Drifloon's Clever Trap

"There, close to the edge of town, A purple ball does float around. Shiny, big and funny too, as if placed right there, just for you.

If you are good, then don't dare stay, else grab its string and fly away. Where you go no one will know, maybe in sand, maybe in snow.

You'll never get the chance to leave, but be sure, your family will grieve. You may be battered, cut and bruised, and struggling is of no use.

The greedy ones don't care to look, at the one holding the hook. They take the bait and that is that, they fall for Drifloon's clever trap."

...I never believed this rhyme when it was told to me in my childhood. It had to be one of those creepy myths to scare children into being good and not stealing things. I thought it was only a coincidence that Drifloon was used for the rhyme because it looked like a purple balloon. How naive I was...

I was a trainer in my youth, encouraged by my parents to go on a world wide adventure alongside my Pokemon, a Skitty named Snuffles. We travelled far and wide, defeating trainers and even a few gym leaders. It was great fun and everyone we met were friendly, warm and genuinely interested in my progress as a trainer. That was until me and Snuffles visited a small town surrounded by mountains and forests. We were on our way to the next city with a Pokemon gym, but became lost on the way.

The people there were, at first, surprised that a trainer had visited this part of the region. They tried their best to be as welcoming as possible, but even for my young self, I could tell something was wrong and they were all worried. It seemed as if they wanted to ask me something, but were too afraid.

We spent the night in the town's inn, in the morning, they prepared a huge breakfast for us, still putting on the facade from earlier. While Snuffles was happily gobbling up the food, I decided to ask them what was wrong. I couldn't take the slightly reserved and secretive atmosphere.

The owner of the inn who was eating breakfast with us, an old man, remarked on how observative I was. He stressed that he truly wanted to say what was wrong, but only wanted the only trainer to visit their town for a long time to enjoy their stay, not to trouble them with their problems, though he seemed relieved and happy that I asked.

He asked me to wait at the table for a few moments and left the room. He came back with a young woman, at least 23 years old, who first, politely bowed to me and apologized for troubling me. She told me how her young son had dissapeared along with his friend, another young boy. It seemed they liked to go on adventures into the forest and mountains, despite the warnings and restrictions of their parents.

The villagers had searched the nearby area to no avail, some being injured by wild Pokemon who were startled by their shouts. The only place left unchecked was a cave to the north of the town. The woman stated that many had tried to enter the cave only to be attacked and chased out by the territorial Pokemon that lived within it. None of the villagers had their own Pokemon and that my appearance to the town was a 'god send'. She begged me and Snuffles to enter the cave and search for the lost children.

Snuffles leaped about me frantically, I remember nodding to her, both of us determined to find them. Some of the other villagers, including the old owner and the mother, came along with us. We enterred the cave and were immediately attacked by several angry Geodude. Seemed those were the Pokemon that scared the villagers away before.

The cave was dark and it smelled slightly of rotten mushrooms. A few Paras in one corner of the cave were the source of that smell! It was ridiculously overpowering, burning in the nostrils. A few of the others left the cave after feeling ill. Another became scarred by the glowing eyes of the Zubat in the darkness, only leaving me, Snuffles, the owner and the mother left.

The cave became quite narrow and the echoes of muffled noises, Pokemon or otherwise, were prevelant in our ears. The old man spotted something in the corner of his eyes and let out a slight shriek. A little purple ball was floating in the air, a cross for a mouth and two beady black eyes. It floated around us for a few seconds before zooming off into the darkness. Snuffles chased after it and the three of us followed!

We all came to a dead end and Snuffles wasn't anywhere to be seen. I started to panic when I heard a little meow from above. The mother pointed towards a hole in the ceiling, like a narrow passage, just small enough for Snuffles and myself to fit through. The two adults helped me up to it and myself and my Pokemon proceeded through.

It was long and the ground beneath me had several small stalagmites that pierced and scraped my skin, making me fumble and drop my flashlight. As well as that, I was sure I heard sobbing...very faint sobbing. I started to get unnerved. I couldn't even turn around if something scary was at the end. Snuffles rubbed her cheek against mine as if to tell me not to be afraid. I smiled at pet her a little, taking a short moment to collect myself...when just behind Snuffles, I could see two shiny black eyes. I panicced, the eyes came closer to myself and Snuffles rapidly, letting out a shriek like air escaping the narrow gap in the bottom of a balloon.

Snuffles fought desperately against the eyes, that I assumed was the Drifloon from earlier, and eventually scared it away, but she was badly injured, from both the Pokemon and the stalagmites. I struggled to put her back in her Pokeball and instantly felt defenceless. I couldn't turn, my only Pokemon was injured and I was in a dark cave with an unkown number of angry Drifloon. Along with the sobbing, now getting louder as I progressed, it overwhelmed me and I quickly became terrified.

I did the only thing I could and pushed forward, finally reaching the exit. There were those two shiny, beady eyes again. I carefully positioned myself to sit on the edge of the tunnel and pulled out my spare flashlight. There, the Drifloon was collapsed on the floor and next to it, two sobbing, pale and thin children.

The two almost leapt in joy when I told them I was a trainer, there to help, and that their families were waiting. Both of them looked so weak though, I struggled to help both of them into the tunnel and all of us left the cave safely.

All of the villagers were happy to see the two children again, some remarking on how they must have learned their lesson now, before piling chocolate, sweets and food on them to fill them back up. The town warmed up and the depressed, secretive air had dissappeared. Everyone thanked me and offered to let me stay in the town as long as I wanted for free. I did decide to stay there a few extra days while Snuffles rested.

Just before we left the town, the two children and their families came to see me off. The two of them thanked me again and apologized. I asked them how they ended up with the Drifloon. They merely said that they saw two purple balloons and grabbed the strings, believing the rhyme a lie, only remembering the cave and the darkness after that. They stressed that they wouldn't go out into the forest and mountains again.

I was happy that they were safe, the villagers determined to get their own Pokemon, just in case and that those two had learned their lesson.

So don't take the rhyme lightly, it has a lot more truth than you think. While those two were safe, some don't end up that lucky and no one knows where they are.

Hm? What about the other Drifloon?

Who knows...there was only one in the cave when I was there.

Creepy Pokedex Entries
"It tugs on the hands of children to steal them away. However, it gets pulled around instead."

"A Pokémon formed by the spirits of people and Pokémon. It loves damp, humid seasons. "

"It is whispered that any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing."

Rhyme and Story by HappyCatRyan