A Spinarak awakens in a hostile jungle, carrying memories of a past life. She survives, evolves, and carves out a niche for herself. When a storm brews, lightning strikes, and with it opportunity - a chance to regain what was lost.
Shaded Silk (Pokemon Isekai OC)
- Thread starter Fabhar
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Synopsis
A Spinarak awakens in a hostile jungle, carrying memories of a past life. She survives, evolves, and carves out a niche for herself. When a storm brews, lightning strikes, and with it opportunity - a chance to regain what was lost.
Hello! This is my first time posting a story, uh, anywhere. I hope some people enjoy what I've written, but I'm not a professional writer by any means. Feel free to leave comments - all I ask is that you're gentle with any criticism you leave.
Hopefully I can keep up with writing chapters - like I said, never really done something like this before.
Also available on Spacebattles and Ao3!
Hello! This is my first time posting a story, uh, anywhere. I hope some people enjoy what I've written, but I'm not a professional writer by any means. Feel free to leave comments - all I ask is that you're gentle with any criticism you leave.
Hopefully I can keep up with writing chapters - like I said, never really done something like this before.
Also available on Spacebattles and Ao3!
Chapter 1: Green Hell Zone
Thin rays of sunlight made their way through the jungle's canopy, a scarce few managing to reach the forest floor far below. Amidst the numerous, towering trees that filled this vibrant place, life flourished with abundance. Lush growth could be seen everywhere, filling nearly every space, with colorful flowers, massive ferns, and many other forms of plant life besides. Of course, flora was not the only thing to be found here – near the top of the canopy you could find a variety of bird pokemon, including grumpy Touccanons, gangs of Squawkabillies, and even the rare group of Xatu and Natu staring at the sun above.
Further down, among the myriad branches and leaves of the understorey, teams of Passimians swung about hunting berries, Slakoth drooped across branches while idly munching on leaves, and the rarer Liepard could be found lounging above the forest floor waiting for twilight to arrive. And down below, on the shrub level, more terrestrial pokemon made their homes – massive Tropius plodded along in small groups with their long necks giving them easy access to the leaves above while groups of Rillaboom, Thwackey, and Grookey made nests from giant ferns and shrubs.
Truly, the jungle was a place abundant in life – and so too was it a place abundant in death. In the dark places, where the rays of the sun could not pierce, predators lurked, waiting for the opportunity to satisfy their appetites, to curb their hunger. This too, was a part of existence here in the jungle, not one to be admonished or spoken ill of, but simply another part of the grand circle.
A Lurantis posed, its floral scent luring in would-be prey; a Heatmor rooted about the undergrowth, its long tongue tasting the air while it hunted for Durants; and a certain Ariados lay in wait in her nest, content to let her prey stumble into one of the various threads she had spread through her territory.
How long has it been? She mused to herself, head angling upward, her compound eyes staring at the few scraps of sunlight coming from above. How long since I arrived here? Since I was forced to survive in this place? She wondered, trying to recall how many suns had passed since she had awoken amongst these trees as a Spinarak.
Since she had stopped being human.
She didn't like to think about what had happened. The memory hurt like touching a hot stove.
It felt like so long ago, now.
In her first life, she had been terrified of bugs, of spiders and bees and even more benign creatures like caterpillars, and those had been of normal size. Now? Now the sight of a Butterfree caught in her web was grounds for celebration, for a grand meal that would keep her fed for a week. She had long moved past that old, irrational fear in order to survive.
Just one more thing she had lost along the way to who she was now, she supposed.
There was a vibration, traveling up through her web, and her thoughts paused as she felt it out. Large, sudden, no followup struggle. To the north. Far to the north, near the edge of her territory. Not worth concerning herself with – if it wasn't small enough to be caught, it wasn't small enough to risk hunting – at least not during daylight. She settled back down, her purple-and-black abdomen resting once more on the hammock-like thread as she returned to her musing.
It had been hard at first. Confusing and terrifying and deadly. Many things would have been happy to eat her here if given the chance – they still would, in fact. She had narrowly avoided being lured in by a Victreebel's enticing aroma, and she had been chased more than once by a hungry group of Spearow. But she had survived, despite the poor odds, despite her lack of experience. She had found berries to tide her over, made her first web, and had even gotten lucky with a Caterpie. Killing it had been… traumatic. But she was past that now, and could do the deed without hesitation these days. She was the queen of her small slice of jungle, and the other locals knew it.
She'd give up all of it to sink her mandibles into a cheeseburger again, though. To have hands again. She could get by fine with her current tools, of course, but still. What remnants of her humanity she stubbornly clung to would jump at the chance to go back. It didn't seem likely, however.
Another thrum through her web. This one repeated, sometimes short and jerky, sometimes long and desperate. Something was caught. The Ariados roused herself from her nest and set off, scuttling through the understorey, nimbly jumping across branches when her webbing wasn't present for her to use, following the flailing of whatever it was she had snagged, taking her time. Whatever it was wasn't getting away, not if it couldn't break free in the first few seconds.
She was confident in her webbing abilities at this point – she'd had months of practice to perfect them.
Soon enough, she stumbled across the source of the vibrations. She looked down on her guest from a branch far above, the poor creature crying for help while it continued to struggle. Its red, black-spotted wings buzzed hard as it tried to free itself, its six little limbs thrashing as it twisted and turned. The Ledyba was well and truly stuck.
Lucky for me. Sorry little one.
The Ariados' mandibles spread open, and a sickly-purple thread darted out, quickly covering up the Ledyba and further securing it. At the same time, the contact poison it held seeped into the little bug, its motions growing more sluggish as the Toxic Thread got to work. She could sit back and wait, if she wanted. Her prey would die eventually. But it would be slow and agonizing, and she still had enough humanity left that that sat ill with her.
The blue-and-yellow limbs on her back stiffened, starting to twitch to-and-fro, much like metronomes, steadily building an energy that manifested as a hazy red aura around her. Once, twice, thrice her back-limbs danced, pushing her power to the brink as she crept closer, focusing intently on her prize. She let her focus build, let it sharpen to a point as she closed the distance, clambering onto the silk-bound ladybug pokemon. Her mandibles opened wide, glinting in the dark as that sickly-purple aura seemed to coat their edges. She leaned down.
Snip.
And her prey died.
She began bundling up her prize, spinnerets quickly and efficiently cocooning the corpse even as her mandibles sunk in once more, injecting it with digestive enzymes to prep it for later consumption. Once it was completely wrapped, she tied the bundle to her back, her back-limbs helping secure it as she journeyed home to her nest once more.
Ariados was not a strong pokemon, in the games – it had low stats, with decent Attack and poor Speed. No major weaknesses, luckily, and its resistances were decent. Its moveset wasn't the best for the turn-based fights of the games that typically had battles end quickly and violently – its moves mostly centered around boosting itself, inflicting poison, or causing debuffs with a focus on Speed. Here, though, where combat wasn't decided by turns, where you could take all the time you liked ambushing your target? Where you could spend a whole minute buffing up with Swords Dance and Focus Energy? Here, an Ariados could thrive if they knew what they were doing.
And she liked to think that she did.
She reached her nest in good time and secured her prize with the few others she had caught yesterday. Plenty enough in her larder that she wouldn't need to hunt tonight if she didn't want to. And hunting was always a risky proposition, here in the jungle. She might be queen of this little slice of the woods, but it was easy for a queen to lose her head if she was outside her kingdom.
The thought brought a feeling of melancholy. That was how she had lost her one… friend? Yes, friend. It was how she had lost her friend, the Galvantula. He had been too confident, too daring. Always rushing about, dragging his latest kill to share with her. In retrospect, she was pretty sure the male had been flirting, but she didn't know enough about spider courtship to be sure. He had been caught by a Fearow while going after a flock of Spearow, the brave fool.
She missed him.
He had taught her a lot, actually, not least of which was his Electroweb move. Not the strongest thing in her arsenal, but exceedingly effective when you already had something bound and didn't want to get close quite yet. It had been a literal pain to learn, involving a good bit of exposure to the technique. It was worth it in the end, though.
She wished she could have learned more. Spent more time with him.
But that was life here. That was death here. Sudden, brutal, and without rhyme or reason. That she was still alive despite how long it had been spoke of her skill, and more significantly of her luck. And she wasn't too keen on relying on the latter. With that in mind as the sun began to set, she tended to her webs, fixing where they'd gotten broken or frayed. She spread out a few new, thick strands beyond her territory – proximity alarms in case something big decided to show up. Finally, she grabbed a bite to eat from her little larder – a Pikipek, she thought, from a few days ago – and settled down for the night in her nest.
Quietly sipping from her meal, she turned her gaze once more to what little of the heavens reached down here, staring at the stars above through a gap in the canopy, one she'd made an effort to avoid webbing over. A break in her defenses, sure, but what was the point of life without these little pleasures?
A shooting star darted across the glittering weave high above, and she made a wish.
I wish I could go home. Or at least leave this jungle.
Unfortunately, early in her life here, she had discovered a most troubling fact – this jungle was part of a chain of islands, and Ariados were not known for their swimming skill.
Further down, among the myriad branches and leaves of the understorey, teams of Passimians swung about hunting berries, Slakoth drooped across branches while idly munching on leaves, and the rarer Liepard could be found lounging above the forest floor waiting for twilight to arrive. And down below, on the shrub level, more terrestrial pokemon made their homes – massive Tropius plodded along in small groups with their long necks giving them easy access to the leaves above while groups of Rillaboom, Thwackey, and Grookey made nests from giant ferns and shrubs.
Truly, the jungle was a place abundant in life – and so too was it a place abundant in death. In the dark places, where the rays of the sun could not pierce, predators lurked, waiting for the opportunity to satisfy their appetites, to curb their hunger. This too, was a part of existence here in the jungle, not one to be admonished or spoken ill of, but simply another part of the grand circle.
A Lurantis posed, its floral scent luring in would-be prey; a Heatmor rooted about the undergrowth, its long tongue tasting the air while it hunted for Durants; and a certain Ariados lay in wait in her nest, content to let her prey stumble into one of the various threads she had spread through her territory.
How long has it been? She mused to herself, head angling upward, her compound eyes staring at the few scraps of sunlight coming from above. How long since I arrived here? Since I was forced to survive in this place? She wondered, trying to recall how many suns had passed since she had awoken amongst these trees as a Spinarak.
Since she had stopped being human.
She didn't like to think about what had happened. The memory hurt like touching a hot stove.
It felt like so long ago, now.
In her first life, she had been terrified of bugs, of spiders and bees and even more benign creatures like caterpillars, and those had been of normal size. Now? Now the sight of a Butterfree caught in her web was grounds for celebration, for a grand meal that would keep her fed for a week. She had long moved past that old, irrational fear in order to survive.
Just one more thing she had lost along the way to who she was now, she supposed.
There was a vibration, traveling up through her web, and her thoughts paused as she felt it out. Large, sudden, no followup struggle. To the north. Far to the north, near the edge of her territory. Not worth concerning herself with – if it wasn't small enough to be caught, it wasn't small enough to risk hunting – at least not during daylight. She settled back down, her purple-and-black abdomen resting once more on the hammock-like thread as she returned to her musing.
It had been hard at first. Confusing and terrifying and deadly. Many things would have been happy to eat her here if given the chance – they still would, in fact. She had narrowly avoided being lured in by a Victreebel's enticing aroma, and she had been chased more than once by a hungry group of Spearow. But she had survived, despite the poor odds, despite her lack of experience. She had found berries to tide her over, made her first web, and had even gotten lucky with a Caterpie. Killing it had been… traumatic. But she was past that now, and could do the deed without hesitation these days. She was the queen of her small slice of jungle, and the other locals knew it.
She'd give up all of it to sink her mandibles into a cheeseburger again, though. To have hands again. She could get by fine with her current tools, of course, but still. What remnants of her humanity she stubbornly clung to would jump at the chance to go back. It didn't seem likely, however.
Another thrum through her web. This one repeated, sometimes short and jerky, sometimes long and desperate. Something was caught. The Ariados roused herself from her nest and set off, scuttling through the understorey, nimbly jumping across branches when her webbing wasn't present for her to use, following the flailing of whatever it was she had snagged, taking her time. Whatever it was wasn't getting away, not if it couldn't break free in the first few seconds.
She was confident in her webbing abilities at this point – she'd had months of practice to perfect them.
Soon enough, she stumbled across the source of the vibrations. She looked down on her guest from a branch far above, the poor creature crying for help while it continued to struggle. Its red, black-spotted wings buzzed hard as it tried to free itself, its six little limbs thrashing as it twisted and turned. The Ledyba was well and truly stuck.
Lucky for me. Sorry little one.
The Ariados' mandibles spread open, and a sickly-purple thread darted out, quickly covering up the Ledyba and further securing it. At the same time, the contact poison it held seeped into the little bug, its motions growing more sluggish as the Toxic Thread got to work. She could sit back and wait, if she wanted. Her prey would die eventually. But it would be slow and agonizing, and she still had enough humanity left that that sat ill with her.
The blue-and-yellow limbs on her back stiffened, starting to twitch to-and-fro, much like metronomes, steadily building an energy that manifested as a hazy red aura around her. Once, twice, thrice her back-limbs danced, pushing her power to the brink as she crept closer, focusing intently on her prize. She let her focus build, let it sharpen to a point as she closed the distance, clambering onto the silk-bound ladybug pokemon. Her mandibles opened wide, glinting in the dark as that sickly-purple aura seemed to coat their edges. She leaned down.
Snip.
And her prey died.
She began bundling up her prize, spinnerets quickly and efficiently cocooning the corpse even as her mandibles sunk in once more, injecting it with digestive enzymes to prep it for later consumption. Once it was completely wrapped, she tied the bundle to her back, her back-limbs helping secure it as she journeyed home to her nest once more.
Ariados was not a strong pokemon, in the games – it had low stats, with decent Attack and poor Speed. No major weaknesses, luckily, and its resistances were decent. Its moveset wasn't the best for the turn-based fights of the games that typically had battles end quickly and violently – its moves mostly centered around boosting itself, inflicting poison, or causing debuffs with a focus on Speed. Here, though, where combat wasn't decided by turns, where you could take all the time you liked ambushing your target? Where you could spend a whole minute buffing up with Swords Dance and Focus Energy? Here, an Ariados could thrive if they knew what they were doing.
And she liked to think that she did.
She reached her nest in good time and secured her prize with the few others she had caught yesterday. Plenty enough in her larder that she wouldn't need to hunt tonight if she didn't want to. And hunting was always a risky proposition, here in the jungle. She might be queen of this little slice of the woods, but it was easy for a queen to lose her head if she was outside her kingdom.
The thought brought a feeling of melancholy. That was how she had lost her one… friend? Yes, friend. It was how she had lost her friend, the Galvantula. He had been too confident, too daring. Always rushing about, dragging his latest kill to share with her. In retrospect, she was pretty sure the male had been flirting, but she didn't know enough about spider courtship to be sure. He had been caught by a Fearow while going after a flock of Spearow, the brave fool.
She missed him.
He had taught her a lot, actually, not least of which was his Electroweb move. Not the strongest thing in her arsenal, but exceedingly effective when you already had something bound and didn't want to get close quite yet. It had been a literal pain to learn, involving a good bit of exposure to the technique. It was worth it in the end, though.
She wished she could have learned more. Spent more time with him.
But that was life here. That was death here. Sudden, brutal, and without rhyme or reason. That she was still alive despite how long it had been spoke of her skill, and more significantly of her luck. And she wasn't too keen on relying on the latter. With that in mind as the sun began to set, she tended to her webs, fixing where they'd gotten broken or frayed. She spread out a few new, thick strands beyond her territory – proximity alarms in case something big decided to show up. Finally, she grabbed a bite to eat from her little larder – a Pikipek, she thought, from a few days ago – and settled down for the night in her nest.
Quietly sipping from her meal, she turned her gaze once more to what little of the heavens reached down here, staring at the stars above through a gap in the canopy, one she'd made an effort to avoid webbing over. A break in her defenses, sure, but what was the point of life without these little pleasures?
A shooting star darted across the glittering weave high above, and she made a wish.
I wish I could go home. Or at least leave this jungle.
Unfortunately, early in her life here, she had discovered a most troubling fact – this jungle was part of a chain of islands, and Ariados were not known for their swimming skill.
Chapter 2: Stormy Thoughts
The sun had yet to rise when the Ariados' day began, the dark hours before dawn when she began to stir. It had not been long since she went to sleep, by the reckoning of a human - perhaps four hours or less - and yet she regained consciousness with an abundance of energy. Given her predisposition for sleeping past noon as a human, it could be assumed that this early bird approach to life was primarily a result of her current body.
Regardless, she awoke energized, and quickly put that energy to work. The first order of the day was grabbing a bite to drink from her larder, after which she began her morning patrol of her territory. She repaired webbing, checked for signs of other pokemon, and generally kept her little slice of hell in order. As luck would have it, a Grookey had tried to cut through and gotten tangled during the night. She put the fellow out of his misery with a quick-
Snip.
-and brought her prey back to her larder to… marinate? It felt like the appropriate term, anyway. Once that was accomplished and she'd confirmed of no other nighttime guests, she began scaling the tree that she had built her nest in. It was a massive member of its species, and the source of the constant shade that her territory enjoyed. She scaled its trunk nimbly and with minimal need for webbing, her clawed limbs finding easy purchase on the bark as she made her way up. She had made this short journey numerous times after settling here, and could likely climb it blind at this point.
Soon, she reached the canopy and carefully began skittering across one of the thicker branches of this arboreal titan. She settled down in a particular spot, well-worn by previous visits, and turned her attention to the still-dark horizon. She had sat here more than once with the Galvantula, waiting for the sunrise.
It had been nice.
After indeterminable waiting, the stars above began to fade as the blanket of night was pulled away, a riot of color spreading slowly from the east. The sparkling blue of the ocean, its rippling waves looking sapphire-encrusted as the sunlight hit them just so. The soft beige of the beach, like a silky blanket. The patchwork colors of the jungle, like a giant quilt - dominated by vibrant green, but with accents of all the colors of the rainbow from various plants, fruits, and flowers. It was an incredible, beautiful sight.
And I would give it up in a heartbeat.
Before the sun could finish showing itself, the Ariados began her descent once more. Staying around the canopy during the day was a surefire way to get picked off by a bird. While her sheer bulk might pose a challenge, she wasn't keen on testing her mettle against those sharp beaks and wicked claws. She returned to her nest, and once more settled in, her legs stretching across the various strands that made it up, that connected her to the rest of her territory. Her attention drifted away from vision and sound as her heart slowed, the Ariados entering a meditative trance focused entirely on her sense of touch. Unseeing, unhearing, she waited, her mind adrift as she focused on the minute pulls and tugs through the massive web of her territory.
—
Hours passed without any activity on her part. The sun rose, slowly crossing the sky. Clouds drifted overhead as the sounds of the jungle echoed, as life went on. Around midday, however, the Ariados felt a tug. A very distinctive one, in fact.
Twang-twang-twang! … Twang-twang-twang!
She recognized the rhythm. Lifting her carapace up, she delicately grasped the twitching thread with one of her legs, waiting for a pause in the vibrations. Then she tugged.
TWANG.
The rhythm halted, before picking up once more, now a light, steady stream of soft tugs for her to follow. She swung by her larder before doing so, grabbing some of her smaller, older kills and tying them together on her back. That done, she moved out west, deeper into the jungle.
Soon enough, she reached her would-be callers near the edge of her territory, doing a quick headcount.
Hm. Seventeen. Two more than last time. Good.
She had emerged into a clearing full of Spinarak and a single Ariados, the arachnid pokemon on the trees, the ground, and frequently hanging from branches, all watching her with a twinkle in their compound eyes that she couldn't quite place. Greed? Admiration, perhaps? She had done well for herself, after all - the others' territory was small, as far as she knew, and they shared it - safety in numbers, perhaps. She couldn't afford to share. Not with her size, not with her appetite. But she could afford to trade.
Slowly, the other Ariados approached, her own bundle attached to her back, bulging with its contents. Gingerly, she set it down before backing away, her mandibles clacking together - likely a nervous tic, though it was unclear why.
It's not like I'd eat any of them. It'd be cannibalism.
The Ariados stepped forward, towering at nearly three times the height of her kin. She brought a leg to her mouth, dribbling the fluid that would dissolve the web along the tip. With a gentle swipe, the web sac spilled open, its contents exposed to the light.
Berries. Berries of all kinds - Oran, Sitrus, Leppa and more had been gathered, and the Ariados looked over them with restrained delight, only salivating a little. The faint hiss of the drops hitting the ground made the others back up a step, though she didn't seem to notice nor care.
Ooh, Pecha, my favorite. And is that a Lum I spy? I'll need to save it, just in case.
Berries were one of her few joys in this life. Their varied, exotic flavors never failed to spark joy. She quickly began regathering them, sealing the sac back up for easy transport. Taking off several of her own bundles, she set them before the group, which began to chitter in excitement at the sheer number she had brought with her, several of the Spinarak darting forward and dragging some away. The other Ariados, meanwhile, gave a low bow, her purple-and-yellow front legs dipping forward, while the back of her red-and-black abdomen lifted into the air, the limbs there moving in lazy circles for a moment. Her gratitude expressed, she quickly snatched up all she could carry before disappearing into the underbrush, the Spinarak still present following.
The Ariados, meanwhile, departed with a spring in her step, eager to get home and indulge. It was a shame that she couldn't grow berries in her own territory, but it was simply too dark, even during midday - there wasn't enough light for them to grow properly, and rain had trouble reaching the jungle floor there.
It made ambushing prey rather easy, however.
—
The next three days passed by without interest. She climbed to watch the sun rise. She settled in her web. She found those who got caught-
Snip.
Snip.
Snip.
-and added them to her larder. She hunted at night now, aiming to restock her depleted reserves, and made sure to avoid the south. That was the King's territory, and they had an understanding, for the most part. All in all, it was more of the same that she'd known for so long.
On the fourth day it rained. The sky opened up and unleashed its fury on the jungle.
Even in her nest, in the darkest part of her territory, the rain managed to reach if only barely. The opening she used to look at the stars turned against her as droplets slammed into her thorax. She grumbled and groaned and cursed the heavens, but as always, she rose to her feet and started climbing.
The rain grew worse the higher she got. She clung to the trunk this time, picking and choosing where to climb with care as she ascended. Once, she slipped, but her other three legs bore her weight and she secured herself once more. Above, thunder roared and arcs of lightning danced through the clouds. The sun wasn't going to show itself, not today, not with this storm.
Still, she climbed to her spot, the leaves at the top of the tree giving some cover from the frankly terrible weather. She settled down and turned her gaze to the east, watching the ocean churn and the clouds glow with momentary ribbons of light.
This had been the Galvantula's favorite weather. He'd insisted on dragging her up here every day there was a storm, and he'd practically sparked with energy each time. She could have refused, of course - no amount of his dragging would have moved her if she didn't want to.
But he'd just been so damn earnest and charming.
The Ariados let out a wistful sigh as her gaze wandered. The storm, meanwhile, gathered its strength. A static charge filled the air and the tiny hairs on her legs stood ramrod straight. There was a rumble, a crackle, a surge off over the ocean. A massive bolt of lightning struck down like the spear of a Norse god, from the heavens to the seas.
And illuminated the jet it had just passed through for the briefest of moments, before one of the engines promptly burst into flame.
The Ariados watched, transfixed, as the now-revealed plane began to dip, losing altitude and gradually turning more and more, angling toward the jungle island she called home. Red flashes erupted from it again and again, monstrous, winged silhouettes illuminated by the fires as they moved beneath the wings, leveling the plane out as it rapidly approached the shore.
She could only stare as the massive machine crashed on the beach, sliding across the sand for a long stretch before coming to a stop. Its trail was littered with debris, but the plane seemed… intact, mostly. More figures began to leave it, smaller than the ones before. Two-legged, two-armed, moving toward the cover of the trees.
Humans.
People.
Regardless, she awoke energized, and quickly put that energy to work. The first order of the day was grabbing a bite to drink from her larder, after which she began her morning patrol of her territory. She repaired webbing, checked for signs of other pokemon, and generally kept her little slice of hell in order. As luck would have it, a Grookey had tried to cut through and gotten tangled during the night. She put the fellow out of his misery with a quick-
Snip.
-and brought her prey back to her larder to… marinate? It felt like the appropriate term, anyway. Once that was accomplished and she'd confirmed of no other nighttime guests, she began scaling the tree that she had built her nest in. It was a massive member of its species, and the source of the constant shade that her territory enjoyed. She scaled its trunk nimbly and with minimal need for webbing, her clawed limbs finding easy purchase on the bark as she made her way up. She had made this short journey numerous times after settling here, and could likely climb it blind at this point.
Soon, she reached the canopy and carefully began skittering across one of the thicker branches of this arboreal titan. She settled down in a particular spot, well-worn by previous visits, and turned her attention to the still-dark horizon. She had sat here more than once with the Galvantula, waiting for the sunrise.
It had been nice.
After indeterminable waiting, the stars above began to fade as the blanket of night was pulled away, a riot of color spreading slowly from the east. The sparkling blue of the ocean, its rippling waves looking sapphire-encrusted as the sunlight hit them just so. The soft beige of the beach, like a silky blanket. The patchwork colors of the jungle, like a giant quilt - dominated by vibrant green, but with accents of all the colors of the rainbow from various plants, fruits, and flowers. It was an incredible, beautiful sight.
And I would give it up in a heartbeat.
Before the sun could finish showing itself, the Ariados began her descent once more. Staying around the canopy during the day was a surefire way to get picked off by a bird. While her sheer bulk might pose a challenge, she wasn't keen on testing her mettle against those sharp beaks and wicked claws. She returned to her nest, and once more settled in, her legs stretching across the various strands that made it up, that connected her to the rest of her territory. Her attention drifted away from vision and sound as her heart slowed, the Ariados entering a meditative trance focused entirely on her sense of touch. Unseeing, unhearing, she waited, her mind adrift as she focused on the minute pulls and tugs through the massive web of her territory.
—
Hours passed without any activity on her part. The sun rose, slowly crossing the sky. Clouds drifted overhead as the sounds of the jungle echoed, as life went on. Around midday, however, the Ariados felt a tug. A very distinctive one, in fact.
Twang-twang-twang! … Twang-twang-twang!
She recognized the rhythm. Lifting her carapace up, she delicately grasped the twitching thread with one of her legs, waiting for a pause in the vibrations. Then she tugged.
TWANG.
The rhythm halted, before picking up once more, now a light, steady stream of soft tugs for her to follow. She swung by her larder before doing so, grabbing some of her smaller, older kills and tying them together on her back. That done, she moved out west, deeper into the jungle.
Soon enough, she reached her would-be callers near the edge of her territory, doing a quick headcount.
Hm. Seventeen. Two more than last time. Good.
She had emerged into a clearing full of Spinarak and a single Ariados, the arachnid pokemon on the trees, the ground, and frequently hanging from branches, all watching her with a twinkle in their compound eyes that she couldn't quite place. Greed? Admiration, perhaps? She had done well for herself, after all - the others' territory was small, as far as she knew, and they shared it - safety in numbers, perhaps. She couldn't afford to share. Not with her size, not with her appetite. But she could afford to trade.
Slowly, the other Ariados approached, her own bundle attached to her back, bulging with its contents. Gingerly, she set it down before backing away, her mandibles clacking together - likely a nervous tic, though it was unclear why.
It's not like I'd eat any of them. It'd be cannibalism.
The Ariados stepped forward, towering at nearly three times the height of her kin. She brought a leg to her mouth, dribbling the fluid that would dissolve the web along the tip. With a gentle swipe, the web sac spilled open, its contents exposed to the light.
Berries. Berries of all kinds - Oran, Sitrus, Leppa and more had been gathered, and the Ariados looked over them with restrained delight, only salivating a little. The faint hiss of the drops hitting the ground made the others back up a step, though she didn't seem to notice nor care.
Ooh, Pecha, my favorite. And is that a Lum I spy? I'll need to save it, just in case.
Berries were one of her few joys in this life. Their varied, exotic flavors never failed to spark joy. She quickly began regathering them, sealing the sac back up for easy transport. Taking off several of her own bundles, she set them before the group, which began to chitter in excitement at the sheer number she had brought with her, several of the Spinarak darting forward and dragging some away. The other Ariados, meanwhile, gave a low bow, her purple-and-yellow front legs dipping forward, while the back of her red-and-black abdomen lifted into the air, the limbs there moving in lazy circles for a moment. Her gratitude expressed, she quickly snatched up all she could carry before disappearing into the underbrush, the Spinarak still present following.
The Ariados, meanwhile, departed with a spring in her step, eager to get home and indulge. It was a shame that she couldn't grow berries in her own territory, but it was simply too dark, even during midday - there wasn't enough light for them to grow properly, and rain had trouble reaching the jungle floor there.
It made ambushing prey rather easy, however.
—
The next three days passed by without interest. She climbed to watch the sun rise. She settled in her web. She found those who got caught-
Snip.
Snip.
Snip.
-and added them to her larder. She hunted at night now, aiming to restock her depleted reserves, and made sure to avoid the south. That was the King's territory, and they had an understanding, for the most part. All in all, it was more of the same that she'd known for so long.
On the fourth day it rained. The sky opened up and unleashed its fury on the jungle.
Even in her nest, in the darkest part of her territory, the rain managed to reach if only barely. The opening she used to look at the stars turned against her as droplets slammed into her thorax. She grumbled and groaned and cursed the heavens, but as always, she rose to her feet and started climbing.
The rain grew worse the higher she got. She clung to the trunk this time, picking and choosing where to climb with care as she ascended. Once, she slipped, but her other three legs bore her weight and she secured herself once more. Above, thunder roared and arcs of lightning danced through the clouds. The sun wasn't going to show itself, not today, not with this storm.
Still, she climbed to her spot, the leaves at the top of the tree giving some cover from the frankly terrible weather. She settled down and turned her gaze to the east, watching the ocean churn and the clouds glow with momentary ribbons of light.
This had been the Galvantula's favorite weather. He'd insisted on dragging her up here every day there was a storm, and he'd practically sparked with energy each time. She could have refused, of course - no amount of his dragging would have moved her if she didn't want to.
But he'd just been so damn earnest and charming.
The Ariados let out a wistful sigh as her gaze wandered. The storm, meanwhile, gathered its strength. A static charge filled the air and the tiny hairs on her legs stood ramrod straight. There was a rumble, a crackle, a surge off over the ocean. A massive bolt of lightning struck down like the spear of a Norse god, from the heavens to the seas.
And illuminated the jet it had just passed through for the briefest of moments, before one of the engines promptly burst into flame.
The Ariados watched, transfixed, as the now-revealed plane began to dip, losing altitude and gradually turning more and more, angling toward the jungle island she called home. Red flashes erupted from it again and again, monstrous, winged silhouettes illuminated by the fires as they moved beneath the wings, leveling the plane out as it rapidly approached the shore.
She could only stare as the massive machine crashed on the beach, sliding across the sand for a long stretch before coming to a stop. Its trail was littered with debris, but the plane seemed… intact, mostly. More figures began to leave it, smaller than the ones before. Two-legged, two-armed, moving toward the cover of the trees.
Humans.
People.
Chapter 3: Welcome to the Jungle
The Ariados stared for a moment longer, watching as more and more humans left the plane and spread out across the sand of the beach, heading for the relative cover offered by the jungle's trees, a variety of pokemon accompanying them. The distance was too far to make out any real details, though she caught a glimpse of massive wings - one of the pokemon who had aided the plane in its impromptu landing, no doubt.
Frankly, it was a miracle that the plane was still intact, given what had happened to it. Without the pokemon helping to support and guide it toward the ground, it likely would have crashed into the ocean and splintered apart. With that grim thought, she began descending, carefully scuttling down the side of the massive tree she called home, wary of slipping in the harsh weather.
Seeing those people made something burn in her thorax, something glorious. Something she hadn't felt for a long, long time.
Hope.
The first time she had made her way to the top of the tree as a mere Spinarak, she had looked upon the water surrounding her. Her hope had been snuffed out that day, lost in the cruel face of reality. It had been a crushing thing, realizing she had no means of escape. No way to reach civilization.
The view had been incredible. The view had been heartbreaking. And for a too-short time, the view had been something she watched with another.
She had met that eager yellow spider for the first time on that branch.
At that memory, hope was swiftly doused by a sense of loss.
The Ariados shook her head as she continued moving down. She had had time to mourn, to grieve. To watch as that damnable bird had flown off with him, out of sight. She had chased it from below for as long as she could.
It hadn't been enough.
If he had survived, he would have found her. He would have strolled into her nest with a swagger in his step and told her all about his little adventure in the sky. But… she never saw him or the Fearow again. So she moved on, survived, and grew larger. Large enough that when another Fearow had tried to make its nest in her tree? She had snuck up there one night and fed it enough venom to kill it three times over.
She'd given the body to the group of Spinarak, much to their awe and delight.
She reached her nest and let out a long sigh, pushing away the gloomy thoughts. It was time to focus - humans were here, and that presented an opportunity, a chance to escape. To finally leave the green hell she had been forced to call home. In the beginning, she might have balked at the idea of being caught, of being bound to someone else. Now? Now she'd scrape and kneel for the chance of guaranteed food and shelter, not to mention the healthcare.
She left her nest, her four segmented legs skittering across branch after branch, darting through the foliage with little care for stealth. It was raining hard, and the other pokemon would likely be taking cover save perhaps for the groups of Ludicolo. Over, under, and around she moved, confident in her sense of direction after spending so long in this place. Already, the undergrowth was becoming sparser, the ground more visible beneath her. The smell of sea salt drifted from ahead, along with the distinctly unpleasant aroma of gasoline.
She was close.
The Ariados slowed down, her steps more careful, more quiet as she made her way forward, climbing a bit higher in the canopy to better conceal herself, listening. They had to be nearby.
I was sure I saw them entering-
"-told everyone the Giratina's Triangle was cursed, but noooo, I'm just ~crazy~. Who's crazy now, huh?"
"Whitney, please be quiet. We don't know what kind of pokemon live here, and I doubt they're familiar with humans."
Far below her, a pair of humans and their pokemon made their way through the jungle. Teenagers. They were… small. Smaller than she had expected, for certain. Perhaps she was simply higher up than she had thought? She carefully crept closer, following after the pair and the pokemon that accompanied them.
One was clearly female. Her pink hair was cut short, and she wore denim shorts and a white, button-up blouse. The girl's socks caught the Ariados' eye in particular - they were striped much like her own legs, black-and-blue. A Miltank trudged beside her, the cowlike pokemon keeping a wary eye on her surroundings while her trainer ranted.
The other was… perhaps female? Perhaps male. It was difficult to tell. Their lavender hair was messy, the cut making her think of strips of paper. Their clothes, meanwhile, seemed like a uniform of some kind, green with lots of pockets. They brought to mind distant memories of boy scouts from her old life. Beside them stalked a Scyther, their blades held at the ready and their wings buzzing occasionally, sending water flying each time from the rain.
"Oh, please. Milty can handle anything this jungle can throw at her! Isn't that right, Milty?"
[We should be cautious. I think we are being watched.]
"See? Milty's on the job! We'll be fiiiine."
The Miltank shot their trainer an irritated glare that she seemed to not notice, while the other trainer merely let out an aggrieved sigh. Slowly, the Ariados crept closer. It had been so long since she had heard real conversation. Their words, despite being argumentative, were a balm on her soul.
"Whitney, I need you to take this seriously. Wild areas like this island contribute to the majority of pokemon-related trainer deaths. It's not like on the Routes - predatory pokemon will view us as potential meals just like anything else."
There was a moment of silence from the female trainer as she took new stock of their surroundings, a frown growing on her face.
She looked up, and froze as lightning briefly illuminated the canopy.
It was fascinating, how quickly the blood fled from the girl's face. How her eyes widened and her expression morphed into one of horror. Slowly, she reached out and grabbed the sleeve of her friend's shirt, yanking on it, never breaking eye contact with the Ariados. Her Miltank tensed, following the trainer's gaze upward. The Scyther was also cluing in on the situation as their own trainer turned, confused.
"Whitney?"
"Up."
"What?"
"Bugsy. Up."
"Hm? Wha-oh. Oh no. Whitney, don't move."
Both of them had become frozen, now, trembling like the trees in this storm. Their pokemon had taken up positions in front of them, prepared to defend. Unlike the humans, there was no fear in their eyes. Just grim determination. A small part of the Ariados couldn't help but admire those gazes in spite of how misplaced they were. This whole interaction was rapidly going sideways, and she hadn't even done anything yet.
Aside from looming menacingly above them, she supposed. But that hadn't been intentional!
"What do we do? It's massive."
I am?
She had known that she was larger than her kin, of course - it was obvious. But she had attributed that to their difficulty hunting, that they were malnourished and scrawny. She hadn't done much comparison of her size to other pokemon in the jungle. It hadn't been a priority compared to survival.
"She hasn't attacked us yet. We might not even be worth the effort - Ariados are picky about what they hunt. They're very energy-efficient that way, actually."
"Not the time for bug facts, Bugsy."
"Sorry. I think… we should start walking backward. Slowly. And don't break eye contact. Ariados are ambush predators, too. As long as she knows we know she's there I think we'll be safe."
The human - Bugsy - was already starting to do as they said, their Scyther keeping pace. Whitney soon did the same, neither of them breaking eye contact as they moved further and further away, disappearing into the brush along with their pokemon. The Ariados felt a pang of despair as the group vanished.
Should she have moved? Tried to wave, perhaps? Or would they have considered it an attack, perhaps a threat display? She didn't know. She certainly hadn't realized how big she apparently was - no wonder they had seemed so small to her. No wonder they had been so scared.
Should I follow them?
No. They would be expecting that, probably, and think she was hunting them. As much as it pained her, it was better to stay at a distance. Let the humans see her, know that she's there and that she's not attacking them. Exposure therapy. But could she build up enough trust before rescue came?
Before she was once more stranded, alone, on this accursed island?
The thought sent shivers through her abdomen. No, she refused to stay here. She'd strap herself to the bottom of the plane if that's what it took. Anything to get away from this green hell. Anything.
As the Ariados turned around, heading back to her nest, she finally acknowledged the feeling that had been nagging at her since she had seen those two humans - a feeling of familiarity. Her memories of the pokemon games had terribly faded after living here so long, but she could swear she recognized those two. One of the earlier games, maybe?
It didn't matter, really. They were her ticket out of here.
Frankly, it was a miracle that the plane was still intact, given what had happened to it. Without the pokemon helping to support and guide it toward the ground, it likely would have crashed into the ocean and splintered apart. With that grim thought, she began descending, carefully scuttling down the side of the massive tree she called home, wary of slipping in the harsh weather.
Seeing those people made something burn in her thorax, something glorious. Something she hadn't felt for a long, long time.
Hope.
The first time she had made her way to the top of the tree as a mere Spinarak, she had looked upon the water surrounding her. Her hope had been snuffed out that day, lost in the cruel face of reality. It had been a crushing thing, realizing she had no means of escape. No way to reach civilization.
The view had been incredible. The view had been heartbreaking. And for a too-short time, the view had been something she watched with another.
She had met that eager yellow spider for the first time on that branch.
At that memory, hope was swiftly doused by a sense of loss.
The Ariados shook her head as she continued moving down. She had had time to mourn, to grieve. To watch as that damnable bird had flown off with him, out of sight. She had chased it from below for as long as she could.
It hadn't been enough.
If he had survived, he would have found her. He would have strolled into her nest with a swagger in his step and told her all about his little adventure in the sky. But… she never saw him or the Fearow again. So she moved on, survived, and grew larger. Large enough that when another Fearow had tried to make its nest in her tree? She had snuck up there one night and fed it enough venom to kill it three times over.
She'd given the body to the group of Spinarak, much to their awe and delight.
She reached her nest and let out a long sigh, pushing away the gloomy thoughts. It was time to focus - humans were here, and that presented an opportunity, a chance to escape. To finally leave the green hell she had been forced to call home. In the beginning, she might have balked at the idea of being caught, of being bound to someone else. Now? Now she'd scrape and kneel for the chance of guaranteed food and shelter, not to mention the healthcare.
She left her nest, her four segmented legs skittering across branch after branch, darting through the foliage with little care for stealth. It was raining hard, and the other pokemon would likely be taking cover save perhaps for the groups of Ludicolo. Over, under, and around she moved, confident in her sense of direction after spending so long in this place. Already, the undergrowth was becoming sparser, the ground more visible beneath her. The smell of sea salt drifted from ahead, along with the distinctly unpleasant aroma of gasoline.
She was close.
The Ariados slowed down, her steps more careful, more quiet as she made her way forward, climbing a bit higher in the canopy to better conceal herself, listening. They had to be nearby.
I was sure I saw them entering-
"-told everyone the Giratina's Triangle was cursed, but noooo, I'm just ~crazy~. Who's crazy now, huh?"
"Whitney, please be quiet. We don't know what kind of pokemon live here, and I doubt they're familiar with humans."
Far below her, a pair of humans and their pokemon made their way through the jungle. Teenagers. They were… small. Smaller than she had expected, for certain. Perhaps she was simply higher up than she had thought? She carefully crept closer, following after the pair and the pokemon that accompanied them.
One was clearly female. Her pink hair was cut short, and she wore denim shorts and a white, button-up blouse. The girl's socks caught the Ariados' eye in particular - they were striped much like her own legs, black-and-blue. A Miltank trudged beside her, the cowlike pokemon keeping a wary eye on her surroundings while her trainer ranted.
The other was… perhaps female? Perhaps male. It was difficult to tell. Their lavender hair was messy, the cut making her think of strips of paper. Their clothes, meanwhile, seemed like a uniform of some kind, green with lots of pockets. They brought to mind distant memories of boy scouts from her old life. Beside them stalked a Scyther, their blades held at the ready and their wings buzzing occasionally, sending water flying each time from the rain.
"Oh, please. Milty can handle anything this jungle can throw at her! Isn't that right, Milty?"
[We should be cautious. I think we are being watched.]
"See? Milty's on the job! We'll be fiiiine."
The Miltank shot their trainer an irritated glare that she seemed to not notice, while the other trainer merely let out an aggrieved sigh. Slowly, the Ariados crept closer. It had been so long since she had heard real conversation. Their words, despite being argumentative, were a balm on her soul.
"Whitney, I need you to take this seriously. Wild areas like this island contribute to the majority of pokemon-related trainer deaths. It's not like on the Routes - predatory pokemon will view us as potential meals just like anything else."
There was a moment of silence from the female trainer as she took new stock of their surroundings, a frown growing on her face.
She looked up, and froze as lightning briefly illuminated the canopy.
It was fascinating, how quickly the blood fled from the girl's face. How her eyes widened and her expression morphed into one of horror. Slowly, she reached out and grabbed the sleeve of her friend's shirt, yanking on it, never breaking eye contact with the Ariados. Her Miltank tensed, following the trainer's gaze upward. The Scyther was also cluing in on the situation as their own trainer turned, confused.
"Whitney?"
"Up."
"What?"
"Bugsy. Up."
"Hm? Wha-oh. Oh no. Whitney, don't move."
Both of them had become frozen, now, trembling like the trees in this storm. Their pokemon had taken up positions in front of them, prepared to defend. Unlike the humans, there was no fear in their eyes. Just grim determination. A small part of the Ariados couldn't help but admire those gazes in spite of how misplaced they were. This whole interaction was rapidly going sideways, and she hadn't even done anything yet.
Aside from looming menacingly above them, she supposed. But that hadn't been intentional!
"What do we do? It's massive."
I am?
She had known that she was larger than her kin, of course - it was obvious. But she had attributed that to their difficulty hunting, that they were malnourished and scrawny. She hadn't done much comparison of her size to other pokemon in the jungle. It hadn't been a priority compared to survival.
"She hasn't attacked us yet. We might not even be worth the effort - Ariados are picky about what they hunt. They're very energy-efficient that way, actually."
"Not the time for bug facts, Bugsy."
"Sorry. I think… we should start walking backward. Slowly. And don't break eye contact. Ariados are ambush predators, too. As long as she knows we know she's there I think we'll be safe."
The human - Bugsy - was already starting to do as they said, their Scyther keeping pace. Whitney soon did the same, neither of them breaking eye contact as they moved further and further away, disappearing into the brush along with their pokemon. The Ariados felt a pang of despair as the group vanished.
Should she have moved? Tried to wave, perhaps? Or would they have considered it an attack, perhaps a threat display? She didn't know. She certainly hadn't realized how big she apparently was - no wonder they had seemed so small to her. No wonder they had been so scared.
Should I follow them?
No. They would be expecting that, probably, and think she was hunting them. As much as it pained her, it was better to stay at a distance. Let the humans see her, know that she's there and that she's not attacking them. Exposure therapy. But could she build up enough trust before rescue came?
Before she was once more stranded, alone, on this accursed island?
The thought sent shivers through her abdomen. No, she refused to stay here. She'd strap herself to the bottom of the plane if that's what it took. Anything to get away from this green hell. Anything.
As the Ariados turned around, heading back to her nest, she finally acknowledged the feeling that had been nagging at her since she had seen those two humans - a feeling of familiarity. Her memories of the pokemon games had terribly faded after living here so long, but she could swear she recognized those two. One of the earlier games, maybe?
It didn't matter, really. They were her ticket out of here.
MC Height Information
I recommend not reading this before finishing chapter 3.
Regarding the Ariados' size:
Regarding the Ariados' size:
She is roughly ten feet tall when standing on the ground, counting her upper limbs. She is roughly three times the size of an average Ariados. Without her upper limbs, her height would be closer to seven feet.
Chapter 4: First Contact
The Ariados returned to her nest, to her dark corner of the forest, and settled once more upon her web. While her eyes could not close, her thoughts drifted, and she considered what to do next, what her plan will be, what steps she will take to secure her escape from this place.
Because she will escape.
The humans were stranded, at least temporarily, their plane too damaged to fly despite their relatively unscathed landing - in no small part thanks to the pokemon she witnessed supporting it during its descent. Despite having fliers, however, they were wandering the jungle, looking around - perhaps for a good place to set up camp? It's as likely a theory as any.
Perhaps they didn't have enough flying pokemon to ferry everyone, and leaving some behind - even if only temporarily - would be too risky. The jungle was untamed - a 'wild area' as the… boy? As the boy, Bugsy, put it. They should be fine for now, however - the rain is still falling heavily and that will keep the majority of the pokemon in their dens save perhaps for the water types. The Ariados herself had been loathe to travel in this weather, in spite of how necessary it had been - her little utopia underneath the boughs of her tree was relatively dry courtesy of the massive, leafy structure that towered above.
Tomorrow may be a different story, however.
When the rain ends, the pokemon will become active once more, and that means the humans will be at risk - she can think of seven pokemon off the top of her head who would be more than happy to hunt down new prey. They have their own pokemon partners, clearly, but that's still not a guarantee. Especially if the King decided to check out the recent disturbance.
The thought sent a chill down her nonexistent spine.
So, discourage them from going south, into the King's territory. Expose herself to them regularly from a distance so they can get used to her presence. Maybe help them with setting up their camp, somehow? They'll need food and water-
Oho, there's an idea.
She rose to her feet, once more scurrying up the massive jungle tree that she made her home below, aiming for its canopy and soaking herself through her chitin once again. It was worth it, however, as she snipped off massive leaves, wide and flat and perfect for what she had in mind. She collected several of them, hopefully beyond what she'd need - she had no doubt that numerous mistakes were in her immediate future.
Foliage acquired, she retreated to her nest for the third time this day and started to work. Folding, curving, gluing together with little spots of sticky thread - like dabbing paste on an arts and crafts project. Where the leaves didn't overlap quite enough, she patched over the gaps with smaller ones from the plants around her, quietly thanking Arceus for her webbing being waterproof.
It took several hours but less mistakes than she anticipated to finish her project, and she took a moment to admire her work. Before her was what could only be described as three large, deep bowls, made from thick leaves and encased on the outside by thin strands of silk netting. Roughly the same shape and size, she stacked them together, filling the top with a few berries from her stash, and then secured them to her back.
It was time to bring her unknowing saviors some presents.
—
What little light could claw its way past the storm was beginning to fade as the Ariados set out once more into the pouring rain, scuttling for once along the jungle floor rather than the understorey above. With few predators about and her heavy load, it was for the best to stick to the ground, the massive spider pokemon pushing her way through the foliage. Spiky brambles attempted to waylay her, but their thorns could find no purchase on her hard chitin. Thick clusters of ferns and other plant life stood before her, but her sharp, pointed legs and heavy bulk pierced through their resistance easily.
She was not the strongest pokemon in the forest, but she could mimic a charging Mudbray when the need arose - or when she was particularly excited, as the case was this time.
She made good progress, soon reaching the jungle's edge and staring out at the beach before her. The plane was still there, but had seemingly been abandoned, no humans in sight. She stared at the structure for a moment longer before turning her attention down toward the sand and earth. Surely, they would have-
There.
Despite the pouring rain, the sandy, muddy tracks of the humans stood out, clustered as they had been. Moving more slowly this time, the Ariados crept after the trail as it entered the jungle. She stalked quietly, confident that the rain would mask any noise she might make. Despite having been busy for several hours, it became apparent that the humans had not gone deep into the trees, which was a massive relief considering their southwesterly direction - too close to the King's territory for her liking.
The camp itself, when she came across it, was lit up by a bonfire and filled with people from all walks of life. Several more grizzled individuals - trainers, likely - stood facing outward with their pokemon, keeping watch. She could spy the two she had seen before doing the same, though the girl appeared to fidget and tense at times.
The boy, meanwhile, seemed a bundle of nerves as well, all tense and stiff beside his Scyther. As she circled around closer to him, however, she spotted his eyes.
Bright, like gemstones, with an eager grin beneath and practically vibrating with excitement.
She stared at him for a while, musing on his apparent enthusiasm before her attention was inevitably drawn to the bonfire itself. There was nothing but wet, green wood in this jungle - anything that would be suitable for firewood would have been quickly rotted away. So how…?
Aha!
There, close to the bonfire, stood a heavyset, mustached man wearing naught but some frayed red pants, a black belt tied to his waist. Beside him was a Poliwrath, a chunk of wood held in their hands. Even as she watched, the log dried out, the water seemingly absorbed by the buff amphibian. Satisfied with their work, they casually tossed the piece onto the bonfire, their trainer giving an appreciative nod.
It was as she was captivated by the display that there was a new arrival - not from the surrounding jungle, but above. A yellow, bipedal dragon practically slammed feet-first into camp, a woman with blue clothing and even bluer hair astride their back, her black cape fluttering dramatically behind her. These two, too, seemed exceptionally familiar.
Where have I…? Wait. Johto! The gym leaders!
It took the Ariados a moment for things to click, for her to remember time spent as a child playing pokemon on a Gameboy Color. Memories of a pair of divine birds, three legendary beasts, and the machinations of a once-beaten gang flooded back. Silver had been one of her favorites. How could she have forgotten?
The answer was obvious - she had spent years in this green hell, surviving. Human memories had only served as distractions, for the most part. Ones she could hardly afford.
The woman - Clair - began speaking as she strode next to the fire.
"Alright, I'm done scouting for tonight," she stated, hands on her hips as she stared at the group around her, a calm confidence to her stance. "Good news and bad news. Good news is that I was able to get a proper signal with the radio while I was up there - the League has been informed of the situation and is already taking steps to send out a rescue party."
There was a cheer at that, most of those present looking relieved, though a few of the more grizzled individuals were apparently waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"And the bad news?" An older man with thinning white hair inquired. He was sitting on an overturned log, resting his hands on a thin white cane with a brown knob at the top. A blue coat and white scarf were laid beside him, revealing a dress shirt and slacks underneath. He had the vibe of a veteran - perhaps this was Pryce? The Ariados' memories of the man from the games were foggy at best.
Clair frowned, crossing her own arms in response as she locked gazes with the man, lifting her chin challengingly. "We can't risk heading further south. There's something big down that way, bigger than that Ariados Whitney and Bugsy ran into - my dragons smell kin, and the few footsteps I saw from above were massive and unfamiliar. It cleared paths through the jungle with ease. Whatever it is, we don't want to risk tangling with it, not when we have civilians to protect."
The man - possibly Pryce - gave a nod of acknowledgement, reaching one hand down to finger a pokeball on his belt. "Push comes to shove, I'm sure ole' Mamoswine can teach it to give us space," the man cackled, a sinister grin on his face.
Definitely Pryce.
A much younger man, closer to Bugsy's age, piped up next from his spot in one of the nearby trees, sitting on a low branch. "Sorry I couldn't join you, Clair. As much as I'd love to fly beside you, the rain really doesn't agree with my pokemon's feathers." He gave her the kind of smile that would send fangirls swooning.
Clair huffed, looking unimpressed.
Like Clair, he had blue hair, but unlike Clair's ponytail his own hair was carefully groomed to cover one eye, giving him a mysterious, pretty boy sort of look. His clothing consisted of a blue gi underneath a lighter-blue jacket that boasted four white circles, a pair of red-and-black wristbands, and long white socks that tucked underneath the shorts of his uniform.
He has that vibe of someone who cares too much about fashion.
The Ariados quickly shoved such a thought aside, turning her attention once more to Bugsy. She had come here for a reason, and he was her best bet at this not going horribly. As the other Gym Leaders and some of the civilians joined in on the conversation, she slowly moved closer and closer still, until the light from the bonfire would just barely illuminate her front in the dark, and waited.
It took mere seconds for the Scyther to notice her, letting out a low warning to their trainer. Bugsy was quick on the uptake, his eyes locking onto hers. Last time, there had been worry and fear, bellied by a sort of professional interest. Now?
Now there was a pure, unfiltered excitement and curiosity, concern clearly taking a backseat as he studied her. Likely because he was not isolated in the middle of the dark jungle, and had several other trainers nearby. His attention held, she slowly, carefully reached up and retrieved her burden with one leg, the bundle dropping with a faint thump onto the forest floor.
He leaned forward, squinting into the dark, trying to tell what she was doing. She had forgotten how poor humans' night vision was. His Scyther shuffled, uncertain and wary.
Using both forelegs now, she began separating the three massive bowls, the one holding the berries resting in the middle. Carefully, she positioned the other two to catch the streams of water that were pouring down from the canopy above. The noise of them filling seemed too loud. She worried the other humans would take notice and react poorly.
But there was no response, save from the boy in front of her. His head tilted ever so slightly as he studied her, one hand cupping the elbow of the other arm, his remaining hand rubbing his chin. He didn't immediately call out to the others, which was a massive weight off her mind.
Carefully, she stabbed a berry with the tip of her foreleg, tossing the fruit with a precise flick. It spun through the air before hitting the ground and rolling to a stop at Bugsy's feet. The boy stared down at it for a moment before reaching down and picking it up, examining it.
She held her breath, hoping, praying.
Bugsy studied the fruit for a moment longer. He glanced back at the bonfire behind him, at the people and pokemon gathered there. The Ariados stiffened. Was he going to-
The boy took a bite out of the Sitrus and gave her a friendly smile, his gaze alight with the kind of curiosity that got cats killed.
A wave of relief washed over her, and she could feel her body sag as it relaxed. Apparently the boy noticed as well, because his smile just grew wider as he took another bite of the yellow fruit in his hand. Swallowing, he spoke up.
"Scyther, can you translate for me?"
His pokemon gave a wary nod, their gaze never leaving the Ariados' own. Personally, she felt a bit nervous - she hadn't properly spoken in months, at least. Not since she'd lost him. The thought was a sour note amidst the symphony of hope and relief she was feeling. She pushed it aside and spoke up for the first time in ages.
[I can understand humans. I have met them before.] Her voice was quiet, muffled by the sound of falling rain. The Scyther seemed to understand her well enough, however, turning to his trainer and gesturing to her.
[She can understand you. She knows of humans.] His voice was masculine, quick and cutting, and his words straight to the point. Bugsy stared at his Scyther for a moment, eyes narrowed, before his brows lifted in surprise.
"She can? Interesting. And she's… met humans before?" He asked uncertainly, his head slightly tilted, parsing what his pokemon was saying as best he could. The Scyther gave a nod of assent.
She wasn't sure, exactly, how human-pokemon communication worked - she hadn't had a chance to speak to any humans until now. At a glance, however, Bugsy seemed to be picking up the general gist of Scyther's 'intent', for lack of a better word, combined with his body language.
Hopefully she could communicate clearly with them.
Bugsy smiled wide. "Good! That makes things easier. Does, ah… does she consider us prey? It seems like she's brought gifts, but…" He trailed off, gesturing toward the Sitrus berry in his hand. Scyther glanced back at her.
[No. Humans are never prey. Friend or foe, yes, but not for eating.] There was a pause as she considered how to continue. [I bring gifts with hopes of friendship.] She gestured to the three leafy bowls. Already, the two empty ones had nearly reached their limit, and she carefully pushed them forward, doing her best not to spill their liquid contents.
The Scyther tilted his own head this time, his gaze gradually shifting from wary to considering. [She says humans are never prey. The bowls are gifts. She… wants to be friends.] The last sentence was said hesitantly, the Scyther sounding doubtful. Honestly, she didn't blame him. His words were accompanied by a few precise gestures of his arm-scythes that Bugsy seemed familiar with.
Some kind of proto-sign language?
Bugsy perked up at the translation, taking a few steps forward. When she didn't retreat, he continued his slow approach, keeping an eye out for sudden movements, his Scyther keeping pace beside him. She did her best to remain still, something she had had plenty of practice with since arriving here.
Ambush tactics required an abundance of patience.
He was inches away, now, and looked so small. She truly had grown huge, hadn't she? She watched, enraptured, as he reached up a hand toward her face, no fear to be seen in his eyes. He wasn't scared. He was-
"Bugsy? What are you-?"
Bugsy dropped his hand, turning. Behind him, far closer to the bonfire, stood Whitney. She was squinting into the dark as she spoke, and then her eyes went wide with terror as they met the spider's own.
"YEEEEEK!"
Her high-pitched scream grated on the Ariados' ears, the spider pokemon scuttling backward from the noise.
No! I was so close!
"Milty! Defense Curl into Rollout!"
Shit.
Because she will escape.
The humans were stranded, at least temporarily, their plane too damaged to fly despite their relatively unscathed landing - in no small part thanks to the pokemon she witnessed supporting it during its descent. Despite having fliers, however, they were wandering the jungle, looking around - perhaps for a good place to set up camp? It's as likely a theory as any.
Perhaps they didn't have enough flying pokemon to ferry everyone, and leaving some behind - even if only temporarily - would be too risky. The jungle was untamed - a 'wild area' as the… boy? As the boy, Bugsy, put it. They should be fine for now, however - the rain is still falling heavily and that will keep the majority of the pokemon in their dens save perhaps for the water types. The Ariados herself had been loathe to travel in this weather, in spite of how necessary it had been - her little utopia underneath the boughs of her tree was relatively dry courtesy of the massive, leafy structure that towered above.
Tomorrow may be a different story, however.
When the rain ends, the pokemon will become active once more, and that means the humans will be at risk - she can think of seven pokemon off the top of her head who would be more than happy to hunt down new prey. They have their own pokemon partners, clearly, but that's still not a guarantee. Especially if the King decided to check out the recent disturbance.
The thought sent a chill down her nonexistent spine.
So, discourage them from going south, into the King's territory. Expose herself to them regularly from a distance so they can get used to her presence. Maybe help them with setting up their camp, somehow? They'll need food and water-
Oho, there's an idea.
She rose to her feet, once more scurrying up the massive jungle tree that she made her home below, aiming for its canopy and soaking herself through her chitin once again. It was worth it, however, as she snipped off massive leaves, wide and flat and perfect for what she had in mind. She collected several of them, hopefully beyond what she'd need - she had no doubt that numerous mistakes were in her immediate future.
Foliage acquired, she retreated to her nest for the third time this day and started to work. Folding, curving, gluing together with little spots of sticky thread - like dabbing paste on an arts and crafts project. Where the leaves didn't overlap quite enough, she patched over the gaps with smaller ones from the plants around her, quietly thanking Arceus for her webbing being waterproof.
It took several hours but less mistakes than she anticipated to finish her project, and she took a moment to admire her work. Before her was what could only be described as three large, deep bowls, made from thick leaves and encased on the outside by thin strands of silk netting. Roughly the same shape and size, she stacked them together, filling the top with a few berries from her stash, and then secured them to her back.
It was time to bring her unknowing saviors some presents.
—
What little light could claw its way past the storm was beginning to fade as the Ariados set out once more into the pouring rain, scuttling for once along the jungle floor rather than the understorey above. With few predators about and her heavy load, it was for the best to stick to the ground, the massive spider pokemon pushing her way through the foliage. Spiky brambles attempted to waylay her, but their thorns could find no purchase on her hard chitin. Thick clusters of ferns and other plant life stood before her, but her sharp, pointed legs and heavy bulk pierced through their resistance easily.
She was not the strongest pokemon in the forest, but she could mimic a charging Mudbray when the need arose - or when she was particularly excited, as the case was this time.
She made good progress, soon reaching the jungle's edge and staring out at the beach before her. The plane was still there, but had seemingly been abandoned, no humans in sight. She stared at the structure for a moment longer before turning her attention down toward the sand and earth. Surely, they would have-
There.
Despite the pouring rain, the sandy, muddy tracks of the humans stood out, clustered as they had been. Moving more slowly this time, the Ariados crept after the trail as it entered the jungle. She stalked quietly, confident that the rain would mask any noise she might make. Despite having been busy for several hours, it became apparent that the humans had not gone deep into the trees, which was a massive relief considering their southwesterly direction - too close to the King's territory for her liking.
The camp itself, when she came across it, was lit up by a bonfire and filled with people from all walks of life. Several more grizzled individuals - trainers, likely - stood facing outward with their pokemon, keeping watch. She could spy the two she had seen before doing the same, though the girl appeared to fidget and tense at times.
The boy, meanwhile, seemed a bundle of nerves as well, all tense and stiff beside his Scyther. As she circled around closer to him, however, she spotted his eyes.
Bright, like gemstones, with an eager grin beneath and practically vibrating with excitement.
She stared at him for a while, musing on his apparent enthusiasm before her attention was inevitably drawn to the bonfire itself. There was nothing but wet, green wood in this jungle - anything that would be suitable for firewood would have been quickly rotted away. So how…?
Aha!
There, close to the bonfire, stood a heavyset, mustached man wearing naught but some frayed red pants, a black belt tied to his waist. Beside him was a Poliwrath, a chunk of wood held in their hands. Even as she watched, the log dried out, the water seemingly absorbed by the buff amphibian. Satisfied with their work, they casually tossed the piece onto the bonfire, their trainer giving an appreciative nod.
It was as she was captivated by the display that there was a new arrival - not from the surrounding jungle, but above. A yellow, bipedal dragon practically slammed feet-first into camp, a woman with blue clothing and even bluer hair astride their back, her black cape fluttering dramatically behind her. These two, too, seemed exceptionally familiar.
Where have I…? Wait. Johto! The gym leaders!
It took the Ariados a moment for things to click, for her to remember time spent as a child playing pokemon on a Gameboy Color. Memories of a pair of divine birds, three legendary beasts, and the machinations of a once-beaten gang flooded back. Silver had been one of her favorites. How could she have forgotten?
The answer was obvious - she had spent years in this green hell, surviving. Human memories had only served as distractions, for the most part. Ones she could hardly afford.
The woman - Clair - began speaking as she strode next to the fire.
"Alright, I'm done scouting for tonight," she stated, hands on her hips as she stared at the group around her, a calm confidence to her stance. "Good news and bad news. Good news is that I was able to get a proper signal with the radio while I was up there - the League has been informed of the situation and is already taking steps to send out a rescue party."
There was a cheer at that, most of those present looking relieved, though a few of the more grizzled individuals were apparently waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"And the bad news?" An older man with thinning white hair inquired. He was sitting on an overturned log, resting his hands on a thin white cane with a brown knob at the top. A blue coat and white scarf were laid beside him, revealing a dress shirt and slacks underneath. He had the vibe of a veteran - perhaps this was Pryce? The Ariados' memories of the man from the games were foggy at best.
Clair frowned, crossing her own arms in response as she locked gazes with the man, lifting her chin challengingly. "We can't risk heading further south. There's something big down that way, bigger than that Ariados Whitney and Bugsy ran into - my dragons smell kin, and the few footsteps I saw from above were massive and unfamiliar. It cleared paths through the jungle with ease. Whatever it is, we don't want to risk tangling with it, not when we have civilians to protect."
The man - possibly Pryce - gave a nod of acknowledgement, reaching one hand down to finger a pokeball on his belt. "Push comes to shove, I'm sure ole' Mamoswine can teach it to give us space," the man cackled, a sinister grin on his face.
Definitely Pryce.
A much younger man, closer to Bugsy's age, piped up next from his spot in one of the nearby trees, sitting on a low branch. "Sorry I couldn't join you, Clair. As much as I'd love to fly beside you, the rain really doesn't agree with my pokemon's feathers." He gave her the kind of smile that would send fangirls swooning.
Clair huffed, looking unimpressed.
Like Clair, he had blue hair, but unlike Clair's ponytail his own hair was carefully groomed to cover one eye, giving him a mysterious, pretty boy sort of look. His clothing consisted of a blue gi underneath a lighter-blue jacket that boasted four white circles, a pair of red-and-black wristbands, and long white socks that tucked underneath the shorts of his uniform.
He has that vibe of someone who cares too much about fashion.
The Ariados quickly shoved such a thought aside, turning her attention once more to Bugsy. She had come here for a reason, and he was her best bet at this not going horribly. As the other Gym Leaders and some of the civilians joined in on the conversation, she slowly moved closer and closer still, until the light from the bonfire would just barely illuminate her front in the dark, and waited.
It took mere seconds for the Scyther to notice her, letting out a low warning to their trainer. Bugsy was quick on the uptake, his eyes locking onto hers. Last time, there had been worry and fear, bellied by a sort of professional interest. Now?
Now there was a pure, unfiltered excitement and curiosity, concern clearly taking a backseat as he studied her. Likely because he was not isolated in the middle of the dark jungle, and had several other trainers nearby. His attention held, she slowly, carefully reached up and retrieved her burden with one leg, the bundle dropping with a faint thump onto the forest floor.
He leaned forward, squinting into the dark, trying to tell what she was doing. She had forgotten how poor humans' night vision was. His Scyther shuffled, uncertain and wary.
Using both forelegs now, she began separating the three massive bowls, the one holding the berries resting in the middle. Carefully, she positioned the other two to catch the streams of water that were pouring down from the canopy above. The noise of them filling seemed too loud. She worried the other humans would take notice and react poorly.
But there was no response, save from the boy in front of her. His head tilted ever so slightly as he studied her, one hand cupping the elbow of the other arm, his remaining hand rubbing his chin. He didn't immediately call out to the others, which was a massive weight off her mind.
Carefully, she stabbed a berry with the tip of her foreleg, tossing the fruit with a precise flick. It spun through the air before hitting the ground and rolling to a stop at Bugsy's feet. The boy stared down at it for a moment before reaching down and picking it up, examining it.
She held her breath, hoping, praying.
Bugsy studied the fruit for a moment longer. He glanced back at the bonfire behind him, at the people and pokemon gathered there. The Ariados stiffened. Was he going to-
The boy took a bite out of the Sitrus and gave her a friendly smile, his gaze alight with the kind of curiosity that got cats killed.
A wave of relief washed over her, and she could feel her body sag as it relaxed. Apparently the boy noticed as well, because his smile just grew wider as he took another bite of the yellow fruit in his hand. Swallowing, he spoke up.
"Scyther, can you translate for me?"
His pokemon gave a wary nod, their gaze never leaving the Ariados' own. Personally, she felt a bit nervous - she hadn't properly spoken in months, at least. Not since she'd lost him. The thought was a sour note amidst the symphony of hope and relief she was feeling. She pushed it aside and spoke up for the first time in ages.
[I can understand humans. I have met them before.] Her voice was quiet, muffled by the sound of falling rain. The Scyther seemed to understand her well enough, however, turning to his trainer and gesturing to her.
[She can understand you. She knows of humans.] His voice was masculine, quick and cutting, and his words straight to the point. Bugsy stared at his Scyther for a moment, eyes narrowed, before his brows lifted in surprise.
"She can? Interesting. And she's… met humans before?" He asked uncertainly, his head slightly tilted, parsing what his pokemon was saying as best he could. The Scyther gave a nod of assent.
She wasn't sure, exactly, how human-pokemon communication worked - she hadn't had a chance to speak to any humans until now. At a glance, however, Bugsy seemed to be picking up the general gist of Scyther's 'intent', for lack of a better word, combined with his body language.
Hopefully she could communicate clearly with them.
Bugsy smiled wide. "Good! That makes things easier. Does, ah… does she consider us prey? It seems like she's brought gifts, but…" He trailed off, gesturing toward the Sitrus berry in his hand. Scyther glanced back at her.
[No. Humans are never prey. Friend or foe, yes, but not for eating.] There was a pause as she considered how to continue. [I bring gifts with hopes of friendship.] She gestured to the three leafy bowls. Already, the two empty ones had nearly reached their limit, and she carefully pushed them forward, doing her best not to spill their liquid contents.
The Scyther tilted his own head this time, his gaze gradually shifting from wary to considering. [She says humans are never prey. The bowls are gifts. She… wants to be friends.] The last sentence was said hesitantly, the Scyther sounding doubtful. Honestly, she didn't blame him. His words were accompanied by a few precise gestures of his arm-scythes that Bugsy seemed familiar with.
Some kind of proto-sign language?
Bugsy perked up at the translation, taking a few steps forward. When she didn't retreat, he continued his slow approach, keeping an eye out for sudden movements, his Scyther keeping pace beside him. She did her best to remain still, something she had had plenty of practice with since arriving here.
Ambush tactics required an abundance of patience.
He was inches away, now, and looked so small. She truly had grown huge, hadn't she? She watched, enraptured, as he reached up a hand toward her face, no fear to be seen in his eyes. He wasn't scared. He was-
"Bugsy? What are you-?"
Bugsy dropped his hand, turning. Behind him, far closer to the bonfire, stood Whitney. She was squinting into the dark as she spoke, and then her eyes went wide with terror as they met the spider's own.
"YEEEEEK!"
Her high-pitched scream grated on the Ariados' ears, the spider pokemon scuttling backward from the noise.
No! I was so close!
"Milty! Defense Curl into Rollout!"
Shit.
- Location
- Here
Okay, this is still salvageable. Dodge the rollout like it's a charging bull while moving away from the camp, and hope Bugsy can and will quickly convince Whitney to stand down.
Chapter 5: Over the Moon
"Milty! Defense Curl into Rollout!"
Time seemed to slow even as the Miltank began speeding up. A moment of clarity where the Ariados engaged in the familiar, cold calculus of survival, her compound eyes trained on the foe rolling toward her. Her back-limbs began twitching.
Fast. Poor climber. Poor turning.
Simple enough to deal with, under normal circumstances - just climb a tree, pepper her prey from range, and wait for the venom to do its work. Easy. Straightforward.
These were not normal circumstances.
The human boy, Bugsy, was between her and her prey, at risk. The gifts were nearby, made of fragile material, easily crushed or run over. She couldn't lure her prey away from its current path - poor turning. And so it was that the sluggish moment in time faded, and she made her choice.
She charged forward with a low, rumbling hiss.
Bugsy and his Scyther were bowled over, the boy letting out a yelp, her bulk positioned itself protectively over both of them. Pointed legs raised and slammed down with force, burying themselves in the thick, loamy soil of the jungle as she anchored herself. In that first second, the Miltank closed a quarter of the distance.
She opened her mandibles and spinneret both. Sticky web was launched - a zigzagging pattern in a path across the ground before her, while behind it was launched into the air wildly, blindly, connecting several trees in a frankly terrible web. It would have to do.
The Miltank rolled across the trapped path, ripping up the soil beneath her as both ground and web alike stuck to her form, snowballing into a massive ball of dirt that barely seemed to slow down. The Ariados lowered her head, horn angled toward the forest floor just so, beginning to glow.
A colony of Heracross lived to the northwest, one she had encountered a few times. They made for poor prey due to their deadly horns. She had seen them flip Slaking into the canopy on more than one occasion.
She had learned a few things from watching them, however. She didn't have a horn quite like theirs, but she could manage in a pinch - and this certainly qualified as one.
She braced as the Miltank hurtled forward like the world's dirtiest bowling ball. Her body lowered further, pressing lightly into the boy struggling beneath her, his words ignored as she focused on the timing. Her horn flared a bright yellow-green.
Whitney's eyes widened, realizing the Ariados' plan.
"Milty, stop! Dodge!"
Unfortunately, the Miltank was in the middle of a Rollout. On top of that, her ears were blocked by several inches of loamy earth.
The Ariados' prey arrived, and her back-limbs finished their third, metronome-like dance since the hunt began. Her aura flared.
She lifted.
The Ariados was not a Heracross. She could not lift a hundred times her weight with her horn alone. The Miltank did not weigh nearly that much, however. And she was still fairly strong, in her opinion.
It was with a triumphant screech that echoed through the trees that she sent the dirt-ball flying over her, the exterior crumbling away from the impact. The prey beneath was revealed, just in time for it to land in the thread spread amongst the trees.
Caught in her web.
Gingerly, the spider pokemon lifted herself up, checking beneath her as she moved back. The boy was unharmed, though disoriented, raising himself up with his arms to gaze at her. There was still no fear in his eyes. Somewhere deep inside of her, she felt warmth.
The Scyther, meanwhile, appeared disheveled, refusing to make eye contact - there was some light bruising around his face. He seemed… embarrassed?
She turned to finish dealing with her prey-her foe, spraying the Miltank down liberally with more webbing, more firmly securing her. She was polite enough to avoid the face.
"Whitney, stop, she wasn't attacking me! She brought gifts. I had the situation under control."
"Bugsy, it could literally snip your head off in a heartbeat! Look at those… things!"
They're mandibles, you upjumped monkey.
"Bugsy, Whitney, status," a firm voice demanded, Clair striding into view and accompanied by both her fellow gym leaders and her Dragonite. She took in the scene quickly, eyes scanning over Whitney and Bugsy briefly before turning her attention toward the massive Ariados and Milty, who was currently dangling between some nearby trees, thrashing up a storm and getting herself more and more tangled.
Her Dragonite let out a rumbling growl of warning, and the Ariados froze, watching warily even as Bugsy rose to his feet and Whitney rushed forward.
"Clair, the Ariados snuck up-"
"She brought us gifts-"
"One at a time. Bugsy, you first." The woman's voice was commanding, quickly shutting up both of the younger pair, her gaze never drifting from the Ariados. She observed cautiously even as she waited for an explanation, one hand fingering a pokeball on her belt. The other humans nervously peeked out from further back, staying close to the bonfire. Her fellow Gym Leaders, meanwhile, seemed at ease save for Falkner, the young boy fidgeting and tense.
Bugsy climbed to his feet fully, dusting himself off and turning his head to glance back at the Ariados, an assuring smile on his face. Turning back to Clair, he nodded once, his stance firming up into something official.
"Yes, Senior Clair. The Ariados approached the edge of the camp and waited for me to notice her, in clear sight. Once I did, she proceeded to set three leaf-baskets on the ground, likely made using her thread. She gave me a Sitrus berry-" and here he held its now-dirty remains up, "-from the main basket. I suspect the other two are meant for rain catching. She did not react aggressively, even when I approached her."
Here, he took a moment to pause, his gaze sliding from Clair to Whitney, who looked embarrassed or perhaps ashamed as she rubbed at one arm. Bugsy did not look upset, however. Sympathetic, perhaps.
"Whitney checked in on me and spotted the Ariados. Believing I was under attack, my fellow gym leader acted decisively and moved to have Milty repel her." He explained, glancing at the girl in question.
Ah. He's covering for her.
"The Ariados, meanwhile, covered myself and Scyther with her body and proceeded to prep three separate Moves simultaneously based on what I could see - Sticky Web, Swords Dance, and Megahorn." He seemed to put stress on the last move - understandable, given its strength. It was one of her best.
One of Clair's eyebrows raised slightly. "I see. And the Ariados didn't attempt to gore your Miltank?" She inquired, turning her head toward Whitney. The girl shook her head.
"No. It launched her into that web back there like one of Bugsy's Heracross," she grumbled.
"She." Bugsy spoke up, frowning. "She's female. Larger abdomen and a shorter horn than a male of her size." He reached out, patting the Ariados' chitinous flank. Whitney blinked.
The Ariados glanced at him, considering.
… She'd never been so happy to be called fat.
"... Gotcha. Sorry," she murmured awkwardly.
Clair, meanwhile, strode forward, her Dragonite lumbering behind her as she inspected one of the containers the Ariados had made. The water sloshed inside noisily as it was tilted back and forth.
"Scyther acted as a translator for me. He said she doesn't consider us prey, understands humans, and brought those as gifts of friendship," Bugsy added, a small smile on his face. "I suspect she previously had a trainer, given her knowledge of humans and how she handled Milty."
He was wrong, of course, but she wasn't about to correct him. It was a nice little misunderstanding, one she could happily live with if it meant a return to civilization. She quietly shoved the urge to finish cocooning and injecting the Miltank with digestive juices into one of her mind's dark corners.
Clair looked up from the container she'd been inspecting, a considering gleam in her eye as she studied the Ariados. "So, a non-hostile Alpha that might previously have had a trainer." She summarized, standing up straight once more. She cocked her head to the side.
"Think she could make some temporary shelters?"
Whitney let loose a drawn-out groan of despair, echoed by her bound pokemon.
Time seemed to slow even as the Miltank began speeding up. A moment of clarity where the Ariados engaged in the familiar, cold calculus of survival, her compound eyes trained on the foe rolling toward her. Her back-limbs began twitching.
Fast. Poor climber. Poor turning.
Simple enough to deal with, under normal circumstances - just climb a tree, pepper her prey from range, and wait for the venom to do its work. Easy. Straightforward.
These were not normal circumstances.
The human boy, Bugsy, was between her and her prey, at risk. The gifts were nearby, made of fragile material, easily crushed or run over. She couldn't lure her prey away from its current path - poor turning. And so it was that the sluggish moment in time faded, and she made her choice.
She charged forward with a low, rumbling hiss.
Bugsy and his Scyther were bowled over, the boy letting out a yelp, her bulk positioned itself protectively over both of them. Pointed legs raised and slammed down with force, burying themselves in the thick, loamy soil of the jungle as she anchored herself. In that first second, the Miltank closed a quarter of the distance.
She opened her mandibles and spinneret both. Sticky web was launched - a zigzagging pattern in a path across the ground before her, while behind it was launched into the air wildly, blindly, connecting several trees in a frankly terrible web. It would have to do.
The Miltank rolled across the trapped path, ripping up the soil beneath her as both ground and web alike stuck to her form, snowballing into a massive ball of dirt that barely seemed to slow down. The Ariados lowered her head, horn angled toward the forest floor just so, beginning to glow.
A colony of Heracross lived to the northwest, one she had encountered a few times. They made for poor prey due to their deadly horns. She had seen them flip Slaking into the canopy on more than one occasion.
She had learned a few things from watching them, however. She didn't have a horn quite like theirs, but she could manage in a pinch - and this certainly qualified as one.
She braced as the Miltank hurtled forward like the world's dirtiest bowling ball. Her body lowered further, pressing lightly into the boy struggling beneath her, his words ignored as she focused on the timing. Her horn flared a bright yellow-green.
Whitney's eyes widened, realizing the Ariados' plan.
"Milty, stop! Dodge!"
Unfortunately, the Miltank was in the middle of a Rollout. On top of that, her ears were blocked by several inches of loamy earth.
The Ariados' prey arrived, and her back-limbs finished their third, metronome-like dance since the hunt began. Her aura flared.
She lifted.
The Ariados was not a Heracross. She could not lift a hundred times her weight with her horn alone. The Miltank did not weigh nearly that much, however. And she was still fairly strong, in her opinion.
It was with a triumphant screech that echoed through the trees that she sent the dirt-ball flying over her, the exterior crumbling away from the impact. The prey beneath was revealed, just in time for it to land in the thread spread amongst the trees.
Caught in her web.
Gingerly, the spider pokemon lifted herself up, checking beneath her as she moved back. The boy was unharmed, though disoriented, raising himself up with his arms to gaze at her. There was still no fear in his eyes. Somewhere deep inside of her, she felt warmth.
The Scyther, meanwhile, appeared disheveled, refusing to make eye contact - there was some light bruising around his face. He seemed… embarrassed?
She turned to finish dealing with her prey-her foe, spraying the Miltank down liberally with more webbing, more firmly securing her. She was polite enough to avoid the face.
"Whitney, stop, she wasn't attacking me! She brought gifts. I had the situation under control."
"Bugsy, it could literally snip your head off in a heartbeat! Look at those… things!"
They're mandibles, you upjumped monkey.
"Bugsy, Whitney, status," a firm voice demanded, Clair striding into view and accompanied by both her fellow gym leaders and her Dragonite. She took in the scene quickly, eyes scanning over Whitney and Bugsy briefly before turning her attention toward the massive Ariados and Milty, who was currently dangling between some nearby trees, thrashing up a storm and getting herself more and more tangled.
Her Dragonite let out a rumbling growl of warning, and the Ariados froze, watching warily even as Bugsy rose to his feet and Whitney rushed forward.
"Clair, the Ariados snuck up-"
"She brought us gifts-"
"One at a time. Bugsy, you first." The woman's voice was commanding, quickly shutting up both of the younger pair, her gaze never drifting from the Ariados. She observed cautiously even as she waited for an explanation, one hand fingering a pokeball on her belt. The other humans nervously peeked out from further back, staying close to the bonfire. Her fellow Gym Leaders, meanwhile, seemed at ease save for Falkner, the young boy fidgeting and tense.
Bugsy climbed to his feet fully, dusting himself off and turning his head to glance back at the Ariados, an assuring smile on his face. Turning back to Clair, he nodded once, his stance firming up into something official.
"Yes, Senior Clair. The Ariados approached the edge of the camp and waited for me to notice her, in clear sight. Once I did, she proceeded to set three leaf-baskets on the ground, likely made using her thread. She gave me a Sitrus berry-" and here he held its now-dirty remains up, "-from the main basket. I suspect the other two are meant for rain catching. She did not react aggressively, even when I approached her."
Here, he took a moment to pause, his gaze sliding from Clair to Whitney, who looked embarrassed or perhaps ashamed as she rubbed at one arm. Bugsy did not look upset, however. Sympathetic, perhaps.
"Whitney checked in on me and spotted the Ariados. Believing I was under attack, my fellow gym leader acted decisively and moved to have Milty repel her." He explained, glancing at the girl in question.
Ah. He's covering for her.
"The Ariados, meanwhile, covered myself and Scyther with her body and proceeded to prep three separate Moves simultaneously based on what I could see - Sticky Web, Swords Dance, and Megahorn." He seemed to put stress on the last move - understandable, given its strength. It was one of her best.
One of Clair's eyebrows raised slightly. "I see. And the Ariados didn't attempt to gore your Miltank?" She inquired, turning her head toward Whitney. The girl shook her head.
"No. It launched her into that web back there like one of Bugsy's Heracross," she grumbled.
"She." Bugsy spoke up, frowning. "She's female. Larger abdomen and a shorter horn than a male of her size." He reached out, patting the Ariados' chitinous flank. Whitney blinked.
The Ariados glanced at him, considering.
… She'd never been so happy to be called fat.
"... Gotcha. Sorry," she murmured awkwardly.
Clair, meanwhile, strode forward, her Dragonite lumbering behind her as she inspected one of the containers the Ariados had made. The water sloshed inside noisily as it was tilted back and forth.
"Scyther acted as a translator for me. He said she doesn't consider us prey, understands humans, and brought those as gifts of friendship," Bugsy added, a small smile on his face. "I suspect she previously had a trainer, given her knowledge of humans and how she handled Milty."
He was wrong, of course, but she wasn't about to correct him. It was a nice little misunderstanding, one she could happily live with if it meant a return to civilization. She quietly shoved the urge to finish cocooning and injecting the Miltank with digestive juices into one of her mind's dark corners.
Clair looked up from the container she'd been inspecting, a considering gleam in her eye as she studied the Ariados. "So, a non-hostile Alpha that might previously have had a trainer." She summarized, standing up straight once more. She cocked her head to the side.
"Think she could make some temporary shelters?"
Whitney let loose a drawn-out groan of despair, echoed by her bound pokemon.
Chapter 6: Entitled to Compensation
New
"Think she could make some temporary shelters?"
It was a fairly simple request, in the Ariados' opinion. Snip some of the smaller saplings, grab some large leaves, spot-glue it all together with some webbing - easy, after her practice with the baskets. In another life, the Ariados would have been happy to help, to lend her hands to people in need. To be a good person.
But that was another life, and she had spent her second learning far crueler lessons - ones about the eternal cycle of give and take.
[Compensation. I was attacked when bringing gifts.] Her voice was quiet, subdued, but there was a harsh edge to it, a steel spine. Bugsy's Scyther glanced at her warily, giving a nod before communicating her demand. It took a bit longer, this time - perhaps from trying to convey the idea of 'compensation'.
Bugsy blinked, looking at the Ariados for a moment before giving a serious nod of his own. "She might be willing, but she was attacked while bringing her gifts. She wants… payment? Tribute?" he trailed off, looking uncertain.
Clair narrowed her eyes, standing straighter as she locked gazes with the Ariados. "We will not give you any of our pokemon for food and we will not hunt for you." She was resolute, her arms crossed beneath her bust as an aura of authority seemed to radiate off of her. Her conviction was admirable.
[Unnecessary. My demand is this.]
Moment of truth. Please, please agree. Please.
[Take me with you when you leave.]
Despite her best effort, there was an undeniable yearning in her voice. A desperation that spoke of a long, long time alone. The Scyther stilled, looking at her - looking at her, and not just the threat she posed. He gave her another, slower nod, and passed on her wish as best he could. Bugsy stared at his pokemon, his eyes slowly meeting her own.
What does he see in them, I wonder? My yearning? My desperation? Or just the empty gaze of a giant spider?
"She wants to leave this island, I'm pretty sure. To come with us back to the mainland. I think…" He swallowed, some nameless emotion swelling in his chest. "... I think she's tired of being alone here." His gaze never left hers as he answered. She merely nodded in reply.
Clair's stance relaxed as her expression shifted, a compassionate smile spreading across her face. "We can do that. Luckily, these islands are unclaimed, so we won't have to involve the GTS. You'll have to be in a pokeball during the flight over, but I'd be more than happy to officiate a relocation. I'm sure there will be plenty of room for you in Ilex Forest," she explained, striding forward to rest a hand on one of the spider's blue-and-black legs.
That… didn't sound terrible. She would still spend each day surviving, but the forest wouldn't be nearly as dangerous as the jungle. She'd be near people, too! Right next to a town, even, with a bug type Gym Leader running it. People would pass through the forest itself, as well. She wouldn't be alone.
Maybe I could trade my silk for luxury items.
After a moment's consideration, the Ariados gave a hesitant nod. The deal was acceptable. Clair gave her a winning smile and a firm slap to her leg.
"Then it's settled! I'll have some of our pokemon start gathering wood and leaves for the shelters, and we'll help you with building them as best we can. Bugsy, you're in charge of communication with her, given your talents. Ariados, if you need anything just let Bugsy know, he'll pass it along," she explained, her hands now on her hips as she beamed at the giant spider.
Nearby, Bugsy gave a resolute nod even as he pulled out a notebook and pen.
"Of course, Senior Clair! Um, do you mind if I do a few quick sketches of you? And maybe get your measurements?" He asked, looking a bit abashed. The Walking Bug Pokemon Encyclopedia, indeed.
She gave a small nod, even as Clair turned to address the rubberneckers and explain the situation.
In the distance, a young girl's voice shouted in frustration.
"Great, you used the power of friendship to win over the giant spider! Can you have her get Milty down now!?"
[The blood is rushing to my head! Please hurry!]
—
The other humans were, understandably, a touch hesitant to let a spider the size of a pickup truck stroll into their camp. Clair's assurances and authority went a long way toward easing their concerns. They still watched her warily, however - it was reasonable, even. She didn't blame them.
Even if it did sting just a bit.
In spite of the late hour, construction began immediately. The trainers, civilians, and their pokemon all surged into action, moving quickly to acquire materials. The shelters were basic - five thin trunks of wood stabbed into the ground in a pentagon formation, their tips bent toward the center and bound together. Three rings of thread around the outside, followed by spot-gluing large leaves across them to protect from wind and rain. A small opening was left for entry, and the floor was covered with more leaves.
All in all, it took about two hours to whip up five of the structures - plenty enough room for all the humans and some of their pokemon to shelter in. Still too small for her, of course - she'd tear one apart just trying to fit inside of it.
The gym leaders and some of the trainers apparently had their own tents - their backpacks and bags were, somehow, bigger on the inside. They contained quite a lot of equipment and supplies suited for surviving in the wilderness. It was a relief knowing she wouldn't have to hunt food for all of them.
The rain began to fall off a short time after construction finished, during the dead of night. A few wild pokemon had approached the camp afterward - a curious Liepard who circled for a time, a small flock of Woobat with a single Swoobat leading them that rested overhead briefly, and most concerningly a sweet, cloying scent that addled the mind had drifted through the camp - luring away one of the pilots.
Victreebel. There was a colony of them far to the west, near the other end of the island, but sometimes a stray one wandered, looking to start up its own group. The Ariados had needed to snag the man with a thread before he was lost. There had been a panic, at first, when she had secured him - a lack of trust led to a misunderstanding of her intentions.
Bugsy had been quick to clear things up, however. He was a good kid.
The humans became more vigilant after that, and kept watch in pairs. She didn't blame them - she remembered being lured by a Victreebel herself, when she was still a Spinarak. It had been a close thing. Too close.
A shiver ran down her abdomen at the memory.
She had decided to set up a temporary nest, suspended in the understorey above the humans' camp. Those on watch occasionally looked up at her, a number of emotions in their gazes. Fear. Awe. Distrust. Curiosity. She was privy to a bevy of expressions that she enjoyed getting to identify - she hadn't seen a human face in a long, long time, after all.
They would simply have to deal with her hanging there like a deadly chandelier, however. She wasn't letting anything happen to them. Even if it did mean getting soaked through the chitin for the first half of the night.
She had spread out a few more threads past the outer edges of the camp. She'd know if anything else tried to approach. She had explained it to Bugsy's Scyther, who had passed it along to Bugsy himself, and who had then warned the others to watch out for her threads.
A truly annoying game of telephone.
Speaking of Bugsy, the boy had been quite eager to speak with her. He asked her several questions, writing down in his little notebook the entire time. He questioned her about everything - her diet (berries and anything she could catch safely, barring her kin), her berry preferences (Pecha, anything particularly sweet), and even her hunting habits (he seemed fascinated by the mercy kills, for some reason).
Scyther translated as best he could, but she wound up having to break down some of the more complicated ambush techniques she employed in order to properly convey them. It wound up devolving into something like twenty questions.
The conversation went late into the night, and she found herself enjoying the young man's company. It was nice to just talk to someone, after so long here. Even if it was with the help of a translator and a significant number of charades, it was still better than talking to the Spinarak.
They kept on trying to worship her, and 'feared her wrath'. It was exhausting.
Bugsy also did a number of flattering charcoal sketches of her in addition to his notes.
Maybe he'd let me keep a couple?
The last time someone had admired her appearance was… ages ago. He had always been complimenting the shine of her chitin, or how her blue eyes 'twinkled like the stars above'. That hopeless, yellow romantic. If only she'd picked up on the little fellow's overtures sooner.
The hours passed. The Ariados kept vigil in that half-awake state she was so familiar with, feeling more than seeing or hearing. A Venomoth got caught near dawn, drawn by the light of the fire. She was quick to end its life and prep it for later.
Several of the humans and pokemon looked vaguely horrified as she did so. Whitney fainted and didn't wake until late morning.
Bugsy just seemed fascinated, however, scribbling away in his journal.
—
Dawn came, and with it, the drying rays of the sun. The foliage around the camp was steaming, vapors drifting off into the canopy and obscuring sight as the jungle came to life in the dawn's early light. Many of the humans stumbled out of their shelters blearily, clearly still exhausted from their ordeal even after a good night's rest.
In the distance, the jungle came alive with the sounds of life, the cries of pokemon echoing through the massive, moss-covered trees. She hadn't realized just how big they were until the humans had come along for a comparison.
The Ariados hadn't slept a wink - intentionally. She had gone more than one night without rest before without any real complications. She suspected it had less to do with her willpower than her species, however. Whatever the case, she was grateful that she could monitor the camp through the night.
Was she being obsessive? Maybe. But these people were her only hope. If anything happened to them, who knew how many more years she would be trapped here? Even if rescue never came, just having people around was wonderful in a way she could just barely describe.
Their presence was like a balm on her soul.
It was as the humans and pokemon were cooking breakfast, the scent of smoke and food drifting on the wind, that she noticed something. Something that made her blood chill and her legs stiffen.
The rain catchers she had made for the humans - the water in them was steadily rippling, growing stronger and stronger. Now that she paid attention, she could feel the vibrations in her web, too. The leaves were starting to shake. Something huge was heading their way, and she had a terrible inkling of what it might be. She started moving.
As the humans began to take notice of the tremors themselves, a primal roar echoed from the southwest, accompanied by the crashing thuds of small trees.
The Tyrant King had finally taken notice of the intruders on his island.
It was a fairly simple request, in the Ariados' opinion. Snip some of the smaller saplings, grab some large leaves, spot-glue it all together with some webbing - easy, after her practice with the baskets. In another life, the Ariados would have been happy to help, to lend her hands to people in need. To be a good person.
But that was another life, and she had spent her second learning far crueler lessons - ones about the eternal cycle of give and take.
[Compensation. I was attacked when bringing gifts.] Her voice was quiet, subdued, but there was a harsh edge to it, a steel spine. Bugsy's Scyther glanced at her warily, giving a nod before communicating her demand. It took a bit longer, this time - perhaps from trying to convey the idea of 'compensation'.
Bugsy blinked, looking at the Ariados for a moment before giving a serious nod of his own. "She might be willing, but she was attacked while bringing her gifts. She wants… payment? Tribute?" he trailed off, looking uncertain.
Clair narrowed her eyes, standing straighter as she locked gazes with the Ariados. "We will not give you any of our pokemon for food and we will not hunt for you." She was resolute, her arms crossed beneath her bust as an aura of authority seemed to radiate off of her. Her conviction was admirable.
[Unnecessary. My demand is this.]
Moment of truth. Please, please agree. Please.
[Take me with you when you leave.]
Despite her best effort, there was an undeniable yearning in her voice. A desperation that spoke of a long, long time alone. The Scyther stilled, looking at her - looking at her, and not just the threat she posed. He gave her another, slower nod, and passed on her wish as best he could. Bugsy stared at his pokemon, his eyes slowly meeting her own.
What does he see in them, I wonder? My yearning? My desperation? Or just the empty gaze of a giant spider?
"She wants to leave this island, I'm pretty sure. To come with us back to the mainland. I think…" He swallowed, some nameless emotion swelling in his chest. "... I think she's tired of being alone here." His gaze never left hers as he answered. She merely nodded in reply.
Clair's stance relaxed as her expression shifted, a compassionate smile spreading across her face. "We can do that. Luckily, these islands are unclaimed, so we won't have to involve the GTS. You'll have to be in a pokeball during the flight over, but I'd be more than happy to officiate a relocation. I'm sure there will be plenty of room for you in Ilex Forest," she explained, striding forward to rest a hand on one of the spider's blue-and-black legs.
That… didn't sound terrible. She would still spend each day surviving, but the forest wouldn't be nearly as dangerous as the jungle. She'd be near people, too! Right next to a town, even, with a bug type Gym Leader running it. People would pass through the forest itself, as well. She wouldn't be alone.
Maybe I could trade my silk for luxury items.
After a moment's consideration, the Ariados gave a hesitant nod. The deal was acceptable. Clair gave her a winning smile and a firm slap to her leg.
"Then it's settled! I'll have some of our pokemon start gathering wood and leaves for the shelters, and we'll help you with building them as best we can. Bugsy, you're in charge of communication with her, given your talents. Ariados, if you need anything just let Bugsy know, he'll pass it along," she explained, her hands now on her hips as she beamed at the giant spider.
Nearby, Bugsy gave a resolute nod even as he pulled out a notebook and pen.
"Of course, Senior Clair! Um, do you mind if I do a few quick sketches of you? And maybe get your measurements?" He asked, looking a bit abashed. The Walking Bug Pokemon Encyclopedia, indeed.
She gave a small nod, even as Clair turned to address the rubberneckers and explain the situation.
In the distance, a young girl's voice shouted in frustration.
"Great, you used the power of friendship to win over the giant spider! Can you have her get Milty down now!?"
[The blood is rushing to my head! Please hurry!]
—
The other humans were, understandably, a touch hesitant to let a spider the size of a pickup truck stroll into their camp. Clair's assurances and authority went a long way toward easing their concerns. They still watched her warily, however - it was reasonable, even. She didn't blame them.
Even if it did sting just a bit.
In spite of the late hour, construction began immediately. The trainers, civilians, and their pokemon all surged into action, moving quickly to acquire materials. The shelters were basic - five thin trunks of wood stabbed into the ground in a pentagon formation, their tips bent toward the center and bound together. Three rings of thread around the outside, followed by spot-gluing large leaves across them to protect from wind and rain. A small opening was left for entry, and the floor was covered with more leaves.
All in all, it took about two hours to whip up five of the structures - plenty enough room for all the humans and some of their pokemon to shelter in. Still too small for her, of course - she'd tear one apart just trying to fit inside of it.
The gym leaders and some of the trainers apparently had their own tents - their backpacks and bags were, somehow, bigger on the inside. They contained quite a lot of equipment and supplies suited for surviving in the wilderness. It was a relief knowing she wouldn't have to hunt food for all of them.
The rain began to fall off a short time after construction finished, during the dead of night. A few wild pokemon had approached the camp afterward - a curious Liepard who circled for a time, a small flock of Woobat with a single Swoobat leading them that rested overhead briefly, and most concerningly a sweet, cloying scent that addled the mind had drifted through the camp - luring away one of the pilots.
Victreebel. There was a colony of them far to the west, near the other end of the island, but sometimes a stray one wandered, looking to start up its own group. The Ariados had needed to snag the man with a thread before he was lost. There had been a panic, at first, when she had secured him - a lack of trust led to a misunderstanding of her intentions.
Bugsy had been quick to clear things up, however. He was a good kid.
The humans became more vigilant after that, and kept watch in pairs. She didn't blame them - she remembered being lured by a Victreebel herself, when she was still a Spinarak. It had been a close thing. Too close.
A shiver ran down her abdomen at the memory.
She had decided to set up a temporary nest, suspended in the understorey above the humans' camp. Those on watch occasionally looked up at her, a number of emotions in their gazes. Fear. Awe. Distrust. Curiosity. She was privy to a bevy of expressions that she enjoyed getting to identify - she hadn't seen a human face in a long, long time, after all.
They would simply have to deal with her hanging there like a deadly chandelier, however. She wasn't letting anything happen to them. Even if it did mean getting soaked through the chitin for the first half of the night.
She had spread out a few more threads past the outer edges of the camp. She'd know if anything else tried to approach. She had explained it to Bugsy's Scyther, who had passed it along to Bugsy himself, and who had then warned the others to watch out for her threads.
A truly annoying game of telephone.
Speaking of Bugsy, the boy had been quite eager to speak with her. He asked her several questions, writing down in his little notebook the entire time. He questioned her about everything - her diet (berries and anything she could catch safely, barring her kin), her berry preferences (Pecha, anything particularly sweet), and even her hunting habits (he seemed fascinated by the mercy kills, for some reason).
Scyther translated as best he could, but she wound up having to break down some of the more complicated ambush techniques she employed in order to properly convey them. It wound up devolving into something like twenty questions.
The conversation went late into the night, and she found herself enjoying the young man's company. It was nice to just talk to someone, after so long here. Even if it was with the help of a translator and a significant number of charades, it was still better than talking to the Spinarak.
They kept on trying to worship her, and 'feared her wrath'. It was exhausting.
Bugsy also did a number of flattering charcoal sketches of her in addition to his notes.
Maybe he'd let me keep a couple?
The last time someone had admired her appearance was… ages ago. He had always been complimenting the shine of her chitin, or how her blue eyes 'twinkled like the stars above'. That hopeless, yellow romantic. If only she'd picked up on the little fellow's overtures sooner.
The hours passed. The Ariados kept vigil in that half-awake state she was so familiar with, feeling more than seeing or hearing. A Venomoth got caught near dawn, drawn by the light of the fire. She was quick to end its life and prep it for later.
Several of the humans and pokemon looked vaguely horrified as she did so. Whitney fainted and didn't wake until late morning.
Bugsy just seemed fascinated, however, scribbling away in his journal.
—
Dawn came, and with it, the drying rays of the sun. The foliage around the camp was steaming, vapors drifting off into the canopy and obscuring sight as the jungle came to life in the dawn's early light. Many of the humans stumbled out of their shelters blearily, clearly still exhausted from their ordeal even after a good night's rest.
In the distance, the jungle came alive with the sounds of life, the cries of pokemon echoing through the massive, moss-covered trees. She hadn't realized just how big they were until the humans had come along for a comparison.
The Ariados hadn't slept a wink - intentionally. She had gone more than one night without rest before without any real complications. She suspected it had less to do with her willpower than her species, however. Whatever the case, she was grateful that she could monitor the camp through the night.
Was she being obsessive? Maybe. But these people were her only hope. If anything happened to them, who knew how many more years she would be trapped here? Even if rescue never came, just having people around was wonderful in a way she could just barely describe.
Their presence was like a balm on her soul.
It was as the humans and pokemon were cooking breakfast, the scent of smoke and food drifting on the wind, that she noticed something. Something that made her blood chill and her legs stiffen.
The rain catchers she had made for the humans - the water in them was steadily rippling, growing stronger and stronger. Now that she paid attention, she could feel the vibrations in her web, too. The leaves were starting to shake. Something huge was heading their way, and she had a terrible inkling of what it might be. She started moving.
As the humans began to take notice of the tremors themselves, a primal roar echoed from the southwest, accompanied by the crashing thuds of small trees.
The Tyrant King had finally taken notice of the intruders on his island.
- Location
- Here
Oh shit. Tyrantrum?
Chapter 7: Let Them Fight
New
"Hey, Bugsy?"
Bugsy looked up from his rice porridge, the violet-haired young man making eye contact with one of his other Junior Gym Leaders, Whitney. He raised a brow questioningly, spoon still stuck in his mouth.
Whitney fidgeted from where she sat cross-legged with her own breakfast, her spoon spinning circles through it as she stared at him apprehensively. There was a moment's pause before she eventually found her voice once more.
"I'm sorry. I know I freaked out when you were trying to talk with the Ariados."
This was true, but Bugsy had already forgiven her for it - nothing bad came about as a result, and she had been worried about him. That counted for something.
"It's just… I really don't handle bug pokemon well, you know that, and it was looming over you in the dark - I thought it was gonna snatch you up and I'd never see you again…"
Bugsy swallowed his bite of food. Whitney looked close to tears. Setting his bowl down, the young man reached over and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I didn't lie when I told Clair what happened. You were trying to protect me. You just need to learn to keep a level head, Whitney. You're already a great trainer - the Training Camp our Seniors took us to proved that." He smiled at her encouragingly, and she returned the expression as best she could, her lips still a little wobbly with pinpricks of tears in the corners of her eyes.
Bugsy reached for his thermos.
It shook before his hand could touch it.
What?
THUMP.
He felt it that time. The vibration through the forest floor. He quickly got to his feet and pushed through the tent's exit, out into the dappled morning sunlight, the massive trees that surrounded their little clearing and covered the rest of the island keeping things dim.
"Senior Clair!"
"I already know! Get ready to evacuate to the beach! You, Whitney, and Falkner are in charge of escorting the civilians! Pryce and Chuck, you're with me!"
"Aye, Senior!"
THUMP.
People across the camp were scrambling to grab what they could, Falkner already taking charge in directing the civilians. Bugsy quickly moved to do the same, Scyther beside him in a heartbeat. Reaching down to his belt, he released his other pokemon with a one-two tap of his fingers. A pair of red flashes coalesced into familiar friends.
"Heracross! Focus on guiding the civilians back east! Beedrill, Scyther, scout a path and make sure it's clear!" His pokemon moved with purpose, Beedrill flying off east into the trees, her eyes peeled, while Scyther dashed below, his bladed arms cutting through the underbrush like a scythe through wheat.
He could see Whitney doing similarly, Milty already following after Scyther in a slowed Rollout, flattening the earth behind her and crushing any roots in the way. The trainers that had joined them on the trip were doing what they could to help, taking direction from Falkner who was astride his Doduo.
THUMP.
Bugsy stumbled a bit as the ground shook beneath him like a miniature earthquake, though others were less fortunate. Moving quickly, he helped an older gentleman to his feet, pointing him toward the evacuation trail. Looking around, he realized something-
The Ariados was nowhere to be found.
Then came a roar like an avalanche. It brought Bugsy to his knees and had him clutching at his ears. It felt like his bones were shaking. As he looked up, he could see smaller trees crashing in the distance, getting closer.
Someone grabbed the back of his shirt and lifted him to his feet. It was Chuck, his Poliwrath poised beside him in a fighting stance. "Alright kid, time to skedaddle! We'll handle it from here! Wahaha!" The man laughed as he pushed Bugsy away, back toward the evacuation path.
Bugsy began backing away, wanting to catch at least a glimpse of the pokemon that was approaching.
What appeared was something out of ancient history.
I thought Tyrantrum was extinct outside of fossil labs.
The creature was massive, the two-legged dragon type cutting an imposing figure as it pushed its way through the trees with little effort. Bugsy didn't know exact heights for the species given its rarity, but he was fairly sure they didn't grow to be twelve feet tall.
At least not with resurrected samples, he mused. He was locked in place by the sheer majesty of the pokemon, its red-and-orange scales vibrant, the feathers around his neck and chin a snowy white.
Heracross grabbed him and started dragging him backward, knocking him out of his reverie.
He got one last look at his Seniors standing valiantly before it with their pokemon.
"DOSSSS!"
An ear-grating hiss, like nails on chalkboard, was the Tyrantrum's only warning as its body was peppered with green, hook-like barbs that boasted purple trails - threads. The threads snapped taut, and the ancient king stumbled.
That's Toxic Thread - combined with Pin Missile. What kind of struggles has she had, to learn that? To combine moves like that?
The poisonous silk hissed against the Tyrantrum's scales, wafts of purple smoke drifting into the air as it was dragged sideways against its will, out of Bugsy's sight.
—
She strained with effort, her mouth aching as she pulled as hard as she could. Already, she could feel her thread fraying, threatening to snap. But it would be enough. She'd gotten his attention, drawn him away from the squishy humans.
The gym leaders would prioritize protecting their own, she was sure. They wouldn't interfere unless they had to - not with so many people to protect.
With a final yank on her part, the King stumbled forward. He let loose a rumbling growl, and with a snap of his jaws her thread was severed. Teeth bared, the Tyrantrum began circling her, his good eye trained on her warily.
[You interrupt my hunt,] he stated, his plodding steps shaking the ground beneath the him, his claws digging through the soil like it was mere sand.
[Not your prey,] she replied, skittering through the branches, circling opposite him. [Mine. I was here first. You waited - too late, too lazy.] The King narrowed his eye, indignation clear on his reptilian features. He ducked his head, snout digging into the earth, and with a surge shot several stones in her direction.
She scurried around the other side of the tree, feeling the thuds of the Rock Throw splintering the bark on the other side. She climbed higher before darting back around, returning fire with a pressurized stream of noxious, purple liquid. It was a glancing blow, the King stepping to the side, but the Venom Drench would do its work.
She just had to wear him down, distract him.
[All prey are mine, Pest,] he rumbled, surging forward with his head lowered. There was a deafening crash, and the tree she was in began to tip over. She tensed her legs and leapt, aiming her abdomen at a nearby branch. A thick strand of web shot out, anchoring itself, and she swung across, shooting another jet of venom from her mouth, coating his back liberally as he reoriented from his assault.
He snarled in fury.
[Always hiding. Always nipping. Scared,] he taunted, rounding on her once more. This time, his tail glowed an ominous blue, and with a twist he dug it through the earth, sending a veritable wave of rock and dirt at her.
She severed the thread, dropping to the ground and narrowly avoiding the assault as it decimated the understorey above her. There was a massive break in the canopy, now. She could hear the Dragon Tail-launched Rock Slide falling back to earth some distance away.
Too close.
[Is your word worthless, o King? Your promises hollow?] She accused, scuttling backwards, into the deepest shadows present. [I was here first. We agreed to avoid each other.] There was a flare of ghostly energy.
And she was gone.
The Tyrantrum snarled, rotating slowly and eyeing the surrounding trees. Waiting for her ambush, anticipating it even as his body grew more sluggish from her venom.
Her back-limbs crossed for the last time as she dropped from above, onto the King's back. Immediately, he twisted, his teeth flaring with dark energy. His jaws fastened on one of her legs. In the same motion, she pressed her mandibles against the back of his neck, poison energy bubbling, her focus honed to a dagger's point.
There was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch forever, the promise of violence balanced on a knife's edge.
The King let go, and so did she, scrambling off his back and keeping her distance. He stared down at her haughtily, letting loose a snort.
Damn dragons and their pride.
[I recognize your claim. Do with them as you will. If they enter my territory, they are dead, Pest.] The King gave his ultimatum. She nodded. He grimaced, spitting a sizzling, purple wad onto the ground. Giving her one last look, his turned away, thundering strides taking him back to his territory.
She released a heavy breath, sagging in place.
Too close. Too damn close.
Just one of those rocks could have cracked her chitin like glass, even after she'd weakened him. If he'd bit down she would have lost her leg for sure. She didn't know if that was something a few molts could fix. She shivered as she began calming down, the combat high leaving her. A rustle from behind caused her to whirl in place.
The woman, Clair, was standing there. Her Dragonite loomed behind her, refusing to take his eyes off of her. Clair, meanwhile, looked her over contemplatively.
"Damn. Not a scratch on you, huh?" She muttered, rubbing at her chin.
It was times like these she wished she could blink. She gave a hesitant nod - not a scratch on her. But only because she'd have had far more than a scratch if she'd been hit at all. Clair seemed to relax minutely at the gesture, as did her Dragonite companion.
"Is it going to come back?" She asked, nodding in the direction of the King's footprints. The Ariados shook her head in denial, turning her attention to the Dragonite.
[He recognizes my claim. Stray further south and you will be hunted,] she warned. The Dragonite gave a scoff, but then leaned down to whisper in Clair's ear, making a few complicated gestures with its stubby claws. Clair paused, gave a nod, and then stared into the Ariados' eyes.
Clair bowed at the waist, never breaking eye contact. "Thank you for your help. We could have repelled him, but there was a risk of casualties. I'll make sure you're… compensated once we make it back home," she stated firmly. Standing straight once more, she spun around, striding purposefully back toward the camp.
"For now, the camp needs to be reinforced. I have to contact the League, as well, let them know about the situation. If you want to help, you can, but you've done more than enough for us as-is," she said, her and her Dragonite pushing their way through the undergrowth. The Ariados slowly followed.
Of course I'm going to help. You're my ticket out of here.
Beyond self-interest, however, there was an old, old part of her that just… wanted to lend a hand. A very human urge to work together.
It was nice.
Bugsy looked up from his rice porridge, the violet-haired young man making eye contact with one of his other Junior Gym Leaders, Whitney. He raised a brow questioningly, spoon still stuck in his mouth.
Whitney fidgeted from where she sat cross-legged with her own breakfast, her spoon spinning circles through it as she stared at him apprehensively. There was a moment's pause before she eventually found her voice once more.
"I'm sorry. I know I freaked out when you were trying to talk with the Ariados."
This was true, but Bugsy had already forgiven her for it - nothing bad came about as a result, and she had been worried about him. That counted for something.
"It's just… I really don't handle bug pokemon well, you know that, and it was looming over you in the dark - I thought it was gonna snatch you up and I'd never see you again…"
Bugsy swallowed his bite of food. Whitney looked close to tears. Setting his bowl down, the young man reached over and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I didn't lie when I told Clair what happened. You were trying to protect me. You just need to learn to keep a level head, Whitney. You're already a great trainer - the Training Camp our Seniors took us to proved that." He smiled at her encouragingly, and she returned the expression as best she could, her lips still a little wobbly with pinpricks of tears in the corners of her eyes.
Bugsy reached for his thermos.
It shook before his hand could touch it.
What?
THUMP.
He felt it that time. The vibration through the forest floor. He quickly got to his feet and pushed through the tent's exit, out into the dappled morning sunlight, the massive trees that surrounded their little clearing and covered the rest of the island keeping things dim.
"Senior Clair!"
"I already know! Get ready to evacuate to the beach! You, Whitney, and Falkner are in charge of escorting the civilians! Pryce and Chuck, you're with me!"
"Aye, Senior!"
THUMP.
People across the camp were scrambling to grab what they could, Falkner already taking charge in directing the civilians. Bugsy quickly moved to do the same, Scyther beside him in a heartbeat. Reaching down to his belt, he released his other pokemon with a one-two tap of his fingers. A pair of red flashes coalesced into familiar friends.
"Heracross! Focus on guiding the civilians back east! Beedrill, Scyther, scout a path and make sure it's clear!" His pokemon moved with purpose, Beedrill flying off east into the trees, her eyes peeled, while Scyther dashed below, his bladed arms cutting through the underbrush like a scythe through wheat.
He could see Whitney doing similarly, Milty already following after Scyther in a slowed Rollout, flattening the earth behind her and crushing any roots in the way. The trainers that had joined them on the trip were doing what they could to help, taking direction from Falkner who was astride his Doduo.
THUMP.
Bugsy stumbled a bit as the ground shook beneath him like a miniature earthquake, though others were less fortunate. Moving quickly, he helped an older gentleman to his feet, pointing him toward the evacuation trail. Looking around, he realized something-
The Ariados was nowhere to be found.
Then came a roar like an avalanche. It brought Bugsy to his knees and had him clutching at his ears. It felt like his bones were shaking. As he looked up, he could see smaller trees crashing in the distance, getting closer.
Someone grabbed the back of his shirt and lifted him to his feet. It was Chuck, his Poliwrath poised beside him in a fighting stance. "Alright kid, time to skedaddle! We'll handle it from here! Wahaha!" The man laughed as he pushed Bugsy away, back toward the evacuation path.
Bugsy began backing away, wanting to catch at least a glimpse of the pokemon that was approaching.
What appeared was something out of ancient history.
I thought Tyrantrum was extinct outside of fossil labs.
The creature was massive, the two-legged dragon type cutting an imposing figure as it pushed its way through the trees with little effort. Bugsy didn't know exact heights for the species given its rarity, but he was fairly sure they didn't grow to be twelve feet tall.
At least not with resurrected samples, he mused. He was locked in place by the sheer majesty of the pokemon, its red-and-orange scales vibrant, the feathers around his neck and chin a snowy white.
Heracross grabbed him and started dragging him backward, knocking him out of his reverie.
He got one last look at his Seniors standing valiantly before it with their pokemon.
"DOSSSS!"
An ear-grating hiss, like nails on chalkboard, was the Tyrantrum's only warning as its body was peppered with green, hook-like barbs that boasted purple trails - threads. The threads snapped taut, and the ancient king stumbled.
That's Toxic Thread - combined with Pin Missile. What kind of struggles has she had, to learn that? To combine moves like that?
The poisonous silk hissed against the Tyrantrum's scales, wafts of purple smoke drifting into the air as it was dragged sideways against its will, out of Bugsy's sight.
—
She strained with effort, her mouth aching as she pulled as hard as she could. Already, she could feel her thread fraying, threatening to snap. But it would be enough. She'd gotten his attention, drawn him away from the squishy humans.
The gym leaders would prioritize protecting their own, she was sure. They wouldn't interfere unless they had to - not with so many people to protect.
With a final yank on her part, the King stumbled forward. He let loose a rumbling growl, and with a snap of his jaws her thread was severed. Teeth bared, the Tyrantrum began circling her, his good eye trained on her warily.
[You interrupt my hunt,] he stated, his plodding steps shaking the ground beneath the him, his claws digging through the soil like it was mere sand.
[Not your prey,] she replied, skittering through the branches, circling opposite him. [Mine. I was here first. You waited - too late, too lazy.] The King narrowed his eye, indignation clear on his reptilian features. He ducked his head, snout digging into the earth, and with a surge shot several stones in her direction.
She scurried around the other side of the tree, feeling the thuds of the Rock Throw splintering the bark on the other side. She climbed higher before darting back around, returning fire with a pressurized stream of noxious, purple liquid. It was a glancing blow, the King stepping to the side, but the Venom Drench would do its work.
She just had to wear him down, distract him.
[All prey are mine, Pest,] he rumbled, surging forward with his head lowered. There was a deafening crash, and the tree she was in began to tip over. She tensed her legs and leapt, aiming her abdomen at a nearby branch. A thick strand of web shot out, anchoring itself, and she swung across, shooting another jet of venom from her mouth, coating his back liberally as he reoriented from his assault.
He snarled in fury.
[Always hiding. Always nipping. Scared,] he taunted, rounding on her once more. This time, his tail glowed an ominous blue, and with a twist he dug it through the earth, sending a veritable wave of rock and dirt at her.
She severed the thread, dropping to the ground and narrowly avoiding the assault as it decimated the understorey above her. There was a massive break in the canopy, now. She could hear the Dragon Tail-launched Rock Slide falling back to earth some distance away.
Too close.
[Is your word worthless, o King? Your promises hollow?] She accused, scuttling backwards, into the deepest shadows present. [I was here first. We agreed to avoid each other.] There was a flare of ghostly energy.
And she was gone.
The Tyrantrum snarled, rotating slowly and eyeing the surrounding trees. Waiting for her ambush, anticipating it even as his body grew more sluggish from her venom.
Her back-limbs crossed for the last time as she dropped from above, onto the King's back. Immediately, he twisted, his teeth flaring with dark energy. His jaws fastened on one of her legs. In the same motion, she pressed her mandibles against the back of his neck, poison energy bubbling, her focus honed to a dagger's point.
There was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch forever, the promise of violence balanced on a knife's edge.
The King let go, and so did she, scrambling off his back and keeping her distance. He stared down at her haughtily, letting loose a snort.
Damn dragons and their pride.
[I recognize your claim. Do with them as you will. If they enter my territory, they are dead, Pest.] The King gave his ultimatum. She nodded. He grimaced, spitting a sizzling, purple wad onto the ground. Giving her one last look, his turned away, thundering strides taking him back to his territory.
She released a heavy breath, sagging in place.
Too close. Too damn close.
Just one of those rocks could have cracked her chitin like glass, even after she'd weakened him. If he'd bit down she would have lost her leg for sure. She didn't know if that was something a few molts could fix. She shivered as she began calming down, the combat high leaving her. A rustle from behind caused her to whirl in place.
The woman, Clair, was standing there. Her Dragonite loomed behind her, refusing to take his eyes off of her. Clair, meanwhile, looked her over contemplatively.
"Damn. Not a scratch on you, huh?" She muttered, rubbing at her chin.
It was times like these she wished she could blink. She gave a hesitant nod - not a scratch on her. But only because she'd have had far more than a scratch if she'd been hit at all. Clair seemed to relax minutely at the gesture, as did her Dragonite companion.
"Is it going to come back?" She asked, nodding in the direction of the King's footprints. The Ariados shook her head in denial, turning her attention to the Dragonite.
[He recognizes my claim. Stray further south and you will be hunted,] she warned. The Dragonite gave a scoff, but then leaned down to whisper in Clair's ear, making a few complicated gestures with its stubby claws. Clair paused, gave a nod, and then stared into the Ariados' eyes.
Clair bowed at the waist, never breaking eye contact. "Thank you for your help. We could have repelled him, but there was a risk of casualties. I'll make sure you're… compensated once we make it back home," she stated firmly. Standing straight once more, she spun around, striding purposefully back toward the camp.
"For now, the camp needs to be reinforced. I have to contact the League, as well, let them know about the situation. If you want to help, you can, but you've done more than enough for us as-is," she said, her and her Dragonite pushing their way through the undergrowth. The Ariados slowly followed.
Of course I'm going to help. You're my ticket out of here.
Beyond self-interest, however, there was an old, old part of her that just… wanted to lend a hand. A very human urge to work together.
It was nice.
- Location
- Here
Holy cow that was amazing! I never expected her to actually go toe to toe with him.
Chapter 8: Build That Wall
New
The Ariados returned to the camp to find it already bustling with activity - apparently she'd lured the King far enough away that the humans had felt safe to return. Already, they and their pokemon companions were working together to chop wood, dig holes, and set up a palisade around the clearing. Thick, sturdy logs were being used, measuring fourteen feet high.
It was fascinating watching the process in action - pokemon with cutting techniques like Scyther and Skarmory were bringing down trees quickly, one after another in rapid succession. They carefully chose their targets based on what she could only guess was diameter. Other pokemon, meanwhile, were dragging the green wood back to camp. Chuck's Poliwrath held a log under each arm, for instance, carrying the load easily.
Around the edges of the camp, meanwhile, a Mamoswine slightly bigger than herself was carving a trench with his mighty tusks. Behind it, Milty the Miltank and several humans with shovels were working to even out and smooth the earth.
It was incredibly heartwarming to watch, and she took a moment to just… observe. To see people and pokemon working together to accomplish something impressive. Eventually, however, the moment passed and she crept forward. Several of the humans and pokemon paused in their work to look at her.
Their gazes no longer held mistrust, to her eyes. There was something else there, something approving. Respect, perhaps. It was hard to say - human expressions seemed so foreign to her nowadays - she was still trying to get used to them again. Regardless, she moved forward with purpose, approaching the quickly-lengthening palisade.
Whitney, an Aipom, and a Teddiursa were working diligently at packing dirt against the base of the structure. As the human glanced up, she froze, stiffening in place. Her pokemon eyed the Ariados warily.
Whitney took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and slowly released it, seemingly forcing herself to relax as she made eye contact.
"... Hi. I, um. I'm sorry. For yesterday, I mean."
Her voice was quiet, subdued, and more than a little guilty. The Ariados simply stared, bemused.
She was a very, very large spider. She would have screamed at such a sight, were she human still. Even a normal-sized Ariados would have scared the pants off of her. She could hardly blame this girl for her reaction with that in mind.
"I'm just… I'm bad with bugs, and, well, you're uh. You're really intimidating?" She continued, gesturing at the Ariados'... everything.
She felt kind of flattered at that, actually. She preened a little, and Whitney perked up.
"I mean, seriously, you're terrifying! I thought I was gonna pass out the first time I saw you hanging above us with the rain and lightning," she continued, standing up and dusting off her hands. Her pokemon had relaxed by this point, seeing her confidence.
"But anyway. I just wanted to apologize for… rushing to conclusions. I kind of panicked. No hard feelings?" She asked hopefully, clutching her hands together.
[None,] she replied, giving a slight nod. Whitney beamed back.
"Great! So uh, you wanna help with the fence, or…?" She trailed off, gesturing to the palisade behind her. Once more, the Ariados nodded before her mandibles and mouth spread open wide. Whitney and her pokemon quickly moved away as the giant arachnid began spraying webbing along the seams between the logs.
—
It took a couple of hours, but soon the palisade was complete, and just in time for lunch. The thought made her hungry, her stomach letting out an audible growl. She paused, glancing up toward the tree where her true nest lay, considering.
They'll be fine for a half an hour, right?
They had the palisade, they had plenty of pokemon, and it was the middle of the day with plenty of visibility. She could take her eyes off of them for that long, surely. Glancing around, she spotted Bugsy and his Scyther, working next to a cookpot. They were slicing up vegetables to add to a soup. The human was throwing vegetables toward the pot and the bug pokemon… accomplished the task very organically. It was impressive, really, seeing Bugsy toss up a carrot, only for a few blindingly fast cuts from his Scyther to have it fall into the bubbling pot in so many thin slices.
The Ariados waved a forelimb, getting the two's attention. Bugsy perked up immediately, returning her wave, while Scyther's face faintly turned blue, the bug pokemon turning his attention to the ground.
She wasn't sure what was up with him. He'd been acting like that since yesterday.
[I will be going to my nest to eat. I will return as soon as I can, but I wanted to inform you before departing. Can you pass along the message?] She asked Scyther, moving closer and dipping her head down to make eye contact, her horn barely brushing his chest.
She had learned to be careful with it, however. He wasn't at risk.
Scyther apparently disagreed, the pokemon's face turning even bluer than before. He quickly gave a jerky, panicked nod, glancing at her for a moment before quickly turning toward Bugsy. The young man was watching Scyther with an amused expression, for some reason. She'd forgotten how much she'd once had trouble reading peoples' intentions as a human - she'd always had trouble with social cues.
Still, message delivered! Time to go eat.
She quickly climbed over the palisade, several people waving goodbye from where they rested, and began making her way through the jungle.
—
Remember, purity of mind and body is the true path that shall lead to the perfect cuts. Ignore temptation, look within yourself, and for the love of Arceus, stop thinking about how her eyes were like sapphires. Not to mention how massive her-
Stab.
Scyther dug the tip of his blade into his thigh, drawing a few drops of blood and forcefully severing those wicked thoughts. The Temptress had been plaguing his mind as of late, ever since the incident yesterday, when she'd pinned him against the ground-
Stab!
He needed to stay focused, stay pure of thought and action. Arceus must have sent her as a test, a challenge of his devotion to the art of the cut. He would remain steadfast. He would remain focused. He would-
[Thinking about the Ariados?]
Scyther twitched, turning a baleful glare toward his human companion, his trainer. Bugsy merely grinned cheekily in reply, a twinkle in his eye. Scyther scoffed, looking away. He crossed his blades over his chest defensively, the heat in his face clearly from the strain of exercise.
"I admit, the Temptress plagues my thoughts. But I shall persevere! I shall cut my way through this challenge and emerge on the other side with a sharper blade than before," he declared, lifting one of his blades high, accompanied with a buzzing of his wings. It did not matter how impressive her bulk was, how she moved with such deadly grace, how the tip of her horn had just barely grazed-
Stab!
He was going to need one of Bugsy's Potions at this rate. The human began laughing, one hand covering his mouth while the other tossed Scyther another carrot. He sliced it apart with the ease of long practice, watching the uniform pieces plop into the pot perfectly. Silently, he swore to himself to carve away her intoxicating influence.
Rustle.
Scyther turned his gaze upward sharply, scanning the branches far above him. Distantly, he could make out voices. They sounded excited.
"... must have been here! Look … glorious webbing!"
"... purpose of …? … keep fresh, maybe?
"... must … honored, to become … Queen's meal!"
"... prepare for her! She … delighted, surely!"
Scyther narrowed his eyes. Something was afoot.
It was fascinating watching the process in action - pokemon with cutting techniques like Scyther and Skarmory were bringing down trees quickly, one after another in rapid succession. They carefully chose their targets based on what she could only guess was diameter. Other pokemon, meanwhile, were dragging the green wood back to camp. Chuck's Poliwrath held a log under each arm, for instance, carrying the load easily.
Around the edges of the camp, meanwhile, a Mamoswine slightly bigger than herself was carving a trench with his mighty tusks. Behind it, Milty the Miltank and several humans with shovels were working to even out and smooth the earth.
It was incredibly heartwarming to watch, and she took a moment to just… observe. To see people and pokemon working together to accomplish something impressive. Eventually, however, the moment passed and she crept forward. Several of the humans and pokemon paused in their work to look at her.
Their gazes no longer held mistrust, to her eyes. There was something else there, something approving. Respect, perhaps. It was hard to say - human expressions seemed so foreign to her nowadays - she was still trying to get used to them again. Regardless, she moved forward with purpose, approaching the quickly-lengthening palisade.
Whitney, an Aipom, and a Teddiursa were working diligently at packing dirt against the base of the structure. As the human glanced up, she froze, stiffening in place. Her pokemon eyed the Ariados warily.
Whitney took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and slowly released it, seemingly forcing herself to relax as she made eye contact.
"... Hi. I, um. I'm sorry. For yesterday, I mean."
Her voice was quiet, subdued, and more than a little guilty. The Ariados simply stared, bemused.
She was a very, very large spider. She would have screamed at such a sight, were she human still. Even a normal-sized Ariados would have scared the pants off of her. She could hardly blame this girl for her reaction with that in mind.
"I'm just… I'm bad with bugs, and, well, you're uh. You're really intimidating?" She continued, gesturing at the Ariados'... everything.
She felt kind of flattered at that, actually. She preened a little, and Whitney perked up.
"I mean, seriously, you're terrifying! I thought I was gonna pass out the first time I saw you hanging above us with the rain and lightning," she continued, standing up and dusting off her hands. Her pokemon had relaxed by this point, seeing her confidence.
"But anyway. I just wanted to apologize for… rushing to conclusions. I kind of panicked. No hard feelings?" She asked hopefully, clutching her hands together.
[None,] she replied, giving a slight nod. Whitney beamed back.
"Great! So uh, you wanna help with the fence, or…?" She trailed off, gesturing to the palisade behind her. Once more, the Ariados nodded before her mandibles and mouth spread open wide. Whitney and her pokemon quickly moved away as the giant arachnid began spraying webbing along the seams between the logs.
—
It took a couple of hours, but soon the palisade was complete, and just in time for lunch. The thought made her hungry, her stomach letting out an audible growl. She paused, glancing up toward the tree where her true nest lay, considering.
They'll be fine for a half an hour, right?
They had the palisade, they had plenty of pokemon, and it was the middle of the day with plenty of visibility. She could take her eyes off of them for that long, surely. Glancing around, she spotted Bugsy and his Scyther, working next to a cookpot. They were slicing up vegetables to add to a soup. The human was throwing vegetables toward the pot and the bug pokemon… accomplished the task very organically. It was impressive, really, seeing Bugsy toss up a carrot, only for a few blindingly fast cuts from his Scyther to have it fall into the bubbling pot in so many thin slices.
The Ariados waved a forelimb, getting the two's attention. Bugsy perked up immediately, returning her wave, while Scyther's face faintly turned blue, the bug pokemon turning his attention to the ground.
She wasn't sure what was up with him. He'd been acting like that since yesterday.
[I will be going to my nest to eat. I will return as soon as I can, but I wanted to inform you before departing. Can you pass along the message?] She asked Scyther, moving closer and dipping her head down to make eye contact, her horn barely brushing his chest.
She had learned to be careful with it, however. He wasn't at risk.
Scyther apparently disagreed, the pokemon's face turning even bluer than before. He quickly gave a jerky, panicked nod, glancing at her for a moment before quickly turning toward Bugsy. The young man was watching Scyther with an amused expression, for some reason. She'd forgotten how much she'd once had trouble reading peoples' intentions as a human - she'd always had trouble with social cues.
Still, message delivered! Time to go eat.
She quickly climbed over the palisade, several people waving goodbye from where they rested, and began making her way through the jungle.
—
Remember, purity of mind and body is the true path that shall lead to the perfect cuts. Ignore temptation, look within yourself, and for the love of Arceus, stop thinking about how her eyes were like sapphires. Not to mention how massive her-
Stab.
Scyther dug the tip of his blade into his thigh, drawing a few drops of blood and forcefully severing those wicked thoughts. The Temptress had been plaguing his mind as of late, ever since the incident yesterday, when she'd pinned him against the ground-
Stab!
He needed to stay focused, stay pure of thought and action. Arceus must have sent her as a test, a challenge of his devotion to the art of the cut. He would remain steadfast. He would remain focused. He would-
[Thinking about the Ariados?]
Scyther twitched, turning a baleful glare toward his human companion, his trainer. Bugsy merely grinned cheekily in reply, a twinkle in his eye. Scyther scoffed, looking away. He crossed his blades over his chest defensively, the heat in his face clearly from the strain of exercise.
"I admit, the Temptress plagues my thoughts. But I shall persevere! I shall cut my way through this challenge and emerge on the other side with a sharper blade than before," he declared, lifting one of his blades high, accompanied with a buzzing of his wings. It did not matter how impressive her bulk was, how she moved with such deadly grace, how the tip of her horn had just barely grazed-
Stab!
He was going to need one of Bugsy's Potions at this rate. The human began laughing, one hand covering his mouth while the other tossed Scyther another carrot. He sliced it apart with the ease of long practice, watching the uniform pieces plop into the pot perfectly. Silently, he swore to himself to carve away her intoxicating influence.
Rustle.
Scyther turned his gaze upward sharply, scanning the branches far above him. Distantly, he could make out voices. They sounded excited.
"... must have been here! Look … glorious webbing!"
"... purpose of …? … keep fresh, maybe?
"... must … honored, to become … Queen's meal!"
"... prepare for her! She … delighted, surely!"
Scyther narrowed his eyes. Something was afoot.
Nuew
“Mankind, be vigilant. We loved you.”—Julius Fučík
- Location
- hiding in ∅
- Pronouns
- She/They
It's nice to read things a second time as they're crossposted here, and Scyther's crush is even cuter than I remember. Still hard to manage where I want to read, especially when the discussion is primarily located on SB.
- Location
- Here
…Huh. They do share an egg group.
Chapter 9: The First Commandment
New
The trip back to the Ariados' larder was uneventful. She kept to the understorey and avoided other pokemon - most of them would have given her a wide berth, but she had learned early on to always be cautious. Always. She soon reached the edge of her territory, finding the presence of her scattered webbing a comforting sight - she had missed her little home. Scuttling toward her larder, she stumbled across more than one unfortunate pokemon caught in her web.
A part of her, recently reawakened from exposure to humans, hesitated. The rest of her, composed of instincts and a survivor's practicality, did not.
Snip. Snip. Snip.
They died, quickly and cleanly, and she bundled them up to take back with her. There were quite a number of Beedrill this time - perhaps they thought she had abandoned her nest and tried moving in. The stickiness of her webs didn't fade that quickly, however.
Honestly, I was only gone for a day.
Making it to the center of her territory, beneath her massive tree, she found it almost completely undisturbed. Almost - save for a familiar scent. She wasn't a Liepard or Slaking, with their sensitive noses, but she could still recognize this smell easily. The trading group had paid the place a visit. They only rarely did so, and typically only when they had trouble contacting her through the normal channels. They'd learned not to disturb her after she'd put her foot down on the 'worship'.
It hadn't stopped them from bringing gifts, though. It was only fair that she'd turned it into a trade instead.
She set the thought aside - she'd get in contact with them at some point, if only to let them know she was finally leaving the island. It would be hard for them, she knew that. But in her heart, it was what she craved, and they would need to respect her wishes. Getting comfortable on her web, she plucked one of her older kills from her larder.
Time to eat!
—
She hadn't realized how hungry she'd gotten - really, between all that exercise and the fight with the King, she'd burned through a good chunk of calories. The Ariados stretched out in her web, taking a moment to luxuriate in the feeling of fullness for a moment. She'd had two bundles and a few berries, and was feeling quite good now.
Best to head back.
With that thought in mind, she scurried off through the understorey, crossing between via branches where she could and hopping between the trees themselves when she couldn't. Occasionally, she came across a larger gap - too wide for her to just jump. Normally she would simply go around such things, but she was already feeling nervous about leaving the humans alone. A quick thwip of thread had her swinging across them in good time.
I might even get back early.
Once again, pokemon avoided her presence save for the most foolish. A Vigoroth had attempted to accost her at one point - she'd shot him point-blank with a ball of thread while he was mid-jump, tangling him, and he'd plummeted to the forest floor below. A loud crash and a wet crunch had announced his rapid introduction to the ground.
She didn't bother to collect him. The scavengers could enjoy a free meal this time.
Her journey was blessedly quiet after that, and she made good time. She found the camp in restrained chaos, and she stared dumbly at what she saw.
It was surrounded by a huge number of Spinarak and a few Ariados, the pokemon seemingly guarding it. No people or pokemon had been tied up, thank goodness, but it was evident that they weren't being allowed to leave - the exits to the palisade had been webbed over. Most of the gym leaders and their pokemon were standing guard, but not overtly hostile toward the pokemon surrounding them. Just tense and wary.
Falkner, in particular, seemed rather twitchy, his Natu sitting on his shoulder at rapt attention. Occasionally, he glanced toward Clair, perhaps seeking permission to engage. She never acknowledged him, however. She seemed to be waiting patiently.
She could spy Bugsy and Scyther near one of the gates, the pair apparently doing their best to communicate with some of the swarm. Bugsy was frantic, occasionally sending his own glances at Clair - making sure she was still waiting, maybe. The negotiation didn't seem to be going anywhere, from a glance.
The civilians had gathered at the center of the camp, looking around nervously. That was understandable, given the sheer number of spiders surrounding them.
Out of habit, she started counting.
She quickly realized that the group that traded with her was only a third at most of the main tribe. Far more than she had expected. Internally, she frowned, scuttling over to the Ariados she recognized. The swarm of bug types turned to stare at her as she approached, more and more of their gazes pulled toward her form. Their expressions were a mix of delight, awe, and fear. She chose to ignore them for now.
I hope I don't have to fight them off. They may be zealots, but they've grown on me. Like a foot fungus.
[What is going on here?] She quietly hissed out, keen on getting an explanation as soon as possible - before the tentative peace shattered.
The smaller Ariados perked up, looking delighted and performing a little shuffle of greeting. Begrudgingly, she did the same, waiting for his response.
[We protect your living larder, of course, o Queen! Truly, you are wise beyond measure, keeping prey alive so that they might stay fresh until the time comes! We are humbled before such cleverness!]
He gave a bow, then, dipping forward in supplication. Her frown grew deeper, her body tensing. She hated talking to these guys - no matter what she said, no matter how she tried to explain, they insisted on worshiping her and calling her 'Queen'. It had been flattering, in the beginning, but now it was just aggravating. She resisted the urge to lash out at him, instead taking a deep breath, holding it, and slowly releasing.
[I… see. And none of your kin have attempted to steal from my… 'larder'?] She inquired, internally cringing at the term. God, she hoped none of the pokemon below could hear her. The smaller Ariados rapidly shook his head in the negative.
[No, my Queen! A few were tempted, yes, but swift reminders were dealt. None have touched your prey.]
Small mercies.
No one was hurt, and violence clearly hadn't erupted - yet. The humans wouldn't stand for this for long, though, and trying to convince the swarm that these people were her friends would be… difficult. She needed a way to present things such that it fit within their worldview - something that made sense to them.
She hated theater like this, but if it would keep the peace…
The Ariados moved to her spot above the camp, motioning for the smaller Ariados to accompany her. He did so gladly, scuttling after with what was frankly too much enthusiasm. The swarm continued to watch her, and soon the people below had taken note, humans and pokemon alike focusing on her.
Bugsy waved up at her, trying to get her attention. It would have to wait. She took another calming breath, giving herself a moment to focus.
Just pretend you're an actual queen making a speech - channel your inner politician. Remember to stoke their religious fervor and act confident. One, two, three…
[Kindred! Truly, it is joyous to have you gathered before me. You have done… well to shelter those I have brought here, that I have brought into my protection! I will be clear - these are travelers from afar, neither predator nor prey! They are new… acolytes! Yes! From beyond the great water, who have journeyed here to meet me! Welcome them as brothers and sisters! I open my nest's larder to you, my kindred, for today we celebrate! Eat, drink, and familiarize yourself with this new addition to your tribe!]
There was a beat of silence that seemed to stretch out forever, and she could feel the panic starting to build in her chest.
Please buy it, please buy it, please-
[HUZZAH!]
The roar of their cheer was deafening, echoing through the jungle as her kin danced and swung through the trees. Already, several were pouring down to the forest floor and ripping away the barriers they had spun over the palisade. Others were speeding off toward the north, no doubt planning to bring food back from her larder - after this, she was going to be uncomfortably low.
She watched as several of her kin descended into the camp proper along thin threads, their legs waving in greeting and their voices drifting up to her as they chattered away at their 'new brothers and sisters'. Many of the humans seemed leery, as were some of the pokemon.
Speaking of the latter, several were now eyeing her consideringly. A few were smirking, having picked up on the actual truth behind her little speech, but many more seemed to be staring at the sheer number of Spinarak that apparently listened to her.
Thank god that worked.
Thank Arceus too, I guess, she mentally amended. Never hurt to give lip service to the divine llama.
She sagged in relief, watching as things seemed to de-escalate. Gingerly, she made her way toward where Bugsy was now waving with both hands, flagging her down, Scyther beside him. This was going to be awkward to explain.
A part of her, recently reawakened from exposure to humans, hesitated. The rest of her, composed of instincts and a survivor's practicality, did not.
Snip. Snip. Snip.
They died, quickly and cleanly, and she bundled them up to take back with her. There were quite a number of Beedrill this time - perhaps they thought she had abandoned her nest and tried moving in. The stickiness of her webs didn't fade that quickly, however.
Honestly, I was only gone for a day.
Making it to the center of her territory, beneath her massive tree, she found it almost completely undisturbed. Almost - save for a familiar scent. She wasn't a Liepard or Slaking, with their sensitive noses, but she could still recognize this smell easily. The trading group had paid the place a visit. They only rarely did so, and typically only when they had trouble contacting her through the normal channels. They'd learned not to disturb her after she'd put her foot down on the 'worship'.
It hadn't stopped them from bringing gifts, though. It was only fair that she'd turned it into a trade instead.
She set the thought aside - she'd get in contact with them at some point, if only to let them know she was finally leaving the island. It would be hard for them, she knew that. But in her heart, it was what she craved, and they would need to respect her wishes. Getting comfortable on her web, she plucked one of her older kills from her larder.
Time to eat!
—
She hadn't realized how hungry she'd gotten - really, between all that exercise and the fight with the King, she'd burned through a good chunk of calories. The Ariados stretched out in her web, taking a moment to luxuriate in the feeling of fullness for a moment. She'd had two bundles and a few berries, and was feeling quite good now.
Best to head back.
With that thought in mind, she scurried off through the understorey, crossing between via branches where she could and hopping between the trees themselves when she couldn't. Occasionally, she came across a larger gap - too wide for her to just jump. Normally she would simply go around such things, but she was already feeling nervous about leaving the humans alone. A quick thwip of thread had her swinging across them in good time.
I might even get back early.
Once again, pokemon avoided her presence save for the most foolish. A Vigoroth had attempted to accost her at one point - she'd shot him point-blank with a ball of thread while he was mid-jump, tangling him, and he'd plummeted to the forest floor below. A loud crash and a wet crunch had announced his rapid introduction to the ground.
She didn't bother to collect him. The scavengers could enjoy a free meal this time.
Her journey was blessedly quiet after that, and she made good time. She found the camp in restrained chaos, and she stared dumbly at what she saw.
It was surrounded by a huge number of Spinarak and a few Ariados, the pokemon seemingly guarding it. No people or pokemon had been tied up, thank goodness, but it was evident that they weren't being allowed to leave - the exits to the palisade had been webbed over. Most of the gym leaders and their pokemon were standing guard, but not overtly hostile toward the pokemon surrounding them. Just tense and wary.
Falkner, in particular, seemed rather twitchy, his Natu sitting on his shoulder at rapt attention. Occasionally, he glanced toward Clair, perhaps seeking permission to engage. She never acknowledged him, however. She seemed to be waiting patiently.
She could spy Bugsy and Scyther near one of the gates, the pair apparently doing their best to communicate with some of the swarm. Bugsy was frantic, occasionally sending his own glances at Clair - making sure she was still waiting, maybe. The negotiation didn't seem to be going anywhere, from a glance.
The civilians had gathered at the center of the camp, looking around nervously. That was understandable, given the sheer number of spiders surrounding them.
Out of habit, she started counting.
She quickly realized that the group that traded with her was only a third at most of the main tribe. Far more than she had expected. Internally, she frowned, scuttling over to the Ariados she recognized. The swarm of bug types turned to stare at her as she approached, more and more of their gazes pulled toward her form. Their expressions were a mix of delight, awe, and fear. She chose to ignore them for now.
I hope I don't have to fight them off. They may be zealots, but they've grown on me. Like a foot fungus.
[What is going on here?] She quietly hissed out, keen on getting an explanation as soon as possible - before the tentative peace shattered.
The smaller Ariados perked up, looking delighted and performing a little shuffle of greeting. Begrudgingly, she did the same, waiting for his response.
[We protect your living larder, of course, o Queen! Truly, you are wise beyond measure, keeping prey alive so that they might stay fresh until the time comes! We are humbled before such cleverness!]
He gave a bow, then, dipping forward in supplication. Her frown grew deeper, her body tensing. She hated talking to these guys - no matter what she said, no matter how she tried to explain, they insisted on worshiping her and calling her 'Queen'. It had been flattering, in the beginning, but now it was just aggravating. She resisted the urge to lash out at him, instead taking a deep breath, holding it, and slowly releasing.
[I… see. And none of your kin have attempted to steal from my… 'larder'?] She inquired, internally cringing at the term. God, she hoped none of the pokemon below could hear her. The smaller Ariados rapidly shook his head in the negative.
[No, my Queen! A few were tempted, yes, but swift reminders were dealt. None have touched your prey.]
Small mercies.
No one was hurt, and violence clearly hadn't erupted - yet. The humans wouldn't stand for this for long, though, and trying to convince the swarm that these people were her friends would be… difficult. She needed a way to present things such that it fit within their worldview - something that made sense to them.
She hated theater like this, but if it would keep the peace…
The Ariados moved to her spot above the camp, motioning for the smaller Ariados to accompany her. He did so gladly, scuttling after with what was frankly too much enthusiasm. The swarm continued to watch her, and soon the people below had taken note, humans and pokemon alike focusing on her.
Bugsy waved up at her, trying to get her attention. It would have to wait. She took another calming breath, giving herself a moment to focus.
Just pretend you're an actual queen making a speech - channel your inner politician. Remember to stoke their religious fervor and act confident. One, two, three…
[Kindred! Truly, it is joyous to have you gathered before me. You have done… well to shelter those I have brought here, that I have brought into my protection! I will be clear - these are travelers from afar, neither predator nor prey! They are new… acolytes! Yes! From beyond the great water, who have journeyed here to meet me! Welcome them as brothers and sisters! I open my nest's larder to you, my kindred, for today we celebrate! Eat, drink, and familiarize yourself with this new addition to your tribe!]
There was a beat of silence that seemed to stretch out forever, and she could feel the panic starting to build in her chest.
Please buy it, please buy it, please-
[HUZZAH!]
The roar of their cheer was deafening, echoing through the jungle as her kin danced and swung through the trees. Already, several were pouring down to the forest floor and ripping away the barriers they had spun over the palisade. Others were speeding off toward the north, no doubt planning to bring food back from her larder - after this, she was going to be uncomfortably low.
She watched as several of her kin descended into the camp proper along thin threads, their legs waving in greeting and their voices drifting up to her as they chattered away at their 'new brothers and sisters'. Many of the humans seemed leery, as were some of the pokemon.
Speaking of the latter, several were now eyeing her consideringly. A few were smirking, having picked up on the actual truth behind her little speech, but many more seemed to be staring at the sheer number of Spinarak that apparently listened to her.
Thank god that worked.
Thank Arceus too, I guess, she mentally amended. Never hurt to give lip service to the divine llama.
She sagged in relief, watching as things seemed to de-escalate. Gingerly, she made her way toward where Bugsy was now waving with both hands, flagging her down, Scyther beside him. This was going to be awkward to explain.
Krazyfan1
Worrying for the future.
- Location
- Australia
On the re-read and the bit about the gap being too big to jump made me wonder if that's Actually too far, or if it's in her mind?
Pokémon are capable of rather impressive feats after all…
Add in boosting moves and she might not have needed to swing
Pokémon are capable of rather impressive feats after all…
Add in boosting moves and she might not have needed to swing
Chapter 10: The Promised Land
New
Bugsy's expression was one of… relief, she was fairly sure. A slight smile, eyes wide, muscles relaxed. She was confident that was relief. Scyther was, oddly enough, more readable - arms crossed, a frown clearly evident, one foot tapping impatiently - irritation. He still refused to make eye contact, however - she would have expected a glare to accompany everything else.
Perhaps just seeing me makes him uneasy?
It didn't really matter. She set the thought aside as she got within speaking distance, crawling down onto the side of the palisade from her web to look down at them. Bugsy moved closer, Scyther keeping pace.
"I'm so glad to see you back. The other gym leaders were starting to get antsy - when all those Spinarak showed up and started webbing over the exits to the camp, we thought they were attacking. But then they just… hung around, waiting. I tried to have Scyther communicate, but-"
[-All they would say were things like 'Patience, chosen ones. The Queen's return shall seal your fate'.] Scyther jumped in, gesturing vaguely in some of the Spinaraks' direction. Bugsy nodded along. She wasn't sure how much he was picking up, exactly, but he seemed to get the gist of Scyther's rant.
"Yeah, they were kind of stonewalling us for a bit. Clair was thinking that you might have sent them to guard the camp, but no one was really confident about that. We decided to wait for you to come back before trying anything ourselves - as long as the Spinarak didn't attack, anyway," Bugsy explained, grinning up at her.
There was a moment's pause, the young man looking up at her expectantly. She realized he wanted an explanation of her own, and internally she grimaced. If things had been quieter, she could have just told another white lie about how she had sent them. But she had made that big fancy speech, and she was pretty sure every pokemon within a hundred feet heard her.
Honesty it is, then. Dammit.
She took a deep breath. Best to just rip the band-aid off quickly.
[They're a tribe I trade with regularly for berries. They're also obsessed with me and think of me as their queen. When I wasn't at home, they apparently searched for me and found you all. They mistook the camp as… a farm, I suppose.]
She trailed off for a moment, frowning. She could see their perspective. If it had been a swarm of Ledyba that had arrived on the island rather than humans, well, she wouldn't have hesitated at the free meal. The thought made her uncomfortable, conflicted - older, forgotten parts of her grinding against this life's brutal practicality. She pressed forward.
[I returned, asked what was happening, and then, well… you heard the speech. I explained things in a way they could accept,] she finished simply. It had been a lie of necessity to convince them and prevent conflict. She didn't regret it.
Scyther finally met her gaze and stared for a while. Looking for something in her eyes. Eventually, he gave a slow nod, and started his translation. Bugsy listened along with rapt attention, occasionally scribbling something down in his journal.
"It's absolutely fascinating, seeing this sort of dynamic in a species that normally doesn't support it. Ariados and Spinarak rarely congregate in Johto - they're solitary predators for the most part. Seeing a… hm. A swarm? A swarm of them like this, working together and showing obedience to an Alpha is incredible. Frankly, I could write a paper on this - I probably will, once we're back home." Bugsy's hand was speeding along the page, scribbling madly as he noted things down. He was in his own little world.
The Ariados glanced at Scyther questioningly. The mantis pokemon just shrugged his shoulders.
[He gets like this, sometimes. So the Spinarak won't be a problem?] His question was casual, but there was a clear wariness in his voice.
It made sense - being surrounded by forty predatory pokemon like this, even weak ones, must be making his instincts flare. Scyther painted a tense picture - his blades scraping against one another, his wings occasionally ruffling with a need for flight. She didn't blame him. She remembered once, when she had climbed a tree and found a flock of Spearow within. The memory still sent shivers down her abdomen.
[No. If anything, they'll probably help you all out - they're very… devoted,] she muttered, looking away. It was a massive understatement - she had had to be very forceful to get the tribe to give her space, in the beginning. They had been, quite frankly, obsessed.
They still were.
"Bugsy, report. Has the Ariados successfully calmed down the swarm?" Clair's voice reached the little group as she strode over, her Dragonite trailing after her as always - a big, yellow, huggable shadow.
Bugsy beamed up at Clair, tucking his journal under one arm. "Yes! There was a bit of a misunderstanding - from what I gathered, they thought she was 'saving us for later', but she cleared things up. They should recognize us as friends, now," he happily explained, gesturing over where at least five Spinarak were clustered around a sweating, shivering Whitney.
One of them was inspecting her hair, commenting on 'how fine her silk was, and its lovely coloration'. Two others were inspecting her clothes from where they hung, commenting to each other on 'interesting weaving techniques'. The last two, clearly young to the Ariados' eyes, were attempting to climb her. Poor Milty hovered nearby, unsure of what to do. Tears were building in Whitney's eyes.
[She has had enough of your attention. Leave her be,] the Ariados barked, startling the group. They gave rapid shuffle-dances and frantic nods before scurrying back up into the understorey above. Whitney collapsed to her knees in relief. Clair glanced at the Ariados, the dragon tamer giving a nod of her own.
"Good. It's only been two days and this place is already throwing Feints at us. We'll need every advantage we can get," Clair muttered, arms crossed over her chest. "I suppose you'll want them to accompany us when we leave? A bit more than I bargained for, but I doubt you want to abandon your harem."
My what.
—
Most dragon types formed harems in the wild, with the largest and strongest of the group being in charge - a fact that the Ariados had been unaware of before Clair's hasty clarification. As a dragon tamer, it made sense for her to misunderstand the relationship between her and the tribe of Spinarak and Ariados.
It still annoyed and embarrassed her to no end. A small mercy that her kin couldn't understand the humans quite yet. They were bound to learn fast, however, given their interest. Even now, several of the spider pokemon were around the camp, investigating things and making conversation with trainers' pokemon. It was a novel experience, meeting pokemon not your own that you didn't need to hunt or fear. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"But yes, I do think we can manage to bring your… friends along with us. I'll have to request more pokeballs loaded onto the rescue ship, but that shouldn't be an issue - the League is still getting the operation set up," Clair elaborated, smiling up at the Ariados with a suspicious twinkle in her eye.
"Normally, such a huge influx of Ariados and Spinarak to Ilex Forest would cause issues with the local ecosystem, but Bugsy assures me that he has a plan for addressing that." Clair glanced at Bugsy, nodding for him to elaborate.
Bugsy stood straight, looking up from his notebook. "Yes! This is actually a huge opportunity for Azalea Town! We've been struggling to establish a primary export ever since apricorn balls fell out of fashion, and setting up a silk farm would be perfect. So long as they're willing to provide thread, we'd be happy to compensate them with imported food. There's a good spot in the forest itself for setting up an operation, actually, so that you and your tribe can still live in nature - er, that is, assuming they're interested…" he trailed off, looking a touch uncertain.
She mused on the idea for a moment. It wasn't bad by any means, and if she pitched the sale right she was certain her kin would jump at the opportunity. She could phrase it as a 'pilgrimage to the promised land', where 'food was plenty and predators scarce'. She was pretty sure anywhere would be safer than this jungle, and Bugsy would be supplying her and them with food for their efforts. Admittedly, she'd have to still deal with their fawning over her, but she wasn't so heartless as to leave them here - not if there was another option.
She gave a nod of acceptance, waving down one of the Ariados watching over this portion of the tribe - the other two thirds had split off to hunt for berries and raid her larder, respectively. He quickly scuttled over, performing his greeting dance which she mirrored.
[How may I serve, o Queen?] He asked, dipping low in a bow.
[Our new friends speak of a land of plenty beyond the great water, where predators are scarce and food abundant. Our thread is the finest they have seen, and they offer us a home in that blessed place in exchange for a regular supply. I intend to… pilgrimage there, but I will not demand that any of you accompany me. It is your choice to join me or remain here when the time comes. You will have time to-]
The Ariados had steadily begun to vibrate more and more as she spoke, his mandibles rapidly clicking together. He squirmed in place as if he was about to burst. Eventually, he could contain himself no longer, and rushed up onto the web above the camp, forelegs outstretched.
[Praise be! Our Queen blesses us with a miracle! She shall guide us to a land of plenty, a place where we shall flourish and thrive amongst our new kin! Even now, she prepares, waiting for the fated moment where she shall cross the water! Here me, o brothers and sisters! Prepare for pilgrimage! Spread the word!]
[HUZZAH!]
She stared at the absolute chaos that was unfolding as spider pokemon celebrated loudly, several members dashing away to no doubt alert the other members of the tribe. Slowly, she turned her attention back to Bugsy and Scyther, who were looking a bit shocked.
[They're on board with the idea.] The Ariados quietly let out a sigh of exasperation.
Perhaps just seeing me makes him uneasy?
It didn't really matter. She set the thought aside as she got within speaking distance, crawling down onto the side of the palisade from her web to look down at them. Bugsy moved closer, Scyther keeping pace.
"I'm so glad to see you back. The other gym leaders were starting to get antsy - when all those Spinarak showed up and started webbing over the exits to the camp, we thought they were attacking. But then they just… hung around, waiting. I tried to have Scyther communicate, but-"
[-All they would say were things like 'Patience, chosen ones. The Queen's return shall seal your fate'.] Scyther jumped in, gesturing vaguely in some of the Spinaraks' direction. Bugsy nodded along. She wasn't sure how much he was picking up, exactly, but he seemed to get the gist of Scyther's rant.
"Yeah, they were kind of stonewalling us for a bit. Clair was thinking that you might have sent them to guard the camp, but no one was really confident about that. We decided to wait for you to come back before trying anything ourselves - as long as the Spinarak didn't attack, anyway," Bugsy explained, grinning up at her.
There was a moment's pause, the young man looking up at her expectantly. She realized he wanted an explanation of her own, and internally she grimaced. If things had been quieter, she could have just told another white lie about how she had sent them. But she had made that big fancy speech, and she was pretty sure every pokemon within a hundred feet heard her.
Honesty it is, then. Dammit.
She took a deep breath. Best to just rip the band-aid off quickly.
[They're a tribe I trade with regularly for berries. They're also obsessed with me and think of me as their queen. When I wasn't at home, they apparently searched for me and found you all. They mistook the camp as… a farm, I suppose.]
She trailed off for a moment, frowning. She could see their perspective. If it had been a swarm of Ledyba that had arrived on the island rather than humans, well, she wouldn't have hesitated at the free meal. The thought made her uncomfortable, conflicted - older, forgotten parts of her grinding against this life's brutal practicality. She pressed forward.
[I returned, asked what was happening, and then, well… you heard the speech. I explained things in a way they could accept,] she finished simply. It had been a lie of necessity to convince them and prevent conflict. She didn't regret it.
Scyther finally met her gaze and stared for a while. Looking for something in her eyes. Eventually, he gave a slow nod, and started his translation. Bugsy listened along with rapt attention, occasionally scribbling something down in his journal.
"It's absolutely fascinating, seeing this sort of dynamic in a species that normally doesn't support it. Ariados and Spinarak rarely congregate in Johto - they're solitary predators for the most part. Seeing a… hm. A swarm? A swarm of them like this, working together and showing obedience to an Alpha is incredible. Frankly, I could write a paper on this - I probably will, once we're back home." Bugsy's hand was speeding along the page, scribbling madly as he noted things down. He was in his own little world.
The Ariados glanced at Scyther questioningly. The mantis pokemon just shrugged his shoulders.
[He gets like this, sometimes. So the Spinarak won't be a problem?] His question was casual, but there was a clear wariness in his voice.
It made sense - being surrounded by forty predatory pokemon like this, even weak ones, must be making his instincts flare. Scyther painted a tense picture - his blades scraping against one another, his wings occasionally ruffling with a need for flight. She didn't blame him. She remembered once, when she had climbed a tree and found a flock of Spearow within. The memory still sent shivers down her abdomen.
[No. If anything, they'll probably help you all out - they're very… devoted,] she muttered, looking away. It was a massive understatement - she had had to be very forceful to get the tribe to give her space, in the beginning. They had been, quite frankly, obsessed.
They still were.
"Bugsy, report. Has the Ariados successfully calmed down the swarm?" Clair's voice reached the little group as she strode over, her Dragonite trailing after her as always - a big, yellow, huggable shadow.
Bugsy beamed up at Clair, tucking his journal under one arm. "Yes! There was a bit of a misunderstanding - from what I gathered, they thought she was 'saving us for later', but she cleared things up. They should recognize us as friends, now," he happily explained, gesturing over where at least five Spinarak were clustered around a sweating, shivering Whitney.
One of them was inspecting her hair, commenting on 'how fine her silk was, and its lovely coloration'. Two others were inspecting her clothes from where they hung, commenting to each other on 'interesting weaving techniques'. The last two, clearly young to the Ariados' eyes, were attempting to climb her. Poor Milty hovered nearby, unsure of what to do. Tears were building in Whitney's eyes.
[She has had enough of your attention. Leave her be,] the Ariados barked, startling the group. They gave rapid shuffle-dances and frantic nods before scurrying back up into the understorey above. Whitney collapsed to her knees in relief. Clair glanced at the Ariados, the dragon tamer giving a nod of her own.
"Good. It's only been two days and this place is already throwing Feints at us. We'll need every advantage we can get," Clair muttered, arms crossed over her chest. "I suppose you'll want them to accompany us when we leave? A bit more than I bargained for, but I doubt you want to abandon your harem."
My what.
—
Most dragon types formed harems in the wild, with the largest and strongest of the group being in charge - a fact that the Ariados had been unaware of before Clair's hasty clarification. As a dragon tamer, it made sense for her to misunderstand the relationship between her and the tribe of Spinarak and Ariados.
It still annoyed and embarrassed her to no end. A small mercy that her kin couldn't understand the humans quite yet. They were bound to learn fast, however, given their interest. Even now, several of the spider pokemon were around the camp, investigating things and making conversation with trainers' pokemon. It was a novel experience, meeting pokemon not your own that you didn't need to hunt or fear. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"But yes, I do think we can manage to bring your… friends along with us. I'll have to request more pokeballs loaded onto the rescue ship, but that shouldn't be an issue - the League is still getting the operation set up," Clair elaborated, smiling up at the Ariados with a suspicious twinkle in her eye.
"Normally, such a huge influx of Ariados and Spinarak to Ilex Forest would cause issues with the local ecosystem, but Bugsy assures me that he has a plan for addressing that." Clair glanced at Bugsy, nodding for him to elaborate.
Bugsy stood straight, looking up from his notebook. "Yes! This is actually a huge opportunity for Azalea Town! We've been struggling to establish a primary export ever since apricorn balls fell out of fashion, and setting up a silk farm would be perfect. So long as they're willing to provide thread, we'd be happy to compensate them with imported food. There's a good spot in the forest itself for setting up an operation, actually, so that you and your tribe can still live in nature - er, that is, assuming they're interested…" he trailed off, looking a touch uncertain.
She mused on the idea for a moment. It wasn't bad by any means, and if she pitched the sale right she was certain her kin would jump at the opportunity. She could phrase it as a 'pilgrimage to the promised land', where 'food was plenty and predators scarce'. She was pretty sure anywhere would be safer than this jungle, and Bugsy would be supplying her and them with food for their efforts. Admittedly, she'd have to still deal with their fawning over her, but she wasn't so heartless as to leave them here - not if there was another option.
She gave a nod of acceptance, waving down one of the Ariados watching over this portion of the tribe - the other two thirds had split off to hunt for berries and raid her larder, respectively. He quickly scuttled over, performing his greeting dance which she mirrored.
[How may I serve, o Queen?] He asked, dipping low in a bow.
[Our new friends speak of a land of plenty beyond the great water, where predators are scarce and food abundant. Our thread is the finest they have seen, and they offer us a home in that blessed place in exchange for a regular supply. I intend to… pilgrimage there, but I will not demand that any of you accompany me. It is your choice to join me or remain here when the time comes. You will have time to-]
The Ariados had steadily begun to vibrate more and more as she spoke, his mandibles rapidly clicking together. He squirmed in place as if he was about to burst. Eventually, he could contain himself no longer, and rushed up onto the web above the camp, forelegs outstretched.
[Praise be! Our Queen blesses us with a miracle! She shall guide us to a land of plenty, a place where we shall flourish and thrive amongst our new kin! Even now, she prepares, waiting for the fated moment where she shall cross the water! Here me, o brothers and sisters! Prepare for pilgrimage! Spread the word!]
[HUZZAH!]
She stared at the absolute chaos that was unfolding as spider pokemon celebrated loudly, several members dashing away to no doubt alert the other members of the tribe. Slowly, she turned her attention back to Bugsy and Scyther, who were looking a bit shocked.
[They're on board with the idea.] The Ariados quietly let out a sigh of exasperation.
- Location
- Philippines
Wonder if Taylor the self insert will try her hand in making clothes again imagine other trainers panicking seeing Bugsy being wrapped around MCs web or her...swarm? Horde? Only to reveal a new shirt
Edit
Fun thought Taylor start knitting with her webs and legs and other spiders mimiking her like a knitting circle
Edit
Fun thought Taylor start knitting with her webs and legs and other spiders mimiking her like a knitting circle
Last edited:
Krazyfan1
Worrying for the future.
- Location
- Australia
this is not a worm crossover.
- Location
- Philippines
...yeah my bad I blame being a spider pokemon and having a swarm and silk products.
Either way i wonder if they can try knitting
Interlude: The Dragon Gate
New
Giratina's Triangle is a remote section of ocean populated with a small island chain, known for the frequent accidents that both ships and planes suffer while traveling through it. Also known for frequent, deadly, and sudden storms, the islands have been declared a Wild Zone. The pokemon there are known to be strong, without even a nominal human presence being present to domesticate them.
On one of these wild islands, there was once a brave Joltik, who dared climb to the heavens amidst torrential rain and thrashing winds. It was here, atop one of the largest trees of the island, that he found his passion, his muse, his quest.
His beautiful Queen.
—
"Damn you, you fiend! You cad! You hooligan! Release me at once! I demand it!"
…
"Do you hear me, you featherbrained fool!? I must insist you put me down post-haste! She chases us even now! If she gets her claws on you, you're done for! I am her consort and she will not stand for this!"
The Fearow glanced down at the ground far below, spotting the massive, purple-and-blue bullet that raced across the island after him, a pink glow suffusing her form, visible even through the trees' canopy. If anything, she seemed to be getting faster. A nugget of fear wormed its way into his heart and he changed course, angling for the next island over.
After all, no matter how fast she was, surely an Ariados couldn't swim.
"My Queen! Wait for me! I swear I shall return! This villain shall not keep me from you long, this I promise!"
The prey in his mouth continued his yapping, even as he flew across the thin strip of ocean that separated the two islands. Soon enough, he spotted a nice roost to enjoy his meal, with plenty of cover. It was as he landed that he realized his deadly mistake.
The creature in his beak was not prey at all.
"Haha! Land at last! Have at you!"
K-ZAPPPPPP-
And so the Fearow's thoughts came to a sudden and fatal end.
—
"I tell you, my good man, she was as big as a boulder and at least thrice as beautiful. Her eyes were like twin sapphires and glimmered like the stars above! Why, her chitin's shine could blind a lesser bug, but not I, no - I could see her magnificence quite clearly, oh yes."
Burble. Bubble?
"Hm? What's that, you ask? How will I return? Bah, I'll find a way, don't you doubt. It shall be simplicity itself, I am quite sure. I shan't let a mere ocean keep me from my Queen, of that I can promise you. This is one quest I refuse to fail!"
Blubbub?
"Oho? You want to join me, do you? I've sold you on her charms? Of course I have! How could I not? You're more than welcome to accompany me, my good fish! I know, how about we train you up, eh? I'll show you the ropes, get you in fighting shape, and then we can make our way across together! It should only take a fortnight to bring you up to snuff! Come now, training begins immediately! Fifty laps around the island, fast as you can swim! We'll make a warrior of you yet!"
"Karp!"
"I do say man, your accent is quite terrible. We'll need to work on that before I introduce you, eh?"
—
A great river wound its way from the center of an island within Giratina's Triangle, its inhabitants cruel and bloodthirsty, wild Carvanna more than happy to take a bite out of any fool who dared dip their feet within.
"That's it, my good man! Keep up the pace! No better motivator than fear, I say! Swiftly, now, swiftly! I think they're gaining on you old boy!"
"'Karp!"
"Good, good! Stamina is crucial, even beyond raw strength! Why, my dear Queen could go three nights without sleeping! Truly, it was magnificent to behold! Her raw determination, her endless reserves! It stirs my heart just thinking about it! It's been months, and yet I can see her beautiful visage even now!"
"Karp?"
"Eh? Ha! You sly dog! No, of course not! We merely watched the stars together! … I haven't popped the question yet, but I'm sure she'll say yes! You've got to have confidence in these sorts of matters, I say! Oop, look out! Going to have to jump up to this next part!"
"Karp?!"
"Of course you can do it! Just think of the alternative waiting behind you! That's sure to get your blood pumping!"
—
"That's it, man! You've got it, I believe in you! Just a little farther!"
A series of waterfalls roared in the center of an island within Giratina's Triangle. Whitewater crashed from one to the next, pouring out from a great pond at the top of a small mountain. It was topped with a half-circle of stone, carved smooth over the many years of its existence.
And near the top of this waterfall, a grand struggle was taking place.
A Magikarp, one of the weakest pokemon known to man, gave its all in its ascension. His fins surged with determination, with the certainty that he could do this, that he could cross this final hurdle. He had been inspired and encouraged by his first friend, his stalwart ally, his great inspiration.
He would prove himself! He would prove he was strong enough to go with his friend and help reunite him with his lost love. His heart surged with feeling as the edge of the final waterfall grew closer.
This was it! Years of training, about to pay off!
"This is it, my boy! The final stretch! Proof of your efforts, of your struggle! One. Last. PUSH!"
And with that final bit of encouragement and a last surge of power…
The Magikarp cleared the final hurdle and passed through the stone gate. Light flared as his body glowed with an inner light, suspended midair. It lengthened and grew, becoming undeniably serpentine.
At the top of the falls, a carp cleared the gate, and became a dragon.
—
And atop that very same gate, his friend raised his forelegs in admiration and praise, furry yellow limbs lifted high. The time had come. He would finally return home - he would bring an end to this grand adventure!
And if she had moved on? Bah! For her, he'd crawl to the end of the world and back.
For she was his quest.
On one of these wild islands, there was once a brave Joltik, who dared climb to the heavens amidst torrential rain and thrashing winds. It was here, atop one of the largest trees of the island, that he found his passion, his muse, his quest.
His beautiful Queen.
—
"Damn you, you fiend! You cad! You hooligan! Release me at once! I demand it!"
…
"Do you hear me, you featherbrained fool!? I must insist you put me down post-haste! She chases us even now! If she gets her claws on you, you're done for! I am her consort and she will not stand for this!"
The Fearow glanced down at the ground far below, spotting the massive, purple-and-blue bullet that raced across the island after him, a pink glow suffusing her form, visible even through the trees' canopy. If anything, she seemed to be getting faster. A nugget of fear wormed its way into his heart and he changed course, angling for the next island over.
After all, no matter how fast she was, surely an Ariados couldn't swim.
"My Queen! Wait for me! I swear I shall return! This villain shall not keep me from you long, this I promise!"
The prey in his mouth continued his yapping, even as he flew across the thin strip of ocean that separated the two islands. Soon enough, he spotted a nice roost to enjoy his meal, with plenty of cover. It was as he landed that he realized his deadly mistake.
The creature in his beak was not prey at all.
"Haha! Land at last! Have at you!"
K-ZAPPPPPP-
And so the Fearow's thoughts came to a sudden and fatal end.
—
"I tell you, my good man, she was as big as a boulder and at least thrice as beautiful. Her eyes were like twin sapphires and glimmered like the stars above! Why, her chitin's shine could blind a lesser bug, but not I, no - I could see her magnificence quite clearly, oh yes."
Burble. Bubble?
"Hm? What's that, you ask? How will I return? Bah, I'll find a way, don't you doubt. It shall be simplicity itself, I am quite sure. I shan't let a mere ocean keep me from my Queen, of that I can promise you. This is one quest I refuse to fail!"
Blubbub?
"Oho? You want to join me, do you? I've sold you on her charms? Of course I have! How could I not? You're more than welcome to accompany me, my good fish! I know, how about we train you up, eh? I'll show you the ropes, get you in fighting shape, and then we can make our way across together! It should only take a fortnight to bring you up to snuff! Come now, training begins immediately! Fifty laps around the island, fast as you can swim! We'll make a warrior of you yet!"
"Karp!"
"I do say man, your accent is quite terrible. We'll need to work on that before I introduce you, eh?"
—
A great river wound its way from the center of an island within Giratina's Triangle, its inhabitants cruel and bloodthirsty, wild Carvanna more than happy to take a bite out of any fool who dared dip their feet within.
"That's it, my good man! Keep up the pace! No better motivator than fear, I say! Swiftly, now, swiftly! I think they're gaining on you old boy!"
"'Karp!"
"Good, good! Stamina is crucial, even beyond raw strength! Why, my dear Queen could go three nights without sleeping! Truly, it was magnificent to behold! Her raw determination, her endless reserves! It stirs my heart just thinking about it! It's been months, and yet I can see her beautiful visage even now!"
"Karp?"
"Eh? Ha! You sly dog! No, of course not! We merely watched the stars together! … I haven't popped the question yet, but I'm sure she'll say yes! You've got to have confidence in these sorts of matters, I say! Oop, look out! Going to have to jump up to this next part!"
"Karp?!"
"Of course you can do it! Just think of the alternative waiting behind you! That's sure to get your blood pumping!"
—
"That's it, man! You've got it, I believe in you! Just a little farther!"
A series of waterfalls roared in the center of an island within Giratina's Triangle. Whitewater crashed from one to the next, pouring out from a great pond at the top of a small mountain. It was topped with a half-circle of stone, carved smooth over the many years of its existence.
And near the top of this waterfall, a grand struggle was taking place.
A Magikarp, one of the weakest pokemon known to man, gave its all in its ascension. His fins surged with determination, with the certainty that he could do this, that he could cross this final hurdle. He had been inspired and encouraged by his first friend, his stalwart ally, his great inspiration.
He would prove himself! He would prove he was strong enough to go with his friend and help reunite him with his lost love. His heart surged with feeling as the edge of the final waterfall grew closer.
This was it! Years of training, about to pay off!
"This is it, my boy! The final stretch! Proof of your efforts, of your struggle! One. Last. PUSH!"
And with that final bit of encouragement and a last surge of power…
The Magikarp cleared the final hurdle and passed through the stone gate. Light flared as his body glowed with an inner light, suspended midair. It lengthened and grew, becoming undeniably serpentine.
At the top of the falls, a carp cleared the gate, and became a dragon.
—
And atop that very same gate, his friend raised his forelegs in admiration and praise, furry yellow limbs lifted high. The time had come. He would finally return home - he would bring an end to this grand adventure!
And if she had moved on? Bah! For her, he'd crawl to the end of the world and back.
For she was his quest.
I dub thee Joltik, Don Quixote. Chase the dream, little dude.