this is not a spaceship | Glowfic Constellation

"And I would not cooperate if I were made into decoration."

the_very_best

"Is it talking?" asks the passerby.

"Yep. Haven't you ever heard of 'mon that can learn to talk?"

"I never saw one though."

"Well, now you have."

"Wow."

It would be difficult and somewhat pointless to convince this person that it's a person. So the Hiver goes back to drinking water.

Two minutes later, it's done.

the_very_best

Bella and her Rapidash (who drank a little water too as long as it was there) trot on. "Ranger station isn't too far from here."

It follows, keeping close track of all 'mon and trainers and considering tactics as a calming exercise.

the_very_best

A few other people want to know what it is. Bella keeps telling them she can't pronounce it.

Eventually they get to the edge of town. There is not exactly a wall except for some fencing here and there, but there's a pretty clear border: town, then open space, then denser wilderness. And there is a tower on the end of one of the sections of fence. Bella goes up to that, slides carefully off Fireflower, puts her away, and knocks.

The Hiver studies the border. "The fence could be sturdier. Are there motion sensors in the fields?"

the_very_best

"No. There are a lot of wild 'mon. The idea behind the fences is to make sure they go through in the most convenient places so we know where to expect them, not to keep them out entirely, and it does nothing against fliers. And the rangers can't be getting excited about every wild Starly."

"Interesting." Yes, that would make for different considerations. Especially if most potential threats are very low-level. "Maybe I think wild 'mon are more dangerous than most actually are."

the_very_best

"Don't get me wrong, a wild Starly can kill a person if it wants and the human doesn't have help. But it's not likely to want to engage a human in the first place, and almost anybody can fend it off - so even if only one in four people bothers carrying a 'mon while they're inside a city, there's always someone around who can handle it. The Rangers are for the bigger threats that a random townsperson probably can't fight."

Someone answers the door. He blinks at the Hiver. "What is that?"

"Can't pronounce it," Bella says. Again.

"Perhaps you should call me a Hiver instead."

the_very_best

"A Hiver," blinks the Ranger. "Okay."

"Bug/Steel, it talks, it doesn't fit in my team and doesn't like being in a Pokéball and eats a lot but it's pretty autonomous and really strong. I was wondering if the Rangers wanted to trade me for it. You'd have to promise not to put it away, and feed it non-chow, and bear in mind that it's really smart and can talk and would be more like a Ranger itself than a 'mon that way."

"...I see."

"I can't go home and tournaments do not particularly appeal, so I intend to make myself useful here somehow. Bella suggested the Rangers."

the_very_best

"Well... I'd like to think the Rangers are useful, yes... I'm not sure we have the budget for a new Ranger."

"Hiver, what sort of conditions do you need to sleep?" Bella inquires.

"Dry and warm."

the_very_best

"So it doesn't need to be paid enough to make rent, it can just sleep in one of your outposts. Until you have more budget. I don't think anyone's going to come after you for not paying the Hiver what you'd pay a human ranger."

"Well... maybe."

"While you consider it we can ask other towns. Does this area have radio communication? If not, I'm no scientist but I could make a spark radio easily enough."

the_very_best

"We have long-distance communication, some of which uses radio," confirms Bella. "Ranger, can you ask some other units if they want the Hiver?"

"I can ask around."

"Great, thanks, I thought I'd have to fly all over everywhere to find a place to put it."

"Thank you for removing me from Larry, by the way. He was unpleasant."

the_very_best

"You're welcome. I had to trade him my Sawsbuck, so I'm hoping the Rangers will trade me something that Larry will take for Branch back."

"Perhaps I am being selfish," It sounds upset at itself, "But this is far better than spending an eternity in the ball or trying to tolerate a trainer who treats his warriors as unthinking creatures. I would have tried to starve myself, or perhaps tried to make enough trouble to be released of his own will."

the_very_best

"No, I get it, you are a person, you are more important than somebody holding my stupidest Pokémon for a few days, but I do want him back. I like him."

"I see. I think I will buy incense or perfume when I have money. Hivers have good noses, and there are many unfamiliar scents here."

the_very_best

"If you don't need to pay for a place to stay and you can live on sugar and eggs and stuff like that most of the time, even a reduced Ranger salary should add up pretty fast."

Meanwhile, the Ranger is calling other units and explaining the offer.