Underneath the sheltering canopy of Greybrush Woods, young Marble took a brief moment to relax between the roots of a massive oak tree. The haul had been pretty good today, despite the torrential rain that morning. Though the ground was still marshy and the Riolu quite exhausted from a windy pummeling, all sorts of interesting mineral specimens, loose Berries, and even a couple fossil fragments had sloshed down from the higher hills into easy reach. With the sun finally peeking from behind dark clouds, it was time to dry up, shake the mud from his fur, and get a proper look at the shiny treasures.

Still, Marble knew better than to let down his guard. Even as he tumbled the gems in his paws, his ears were twitching and his nose scenting the wind for any danger. Just yesterday he'd had a close shave with a very angry Golduck who took great offense to Marble's paddling across the Willowdeep River. His arm still stung where a claw had very nearly caught him, even through the Berry poultice wrapped around to numb the pain. For a moment though, his aching arm was completely forgotten, as one of the larger rocks revealed itself to be an actual Water Stone, shining cerulean in the light! Marble had heard of these sort of stones and their potency. Though useless to his species, it would fetch a fine profit. Lost in thoughts of true financial success, what began as a distant thunder escaped his notice completely. Until the air filled with a sonorous, rolling roar unlike anything he'd ever heard before.

Where to run? Where to hide? The ground was rumbling underneath Marble's paws, and the bellowing sound seemed to fill the forest until he couldn't tell where it was coming from! Marble was a young pup, but he knew the ways of survival. To flee was to risk much greater danger, for by evading one threat he could blunder into something yet worse. And in truth, part of him was terribly reluctant to abandon his wonderful morning's finds. So, squeezing tightly in between the oak tree's roots, Marble pressed himself as flat as possible, stilling his breath and willing himself to be calm. The line of Lucario were no strangers to disciplining mind and body, and in quick order even a young Riolu disappeared from sight and sound. Louder and louder the wailing tones grew, and Marble could hear trees snapping and breaking somewhere outside of his line of sight. His cover was nearly perfect... Until Marble found himself flipping end over end as the sheltering oak itself was slapped aside by some unimaginable force! Then, blackness.

Some time later, Marble didn't know how much, he awoke to a throbbing headache, sprawled on his back atop what remained of the oak's trunk. Dizzy waves of nausea chased him as Marble sat back upright, looking around with blurry eyes at a now much larger clearing in the forest floor. There was a path torn through the forest leading to where Marble now sat, broad as any den or building the young Pokemon had ever seen, leaves and branches and twisted stumps scattered around in total chaos. And turning to his left, a very strange tree had grown from nowhere. Tall to be sure, but tremendously broad, twisted around with white scars cut through black bark. Or was that white bark now burnt and thickened? Impossible to say. It had few leaves, and few branches. And as Marble's throbbing head began to ease off, what he thought were six colorful Berries on its trunk snapped awake into brilliant glow, and the tree... turned to face him.

Marble couldn't move. Couldn't think. Dared not even breathe. Whatever this thing was, it must have been a hundred times his size. Even a single digit on its three-fingered hand could have wrapped around his entire body and crushed Marble like a bug. He'd been in danger before, had been in the presence of Pokemon many levels above his with all sorts of deadly moves, but the sheer, incomprehensible POWER the behemoth radiated put Marble on the verge of fainting once more. As one giant finger came down on top of him, Marble was certain his end was today. It was a shame, really. He'd gotten such a nice haul, those Berries could have healed many wounds and filled many bellies.

It touched the top of his small head, and stopped. Felt his right ear. Lifted up his injured arm, gently as a gust of wind. The titan bent over, bringing the vast golden carving Marble supposed was its “face” close to his, and the resonant thunder came again, but softer this time. Marble's whole body vibrated with it, and it seemed to take his fear away somewhere far, far beyond reach. There were words now, bizarrely constructed and hard to follow, but words nonetheless. As if a waterfall had decided it had an opinion on the sky's choice of cloud, or a mountain felt the need to critique the forest's fall colors.

[GRIEF/PAIN/REGRET]. [ATONEMENT/AWARENESS/LIFE].

The colossal Pokemon sat back with an earthshaking thud, placidly staring down at Marble. Barely able to squeak out the words, Marble responded “H... Hello? Who are you?” Another burst of noise followed this, to Marble's ears sounding something like,

[CREATOR/POKEMON/HAND]. [REGIGIGAS/REGIGIGAS/REGIGIGAS].

Those last three sonic pulses seemed more real, in a way impossible for Marble to define. It was clearly an important word. Perhaps the creature's name?  Marble supposed it would have to do for now, anyway. “Oh... Okay. My name is... Marble. I'm a Riolu, and this is where I come sometimes to look for nice things to take home to my friends. See, look!” The Riolu held up what remained of his day's haul, thankfully still including the precious Water Stone. Regigigas peered in close, only its middle eyes glowing now, a piercing blue that set the Water Stone blazing like a tiny star in Riolu's paws. Then, seemingly satisfied, it leaned back against a tall birch tree, whose groans of protest went unheeded.

Remembering his hospitality (And fearful of offending the giant accidentally), Marble offered Regigigas one of the unsquashed Berries, a yummy Pecha, one of his personal favorites. “I also collect these when I can, they're great! Would you like one?”

[ACCEPT/THANK/PLEASURE].

Regigigas gently took the proffered Berry, inserted it into a larger hole on its... mask? Face? Armor? Marble couldn't be certain. It seemed contented for a while, but then began to shudder and convulse violently.

[PAIN/PAIN/PAIN]. [PAIN/PAIN/PAIN].

Lurching to its feet, Regigigas began to pummel the ground beneath itself violently, its long arms hammering through earth and rock at a furious pace. Marble scrambled to the far side of the fallen oak, fearfully watching as clods of debris ten times his size went flying through the air above, and praying he didn't get accidentally smashed. Groundwater began to seep into the growing pit from still-soaked dirt, and with a great splash Regigigas pressed its face into the muddy water, drinking deeply. This went on for a long while, until watchful Marble thought perhaps the giant had died. “Are you all right? Is there anything I can do!” No response. Marble waited a moment longer. “I'll go for help, okay!”

As Marble turned to sprint for home, Regigigas stood upright with a mighty heave, sloshing water everywhere. A torrent of muddy water spewed forth as the Pokemon exhaled violently, purging whatever remained of the Berry from within. For a moment, Marble feared that Regigigas would take vengeance, thinking itself poisoned. With a thunderous crash, it simply sat back down.

[CALM/LIFE/GIFT].

One massive hand lifted up, and the three gigantic fingers opened to reveal... A stone? Not just any stone, another Water Stone, the size of Marble's head! A chip was missing from the conglomerate, just about the right size for the fragment he'd found earlier that day. With a flash of shock, Marble realized that this must have been its source! Had Regigigas found it while digging? The stone fell to earth at his feet. Marble looked up at Regigigas with questioning eyes. “Why are you giving me this? I hurt you just now, didn't I? The Pecha Berry was bad, or you can't eat it, or something. I don't understand.”

[REGIGIGAS/DEATH/REJECTION].

[MARBLE/GIFT/KINDNESS].

A dull cough interrupted Regigigas' speech, sending a final splatter of brown water across the clearing.

[REGIGIGAS/RETURN/REWARD].

[FAVOR/REQUEST/NEED].

“You... you want something from me? Is that what you're asking? But what could I possibly give you to match what you've given me?”

The giant paused for a moment, and a wordless cry rolled upward to the skies like storm-clouds billowing on a rainy day. Whatever this language was, it was much deeper, more primitive than the crude but serviceable words Regigigas had been using before. It grabbed Marble from head to toe, his small body vibrating with an unaccountable... Sadness? Was that it? The mourning cry, if indeed that was its essence, echoed across woods and hills, dwindling to nothingness. After a pause, Regigigas called three times more, with shorter, sharper notes. A great, crackling shout. A dull, rumbling boom. And a sharp, clangorous series of harsh tones that reminded Marble of knocking the plates and silverware off his table by accident a few weeks ago. They, too, faded into silence.

[ROCK/ICE/STEEL]. [CHILDREN/CHILDREN/CHILDREN].

With unnatural precision for its size, Regigigas took a small chip of stone, and poked small holes into a fragment of tree trunk. Seven dots. Three groups. Each in different patterns. With a soft, sad murmur Regigigas pushed the wood into Marble's palm. “You're looking for Pokemon like these? Like you?”

The giant Pokemon solemnly inclined its body with agreement.

[LOST/ASLEEP/SEARCH]. [ABANDONED/ABANDONED/ABANDONED].

Marble looked down at the carved fragment for a long moment. “Sure, I'll keep an eye out for them. And if I see them, or anyone knows where they are, I'll let you know. But you're not gonna stay here, are you? How can I reach you?” Regigigas reached up, and snapping off one of the branches atop its head, laid it at Marble's feet.

[BREAK/HEAR/RETURN].

“Yeah, I getcha!”

Marble gathered his finds, and the massive Water Stone, bundled them up and began walking to the clearing's edge. It was long past time to go home, and the sun was headed down. Behind him, a great rumbling accompanied Regigigas' lumbering away, pushing trees and rocks aside as easily as Marble might shove a leaf from his face. “Wait, wait, waaait!”

Regigigas paused, turning slowly around. Marble bowed down low, just as the larger Pokemon had before. “Thank you for the Water Stone! And I'm sorry about the Berry, I really really didn't mean to make you sick! I hope you find who you're looking for, and I promise to do my best!” Marble couldn't quite tell, but the low hum emanating from Regigigas felt very much like laughter. Even after the stars came out and Marble finally plopped his exhausted body back into bed, he could almost feel the alien music glowing in the back of his mind, like a lullaby sung while rocking the world to sleep.

And a hundred miles away, six blazing orbs burned underneath a gently glowing moon.