, which confused Dixie.
“Of course you haven’t seen me around; I’m human,” Pikachu said with a slight laugh.
“Huh? A human?” Dixie questioned. She looked around Pikachu in bewilderment. “Are you sure you didn’t bump your head? You look like a Pikachu to me. In fact, you are a Pikachu.”
“Excuse me?” Pikachu questioned.
“Look at yourself,” Dixie advised calmly. Pikachu first looked at her hands; they were yellow. She then felt around her head; aside from her fringe and headband, she had two yellow and black ears. She looked behind her; she caught a glimpse of the two brown stripes on her back as well as her tail.
“Whoa, snap, you’re right!” Pikachu exclaimed. She scratched her head in confusion. “But how the hell did this happen?”
“Do you remember anything before you passed out?” Dixie asked with concern.
“I definitely know I’m human,” Pikachu replied. “But I don’t know what I was doing before I passed out…I don’t even remember passing out in the first place!”
“Pikachu, are you telling me the truth?” Dixie asked cautiously. Pikachu faced her, looking frustrated.
“Have I given you a reason not to trust me?!” she snapped. “And don’t call me Pikachu, I at least remember my name! It’s Sarah!” she added.
“Oh, your name’s Sarah? That’s a rather nice name,” Dixie smiled. She nodded. “Okay. You don’t seem to be a bad Pokémon anyway.”
“Human,” Sarah corrected. “But let’s not start that debate again.”
“Right… Sorry I doubted you anyway,” Dixie apologised.
“Aw, it’s nothing!” Sarah smiled. “I doubt anyone else would believe me anyway.”
“You see, there are more bad Pokémon appearing,” Dixie explained. “Everything seems to be getting lawless as of late.” Zubat and Koffing flew silently behind Dixie just as Sarah closed her eyes and shrugged.
“That must suck really badly,” she said plainly. Zubat charged behind Dixie.

BUMP!

“OW!!” Dixie crashed into Sarah and landed on top of her as a result of Zubat’s tackle. The string around Dixie’s neck snagged Zubat’s fangs and broke off as Dixie fell, which caused her necklace to fall to the ground.
“Well I do beg your--whoa-ho! Hey, Zubat, check this out!” Koffing sniggered.
“Yeah! That’s some hot chic on chu action right there!” Zubat teased. He and Koffing sniggered as Dixie lifted herself off of Sarah. Sarah stood up and glared angrily at Zubat and Koffing.
“Hey, what’s the deal?!” she asked demandingly.
“Heh, we just wanted to mess with the chic,” Zubat sniggered.
“What for?!” Dixie asked furiously as she looked towards Zubat..
“Because you can’t stand up to us,” Zubat replied mockingly.
“What?!” Dixie gasped.
“You cowardly bullies!” Sarah scolded. “I’d kick your asses if I knew whether or not you have any!!”
“Settle down, rat-bag,” Koffing laughed.
“What did you just call me?!” Sarah asked furiously. Zubat looked towards the rock and string on the sand.
“Hey, chic, that’s yours, isn’t it?” he asked snidely. Dixie looked towards her stone in horror.
“Oh! No, that’s…!”
“Sorry, chic, we’ll take that,” Zubat stated as he flew over to the rock. He picked it up with his mouth.
“No!!” Dixie exclaimed.
“Ew…!” Sarah said with disgust.
“Whoa-ho! Not gonna make a move to get it back, chic?” Koffing asked tauntingly. “See you around, chicken!” Koffing and Zubat flew off towards the nearby cave. Sarah looked back at them furiously as she gave off static.

“If you’re going to insult a Torchic, don’t call them a chicken!!” Sarah shouted. Her static died down as she looked towards Dixie with concern. “Are you okay?”
“No…they stole my personal treasure,” Dixie sighed sadly. “It means everything to me, and if I lose it…”
“Cheer up, Dix, I’ll help you get it back,” Sarah said confidently. Dixie’s eyes appeared to have lit up as she faced Sarah with a warm smile.
“You mean it? Really?” she asked wishfully.
“Hell yeah!” Sarah nodded. “Besides, I want to make them pay for practically calling me a lesbian! Let’s go get them, Dix!” She ran towards the cave. Dixie followed her, looking panicky.
“Wait for me!!” she cried.

Inside the cave…

Sarah looked around her surroundings in confusion; the cave walls were a deep sapphire blue, and the floor beneath her was of a light tan with the occasional patch of pale green grass. Dixie caught up to her.
“You don’t even know your way around here, do you?” Dixie asked. Sarah laughed nervously.
“I guess it’s a good thing you’re here then, isn’t it?” she asked feebly. “So, you know this place?”
“This is the Beach Cave,” Dixie explained. “This place is difficult for me to get through because of the Water type Pokémon that live here. It’s easy for you, since you’re an Electric type.”
“Dix, I don’t even know how to attack! In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a freaking human!” Sarah exclaimed.
“No big deal, I’ll help you,” Dixie smiled. “Since you’re a Pikachu, your electricity is stored in your cheeks. Try to unleash an electric attack.”
“You expect me to pull that off on a whim with no real strategy whatsoever?” Sarah asked in bewilderment.
“Just try it out, you’ll be okay,” Dixie said reassuringly.
“Um…okay,” Sarah reluctantly nodded. She began to concentrate as her red cheeks gave off static electricity. Dixie looked around as she noticed a group of Kabuto, blue Shellos and Corsola headed their way.
“Yaah! Hurry up, Sarah!” Dixie cried as the group surrounded them.
“Get behind me!” Sarah instructed. Dixie ran behind Sarah just as the rouge Pokémon lunged towards her.
“Yaah!” Dixie cowered behind Sarah out of fear. Sarah opened her eyes and held her arms out as a large burst of electricity struck the entire rouge Pokémon group. Dixie watched in amazement as the rouge Pokémon fell in defeat one by one. Sarah lowered her arms and looked back at Dixie with a smirk.
“How’s that for my first time?” she asked.
“That’s possibly the most powerful Thunderbolt attack I’ve ever seen!” Dixie gasped. “Are you sure you’ve not done this before?” Sarah lost her smirk and became annoyed.
“Yes, I’m sure,” she sighed. “Owing to the fact that I’m a freaking human!”
“Good point,” Dixie laughed nervously. Sarah rolled her eyes away from Dixie as she looked ahead. She suddenly ran towards the far side of the room and approached a shiny yellow coin with a “P” printed on it. Sarah picked it up as Dixie approached her.
“What the hell is this?” Sarah asked.
“Oh, that’s a Poké coin,” Dixie replied. “It’s our money. The side with the P is heads, and the number on the reverse side is tails,” she explained. Sarah turned the coin over and found the number 10 printed on it.
“Who leaves money lying around? Honestly,” Sarah sighed. Dixie took the coin in her beak and stashed it underneath her left wing.
“Anyway, shouldn’t we find Zubat and Koffing now?” she asked.
“Yep, let’s go find them already,” Sarah sighed as she walked alongside Dixie.

A short while later…

Zubat and Koffing stared at the cave wall and seawater in front of them. Koffing looked around; there was more cave wall and seawater to observe. Koffing looked at Zubat in frustration.
“Great idea, genius, we’re at a dead en!” Koffing scolded. Zubat spat the rock out of his mouth and faced Koffing angrily.
“Why are you blaming me?! It was your idea, you gas ball!!” he fumed. “Now how are we supposed to escape?!”
“You’re not,” Sarah abruptly replied sternly. Zubat and Koffing turned around and spotted Sarah and Dixie approaching them.
“Hey, look, Zubat, it’s the chicken and the rat-bag again!” Koffing chortled. Dixie stepped forward, looking frustrated.
“I know I’m a chicken! I’m a Torchic!” she fumed. “And give me my treasure back!!” she demanded.
“And stop calling me rat-bag, dammit!” Sarah shouted angrily.
“Oh, so it is a treasure after all?” Zubat questioned.
“Maybe we’ll try to sell it for a good price!” Koffing suggested nastily.
“No!” Dixie gasped in horror.
“Pfft. Like anyone’s going to buy a rock that’s been in a bat’s mouth?” Sarah asked sarcastically.
“But if you want it back so badly, come and get it!” Zubat taunted.
“Finally, an excuse to kick some ass!” Sarah smirked as she gave off static electricity from her cheeks. “Even though I still don’t know if you actually have any.”
“Rat-bag!!” Koffing fumed as he charged towards Sarah.

Dixie ran towards Zubat while Sarah stood her ground, watching Koffing charging towards her. Sarah smirked as she bent backwards. Koffing flew over her and crashed into the ground behind her. Sarah sniggered as she faced Koffing.
“Rat-bag…” Koffing cussed as he lifted himself off of the ground. He spat out some sand from his mouth. “WHOA!” Sarah suddenly jumped on top of Koffing and placed her hands over his eyes.
“Get along there, little gas ball!” Sarah taunted. “WHOA!!” Koffing flew around the room rapidly; he occasionally took sharp and sudden turns in an attempt to shake Sarah off of him.
“Get off of me, rat-bag!” Koffing insisted.
“Stop calling me rat-bag and I will!” Sarah countered with a smirk.
“Never!” Koffing yelled.
“Then I won’t get off you,” Sarah teased. “Simple as that.”

“Give me back my treasure!” Dixie demanded. Zubat cackled at her.
“Like I’ll give in to your weak demands,” he scoffed. “Now, I wonder what your blood tastes like?” Zubat asked teasingly as he flew towards Dixie with his mouth wide open. The crest on Dixie’s head shone in a green light as a translucent green barrier formed around her. Zubat crashed into the barrier, mouth first. As the barrier faded, Zubat collapsed to the ground.
“No blood sucking for you!” Dixie taunted.
“Ow, my jaw…” Zubat complained.
“Wheeee!” Sarah continued to hold onto the panicky Koffing as he flew drastically through the air.
“Get the fuck off of me, rat-bag!!” Koffing fumed.
“You’re such a spoilsport, Koffing!” Sarah playfully complained. She suddenly noticed Zubat straining to get up off of the sandy floor. She smirked. “Hey, Zubat, batter up!!” she shouted as she forced Koffing to face Zubat. She lifted herself off of Koffing and used her tail to smack Koffing towards Zubat.
“Hey, watch it!!” Zubat cried.

CRASH!!

“OW!!” Koffing crashed into Zubat and landed on top of him. Sarah landed on her feet next to Dixie.
“Hey, Dix, check that out!” Sarah laughed. Dixie started laughing as she looked towards Zubat and Koffing.
“Yeah, that’s some hot ball on bat action right there!” she taunted. Sarah suddenly went on all fours as she gave off static electricity from her cheeks.
“How do you like that, boys!? You’ve just got your comeuppance!” she exclaimed. Koffing floated away from Zubat and looked towards Sarah in anger.
“No we haven’t!” he fumed. Sarah smirked just as Zubat took flight.
“You will now,” she said sternly. “Unless you give back what you stole from Dixie.”
“Your demands are just as weak as chic’s are!” Zubat exclaimed. Sarah scoffed.
“Have it your way,” she sighed. She released the large burst of lightning, which struck Zubat and Koffing.
“YAAAAAAAAGH!!” Zubat and Koffing both cried out in agony as the Thunderbolt attack struck them. As the attack faded, Zubat and Koffing fell to the ground; they appeared to be singed. Sarah stood back up on two feet as she smirked at the fallen thieves.

“What say you now, boys?” Sarah questioned. “Would you like me to repeat my request or my attack?” Zubat and Koffing, despite their loss, lifted themselves off of the sand.
“Ow…how did a rat-bag like you learn Thunderbolt so quickly?” Koffing asked in disbelief.
“Born with it,” Sarah said bluntly. “Deal with it. And stop calling me rat-bag, for crying out loud, it’s gotten old already.”
“Whatever, just take your stupid rock,” Zubat said snidely.
“But don’t think this is the last you’ll see of us; your victory was a fluke!” Koffing snapped. “Remember that!” Koffing and Zubat flew passed Sarah and Dixie and exited the cave. As Dixie made her way to her rock, Sarah looked back at Koffing and Zubat.
“I bloody well hope we don’t see you guys again!!” she shouted furiously. She folded her arms and huffed. “Those guys really need to learn some respect.”
“Look, my Relic Fragment!” Dixie rejoiced. Sarah sighed as she approached Dixie. “I’m glad we got it back. Thank you, Sarah!”
“No worries,” Sarah smiled.

Later, at the beach…

“Thank you so much, Sarah!” Dixie said gratefully. “I don’t think I’d be able to get it back without you!”
“It was the right thing to do,” Sarah said modestly as she tied a knot on the broken string. “I’m glad I was able to help you.”
“I call that my Relic Fragment,” Dixie explained. “It’s the only treasure I have.”
“Then it’s a good thing we taught those bums a thing or two,” Sarah smirked as she picked the fragment off of the floor and held it in her hands. “Even though I still don’t know if they actually have bums in the first place,” she chuckled.
“Hey, Sarah, do you like legends and lore?” Dixie asked with curiosity. Sarah looked at Dixie in confusion.
“Um…I don’t make it my habit to study each and every legend and lore, but they can intrigue me,” she answered. “Why, do you?”
“Yes,” Dixie nodded. “I always get excited when I hear stories from the past! Hidden treasure troves, strange relics…uncharted territories just begging to be unveiled from the darkness, new lands asking to be explored…those are the kinds of places where one would find unimaginable gold and treasure!” Dixie said in awe. “Oh, and the history! I’d love to make historic discoveries!”
“Whoa, slow down there, Dixie, don’t have a fangirlish attack on me now,” Sarah laughed nervously.
“But that’s what I always dream of!” Dixie smiled. “It’s so exciting for me! Especially after I came across my Relic Fragment!”
“Huh? How do you mean?” Sarah asked.
“Look at it closely,” Dixie suggested. Sarah held the fragment in front of her; she noticed an unusual-looking white pattern on the smooth side of the rock.
“Whoa. My compliments to whoever took the time to draw this,” she said quietly in awe. “It’s rather beautiful, actually.”
“There must be some significance to it, I think,” Dixie explained. “For all I know, it could be a key to a legendary place! Where treasure lies!” Sarah looked up at Dixie with a smirk.
“What are you, a wannabe treasure hunter or something?” she asked playfully. Dixie laughed.
“That’s just the feeling I get,” she said calmly. “But that’s why I want to join an Exploration team.”
“A what now?” Sarah asked in bewilderment.
“I tried to join an Exploration team as an apprentice, but I chickened out,” Dixie sighed.
“Hey, don’t use that figure of speech on yourself,” Sarah sighed. “It doesn’t sound right, coming from a Torchic, in my opinion.” Dixie looked at Sarah with curiosity.
“What about you? Do you have any plans at the moment?” she asked. Sarah sighed.
“Dixie, I’m a human that somehow woke up as a Pikachu with no recollection of what she did prior to her passing out or even passing out to begin with; do you expect me to have a plan?” she asked sarcastically.
“So that’s a no then?” Dixie questioned.
“Yes, Dixie, that is a no,” Sarah sighed.
“In that case, may I ask a favour?” Dixie asked nervously. “Would you be willing to form an Exploration team with me?”
“Dixie, you haven’t even answered my question about what an Exploration team is to begin with!” Sarah stated firmly. “But, since I don’t have anything else better to do, sure, I’ll form an Exploration team with you. Whatever it is.”
“Thank you so much!” Dixie rejoiced. “I know we can make this work!”
“So what do we do to form this Exploration team, dare I ask?” Sarah questioned.
“Oh, we need to go to Wigglytuff’s Guild and sign up as apprentices,” Dixie explained. “It’s where all Pokémon need to train to become first-rate Exploration teams.”
“If it trains you to be first-rate, I’ll assume the training will be tough,” Sarah guessed.
“But let’s give it our best shot, Sarah!” Dixie encouraged.
“Sure, why not? I wasn’t exactly put off by my assumption anyways,” Sarah shrugged.

To be continued…