Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Vulpix's Sadness

PMD: Vulpix's Sadness

I first wrote this on paper WAY back in my early days of writing for fandoms, and PMD is close to my heart and dear to me even now. I have it up on AO3, and now I'm putting it here too.

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The normally golden sand shining silver in the light of the full moon, the pawprints of a single Pokémon, were swept away by the gentle waves of the ocean as the lone walker continued her path. No one was outside at this late hour, all the Pokémon in the village were either tucked up in bed and sleeping or enjoying the night by the warm fire of Wigglytuff's Explorers Guild.

She should be there with them, enjoying the time to relax and rest, but she couldn't, her heart called out for another and it drove her here every night to walk the sands no matter the weather, trying to find any sign of the one she sought.

But even with the full moon's light, her search was in vain this night as it had been for the last night and the night before that, there was nothing beyond the horizon and each night she found nothing, the pain in her chest became worse.

She stumbled in the sand as her limbs refused to carry her any longer and she cried, the face of the one she searched for and the precious memories of her time with him flashed by her mind to torment her more. Seeing his face again, the smiles, the times they'd been together made her feel numb and cold.

She remembered everything vividly, from the first time he appeared washed up on this very beach with no memory of who he was or where he came from. The whispered words they shared at nights, snuggled together in the straw bed or on the floor during their missions together, the promises made. That final, painful good-bye when he's body had begun to fade becoming a ball of light and then floating off into the sky, leaving her cold and alone on the island she called home.

Every night she dreamed of him, felt his arms around her. She felt his warmth, always soft and caring, press against hers, making her feel safe just being close to him. She heard him whisper the way he felt around her, that human word 'love' came from him so many times she couldn't remember a time she never even knew the word. But every morning she'd wake up and search for him in her room, even going as far as to call for him.

Then the cold reality would sink in and she would feel the warmth from her dreams leave her and curl up again, not to sleep but to cry and softly repeat his name over and over again in some hope it would make him appear again. There was no denying it, every Pokémon who had known him knew that the two were more than friends and exploration partners, they were lovers and ever since he had left Vulpix's life had become miserable.

She tried to continue her career as an explorer, but the memories that came with each trip out of the Guild made it hard for her to focus and after a month, she stopped going on missions, she stopped going to Wigglytuff's Guild regularly and returned to the flaming hut that was her home near the beach, searching every day and night for any sign of the one her heart called for.

Yet, even though she found nothing in the months she'd spent out here alone searching without pause, she felt a painful realization creep into her mind.

Vulpix didn't know how long she'd been crying when she felt something soft cover her body and a spark of hope struck her fast as she looked up, a few tears jolting lose from the movement and she spoke for the first time. "Riolu?"

"No child." A gentle voice soothed as she was covered by the golden tails of the old Ninetails, the elder female's face soft with sympathy as she looked down at her. "You will catch a cold out here alone."

"I, I was looking for-"

"Riolu." The Ninetails said and tenderly pressed her nose to the soft red tufted of fur on her head. "I know what you've been doing out here, little one. Night after night you walk this beach, searching and hoping for his return."