fanfiction Lovesick: A Moment Of Silence

[ArdillaVerde93]

Some of you know I have a story on here called Lovesick. It's about a sick Shaymin in love with a trainer who wants to cure her. Well, I decided to write a prequel of sorts. This explains why Shaymin is with the trainer, despite being wild. This was touched on, but not really elaborated on. If I may stroke my cock ego for a bit, Lovesick is still up, and available for reading.~

 

  There's more than one Shaymin. More than one Latios. More than one Latias. It makes sense, doesn't it? When you think about it, it's a bit ludicrous to step back and take in the view of a windswept meadow or a treacherous forest and think every blade of grass, every tree, every flower, and every dandelion puff was all the work of a single entity. Arceus Himself didn't even create Sinnoh single-handedly, let alone the myriad of species that live there. That's precisely why the Legendaries exist. Clearly, though, these deities are not immortal. Not invincible. The mere fact that a Shaymin had the incredibly poor fortune to contract a rare and fatal disease is proof of this. But that wasn't her first brush with death.
 

  All Shaymin have access to an island in the extreme northeast of Sinnoh. The sun beat down on this one in particular that day as she tended to her property. As it usually did; when Arceus designated that bit of land for the original Shaymin and her descendants, He called on Groudon and Kyogre, to ensure that the weather there would be hospitable towards the growth and health of abundant plant life. Shaymin herself included, of course. Judging by what, indeed, could only be called an abundance of plant life, it clearly worked. Few humans have ever been lucky enough to see what they've rather appropriately dubbed "Flower Paradise," but the general consensus is that, besides Shaymin, no wild Pokémon live there. This is simply fallacy. However, one can hardly blame the misinformed for being misinformed, given what the truth actually is. The plant life does attract Pokémon. However, humans do not typically have the opportunity to venture to the Flower Paradise unless Shaymin allows it. This is relevant because the wild Pokémon hide when a guest of Shaymin approaches. To date, the Flower Paradise has been home to dozens of Shaymin, and these Shaymin have played host to a myriad of human guests.
 

  Among these humans lucky enough to be granted an audience with the rulers of fertility, most have been trainers. However, there are exceptions to every rule. It's known that Professor Samuel Oak is permitted entry. As well, engaged and married couples are sometimes shown favour and allowed to enter. In fact, at least one recorded incident has taken place in which a Shaymin, having particular interest in a wedding, posed as the bride's bouquet. It is not the case, however, that Shaymin are attracted by the victorious, the studious, or even the betrothed. Rather, what attracts a Shaymin is gratitude. Of course, Shaymin have personalities all their own. But, as a whole, as a biological instinct, these wondrous deities are drawn to the thankful. Shaymin, as well, are quick to show gratitude of their own. In the Sinnoh region, in fact, Shaymin's name is evoked as the punchline of jeers directed towards the overly talkative, or the overly polite.
 

  Shaymin winced as sweat stung her eyes; only now did she realise how long she had been tending her island-wide garden. Moreover, the scent of rain was faint in the air, and she knew she'd soon have to retreat to her shelter. First, of course, her eyes needed cared for. Pure, clean water flowed in a spring nearby, and she used it to splash the sweat out of her eyes. As she blinked the last bits of water away, she smiled. She couldn't help herself from being prideful, gaze resting upon a magical garden of her own creation. Everything seemed to be in order, and the rain would only aid in their growth. Content with that knowledge, Shaymin began the short journey towards shelter. A burrow, cleverly hidden beneath one of the countless flower patches dotting the island. She had fashioned it with her powers some time ago. She wasn't the only one preparing for the rain, either. As she padded towards home, another smile crept up on her. Above, a group of Butterfree searched for a safe place to land. Being a Grass type, Shaymin typically disliked Bug types. She knew these Butterfree, however, and knew them to be friendly. "Come with me," she offered the worried couple. "I'll make room for you." Grateful trills were her reply from the winged beauties as they followed close behind her. They likely wouldn't have much room to spread their wings, but it was a far better alternative to getting caught out in the open during rain. It wouldn't kill them on its own, but their senses would be dulled, making them easy prey. For all of the next few minutes, all was well. It's a shame it couldn't stay like that.
 

  For starters, neither Celebi nor Dialga smiled upon her that day; time was not on her side, and rain was dampening her fur before her burrow was in sight. Then again, not much was in sight as it was, with the suddenly harsh wind blowing a curtain of leaves in front of her vision. Hearing the worried cries of the Butterfree behind her, Shaymin acted quickly. Not wholly unlike a child throwing a tantrum, she stomped on the ground with a stubby forepaw. All at once, vibrant flowers sprang up, leading to her burrow. Of course, Shaymin herself didn't need reminded of its location. But she rarely had guests there, and wasn't about to risk her friends getting lost. Due to her stature, she could only trust her ears in this situation, as the blowing leaves obstructed her vision, especially since the oncoming storm prevented her from reaching Sky Forme. But she was content with the wingbeats she could hear growing ever fainter before being drowned out by the howling wind. Meanwhile, she kept running. The sad truth, however, is that she didn't get far.
 

  To give credit where it's due, even with the path ahead obscured, Shaymin hardly seemed to have any trouble, her paws crushing fallen leaves and kicking up rainwater as she ran. But something felt wrong. Not just wrong, but very wrong. Shaymin was able to run for only a few seconds before fatigue hit her hard. At once, her gait went from a sprint to a weak stagger. Her breaths came shakily, and with much difficulty. She burst into a fit of harsh coughing, whimpering as every cough hurt. "What..." Shaymin could barely speak; she could hardly hear herself over the cacophony of nature's wrath around her, and the weak voice she had was mostly drowned out by coughs. Her chest burned as though she had just swallowed something too hot to be eaten or drank. "Wh-What... " Shaymin stammered desperately; this was all happening so fast. "What's... happening... t-to me?" She couldn't run anymore; whatever was doing this to her, she was helpless to stop it. Then, a flash of red filled her vision, before the world turned black.
 

  Shaymin awoke some time later, in a daze. Without even opening her eyes, she knew full well she was no longer in the familiar surroundings of Flower Paradise. Whatever she was resting on was soft and plush. Certainly not the ground she passed out on. Without opening her eyes, she shifted her position. Yes; certainly, this was a bed. And not the one she had fashioned for herself out of shed bits of fluff from Jumpluff and Whimsicott. Had Arceus teleported her away from the storm when she lost consciousness? She wasn't able to keep that thought in her head for too long, however, before a voice spoke. "Good; she's waking up." Shaymin finally opened her eyes. That voice. A young adult male. She didn't know who the voice belonged to, but it certainly wasn't Arceus.
 

  A boy stood over her, gaze fixed on her, and with a warm smile on his face. He wore similar attire to what Shaymin remembered Professor Oak wearing. A white coat, partially open, over a red shirt. Khaki pants adorned his legs, and he wore sneakers, mostly red and with light grey mesh, over plain white socks. Shaymin didn't feel threatened by him; merely uneasy. Nonetheless, she wanted answers. She opened her mouth, but, to her immense shock, could only manage a sort of raspy squeak. What's more, that short vocalisation caused her great pain. Her throat and chest both burned, quickly silencing her. "You can't talk?" the boy asked. Shaymin noted the genuine concern in his voice before nodding. Though she sensed no malicious intent, Shaymin didn't lower her guard. "Can you do me a favour?" the mysterious boy continued. Shaymin cocked her head quizically, allowing him to continue. "I know you must be in a lot of pain, but could you roll over? On your back, I mean. I think I know what's wrong, but I have to make sure." Shaymin complied, nearly as eager as this boy was to identify her illness.
 

  No sooner had Shaymin moved onto her back, her leafy quills flattening against her fur, then the boy produced an odd device. Shaymin was certain she had seen it before. But what was it called? A "stellar scope?" She shook the thought from her mind; far more important problems were present at the moment than pronunciation. "This will be cold" was the only warning she received before the boy placed 2 nubs on one end of the device into his ears, then pressed the other end - a flat metal disc - gently against her chest. It was indeed cold, but Shaymin didn't react, as she was warned beforehand. Besides, she suddenly realised something. Upon closer inspection, this boy was wearing white gloves. He wasn't a professor; he was a doctor! This revelation calmed her significantly. At least she was in good hands. Finally, the odd device was pulled away, though only to be repositioned on a different area of her chest. "Can you take a deep breath for me?" the doctor asked politely. "In through your nose, and out through your mouth." Again, Shaymin complied with the innocuous request. Soon after that, the device was again pulled back. This time, the doctor removed the nubs from his ears. "Your heartbeat is fine, which is a relief. But your breathing is definitely laboured." After that explanation, the doctor sat on the edge of the bed. Shaymin righted herself and listened intently as a few medical terms were tossed about. But the topic of the conversation changed quickly as a gloved hand was extended towards her. "I'm sorry; please forgive my poor manners. My name is Tyler Miller. I found you unconscious, and brought you to this Pokémon Centre." In spite of the situation, Shaymin found stifling a giggle rather difficult. Tyler's politeness was welcomed, of course. But it had been quite some time since anybody had spoken to Shaymin with such reverence. Blushing beneath the stark white fur of her cheeks, she nuzzled the boy's hand. Faced with affection from a deity, Tyler's professionalism faded somewhat. "U-Umm... See,... what's wrong is..." Unlike Shaymin, Tyler had no fur cloaking his cheeks. Therefore, when he blushed, it was very obvious. For just a few seconds, Shaymin was glad her voice was shot. At least Tyler couldn't hear her giggling as she backed off to allow him to diagnose her. Even then, Tyler needed a moment to compose himself. The next minute or so was spent in relative silence, save for the sounds of scribbling as Tyler wrote on a chart. "O-Okay. I won't keep you waiting anymore. Your symptoms add up to what I'm sure is bacterial pneumonia."
 

  It was, no pun intended, the perfect storm. Treating Pokémon is complicated, in and of itself. They can typically understand humans, but humans cannot easily understand them. Moreover, while Tyler was able to understand some Pokémon language, Shaymin couldn't speak, anyway. So the doctor could only assume his explanation got through to her. "There was blood on your face, mostly near your mouth. Since you were unconscious when I found you, my guess is that you coughed up blood right before passing out. So you fell in it." Tyler hesitated. Could Shaymin understand him? She was staring in wide-eyed shock, implying that the diagnosis worried her, or that she at least understood it. Of course, for all Tyler knew, it could just have been the word "blood" that got her attention, since even Pokémon tend to associate that word with injury or illness. It wasn't until Shaymin gave a slight nod that Tyler continued. "The likely reason for you losing your voice is that the coughing you were doing damaged your vocal cords. With pneumonia, that can definitely happen. Your lungs fill with fluid, and you start coughing to get rid of it." Again, wanting to make sure Shaymin understood him, Tyler fell silent until she responded with a nod. At that, however, he allowed a smile to come through. "There's good news, though. I can cure this."
 

  If she could speak, Shaymin would have cheered. But her face told as much as words could. Her eyes, usually emerald green in colour, but now faded with illness, sparkled nonetheless with joy. She made an attempt to voice her gratitude, but was again reduced to a painful squeak. "We'll have to work together to get your voice back," Tyler added. "It'll take a while, but..." Carefully, he extended a hand again. "...I'll be with you every step of the way, if you'll allow it." Not a moment's hesitation followed Dr. Miller's offer before Shaymin closed the distance in a single joyous skip. Of course she agreed to his help. Sure, she would miss Flower Paradise. But it wasn't as though she would never return there. This was merely a temporary setback. And, to be honest, she wasn't even sure it was a setback. She felt no fear towards this boy. He was, if anything, overly polite to her. Shaymin trusted the doctor. Besides, even weakened, the fact remained that she was a Legendary, and could easily fight him off if he attacked her. She would daresay she found a new friend. One that, ironically, she never would have known had she not fallen ill. And she was appropriately grateful for this opportunity.
 

  The next week, the duo didn't stray far from each other. And, gradually, Shaymin's health improved. But her voice did not return. While her gratitude was obvious, she couldn't voice it. Tyler had been right when he said getting Shaymin's voice back would require a joint effort. This took nearly another week. During this time, Shaymin learned that her saviour was a trainer. As the days passed, Shaymin's gratitude morphed gradually into affection. She followed him closely, and even slept by his side. But her greatest act of kindness came when she had fully recovered. Knowing she would have to return to her home, Shaymin offered Tyler a final gift. After a heartfelt, and finally verbal "thank you," she presented him with a Gracidea. A single, vibrantly pink flower, native to Sinnoh and sacred to the people and Pokémon there. If ever Tyler wanted her by his side again, she assured him he need only hold the stem of the flower and call out to her. Then, in a flash of white feathers, she took off, into the morning sky. She would see Tyler again. And her feelings towards him would be amplified many times over in the coming years. And some say that, deep in Flower Paradise, Shaymin fiercely guarded an empty medicine bottle.

*Author's Note*

This was actually fun to write. And cute. But WAS it cute? I leave that judgement up to you!~ Oh, and here are the references.

 "It's known that Professor Samuel Oak is permitted entry." Shaymin is an event Pokémon, unobtainable through normal gameplay. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, an item called Oak's Letter was required. Without it, there's only a white rock where people pray and give thanks for their blessings. Professor Oak's canonical first name is Samuel.

 "...a Shaymin posed as the bride's bouquet." A reference to a bonus mission in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows Of Almia. The mission is called "For The Bride And Shaymin."

 "It wouldn't kill them on its own,..." Refers to several Pokédex entries for Butterfree, stating that the scales on their wings are waterproof.

[SMFoxy]

I really liked this story. Even if you only read this one, it works just as well as a standalone, as it does a prequel to your main story.
However, reading it specifically as a prequel, especially after the fact, it's nice to see how it ties in, and some of the past of it.

I also enjoy how you've managed to make gratitude a theme throughout, since it perfectly matches with the Gratitude Pokémon.
You've put an interesting (and realistic) personal spin on the population of Shaymin's island, in regards to it not just being Shaymin there.

Of course, I already knew little bits and pieces of this backstory, but seeing it written in this format is so easy to read, and a lot more detail too.
Please, keep up the great writing.

[ArdillaVerde93]

In keeping with the theme, then, thank you so very much! Your praise keeps me going.~