Pokemon fic: A Muddier Me
Title: A Muddier Me
Author: mangobug
Rating: PG13 potentially for violence and swearing?
Verse: Gameverse
Characters: Silver and his stolen totodile.
Summary: Five short fics written for pokeprompts musical flash fiction challenge. These fics are all based around Silver growing up with his totodile. Enjoy my terrible taste in music <3
I'll Make a Man Out of You - Mulan Soundtrack
You’re the saddest bunch I’ve ever met
But you can bet before we're through
Mister, I'll make a man out of you
“Run! Come on now, faster! Keep moving!”
The forest was dark and cold, and they’d been here for hours already. The ground was soft from the recent rain, and rocks that speckled the trail were treacherous and threatened to put even the most experienced runner in an intimate position with the ground. Totodile was not an experienced runner. It was debatable, in fact, whether totodiles could run at all--“rapidly waddling” would have probably been a more realistic way of putting it. But he ran as best he could, huffing and puffing in his master’s wake. While totodiles as a whole were athletic and powerful swimmers, they were pathetically clumsy on dry land.
Which was the problem.
Silver leapt over a boulder in the path before them, but what took a leap to clear for a human was a mountainous feat for a totodile. Lowering his head, Totodile called on the last of his energy for a spurt of speed. He sprang up and sailed through the air, and when Silver looked back to see where he was, he gave him an enormous, toothy grin. So distracted was he that he was caught completely off guard when his back claws grazed the top of the stone, sending him tumbling down and into the dirt. His jaw cracked hard against one of the numerous rocks, and he bellowed in pain.
“Get those legs up,” snapped Silver. “That’s what’ll happen if you keep waddling.”
He shot off again, Totodile chasing after him until they finally reached their marker-a muddy creek bed. He flopped down on the ground, exhausted, while Silver fumbled for his stopwatch, clicking it finished. The little pokemon looked up at the noise, expectantly. He wandered closer to Silver through a particularly large spot of mud, feeling the coolness squish through his claws.
“Three minutes and thirty-six seconds.” There was a pause as Silver studied the numbers on the stopwatch, his facial expression unreadable, his mouth, as always, a grim line. Totodile crept closer-he could reach out and touch Silver’s pant leg if he wanted to.
“Hmph.” Silver looked down at his pokemon briefly before putting the watch back into his pocket. “I suppose it’ll have to do for now, if that’s all the progress you’re going to make today.” Without saying anything more, he turned away to begin setting up camp for the night.
Totodile watched him leave, and then set about squelching through the mud himself. He loved mud. But what he would have loved more was for someone to play with him in it as well.
Pot Kettle Black - Tilly and the Wall
You can fake that smile
For a hollow while
But the kids all learn
Once those bridges burn
“Fucking useless!” The blow sent Totodile flying backwards to hit the ground, hard. Totodile looked up in terror as his master loomed over him, his eyes filled with rage. Totodile scrambled to get up fast enough, to back away as Silver swiped for him again. He just narrowly evaded him, but couldn’t run. He covered his eyes with his claws, trembling hysterically.
“How could you let them beat us again?!” Silver shouted. “You’re supposed to be better than that cyndaquil! You’re so weak!”
Totodile looked up at him through his claws. Everything was starting to blur as tears formed in his eyes, threatened to take him over. He rapidly blinked it away. It would only make his master more upset if he cried. If only he could be stronger. If only he could be better.
Maybe if he was better, his master would love him.
He gurgled a sad, low sound, an apology.
“It’s not good enough to be sad.” Sliver crouched down next to him, and abruptly the anger and disappointment was right in his face. “You need to be tough. You’re useless.” He stood up abruptly. “I don’t train weak pokemon.”
And he started to walk away.
Totodile roared desperately, charging for his master’s ankle and chomping down. He bit as hard as he could, and Silver shrieked in pain. He could prove he was strong if he hurt him, he could make him stay. He just needed to be stronger, he had to try to get that through the taste of human blood in his mouth.
“Get off of me!” Silver bellowed, and kicked out. Totodile unlatched his jaws from around his master’s leg instinctively at his command, and was thrown through the air from the force of Silver’s kick.
The tree was firm and unrelenting, and hurt every bit as much as running into a brick wall. Totodile crumpled, gasping in deep breaths before forcing himself to his feet. He was better. He could be better. He just needed to be…
Stronger…
He roared again, and for the first time, Silver looked a little uneasy. It was a different kind of roar-not afraid, but determined. Not sad, but angry. These passionate emotions blasted through him in torrents, in whirlpools, and he listened to them briefly before looking back at his master. He was growing, getting bigger. His bones and muscles were screaming, but his mind lapped up the strength, the power.
Silver’s eyes were huge and wide, and his mouth was dropped open. “Toto… Croconaw,” Silver murmured, almost awed. “You’ve… evolved.”
Croconaw growled something that sounded like an agreement. And finally, a smile slipped onto Silver’s face.
“Come on,” he said, jerking his head. “We have work to do.”
The Winner Takes It All - Abba
I’ve played all my cards
And that’s what you’ve done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play
Feraligatr liked the Dragon’s Den. He liked the cold walls and the quiet, the drip-drippings of moisture from the cave ceiling into the water. He especially enjoyed terrorizing the odd magikarp as he swam leisurely in circles.
“Feral?” Even deep underwater, Feraligatr perked up at the sound of his name from his master. Heading to the surface, he climbed out of the water and onto the rickety dock that Silver was perched on. After being certain that his weight wouldn’t break the wood, he walked forward to sit down next to Silver. Silver’s feet dangling in the water disrupted his reflection, and his hands were in his lap. They sat together for a long while.
“I haven’t been a very good trainer,” Silver whispered into the silence. “I’ve just wanted to win so badly, I haven’t taken a second to even really talk to you or listen to what you have to say. I’ve treated you… I’ve hurt you.” Silver bowed his head, looking at his knees as his red hair hid his face. “I’m just a bad… person. I’m just bad.” He looked at Feraligatr, and his eyes were washed in tears. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice breaking. He looked away again.
Feraligatr looked down as well. The time was long past for cheerful, loving embraces, of happy forgiveness and reconciliation. He’d never learned how.
“Do you…” Silver was still concentrating hard on his knees. “Do you maybe want to… can I come swimming with you?”
Feraligatr cocked his head, then lowered himself so that Silver could get onto his back.
Silver shook his head. “No, I mean… can I swim with you and just have fun? As a friend? We can, we can even go in the mud, I know how you love that…”
He trailed off and Feraligatr just looked at him. After a moment silence, the corner’s of Feraligatr’s mouth twitched into a tiny smile. It was a sight that could usually make any grown man soil himself, but Silver just smiled uncertainly back, and together they leapt into the water.
Les Jours Tristes (Instrumental) - Amélie
It wasn’t easy.
Feraligatr flinched at his experimental gentle touches, remembering harsher days. Every time it happened Silver felt disgusted and sick. But he still wouldn’t give up, and slowly light fingertips brushing his shoulder turned into a hand on his elbow, and occasionally he could even loop an arm around his arm or even pull him into a clumsy, half-hug. Silver was realizing that Feraligatr really was a gentle giant. The only reason why he’d been fighting was because Silver had wanted him to. He seemed to get much more out of quiet companionship. Now, as they slowly began to trust each other, Silver was beginning to finally see his pokemon becoming happy.
They were sitting in the grass together, Feraligatr picking flowers delicately with his claws, making a daisy chain as he nipped playfully at the butterfree that fluttered by. Silver was lying on his back, looking at the sky with one arm beneath his head and the other on his stomach, his mind drifting.
He hadn’t seen Lyra in a while. In fact, he couldn’t remember when the last time it was that he’d battled her.
It felt… nice.
“Want to go somewhere?” he said suddenly. Feraligatr was looking down at him, patient and quiet as usual. “Somewhere new,” he clarified. “Somewhere where we can do new things together.”
Feraligatr’s confusion cleared on his face, and he nodded. Silver reached out a fist to Feraligatr, slowly, so that it wouldn’t startle him. After inspecting it for a moment, Feraligatr smiled happily and bumped their fists together.
Silver allowed a small smile to stay on his face as he closed his eyes. They would make it through somehow, together.
Beauty School Drop Out - Grease
Now your bangs are curled, your lashes whirled
But still the world is cruel
Wipe off that angel face and go back to high school
Silver stepped back, wiping off his sweaty face with one dark sleeve. The trainer who at one time never smiled now was positively beaming, his face glowing with pride. “I present to you…” he whipped out a mirror, “Feral, the most charming looker this side of Hoenn!”
Feraligatr roared ecstatically at his reflection in the mirror. He was wearing a bright pink bow, a daisy necklace that they’d painstakingly woven together to fit his massive neck, and green ribbons on his legs and tail. He adjusted the pink bow self consciously, and his tail was wagging so hard that it could probably break someone’s leg if they were to walk by.
“I just want you to remember that it’s just a competition and that we’re just having fun trying some new things out,” Silver reminded him, but he knew that Feral was not going to be calmed down any time soon. After leaving Johto to create a new start, Feraligatr had discovered pokemon contests and had become obsessed with entering. Now they were in Verdanturf Town for their first contest-and they weren’t entering into the “tough” category.
“Isn’t he a little ugly to be in a competition like this?” Silver whirled around to see a girl probably only a year younger than him, standing there with a poochyena in her arms. “This contest measures cuteness, not hideousness.”
“Aren’t you a little stupid to be talking to me?” Silver snapped, marching up to her defensively. “Once we wipe the floor with-”
A giant claw on his shoulder made him stop and look up. Even decked in his bows and frills, Feral was a intimidating sight to behold. The girl certainly thought so, and hugged her pokemon closer to her like a shied even as it whined. He leaned in close and looked her in the face-though he wasn’t able to do anything else, as she scooted away as quickly as she could, mumbling something about “contest preparations.”
“You don’t listen to a single thing she said,” Silver said to Feraligatr. “You’re the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.” He reached out and grabbed his arm, squeezing it gently. “And you know I don’t make stuff like that up.”
Feraligatr rumbled affirmation, and pulled Silver close for a hug.
It wasn’t his usual hugs, which were brief and nervous, but it was long and thankful. Silver hugged him back, and all of a sudden he was fighting back tears. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said thickly. Then the moment passed, and he pulled away. “Now let’s go do some winning.”
Author: mangobug
Rating: PG13 potentially for violence and swearing?
Verse: Gameverse
Characters: Silver and his stolen totodile.
Summary: Five short fics written for pokeprompts musical flash fiction challenge. These fics are all based around Silver growing up with his totodile. Enjoy my terrible taste in music <3
I'll Make a Man Out of You - Mulan Soundtrack
You’re the saddest bunch I’ve ever met
But you can bet before we're through
Mister, I'll make a man out of you
“Run! Come on now, faster! Keep moving!”
The forest was dark and cold, and they’d been here for hours already. The ground was soft from the recent rain, and rocks that speckled the trail were treacherous and threatened to put even the most experienced runner in an intimate position with the ground. Totodile was not an experienced runner. It was debatable, in fact, whether totodiles could run at all--“rapidly waddling” would have probably been a more realistic way of putting it. But he ran as best he could, huffing and puffing in his master’s wake. While totodiles as a whole were athletic and powerful swimmers, they were pathetically clumsy on dry land.
Which was the problem.
Silver leapt over a boulder in the path before them, but what took a leap to clear for a human was a mountainous feat for a totodile. Lowering his head, Totodile called on the last of his energy for a spurt of speed. He sprang up and sailed through the air, and when Silver looked back to see where he was, he gave him an enormous, toothy grin. So distracted was he that he was caught completely off guard when his back claws grazed the top of the stone, sending him tumbling down and into the dirt. His jaw cracked hard against one of the numerous rocks, and he bellowed in pain.
“Get those legs up,” snapped Silver. “That’s what’ll happen if you keep waddling.”
He shot off again, Totodile chasing after him until they finally reached their marker-a muddy creek bed. He flopped down on the ground, exhausted, while Silver fumbled for his stopwatch, clicking it finished. The little pokemon looked up at the noise, expectantly. He wandered closer to Silver through a particularly large spot of mud, feeling the coolness squish through his claws.
“Three minutes and thirty-six seconds.” There was a pause as Silver studied the numbers on the stopwatch, his facial expression unreadable, his mouth, as always, a grim line. Totodile crept closer-he could reach out and touch Silver’s pant leg if he wanted to.
“Hmph.” Silver looked down at his pokemon briefly before putting the watch back into his pocket. “I suppose it’ll have to do for now, if that’s all the progress you’re going to make today.” Without saying anything more, he turned away to begin setting up camp for the night.
Totodile watched him leave, and then set about squelching through the mud himself. He loved mud. But what he would have loved more was for someone to play with him in it as well.
Pot Kettle Black - Tilly and the Wall
You can fake that smile
For a hollow while
But the kids all learn
Once those bridges burn
“Fucking useless!” The blow sent Totodile flying backwards to hit the ground, hard. Totodile looked up in terror as his master loomed over him, his eyes filled with rage. Totodile scrambled to get up fast enough, to back away as Silver swiped for him again. He just narrowly evaded him, but couldn’t run. He covered his eyes with his claws, trembling hysterically.
“How could you let them beat us again?!” Silver shouted. “You’re supposed to be better than that cyndaquil! You’re so weak!”
Totodile looked up at him through his claws. Everything was starting to blur as tears formed in his eyes, threatened to take him over. He rapidly blinked it away. It would only make his master more upset if he cried. If only he could be stronger. If only he could be better.
Maybe if he was better, his master would love him.
He gurgled a sad, low sound, an apology.
“It’s not good enough to be sad.” Sliver crouched down next to him, and abruptly the anger and disappointment was right in his face. “You need to be tough. You’re useless.” He stood up abruptly. “I don’t train weak pokemon.”
And he started to walk away.
Totodile roared desperately, charging for his master’s ankle and chomping down. He bit as hard as he could, and Silver shrieked in pain. He could prove he was strong if he hurt him, he could make him stay. He just needed to be stronger, he had to try to get that through the taste of human blood in his mouth.
“Get off of me!” Silver bellowed, and kicked out. Totodile unlatched his jaws from around his master’s leg instinctively at his command, and was thrown through the air from the force of Silver’s kick.
The tree was firm and unrelenting, and hurt every bit as much as running into a brick wall. Totodile crumpled, gasping in deep breaths before forcing himself to his feet. He was better. He could be better. He just needed to be…
Stronger…
He roared again, and for the first time, Silver looked a little uneasy. It was a different kind of roar-not afraid, but determined. Not sad, but angry. These passionate emotions blasted through him in torrents, in whirlpools, and he listened to them briefly before looking back at his master. He was growing, getting bigger. His bones and muscles were screaming, but his mind lapped up the strength, the power.
Silver’s eyes were huge and wide, and his mouth was dropped open. “Toto… Croconaw,” Silver murmured, almost awed. “You’ve… evolved.”
Croconaw growled something that sounded like an agreement. And finally, a smile slipped onto Silver’s face.
“Come on,” he said, jerking his head. “We have work to do.”
The Winner Takes It All - Abba
I’ve played all my cards
And that’s what you’ve done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play
Feraligatr liked the Dragon’s Den. He liked the cold walls and the quiet, the drip-drippings of moisture from the cave ceiling into the water. He especially enjoyed terrorizing the odd magikarp as he swam leisurely in circles.
“Feral?” Even deep underwater, Feraligatr perked up at the sound of his name from his master. Heading to the surface, he climbed out of the water and onto the rickety dock that Silver was perched on. After being certain that his weight wouldn’t break the wood, he walked forward to sit down next to Silver. Silver’s feet dangling in the water disrupted his reflection, and his hands were in his lap. They sat together for a long while.
“I haven’t been a very good trainer,” Silver whispered into the silence. “I’ve just wanted to win so badly, I haven’t taken a second to even really talk to you or listen to what you have to say. I’ve treated you… I’ve hurt you.” Silver bowed his head, looking at his knees as his red hair hid his face. “I’m just a bad… person. I’m just bad.” He looked at Feraligatr, and his eyes were washed in tears. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice breaking. He looked away again.
Feraligatr looked down as well. The time was long past for cheerful, loving embraces, of happy forgiveness and reconciliation. He’d never learned how.
“Do you…” Silver was still concentrating hard on his knees. “Do you maybe want to… can I come swimming with you?”
Feraligatr cocked his head, then lowered himself so that Silver could get onto his back.
Silver shook his head. “No, I mean… can I swim with you and just have fun? As a friend? We can, we can even go in the mud, I know how you love that…”
He trailed off and Feraligatr just looked at him. After a moment silence, the corner’s of Feraligatr’s mouth twitched into a tiny smile. It was a sight that could usually make any grown man soil himself, but Silver just smiled uncertainly back, and together they leapt into the water.
Les Jours Tristes (Instrumental) - Amélie
It wasn’t easy.
Feraligatr flinched at his experimental gentle touches, remembering harsher days. Every time it happened Silver felt disgusted and sick. But he still wouldn’t give up, and slowly light fingertips brushing his shoulder turned into a hand on his elbow, and occasionally he could even loop an arm around his arm or even pull him into a clumsy, half-hug. Silver was realizing that Feraligatr really was a gentle giant. The only reason why he’d been fighting was because Silver had wanted him to. He seemed to get much more out of quiet companionship. Now, as they slowly began to trust each other, Silver was beginning to finally see his pokemon becoming happy.
They were sitting in the grass together, Feraligatr picking flowers delicately with his claws, making a daisy chain as he nipped playfully at the butterfree that fluttered by. Silver was lying on his back, looking at the sky with one arm beneath his head and the other on his stomach, his mind drifting.
He hadn’t seen Lyra in a while. In fact, he couldn’t remember when the last time it was that he’d battled her.
It felt… nice.
“Want to go somewhere?” he said suddenly. Feraligatr was looking down at him, patient and quiet as usual. “Somewhere new,” he clarified. “Somewhere where we can do new things together.”
Feraligatr’s confusion cleared on his face, and he nodded. Silver reached out a fist to Feraligatr, slowly, so that it wouldn’t startle him. After inspecting it for a moment, Feraligatr smiled happily and bumped their fists together.
Silver allowed a small smile to stay on his face as he closed his eyes. They would make it through somehow, together.
Beauty School Drop Out - Grease
Now your bangs are curled, your lashes whirled
But still the world is cruel
Wipe off that angel face and go back to high school
Silver stepped back, wiping off his sweaty face with one dark sleeve. The trainer who at one time never smiled now was positively beaming, his face glowing with pride. “I present to you…” he whipped out a mirror, “Feral, the most charming looker this side of Hoenn!”
Feraligatr roared ecstatically at his reflection in the mirror. He was wearing a bright pink bow, a daisy necklace that they’d painstakingly woven together to fit his massive neck, and green ribbons on his legs and tail. He adjusted the pink bow self consciously, and his tail was wagging so hard that it could probably break someone’s leg if they were to walk by.
“I just want you to remember that it’s just a competition and that we’re just having fun trying some new things out,” Silver reminded him, but he knew that Feral was not going to be calmed down any time soon. After leaving Johto to create a new start, Feraligatr had discovered pokemon contests and had become obsessed with entering. Now they were in Verdanturf Town for their first contest-and they weren’t entering into the “tough” category.
“Isn’t he a little ugly to be in a competition like this?” Silver whirled around to see a girl probably only a year younger than him, standing there with a poochyena in her arms. “This contest measures cuteness, not hideousness.”
“Aren’t you a little stupid to be talking to me?” Silver snapped, marching up to her defensively. “Once we wipe the floor with-”
A giant claw on his shoulder made him stop and look up. Even decked in his bows and frills, Feral was a intimidating sight to behold. The girl certainly thought so, and hugged her pokemon closer to her like a shied even as it whined. He leaned in close and looked her in the face-though he wasn’t able to do anything else, as she scooted away as quickly as she could, mumbling something about “contest preparations.”
“You don’t listen to a single thing she said,” Silver said to Feraligatr. “You’re the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.” He reached out and grabbed his arm, squeezing it gently. “And you know I don’t make stuff like that up.”
Feraligatr rumbled affirmation, and pulled Silver close for a hug.
It wasn’t his usual hugs, which were brief and nervous, but it was long and thankful. Silver hugged him back, and all of a sudden he was fighting back tears. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said thickly. Then the moment passed, and he pulled away. “Now let’s go do some winning.”