A Pikachu and Vulpix Story

One Autumn Day: Revised

Vulpix yawns. A gentle autumn breeze sends chills through her body. Pikachu is running circles around her kicking up leaves while playing pretend. All I have to do is walk around the village, then I can go home and sleep. Vulpix thinks to herself. Pikachu waves to the Kecleon brothers running the Kecleon market on the right. She starts dreaming of curling up in her straw bed next to a warm fire. Pikachu's cheerful greetings to the passersby as they walk near the school grounds are drowned out. Vulpix comes back to reality upon no longer being able to hear Pikachu's voice at all.
"Volt?" Vulpix looks around for her missing partner.
"VOLT!" A thundering cry erupts from further down the road.
"Oh no..." Vulpix whispers as she runs to the source of the distressed Pokemon. She runs up to the front gate of a Minccino shaped hut as another breeze rattles the autumn trees. Leaves are thrown across the yard as Pikachu darts from leaf pile to leaf pile, narrowly avoiding the angry Minccino's attempts to nail him to the floor with swift. Vulpix inhales sharply and runs to Minccino. By the time Vulpix reaches her, the tired Minccino is on the verge of tears.
"Minny..." Vulpix starts.
"DON'T you Minny me," Minccino spits. "How dare you let that vagabond ruin my whole morning!" Minccino points over to Pikachu. 
"This is the best one yet!" Pikachu cries joyfully as Minccino glared tearfully at him. Vulpix sighs.
"Please, don't be mad," Vulpix says while comforting the hardworking perfectionist, Minccino. "We'll help you clean everything up."
"All that work for nothing." Minccino says bitterly as Pikachu joins them at last. Minccino heads back inside her hut to get a couple of trash bags.
"Where to next?" Pikachu asks. Vulpix glares at Pikachu.
"Nowhere," Vulpix replies. "We're staying right here and helping Minny clean."
"Okay," Pikachu says smiling. Vulpix exhales and looks at her carefree friend perplexed. "What's up?"
"Why are you smiling like that?" Vulpix asks. Pikachu tilts his head and keeps on smiling at her. "If there is something you want, you aren't going to get it."
"I will if I do a good job cleaning up, right?" Pikachu asks. So, there is a reason for all of this commotion. Vulpix wonders.
"Fine," Vulpix says. "If you show me that you can make this yard look completely spotless, I will consider answering whatever request you want to make of me." Pikachu nods in understanding. Minccino comes back with a couple of trash bags and the trio gets to work cleaning up the yard. Within a few hours, the yard was nearly spotless. Pikachu chases the last of the stray leaves into a leaf pile. Vulpix and Minccino watch him as they tie up the last trash bag.
"I must admit, I couldn't have done a better job of cleaning up by myself," Minccino says. "Although, we wouldn't be in this mess if Volt hadn't messed anything up."
"Yes, but he has his reasons," Vulpix says. Minccino looks at her.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Minccino asks.
"I'm not sure, but I think that I'm going to find out," Vulpix replies. Minccino sighs.
"Sounds like he's being a little selfish," Minccino says. She walks inside to prepare some refreshments as a thank you. Vulpix curls up underneath a tree and starts to drift off.
"Hey V!" Pikachu calls out happily as he joins Vulpix in the shade. Unfortunately, Vulpix has fallen asleep. Pikachu pouts and crosses his arms. "Come on V." He shakes her gently. Seeing that he isn't getting her attention, Pikachu uses his trump card. "Wake up, Nine!" You promised that you would listen to my request!" Vulpix jolts to life.
"Huh?! Wha?" Vulpix rubs her sleepy eyes and yawns. "Volt! I told you not to call me that."
"Well, I've got your attention now right?" Pikachu asks. Vulpix's fur stands up on her neck in irritation. What has gotten into you? She wonders as she looks at her friend. Vulpix takes a breath.
"Yes, now what is it that you wanted to ask me?" Vulpix says as she sits up.
"Could you tell me more about the Reaper myth?" Pikachu asks. Vulpix looks at him perplexed.
"That's what you wanted to ask me?" Vulpix says. "Is that what all of this commotion has been about? A myth!"
"Not entirely," Pikachu says. "The myth is only one part of it."
"Okay," Vulpix replies. "What about the myth do you want to know about?" Pikachu sits down quietly, staring eagerly at his friend with big sparkling eyes.
"I want to know how I was passed down from the Reaper to you and Minny," Pikachu says. The cool wind gently passes by the two pokemon.
"Well, I wouldn't really say that the Reaper gave you to us. Minny found you and we learned what happened later," Vulpix explains. The cool wind blows gently and the leaves fall slowly as Vulpix tells her story.
***
A raging storm engulfs the top of Steel Point Mt. during the height of a battle between an Arcanine and a Ninetales. The object of their conflict teeters on the cliff's edge. A single pokemon egg that belongs to neither of them, but is everything to the two pokemon. For Arcanine, this egg's fate is the epitome of justice. To Ninetales, it is the epitome of freedom. Standing at the edge of the cliff, low on energy and running out of moves, there is only one thing for Ninetales to do. She looks hard at the opponent in front of her, then to the egg to the left of them and roars. A thud is heard as Arcanine hits the wall. The egg wobbles and rolls off the edge, Arcanine lunges towards it but fails to retrieve the egg. He watches in horror as the Reaper, Ninetales, runs down the cliff side, catches the egg, and descends towards the base of Steel Point Mt. in retreat. The Crusader, Arcanine, wastes no time on the journey back through the mystery dungeon, but progress is slow due to the injuries he has sustained in battle.
At the base of the mountain, the Reaper is greeted by two more Crusaders, a Dragonite and Magnezone, who block her path of escape. Their goal is to turn her in alive for theft, but the Reaper has other plans. She roars loudly, enticing them to battle, and receives a gallant response from the Dragonite. Her opponent lacks experience, but the odds couldn't have been more stacked in his favor. The Reaper is battle weary and out numbered, in addition to having to fight in bad weather and her opponent possesses a water type move. The chances of winning are slim to none, but the Reaper has a plan. The two fighters begin to circle the battlefield as they each prepare for the first blow. The rain begins to lighten up and the wind relents a little as the Reaper charges forward with a quick attack. Dragonite uses a wing attack in retaliation.
***
"So, I was still an egg when I was with the Reaper," Pikachu says. Vulpix nods. A gust of wind rattles and shakes more leaves off the trees.
"Oh no. The leaves are back!" Pikachu exclaims as he jumps into action. Vulpix watches her friend happily chase down stray leaves, pretending he is on an adventure of his own. She shivers as another breeze comes by. What I wouldn't give to be at home napping by the fireplace. Where did those days go? Vulpix wonders.
"Watch out!" Pikachu exclaims as he runs around a leaf pile. Vulpix watches him add a few more leaves to the pile, gently padding them down to make them stick. Ah, yes. Those days wandered away as soon as you came into my life. Vulpix thinks. He begins talking to the pile as if it were some Pokémon, asking if they are okay and if they need anything else.  I can't wait to see the adventurer you will become. Watching you grow and evolve sure beats any dreams I could be having or any heists I could be doing. Vulpix acknowledges. Vulpix laughs a little at herself, then shakes her head. Look at me going soft. A Reaper turned babysitter.
"Hey!" Minccino calls from the doorway of her hut as the smell of freshly baked cookies drifts through the air, signaling to the two Pokémon that it was time to head inside. Pikachu starts towards the door, but Vulpix hangs back to take one last look at the little leaf pile he made. Pikachu does need to pay me back for all of those peaceful days I have been missing out on. Vulpix thinks. Pikachu reaches the door and turns around, half expecting to see his friend walking towards him or still sleeping under the tree. Instead, she is rolling around in his freshly made leaf pile! He gapes at her in shock as Vulpix sticks her tongue out at him playfully. He then begins to laugh.
"I'm not saving you any cookies!" He yells.
"I'll take some of yours then," She tells him inside the hut. Minccino sets a pitcher of lemonade and a platter of cookies on the table. Vulpix and Pikachu reach for the platter.
"No," Minccino says as she swats their paws away. "Since I am the one who has worked the hardest today, I get first pick." She fills her plate and leaves the rest for Vulpix and Pikachu to fight over. The evening sun spills orange and reddish light across the sky as it settles on the horizon. Minccino walks Vulpix and Pikachu to the door.
"Be safe on your way home," Minccino says. "And YOU stay out of trouble." She says as she points to Pikachu.
"I will and thank you for the lemonade and cookies, Minny," Pikachu replies. "You make the best cookies ever." Minccino blushes a little and smiles sheepishly. Then, she looks at Vulpix.
"Take care of yourself and him," Minccino tells her. "I want no more of this funny business."
"I will and take care of yourself too," Vulpix replies.  As the two head home, Pikachu speaks up.
"So, what happens after the Reaper descends Steel Point Mt.?" Pikachu meets Vulpix's eyes. He smiles, "How did I end up with you?" A moment passes before she answers.
"The Reaper gets away and drops you on Minny's doorstep. Afterwards, they disappear."
***
Ninetales stumbles along the dirt path. She is worn down and exhausted, but she cannot stop. She drops her explorer bag and takes out an elixir. The message on the bottle written in bold letters reads, "For emergencies only." The night covers her features as she sneaks her way through the village and towards Minccino's hut. She knocks on the door and Minccino opens it. Minccino instructs Ninetales to hide in her room as she distracts and lures away team Crusaders. While hiding behind a bookshelf in Minccino's room, she drinks the elixir and turns into a Vulpix.
"This is preposterous!" Minccino yells. "Who gave you the right to walk into my house unannounced!"
"Please calm down," Magnezone commands. "The footprints around your residence look suspiciously like Ninetales footprints. We only want to make sure that they are not here."
"Please excuse us, Miss," Dragonite says. Arcanine walks into the house with Dragonite in tow. Magnezone stays outside and holds Minccino back. Arcanine finds Vulpix hiding behind the shelf. He looks at her softly and speaks gently.
"You alright?" Arcanine asks. Vulpix nods her head. "Come on out then. We won't bite." Vulpix walks out from behind the shelf carrying the egg with her.
"Who's that?" Arcanine asks. Vulpix looks at the egg and nuzzles it. She speaks with a high pitched and airy voice, like that of a child's voice.
"This is my brother, Volt," She says. Arcanine nods.
"You're gonna be a big sister, is that right?" Arcanine asks.
"Yeah, I'm gonna be the best big sister ever," Vulpix says. "I'm gonna protect him and give him a good life." Arcanine smiles, then speaks with resolve in his voice.
"I'll make sure that you can," Arcanine says. He starts heading to the door.
"Where are you going, mister?" Vulpix asks.
"To catch an egg thief," Arcanine replies.
***
"Has no one seen the Reaper since?" Pikachu asks. Vulpix shakes her head.
"That's perfect," Pikachu says.
"How so?" Vulpix asks. Pikachu grins and looks at Vulpix with sparkling eyes full of ambition.
  "Because me and my team are going to catch them," Pikachu says. Vulpix looks at him a little shocked.
"Why do you want to catch the Reaper?" Vulpix asks.
"So, I can learn about my origins, where I came from, and why I was taken," Pikachu says.  "I know it seems far-fetched, but I think we can do it."
"We?!" Vulpix exclaims.
"Yeah," Pikachu says. "You, me, and Minny." Vulpix looks into his big brown eyes. "You will help me, right?" Vulpix is at a loss for words. It's been a while since she has done any adventuring and the idea of catching herself is absurd. Yet, the possible discoveries she could make and the new lands that she could explore have never failed to excite her. Maybe, it will be fun to chase that thrill again. Besides, it's not likely her being the Reaper will pose an immediate problem. She looks at Pikachu and sighs.
"Where do we sign up?" Vulpix asks, hoping she doesn't regret the decision later.