The Lonely Maractus

The Desert

In the far away Unova Region, there is a desert, one of the largest in the world of Pokémon. Many different kinds of Pokémon live here, such as Hippopotas, Cacnea, Cubone, Trapinch, and many more. One day, while travelling this desert, a trainer from the Unova region comes across a Pokémon hiding in the sand. At first, they think it's just a cactus, but when they notices that it's a Cacnea, they ready one of their Pokéballs, then throws it up into the air, and out pops a dazzling light of energy that forms into a unique shape of spikes. It's a Maractus! The trainer points towards the Cancea and the trainer's Maractus goes in for a Peck attack. The Cacnea dodges to the side and the trainer's Maractus flops onto the gritty sand. The trainer sighs and calls his Maractus back. Maractus hops back up, but ignore its trainer. Maractus instead goes in for another Peck. This time, Cacnea dodges to the side and counter attacks with a Sucker Punch, knocking poor Maractus into a sandy hill. Cacnea then runs away, escaping the young Unovan trainer.

Once more, the trainer sighs, and calls back his Maractus. Maractus seems pleased with itself. After all, it tried its best against something it's not super effective against. But the trainer has a look of sadness on their face. Almost disappointment, but not quite. The young trainer readies Maractus' Pokéball. Instead of recalling Maractus, they instead press the button in the middle, which releases a red beam of energy that circles around Maractus. Worried and afraid, the Maractus looks from side to side as it becomes ensnared by this red ring. The ring turns blue and fades away. Maractus knows what this means. In complete shock of just being released by its trainer, Maractus drops to the sandy ground beneath it, looking up at the trainer who had just released it, tears in both of their eyes. The trainer turns away and walks off into the distance, no longer in sight. Maractus, alone and afraid, cries. It cries for its trainer, for its dignity and pride, but no one can hear it. This unfamiliar wasteland is too vast.

A short while later, Maractus hears a noise coming from just over the hill. It sniffles as it gets back on its feet, ready to walk up the sandy hill. This may not be a desert that Maractus knows its way around, but it sure does know how to traverse any desert. Step by step, Maractus waddles up the sandy hill, still hearing this strange sound. It sounds like the cry of an unknown Pokémon. Once it reaches the top, it looks around for the source of the sound, but to no avail. The sound is stronger, so Maractus decides to walk down the hill. It takes a few steps, but Maractus trips on something and tumbles down the hill. Maractus bumps its head on something extra hard near the bottom of the hill. Dazed and confused, Maractus sits up and looks around with blurry vision, unsure of where it is or what just happened. After a few seconds, Maractus' eyes adjust to find an angry Trapinch staring at it. Maractus instantly starts to panic and get away, but Trapinch uses Mud-Slap, throwing a pile of wet, clumpy sand at Maractus, knocking it over. The Trapinch then digs itself back into a hole and tries to go back to sleep.

After Maractus wipes the mud off itself, it begins walking away from Trapinch and the hill it climbed. Minutes go by as Maractus walks and walks with no end in sight. No people or Pokémon around. No food and no water, either. Maractus looks up at the sky and thinks. It thinks about the trainer that abandoned it and how it's all alone now. Maractus shakes its head and tried to remain positive as it waddles on, slowly trying to find anything or anyone that can help it. Afterall, Maractus has no friends here and doesn't know where to find any food or water.

After what seems like a few hours of walking across this desert, Maractus finally hears a new sound. It's the sound of a new Pokémon! Maractus begins frantically searching for it. Looking around itself, checking under rocks, digging in the sand, but it can't seem to find anything, until a gust of wind and sand knocks Maractus off its feet. Once Maractus gets its bearing, it finds a familiar face landing in front of it. Back in the Desert Resort in the Unova Region, these Pokémon would fly the skies, waiting for food to scavenge from unsuspecting Pokémon and trainers. At the sight of the Mandibuzz, Maractus screams and instinctually uses Pin Missile to try to scare off the Mandibuzz, but that only makes it more angry. Mandibuzz, now enraged, winds up for an Air Slash. There is no where for Maractus to run and its too weak to fight back. Mandibuzz unleashes its attack, blowing sand and air everywhere, the attack launches Maractus into the air, going across a couple of sandy dunes before falling.

Several hours go by while Maractus is knocked out and planted into the sand, head-first. When Maractus wakes up, it pushes itself out of the sand, only to notice the bright moonlight shining above it. For a few seconds, Maractus stares up at the Moon, then closes its eyes, making a wish. It wishes for some company, or some food. Whichever comes first, really. Hungry and weak, Maractus pushes itself onto its feet and continues wandering through the now cold desert. Many Pokémon have gone to sleep now, planting themselves into the warm sand to keep them from the cold. But Maractus wants to keep going. It won't stop, no matter how difficult the night gets. Step by step, Maractus pushes forward. Each second, it hopes to see the trainer that released it just one more time. A draft blows past Maractus and it shudders, now starting to get cold and afraid. Grass types like Maractus don't enjoy the cold. It slows them down and weakens them.

Just as Maractus is about to plant itself into the ground for the night, it hears a strange crackling sound coming from just over the hill. Excited, Maractus clumsily rushes up the sandy hill, only to be blinded by a roaring flame and a what appears to be a tent! Unfortunately, Maractus knows this is not the tent of its previous owner, but it's better than nothing. Maractus slides down the hill, but slips and almost lands in the fire. Freaked out, Maractus screams and flails around. Woken up by the sound, the one sleeping in the tent opens it up to see the commotion. 'Finally, another trainer!' Maractus thought. But instead of a nice trainer, this one readies their Pokéballs, letting out a burst of silver energy that forms into a Skarmory. The trainer's Skarmory lays down some Spikes around the tent. Seeing this as a warning, Maractus defeatedly walks away from the tent. Deciding to wait out the night, Maractus plants itself into the ground and goes to sleep.

Several hours pass and the sunrise wakes up Maractus. It opens its eyes, pulls itself out of the ground and feels refreshed. Until poor Maractus' stomach starts to grumble. It hasn't eaten since yesterday morning! Once out of the ground, Maractus looks around to see many Numel walking around nearby. This is finally Maractus' chance make friends and find some food! Quickly, Maractus runs over to the Numel and starts to frantically explain what had happened to it. The Numel look at the Maractus in confusion. They've never seen this Pokémon before, nor have they even had much contact with people before. Instead of helping Maractus out, the Numel all agree to just ignore Maractus. Feeling desperate, Maractus raises its voice, insisting that the Numel help. The Numel, rather docile, just walk away from the Maractus.

Weak, frustrated and hungry, Maractus resorts to using Ingrain to try to find water hiding deep under the sand. Once again, Maractus fails. It can't battle, it can't make friends and now it can't find food or water. Maractus now realised why it was abandoned. It's useless, it's weak and there are better Pokémon out there, even better Maractus. Maractus decided to climb one last hill before giving up. It's a much bigger hill than usual and it seems less sandy than the others, too. Not expecting much from this hill, Maractus begins to climb. The ground seems tougher here, like Maractus can actually dig its feet in and climb with all its strength. Upon reaching the top after several minutes of struggling, Maractus stands in awe at the sight of several buildings.

Maractus instantly perks up, realising that it's found a village! but then sighs, feeling like it won't be accepted here. Completely giving up, Maractus faints, falling from the hill into the village below. A nearby trainer comes across the injured and starving Maractus and knows that she must take it to the closest Pokémon Centre to recover.