Piplup and Blaziken Fanfic – Apple the Mom

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Pokemon Scarlet Piplup and Blaziken fanfic. Caesar the Piplup, a new member, has trouble blending into Team Rhyme. Apple the Blaziken takes it upon herself to raise him as a fellow bird Pokémon.
Related Works:
– Caesar the Cool Piplup (Comic. Things that happened right before this story, but you don’t have to read it to understand this fic.)

【 Apple the Mom 】

Caesar the Piplup looks up at the starry skies, and wonders what Chloe, mamma, papa, big sis Empoleon, big sis Parthenope, and little sis Bella are doing right now.

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Fresh winds blew gently across the green rolling fields of Paldea’s South Province. A bunch of carefree Hoppip drifted freely in the air. The melodious chirps of several little Fletchling further contributed to the peaceful and calming atmosphere.

To Trainer Rhyme and his Pokémon, it felt like time passed so much more slowly here compared to on Aeos Island, where battles and tournaments were the main dish. Aeos had its own charm, but they certainly loved the relaxing walks across Paldea.

Resting after exploring the plains, Rhyme was trying to set up a picnic with his Alolan Vulpix, Echo, and his friend, Trainer Leo. The rest of their Pokémon were playing together on the soft grass. However, new to the team and very timid, Caesar the Piplup had no idea what to do.

Caesar was a new addition to Team Rhyme, given by Rhyme’s friend, Trainer Chloe, just that morning. He’d heard that Rhyme’s team was full of strong fighters, while he was just a newborn chick. Everyone was so tall and huge that he didn’t know how to approach them. Rhyme noticed him shivering like a leaf by himself, so he called out to the Piplup with a friendly smile.

“Hey, Caesar! Wanna help us make a sandwich?”
“Piii…!!” Scared, Caesar ran away to hide in a bush instead.
“Haha, he’s so shy. How cute!” Rhyme laughed. He walked over and knelt down in front of the bush, holding out a Pecha Berry.
“You have the same Timid Nature as my Lucario, Ruka, so I know you love sweets. You can have this Berry.”

Caesar peeked out of the bush, attracted by the Pecha Berry’s sweet scent. But then, fear got the better of him and he decided to shrink back into the bush. Apple, Rhyme’s Blaziken, had been watching them. Growing somewhat impatient, she walked over to Rhyme and…

Stuck her hand into the bush to pluck Caesar out of it.

“PIIIII!!!” The little Piplup screamed.
“My Arceus, Apple! Easy! You’re scaring him!!” Rhyme exclaimed, removing Caesar from Apple’s claw and hugging him comfortingly.
“Ken!” Apple scowled, glaring at Caesar for troubling Rhyme, like she tended to do whenever anyone gave her favourite Trainer even the slightest discomfort. Rhyme pouted at her.

“Y-You’d be scared too if someone did that to you when you’re still a Torchic. …Right?” He said softly.
“………” Apple didn’t reply.
“Hush now, poor baby. You’re such a precious little cutie~”

Rhyme petted the shivering Caesar in his arms and gave him some forehead kisses. It seemed to calm Caesar down. Apple’s gaze softened a little.

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That night, they set up tent to camp out in the wilderness. The lights were out and everyone was asleep. Everyone except Caesar. The little Piplup sat alone atop a nearby rock, staring at the starry night sky above.

“Can’t sleep?”
Caesar jumped in surprise when he heard the voice.

Apple.

He was about to scream, but Apple put a hand over his mouth.
“Shh, you’ll wake everyone up,” she said. “I’m not here to hurt you, so don’t worry.”

Seeing that Caesar calmed down, she removed her hand slowly, but the penguin chick was still terrified of her, shrinking away. Apple sighed and sat down on the grass next to Caesar. She stared out at the wide plains that stretched endlessly into the night before them. A moment of silence passed, before Apple finally spoke up.

“Sorry… About earlier,” she began, “I mean… Rhyme’s right, I’d be scared too if someone’s rough to me when I was a Torchic.”
Apple offered Caesar a Pecha Berry, her voice much gentler now. A peace offering. “Here. For you. Rhyme never managed to give it to you this afternoon.”

Caesar shyly uncurled, looking up at Apple cautiously with watery eyes–a small animal trying to be doubly sure that it was safe before coming out of its little shell. Apple set the Berry down on the rock next to Caesar’s feet to assure him. Caesar gulped. Slowly reaching out, he picked the Berry, then nibbling on it slowly. Apple smiled at him.

“You don’t speak much, do you? Heard that most Empoleon and Piplup are proud and confident Pokémon, and never let themselves be pushed around. It’s surprising how Timid you are,” she said curiously.
“But you’re you, so that’s okay. You can take your time,” she continued gently. “It’s just been a day, but… Do you perhaps miss your parents and your sisters? Is it hard for you to travel alone?”

Caesar looked at Apple for a moment, not believing that she had this soft side to her, too. He stared at his half-eaten Pecha Berry quietly, trying to gather the courage to speak.

“Y-Yeah… I… I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking of them.” The Piplup finally managed, looking up at the stars again. “When I look up like this, I know that we’re all under the same sky, so I feel a little closer to them. But still, I wonder if little sis Bella’s lonely. Or if big sis Parthenope is okay without me. And I want mamma’s warm hug and Chloe’s tasty cooking…”

“Fufu, you have a loving family and Trainer, don’t you?” Apple chuckled, looking up at the stars, too. “I’ve… never seen my family. Rhyme’s the closest I have to a parent. He took care of me ever since I was a newborn Torchic, and raised me until I became a Blaziken. We went all over the Hoenn Region and defeated many powerful opponents together.”

Caesar turned his attention to Apple, his interest piqued. She continued.

“And then Rhyme needed to go somewhere far away by himself. We got separated for a very long time, until we reunited on Aeos Island recently. I think I… Maybe I understand how you feel…”

There was a heaviness in Apple’s voice. Her head hung low, eyes distant with a lot of thoughts on her mind. If Caesar believed her to be a scary Blaziken earlier, a part of him wanted to comfort her now. He turned away and offered his half-eaten Pecha Berry to her.

“F-For you! S-Sweets always make me feel better…!!” He stuttered nervously. Apple laughed quietly, cheering up a bit.
“Hey, it’s yours. Have it. You need nutrients to become a healthy Empoleon!”

She pulled herself together before continuing. “See, Caesar? You’re probably stronger than you think. You comforted others even though you’re lonely yourself. It’s a noble disposition and I’m sure you’ll be okay by yourself with us, with Team Rhyme. We’ll also do our best to be a good family to you and see that you’re comfortable.”

＂R-Really…?!” Caesar said with a blush. Apple nodded, standing up and stretching her legs a little.

“Of course. By the way, Rhyme’s on the stricter side when it comes to training, but he’s never mean to me, or to any of his Pokémon. He’d always be nice like when he comforted you when you were scared. That’s probably why I managed to become who I am now,” she said.

“I’ll see to it personally that you get the same respectable treatment while you’re here, and that you become an amazing Empoleon that your family would be pleasantly surprised. BUT…!” Apple paused, her tone changing as her gaze sharpened.

“But…?” Caesar tilted his head nervously.

“If you upset Rhyme even just a little, I WILL be mean to you. So don’t you DARE! Be a good boy, and don’t make it hard for him to be with you.” Apple huffed, folding her arms and glaring at Caesar mercilessly with fire in her eyes.

“Pii…! O-Okay… You really love Rhyme, don’t you? Hahaha…” Caesar shuddered, laughing nervously.

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The next day, Caesar could be seen following Apple everywhere like a chick followed a mother hen. Apple also supervised him as he fought against wild Pokémon, giving him a lot of battle advice. In her free time, Apple could be seen asking Happy the Blissey how Empoleon mothers take care of their young.

“Whoa! What happened to them?! Thought they didn’t get along!” Echo wondered in surprise. Since he was a special Alolan Vulpix, Echo could talk to humans. Rhyme laughed joyfully.

“Dunno, but I’m happy that things worked out and they made friends!”

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Trivia

• I played Ruby as a kid and came back only recently when Unite came out. Kept a Torchic plushie with me the whole time, though! Glad to play with my dear Apple again!

【 Crystal Treasures – Contents Page 】