A kid this young shouldn't be outside this late.
Every Pokemon in the rocky outcropping realized this, but when the kid fell to his knees outside the cave, none of them made a move. Even the Electric and Water types frolicking in the thunderstorm froze up when the kid didn't even move to avoid the rain.
"Legendary, please. I know you're… in there. This is where… the treasure map… said you'd be…" he took a break to catch his breath and continued shouting. There was a frantic determination in this kid's eyes that sparked a realization.
"My starter is…at home … recovering…" he looked down for the first time. "Like I should be," he whispered, voice cracking into a sob.
A Zangoose nudged a Dugtrio and asked it to dig a tunnel into that cave. The Dugtrio got its friends to help, not caring about how the cave looked. As far as they knew, no Legendaries had ever lived there.
As the kid was beginning to cough from the gusts of rain and shiver from the soaking rain, the sound of footsteps barely echoed over the storm's din.
The kid looked up, in awe at the sight of the Pokemon walking towards him. A magnificent red and white creature about the same height as him walked majestically through the swirling rain and stared him down.
Caught up in this moment, the kid ignored manners and started chucking balls like a madman. The Zangoose resisted to put on a show, but eventually was won over by this kid's persistence. Zangoose stayed in the Pokeball and didn't even try to escape.
The kid collapsed to the ground, coughing and wheezing heavily, and accidentally released Zangoose from the Pokeball.
Zangoose picked up the kid and bolted to the cave, asking for some Fire types to help warm this kid. He felt as cold as an Ice type, and that rain couldn't have helped. As the heat from the Charmander and Torkoal began to warm the cave, the thunderclaps continued to punctuate the dances of various Raichu and Jolteon.
The kid's parents showed up an hour later in the pouring rain, holding a soaked raincoat and umbrella. When they saw the soaked pieces of the treasure map outside, they rushed inside desperately to find their son cradled by a Zangoose with a dozing Charmander and Torkoal huddled nearby to keep him warm. A Dugtrio dozed nearby.
As they drew near, the Fire types startled and the Zangoose held up their son, staggered under his weight, and handed him over.
Without a moment's hesitation, Zangoose returned to the Pokeball their son had in a death grip even while asleep.
With a thankful look to the Fire types they carried him and Zangoose back home.
~
After winning some battles, Zangoose was a lot stronger. The kid's hair remained very short, however, and he seemed to get weaker with each passing day. He always told Zangoose at bedtime, "I'm countin on you, Cave Legendary. You've gotta help me with my revenge! You take care of me and I take care of you. We're partners now!" Zangoose would always nod sagely, but it wasn't enough. Every night one of the Psychics would show up and prognosticate this kid's future. And every night, Zangoose would bite each nail worrying over this kid's future.
Today, Zangoose fainted trying to fight a Hitmonchan twice as strong. Even though the kid got reprimanded for doing so, all his money was spent on treats and health tonics for Zangoose. He cradled Zangoose, gently feeding him the healing items one by one until Zangoose was better. But Zangoose nudged his shaking arm, concerned about the toll he put on himself nursing Zangoose back to life.
"First of all," Zangoose attempted to explain through Zangoose noises and charades, "I'm not a Legendary. Secondly, next time I get hurt, bring my ball to the Poke Center. Okay?"
The kid laughed. "I get it partner, you're worried about me. It's okay, I just want to keep you going."
Zangoose gazed up sadly at the kid, wishing grunts and cackles conveyed the same feeling to the kid.
That night, the kid had to go back to the hospital. Zangoose's ball of course was clutched within his hand like it was the last thing on earth.
As Zangoose watched the kid late into the night, with the familiar beeps of machines and murmur of doctors and nurses as rhythm, the long-standing plan finally was pushed into action.
Zangoose nodded to the Clefairy outside the window. It flew away, and in through the window flew a bunch of Dark, Ghost, Fairy, and Psychic types. Zangoose chattered nervously. Don't you dare steal my strength for yourself. You do that and I aim for the jugular. They're all for him. Understand?
Chandeleure screeched its lightbulbs in agreement. Clefairy twinkled. Corviknight cackled. Hoopa smirked and took off its rings but refrained from commenting.
Zangoose climbed up in the hospital bed with the kid, poking his hand with a wet nose. I might not be a Legendary, but together, hopefully we can make up for that.
The beams of magic all hit Zangoose at once and instead of screaming, Zangoose winced.
Anything for that smile.
~
It had been a long road to recovery, and Zangoose's health took a sizeable hit, but the kid survived. For some reason his parents looked at each other with tears barely blinked back when their baby came home. There was still a sadness there but they hugged their kid as tightly as they could and promised to bring him with them to celebrate. And amongst the hustle and bustle of packing, Zangoose lethargically crawled out of the Pokeball to scarf down some food and water, then curl up on the sofa.
One of the parents walked in and gasped with surprise at seeing Zangoose asleep.
"I want my Legendary to go with," the kid announced, and Zangoose cracked open an eye. Struggling to get up, Zangoose whined in the kid's direction and the kid ran over. "It won't be the same without my partner there too. What's wrong with him?"
The parents shared A Look and one of them turned to the kid. "He probably guarded you while you were in the hospital. He's just tired, let him sleep."
"No, let's bring him to the vet! I still have my allowance."
The other parent pinched their nose. "Fine, we'll reschedule the trip. Get him in the ball, and pack him a blanket, too."
The vets were "shocked" to find a sick Legendary and promised they'd do their very best to help him get better. They poked and prodded Zangoose, but couldn't find anything wrong. Eventually they concluded he was just comatose and needed to be healed in a ball whenever he wasn't awake.
The healing was slow, but after a month both were reunited. The trip was stressful and there were a lot of new smells and sights, but with the kid by his side there was nothing for Zangoose to fear. Upon their return, Zangoose intensified his training to make up for lost strength, overextending beyond the point of injury.
The kid had a hard time dragging Zangoose away from a fight, especially a stronger opponent. After Zangoose broke out of the ball to faint to a Charizard, the kid broke down sobbing. "You promised we'd do this together! You're not getting stronger, you're just hurting yourself! I don't want our revenge if you just hurt yourself this way!" And he threw down the ball and stomped off.
Zangoose stared, in shock, at the kid, and grabbed the ball and ran after him. With the most pitiful eyes known to Zangoosekind, the kid let out a shaky sigh and picked up the ball again. "Don't do that again, partner." They went home to eat smoothies and relax. Then Zangoose took it easy, gradually fighting a bit every day, and refusing to fight if he saw the kid was tired. The kid also learned to stop fighting when Zangoose was tired. With this relaxed and improved regimen, two tired souls both became stronger over several months.
Then the day came. Zangoose could tell by the scent of fear in the air that something new was about to happen. The whole house was abustle: one parent was helping the kid with his breakfast while the other made him a lunch. They both came to see him off and the kid hummed while he put Zangoose's ball in his pocket. Then the kid set off for a noisy and loud place full of the sounds and smells of other children. The kid said goodbye to his parents with tears in his eyes, and they all hugged for a very long time. Zangoose left the ball to hug them too, and they whispered, "Thank you, 'Legendary.'"
Zangoose chattered his pointy teeth in response.
After the parents left, the kid was surrounded by some other kids. Taller, stronger. Zangoose growled out of sheer primordial rage, and they laughed while backing away. Their leader cackled and the minions dragged the kid to a corner of the schoolyard oft overlooked by teachers.
"Give me your Zangoose, kid."
"No! He's my Legendary! Get your own!" The kid said, hugging Zangoose to his chest. The way he shook but remained resolute made Zangoose bare his pointy fangs once again.
"He's not a Legendary, he's just a regular Zangoose. Nobody has them because they're ugly." The bully insisted.
"Oh yeah?" The kid snarled, spitting daggers. "I doubt any of your 'pretty' Pokemon could even lay a finger on him."
The bully released his Machamp and smirked. "You sure talk big for someone so stupid. Oh, it must be because you're an only child. There's no siblings to tell you the truth. Zangoose is common. That map was fake. You'll die without ever avenging your defeat."
"Never!!!!!!!" The kid screamed in that high-pitched way that pops eardrums. "My partner is the best. I believe in him, and he believes in me. We're unstoppable."
Zangoose snarfed in agreement and adopted a fighting pose.
The Machamp's attack didn't as much as scratch him. Zangoose ended his entire boxing career with one hit. The bully pulled out all of the rest of his Pokemons and they all attacked Zangoose at once. Barely managing to knock them out one by one, Zangoose didn't keep watch over the kid until it was too late. A cry of pain echoed through the schoolyard as the kid was pushed to the ground. With a sliver of power left but tremendous fighting spirit, Zangoose sunk its teeth into the jugulars of each bully that kicked or punched the kid.
Finally, every enemy person and Pokemon had either run off in horror or fainted. The kid lay on the grass, laughing. "I'm glad… partner. We sure… showed them, huh?"
Zangoose lay on his side, stretching out a clawed toe towards the kid.
"You… gave me your life," the kid said, pushing his arm toward those claws. "We avenged…" He stopped mid-sentence, but Zangoose could see the smile on his face. He nudged the Pokeball towards him. Beaten up and worn down, there were several cracks in it. Yet it held firm. Zangoose pushed his fluffy head into the kid's hand, and got the last feeble head scratch. His cleft tail thwacked the ground, then both lay still.