Let’s Overthrow the Government… Again!

“Look at that! Sun’s finally coming out, can you see it from down there?” Charlie remarked. He looked through the grate on the floor of the ship’s deck, not bothering to hold back a smirk.

Below, Mirage let out a meek grumble, the Ninetales refusing to meet Charlie’s gaze. The King swayed back and forth with the ship as light blue waves crashed against its hull, in which he was trapped. 

Charlie put his paws on his hips and took a deep breath. “The air’s lovely, isn’t it? Hope you don’t get seasick, Mirage.”

“Charlie,” He murmured, an immense amount of spite concentrated into the word. “I could bring this whole ship down. I could set this vessel ablaze and send you and the traitors who dare to man this ship to their watery graves.” 

“But why do that? Where’s the fun? The excitement? The buildup? The action? Anything? I didn’t bring you on your special vacation for nothing.” He ripped his eyes away from Mirage’s prison. The spires of Grandeport castle loomed over the tree line covering the horizon. The buildings had shrunken steadily as the boat sailed further away, becoming barely recognizable. Charlie squinted and held out his paw. From this distance, it covered the entire skyline. 

“I really need to come out here more often!”

Mirage growled. “Each moment you mock me is one closer to me burning you to a crisp.”   

“And let your daughter drown? Mirage! I thought you were a good father!” He  teased before chuckling. “Well, you know my thoughts. I’ll let you reflect on yours.”  

Charlie hopped off the grate and walked to the edge of the ship. Everett stood there, looking over the short wall separating the deck from a thirty-foot drop into the ocean. The Raichu climbed up onto the wall before plopping himself down and facing the Gholdengo.

“That’s dangerous, you know,” Everett scoffed, not bothering to break his view of the ocean to look at Charlie. The Raichu leaned in toward him.

“Do you have it?” He whispered.

“Have what?”

“You know.” Charlie emphatically gestured with his head to the side. “You know.”

Everett sighed, slowly turning his head to meet Charlie’s eyes. “No, I don’t. That is why I asked.”

“You know…” 

“No! I don’t know! What is it that you want?” The Gholdengo stomped his foot against the deck, the impact breaking a board, causing splinters to fly out from beneath.

A wide smile overtook the Raichu’s face. He shifted closer and leaned toward where the Gholdengo’s ear would be. “You know.”

“No! My Arceus!” He screamed. “I don’t fucking know!” 

“Ugh,” Charlie groaned as he hopped off the ledge. “You’re no fun.” He knelt and knocked on the wood floor. “Does this ring a bell?”

Everett brought his hand up to his forehead. He sighed. “The plank?”

“The plank.”

“Yes, we have the stupid plank,” He spat before rolling his eyes. “I’m going to lie down for a minute, I don’t get paid enough to deal with you Pokemon.”

Charlie chuckled. “That’s no way to speak to your boss.”

“My boss? You’re just proving my point.” Everett remarked before trudging off and into a doorway at the end of the ship. He refused to look back at the infuriating Rachiu as he disappeared through the door. 

Charlie craned his head  towards the opposite direction. A tall mast rose from the ship’s floor, with a gargantuan sail on top carrying the large vessel as it harnessed the winter’s strong winds. Just a few feet above was a small wooden canopy which sat on top of the mast, where Charlie could just barely see an Archen perched. Barrely he was able to make out its distant blues and reds.

The Raichu made his way back to the grate on the floor. Mirage was now sitting as comfortably as he could manage to make himself, refusing to lean up against any wall. 

“Such a peaceful, innocent, magnificent creature,” Charlie cooed, tilting his head with a mocking facade and an insultingly warm smile. 

The Ninetales looked up. His eyes were stained a sickly red as jagged lines fled from his irises. His nose twitched and blew and groaned as he sniffled weakly. 

“P-Please, Charlie, I beg you. We can make this right, I’m really crying! I’m… Just… Please! Please!” 

Charlie sighed before kneeling down on the grate and looking into Mirage’s eyes. “That’s all you’ve got? I’m crying? Please, please? This is life or death. Surely you have something more impactful to say?”

Mirage harrumphed. “What else could I say? You’d have some excuse, some trap of words or comeback. You always do,talking to you is just like walking into a trap. Why should I bother if my fate is set? All it will do is give you your undeserved, selfish satisfaction.”

“Oh, come on,” he said before sticking his paw through the metal’s rectangular holes and pointing at Mirage. “If you won’t give me a memorable sendoff, at least let me ask one question.”

Mirage hung his head in defeat and exasperation. “What?”

“When was the last time you cried?” The Raichu said with a twisted smile,  blue sparks bursting from his cheeks.

Mirage went silent.

The air grew colder, Charlie’s breath becoming a chilling cloud. The ship began to slow and voices called out from behind him. There was the clacking of paws, claws, and talons as Pokemon on the ship scampered around the vessel like children. And who’s to say they weren’t? Charlie gazed up at the sky. A single white cloud rolled through it, disappearing as quickly and suddenly as it had arrived. 

“We don’t have all day. Answer me,” the Raichu ordered.

“Wnyrmtrdrd,” Mirage murmured.

“Say it for the world to hear!”

Miragedidn’t look up. “Wenyurmothrdid.”

“Speak up and I’ll let your daughter live!”

“When your mother died!” Mirage shouted, his neck snapping toward Charlie as he finally met his gaze.

Charlie pounded the grate before pointing down at the King with contempt. “Idiot! I knew you’d say that! Of course you’d say that, you fucking liar! All you do is lie! You can’t stop!” He stomped his foot down furiously, the metal wailing underneath it. “That ends today! Finally, justice!”

“How could you dare to say that?” Mirage almost gasped. “My queen loved you! What would she think now?”

“My mother loved me,” Charlie murmured, his voice full of spite and hatred. “I don’t care about the opinions of your legitimate family.”

Charlie shook off the anger and stood tall. He skipped toward the center of the ship, so much pride radiating from his very essence that it seemed to engulf the boat in an energy which only experiencing could properly describe.

A cacophony of voices erupted behind Charlie. All at once, every crew member on board rushed to the deck to witness the big moment. Below, the doors to Mirage’s cell flew open and slammed the walls. The Archen, the Venusaur, the Quaquaval, Everett, and the Bisharp bodyguards flooded into the cell to restrain and drag Mirage, surrounding him. 

Charlie watched, grinning deviously as the Bisharp pair took the Ninetales by his front legs and dragged him out of the room. The other guards hurried behind them. 

A smile made of nothing but joy and pure happiness as he watched the Bisharp duo bring Mirage up on deck through a new door. They walked up before Charlie, the Ninetales dangling limply from their arms.

This was Charlie’s moment, and he could hardly resist the urge to shout out with euphoria. A  pure elation appeared on his face as he watched the Bisharp guards bring Mirage before him. The Ninetales’ captors dropped him, and he hit the deck with a thud. The pair backed away. It was just Charlie and the King. 

As though he had waited for a cue, Everett returned from his chambers. In his hands, he held it- the unassuming wooden board that would witness the pivotal moment in Grandeport’s new era.

The plank.

It was as though Arceus himself had aligned the stars. He carried the long strip of wood and balanced it over the ledge of the deck. It wobbled up and down and up and down before finally stabilizing. Everyone on deck suddenly appeared and circled around it, leaving an opening just wide enough for the prisoner to be walked through. 

Now that Mirage was surrounded, his only way off the ship being the water was consigned to, his fate was all but sealed.

Charlie stomped toward Everett, glaring wildly at him. 

“I didn’t say the thing!” The Raichu shouted, throwing his arms up in frustration.

“So? You were about to. I acted preemptively,” Everett said with a groan. “Let’s get this over with. I’m running on five hours of sleep.” 

The two Bisharp guided Mirage with firm grasps around his torso. His fur was ruffled, the area around his face glistening with tears. The Ninetails was brought only inches behind the plank. 

Charlie stuck up his chin. “Can a Ninetales swim?”

The Venusaur slowly began to raise a vine. “I mean, if-”

“Shut up! It was a rhetorical question!” Charlie snapped.

The Raichu took a deep breath before meeting Mirage’s eyes. “Are you happy?”

“What do you think, boy?” Mirage spat before lunging at Charlie, though he was quickly caught and restrained again by the Bisharp guards. As they trapped the Ninetales in a tight hold, their blades dug into his sides and shoulders. He groaned and seethed in pain.

“Ouch, that doesn’t look comfortable. I bet you miss your pillow right about now,” Charlie said as he patted Mirage’s head. The wicked grin on his face intensified in his anticipation. “Any last words?”

The ensnared king stared at the ocean. The waves crashed in a violent rhythm, their slow, bitter song beckoning for Mirage to succumb to the tides. Mirage was staring at his watery burial ground, but he could not muster any more tears. The Welldeep Ocean was the last thing he’d ever see. The sovereign waters would become the sovereign’s tomb. 

Above the scene, a wisp of clouds blew through the sky and covered the sun. The world grayed, as if it knew what was about to happen.

“Keep your sister safe,” Mirage muttered, his head falling in defeat. “I accept my fate.”

Charlie shrugged. “Tough luck.” 

The Bisharp pair released Mirage. The Ninetales around and drew in a deep breath, taking in his last sights. He slowly pushed the plank down to be level with the ship’s deck.Shaking from his remaining fear, he stepped up onto the wood and began to climb,the board creaking under his trembling pawsteps.

After a few more steps, Mirage reached the edge. The Ninetales craned his neck around to lock eyes with Charlie.

Charlie turned away, scorning the king even in his last moment. The Raichu waited, but heard nothing except the thud and groan of the board

Charlie turned back. 

Mirage was gone.

Charlie hurriedly  pushed through the crowd, which had swarmed the edge of the ship. Screams, gasps, murmurs, and shouts of joy culminated into a deafening chorus of voices.   The Raichu shoved one of the Bisharp away and dashed around the Quaquaval.

Finally, Charlie reached the barrier. He peered down into the surging blue ocean,once a place of calm and beauty, now had become one of death. 

The Raichu scanned the waves before eyeing what he had hoped to see. There it was, floating lifelessly. The modest object Charlie had come to appreciate, the only thing that had truly accompanied and supported him throughout his cruel endeavor. 

The plank splashed peacefully upon the surface. There was no sign of Mirage, though Charlie expected as much. 

The Raichu breathed a sigh of relief before turning to look at the small crowd. They were finally quieting down, most of them looking toward him as the mastermind of the now-fulfilled scheme. He stared back at them with narrow eyes before clearing his throat. “My fellow citizens…”

— — —

“I regret to inform you that our honorable King Mirage has died in a tragic accident at sea.” Andrew read aloud. “Yesterday, at around three PM, while sailing on the G.S. Lamore, Mirage Ninetails became intoxicated and began displaying unruly behavior and poor balance. 

He put the newspaper down, and a chill ran down his spine. The words MIRAGE DEAD ingrained themselves into his mind. “Do I really have to read this?”

“Just read the thing!” Charlie demanded before grabbing the paper and shoving it back into Andrew’s flippers.

The Marshtomp shook his head but conceded. “While dancing and loudly singing, ‘I’m a Gardevoir girl, in a Gardevoir world,’ repeatedly, Mirage stumbled and fell over the edge of the vessel. Rescue teams were sent out immediately to rescue him, but it was to no avail as…” 

This time around, Andrew noticed the name Thomas Servine written beneath the headline. The Marshtomp leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He sighed before opening them, only to be met with a disgruntled Charlie tapping his foot against the floor. 

“Well? Do I get a thank you? I put in all this work, I should get something in return.”

“Charlie?” Andrew askedflatly. “What makes me a human? Why am I different from the other Pokemon?” 

The Raichu rolled his eyes. “Because you weren’t hatched as a Pokemon, showed up on the beach one day out of nowhere, then begged me to help you. Most ordinary Pokemon don’t do that, so it’s safe to conclude that you’re a human.”

“What?” Andrew uttered before throwing out his arms in exasperation. “That’s a bunch of lies! You begged me for help! You were the one who wanted to make me a police officer, then police chief! And you want me to be this country’s stupid leader-president-idiot-king.”

“Yes, me, it’s all been me! I helped you achieve everything. You’d be nothing,  without me, Andrew. You’d be a poor, useless, homeless, stupid mud dwelling, rejected orphan without me! I am making you the most powerful Pokemon in the nation! Where’s my thank you?” Charlie shouted before snatching the paper and flinging it at the door. It connected with a loud smack before floating down and unfolding, its pages flying everywhere.

Andrew shot up from his chair and pointed his finger angrily at Charlie and opening his mouth. “You take that ba-how could you- I’m my-ugh!”

His eyes darted to the side. He breathed deeply in and out to calm himself as he sat back down.

“Look, Charlie. I’m… I’m scared,” Andrew admitted before gesturing with his flippers around his amphibious blue body. “Ever since I became this thing, I’ve just… been on edge. I’ve been trying to not lose whatever humanity is left in me. But at this point, I’m not convinced there is any. Am I really any different than you? Or any other Pokemon? Pokemon, Human, it’s all the same.”

“That’s… Insulting,” Charlie grumbled before slowly approachingAndrew.

The Marshtomp gulped. “It is?”

Despite being the same height as Andrew, the Raichu seemed to loom over him. His cheeks began to crackle and emit sparks as he gripped the armrests of the Marshtomp’s chair. Helet out a maniacal laugh. “You think you’re the same as any other Pokemon? That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“But, I’m a Marshtomp!” Andrew hollered.

Charlie grinned before slamming his paws into Andrew’s chest. The Marshtomp, still attached to the chair, flew back. The chair hit the wall with a resounding bang against the wall, and its backrest broke off and smacked Andrew hard on the back of his head. Andrew gripped his head and gasped loudly, Charlie’s attack forcing the air out of his lungs.

“A Marshtomp who’s everything handed to him on a silver! Fucking! Platter!” The Raichu screamed.

“Ohh… shit…” 

Andrew groaned as he stumbled out of the chair, leaning on his desk for balance. There was a shrill ringing in his ears, and he could see spots, which he tried to blink away. “What the hell, man? Why have you been so violent lately!?”

Charlie shook his head and scoffed. “It’s called standing up for yourself. Maybe you should try it.”

“It’s called being impulsive,” Andrew snapped back.

“You’re calling me impulsive? What alternate world have I walked into?” Charlie spat as he strutted to the door. “Tidy this place up, and yourself too. Ice cream in  half an hour.” 

And just like that, the Raichu had vanished through the door frame. 

What the-What’s even happening? It’s all too fast! 

Andrew looked around as he processed what had happened, and his eyes landed on a window that had been slightly in the path of the broken chair. A small crack had formed at the window’s edge.. The Marshtomp ran his flippers along the glass, feeling the slight bump. It’s fine, just a scratch. A small imperfection.

His heart jumped at that thought. His eyes widened in alarm and anger, Imperfection! He broke it! Imperfection! It’s wrong, it’s unfixable! I need a new damn window. 

“Stupid piece of shit! Messing with my mind!” Andrew cried. He turned and brought his flippers down on a mahogany desk behind him.

Again.

And again.

And again.

His chest heaved up and down, his fists pounded on the wood, pain shooting through them. On one strike, Andrew’s flipper slipped. Causing his face and upper body to slam onto the face of the desk, the handle jabbing into his gut. Pain stabbed its way through his abdomen and pulsed through his head. 

Andrew growled before throwing himself off his desk and towards the door. “Goddamnit. I need a swim.”

— — —

They didn’t even bother to get us a stage? Or rather, get me a stage?

Andrew gazed at the surrounding crowd. Pokemon lined the perimeter of the same metal barricades used in the first election. Though fortunately,  the turnout was nothing compared to that one. He didn’t even need an elevated podium to see the square this time, as the crowd was dense enough to block his view of things. 

Inside the barrier, Andrew and Thomas sat in chairs on the cobblestone as they waited for the incoming ceremony.

Andrew waved his flippers to the citizens. “Look at that! I can actually see the individual Pokemon.”

“Yeah, I guess you can,” Thomas said before lassoing the Marshtomp’s flippers with his vines and lowering them  “Come one now, save your celebration. We learned last time you can never be too sure.”

“I’m the only person allowed to run. I think my chances are pretty high,” Andrew muttered before rolling his eyes. “Thanks, Charlie.”

A few chairs lay empty on both sides of the pair, but there was no indication they were for any yet-to-arrive special guests.The chairs Andrew and Thomas occupied seemed stiffer than before with an uncomfortable headrest and no cushioning. It was doing no favors for an ache that still lingered on Andrew’s neck.

Not doing any favors for my head or other injuries, Andrew thought with a groan.

Unlike the first election, the crowd wasn’t cheering or hollering. They stood obediently behind the railing, murmuring amongst themselves. A Khagaskhan kept gazing at the moon, incessantly checking the time. 

Andrew glared at her and frowned. Wow lady, I’m sure you’ve got better places to be.

“Charlie’s still mad at me, but I guess not pissed enough to call this off,” Andrew said as he draped his flippers over the back of the chair, trying to squirm into a more comfortable position.

Thomas nodded. “That’s good. I know this whole thing has been hard for you, but it’s only uphill from here.” He smiled. “Imagine what we can do together! Imagine what we can be.”

“Something better. Better enough, at least,” Andrew replied. “I’ll admit I don’t have a ton of experience in leadership.” 

 Thomas rubbed Andrew’s shoulder soothingly. “But you’ll have us! Me, Charlie, the council. Mirage didn’t run the whole country himself! You’re not alone, I’ll make sure you’re never alo-”

Suddenly, disgruntled shouts erupted from behind them. They whirled around, eyes wide with surprise. Pokemon after Pokemon toppled to the ground, falling like dominoes. A Maushold, a Hippopotas, a Tyrunt, and even a Charizard were seemingly thrown to the ground by some unknowable force.

“T-Thomas,” Andrew whispered, beginning to shake uncontrollably. “I-I think somebody is coming to kill me!”

The Marshtomp’s heart pounded against his chest as though he was running a marathon. His shaking intensified, and he became lightheaded with fear, having to clutch the chair for support. The crowd roared, screamed, and screeched in rage.

“FOOL! TRAITOR!IDIOT!” wailed the voices in a furious chant. 

 Arceus descended from the eternities and took hold of the world, his two titanic legs crashing down and digging through and beyond the earth’s crust.

The creator peered down from the sky before winking at the  petrified Marshtomp. With one swift motion of his legs, he spun the world. The world became a whirling blur, Andrew unable to recognize anyone or anything, not even Thomas. His reality was now a cataclysmic, swirling storm of colors. 

— — —

The Prison floor felt as hard and rough as ever. Yet a strange, pleasant feeling overtook Andrew’s body. The swirl of colors settled as the familiar iron door and stone walls materialized. 

What the- why am I here? Andrew asked himself.

He turned to his side. Before him was an Audino with a stethoscope wrapped around his neck. He slowly approached Andrew, grabbing the silvery device and pushing it onto the Marshtomp’s chest. 

The doctor slid the end of the stethoscope across Andrew’s chest. “If my memory serves, a Marshtomp’s heart is located just about… here.” He stopped in the center of the Marshtomp’s chest as Andrew gritted his teeth. The metal of the stethoscope was freezing, sending a horrible chill through his body

“What? What’s happening? Why am I here? I got out of this place!” Andrew uttered as he jolted back, finding himself against the wall.

The Audino removed the device from his head, calmly placing it on the floor before raising his arms. “Now, Andrew. Don’t panic, that’s the last thing you need right now. Your heart rate is awfully fast.”

“Uh-huh, cool. Tell me why I’m here!” The Marshtomp demanded as he shot up from the ground. 

“Sorry, Andrew. I can tell you how your body works, or what you should do to stay healthy. By the way, you might want to set up an appointment to discuss- why have you magically appeared in a prison you left months ago? That’s beyond me.”

Andrew crossed his flippers. “You also appeared here.” 

“How about a glass of water?” Asked the doctor. The glass materialized in his hand. Andrew snatched the liquid, downing it in one gulp. 

The Marshtomp gasped in satisfaction before giving the glass back. “You’re not off the hook.” 

The Audino chuckled. “I’ll remind you again to stay hydrated.”

“You should know that I’m always-”

“Wake up!” The Audino yelled, but in a voice other than his own.

Andrew tilted his head in confusion. “Wha-”

“Wake up!”

“Wake up!”

— — —

His eyelids flew open.

Thomas kneeled over Andrew. A vine was wrapped around his torso, shaking slightly. “Thank Arceus you’re awake, Andrew!”

The Marshtomp pushed himself up. He turned as he stood, noticing a Loudred with his back turned to him and Thomas. Is that the announcer guy from last time?

The Loudred cupped his hands around his gaping mouth and looked over the crowd. “Whosreadyforsomeresultsyoucrazypeopleeee!?”

“Is that who I think it is?” Andrewwhispered to Thomas. “And is he-”

“He is drunk,” Thomas said with a sigh. He shook his head in disapproval. “Very drunk.”

“He showed up drunk to my event?”  

“HELLOYACRAZYPEOPLE!” the Loudred yelled, his voice painfully booming and screechy like an old microphone. His words echoed loudly in the distance. 

“WHO WANTS TO HEAR A STORY?”

Andrew winced and covered his gills. Are these my ears? He does sound a little quieter.

“I WAS AT THE FURDRESSER, AND THEN I REALIZED, I HAVE NO FUR! ISN’T THAT HILARIOUS?”

Kill me now.

Thomas stood and walked up to the Loudred. The Servine tapped his back. “Uh, excuse me, sir. Are you here to announce the results?”

The Loudred turned around and grinned, his mouth somehow taking up more of his body.

“THE RESULTS, OH YES!” He bellowed, throwing his arms up in celebration. Thomas staggered back in surprise. “MIRAGE DEAD, FIFTEEN CASUALTIES! ALL OF THEM WERE CHILDREN! READ THE PAPERS! WHEREABOUTS OF PRINCESS UNKNOWN!”

Andrew turned to the Servine, his brow furrowing. “Whereabouts unknown? What did Charlie do with Mirage’s kid?”

“Um… not sure. We still don’t have any official report on what happened. There is one guy who knows if you’re willing to ask,” Thomas explained with a shrug.

“Yeah right,” Andrew muttered, rolling his eyes. “Reliable source he is.”

“THE EARTH IS ROUGHLY EIGHTY-FOUR SEPTILLION MILLIMETERS!”  The Loudred before laughing boastfully. He shot his arms out to the side before leaning backwards, as though expecting someone to catch him. The Pokemon slowly fell before hitting the cobblestone with a loud thud. A large smile wrapped his face as he began to snore loudly. 

Murmurs began to spread through the crowd.“That’s comedy!” Called a male voice from the back.

Thomas sighed as he approached the slumbering Loudred. He reached down and pulled something out of the Pokemon’s hand. “Hey, what’s this?” 

Thomas glanced at the note, then brought it over for Andrew to see.

ELECTION RESULTS:

Marshtomp, Andrew: 100%.

Other candidates: 

Nothing.

“Cool,” Andrew said, pushing the note away disinterestedly. “So, do you say it or…?

The Servine sat back down in his chair. “Why don’t you? It’s your victory.” 

The Marshtomp nodded, stepping up and on top of the  fallen Loudred. “Uh, can I have your attention please?”

The eyes of the Pokemon in the front row fell upon Andrew. The rest continued to chatter amongst themselves, ignoring him

“I said, I have an announcement!” he said a bit louder, though not attracting more attention.

Andrew grimaced and stood as tall as he could. “SHUT THE HELL UP! I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT!”

The square fell silent. All at once, the crowds’ eyes, varying wildly with every size and color imaginable, stared into Andrew expectantly. 

The Marshtomp cleared his throat. “Yes, good, thank you. Here, I have the results of the election! In first place, me. In second place… Nobody! That is all!”.”

Andrew hopped off the Loudred and made his way back to Thomas. The crowd began to pipe up again, though not shouting in anger or joy, seemingly partaking in an indifferent discussion. 

Pokemon began to exit the square, the pockets of space between them growing larger and larger. After a few moments, everyone had cleared.

Thomas wrapped his vines around Andrew and rested his head on the Marshtomp’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you for doing that!”

“For doing what?” Andrew asked before awkwardly patting Thomas’s back.

“For being brave enough to stand up to the crowd!” Thomas cooed while releasing his grip.

Andrew shook his head. “The docile, patient crowd? I will never understand your positivity.” 

“I think you already do,” Thomas replied. He scanned the area before motioning with his vine. “C’mon, I want to show you something.”

— — —

Leaves crunched against Andrew’s feet. A lone branch suddenly appeared ahead of him, giving him barely enough to duck while maintaining his pace. The leaf of Thomas’s tail beckoned him on despite its suppressed vibrance by the night. 

The wind blew mercilessly ,throttling the treetops overhead. Really should have brought my cloak for this one, Andrew thought as he shivered. The incline they were climbing became steeper and steeper, Andrew’s breaths becoming  heavier and heavier. A thorny bush pricked his side and a rock he stepped on stabbed into his foot.

“Watch out!” Thomas called. 

The Servine ducked under another tree branch, and Andrew cautiously followed his example. 

“Thomas? Are you sure we’re on the right path?” the Marshtomp asked.

The Servine laughed playfully. “I know this place like the back of my tail!”

“Can you even see the back of your tail?” Andrew huffed as he stepped on a twig, crushing and snapping it with his weight.

“That’s not important. We’re almost there.”

The sea of stars and the bright moon in the night sky provided just enough light for them to see. Until suddenly-

He could not.

Thomas had disappeared.

“T-Thomas? Where did you go?” Andrew called, eyes widening as his heart went into overdrive, pounding against his ribcage.

There was no response. Not even the sound of a cricket’s chirp to ease the distressed Marshtomp.

Oh my god, I lost him! I’m going to die out here, aren’t I? Rabid wolves, rabid Pokemon, rapid wolf Pokemon! And to think I was so close to finally doing something with my life…

“Andrew? Are you there?” Thomas’s green snout peered through a thicket of bushes up ahead. “In here!”

Andrew crept over to the shrubbery, grabbing Thomas’s vine. The Servine whipped it back, and the Marshtomp was pulled through the plants. 

The world transformed before his eyes. Gone was the dense forest, which was replaced by a large clearing. 

Thomas beckoned Andrew forward, and they climbed the final stretch of the tall hill. The soft, grassy soil was a welcome change for his ailing feet and legs. The mound finally flattened, giving way to a breathtaking view of the city. 

Grandeport looked like a model town from their vantage. Warm lanterns lit the quaint wooden houses and shops. Buildings hugged each other closely, and small spires of smoke rose from their stone and brick chimneys. The town square was just that from his view, a small square in the center of a mess of wood and cobblestone.

Around the city surrounded by miles of untouched dark forest, and the subtle thresholds of the ocean outlined the peninsula. The tall masts of ships rose, as though to mark where the land met the water.

“Andrew?” Thomas uttered, his voice ripping Andrew’s gaze away from the marvelHe sat down and patted the grass with his vine, gesturing for Andrew to a seat next to him. The Marshtomp obeyed, plopping himself down.

“My parents used to take me here when I was a Snivy. I’d get so excited and jumpy. Back then, I thought the moon was my friend. I’d stay up all night and have conversations with it, and I really do mean all night. There were a good few months where I was practically nocturnal!” Thomas explained before placing a vine on Andrew’s shoulder.

Andrew nodded as he looked up at the night. “We had nothing like this where I come from. Never saw this many stars in the sky before I came to Grandeport.”

“You should see Mount Stormus, I’ve heard you can see the whole galaxy from there,” Thomas replied as he inched closer to Andrew. “Maybe we should go sometime. I hear it’s quite the adventure.”

Andrew waved his flipper in dismissal. “I’ve had enough adventures for a while. I think stuff will finally calm down now that I’m president.”

“President?” Thomas asked.

“What else would I be?” Andrew scoffed. “Certainly not a king.”

The Servine shrugged before inching a little closer. “I guess not. Though I’d never heard of a president before you talked about it. You never told me what country you were from.”

“I’m from… Uh… You see,” Andrew stammered. He stopped and cleared his throat. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated, huh?” Thomas repeated. He turned away from the Marshtomp. “Andrew, I know you’re a human. It’s really not hard to tell.”

“It’s not?” Andrew uttered in surprise, his mouth falling open.

frowned. “You’re from a far-away place which you never talk about, you’re on the council despite having no history or connections with the crown, and you can barely control your instincts. Doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots.”

Is that really the most sensible conclusion? I mean- I can’t be that obvious…

“Were you afraid to tell me?” Thomas questioned.

“What? No!” Andrew uttered, though with a quiver of uncertainty in his voice.  “It was just… Never the right time.”

“We’ve lived together for months! How could it not have been the right time?” Thomas rebutted,the moonlight glinting in his squinting eyes.

“What was I supposed to say? Oh yeah, I’m a human. I used to be a different species and live in a different dimension. Normal thing to casually bring up in conversation,” Andrew replied with a huff.

Thomas sighed as he pulled closer to Andrew yet again. “You don’t have to keep secrets from me. I’ll always love you.” He leaned closer to the Marshtomp, but Andrew fell backward onto the grass.

He rested his head on top of his flippers. “Uh… Yeah, y-you too.” He laughed nervously. “Look, about the human thing. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but what can I say? I’m just a poor old Marshtomp. A fish out of water.”

Do fish even exist? Is Magikarp a fish? I guess.

“A fish who became the new leader of Grandeport,” Thomas said with a chuckle. “It’s pretty crazy.”

“Yeah…”

The two sat in silence, gazing at the stars overhead. Thomas slowly inched toward Andrew again and curled his vine around the Marshtomp. “The stars are so pretty tonight. It’s romantic, isn’t it?”

Andrew said nothing, his heart beginning to pound with both fear and a twinge of excitement.

The Servine leaned close to Andrew’s face, his eyes glowing with determination. “When I say that I love you, I really mean it.”

“Me too,” Andrew whispered. Eyes falling shut for a moment.

“You don’t get it,do you?” Thomas snapped. His eyes bore into his very soul. They were wide and glistening, trying to inject undeniable truth into Andrew’s mind. The staring grew more intense or powerful than anything Andrew had yet to see or experience, trying to convey what words could not.

Andrew stirred, his eyes darting back and forth. “Yeah I think I-”

In one swift motion, Thomas lifted Andrew up to his level. He twisted his long head to the side, holding Andrew tightly as he pulled him close to his snout.

An inch away.

Half an inch away.

A quarter.

They kissed.

Thomas’s tail coiled around Andrew’s as the Marshtomp started to lean into the embrace.

Wait a second! No! I can’t do this! Andrew’s thoughts screamed.

Andrew threw his arms out, swatting away the vines. Thomas’s grasp broke and the Marshtomp scrambled to his feet. He shook his head from side to side as a feeling like that of being dropped from a thousand feet in the air filled his very essence. His face contorted into a twisted frown. He looked at Thomas, who was staring with confusion and longing, before spinning around and bolting toward the bushes.

“Andrew, wait!” The Servine cried out, but it was too late. 

Clutching his gills and springing off his legs, Andrew disappeared through the brush and into the night.