A/N: Hi guys! So this was an idea that had been floating around in my head for a while, and now that December is here, I thought this would be a great opportunity to finally write it out. It's basically Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer but with Pokemon. I know, so original, right? I've been a fan of the series overall since I was a kid because I related to Rudolph and his struggles. I did see a few pieces of artwork showing a Deerling with a red nose, but that was as far as any cross references to Rudolph ever went. Then I had the idea to make a fic, and decided to go through with it. Don't worry, it'll be noticeably shorter in length than my other fics, and have a more lighthearted tone than MarJour. Well, as lighthearted as a story of a deer being ostracized by his peers for a deformity can get. Anyway, here's Rudolph The Red Nosed Deerling! Hope you like it!

Chapter 1: A Mysterious Birth

One day, in a glistening, snow-covered cave obscured by the bare branches of what remained of a thicket, a Pokemon was born.

He came into the world by way of two Sawsbuck, and lay on a bed of grass and withered leaves. Winter had just come, so the Deerling's coat was a fresh bronze. The flower on his head was already in bloom, but the petals were limp and hung over his face, obscuring his already clouded eyes. The mother Sawsbuck leaned her head down and zealously washed the amniotic fluid off of her child with her tongue, caressing his scrawny body in a warm massage. It helped that her thick, white, furry bosom, having grown in over the winter, was warm enough for her newborn to snuggle into.

The father walked closer, looking down at his first child with awe. All this time, he had been worried that the birth would end in tragedy. Winter was a perilous time to be pregnant with child, and the land around them had been covered with thick sheets of snow, so thick that it was very difficult to walk through when one needed to be somewhere. Even the shortest walks were made into a troublesome trek, and if one isn't careful, they could get lost in a blizzard and die. Newborns in particular were susceptible to cold, and he was sure the frigid chill in the air would kill his baby. But he could see his new Deerling son stretching out his legs and yawning sleepily, and that was enough to assuage any worries he had.

"Our darling child is here at last," The father Sawsbuck whispered, his long, stately legs weak from the wonder of it all. "You've done quite well, Marena," He leaned down to kiss his tired wife tenderly.

Marena dipped her nose into her child's fur, satisfied with how dry it became. "Thank you, Dasher. I'm so glad nothing bad happened," She told him, her voice hoarse from the pained howling that came from giving birth. "Tomorrow we can take him to see Dr. Chansey just to be safe."

Dasher nodded in agreement. "Good idea."

The Deerling in the leafy bed opened his eyes, which saw nothing, as newborns don't see very well yet. But he instinctively knew he was safe and comfortable here and didn't make a sound.

"What shall we name him?" Marena asked. "I've thought of a few myself. Rollo, Reginald, or Robert. How about those?"

Dasher took a moment to think before shaking his head. "Hmm...I'm not seeing it. None of those seem to fit to me."

Their child nuzzled against his mother's body before finding nourishment. Dasher looked down at his child once more, watching him drink his mother's milk. It was then that a name hatched into his head.

"I think we'll call him...Rudolph."

Rudolph...the name sounded clear as a bell to Marena, and it was easy to say. Looking down at her child again, she wondered if the name fit. She didn't see a Rollo, Reginald, or a Robert. She saw a Rudolph. No other name could be so perfect in her mind.

"That's a wonderful name!" Marena cajoled with a smile. "We can call him Ruru for short."

Rudolph's ears twitched, hearing the conversations going on around him, but he didn't pay much attention. He detached himself from his mother and laid back down on his scratchy bed, feeling full and satisfied. Dasher and Marena smiled so big, their cheeks hurt, but they couldn't help it. They finally had a child, and they had to admit, he was pretty adorable.

"One of us will have to invite Santa Claus over to see him one of these days," Dasher said, kneeling down to get a better look at his pride and joy. "Just think! When I retire, he might be recruited to pull his sleigh in a few years!"

The idea of their child pulling a sleigh around the world was appealing. Marena laughed at the thought. "Let's not think too far into the future just yet, Dashie. There's still a while before...Hm?" Marena's conversation drifted away as something distracted her. A faint red light was shining, lighting up the cave just a bit. Where was it coming from? It nearly blinded the corner of her eye. She looked down and found herself stunned.

The red light was coming from Rudolph. Oblivious to what was happening, Rudolph continued to sleep. Not too long after, the light faded. Dasher and Marena exchanged worried expressions upon seeing what they saw. Instead of their child's nose being a deep black, like normal Deerling, Rudolph's nose was red as a Cherubi's skin. This didn't make sense. How could someone's nose be red, much less glow?

"Are you seeing this, Dasher?"

"Indeed I am."

"Oh dear," Marena bent down to get a closer look, making sure she wasn't seeing things. Rudolph's nose was indeed red, and her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. "How in the world did this happen? What even is this?"

"I have no idea."

Any joy in their hearts were kicked to the curb as worry began to spring forth. Was Rudolph sick? Was this some kind of birth defect? Signs of a disease? Did something happen during the birth? Was Rudolph's life in danger? As the Sawsbuck duo racked their brains for answers, Rudolph opened his eyes, his vision clearing as he finally got a good look at the world around him. His unsteady legs trembled as he attempted to hoist himself up, but being so weak, they couldn't quite hold his weight, so he plopped back down on his bed.

"What should we do?" Marena asked, her brows furrowing at the sight of her son's red nose. "His nose is glowing! Literally glowing!"

Just as she said that, Rudolph's nose flashed red.

Perhaps Dasher had thought too soon that Rudolph's birth had gone smoothly. Nothing he could come up with explained Rudolph's red nose. But someone else might be able to. "I'll go and get Dr. Chansey right away," Dasher told her, trying to sound confident and composed, but Marena could hear the slight anxious undercurrent in his voice. "You stay with Rudolph. I'll be right back."

With a yearning for answers in his breast, Dasher sprung out from the cave and into the world outside. Marena lowered her head down and licked her son once more.

The two Sawsbuck lived just outside a quaint village called Christmastown. It was a lovely little village where Pokemon and humans coexisted peacefully, though the humans had their own establishments nearby. The part of Christmastown where Dasher and Marena lived was inhabited solely by Pokemon. Dasher's hooves drummed against the cobblestone paths as dome-like homes ran parallel to him on both sides. Wreaths adorned nearly every door he saw, with red hollyhocks giving them a splash of color to make them stand out in the world of white around them. Gradually, a large, pink, egg shaped building came into view.

Outside, a Pokemon with the exact same shape and coloring swept a broom left and right, clearing away some snow. The Pokemon hummed a merry tune as she immersed herself in her current activity, lost in her thoughts. Dasher's eyes widened when he caught sight of the ovoid Pokemon, and ran straight up to her. "Dr. Chansey!"

"Hm?" Chansey looked up, seeing Dasher coming up the porch. "Oh! Good morning, Dasher!" She greeted him with unabashed cheer. "What brings you here this morning?"

Dasher stopped to catch his breath before speaking. "My child was just born."

"Ohhh!" Chansey put her broom down and clasped her stubby hands together in her delight. "Congratulations! You must be so proud! But I must say, I was sure your child wouldn't be due for another week yet," Chansey exclaimed, stopping to scratch her left ear with one hand. "Do you want me to come check on him?"

"Yes, please. Come right away," Dasher told her. "Rudolph looks fine, but there seems to be something wrong with his nose."

Chansey's grin didn't fade, even as Dasher explained the situation. "I see. Let me go get my kit and you can take me to your place."

Despite being a rather large Pokemon, Chansey wasted no time grabbing her medical kit and accompanying Dasher to his cave. Her stubby legs carried her weight just fine, and she was able to keep up with Dasher's running pace. When they arrived at the cave, they stopped once they got close to Marena, and were greeted by an amazing sight. Rudolph was standing upright on all four legs. Unsteadily, but Rudolph kept himself up with trembling legs.

"My word!" Chansey ran straight over to Rudolph. "He's standing up already! What a strong little boy you have!"

"Dr. Chansey…" Marena began, her voice peppered with concern. "Something seems to be wrong with Rudolph's nose. We're worried he might have some kind of birth defect or injury."

"Hmm…" Chansey took Rudolph's face into her arms to get a better look. A second later, it glowed faintly before fading out. Chansey then pulled out her stethoscope and a few other medical items to examine him. Rudolph didn't say a word as Chansey lifted his legs and looked all over for anything unusual. He did pull his back leg back when Chansey gently pulled on it. "Hmmm...I don't see any bumps or tumors...his heartbeat is fine, his pulse is good…" She opened Rudolph's mouth and used a machine to shine a light into his mouth. "There's nothing clogging his airway…" Chansey looked at Rudolph's nose once more. It didn't glow like last time, but Dasher and Marena could see the deep, pensive look on her face as she stared at their child.

"Well? What's wrong with him?" Dasher finally asked. As much as he wanted to keep quiet and let Chansey examine Rudolph, the tension in the air was weighing heavy on everyone, him included.

Chansey put her things back in her medical kit. "From the looks of it, your Rudolph is perfectly healthy, so you don't need to worry a bit!" Chansey told them reassuringly.

Marena exhaled a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness."

"But his nose?" Dasher inquired again.

"I can only think of one explanation for this phenomenon," Chansey said. "Based on what I've seen, it seems Rudolph has something called Nasus Luminosis."

Once again, Dasher and Marena exchanged bewildered looks. Now this was something they didn't expect to hear. What in the world did those two words put together even mean? "Umm...what is...Nasus Luminosis?" Marena sputtered.

Chansey raised her arm into the air with confidence. "A more modern term for it is Glowing Nose Syndrome," She clarified. "It's a very rare nose deformity that's only been recently discovered over the past decade. The two main symptoms are a Pokemon's nose being a different color and randomly glowing like a light. Nearly all the confirmed cases involved noses turning bright red."

A rare deformity? Recently discovered? Dasher couldn't believe what he was hearing. This had to be some kind of mistake. How could their child have something like that? Was it even possible? "How many other cases have there been?" He asked.

"According to the seventy-eighth volume of the World Pokemon Medical Journal, there have been twelve confirmed cases of Glowing Nose Syndrome over a period of nine years," Chansey pulled a clipboard and a pen out and began writing. "And from the looks of it, Rudolph is now the thirteenth!"

"Do you know what causes it?" Marena inquired. "Did something happen when he was still inside me? Is it a genetic defect? Did we do something wrong?"

"Oh! No no! Not at all," Chansey waved her arms around in an attempt to reassure them. "You guys didn't do anything to cause this. Honestly, we don't really know what causes it. Some doctors say it might be a genetic defect, or that it's caused by a hormonal imbalance, but nothing's really set in stone as of yet. As far as I know, it's still being studied, so I don't have any concrete answers on that one."

Dasher and Marena looked down at their son, downcast. They had no idea something like this could ever happen to them, and yet, here was Rudolph with a glowing red nose.

"But! I can definitely tell you one thing for sure," Chansey proclaimed without missing a beat. "It's not fatal in any way, nor is it linked to any diseases whatsoever. From what I've read, Glowing Nose Syndrome doesn't affect the Pokemon's lifespan or overall quality of life, and all the Pokemon who were diagnosed went on to live perfectly long, normal lives."

Something about the way Chansey said that made the two Sawsbuck parents concerned. "You say that like there's no cure for it," Dasher said.

"Unfortunately, just as we haven't found a cause for it, there's no known cure either," Chansey told them.

No cure? The two Sawsbuck again stole glances at their child, who at this point managed to walk a few short steps toward the cave wall. On one hand, they were happy to finally have some answers. Knowing that their child wasn't in any danger was a big relief. Rudolph was perfectly healthy, and they smiled as they watched him stare up at the cave wall, taking in the brand new sights around him. On the other hand, reality was starting to set in as they thought of what this deformity might do to his future. Since there was no cure for Glowing Nose Syndrome, Rudolph would have to live with this odd defect for the rest of his life. Would he be able to live a normal life? Or would his nose make him an outcast in their village? Would he even be able to make friends, get with a mate, and live among society? Would it make him susceptible to hunters and poachers? If that nose were to go alight and hunters were nearby…

Dasher shook his head. No. He couldn't think like that. What point was there in worrying so much?

"I see," Marena said, after a brief pause. "Thank you for taking the time out of your day to check on Rudolph. We're sorry for any inconvenience."

"Not at all. I'm glad I was able to help you," Chansey walked over to Rudolph and pulled out a green, ovular pastry with darker sprinkles on it. "Here Rudolph, have a poffin. They're really good!" She set it down on the ground, and Rudolph lowered his head to sniff the treat. She turned to the Sawsbuck and said, "If you ever need anything, don't ever hesitate to call on me any time."

Tipping her doctor's hat to them, Chansey said goodbye and waddled away from the cave, content with the knowledge that her most recent job was finished.

Rudolph staggered back to his mother with a face full of poffin and feasted on the tasty treat with vigor. His nose blinked a few times as he chewed on the soft pastry, and Marena rubbed her nose against his fur. It was softer than it had been earlier, and was no longer wet and damp. Dasher kneeled down to lower himself to Rudolph's level, watching his son lovingly.

"Dasher," Marena said, breaking the tranquil silence. "You love Rudolph, don't you?"

"Of course," Dasher replied. How could he not? Rudolph was his son, and would always be his precious child, red nose or no. The thought of casting him aside never crossed his mind, too horrific to even imagine. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Yes. What a silly thing to ask. But...I'd be lying if I said I'm not worried about what the future will hold for him. After all...the world isn't always kind to those who are different."

Truer words were never spoken. It was like she had read his mind. Rudolph would have to go to school once he got older, and for all they knew, his peers would probably bully him and shun him for his red nose. Dasher didn't want his little boy to grow up being treated like a pariah, especially over something that was out of anyone's control. Dasher wanted Rudolph to be the kind of Deerling who would be proud of who he was. But that was easier said than done. Whatever Rudolph would decide to become, Dasher silently resolved to be there for him every step of the way, no matter what. That was what good parents did, right?

"Whatever happens, he'll always have us to rely on," Dasher whispered. Marena saw the determined sparkle in her husband's eyes. "Besides, I kind of like Ruru's red nose. It makes him unique. Maybe it's a sure sign that he's our son," Dasher let out a light chuckle. "With this, we can tell him apart from other Deerling!"

For the first time in the entire day, Marena found herself succumbing to a fit of hearty laughter. "I didn't think of that! You're right, Dasher! He is our son."

Completely oblivious to what was going on around him, Rudolph finished the poffin, let out a yawn, and went back to sleep, letting his mind wander off into a hazy dreamland of his own making.

This was how Rudolph the red nosed Deerling's life began.