Fighting for a Brighter Future
Prologue
“Can you tell me the story about the Zorua and the Pangoro again, Mommy?” A little blond girl, hugging her favorite Zorua plush in her arms, asked her mother as she covered her with a blanket, preparing her for bed.
“Haha. All right, I will,” her mother agreed, chuckling slightly at her daughter. The little girl had heard this story many times, but she never seemed to tire of it.
The lady sat in the chair next to her daughter’s bed, grabbed the Pangoro plush, and placed it on her daughter’s lap beside her Zorua plush.
She cleared her throat, looked into her daughter’s eyes, and then began the story in her enchanting storytelling voice, “Once upon a time, deep in the darkest forests, there lived a lonely Zorua. He was a mischievous one, always transforming into other Pokemon and creatures that lived around him.”
The story begins with the image of Zorua, a small gray fox-like Pokemon, appearing. With a smirk on his face, Zorua’s body glowed purple and his form began to change into the forms of Pidove, then again into Meowth, and then Rattata.
“He would often use this ability to trick others into handing over food or using their homes to sleep in.”
The story continues with Zorua in the form of Garchomp, roaring loudly and scaring a herd of Rattata, causing them to run away from their nest. Snickering slightly for another success, Zorua transformed back into his form and began eating the food the Rattata had left behind.
“Because of this, he didn’t have many friends. I’m sure you can piece together why?”
Zorua, in a cheerful mood, ran forward to greet the two Pachirisu who were happily chatting in the distance. However, when one of the Pachirisu noticed him, they quickly nudged their companion, and both scurried away.
Understanding why, Zorua could only stare at the ground, shadows covering his face and hiding his emotions.
Having tricked many Pokemon in the forest with his special ability, the Pokemon chose to avoid him. Wherever Zorua went, he was shunned by others. No one wanted to interact with him.
Unbeknownst to them, behind the smiling facade was a sad and lonely Zorua, isolated by the very Pokemon he longed to befriend.
“Poor Zorua,” the little girl said sadly, hugging her Zorua plush tighter. She felt sympathy for Zorua; no one deserves to be lonely like that.
“Yes, poor Zorua,” her mother replied gently, kissing her forehead softly, proud that her daughter could sympathize with others.
“But one day, everything changed when Zorua met a powerful Pokemon called Pangoro,” her mother continued, picking up the Pangoro plush and holding it eye to eye with the tricky fox plush her daughter was holding. “They were fighting over a rare and coveted golden apple.”
Zorua, no longer wearing his usual happy face, had his teeth clenched as he glared at the bulky Pokemon in front of him, Pangoro. Despite his intense focus on Pangoro, his thoughts were still fixed on the cause of this conflict: the golden apple. Golden apples, the sweetest fruits in the forest, and only one remained on the tree ahead. It would have been his if not for this Pangoro.
Zorua’s eyes glowed blue as crimson energy enveloped his body. With his front paws raised, he readied himself to attack Pangoro once again with his Night Daze move.
Facing him, Pangoro clenched the bamboo leaf in his mouth while ice energy surrounded his right hand. He lunged forward, aiming to land an Ice Punch on the tricky fox Pokemon.
“After many hours, their fight came to an end with no victor in sight.”
Panting heavily, both Zorua and Pangoro decided to call a temporary truce to rest. They had been fiercely battling each other for a long time but still hadn’t determined a winner.
“They knew they were evenly matched. One could not defeat the other.”
The two Pokemon stood up and looked into each other’s eyes. Instead of the previous hostility, a spark of mutual respect ignited in their gazes.
“With both staring at each other intensely, they knew that they were destined for friendship.”
Zorua and Pangoro held each other’s gaze for a moment, then smiled. They had both made a decision—a decision to be friends.
“The two became quick companions. They were two peas in a pod, if you will.”
He had always felt sad because he was alone and no Pokemon wanted to play with him. Despite the smile he constantly wore, the feeling of loneliness lingered in his heart.
“They traveled the world together. Overcame hardships. Went on thrilling adventures...”
But now, with Pangoro, his new best friend by his side, Zorua felt he could do anything. The smile on his face was no longer fake; it was a genuine smile of true happiness.
“Life was good for the two of them... until one day, Zorua went too far.”
One day, while Pangoro went out to look for food, Zorua stayed in their home to keep watch. While on guard, the tricky fox came up with what he thought was the best idea ever. But little did he know, it was a decision he would regret for the rest of his life. The idea he came up with was...
“I shall transform into Pangoro’s fallen mother. That would surely give him a spook!” Zorua exclaimed.
“It’ll be my best prank yet!” said the little girl’s mother, adjusting her voice to a high-pitched tone to match the mischievous spirit of the sly little fox.
“So while Pangoro left to find food, Zorua put his mischievous plan into action.”
Standing in front of a piece of crystal in the cave they called home, Zorua took a deep breath. With purple energy swirling around his body, his form began to shift and change, transforming completely into the bulky shape of a Pangoro.
Looking into the crystal, instead of his own reflection, an elderly Pangoro stared back at the gray fox. Zorua giggled; he couldn’t wait for his best friend to return and see this.
“When Pangoro returned home, he was greeted with the sight of his dead mother.”
Returning with a bountiful harvest, the panda Pokemon looked at the fruits he had gathered with an excited expression. He had a special surprise for Zorua and couldn’t wait to see his reaction. He was sure his friend would love it.
As he opened his mouth to call out to Zorua, Pangoro froze. Standing in their home was a familiar figure: his beloved, deceased mother.
“Paralyzed by a whirlwind of emotions, Pangoro dropped his collection of food onto the ground. Among the scattered items was...” The woman paused, her eyes meeting her daughter’s, silently encouraging her to finish the sentence.
“A golden apple!” the little girl squealed with delight, catching on to her mother’s cue, and burst into giggles as her mother tickled her.
“Haha, yes, that’s right. A golden apple.” Her mother smiled, watching her daughter laugh. She then stopped tickling her and continued the story.
“When Zorua saw this, he transformed back into his normal state, looked down at the food, and exclaimed...
Transforming back to normal, Zorua was surprised to see that among the fruits Pangoro had found, there was a golden apple—the very one that had helped them become friends.
“Hey! Where did you find this golden apple? It looks fresh and incredibly delicious!”
Zorua didn’t notice that Pangoro, his usually energetic Pokemon friend, was unusually quiet today. Pangoro stood there motionless, not saying a word, just staring down at Zorua.
“Zorua raised his head to see a face filled with furry, sadness, but most importantly, disappointment.”
The expression on his friend’s face rang alarm bells for Zorua about the consequences of what he had just done. Pranks are one thing, but transforming into his friend’s deceased mother as a prank is on a different level.
“Zorua quickly realized that he hurt Pangoro very deeply and tried to apologize.” The little girl picked up her Zorua plush and moved it around the Pangoro plush to represent the scene.
“But Pangoro wouldn’t hear any of it and immediately ran into the forest.” Like her daughter, the lady picked up the panda Pokemon plush and made it “run” away from the small fox plush to express her words.
“Shaken and worried, Zorua ran after him, but Pangoro was nowhere to be found.”
Running out of their home and deep into the forest, Zorua looked around and called out for his friend, but the only response was the silence of the forest.
“Zorua realized he had repelled his only friend with his selfishness.”
With no hope left, Zorua collapsed to the ground, tears streaming from his eyes. The fox Pokemon couldn’t believe it. He had done it again—isolated himself with his selfishness. Worse yet, he had hurt his best friend, his only and last friend.
“And Zorua became lonely once more.” The lady looked down and smiled when she saw her daughter had fallen asleep. She adjusted the blanket to make her more comfortable and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. Then she turned off the night lamp and quietly walked out of the room so as not to disturb her daughter. “Sleep tight.”
“Maria.”
Lying under the comfort of her soft bed and warm mattress, Maria couldn’t help but keep thinking about Zorua and his biggest mistake. She wished she could change the story and make him realize the mistake he was about to make sooner. She wished she could help him understand that his actions would hurt Pangoro before he did it.
Because she knew that deep down, she and Zorua were very similar; neither of them would ever want to hurt their friends.
_________________________________________
**Timeskip – Morning**
Groaning, Maria squinted as a ray of sunlight filtered through the window and landed on her eyelids. She lay there for a while, waiting for her energy to return completely before sitting up and stretching. She was ready to start a new day, full of vigor.
As she got out of bed, the little girl felt something touch her legs. Looking down, she saw her Pangoro plush. Her mother must have placed it at the foot of her bed after last night's bedtime story.
She gazed at her plushies for a moment.
Closing the door behind her, Maria ran downstairs to find her mother, leaving the Zorua plush and Pangoro plush sitting side by side on her bed.
The story about Zorua and Pangoro might have had a not-so-happy ending, but in her heart, Maria still hoped for a different conclusion—one where the friendship between the two Pokémon remained strong and unbreakable, no matter what happened.
Because she knew that, deep down, she and Zorua were alike. They would never hurt their friends, no matter what.
_________________________________________
Downstairs, the little girl looked around, hoping to find the person she was searching for. Her face lit up with a smile when she spotted a familiar figure standing in the kitchen.
“Mommy, I’m up! I’m up!” she called out.
The woman turned at her daughter’s voice and smiled as she saw the girl’s small figure running towards her.
“Ah, good morning, Maria! Did you sleep well?” Maria nodded enthusiastically. Her mother smiled and bent down to hug her, her eyes filled with mischief.
“I have a special task for you. Can you do it for me?” Maria released her mother’s embrace and stood up straight, her face full of sincerity and determination, ready to take on any task given to her.
“I’m preparing breakfast right now. Do you mind fetching your father? He’s working in his study.” The woman looked amused at her “serious” daughter. Her daughter’s so adorable.
“Don’t take too long! I don’t want his food to get cold,” the blonde-haired woman called out as she saw her daughter skipping to the study room.
“You can count on me, Mommy!”
Running past the spot where their family painting hung, Maria opened the door and stepped into the study, where her father often spent his time.
Her presence must have startled her father, interrupting what he was doing and causing him to stutter. “Ah, Marian-...Maria. How are you doing?”
His stammering did not draw his daughter’s attention or raise any suspicion; she was solely focused on completing the important task her mother had entrusted to her. “Mom said breakfast is ready, so get your butt out of this room and have good food!”
“I do love your mother’s cooking,” the father hummed, gazing down at his daughter’s intensely “serious” face before speaking to her. “All right, I’ll be out in a few moments.”
“Go tell your mother that, y’hear?” With that, Maria hurried out of the room and dashed to the kitchen to inform her mother.
“Dad said he’ll be right out!” Maria informed her mother as soon as she reached the kitchen.
“Did he now? Well, there’s no use in rushing him, I guess.” The woman glanced down at her daughter and noticed that she was still wearing her pajamas. “You should go upstairs and freshen up. I’ll have your breakfast ready by then.”
“Okay, and then we get to play outside afterward, right?” the little girl asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She loved going out with her mother and hanging out with her best friend.
“Of course!” Her mother smiled, knowing how lonely her daughter was at home. It was good for her to get outside, breathe in the fresh air, and meet new people. And it was best to stay away from that Gard— No. This place was not safe; it was best not to think about it. “Now go on, Maria. I’ll be waiting for you down here.”
“I’m going right now!” Maria replied, promptly obeying her mother’s orders. She dashed up to her room to change quickly, eager to come back down and enjoy the breakfast her mother had lovingly prepared.
Suddenly, her surroundings glowed blue for a moment before returning to normal. “What was that...?” Maria murmured in confusion before flinching as a loud crash, like shattering glass, echoed from downstairs.
Oh no, her mother is down there. Is she okay?
“Mom?!” No response. Her anxiety grew; her mother always responded to her calls. Maria dashed downstairs, frantically calling out for her mother.
“Mommy?” Dashing to the kitchen, Maria’s heart sank when she found it empty, her mother nowhere in sight. Where could she be? Has something happened to her? A whirlwind of questions raced through Maria’s mind.
Maybe her father knows where her mother is. With that thought in mind, she changed her direction to her father’s study room, continuing to call out to her mother. “Mommy?”
“Mom—“ Maria’s words caught in her throat as she stepped into the living room. Her eyes widened at the sight of a strange woman standing before her. Clad in red and black armor, a black visor helmet, and draped in a flowing cape, the woman exuded an aura so oppressive that it sent shivers down Maria’s spine. If it weren’t for that intimidating presence, she might have mistaken her for a knight straight out of the bedtime stories her mother often told her.
Taking a deep breath, the little girl mustered her courage and addressed the imposing figure. Despite her efforts, her voice trembled slightly. “Who... are you?”
“How many times?” the armored woman whispered, ignoring the younger girl’s question. Her voice was so low that the little girl would have missed it if she hadn’t been listening intently.
“Wh-what...?” Maria stammered.
“How many times will you make the little girl suffer?” The question seemed directed at someone unseen. The woman’s shoulders trembled as she enunciated each word. “How many times are you willing to put her through this chaos?!”
“I... I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Maria stammered, bewildered. Had she done something wrong?
“I’m not talking to you,” the woman snapped, her curt response clarifying everything. This woman is crazy, Maria thought.
“Oh... well, do you know where my parents are?” Setting aside the woman’s apparent instability, the little girl hesitated a little before shyly asking the question that weighed most heavily on her mind.
“...”, The room was enveloped in silence as the woman, rather than replying, stood motionless. It seemed she was lost in her thoughts. Just when the younger girl’s nervousness reached its peak, the woman finally spoke. “They’re downstairs.”
“Oh...! Okay, well... I’m going to them now.” It’s best to get out of here and find her mother.
“Maria.”
“Yes...?” Maria swallowed hard, sweat beading on her forehead. Where was her mother? She needed her now more than ever.
“No matter what happens, don’t you dare lose hope.” Even though the visor of the woman’s helmet separated them, the little girl could still feel the intensity of her gaze piercing through. The woman’s voice was firm and demanding, yet beneath it lay a deep, pleading tone, as if she could foresee the younger girl’s fate. “Don’t lose who you are, and don’t you dare forget what’s about to happen. Do you understand?”
“Y-Yes, I understand!” Maria stammered, nodding despite her confusion, hoping the lady would let her go.
Seemingly satisfied with her answer, the armored woman gestured towards the door leading to the basement. “Good. Go to them now. They’re waiting.”
“O-okay!” This lady is anything but normal. She needs to get out of here immediately.
As Maria hurried to the basement, she failed to notice the armored woman clenching her fists tightly.
________________________________________
As Maria descended into the basement, an unsettling feeling crept over her. Normally, her father would appear out of nowhere the moment she approached the door, either to stop her or angrily reprimand her for not informing him. But today, the door was left unlocked.
Lost in her thoughts, the little girl continued walking until she abruptly stopped, something obstructing her path. Blinking, she realized she was now standing before the entrance to the most forbidden room in the house. Staring at the door, Maria couldn’t help but feel a wave of nervousness wash over her.
This is it. Just a few more steps, and she would uncover the secret her father had concealed for so long. Yes, just a few more steps. The little girl could hear her heart pounding rapidly, perfectly in sync with her escalating anxiety.
Taking a deep breath to summon her courage, she grasped the door handle and slowly opened it. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight that greeted her.
Behind the door stood her father, his back turned to her. In the center of the room was a yellow platform, and on it lay her mother—motionless and bleeding profusely.
“Mommy!” Tears fell from her eyes as she ran to embrace her motionless mother. Her father stood still, his back turned to her, saying nothing. “What are you doing to Mommy?! Mommy, wake up!”
“Mommy, wake up! Mommy, wake up!” Why wasn’t her mother moving? Why was she so cold? Could it be...? No! She couldn’t allow herself to think like that. Her mother was still alive. “Why don’t you say anything to me?!”
“Why?!” Maria’s voice broke with anguish. How could her father do that to her mother? She loved him so dearly. The little girl sniffled, hugging her mother’s lifeless, bloodied body as tightly as her little arms could manage. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling onto her mother’s cold skin.
“Marianette, your father wishes to see you now.”
Huh?
A female voice emerged from her father, whose back remained turned to her. It was emotionless yet hauntingly familiar, as though she had heard it countless times before. But where?
“What... are you talking about?”
“Marianette, your father wishes to see you now,” the female voice continued, expressionless, speaking to her.
“What are you doing?!”
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed through the room. Maria’s surroundings began to blur, her world turning blinding white as fractures snaked across the walls. The cracks spread rapidly, paralyzing her as chaos consumed everything.
The haunting, emotionless voice echoed through the room, continuing to call her name, “Marianette... Marianette!... Marianette!” Her name wasn’t Marianette. She wanted to correct the voice, but she couldn’t. She was frozen, unable to move or speak. What on earth was happening?
Finally, after a flash of white light, Maria opened her eyes to find herself standing in a gloomy room, facing a mirror. On either side of the mirror, her favorite Zorua and Pangoro plushies were placed—Zorua on the left and Pangoro on the right—adding a touch of familiarity to the eerie surroundings.
“What?!” This isn’t her family’s basement. Where’s her mother? Is she okay?
Hundreds of questions raced through Maria’s mind until she realized someone was right behind her. The little girl spun around to face the owner of the emotionless voice: a black-haired maid.
“Now, for the fifth time, Marianette…” The maid’s face remained expressionless, but her voice carried a hint of frustration at the child’s tardiness. “Your father is waiting for you in the East Wing. You’re making him wait longer than he can afford. So get to it.”
“Wh-what am I doing here again?” Did she forget something? What was this feeling? Why did it seem like she needed to remember something, something extremely important?
“Marianette, I won’t say it again. Just hurry along now,” the maid insisted firmly, ignoring her question.
“M-my name isn’t Marianette... it’s Maria,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
The maid paid no attention to Maria’s words, turning on her heel and briskly walking out of the room, leaving Maria alone with her unsettling thoughts.
Not wanting to be left alone in the dark room, Maria ran after the maid in anxiety.
As the child stepped out of the room, she was greeted by an unfamiliar hallway, adorned with stone pillars and bathed in the warm glow of oil lamps. “Hmm... What is this place?” she murmured. “This doesn’t look like home at all.”
Maria’s heart skipped a beat as she heard whispers nearby. Moving slowly and quietly, she hid behind a corner to avoid being seen. Across the hallway, the maid from earlier was whispering to... another maid who looked exactly like her?
Things were getting stranger and stranger.
Hiding in the shadows, the little girl focused intently on their conversation.
“What are we going to do about... you know, that problem Indriad mentioned?” The first maid’s voice quivered with worry. What problem could she be referring to?
“We’ll deal with it when the time comes,” the second maid replied confidently. Although she was speaking to the first maid, her eyes seemed to be scanning the hallway. Did she—did she know she was there?
“For now,” the second maid continued, her gaze piercing through the dim light, “someone should stop eavesdropping and get to her father.”
Yep, she knew.
Caught red-handed, Maria didn’t hesitate. She sprinted down the hallway, her heart pounding with urgency. She had to find her father—she had a crucial question that couldn’t wait.
As she dashed past the servants, an eerie realization struck her. Every woman she saw was identical: same clothes, same hairstyle, same hair color, even the same blank expressions. Something was very wrong.
Her father would have the answers—he always did. And he would surely know where her mother was.
_________________________________________
“...”
Maria was rendered speechless when she stepped into the room. The entire space floated on water, an ethereal platform unlike anything she had ever seen. Her father, clad in a strange monk-like robe, stood amidst a group of maids. They were all gathered around a table adorned with a peculiar symbol that stirred a sense of déjà vu within her. To her astonishment, one of the maids stood atop the table.
The bizarre occurrences of the day—the maids, the room, and her father’s unusual attire—led her to a singular, dreadful conclusion. Her father had done something to her mother.
“Mommy is with our Lord now, Marianette,” her father said, his voice disturbingly calm. Unlike her, he showed no visible signs of grief. Did he not care about her mother at all? And there was another pressing issue.
“Stop calling me Marianette! It’s Maria!” she snapped. Why did they insist on using that name? She hated it so much!
Her outburst didn’t faze her father in the slightest. He looked at her as if she were a child who simply didn’t understand.
“What is with this disrespect? Your name is no longer Maria.”
No, her name was Maria, not Marianette—the beautiful name given to her by her mother, a gentle and kind woman, the best mother in the world. Maria thought as she glared at her father.
“Now, as I was saying,” her father continued.
The maid, standing on the table, interrupted him, her face expressionless but with a hint of excitement. “No need for explanation, sir. Demonstration may be the key to this girl’s mind.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed, but he gave a nod of agreement. “Hmph, very well.” He began to chant strange, unintelligible words. The little girl watched in terror as, with each word, small spots of light began to surround the maid on the ritual table. The lights grew and enveloped her entirely, then vanished, taking the maid with them.
“She’s gone now, Marianette. She’s with the Lord,” her father said, but his words fell on deaf ears. Maria was paralyzed with fear, a horrifying thought creeping into her mind—had he done the same to her mother?
“She won’t need to suffer the calamity that soon befalls this earth.” The other maids nodded in agreement, their faces devoid of any emotion. Maria was incredulous. What was wrong with these people? They had just witnessed a murder and were acting as if it were normal?
Suddenly, her father turned to her, his gaze unsettling and filled with an odd intensity.
“Marianette, it’s your turn now.”
Maria shook her head vigorously. No way. Did he want to sacrifice her like he did her mother? “No, you can’t make me do it…”
That would never happen. She thought resolutely, backing slowly toward the room’s exit.
Her refusal seemed to anger her father, his expression hardening. “Maids, bring Marianette to the altar.”
Hands suddenly grabbed the little girl from behind, startling her. Damn it! She had been so focused on her father that she had forgotten about the maids, allowing them to easily sneak up on her.
“Let go of me! Let go of me!” The maids dragged her to the ritual table, binding her hands and feet. No matter how she struggled, it was futile. They were too many and too strong.
Struggling against her restraints, she cried out to her father, “You said the same to my mommy! She’s gone because of you!”
“Enough, Marianette. Go with dignity.”
“I don’t want this! Just let me go!” Her father ignored her as he began chanting the same incomprehensible incantations he had done to the maid earlier.
Why did this happen to her? All she wants is a happy, normal life with her family. Is that truly too much to ask for?
“I hate you, I hate you!” Her head started spinning, and it hurt more and more with every word her father chanted. She felt like something was happening to her.
“Someone please don’t let him do this to me!” No one paid any attention to her cries for help. The maids just stood there, looking at her father in amazement.
She wanted her mother. She wanted to feel again the warmth of being cuddled and told bedtime stories every night by her mother.
“Someone please help me! Anyone! Mommy!”
“...Please...!”
As her world darkened, Maria heard a faint feminine voice whispering in her head.
No matter what happens, don’t you dare lose hope.
_________________________________________
After much contemplation, I decided to write a story about Pokémon Rejuvenation. Since English is not my first language, there may be some mistakes. However, my love for Pokémon Rejuvenation inspired me to take this risk.
I hope you all enjoy the story.
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