Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ The Origins of the Ninetale's Curse ❯ Gardevoir ( Chapter 1 )

 

Pokémon Fan Fiction

 

The Origins of the Ninetale's Curse

 

By: Gema J. Gall

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. If I did, you can sure bet that the stupid new dub would have never existed!

 

AN/ This is my thoughts about the events that happened before Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue Rescue. It's written in second person since the entire time it was “you” playing the game.

 

Chapter 1: Gardevoir

 

You were walking in the woods along your Pokémon journey. The sun had disappeared below the tops of the trees and was about to vanish entirely. You considered setting up camp, but the ground was littered with roots, branches, and other things that made it difficult to sleep. So, you pressed on, looking for a clearing suitable for a one-night camp. The shadows were long and solid, causing you to stumble in the dusk light.

 

You caught yourself by grabbing onto the rough trunk of a pin-oak tree. After steadying yourself, you decided that it was best to stop here for the night no matter what might be under your pillow. You pulled away from the tree, then froze. A faint moaning carried on the wind reached your ears. You strained to hear more, but everything was silent. You let out the breath that you were holding and started to relax. Suddenly, you jumped. The moaning was stronger and more definite this time. It didn't stop, and you could hear gasping and crying mixed with it.

 

After waiting as still as a boulder for several minutes, you guided yourself around the truck and started to make your way toward the sound. You didn't know what you would find, but whatever it was, it was in pain and needed help. Your progress was slowed by the roots and bramble that had suddenly grown hands to grab your ankles. With a final ray, the sun set, leaving you in the shadows. You reached into your backpack and pulled a red flashlight out of a side pocket and flicked it on. It produced a weak, faltering yellow beam of light at your feet. You banged it against your palm, but could get no more power from the half-dead batteries.

 

A golden flash caught your attention from the corner of your eye. You quickly turned your attention from the flashlight and furtively glanced around for whatever you glimpsed. But it had vanished already and only a faint rustling of some bushes let you know that there had even been something there in the first place.

 

With a gulp, you pushed through an out-of-season Oran Berry bush and stepped into a small clearing with a tiny brook running through it. The beam of light fell on a groaning, white figure laying on some moss. After a quick glance to make sure that no wild Pokémon were waiting, you hurried to the figure. You bent down and sat back on your knees and set the flashlight on the moos so that it still shone on the figure and started examining it.

 

It was a Gardevoir. Her eyes were closed tightly and she was gasping sharply in pain. You placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and she recoiled at your touch. You began to examine her for injuries, speaking softly and reassuringly under your breath. Much to your surprise, there was not a cut or bruise on her. She did not have a single broken bone. You frowned; you had no idea what was causing her so much pain.

 

“ It's okay. You're not alone. I'm going to take care of you,” you told the Gardevoir. She seemed to be slowly relaxing, but her entire body was still tense with pain. “What happened? What could have done this?”

 

She could not answer, but only gave a weak moan. You frowned again and rubbed the bridge of your nose, trying to think of some plan to help her. You knew that you could not simply leave her here alone. A Potion wouldn't help; those could only be sprayed on external injuries and she had none. Oran Berries were out of season and you didn't have any Sitrus Berries—or any type of Pokémon pain killers for that matter. You mentally scolded yourself for being so poorly equipped as a trainer. Gardevoir seemed to be in such serious condition that deep down you doubt that you'd be able to heal her even if you were prepared. She needed to be taken to a Poké-Center.

 

You bit your lip even harder when the idea struck. The nearest Poké-Center was several miles away. In order to get Gardevoir there, you would have to catch her in a Poké-Ball. Catching Pokémon had always bothered you deep down, which was why you still had only your first partner and no one else. Pokémon have families, friends, and lives too and every time you attempted to catch one you felt guilty about taking them away from their homes. You could never throw a Poké-Ball because of this—it just didn't seem right. What you really wanted was for your Pokémon partners to join you of their own free will without you somehow forcing that choice upon them.

 

No other solution would surface though. You stood on jelly knees and tried to swallow the lump in your throat, forcing the guilt in the pit of your stomach down. You slid a Poké-Ball out of your backpack and tapped the button once to enlarge it.

 

“I'm sorry,” you whispered to Gardevoir. It felt even worse this time because you only found her like this; you hadn't even done the proper trainer thing and battled her yourself. You threw the Poké-Ball.

 

The ball hit Gardevoir. But instead of drawing her in with a flash of light, it merely fell to the ground still open. Your jaw dropped in surprise, but you secretly felt relieved that it had failed. There could be only one reason for a Poké-Ball to react this way—Gardevoir already had a trainer. One question instantly jumped into your mind the moment that you realized this. Where was her trainer? Gardevoir whimpered and you hurried over and bent back down besides her.

 

“Hang in there. It will be okay,” you murmured. Though, in all honesty, you had no idea what would happen. “I promise I'll help you.”

 

You pilled a second Poké-Ball off of your belt and threw it lightly across the clearing. It popped open halfway in flight, light bursting out. The trees in the clearing were visible for a brief moment as the light formed into the sleeping shape of your partner. Your partner woke up with a yawn and looked up at you as if asking what you needed in the middle of the night.

 

“Get the flashlight,” you said. Your partner groggily walked over and picked it up, though its shape was somewhat awkward for a Pokémon. “I'll try to be as gentle as I can,” you told Gardevoir. You turned on your knees and carefully scooped her onto your back. Her head was resting on your shoulder and you could hear her struggling to breathe right in your ear. You struggled to your feet, your eyes going wide momentarily at her weight—she seemed so delicate that you didn't think she'd be heavy. At least she wasn't resisting.

 

“Let's go,” you said to both Gardevoir and your partner.

 

You started walking, trying not to jar the Pokémon on your back too much. Your partner kept the weak light pointed just in front of your feet, which was just barely enough to keep you from tripping. Your progress was slow, and it was late in the night when you finally stumbled back into the town that you had left that afternoon. The whole town was silent and asleep, nothing stirred, nothing whispered. Sweat had plastered your hair to your cheeks and your throat was parched as you gasped for breath. Your arms were numb and your legs felt like they were going to fall off.

 

The welcomed dome of the Poké-Center appeared in front of your entourage. The flashlight died with a final flicker as you stepped into the puddle of light from a street lamp in front of the building, your partner by your side. Gardevoir whimpered slightly in your ear, though you could tell that she was trying to keep from crying out. The automatic door slid open and you stepped inside. The lobby lights had all been turned off, only the emergency lights illuminated the chairs, couch, desk, computer, and potted plants. A Chansey popped out from behind the desk.

 

“Chansey?” she asked. She took one look at Gardevoir and raced through a door behind the desk. “Chansey! Chansey!”

 

She reappeared a moment later followed by Nurse Joy, who was rubbing her eyes, then hid a yawn behind her hand. She turned on some of the lights and perked up the moment that she saw Gardevoir. You squinted as you were nearly blinded.

 

“Oh my! What happened?” she asked, hurrying over to her nearest patient.

 

You tried to answer, but your throat was too dry and you still hadn't fully caught your breath. Any response you tried to make stuck to your tongue. Chansey pushed a gurney besides you and you took the hint, carefully laying Gardevoir down on it. You turned and saw that she was pale and just as sweaty as you were. Her eyes were cracked open slightly, just barely registering what was going on around her.

 

Free of her weight, you attempted to explain the situation, “Found her…the forest…don't know what happened…”

 

“I'll see what I can do,” Nurse Joy promised.

 

Chansey was already pushing the gurney through the door to an examination room. Nurse Joy followed after telling you to get some rest. You nodded and glanced down at your partner, but much to your surprise your partner had already curled up on the middle of the sofa, fast asleep. You smiled to yourself and started over to the couch.

 

Something tapped your arm and you looked over to see Chansey—the same one or a different one you couldn't tell. She handed you a bottle of water. It was cool to the touch and droplets had already condensed on it. That simple bottle was more welcomed than gold at the moment.

 

“Thank you,” you said with a tired smile.

 

“Chansey!” the Pokémon beamed back. Once she was that you were taken care of, she went into the examining room.

 

You watched her leave and walked over to your partner, taking care not to disturb as you sat down. You twisted the cap off of the bottled water and chugged about half of it. You then laid your head back against the plush back of the sofa and closed your eyes.

 

When you opened them light was streaming through the large windows. A few trainers were clustered on the other side of the room, talking in soft voices so not to wake you. You stretched, noticing that a blanket had been draped over your shoulders—presumably by a Chansey. Your partner woke up at your movement and looked up at you contently. You rubbed your partner's head and stood, rolling your head to get the crick out of your neck that came from having slept sitting up.

 

Nurse Joy appeared from one of the doors, carrying a tray with six Poké-Balls on it. She walked to the group of trainers and a guy picked them up, thanking her profusely. She smiled and gave a gentle reply before excusing herself and walking over to you. You quickly rubbed the sleep from your eyes.

 

“Good morning,” you both greeted each other.

 

“Come this way,” she said, motioning with her fingers towards a door. “We have a lot to discuss about that Gardevoir you brought it.”

 

“How is she?” you asked.

 

“She's asleep now,” answered Nurse Joy.

 

You both walked through one of the white side doors, stepping into a long hallway lined with more doors and fluorescent lights. Windows regularly marked the walls, allowing you to see into patient's rooms. Most were empty, but a few hand Pokémon recovering inside. Hospital machinery buzzed in the background. Nurse Joy's heels and your partner's nails clicked along the tile while your sneakers made no sound.

 

“You said you found her?” inquired Nurse Joy as the three of you walked.

 

“Right. She had already collapsed in the forest when I found her,” you said and you continued to explain what had happened last night, including the fact that Gardevoir had a trainer.

 

Nurse Joy frowned slight, “That creates more questions instead of answering them.”

 

“Pardon?” you asked.

 

She stopped in front of a room near the end of the hall, you and your partner stopping with her. You glanced through the window and saw Gardevoir sleeping on a bed. Her face still looked tense—her eyes were pressed tightly shut and there were furrows on her forehead. Although she was asleep, she didn't seem to be resting.

 

“Is she okay?” you asked, concerned and slightly alarmed.

 

Nurse Joy didn't answer immediately. She slowly let out a breath. “I've never seen an injury like this…and I hoped I never would.”

 

“What happened?” you asked, feeling the pit fall out of your stomach.

 

Nurse Joy remained silent for another long moment. She opened the door and entered Gardevoir's room and you followed her. Her silence was unnerving and you scanned your mind for any comment to break it but there were no words. Both of you stopped besides the white bed. You ran the edge of your sneakers along the tile out of slight discomfort as you watched Gardevoir's restless sleep. You glanced over and saw Nurse Joy watching you, waiting for you to meet her eye so she could continue with her explanation.

 

She brushed Gardevoir's left shoulder lightly, which drew your attention to a wispy, golden mark that you had not noticed before during the night. For some reason, you couldn't help but shudder when you noticed it, thought at the same time you couldn't help but stare.

 

“Do you know what this is?” asked Nurse Joy, causing you to pull your eyes away from the golden mar. Your partner by your feet was straining to get at eye level with the bed to see what you were talking about.

 

You shook your head, “What is it?”

 

“The sign of a curse,” answered Nurse Joy, grimly.

 

“Curse? The ghost-type move?” you asked. Your partner had been hit by that move from a Gengar before and it wasn't as serious as Nurse Joy sounded. You tried to get her to meet your eyes, but she was now focused on Gardevoir.

 

“Not that type of curse…a Ninetale's curse,” Nurse Joy said.

 

“A Ninetale's curse?” you echoed, not understanding. “Ninetales don't learn curse.”

 

“Have you ever heard of the myth?” asked Nurse Joy. She continued without waiting for you to reply. “Ninetale's vanity and anger run deep. If someone were to pull a single tail, that person would be cursed with a thousand years of agony.”

 

You went silent for a long moment while you processed this, absentmindedly rubbing your partner's head. “So, then…Gardevoir…pulled a Ninetale's tail?”

 

Nurse Joy nodded, “It seems so…but I don't understand why her trainer is nowhere to be found.”

 

You rubbed Gardevoir's arm just below the curse's mark. She'd have to live in pain for a thousand years…it didn't seem right. You could still hear her gasping as you carried her to the Poké-Center last night; you didn't want to imagine a millennia like that.

 

“There has to be something you can do,” you told Nurse Joy.

 

Her eyes fell. “There's nothing I can do. Our medical knowledge cannot break curses.” She hesitated for a brief moment and if you had not looked over at that same instance you would have missed it.

 

You turned to fully face her. “But there is something,” you stated.

 

She pressed her lips together and you could tell that she was internally debating about telling you something. You waited in patient silence for her to continue, you did not want to pressure her. Gardevoir trembled slightly in her sleep, but thanks to the drugs she did not wake up.

 

“I've heard a story…” Nurse Joy said, slowly. “There is a cave far from here…it is said that an arbitrator lives deep inside, one who judges darkness and delivers rewards and punishments as appropriate.”

 

You frowned, confused, “How will that help?”

 

Gardevoir shook again and Nurse Joy motioned for you to keep your voice down and follow her. Both of you and your partner quietly left the room. No one spoke until Nurse Joy had firmly shut the door behind you. She glanced through the window and Gardevoir before she continued her story.

 

“If Gardevoir did not harm a Ninetales or if her punishment is deemed too severe…the judge of darkness may lift the curse from her.”

 

“You do realize that both of those stories are myths, right?” you asked, bluntly, sticking your hands deep into your pockets.

 

Nurse Joy nodded again and closed her blink an extra moment. “I have no other explanation or treatment of this. All myths have some basis in reality—these just may be true.” She turned to face you, her hands folded neatly in front of her. “Thank you for bringing her here. There's really no need for you to stay any longer, you can continue on your journey.”

 

You jerked in surprise when you heard this and your mouth hung open slightly. “I can't just leave Gardevoir alone and in pain!”

 

“You don't have to worry,” replied Nurse Joy. “I'll be here to make sure she's comfortable and all of the Chanseys are highly trained. Besides, we'll make sure to do what we can to find her real trainer.” She put on a half-false smile and started down the hall to lead you back to the lobby.

 

However, you stood rooted for a moment, processing everything. It didn't feel right to leave this half-finished, especially since Gardevoir had not been cured. You didn't completely believe the story that Nurse Joy had just told you, but the Ninetale's curse seemed real enough, which was causing you to reconsider the validity of the judge of darkness. You briefly glanced through the window at Gardevoir, then trailed after Nurse Joy. The two of you walked in silence until you reach the door that led back to the lobby.

 

“Nurse Joy?” you asked.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I…want to help Gardevoir. Until her trainer is found or she gets better…I want to help,” you said.

 

“Thank you,” said Nurse Joy. “My staff can handle it, but if you wish to stay to see this through, you are welcomed to.”

 

“Thank you too,” you answered with a small smile. Your partner looked up and smiled as well, causing you to chuckle slightly.

 

 

 

7