Lynne in Pokemon
Permalink

Aunt Gail's first words to her in four years are, "How was school?"

"It was lovely," she says on automatic, without thought for how the words might relate to reality. Her aunt envelops her in a perfunctory hug, which she stiffly accepts. "When will dinner be served? I think I'd like to go for a walk first, if that's possible."

"Oh, not for a few hours, most likely," Aunt Gail says vaguely. How can anyone live like that? Never mind. She'll have to get used to it.

"All right. I'll be back here by then." She contemplates this sentence, then dares to add, "Most likely."

Aunt Gail looks at her quizzically.

She escapes upstairs to change out of her school uniform, only to discover that none of her old clothes fit her anymore, which she could've anticipated if she'd thought about it for two seconds. She ends up in a slightly-too-small shirt that used to be slightly too big, and a pair of faded, baggy cargo pants with sparkly rocks still tucked into all the pockets, which no longer quite reach her ankles but are otherwise serviceable. Nestling her school bag back onto her shoulder for the comforting familiarity, she realizes that it would be silly to haul a bunch of textbooks around town, pulls them all out, then fills the bag with poetry and old favourites until it hangs with the correct weight.

After narrowly dodging further interaction with Aunt Gail on her way out, she heads immediately toward the park whose inviting green corner she glimpsed on her way into town. She wants to sit on a bench and read a book more than she wants just about anything else in the world.

Total: 157
Posts Per Page:
Permalink

 

Midway through a rather nice poem about the moon on still water, she hears the shrill cries and thumping of a Pokémon battle. (In the park? At this hour?)

Permalink

...concern?

She bookmarks the book, tucks it into her bag, and approaches with caution.

Permalink

The battle, such as it is, looks rather lopsided; three fat and aggressive Pidgey are assailing a Litwick with gusts of wind which send its flame ribboning through the night air, while it meeps at them in distress. 

Permalink

In theory one is supposed to be respectful of wild or unattended Pokemon and not go meddling in their affairs and definitely not get into altercations with them.

In practice, those little meeps.

"Hey! Shoo!" she says, swinging her bookbag at the feathery bullies.

Permalink

The Pidgey are unprepared for the intervention of a kaiju sixteen-year-old girl with a bookbag! They scatter.

Permalink

She crouches down by the little candle, trying to make herself small and nonthreatening. "Are you okay?"

Permalink

Tiny meep.

Permalink

"Poor thing!" She holds out a hand. "I can... I don't know... I don't have any supplies with me, I've never had to treat an injured Pokemon before... I can take you to the Pokemon center and see what they have to say about you, I guess?"

Permalink

While she speaks, the Litwick slowly sidles closer to her hand, until its smooth round body is nestled against her palm. It meeps again, more firmly.

Permalink

Very carefully and tentatively, she scoops it up.

Permalink

Small cozy meep.

Permalink

Okay. Pokemon center, anyone?

Permalink

She knows her way to it; in fact it's just north of the park.

When she enters, the Nurse on duty looks up from a crossword. "Welcome to the - oh dear, you look complicated. Where's its ball?"

Permalink

"I found it being harassed in a park and I didn't have a ball on me."

Permalink

The Nurse frowns. "Well... hmm. Does seem to like you."

She rummages through her handbag and retrieves a pink heart-patterned Pokéball, then places it on the counter. "Just tap it with the button and see if it wants in, and if it does you've got a lovely little starter in a Heal Ball, and if not I'll just fetch a Potion and you can set it back out."

Permalink

The pink ball is charming even though she cannot quite imagine herself... carrying it. (It's so pink.)

She tentatively boops the candle.

Permalink

Boop! Friend is enclosed!

Permalink

(Eee...)

Permalink

The nurse smiles. "Alright, and just press the button one more time to let the dear out? Just so I can check it isn't paralyzed or poisoned or anything, check for Pokérus, all that."

Permalink

Boop?

Permalink

Emergence of friend!

Permalink

And the nurse prods the (now much healthier-looking) friend in a couple of places.

"Healthy and happy, to my eye," she declares. "Bit small, a Litwick's usually about twice that size, but the variance isn't pathological. Did you want to name it?"

Permalink

Oh no. Such responsibility. Terrible.

But she's hardly going to not name her first pokemon. "Um," she says. "Yes... hmm." She tentatively extends a finger to give the Litwick tiny pets. Come on, think of something. Something that will suit this tiny creature and also the bigger creatures it may eventually grow into. "What do you think of... Starshine?" she asks it, although as soon as the syllables exit her mouth she immediately becomes convinced that this is the worst decision she has ever made and everyone is going to laugh at her including both the Litwick and the nurse.

Permalink

Affirmative meep!

Permalink

The nurse nods approvingly. "There you go, Starshine. And have a good evening, miss."

Total: 157
Posts Per Page: