[Pokémon] [SWC] Rivers and Waterfalls - Oneshot

A little note - this story is a spin-off from a massive comedy story I wrote for a friend. There are a lot of characters in it (I even removed some for this shorter story) and two of them are based on anime characters - Shuu the Zorua is based on Kano from Mekakucity Actors and Vector the Meowstic is based on Accelerator from A Certain Magical Index. This isn't relevant to the plot in this short story, but I thought I should mention it nevertheless.
Place in Small Writing Competition - 4th


"You know, I still don't understand why they're sending us on this mission."

Jimmy crossed his arms and trudged on ahead of his Oshawott friend.

Del sighed and shook her head at the Snivy, peering down once again at the request form. It was scrawled in Pika's odd paw-writing, requesting the gathering of as many cheri berries as their small team could find. Oddly enough they weren't the only team sent out to gather rather specific berries.

"I mean, doesn't Rexi normally gather these berries?" Jimmy went on. "He's the chef and all. I just assumed he went out and got them himself."

"Oh stop complaining, Leaf Butt!"

The exclamation had come from Mushu, taking the pair of them by surprise. Jimmy actually came to a halt and the both of them looked back at the small Emolga. He stood with his paws crossed over his chest fixing the Snivy with what he hoped was an intimidating glare (and given Mushu's volatile personality, it actually worked).

"Pika asked us to go and get berries, so we're gonna go and get berries!" Mushu went on. "And if you weren't already aware, this is a competition!"

"It is?" Jimmy snatched the request form from Del's paws, causing her to let out a yell and rub them together before quickly checking for paper cuts. "Oh what do you know. So it is."

Del stood on tiptoes to look over his shoulder. Sure enough, in tiny little letters right beneath the deadline – which was evening – was the word 'contest'.

"Why didn't he just say?" Jimmy grumbled. "I'd be much more motivated."

"Maybe that's why." Del took the form back and stuffed it in her bag. "He wants to challenge us to see how motivated we are. Clearly the most motivated team will win."

"And that's gonna be us."

"He probably also wants to see if we have good eyesight," Del added.

"Eyes like a hawk." Jimmy waddled on, his long tail sweeping left and right over the lush grass.

"What's a hawk?" Mushu squeaked.

Jimmy blinked and cleared his throat. "Erm... it's another name for a – erm... Talonflame."

Del shook her head. It was easy to forget the other Pokemon here had forgotten they weren't actually Pokemon.

"Argh!"

The loud cry had come from Jimmy causing Del to jump out of her skin. The Snivy was waving a claw at a group of Pokemon in the distance all gathering beside a sitrus tree situated by a river and talking in raised voices. Just beyond them on the opposite bank was a berry orchard.

"They're gonna beat us!"

Jimmy raced on ahead.

"Hey! Calm down!" Del waddled after him, almost tripping over her flippers.

Mushu shot past them both on all-fours with a cry of, "See you later, Smugleaf!"

"Oi!" Jimmy picked up his pace. "We're on the same team!"

Del chased after them, watching as Jimmy overtook the fast Emolga. Things looked to be going quite well, until the Snivy lost his footing and his legs flew one after the other as his nose slowly lowered towards the ground making him look like a jet-car, his arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance. Del's eyes widened as everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Mushu leapt aside as Gil the Riolu turned around with a look of amusement and surprise in his eyes as Jimmy rocketed towards him. His pointed nose struck the ground, digging up the earth and bringing him to a sudden halt. His rear end hadn't quite got the message as his tail arced over his head sending him gracefully through the air and over the heads of Shuu the Zorua, Peg the Teddiursa and Kiki the Eevee. Their expressions changed from amused surprise to sheer alarm as Jimmy plummeted tail first into the river with an almighty splash.

This was when speed returned to normal as the water careened over the bodies of those unfortunate enough to be stood too close to the river and Mushu's hysterical laughter filled the air as he rolled onto his back with his paws clasped over his stomach.

"Good gracious!" A large Tyranitar crouched down by the river to help the flailing Snivy. "I can't reach! Oh no, Jimmy!" He stood up and turned to address the other Pokemon, his tail almost sending Gil into the water to join his friend. "What do we do?!"

"Be careful for one thing!" Gil barked, stepping back from the Tyranitar. "You forget your size, Rexi."

"Yes, I always have." Rexi tapped the stone scalchop on his stomach and looked hesitantly back at Jimmy. He sighed. "We must do something!"

"What about the berries?" Shuu asked, inclining his head on one side.

"Forget the berries!" Kiki snapped. "Jimmy's going to drown!"

A small spray of water flew out of Jimmy's mouth as he flailed his arms, managing to grasp onto a slippery rock long enough to shout;

"Help? Please?"

All eyes turned to Del.

"What are you looking at me for?" She asked. "I hate swimming."

"You're an Oshawott," Gil told her.

"Yes. And allegedly, so's Rexi." She nodded at the Tyranitar.

"But I can't swim," he told her. "I sink."

Shuu snorted laughter. "Yes. Like a rock."

Kiki elbowed him while Peg fixed him with an intense glare. The Zorua chuckled and edged away from them.

"We could fashion a rope?" Kiki suggested. "I can go and fetch my sewing kit and we can all make French braids and tie them together."

Del placed her paw on the Eevee's nose as she tried to head back to Pika's Place.

"No time," she told her. She looked at the other Pokemon. "Can anyone here swim?"

"He can use vine whip." Shuu nodded at Jimmy.

"Ooh!" Del's eyes widened and she ran to the river's bank. "Jimmy, send out your vines!"

"Can't!" Jimmy's nose briefly vanished under the water and he came back out sputtering and clutching the algae-covered rock. "Too busy drowning!"

"Don't you mean you're trying not to drown?" Shuu peered down at him. "Or is that what you, like, call it when all efforts fail?" He laughed again.

Kiki leered at him. "Shut up or I will push you in."

"Okay." Del straightened up and turned to the other Pokemon. "Since none of us here can help him, I think we need to try something more elaborate."

"Like what?" Gil crossed his arms.

"Well let's see. How many of us are there?" Del did a quick head-count.

Rexi, Kiki, Peg, Shuu, Mushu, Gil and the previously overlooked Vector who was standing a little away from them with an incredibly unimpressed look on his face. Either he was feeling bitter that their competition had been interrupted or bitter that he felt he was in no way helpful to the situation.

She stared at the oddly-coloured black and white Meowstic for a moment before turning to look at the rest of the gang.

"We all have our own unique skills," Del explained. "I say we put them into action."

"Okay." Kiki grinned. "Shall I get that French braid kit?"

"No." Del nudged Mushu towards Kiki and Peg. "You three gather as many vines as you can find and weave them together. Mushu can get higher into the trees to drag them down for you." She turned to Rexi. "Can you use your stone scalchop to cut down a tree? We need to make a bridge so we can reach him easier."

"We might need a raft." Gil was staring at the river.

Del followed his gaze and her eyes widened with horror as she watched Jimmy flow away downstream with a cry of despair. He snatched helplessly onto another slippery stone before being washed further away.

She turned to Kiki and Peg. "Hurry up with that rope!"

She bolted along the river with the rest of the group in tow. Frothy water licked the riverbed and smashed into large stones, washing Jimmy further downstream and bouncing him off algae-smothered rocks like a green ball in an endless pinball game.

"Oh no!"

Rexi's red eyes opened wide and he pointed a short claw at something that took Del's breath away. The roar of water that she'd dismissed as being nothing more than the speed of the river was in fact a terrifying waterfall.

"Oh no, Jimmy!" She picked up her pace but tripped over her flippers and landed face-first in the damp grass.

Someone leapt over her back, little paws hitting the back of her head and ramming her face further into the dirt. She looked up at the bouncing black tail of a Zorua as Shuu galloped on ahead.

Firm claws grabbed her scruff and pulled her to her feet.

"Let me lend you a paw there, little sister." Rexi gave her a little grin. "I have an idea."

She stared helplessly at Jimmy as he was washed closer and closer to the waterfall's edge.

"I hope it's a fast one," she said sadly.

"We cut down a tree and block his access to the waterfall," Rexi explained. "Then he can climb onto it and reach dry land."

"It won't work," Gil told him. "We can't outrun the river."

Before Del could add to his comment her heart sank as Shuu threw himself into the river. He grabbed onto Jimmy's neck-leaves and strained to drag him to shore. The current proved too strong and the both of them were carried towards the waterfall.

"Oh for goodness' sake!" Kiki appeared at her side with Peg and Mushu. "Always trying to be a hero."

The Eevee ran along the riverbed clutching a long string of vines in her jaws. Peg was holding another end waving it over her head like a lasso. She sent it flying towards the Zorua.

Mushu leapt into a tree and cupped his paws around his mouth. "Grab on!"

Shuu grabbed the vine in his jaws as Jimmy wrapped his claws firmly in his ruff. Kiki and Peg pulled on the vine dragging the Zorua slowly to shore. Del and Rexi grabbed onto the vine to help. Things seemed to be going quite well-

"Wahh!"

-until Jimmy lost his grip and was washed to the waterfall's edge.

"No!" Del cried.

Gil shot past her like a dart. He found himself thrown backwards as the black and white form of Vector flew past him. Each leap seemed effortless as he flew towards the waterfall over Jimmy's head and was consumed by the water. Jimmy's small green body vanished over the edge and a shrill scream filled the air.

Del's heart sank. Was it really over?

Shuu scrambled onto the bank and shook water from his fur as he stared in horror at the waterfall.

Kiki dropped the vine and opened her mouth to say something but was cut off as a flash of light lit up the woods. Water exploded from the river with the force of a Wailord's water spout. A green dot fell down from the sky and vanished into the branches of a tree just above their heads.

"Mirror Coat!" Kiki gasped.

"Jimmy!" Del stared up into the branches.

"Yeh." A very wet Snivy stared down at her from next to Mushu. "Could you get me down? I don't like heights."

As Rexi reached up to help Jimmy, Del stared helplessly at the waterfall. Peg's quiet voice reflected her thoughts.

"Vector's not come back."

Del shook her head as the Teddiursa went on.

"He shouldn't be using those attacks."

'No,' Del thought. 'He shouldn't.'

Several worse-case-scenarios played through her mind. Vector only knew four moves, three of which were illegal. Every time he used one, it sapped his strength.

"Can you see him, Gil?" Kiki shouted to the Riolu.

Gil was searching over the edge of the steep drop, his paw shielding his eyes from the cloud of vapour that rose up from the falling sheet of water.

"No!" Gil had to shout to be heard over the roar of the rushing water. "I thought he would have shot himself up when he rescued Jimmy!"

The remaining Pokemon joined Gil, straining their eyes to try and spot the Meowstic in the river below. The bed of jagged rocks did not look inviting. Even if he were amongst them, it would be near impossible to tell from this distance as his colouring would have blended perfectly with the grey and white stones and dramatic shadows cast between them.

"Who are we kidding?" Mushu snorted. "We can't see him from way up here!"

The little Emolga shot from the edge of the cliff, gliding towards a precarious branch low down on the opposite side.

"No! Mushu!" Del wailed. She watched the Emolga anxiously as he landed on the branch and steadied himself. "Be careful!" She called out.

Mushu looked back up at them and shouted something but his voice was drowned out by the waterfall.

"What was that?" Asked Shuu.

The little Emolga waved his arms and pointed at the rocks.

"He says he can see him," said Peg over her paw.

"You can hear him?" Kiki asked.

"I can lip read."

"I'm going down," Gil told them. "Kiki, can you help me secure myself with those vines?"

Kiki and Peg set to work winding the vines around Gil's arms and torso. Once he was secured, Rexi grabbed hold of the rope and Gil threw himself over the edge.

The other Pokemon joined in holding the vine as Gil was lowered towards the rocks. They reached the end quickly, leaving Gil hovering several feet above the water.

"I need more slack!" He shouted up at them.

"We have no more slack!" Cried Jimmy.

"Then I need more vines!"

Five pairs of eyes turned to Jimmy. His tail drooped and he looked at each Pokemon in turn.

"You can't be serious?"

"You have vines," said Peg. "We need to use them."

Kiki nodded.

"But..." Jimmy gulped. "I nearly drowned."

Peg stared at him intensely which caused him to gulp again and look down at the rocks below.

Mushu flew across the gap and latched onto the rope, scrambling up it with all the dexterity a squirrel could muster. He stood next to Jimmy and joined Peg's staring.

"Smugleaf doesn't wanna help?" The Emolga asked.

"You'll be fine," Del told Jimmy in what she hoped was a convincing manner despite her doubts. "Just do what Mushu did, only in reverse. I'm sure Gil won't let you fall when he's got you."

"All right." Jimmy's voice wavered as he moved to the edge of the cliff and clutched on to the vines like a life line. He looked down at Gil then looked back up and screwed his eyes shut. "I'm coming down, Gil!"

The other Pokemon watched as Jimmy wriggled down the vine.

"He's not very graceful is he?" Peg stated.

"Well, he doesn't like heights," Kiki explained.

Mushu snorted out laughter and fell onto his back in fits of giggles.

Within no time, Jimmy was clutched in Gil's paws while he extended his vines into the rocks. The motionless form of Vector was wrapped up in them and Gil turned his head to shout up at his friends.

"Pull us up!"

Together, they yanked on the vine, raising Gil effortlessly back onto solid ground. He fell onto his back and released Jimmy who rolled off him and gasped for breath. It took him a moment or two to finally release Vector from his vine whip.

"Is he okay?" Del placed him in a sitting position against the nearest tree. "Did the impact knock him out?"

"No." Gil stood up and dusted himself down. "The rocks were cracked."

"He cracked the rocks?" Shuu gasped. "That, like, must have hurt!"

"Not at all," Gil told him. "He clearly used Counter to break his fall."

"Wow." Kiki scratched her head as she stared at the motionless Meowstic. "I think he also used that to beat Jimmy to the waterfall as he jumped."

"How do you use Counter to jump?" Shuu laughed.

"Kick the ground," Gil explained. "Reflect the impact."

"Oh." Shuu nodded. "That... makes sense now."

Vector murmured something and opened his eyes. "Where am I?"

"Oh, the poor thing's exhausted himself!" Kiki rummaged through her bag and pulled out five sitrus berries. "Here, Vector. Take them all, I don't care if we lose this competition any more."

The Meowstic coughed into his paw and wiped blood from his mouth. He gratefully took one of Kiki's berries and bit into it.

"You saved my life," Jimmy reminded him. "Thank you."

"Whatever." Vector waved a paw and grunted. "Just don't do anything stupid again, all right?"

Small chuckles came from the rest of the Pokemon and Del felt a huge wave of relief.

"He's back." Kiki smiled.

"Well done!"

They looked up at the tree. Sat amongst the branches was Pika complete with his little tailcoat and tie.

"You've won!"

"Won?" Gil snorted. "Won what?"

"The contest!" Pika hopped from the tree and landed next to Vector. "I was testing you to see what meant more to you – winning a competition or friendship. That's why I sent you all to the same orchard!"

"Oi!" Jimmy crossed his arms. "Is that why I nearly drowned?" He paused. "And almost cost Vector his life?"

"Oh no, no!" Pika laughed and waved his paw. "I couldn't have arranged that if I tried! That was just a... I want to say 'fortunate addition' but I feel like I might get in trouble if I say that."

Mushu's cheeks sparked violently as he glared at the Pikachu.

"No, there was nothing fortunate about this event except that it proved one important thing." Pika folded his paws behind his back and smiled at the group of Pokemon. "It proved to me that despite being three individual rescue teams, you can all work as one when the time calls for it."

The group exchanged glances.

"This competition is over." Pika grinned. "There are celebrations in the dining hall if you wish to head back?"

"But we didn't get the berries," Del told him.

"There's no need! We have plenty. This was merely a test!"

Jimmy clenched his paws then sighed and relaxed.

"I guess... we did learn something." He let out another sigh. "Okay, I'm all for heading back now."

Del patted him on the shoulder and followed the Pikachu back towards Pika's Place.

They made their way along the little path through the field, Peg walking on ahead of them as she steadied Vector on her arm.

Jimmy folded his paws behind his head. "Can you promise me something, Del."

"Hmm?" Del glanced at the Snivy.

"When we next get a mission handed to us... please make sure it's not near a bed of water?"

Del nodded. "Yes. I shall definitely make note of that."