Crescendo | Pokémon Short Story

Swords Dance

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The dancer hung his head low and swept his wings. His footwork was deadly silent. His heart was aching and burning bright. He needed no break. All he needed was to feel the adrenaline rush in his blood and to know that he had a place in a world where humans were viciously demanding creatures. He paused. Maybe I'm just a misfit. An endangered Pokémon.

José shivered at the sight of the girl injecting something into a flower. A poppy, like those in the meadow.

The meadow! I wonder if Maimai's alright! The thought struck him just as a shrill noise rang.

The lift doors slid open just as the girl looked up, dropping her syringe. The poppy in her hands was different. It turned black after she injected something.

"Colton! You're back? I've got some great news!" Nox waited for a reply but she never got one. "Colton?"

She watched the lift doors close and arched a brow.

José felt something sharp touch him and realised that Maimai didn't return alone. An Absol, white all over with those perceptive eyes, smiled.

"How did you come back?" José hugged her and she pecked his cheek. The Absol simply eyed the two and told them to keep the volume down.

"Boy, I was afraid, but I remembered we could always use some Chatot talk and speak the way humans speak. The spirits—"

"Shadows," the Absol interjected. "The shadows gave her the idea."

The four-legged creature licked the Baile Style Oricorio's feathers. Then, slowly, he dragged his words,"Stay safe, Oricorio."

"Who are you? Was that a threat?"

José didn't receive a response from the Pokémon but the bell from the lift chimed again.

"Colton!" This time, she saw her target. "I've good news! But who set the alarm?"

"I'll check the-"

"Don't bother. We never turn the cameras on." Nox clapped her hands and leapt around. "Anyway, I did it! Once we inject this into a flower, it turns black. It'll work once we have a little test with our yellow guest. Oh, it rhymes!"

In the shadows, the three Pokémon looked at each other. It dawned on the purple avian that her friend wasn't angry, but worried.

Now wasn't the time for words. If they made a single noise, they would be discovered. They watched as the black poppy was brought close to the Pom-Pom Style Oricorio's beak.

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Prying open the pink beak with her ugly, dirty fingers, Nox made sure the black nectar was in place. With a smile, she turned to look at Colton, who nodded at her. The girl knew her plan was working. She could not wait to see the Oricorio dance for a last time. She could not wait to steal the spotlight from those pests. After all, it was because of those pests that the dancers in Alola left, leaving only the few of them behind. She would want to gain the attention the human dancers deserve. All she had to do was to be the bane of all the Oricorio's existence.