#had to draw something after watching the pokemon journeys finale

[justarandomart]

The journey continues...

[blues-sues]

First friend

(Ft. Rue and Banny)

The walls were stark white. Always were. Never changed, never shifted.

She would watch these walls for hours, waiting for something, anything to happen.

Sometimes things would. A grunt would come and get her for her routine check up but after she'd be quickly put back in her room. Rarely let out.

She was much too young to wander out alone. Not trusted enough.

Her eye was still recovering, the bandages bloody and itchy. So horribly itchy. She wanted to claw at it but she'd been yelled at too many times. She'd face punishment if she tried again.

She needed something to distract her. She didn't care if it was another fight. If she saw that Mightyena again, she'd-

Whirring. She stiffened as the door slid open behind her, clicking along its journey. She waited. She was told never to turn around until instructed. Last time she did, she saw a needle and had sent the man flying.

However, part of her knew this one wasn't a human. Something about the tiny steps it took told her such.

"S'alright. Ya c'n turn." Its voice sent a shiver down her spine. It was deeper than any she'd heard and had a faint echo to it- like it had a constant copycat attached.

However, she listened and looked over her shoulder to see it. However, nothing was there.

"Down 'ere."

Her head lowered until finally she spotted it. A small pokemon with black pigmentation and red eyes that look into hers curiously.

"N'mes Banny. Nice ta meetcha." It held out its hand, the middle of its arm sagging in the middle where its elbow would be.

"Uhm." She stared down at him. "Mewtwo." She replies, putting out her own and giving a shake.

"Ah. Righ'. Mewtwo." Banny's eyes narrow. "Ya gots quite th' reputation."

"Do I?" She questioned. Sincerely she's not quite sure why people would speak of her. She's not that interesting- besides being the last of her kind. At least that's what her guards told her.

"Duh. Ya th' newest memb'r. Everyone's dyin' to meet ya." The Pokemon shuffled and scrambles its way to sit beside her. "Looks like somebody 'ready did, tho."

She doesn't miss the way its eyes seem to look over her cuts and bruises from her battle. She couldn't. She's wired by now to notice every single movement near her.

"Was it th' brat? Big ol' stinky dog?"

She snorted. She couldn't believe she just snorted in front of a guest. However, Banny seemed unbothered. In fact, it grinned wider.

"I- well, I wouldn't say that." She covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter. "But, yeah, he was… interesting."

"Ya c'n say 'e was a bitch, I won' tell." Banny offers, its tail beginning to wag. "'re both thinkin' it."

"Where did you even come from???" She stuttered out between her laughs, clutching her stomach.

"Oh, y'know."

"No, I don't!"

"Bit of 'ere, bit of there. 've come from everywhere." The Banette begins to sway its legs, eyes curving upwards into crescents as it eyes her. "Y're bett'r than anyone else 've met. All got sticks up 'eir asses."

"That's rude!" Still, she has to resist giggling. Something about this 'mon has her feel like she's being told marvelous jokes.

"N't wrong~" Banny sang out, before breaking into a fit of laughter of their own.

And it was pleasant to sit there, laughing with it, but she also knew it couldn't stay.

Nobody could.

Finally, once she's regained her breath, she opens her mouth to address it but suddenly the doors swing open again and in marches-

A Zoroark.

Oh, but she's seen this one before. It's hard to forget a Pokemon that's half-shiny.

"Captain!" She squeaks out, back straightening as they draw near. But, their attention isn't on her.

Whipping around, they grab the Banette by the tail. "Banny, you are not authorized to be here!" They barked, lifting it so its eyes were level with theirs.

Banny didn't look fazed. "H'h? Y'sure? Swore I w's."

"You are the bane of my existence, you rat! Leave Mewtwo alone, they have training in an hour!" Captain snaps, dropping Banny abruptly only to start dragging it out by the arm.

She watches, eyes wide in awe as Banny still has the confidence to raise its other arm and wave. "G'dbye! S'ya next Chr'stmas!"

She rose her own and bid her own farewell with a sway of her arm. However, it took her a moment to process that...

It wasn't Christmas.

She tried to keep it at bay but once the door slid shut, she burst into another round of giggles. What a silly Pokemon!

-----

Banny, on his way out, of course heard. Their smile stretches wide upon hearing the laughter.

"What's got her so jolly?" Captain grunts, narrowing their eyes to glare suspiciously at Banny. "Did you infect her with something?"

"Yeah. 's called joy. Not tha' ya guys would know 'bout it."

Captain merely rolls her eyes in response. "Banny, you know this is for her own good. If she were out there, she'd-"

"-be happy? Wit' 'er real fam'ly?" Banny interrupted swiftly. "Ya act like 're savin' h'r but y'know we ain't."

"It'd do you good to keep your mouth shut." Was the Zoroark's snarled response. "That zipper ain't working."

"S'rry, it only lets me talk if 's th' truth."

The Banette was then promptly tossed into their own room and they shrug as they watch the door slowly start to slide shut, Captain's fierce glare locked on him.

Well, guess not leaving the room this week either.

[fickleminder]

of electric rodents and demon butlers

I’m losing my mind trying to breed a shiny Dedenne before Legends comes out in Jan so have a self-indulgent drabble from a Pokemon AU featuring an MC who has an electric rat on their team and a certain demon butler who hates their entire species on principle :)

The sixth member of your team is shy. At least, that’s what you tell everybody.

It starts with a running bet between Mammon and Asmo on who it could be, but the game quickly spirals out of control to include the Purgatory Hall gang and Demon Lord Castle residents. Given your tight-lipped secrecy (even on your final Pokemon’s typing), it’s really anyone’s guess.

Of course, you have no real reason not to tell them, and your ace is getting tired of fending off unwanted intrusions to your privacy. But while it’s fun to watch the chaos unfold to some extent, you’re really only hesitant to let one demon in particular know. And if he can’t find out, then fair’s fair, right?

The difficulty ramps up one day when you receive a handwritten letter via Noivern delivery, the crisp white envelope tied to a string and hanging off one of the Pokemon’s clawed feet like an anklet. You rub the fluffy mane of white fur on its chest as you tell it to relay your answer to its trainer, and give it a big fat juicy berry as a treat for its journey back.

You don’t know what the prize for winning the game is, but clearly it’s enticing enough for Barbatos to go all out and invite you to a picnic at one of the private gardens near the marketplace he frequents. Armed with baskets brimming with enough food to feed two teams, you can tell he’s determined to emerge the victor today. It would have been a perfect date otherwise.

“Don’t worry about it!” You try to convince him when he hints at unravelling the mystery for the umpteenth time. “She had a full breakfast and is probably still sleeping it off. Besides, she doesn’t do well in crowds.”

Both your and Barbatos’ teams are out having fun, playing with one another and engaging in mock fights. His Noivern and Decidueye are double battling against two of yours, while his Indeedee seems content digging into the food with the other half of your team.

“It would be a shame to let all of this go to waste.” Barbatos gestures at the generous spread laid out on the picnic blanket. His smile wavers slightly at your guilt-ridden discomfort, but he’s come too far to give up now. Perhaps a change of strategy is in order.

He backs off and diverts the conversation elsewhere, noting the way you gradually start to relax and enjoy spending time with him. You feed him scones, he pours you tea, and the two of you occasionally indulge one of your collective Pokemon’s need for attention as the hours tick by.

Before the day draws to a close, Barbatos enacts his plan by asking to borrow your lap for a quick power nap. You gladly oblige of course, it’s the least you could do after all the hard work he’d put in to make this date a success. He closes his eyes and feigns sleep, stifling a content purr as your fingers gently card through his hair and massage his scalp. Now he just needs to be patient; it’s only a matter of time before —

There’s the loud click of something emerging from a Pokeball, but to Barbatos’ dismay, you place your sunhat over his face to block off any attempts at peeking.

“Shh,” he hears you whisper, followed by the sound of tiny footsteps scuttling around and a soft crackle of electricity. An electric-type, something small with legs, he deduces in the darkness. Quadrupedal, no wings or levitation...

Curiously enough, while the rest of your Pokemon happily greet their friend, his go deathly silent. The suspense is killing Barbatos; he can tell your mystery teammate is right there, hungrily munching away at the leftover food. Slowly, carefully, he materializes his tail and subtly uses it to lift the sunhat while you’re not looking —

Decidueye, that sharp bastard, catches on immediately and squawks in warning. Next thing Barbatos knows, he’s being dogpiled by Indeedee and Noivern with you still under him, flailing in alarm. The whole spectacle attracts your team’s attention, and they alternate between trying to rescue you and drag off a stubborn full-grown dragon who’s oddly hell-bent on making sure its trainer stays down.

Throughout the commotion, nobody hears the high-pitched squeaking accompanying a yellow blur darting back into the safety of its Pokeball, out of sight once more.

[trashbunnysblog]

So we Saw Gabi, we saw Vee, now i wanna introduce to this AU, my favorite boi, Guzma. I'm very happy to be posting this finally, as i've been with this drawing in my drive for a while now, along with the story behind it.

Story under "read more"

Around the time Guzma and Gabi started to live together, the ex gang leader started to question what he would like to do for a living now that he wasn't as actie in team as he used to be, he still trained with Hala along with some members of team skull, and he got a job working as a barista in a cafe in Malie city, but something was missing still.

He asked Nanu for advice before he started to train his partner but the old man couldn't come up with something that would satisfy Guzma. He then tried looking fr advice in the other Kahunas, Hala being the last one he came to ask about it, but still nothing.

One night he couldn't sleep at all, Gabi found him at the beach near their home and asked what was wrong,

"..What am i going to do with my life?"

"What do you mean Guzzy?" she held his hand as he watched the waves crash

"I mean...I feel like there might be something out there for me, i feel like i can do more and even something better than i am doing right now...I just...Don't know what"

"...Would you rather if i said something or just let you vent?"

"...Well, you can try, but i tried talking to Nanu, Rock girl, that Mudsdale child and even Hala...I didn't get a good answer that cleared my head"

"What about asking Kukui?"

"What about him?"

"Well, you two have a long history together, and he's one of the few people that know you like the back of their hand, if anyone might know what to say, it's him"

"...Maybe i'll try....Cause i'm tired of running in circles"

"Don't rush yourself, and i'll head in to help if you need anything"

"Thanks boo"

"No problem Bugsy" she gives him a peck on the cheek and the two head back to their house.

The next day, Kukui was welcomed at the door by his old friend, trying desperately to get his words in the right order, but failing to do so. After a moment to calm down, the professor asks what was wrong, the ex gang leader speaks his mind and his best friend thinks for a good chunk of time, he said that in his way, what he found to be his calling was through battling and putting all effort in becoming the best version of himself, maybe if he went on a journey of that sort, he could think of what to do, Guzma thinks for a minute and has a idea, but leaves before he could share it with the professor.

At the beginning of summer, Guzma decides to open up his old bag that he brought from his home, with a key item he never thought would see the light of day again, his old island Challenge amulet. Guzma had decided to take on the island challenge once more, as now a complete expert in bug type pokemon, with more confidence and a more stable support system, eveyone he knew supported the idea, but Guzma still had to get a actual starter pokemon before proceding, he picked Rowlet.

Each Challenge felt new to him, as if a fresh breeze from the sea would welcome him every time her went face to face with the trial captains, showing his true potential with all force, finally reaching the top of Mount Lanakila, ready to face the champion, his partner Gabi.

Using all of their might in the battles, the two shined the brightest, remeniscing the time the two were just friendly rivals, finally, both had only one pokemon standing, Golisopod on Guzma's side, and Zoroark of Gabi's side,

"Sonia and i have been waiting all dya for this, you better make it count"

"and you think me and Golisopod haven't been thinking the same? I'll make you eat that smug off of your face!"

"So bold, be careful tho, you might end up eating those words"

Move after move, the two chipped away each other's HP, taking turns to heal their pokemon bit by bit, until, finally, Golisopod was faster, and delivered one last punch, making him the new Champion of Alola.

But that wasn't his only surprise, as the night came to a end, and Gabi and Guzma were sitting at the beach, Gabi begins to fidget a bit with her earing, her partner asks what is happening, and so, she takes a deep breath and asks him into his ear,

"Will you marry me?"

He looks at her in shock and doesn't say anything, but she continues,

"i know you would always say that you never saw yourself getting hitched, and you actually told me why many times...You feel like is something that a person like you doesn't deserve...But the truth is that, you do deserve it, i feel like at this moment, we showed each other what we can do for one another wiouth fear...And i want this to mean that i'm willing to live the next of my days with you, not just to prove to you that you deserve happiness, but because i want to be happy with you, Guzma, i want you to be my partner for life...if...that1s okay"

He says nothing, Gabi panics a bit thinking she scared him, but his movements soon show her otherwise, leaning forwards towards her lips, locking them with his, and wrapping his arms around her torso, her own locking to his neck, holding a bit of his hair.

He pulls away and says,

"Yes".

[carriagelamp]

Since it’s Pride Month, I decided this year I wanted to raid the library for a bunch of different queer books to read. Mostly graphic novels in this case, because I’ve had a hard time settling into much reading lately... thought hopefully now that it’s summer and I finally have my second shot I’ll be able to relax a bit more and dig into some heavier novels again. For now, enjoy some light, queer reads that I indulged in this June.

A Wolf Called Wander

A beautiful novel I had been hearing lots about. This story follows the young wolf Swift, who grows up knowing that he and his pack are the mountains, and the mountains are them. It’s in those mountains that he grows and learns and loves… until disaster strikes and he finds himself viciously torn apart from his family and forced out of the mountains that have always meant home to him. Forced to survive on his own. Swift then begins a gruelling journey that makes him face injury, starvation, and the everpresent danger of humans as he seeks a new place he can call home, and new people with whom he can form a pack.

This is all based on the true story of a tagged wolf known as OR-7, following the unbelievable route he took through Oregon and northern California! It was a very neat read, and I’d definitely recommend it if you enjoy stories told from an animal’s perspective because this book is a master class in it.

Bloom

I decided for June to try to read a handful of different queer books, and this was one of the first graphic novels I picked up. It is a super sweet story and the art is lovely. It’s about Ari, a boy who has just graduated high school and is now desperate to move away from his small town and his family’s struggling bakery, to join his band in the city where they hope to make it big. An agreement is finally reached: Ari’s father will let him leave, if he can find someone who can replace him in the bakery, which is how Ari meets Hector, someone who sees artistry and peace in baking. For anyone that’s read Check, Please, it gives off those types of vibes!

Boule et Bill: Bill est Maboul

Another book of Dupuis comics, because I can’t get enough of them! This one I just stumbled across and ended up reading on a whim but it was very cute. Geared younger than the others I’ve read, but still quite funny. It’s the charming hijinks of a young boy, his dog, and the family they live with. Each page or so is a different stand alone joke, a bit like Calvin and Hobbes except expanded beyond a single strip.

Chicken Run: Chicken Pies for the Soul

This was a ridiculous urge I got and had to follow. I recently rewatched Chicken Run (which is, of course, one of the best movies ever made) and felt the need to see if it had ever been novelized. Well, I found something better than a novelization! This is a chapter book with “advice” and stories written by the various characters, post-movie. It really does a good job with grasping the different characters’ voices and making something simple and funny out of it. It was very cute (and available on The Internet Archive if anyone else feels like reading something ridiculous!)

Doodleville

I picked this up on a whim and honestly, I shouldn’t have bothered. It was not very impressive. Very mediocre, awkward feeling artwork, and a story that only slightly manages to redeem it. The concept was kind of neat, and I did like how the ending came about, the rest was rather… plodding. I did not like the main character at all, her friends felt very Intentionally Quirky Aren’t We Cute :3 in a way that just tries too hard, and… yeah. Meh. It technically gets the “queer graphic novel flag” but it’s so in-passing that it feels rather excessive to give it that.

If you are interested, it’s about a world were doodles actually exist as living creatures that can be drawn into existence (the rather unsettling implications of which is never fully explored). This is all well and good, until the main character draws a monster and takes it with her to her art club... where it begins ravanging not only her doodles, but those of her friends. Together they need to work together to figure out how to stop this menace.

FRNCK v4

Phenomenal. I adore the FRNCK series, and book four wrapped up the first “cycle”, revealing several of the big secrets dogging the series so far, and changing how things are going to be able to run in the future.

If you haven’t seen me talk about it before, FRNCK is a graphic novel (a franco-belgian bande dessinée) about a young orphan, Franck, who’s chafing under the constant parade of uninterested foster parents that visit the orphanage he lives in. Determined to learn about his mysterious abandonment instead, he flees the orphanage… but finds himself tumbling through time, landing among a family of cave-people who rather reluctantly take him in and ensure this modern boy doesn’t die in the strange, dangerous new surroundings he finds himself in. You can get these ones in English as e-books, so if you want a really kickass graphic novel series to read please try these.

Haikyu!!

I’ve heard so much about Haikyu!! that I finally gave in and picked up the first book from the library. And I gotta say, it’s well worth the hype! This series really does capture the best parts of a good sports manga -- which is to say the team is filled with interesting, enjoyable character who all need to learn to pull together, boost each other’s strengths, and cover for each other’s weaknesses. Love me some found family tropes and this series oozes it in the best possible way. And then you also get some very cool action scenes as it makes high school volleyball seem like the most intense thing on earth. I can’t wait to continue it

Queer Eye

I haven’t been keeping up with Queer Eye but I was watching it ravenously when it first came out, and this seemed like a very cathartic book to read… and it really was. It had the same gentle, loving encouragement as the show. It doesn’t expect you to change your entire life, but to learn to embrace who you are, and take small steps to enhance those things. There a segment written (presumably) by each member of the Fab Five, explaining the mentality behind what they do on the show and how you can grow in those areas too. It’s very zen.

Spinning

I got this graphic novel out at the same time as Bloom, but it was the one that interested me less of the two... though that’s just because I have less interest in “real world” slice of life as a genre and this one is meant to be autobiographical. If you’re into that, you’ll probably love this because it really is stunning. Very pretty, and the format and pacing is all really well done. It’s a coming of age story for Tillie as she grows up dealing with a crosscountry move, complicated friendships, a burgeoning attraction to girls, and attending competitive figure skating classes.

This Place: 150 Years Retold

A stunning and heart-wrenching graphic novel told by a collection of different First Nation’s authors/artists, recounting oral histories about the 150 years since the colonialist formation of the country known as “Canada”. In other words, this is a post-apocalypse story, but one that really happened and that entire peoples are still fighting to survive. It’s very eye opening and beautifully told. Very strongly recommend the read, especially if you’re at all interested in history.

Torchwood: Serenity

Whoops, not technically a book. I had thought these were technically audiobooks at first, but rather they’re audio dramas that were played on the radio. Still, I decided to include one because I’ve been listening to them like a person possessed and they’re too fun not to at least mention. Let me indulge in my obsessions.

If you don’t know Torchwood, it’s a BBC series that spins-off from Doctor Who, focusing on the enigmatic and flirtatious Captain Jack Harkness, who is running the covert organization known as Torchwood, which is tasked to protect humanity from and prepare them for alien contact. It’s goofy and campy but also more adult and heavy than Doctor Who tends to get, so it is (in my opinion) a really fascinating series. Though it also has content warnings coming out the wazoo so maybe make sure it’s for you before delving in.

Serenity specifically is possibly one of the best Torchwood stories I’ve ever experienced. The Torchwood team concludes that there’s an undercover alien hiding in the idyllic gated community Serenity Plaza, and so that means it’s up to Jack and Ianto to go undercover as a happily married couple and flush out the alien without being discovered first. Even if it means being sickly sweet together, pretending to care about the local neighbourhood barbecues, and actually caring a bit too much about the Best Front Lawn competition. What is truly magical about this one, is that it manages to make it a Fake Dating AU despite the fact that Jack and Ianto are actually dating in canon. But they’re both used to dating as a pair of alien hunters with insanely dysfunctional lives, and who now need to figure out how to deal with domesticity. It is marvellous.

Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice

A middle grade novel that felt a bit like a cross between Harry Potter and Pokemon. It’s about orphan Barclay Thorne who wants nothing more than to be accepted in the rule-bound village of Dullshire, and live up to his apprenticeship as a mushroom farmer. He certainly wants nothing to do with the fearsome Beasts who live beyond the village, deep in the Woods or the sinister Lorekeepers that bond with them. It was, after all, a Beast that had killed his parents all those years ago. But when he finds himself at the very edge of the forest, hunting for an elusive mushroom, he is suddenly unable to avoid any of that. Not when a wild girl and her bonded dragon appear to summon a horrible Beast and end up getting Barclay bonded to it instead. Now, if Barclay ever wants to be welcomed back into his home, he has no choice but to venture into the Woods and find a way to sever the bond imprisoning him to the massive, monstrous wolf now imprinted on his body as a living tattoo.

I honestly can’t decide how I felt about this one. I feel like it’d be a really fun read for maybe a grade 5 to 7 student? I was a bit more meh about it. It was fine, but it was very hard not to draw unfavourable parallels to Harry Potter. But for a kid who’s never read Harry Potter? Or even an adult that has but is looking for something different to scratch that itch, this might be a good book to try. I’ll probably try reading the second book when it comes out.

[warlordess]

Ah, my main special project for this year’s Pokeshipping Week event! I have skipped meals, sleep... uh, probably some responsibilities at work but don’t tell anyone... just to finish this stupid thing on time! It’s the proudest moment of my life to know that I got to semi-successfully draw my number one OTP kissing... Alas, my artistry skills are quite limited so I made up the difference/details by writing an accompanying fanfic, which I hope you’ll all read.

Btw, the first page was originally a “standalone art” for the prompt, which is why the art style may appear a little more detailed/different in general. Btw 2.0, I absolutely loved the concept of drawing these two “blushing up to their ears”, which I did twice in this comic. So yeah.

I’m also begging people to reblog this type of stuff from me when I post it because I’m trying (and failing) to get into the world of commissioned artists.

Fanfic is below the mandatory cut!

Pokeshipping Week 2020: “If Ash was aware of his feelings during their journeys together…”

 Setting: Orange Islands, after most events taking place in the episode “Wherefore Art Thou, Pokemon?” with slight alterations to closing scenes.

 --\--/--

 Paradise.

 It’s the first word that comes to mind as the faint scent of brine wafts up her nose and the sea breeze ruffles her tied up hair around her head. She sighs and leans into the breadth of atmosphere her surroundings have presented her, so awash in it that she practically forgets about the company she’s opted to keep.

 “So,” Ash Ketchum starts abruptly, and her brow creases in reactionary frustration at the very audacity he has to try and interrupt her glorious seaside fantasy.

 Ever since first coming to the Orange Islands, Misty has felt more at home than almost anywhere Ash’s travels have forced her to go. A bratty voice at the back of her mind can’t help begging the question… What could he possibly think is worth bothering her with now?

 “So… do you think it’s true? That kissing thing, I mean.”

 Kissing… thing?

 The first word alone causes her spine to snap straight, head ricocheting against her neck enough to cause a lingering ache after. A drowsy, near napping Togepi in her arms is jostled into a more urgent state of consciousness, though the egg Pokemon thankfully doesn’t start bawling.

 “W - wait, what?” she asks before she can stop herself, and her pale cheeks burn the shade of puce as memories replay of earlier in the day. Ralph and Emily had since returned home and Tracey had actually begged to come along, hoping for a final opportunity to sketch their lover Pokemon, Maria and Tony, before Ash’s group left the island for their next destination.

 “Uh, y’know, from earlier with the Nidoran… How they battled Team Rocket, then kissed and evolved? And Tracey said maybe them kissing had something to do with that.”

 She can’t help gaping ever so slightly open-mouthed at him. Distractedly she hopes internally to herself that the persistent flush to her cheeks can be blamed on the combination of her fair complexion and the rosy sunset they happen to be watching while sitting on the pier together.

 Is he serious…? Why would he even ask me something like that? she wonders, nearly angry at the possibility of him messing with her, unwilling to accept alternatives. She faintly reminisces over how he’d stood stock still during the very scene he was currently describing, appearing mildly confused all the while. For someone as immature as Ash Ketchum, she had to admit that such a lackadaisical reaction had been rather anticlimactic at the time.

 However, apparently he’s been ruminating on the fiasco that was their latest daily misadventure ever since.

 It’s a joke, she affirms to herself, barely holding in the urge to nod at the conclusion just in case it gives him strange ideas regarding his curiosity. A joke or a prank because there’s no way…

 “Uh… We could - or, well, I’d like to maybe…” with you, he realizes he doesn’t have the courage to say (which is outrageous for one, Ash Ketchum), but the whole thing is quite new to him, obviously. “W - we could… make it an experiment, couldn’t we?”

 “Pfft!?” The sound of her scoff jars him from his briefly swelling hope and drags him back down to reality. “Stop messing around, Mr. Pokemon Master!” She’s practically laughing mirthfully at him. “You’re talking about kissing here, right? As an experiment? For what?”

 “I’m not messing around!” he blurts, tone a few octaves higher than either of them are used to, pushing them back towards the precipice of awkward silence while he tries to string his next thoughts together.

 Maybe he’s brought this on himself. He hadn’t meant to use the word ‘experiment’; it had just been an excuse in case she didn’t reciprocate his intentions… Or was it his feelings? Sure, he was curious about things enough to try for that reason alone, if he was being honest with himself but… he certainly wouldn’t have pursued conclusions to his hypothesis if it hadn’t been Misty sitting beside him at the time!

 Urk! The acknowledgement leaves his tummy knotting and tumbling over itself as he stares the redhead down, daring her to underestimate him now that he’s come this far. But of course that reckless bravery only lasts a couple seconds before he has to blank and concede the round.

 “I wanna try… I mean, with you… if you’d like.”

 Because if it’s possible for people to change when they kiss then he’d surely be interested. But only if it’s with her and the two of them were… changing together.

 “Fine.”

 “Mwah!” he yelps before he can help herself, body twitching to and fro before he collects himself and squints up at her. “Wait, really?”

 Her mouth a grim, thin line and her cheeks bright enough red to bely the truth, she looks him in the eyes, then away long enough to softly clear her throat, then back at him, and shrugs nonchalantly.

 And he doesn’t know it but all of these mixed signals she’s giving off are because she’s calling his bluff. Or so she thinks.

 Thanks to his trademark ignorance, he presses forward with the plan, slowly leaning in. Consequently, the lapping of the rising tide below them and the setting sun sinking on edge of the water in the distance disappear and only the two of them are left in the world.

 With every millimeter of space lost between them, Misty’s shoulders stiffen a little bit more…

 Eep!

 … Her grip on the drowsy Togepi ever so slightly tightening…

 It’s gotta be a joke!

 … Her lips pursing to almost nothing, eyes widening while her brows disappear under her fluttering fringe.

 Ash would n-e-v-e-r--

 She’s not running away so…

 Her internal screeching is cut short at the last second when she sees him out of the corner of her eye, grabbing his cap and wrenching it around backwards (amazing that he has the foresight to know it would get in the way during a moment like this) before finally closing the last inch or two of distance, his lips covering hers in an understated, chaste kiss.

 The static buzz that promptly replaces any previous faulty transmission causes the kiss to last longer than either of them expects, not that they know what to expect, seeing as they’ve never kissed anyone before.

 Misty’s hyperfixation on most recent events transpired eventually causes her grasp on Togepi to slacken, leaving the Pokemon to slip an inch or two toward the edge of her knees. Maternal skill kicking in, the redhead immediately snatches her baby more firmly back under one arm, the other one reflexively soaring out and knocking Ash away…

 … And straight over the side of the pier, into the water.

 A resounding splash! carries back up to her, followed almost immediately after by her former partner in… something… sputtering, spitting, coughing in an attempt to catch his breath again after breaking the surface, glaring halfheartedly up at her as she pokes her head around to ensure his safety.

 “Um, whoops…?”

 “Guh,” he begins, biting back the part of himself demanding her repentance for such behavior, and he tells himself it’s not because his lips are still tingling just so in response to their activity coupled with the sight of her flushing magenta once more against a perfectly accented skyline.

 Instead he opts to call out Lapras and hitch a ride back to shore, pulling off his socks, shoes, and jacket vest along the way to try and shake or wring the excess water out of them. She meets him at the boardwalk a few minutes later, baby Pokemon still clasped snugly in her arms, handing him the backpack he’d been forced to abandon a short time ago.

 Later they’ll be forced to feed Tracey some sorry excuse as to how things have ended up the way they have, and they’ll decide as a group that it will be better to stay in town for the night so that Ash can keep from getting sick from the persistent sea breeze adding to the chill from his unexpected swim. The two of them will likely refrain from much direct interaction and Tracey will chalk it up to their latest fight (which, after both nearly physically attacked him earlier for comparing them to Ralph and Emily, he’ll know better than to say a single word about).

 And, though sleep will be anxiety-ridden and fitful, morning will wash away the intensity of their actions and Ash will have his answer; yes, people kissing truly does lead to evolution, and it’s highly anticipated, that they’ll get to experience this change together.

--\--/--

I cannot quite explain how weird it was to write Ash as the semi-mature one during a romantic interaction with Misty. Whew, what a wild ride... But honestly? If he’d known about his feelings during their travels together... and if the anime had paid a little more attention to their romantic relationship... this might have happened. Lol.

Mm’kay, see ya tomorrow! Reblogs are love (no offense to likes)!

[echidnapower]

EP’s FanFiction Master Post

So this is something I should have done a long time ago on my previous account, but better late than never. For those of you who find me, this is going to be a place where you can find all the fics I’ve written over the years. This will be added to over time as I fight to revive my muse.

It’ll be categorized by fandom, so you can quickly find what you do or don’t want to read. Here we go.

Pokemon

A Valentines Dream Come True -  It's Valentines Day, and a certain redheaded Gym Leader is finally getting to enjoy it with the boyfriend of her dreams. During their time together, they get into a little discussion about dreams, and Ash doesn't wanna tell her his! So to get him to spill, she tells him her dreams...when she finally learns Ash's dream...will both their dreams come true? - Based on a drawing from @miyatoriaka​, which can be found HERE.

AAML: Diamond and Pearl Version -  Follow me as I remake the DP episodes in order and in sequence, all so I can add the biggest star besides Ash himself. Misty! Watch her and Ash's love grow as they go on their journey. The absolute LONGEST story in my portfolio, and you will see my writing evolve the longer you go on. Be prepared for a massive read that even now is STILL going.

All I Want For Christmas Is You -  It's Christmas time and the Ketchum household is hosting a party with all of Ash's friends. But while Ash and Misty dance around their feelings for each other, another Sensational Sister is about to find herself in a situation she never could have expected, but she'll be darned if she lets it slip through her manicured fingers. (Spinoff of @hollylu-ships-it​‘s "A Christmas in Kanto" comic which can be found HERE.

Best Friend -  "Why? Why did I have to be so stupid as to make the mistake of falling in love with my best friend?" - Story told in Misty’s POV.

Blessings From Heaven -  I'm Ash Ketchum, and I'm getting married today! But how did this come to be? Through God's devine planning is how. Here's my story: I'm marrying Misty. - Warning for religious themes, told in Ash’s POV.

I Miss You -  Misty misses Ash terribly, and it's affecting her emotionally as she's more irritable than usual, if that was even possible. But Daisy has a plan to get Ash to come and see Misty again. Will her plan have the desired effect? Or will it cause something she never could've seen coming? - Based on a trio of drawings from the long lost Simply-Nicole. The old art can be found on my dA page HERE, HERE, and HERE.

I’m Misty, and You Are? -  Misty tells the story we all know and love...literally. She's telling the story. Based on artwork from the long lost Simply-Nicole, which can be found on my old dA page HERE.

Keep The Faith - This time it's May and Drew getting married, and it takes place in the "Blessings From Heaven" universe. Warning for religious themes.

Looks -  It's Ash's birthday and all of his friends have gathered together in the woods to reminisce on the time they spent traveling with their favorite Pokemon Trainer. But something's about to happen that could change the way that Ash and Misty look at each other forever…the question is, is it for the better?

Lovesick -  Kenny is feeling strange...he feels like he's sick...but is he really ill? Or is he just lovesick?

Madam Zara -  When Misty decides to get experimental with her appearance, she finds herself in the hands of a world-famous beautician named Madam Zara. With most of Misty's makeovers ending less than ideally, will this be the one to shatter the mold? And how will Ash react? - Based on a drawing and idea from @hollylu-ships-it​ which can be found HERE.

Our Own Sunset -  Ash and Misty watch the sunset together, but Misty's bothered by it. - Set in the AAML: Diamond and Pearl version universe.

Pokeshipping Week 2015 - My first time participating in Pokeshipping Week ever, hard to believe it was five years ago.

Pokeshipping Week 2016 - This year of Pokeshipping saw me collab with @hollylu-ships-it​, you can see the art she put together on her Tumblr page.

Symptoms of Love -  Ash and Tracey are hit by a Vileplume's Stun Spore, and Misty has to fend for herself in order to find a cure. But once she gets Ash back to health, Ash still feels many of the same symptoms from before. Why is that?

Tell Me I’m Pretty -  It isn't easy being the youngest sister, especially when your oldest sister is getting married and you're the only one without a date for the once in a lifetime event. Misty can't help but feel like she doesn't measure up somehow, but a surprise visit from her closest friend is sure to make her feel pretty once more. - Inspired by THIS piece from @hollylu-ships-it​.

The Road Not Taken -  When Ash gets some bad news from home, he goes into a depression and starts doubting both himself and the choices he's made. But luckily, someone is there with him to remind him he's loved and cared about. - Based on yet another drawing from @hollylu-ships-it​. Look at it HERE.

Warmth -  It's New Years Eve, and the recently married Ash and Misty Ketchum are ready to host their first ever holiday party at their home together, but when a snowstorm makes it so no one can arrive safely, Misty is saddened. But will they really end up spending their New Years Eve alone? Or will surprise visitors warm their hearts?

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go

Iron Girl -  A robot girl who hates the fact she's a robot...will she realize just how important she is or will she continue to simply wallow in self-pity?

War Between the Living and the Dead -  The war between the living and the dead has begun, and the Hyperforce has to go up against their biggest challenge yet. But with help from their allies across the galaxy, they can triumph! Or can they? This is my take on what Season 5 would've been, plugging plotholes and making sense out of a series that left us all hanging.

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command

Reflections of a Legend -  Buzz Lightyear Personal Log - Stardate 92893.81. I don't quite know how to explain this, or what I'm feeling, so I guess I'll just start talking and tell you what's on my mind. There's someone I just can't get out of my head, and truthfully, I'm not sure I want to. - This is a first-person dive into Buzz’s character.

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Kim Possible

Angels Watching Over Me -  Kim and Ron are going down a dark path that could eventually end in their own destruction...literally, not figuratively. When the Sloth dangles over a cliff that holds their fate in the balance, who will come in their time of need? How about...someone they never could have dreamed? - Based on a true story, warning for religious themes.

Busted -  Hana wants cookie, Hana tries to get cookie, Hana gets caught trying to get cookie.

The Running Back -  All-star Running back Ron Stoppable is about to face the biggest challenge of his life. He's got just a few seconds to win the championship for the Middleton Mad Dogs, but more importantly to him, he's got just a few seconds to make his girlfriend proud.

The True Meaning -  Both Ron and Kim are well aware of the true meaning of Christmas, and that's why they're volunteering at a church's Bethlehem Revisited event to spread the word. Kim's happy to help and all, but...why is Ron calling her such a weird name? - Warning for religious themes.

Trick or Treat -  Kim is pulling a trick on Ron, will it be a great treat, or is he about to suffer the wrath of Kim Possible? He has no clue, yet.

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Fillmore!

A Promising Tomorrow -  Takes place immediately after the end of the episode "A Forgotten Yesterday." Fillmore's lost two of his old friends now and needless to say, he's tired of losing people to the darkness he was lucky enough to escape from. Luckily, Ingrid's there to show him that his efforts to rehabilitate his delinquent friends haven't exactly gone to waste. There's one person who's benefited.

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Miraculous Ladybug

You’re Loved -  Adrien Agreste, Chat Noir, different identities but more alike than he would like to admit. No matter who he becomes at any given time, there's always something very important missing in his life. Will he ever find what he's looking for? Or is it possible he's always had it and never realized it?

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Beyblade

We Are One -  Kai gave it his all battling against Brooklyn and his bit-beast Zeus. Now, after his close brush with death, Kai must summon the strength to go and support Tyson before disaster strikes the world. But there's no way he's strong enough to do it on his own...but thankfully, he won't have to, which is what Kai is about to learn. Sister story to "I Can't Lose You."

I Can’t Lose You -  A week after Tyson's battle against the evil bit-beast Zeus and his trapped blader Brooklyn, the world is slowly making its way back to normal. Kai managed to survive and is recovering in the hospital, and Tyson is getting some much-deserved rest. But when Kenny comes to tell Tyson that Hilary has quit the team, he loses it, and goes to find out why. My first Beyblade story.

Save a Dance For Me -  With the all new BBA launching with a gala to celebrate the occasion, Tyson finds himself in the uncomfortable position of needing to ask someone to be his date. He has someone in mind, but will his greatest beyblading rival get in his way and turn out to be his greatest rival in love?

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Teen Titans

Healing Touch -  With several Titans pairing up, the lingering emotions are taking a toll on Raven's empathic senses and causing her to lose control of her own feelings. When she gives in and does something completely crazy, it's up to Beast Boy to pull her out of a dark place and bring her back to the light. - There is accompanying artwork from @hollylu-ships-it HERE and HERE.

More Than a Hero -  I've learned a lot of lessons under Batman, he taught me everything I would ever need to know about being a superhero, about being Robin...but Starfire taught me how to be Dick Grayson, and she taught me how to fly. - Story from Robin’s POV, accompanying artwork from @hollylu-ships-it​ is HERE.

Robin Rising -  Life is good for Dick Grayson, he's the leader of a team of superheroes he's blessed enough to call his family, and he's about to turn 18 which he figures will open up a whole new world of possibilities for him. But when his old mentor and "father" calls in, showing that he captured a criminal that had eluded the Titans forever, things get flipped upside-down. - Multichapter fic which is part of a much larger universe, plenty of accompanying artwork can be found over on @hollylu-ships-it​‘s account. Go give her a follow and fav.

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Sonic the Hedgehog

A Light in Darkness -  A small band of heroes go back in time to try and prevent a cataclysmic event that would eventually destroy all of creation as they knew it. But what is the nature of this threat? How dangerous is it? And how far will they have to go in order to stop it from viciously destroying all they hold dear? Features a deep cast of Sonic characters, and a very special OC owned by @e-vay​

Anonymous -  For Shadow the Hedgehog, Christmas doesn't mean what it means to his friends and the rest of the world. Instead, he has a self-appointed mission he needs to carry out. But this year, he may find something that he's never really had before, and it could change the way Shadow sees Christmas for the rest of his life.

Christmas Wishes -  For ten years, Amy Rose has only wanted one thing for Christmas, and she's finally come to accept the reality that she'll never receive it. But a conversation with Rouge rekindles her hope and her Christmas spirit. Will she be let down again? Or will her one wish finally come true this year? Read to find out. (Sister story to my other story titled "Anonymous")

Comfort In the Storm -  When a thunderstorm strikes and leaves Cream quivering in fright, it's up to Tails to find a way to alleviate his crush's fears, and maybe even give her a reason to enjoy thunderstorms instead of fearing them.

Cream Adventure DX: Author’s Cut -  A redo of an old story. Cream finds a strange statue in the meadow, and she knows just who to go to to figure out what it is, but she gets more than she bargained for when she goes looking for him. What happens?

Dreams of an Absolution - Silver lays awake at night and reflects on his life in this apocalyptic world Iblis has destroyed...but most of his reflections revolve around a certain fire girl with lavender fur. He wants to be happy with her, but a warzone is a bad place to kindle love, and so every night he lays awake, and dreams of an absolution.

Relations -  Knuckles has a problem. He's in love...but...that presents a very unique problem...or does it?

Running to the Point of No Return -  Sonic is the fastest thing alive, and Amy is told that that's the biggest obstacle keeping her and Sonic away from each other. But what's she supposed to do to keep up with him, when there's NO ONE fast enough to keep up with him?

Scars -  Some things that happen in life leave scars behind that go with us for the rest of our lives. For Miles "Tails" Prower, such a thing happened to him in the depths of space many years ago...the loss of his first true love...though the pain weakens and the scars fade, they never go away completely, and Tails has learned to live with and embrace that fact.

Seven Rings and Five Fingers In Hand -  A redo of the final battle in Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonamy style!

The Heart of Chao - Chao are adorable little creatures, and they make great pets for anyone who's looking for something to take care of. But there's more to chao than just being cute, they're filled with more heart and love than anyone can imagine, and that can sometimes lead to bringing others closer together. Here are just a few stories of that very thing happening to our favorite characters.

Trapped In This Machine -  Sonic has seemingly fallen madly in love with Amy, but is this sudden romance truly sincere, or is it only skin deep, hiding something sinister underneath? - Inspired by a drawing from @e-vay​, found HERE.

[aye-write]

Summary: Research student Isla Reid has been fascinated with the legend of the Kildonian Chessmen - a trio of mythical Pokemon rumoured to have lived centuries ago on the remote region of Kildo - for as long as she can remember. So, when a museum exhibit on the Chessmen is set to open in Kildo’s Hydrogate City, coinciding with her independent research project, she packs herself and her trusty partner Furret onto the long ferry journey bound for this new region. 

 However, when she arrives in Kildo, thoughts of her research, new friends, and an entire Pokedex’s worth of new Pokemon, are quickly dashed. Kildo is a troubled place, beset by natural disasters and fierce rivalries among its people. Isla suddenly finds herself at the centre of a centuries-old plot to invoke the wrath of the Chessmen, and is set on a race against time to stop them, before it spells destruction for the entire region.

Other Links: Read it on Ao3!

Tags: OC Pokemon journey, OC region, Fakemon region, bisexual main character, found family, ace main character.

If you are not interested in these posts, especially as I know Pokemon journeyfic is fairly niche, please blacklist the tag #Checkmate. Most of the story will be put under a Readmore anyway!

Author’s Note: Hi everyone! This is just a quick author's note today! Thanks to everyone who has read and commented! I hope you enjoy another chonk of a chapter and that the starters' introduction went okay! There were a LOT of Pokedex entries this week, so I won't be including them all in the author's note this time, but you can head over to our tumblr @kildo-pokedex​ to see them in full! See you in two weeks, everyone!

*****

Chapter Four

Things moved fast that night. Too fast. Morning dawned, dappling the sky with tangerine oranges and cotton candy pinks, and Isla soon found herself packed and standing on the doorstep of the cottage she’d almost come to think of as home.

Rhona fussed over Skye’s layers and blankets for so long that Isla thought they’d never get away. Even Blair started to look nervous, casting pointed glances first at his watch and then at his mother. It would be a long walk, he said loudly, at least five hours of walking, and they needed to get on. Finally Rhona got the hint and passed over a mammoth bag of sandwiches, juice, and crisps – enough to sustain an army for about a week – and both parents said their goodbyes. Rhona’s eyes were wet with tears when she broke her hug with her daughter.

Isla moved forward, meaning just to offer thanks, but before she could open her mouth, Rhona swept her into a rib-crunching hug.

“Now you be careful out there, chick,” Rhona said, her breath tickling the whorls of Isla’s ear. “You always have a home here with us, alright? Don’t you dare be a stranger. I expect to see you again here before you go back to Johto, you hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Isla said, her voice thick.

Kenneth shook her hand next, his huge fingers easily engulfing hers. He had a firm grip, yet surprisingly soft hands, and when Isla drew back, she found he’d slipped her two crisp twenty pokedollar notes.

“Kenneth, thank you, but I can’t take—”

“You take care of yourself,” he said firmly.

Isla decided not to argue. Especially when it was the most the giant man had ever said to her in one go before.

Blair took his mother’s hug with an embarrassed grimace, nodding along to a laundry list of instructions she hurled his way. Make sure you take frequent breaks. Don’t let Skye go wandering on her own. Make sure you feed a Clatty if you see one, it’s good luck. Don’t dare go any further than Aberdrip. Eventually, Kenneth clamped his hand on Rhona’s shoulder, and she stopped.

“I suppose you best be going, eh?” she said, forcing a quivering smile. “Before it gets too late on. Have fun, darlings. Call me when you get there. Be safe.”

“Thanks for everything, Rhona,” Isla said, her voice catching. She had to turn around to shield her face from view.

Blair, who had been battling to fit Rhona’s supplies into their travelling bag, grunted with satisfaction as he finally got the zip up, leaving the bag bulging like an overripe balloon. He felt around at his waist, unhooked a Pokeball, and tossed it over the gate.

“Coastrot, come out!”

Isla let out a breath as the ball burst open and she came face to face with Blair’s Pokemon. Easily reaching Blair’s shoulders, it had a long, lithe body with a clipped coat the colour of the ocean under the morning sky. Even when it stayed still, its mane and tail rippled like plumes of gentle flowing water. It was a stunning Pokemon – right down to its dark, inquisitive eyes and glistening hooves – but there was something unusual about it that Isla couldn’t quite put her finger on. As she stared, Coastrot’s body seemed to blur, wavering in front of her like a picture on a TV with a dodgy signal.

Blair saw her staring. “Touch him,” he suggested.

Isla frowned, uncertain. Under Blair’s watchful eye, she reached out to touch this new Pokemon, only for her hand to slip straight through its body, as easily as if she had just put her hand through a hologram. She whipped her hand away like she’d just been shocked. The Pokemon’s body turned solid again the moment Blair touched it to string up one of the bags.

Isla consulted her Pokedex. “Coastrot, the Mirage Pokemon. Its translucent body refracts light, and it will often appear as though it is surrounded by rainbows. If it doesn’t trust someone, they will not be able to touch it. This is seen as an unlucky omen by some.”

“Amazing,” she said. “So it only lets people it trusts touch it?”

“That’s right,” Blair nodded.  “Coastrot is actually the evolved form of one of the Kildo starters. He was my starter, so he’s been in the family a long time, but it still wasn’t easy for him to trust all of us. He lets me touch him, of course, and Skye, and sometimes Dad, but Mum is still a tricky case. Since he’s only just met you, it may take him a while to warm up.”

“That’s okay,” Isla held her hand out for the Pokemon to sniff. Its nose passed straight through her hand, a sensation rather like she’d plunged her hand into a bucket of ice-cold water. “I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”

Blair clapped on Coastrot’s haunches, signalling everything was secured. He called for Skye and helped boost her up, Isla holding her breath as she entertained a vision of Skye sinking right through the Pokemon’s ethereal back. Luckily, Coastrot remained solid and strong, allowing Skye to settle herself.

“Hold onto his mane, there,” Blair fussed. “No, not there. That’s too tight. Just there, look.”

Skye made several wide-eyed glances over the Pokémon’s massive haunches as Blair made the final checks. Isla offered her a smile.

“I take it that you won’t be going for Coastrot’s evolution for your first Pokemon, then?” she whispered.

Skye shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. “Definitely not.”

As she waited, a breath of wind lifted the hair from Isla’s forehead, already moist with sweat from the heat of the beating sun. She’d dressed light, in a loose, billowing top two sizes up from her normal, and a pair of comfortable jogging trousers, but she still worried about the journey. The bag slung on her shoulders didn’t feel heavy now, but walking would leaden it. She’d sprayed most of a bottle of antiperspirant on herself before setting out, but she still had doubts about its efficiency. She could only hope they would take it slow and she wouldn’t embarrass herself.

“That’s us,” Blair announced. “We’re ready to go.”

And with one final look back at the Whispering Pines Croft, they set off.

**

Having left the confines of the family croft, Blair switched into serious mode. He had done some travelling when he was younger, he explained as they walked, enough to know the basics, and he’d made the journey between Aberdrip and Port Glen enough times to pick out the best route to accommodate Coastrot. Their chosen path along Route 1 started out as a stretch of delightfully flat ground, buffeted by a strong, salt-smelling, easterly wind. After an hour, the flat paths became bumpy and wild, grass rising as high as their knees, the tips of trees bordering the horizon.

Blair told them stories as they walked, a welcome distraction for the pain needling through Isla’s legs. He brought them to a stop at the peak of a hill to point out Loch Culla in the distance, a shimmering body of water neatly fringed with trees. A place claimed to be the home of an entire family of shiny Kildonian Lapras.

Skye’s shriek of excitement at this news startled Coastrot, and Blair had to dart to her rescue in case she was catapulted off. She wasn’t fazed. She still insisted on making the detour so they could go hunting for one. Blair laughed. The loch was a protected area for that exact purpose, he explained, and catching Pokemon wasn’t allowed there.

“But we can manage a picnic nearby,” Blair added when Skye’s face fell. “Come on, let’s go.”

Back to walking it was. Isla forced herself back to her feet. To give Blair his dues, he factored in plenty of breaks, at every rest stop or every half an hour, whichever came first. He said he wanted Coastrot to get plenty of rest, as he wasn’t used to carrying weight over long distances. Isla wasn’t sure how true that was, but she was grateful all the same. If Blair and Skye saw her flushed face, sweat patches, and occasional gasps for breath, they were very kind and didn’t draw attention to it.

As promised, they unpacked a picnic at the bank of Loch Culla and shared out sandwiches, fruit, and flavoured waters. Sitting in the shade, listening to the water lapping against the bank, and sipping their drinks fresh from the cool bag, Isla felt totally at peace, despite the numbing aches sprouting in the back of her calves. Blair recalled Coastrot for a proper rest, but Isla released Soba and Wingull to stretch their legs and wings. To keep Wingull amused, but more to stop him stealing, she lobbed his food into the air, sending him swooping and diving over the loch and into the deep grass in pursuit.

Skye didn’t eat much, her eyes trained on the still loch water. When Blair nudged her back to reality, she folded her arms and said, “Blair, I’m looking for Lapras. Leave me alone.”

Isla saw him roll his eyes, but when he spoke to his sister, his tone was nothing but gentle and respectful. “You won’t see them, Skye. It’s massively rare to see a Kildonian Lapras out in the open. They live pretty much entirely underwater. Proper deep down.”

Isla looked up from her sandwich. “Do they? They don’t in Johto.”

“Yep. Kildonian ones are different types too. Ours are Ghost and Dragon.”

“Water and Ice for us.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty different, isn’t it? I think the mainland variant travel a lot, but you can pretty much trace all Kildonian Lapras to just one or two lochs here. They don’t move around a lot. Hence why the area is protected.”

“It doesn’t look protected?” Isla said, looking around. There wasn’t a stitch of modern technology to be seen. No buildings. No cameras. Heck, there didn’t even seem to be any other people around other than just them. “There’s nothing here.”  

“Doesn’t need to be. See that sign?” Blair pointed out a sign nailed to a nearby tree. A bold, crimson X was splayed across a black and white image of a Pokeball. “That sign lets us know that there’s Anti-Pokeball Interference here. API for short.” When he saw Isla’s blank face, he frowned. “I don’t know exactly how it works, but basically, Dad said that it transmits some sort of signal that humans and Pokemon can’t hear, but it scrambles the capture mechanism on all Pokeballs. Makes them nothing more than fancy paperweights.”

“We certainly don’t have that in Johto.”

“It’s pretty new. Just come into fashion over the last year. Lot of folks don’t like it, though. I think they had protests out in Tideburgh. They say it violates our rights to catch Pokemon and that it’s going to lead to overpopulation. If you ask me, it’s a load of Tauros shi— uh, nonsense,” he corrected himself when Skye turned her head.

They lapsed into silence, Isla pretending to be fascinated with her sandwich crusts. They’d gone dry and hard in the sun, and she nibbled at them ineffectively. Wingull, amazingly, had eaten its fill and had nestled with his head (mostly) under one stubby wing. Soba, who had been luxuriating in the sun, had fallen asleep curled around a bottle of lemonade. Blair lay back in the grass, his eyes shut, making occasional contented noises. Skye was scribbling something in a notebook patterned with Slugma.

“We’ll head off soon,” Blair yawned. “I just want to rest my eyes for a few minutes.”

The soft noise of snoring drifted over the wind moments later. Isla had to resist the urge to join him. Sitting down had been fatal. Now her eyes felt as heavy as her legs and the thought of getting up again made tiredness sink into the very pit of her. She could shut her eyes for a few minutes, she reasoned. Just a few minutes. Just a few—

“Isla!” a voice cut through her thoughts. “Isla! Isla, look!”

Isla had to force open her eyes, gummed together like chewy toffee. Skye was on her feet, pointing at the nearby undergrowth.

“What’s goin—”

“Shush!” Skye hissed. “Just look!”

In amongst the green, leafy fronds was a flash of something dull and brown. It emerged from the grass like a Furret in miniature. It had a long, snake-like body, the colour of dark chocolate, and a cream underbelly. Its sharp, inquisitive nose twitched, and its tail swished like an over-eager feather duster.

“What is that?” Isla gasped, pulling her Pokedex out.

“It’s a Mudstel!” Skye said, just as Isla’s Pokedex chirped “Mudstel, the Mud Ferret Pokemon. Curious, but shy, Mudstel rely on their stealth and environment when hunting. They blend in well among trees and bushes, but if spotted, will quickly burrow underground to escape.”

“Gosh, it must be hungry if it’s come right out in the open!” Skye breathed out. “Can we try feeding it?”

“Yeah, if you like. Try it with the crusts there.”

Skye offered the Mudstel some of the uneaten crusts. The Pokemon held back, its nose twitching, eyes unblinking. Skye stretched her hand out further.

“Wait, Skye. Stay as still as you can,” Isla advised, not even daring to breathe too loudly in case she startled it. Skye’s wavering arm came to a stop. “That’s it. Let it come to you.”

After a few moments, the Mudstel stretched out its long, ribbon-like body. Skye looked like she was about to burst from excitement, but somehow, managed to stay still. Isla caught a glimpse of sharp white teeth as Mudstel opened its mouth and snatched the crusts from Skye’s hand. It didn’t pause to eat them, just turned on its heels, and dove back into the undergrowth.

They waited, but Mudstel didn’t come back out.

Skye looked crestfallen as the grass went still. “Bread crusts aren’t all that nutritious,” she said mournfully. “I wish it had stayed and I could have given it some Pokemon food. I think we even have some Pokemon Rock. That would have been even better for it.”

Isla made a sympathetic noise. “Maybe we can leave some pellets for it when we pack up and leave?”

“Maybe. But I wish I could have caught it. I don’t want it to end up starving. Mudstel wouldn’t come out and take food from humans if it could help it.”

“Some Pokemon are just opportunistic, Skye. He probably has plenty of chances to get food and then saw us and thought “Oh yes, a free lunch!” Pokemon are clever. They can take care of themselves.”

“I suppose.”

Isla slung an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Try not to worry,” she said. “We’ll be in Aberdrip soon and you’ll have your very own Pokemon before you know it.”

“I know,” Skye said. “I just… wish I could make friends with all of them. I don’t want any of them to suffer.”

“Then I think that means you’ll be a good trainer.”

Skye smiled. Isla’s heart skipped a little. Could this really be the first time that she had ever seen the younger girl smile?

A sudden kerfuffle sent them both looking over Blair, who snorted and pushed himself upright, making a strange gulping noise. “I wasn’t asleep! I wasn’t… sleeping?” He looked blearily across at Skye and Isla. “Was I sleeping?”

They didn’t answer. Instead, the noise of their laughter echoed across the loch like water tinkling from a waterfall.

**

They had stopped for another break on Route 3, a densely wooded path littered with fallen leaves and fresh with the smell of moss, when Blair got a text through on his phone.

Immediately, he was dialling a number, face twisted, and one hand covering his ear to block out the shrill shriek of the local Caperchick. A Caperchick, as Isla had found out was another of Kildo’s resident bird Pokemon. Pretty much helpless as babies, they were only able to eat, sleep, and call for help from others in their family group. Isla had hoped to see one, but Blair dissuaded her, explaining their later evolutions were territorial and aggressive. Most wouldn’t take kindly to humans on their turf.

It still didn’t stop her, or Skye, from hoping. Skye got up to wander four times while Blair stepped away to speak on the phone, poking at the bases of trees and among tall grasses. Or maybe she was just doing it to fill the time. Whatever conversation Blair was having, it was taking a lot of it.  

When Blair did eventually return, his face was pale. “That was Mum on the phone.”

Isla’s instant thought was Nana Morag. “Is everything okay?”

“Kind of. She’s just back from the hospital. Nana Morag is doing better, they think she’ll be alright to come home soon as long as she gets plenty of bed rest.”

“Did they find out what it was that made her ill?”

“They’re still waiting on some test results,” Blair said, worry creasing his eyebrows into one long caterpillar. “She said she’ll phone me as soon as they hear. Now, the other thing. Mum said she had a voicemail waiting for her when she got out of the hospital. It was one of Professor Spruce’s aides.”

Skye stopped what she was doing, pricking her head up.

“There was some problem with the breeders they use to supply the new trainers and they don’t have enough to supply everyone who wanted one.”

Skye looked ready to burst into tears. Blair saw this and quickly assured, “Don’t panic, Skye. They’ve just moved it to a booking system instead to try and get as many folks sorted as possible today. Mum gave me the number and I called the aide. You’re still getting your Pokemon – as long as we get there in time.”

Skye visibly relaxed but Isla felt like something had severed her at the chest. “When’s Skye’s slot?”

“2pm. It was the only one I could get. All the others were filled.  

Isla looked at the time on her phone. It was already ten to one.  

“Yeah,” Blair said, as Isla caught his eye. “We need to hurry.”

**

Isla hoped that adrenaline would see them through. That they could power on the remaining couple of miles without feeling the pain or the tiredness, subsisting only on the rush of purpose to get there. But it was hell. Pure hell. As they half walked, half jogged along unsteady ground, the air dense and muggy, the heat of the sun dripped down their backs.

I can’t let Skye down, Isla told herself as she dragged her aching limbs over the nobbled hump of yet another hillock. I’ll never forgive myself if I let her down.

Once, when the shooting pain of a stitch left her doubled over, she told Blair and Skye to go on without her. But she didn’t even get to finish her sentence before Blair cut in with “Absolutely not. We’re going together,” and that was the end of it.  

As it ticked closer and closer, the clouds receded, and the sun intensified. The air remained stubbornly heavy and humid. Finally, they were over another hill and Aberdrip loomed in the distance, a monochrome city with silver buildings reaching up like metallic petals. They didn’t stop to take in much else. Feet pounding the concrete, each step sending pinpricks of pain up Isla’s legs, Blair hailed a taxi. In one confusing bundle of recalled Pokemon, sorting of bags, and too many legs in one small space, they clambered in. Within minutes, they were speeding along the blurred roads, the streets like smears of running ink.

Professor Spruce’s lab sat right at the western outskirts of Aberdrip in a plot of land closed off by wrought iron gates. The taxi driver dropped them off at the bottom, and after buzzing through to the office, they were on their way up the vicious uphill path to Professor Spruce’s lab.

Stumbling through the front door, trembling with exertion, Isla checked her phone. Three minutes to two. They’d made it.

A concerned looking aide lead them through a maze of breezeblocked hallways. Skye stuck so close to Blair that they practically became one person. The aide opened a door at the end of a particularly long corridor, and they emerged into a room groaning with workbenches and strange equipment that wouldn’t have looked amiss in an old sci-fi film. The room was wonderfully chilled, the overhead fans pumping in swathes of cool air.

Blair and Skye gave the aide their names, Blair signed a proffered sheet, and then they were shepherded through into an adjoining room. As they stepped through, Isla felt the eyes of a dozen people land on her.

“Ah, Skye McLeod, is it?” came a voice from ahead of them. “Excellent. I was starting to worry you weren’t coming.”

Skye tensed next to Isla as the woman who had spoken – Isla assumed this was Professor Spruce – beckoned them forward. She was small, rounded, with greying hair slung into a messy bun. Her eyes were sharp, glinting like the sheen of ice over a frozen puddle. Easily a foot shorter than everyone else in the room, she still commanded everyone’s attention.

With a wave of her hand, Professor Spruce separated Skye and the two other young trainers – one girl and one boy – from their respective guardians. Isla collapsed gratefully into a nearby chair. Blair was rigid in his own seat as Professor Spruce took the new trainers through the standard “First Pokemon” spiel. It was a comforting lecture, so much so that mixed with the relief they had made it in time, Isla soon felt her eyelids drooping.

Then, voices surged.

“I want to go first!”

“No, I’m going first!”

“Enough!” Professor Spruce barked, her voice tight. “Being a Pokemon trainer isn’t about who goes first. It’s not even about getting exactly what you want. If you go into this life expecting to get what you want all the time, you are setting yourself up for failure Pokemon are as unique and individual as each one of you. A “weak” Pokemon can become strong from the right training and support. On your journey as trainers, I encourage you to open your hearts and minds. Embrace all that this region has to offer you. Take a chance on people – and Pokemon – you might not expect to. They might just surprise you. Now, young lady…” Professor Spruce’s eyes fixed on Skye, who had been sitting quietly the whole way through. “Why don’t you come up and pick your partner?”

Frozen under the expectant gaze, Skye didn’t move. The other two new trainers muttered as the silence grew. The faces of the parents clouded. Still Skye didn’t move. Or perhaps she couldn’t.

Isla pushed herself out of her chair. Despite the angry murmurings from the other guardians, she threaded herself in next to her. “Skye, do you want to go up first?” she asked.  

Skye nodded.

“Would you like me to go up with you? Or maybe Blair?”

She shook her head, but no words came out.

“Just take your time. I know it’s a bit scary, but you can do it.”

With the encouragement, Skye faced the three Pokeballs next to Professor Spruce. Each one was furnished with a plaque listing information about the Pokemon inside. Isla read them over, trying to absorb the information quickly, in case she was asked to sit back down. One Grass starter, one Fire, one Water. Exactly the same as Johto.

Coozy, Lv 5

Gender: Male

The Little Cow Pokemon

Good natured and docile, this Coozy is an excellent choice for those who enjoy a slow and steady pace in life. Be careful not to let him get lazy and complacent!

*

Bleater, Lv 5

Gender: Male

The Nightlight Pokemon

Aloof yet curious, this Bleater will be a loyal companion to any trainer willing to take the time to get to know him. Be warned, Bleater are prone to dependency on their trainers later in life.

*

Coltide, Lv5

Gender: Male

The Water Horse Pokemon

Spirited and independent, this Coltide can be a handful without firm guidance in the beginning. However, you will rarely find a more dedicated Pokemon out there!

*

Curiosity burned at the back of Isla’s head, but now wouldn’t be the right time to interrupt everything by checking. For now, she turned back to the chairs and waited as Skye made her final decision.

“This one.” Skye eventually said. “I would like this one, please.”

“Excellent choice,” Professor Spruce said kindly. “Why don’t you take your, uh… guardians towards the back and fill out the paperwork? The aide will have your license waiting for you.”

“You go,” Isla motioned to Blair. “I’ll wait here.”

While Skye was away dealing with her paperwork, Isla watched the two remaining trainers making their picks. Compared to Skye, there was no hesitation. The boy beelined immediately for Coltide, but the other girl seemed perfectly happy to be left with Coozy. Which, of course, meant that Skye had chosen Bleater.

One by one, the families left for the other room, and Isla had the chance to look closer at the three Kildo starters. She painstakingly punched the names – or her best memory of them – into the Pokedex and clicked Image Search.

Coozy, she decided, would have been her choice. It was almost painfully cute; small, and quadrupedal, covered in a thick coat of moss green fur, a pale pink nose, and dark inquisitive eyes. Her arms ached to hug it.

Now, Bleater was cute too, she thought. It reminded her of a favourite Johto Pokemon – a Mareep – just smaller. Its wool was coarse and tightly packed against the body, in a vivid orange, the colour of flame. Its short, stubby legs and the small nubs of horns were a much darker orange, a striking contrast to the rest of its body.

The final one, Isla could figure out on her own. An aqua blue body, a mane and tale reminiscent of flowing water, black hooves polished like obsidian, and dark, beguiling eyes. Coltide, the previous evolution of Blair’s Coastrot.

“You seem very interested in the starters, young lady,” Professor Spruce’s voice cut through Isla’s thoughts, making her jump. “Not local?”

“How could you tell?” Isla laughed nervously.

“I’ve been around the block too many times,” Professor Spruce said. “Kanto?”

“No, Johto. My accent is a bit softer though, so I get why people mix them up.”

“Johto, eh? That’s a long trip. What brings you here?”

“Visiting family. And some research into the Kildonian Chessmen.”

Professor Spruce’s eyes widened. “How interesting.”

A perfect opportunity had fallen right into her lap. She would be stupid not to take advantage of it now. “Professor, do you know anything about them?” she asked. “Or the Vitalities? Anything you could tell me?”

“Like what?”

“Like where they could be found?”

Professor Spruce’s eyebrow arched. “Well, no-one really knows where the Chessmen are now. Recent reports claim they settled in remote places – like islands far away from the mainland or underground. But that’s all just theories. There hasn’t been a confirmed sighting in over a century. But the Vitalities, on the other hand…”

Isla leant forward, closing the space between them.

Professor Spruce seemed to think better of what she was about to say and let out a sigh. “You have to understand something first. The Vitalities are a polarising bunch. Much of my generation, us old folks, even some of the more… naïve younger people believe the Vitalities are responsible for the natural disasters around Kildo.”

This wasn’t news to Isla, but still she pressed “Why?”

“The Vitalities brought many gifts to humans. Some were used wisely. Others weren’t. One of the most enduring theories is that the Chessmen banished and trapped the Vitalities to four remote corners of Kildo to prevent them intervening in humans’ natural progress. There’s an argument to be made that the natural disasters are the Vitalities fighting back, I suppose rebelling against their banishment.”

“So, no-one knows where they are? Or the Chessmen?”

Professor Spruce shook her head. “You may have noticed that Kildo is a region on a precipice. Pokemon journeys, gym circuits, the battling leagues, these are all very new to us. And they’ve become very popular very quickly. Up until about twenty years ago, most people in Kildo only used Pokemon to help them work the land, to till crops, things like that. It was like the whole region carried this collective memory, a shared fear of what happened when technology became too great a force.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

“Yes. But that fear has diluted. It’s been lost among much of the new generation. Things have changed. We’ve made amazing technological advances since then, eclipsed even some of the other regions that have been doing this for much longer. I’m sure you’ve heard about our API technology and Ability Suppressors and Experience Boosters, all that sort of thing.” Isla hadn’t, but she didn’t want to stop her and ask. Lots of people think it’s amazing. Lots more people are scared. Scared that if the Chessmen were to wake again, and were to see the way we have advanced, they would do exactly what they did the last time they awoke.”

The phrase festering in Isla’s mouth felt ridiculous. Laughable. But something compelled her to say it anyway.

“That they would destroy the whole region?”

Professor Spruce’s piercing grey eyes met Isla’s.

“Exactly.”

[smallersocksx]

Pokémon Journeys Episode 60 (Review, kind of...)

To be honest when I made my last post regarding my problems with the Pokémon Journeys anime in its current state, I was worried I was going to get a lot of abuse. But to my surprise, the post was met with a lot of positivity and I don’t know whether or not making regular mini reviews would be something anyone would be interested in.

Anyways, with this episode, it honestly reinforced some of the issues I raised in my previous post and some fears I have for future episodes after seeing the preview particularly for episode 62. As with the last post, I’ll keep the review cut below, so if you want to read it, that’s great! 

Similar to the last post, I’ll break this down into different sections because I honestly don’t know how long this post will be. I have to say, I have mixed feelings about this episode, I think a lot of people will love it for the fact Farfetch’d evolved but as I mentioned in my last post I would have loved for Farfetch’d to have received more development before actually evolving. I think a lot of people will find the writing quality has improved in comparison to some of the recent episodes that have been released but this episode for me did have its fair share of problems, the biggest being...

Pacing:

I think the community, is in agreement that the pacing in Journeys, leaves a lot to be desired and the beginning of the episode just reinforced that for me. At the beginning of the episode, we have a recap of Farfetch’d arc which I didn’t mind because of Journeys episodic nature it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder. But then we get to Ash’s current ranking in the World Coronation Series...last we saw Ash was ranked 415th now he’s 273 and when I saw that I knew immediately a lot of people would be bringing that up. In the space of 9 episodes, Ash has gone up by 142 ranks, they could have paced this so much better by showing Ash training in this 9 episode gap or at least showing his improvement in the rankings gradually like showing his ranking casually to Goh on his phone in episode 56 (an episode centred around training). 

Secondly, in the re-cap at the beginning of the episode, we finally saw Dracovish! I honestly don’t know if Dracovish’s appearance in this re-cap meant Ash was finally training with Dracovish or even using it for battling up the ranks. I think either way people would have been annoyed but even after we see Dracovish in this re-cap, we don’t see it for the rest of the episode...Hopefully, after this two-week break, we’ll be seeing more of Dracovish.

Finally, Farfetch’d evolution, as I mentioned in my previous post about my problems with Journeys, I wanted Farfetch’d to get more development before evolving especially given the fact including this episode there have only really been 3 episodes devoted to Farfetch’d and his development which also feeds into my fear of future episodes which I’ll cover later.

Farfetch’d Evolution and Rinto:

As many in the community predicted, Farfetch’d evolved into Sirfetch’d in this episode and I’ll admit I was impressed by some parts of the episode such as Ash referencing his training with Wikstrom telling Farfetch’d to emulate Aegislash by using half of his leek as a shield and the other as a lance. However, story-wise I wasn’t particularly satisfied for a couple of reasons: in the anime, I’m not particularly fond of the evolution = victory formula that they’ve used for many years and Rinto’s defeat.

Evolution = Victory:

This formula has been used in the Pokemon series for as long as I can remember and after a while, I kind of got bored of it that's why when they subvert this trope I actually love it. Some examples of them subverting this formula include Ash vs Sawyer where Sawyer’s Treecko evolved into Grovyle and Ash vs Masked Royal where his Litten evolved into Torracat. In both scenarios despite both Pokemon evolving they still lost but it was still satisfying to watch as you feel both the trainer and Pokemon gained something at least and a goal to work towards as they want to defeat their rival.

Additionally, the anime has established that evolution consumes a Pokemon’s energy as shown when Torracat evolved into Incineroar, he fainted afterwards because the evolution consumed the last of his energy after a long and arduous battle.

That’s why after this was established, I was a bit annoyed at this old formula that they liked to use evolution equating to victory. I understand a Pokemon does get stronger when it evolves but depending on its species we don’t know how much strength they actually gain. However, in this battle, Farfetch’d had taken several powerful hits from Gallade in particular from Psycho Cut (a move he’s weak to) and combining that with evolution. Sirfetch’d should have been severely weakened. That’s why I would have preferred the outcome to have been a draw as this loss writing-wise reflects poorly on Rinto and his strength.

Rinto:

That last point brings me to my next one, Rinto. I think the writers really did a poor job with Rinto in this episode. When we first met Rinto, Ash’s Farfetch’d couldn’t even touch Gallade and was defeated in one hit. Now, 9 episodes later, all Farfetch’d have to do is evolve and he easily defeats Gallade which I found annoying because it made clear that just as Ash and Farfetch’d were training in this 9 episode gap, so was Rinto and Gallade. This is why a lot of people were annoyed when Ash defeated Korrina’s Lucario with his Dragonite because it diminishes all the training Korrina and Lucario had done in their absence from the anime. That’s what I feel like the writers have done to Rinto and Gallade.

What I liked about Farfetch’d arc was that Farfetch’d had found a rival in Gallade. It gave Farfetch’d a goal to work towards and yet just 9 episodes later Farfetch’d have evolved and defeated his rival. I feel the writers were trying to give Farfetch’d/Sirfetch’d arc a conclusion but at this point, there shouldn’t even be a conclusion. 

The writers should have followed the example of Lycanroc’s arc, Ash’s Lycanroc developed a friendly rivalry with Gladion’s Lycanroc which can be traced back to when he was a Rockruff. Almost every time the two battled Ash’s Lycanroc was defeated but this was a good thing because it motivated Lycaroc to work harder to defeat his rival and eventually the fruits of his labour were rewarded in the Finals of the Alola League when he finally defeated Gladion’s Lycaroc. 

My point is I would have liked to have seen this battle have a different outcome. I think with a draw both parties would have gained something, in Ash’s case a newly evolved Pokemon and a continuing desire to grow stronger and in Rinto’s case, he may have acknowledged Ash as rival and gained some humility. Also, a draw would have meant the rankings wouldn’t have changed which resulted in Ash’s ranking increasing to 184 (which only adds to the pacing issue Journeys has).

I honestly hope this isn’t the last time we see Rinto because I thought he would have made a good rival for Ash and his Gallade, gave his Farfetch’d a goal to strive towards.

Fears for future episodes:

Now, Pokemon is going on a two-week break which I honestly need, however, there was a preview of the upcoming episodes and translations of the synopses. It’s pretty much been confirmed that Goh’s Sobble is going to evolve into Drizzile which I’m hoping to going to give the Sobble line more love. But I’m also a bit annoyed about that as well as I’ve established I love good development and story-telling, episode 54 was great development towards Sobble’s character however they’ve only given Sobble one proper episode of development and now he’s going to evolve and that annoys me.

I felt like in the past few episodes Sobble was being pushed to the sidelines and as seen in episodes 57 and 59, Sobble has been training in his own way by hiding anywhere he can. After only one episode focused on Sobble’s development, he’s going to evolve, hopefully, you can understand why I’m frustrated. It feels like Journeys aren’t going to fix their pacing problem anytime soon and it's frustrating because what I loved about the anime series was its story-telling and the way the series is at the moment, it's not as engaging as it once was. I feel like every time I watch an episode and I have complaints about it, I’m being overly cynical and I don’t want to feel that way when I watch a series.

[naomisimagines]

Hewwo! Can I request Leon and reader narrowly snatching the Champion title from him and going from flabbergasted, to elated, to worried and slightly regretful before rushing and slamming into him in a tight hug? (bonus point if the reader has a crush on Leon and they both have a bit of a "thing" going on >;3) I just felt so bad after beating him during the tournament, I just wanted a chance to give SOME comfort to the big boy,,, ;v; Thankch for your time, have some nice holidays! :D

coming right up!! ~ ModEevee

~~

You exhaled nervously, looking up at the vast walls of Wyndon Stadium that stood before you. Today was the day, you knew, the day you would finally take on Leon. Your face flushed slightly as you thought of him, but you shook away the feeling, replacing it with solid determination.

To prepare, you had watched plenty of his matches, recent and older, thanks to Leon’s younger brother, Hop, who had graciously let you watch all of them in exchange for some pointers on how he could improve his team. You wanted to know Leon’s strategies before going into the battle, that way you could totally blow him away by showing him up completely.

But you were still worried that you had missed something, or that just the sheer power of Leon’s team would completely crush your well trained up team anyways. Your heart clenched at the fears that continuously bubbled up in your mind and heart, but you eventually brushed it all aside, finally walking forward from your trance to get registered for the finals.

As soon as you were in the changing rooms, your trusty Sylveon hopped out of its PokeBall, chirping at you happily as you slid on your Gym Uniform. Sylveon always loved the energetic setting and feeling being down on the pitch brought and you knew she was excited to finally take on the Champion.

You were excited too, but of course, you started thinking about Leon again. He had taken it upon himself to join you along your journey, since his younger brother Hop had too many plans, none of which involved traveling with you. Plus the other two familiar challengers you recognized, Marnie and Bede, seemed to have schedules of their own as well. 

Leon had taught you how to set up a tent and you had cooked him a great number of curries as well. And just like true rivals, you and Leon battled at every turn, usually after you beat a Gym Leader, or needed a bit of a pick-me-up.

But you couldn’t help but long for more of him. Every time he disappeared to do something Champion related, you felt extremely lonely, and the enjoyable conversations you had while traveling upon the routes had you wishing you knew more about him. 

You’re sure you know more about Leon than most people, but there was something that was drawing you to him. You had learned little things about Leon every day that made you question him, but also made him more personable and seem less of an important public figure.

Like, who knew the Champion of the Galar region was such a wreck? You’re sure that everyone knows he’s absolutely lost when it comes to directions, but sometimes, he even tries to convince you that you’re going the wrong way as well! Only cause “he swears it didn’t look like this” or “it didn’t seem familiar to him”, and when you listen to him begrudgingly, it only ends up causing you to become lost.

You wonder how he even became Champion in the first place sometimes.

Or why he puts milk before cereal. Which when you found that out, you had screamed in horror and taken both the milk and cereal away from him because you were dying on the inside because of the unacceptable act. You also ignored him for a whole hour before your guilt got the best of you, but you’ll never forgive him for such a vile act.

But anyways, you hoisted up your gym shorts, grabbing your teams PokeBalls before looking at the tournament chart. It looked like you would be battling Nessa first. You switched your team around that way you would send out Roserade first and returned Sylveon to its Pokeball with a smile on your face. 

You jogged out onto the track, the smile on your face never leaving as the crowd starting cheering.

~~

Even after the whole catastrophe with Rose, nothing could destroy your spirit. You had easily won the final tournament, taking down the Gym Leaders you had already battled before with ease.

But now, only Leon remained to defeat, and you hadn’t seen him, even when you took over for him in taking down Eternatus. You wistfully sighed, glancing up at the towering stadium that stood before you again.

Suddenly, all of your Pokemon burst out of their PokeBalls, crying happily as they looked at you with determination. Your Incineroar even stepped forward picking you up rapidly and spinning you around as you laughed loudly. 

“Thanks you guys!,” you said, smiling, “I know all of you will do great today!” Your Pokemon cry out again, and your Weavile and Roserade get into fighting stances, pretending to fight each other, and both you and your Inteleon shook your heads jokingly.

Your Tyranitar jumped up behind Roserade and Weavile, cheering like it was pretending to be the crowd. Sylveon jumped into your arms, scared by the sudden noise, and you giggled playfully, holding out their PokeBalls as if to say that fun time was over.

All of them looked at you proudly before you returned them, walking into the stadium with a newfound pride in your heart. Your Pokemon weren’t doubting anything, so why should you? You’re not going to drag down their good mood with your doubts, so you pushed them all aside as you ran out onto the pitch again.

Leon was waiting for you at the center of the field, his head cast downwards. He held a single PokeBall in his hand, and his head immediately raised when he saw you standing across from him on the center of the field. 

“Man, I’ve been waiting for this for so long!,” Leon exclaims, his words only loud enough for you to hear, “It’s about time we finally battled in an actual stadium, huh?” You nod energetically, raising up your first PokeBall, “And you’re going down today Leon! Your Champion reign ends here!”

Leon smirks, before expertly throwing his first Pokemon, Aegislash, out. You smirk in return, already knowing that he would use Aegislash first before announcing, “Alright, go Incineroar!” 

~~

The battle rocked back and forth slowly, with both of your teams taking one loss after another. You weren’t letting it get to you, but you were sure that Leon was beating you, even if only by a little bit. You had one Pokemon left while Leon still had two, but your Tyranitar was making quick work of his Mr. Rime, which had been weakened by Incineroar already. 

And soon enough it fainted, leaving only his G-Max Charizard left for you to take down. Your Tyranitar was still in pretty good condition, so you knew Dynamaxing it would be the only way you could successfully take it down.

As soon as it was out, you were already Dynamaxing Tyranitar and commanding it to use Max Rockfall. It was four times effective against Charizard, so you would take this opportunity with no hesitations. By the time Tyranitar was ready to use the move, however, Leon had already gigantamaxed Charizard.

You inhaled shakily before giving Tyranitar the command to use Max Rockfall. The move landed perfectly, and you noticed Leon’s shocked face as Charizard fainted before you realized that you had just won.

You had beat the unbeatable Champion, and even though it had taken most of your team’s full effort, you had done it.

You stood there in shock for a few seconds, trying to process that you had actually just won and truly beaten Leon.

And then an overwhelming rush of joy slid over you, and you cried out in joy, wrapping your arms around Tyranitar in an excited rush, and Tyranitar cried happily, putting its arms on your back.

But then you realized that Leon was probably heartbroken, and you turned to him, worried…

However, Leon had thrown off his hat, and his eyes were filled with an intensely proud emotion.

The two of you ran towards each other and you enveloped him in a big huge, tightening your arms around his neck as he spun the two of you around. “Great job y/n!,” Leon cried out, placing you down in front of him, “Let’s go and get something to eat in celebration!”

[twilightvolt]

Well....that was one way to start a new decade, i guess. >  >’

Ok, from the death and destruction to the quarantine caused by viral disease to large parts of the world literally going up in flames, this year was like an ominous beginning that revealed the true ugly colors of everyone around us.

But there’s something telling me that that was just the universe releasing all of it’s built up rage from the last decade, so to think on the bright side, the only way to go is up now, right?

Regardless, pushing all the crap that happened this year aside, this feels like one of my best years yet in terms of art. i don’t think there’s any wedge of this clock that i wasn’t completely satisfied with and i had a TON of tough decisions on what to put in said wedges cuz i just luved almost everything i’ve created this year.

If you’re up to it, i’ll have my usual month to month reflection under the cutoff, but if you’re not, i hope to keep giving y’all even better art next year! ^  ^

So without further ado, let’s review!

January: ~ Days ~

Runner up: Team Solar Rises Again! (drawing in celebration of PMD finally returning with a remake of the first game)

Kicking off right where 2019 left off, i was hot on the heels of my Beastars phase, still cranking out countless drawings and doodles, mostly featuring Legoshi, and even hanging around the Beastars Amino and making some new friends there. this piece in particular i think encapsulates what i was mostly doing at the time, making up stories and stuff within canon to give myself more wolf boi content. which is something that i rarely do normally since i’ve mostly just done OC related writing before this.

February: - Sk8ter Wolf -

Runner up: Re:Hukaro (That thing i drew for Moon)

Ahh yes, the day i peaked with punk rock energy and created something in a highschool notebook sketch style. ngl, with the release of Beastars’ english dub on the way and the fandom quickly growing, i felt like i was on fire with the amount of stuff i was drawing. i felt so inspired and things can’t possibly go bad.

Or can it?

March: We Can Be Heroes

Runner up: One More Day, Emo Bird Boi Sketchies

Ahh yes, the month the worldwide quarantine started because they discovered the virus around this time. from this point onward, time pretty much meant absolutely nothing since i was stuck indoors for a majority of the year, only going out if i had to. on top of that, i tried a little attempt at a fandub and got picked on immediately by yahoos on Youtube. it...wasn’t fun.

I tried doing a little challenge i made up called Animarch where i drew a drawing representing anime i liked every day, but i only got about 5 days in i think? ehh, whatever. i did try, so that means something. lol

April: - ANOTHER SIDE -

Runner up: BEAST CROSSING ~Legoshi & Raymond

This was pretty much the final month i drew anything Beastars related as i slowly started shifting back to Pokemon due to the wait for season 2. but not before getting the new Animal Crossing and drawing a thing with Raymond and Legoshi that would blow up with hundreds of notes and interactions across every platform i posted it on. lmao

Regardless, i feel like Another Side was a perfect way to end that phase of my art journey. it’s like a nice finale to a long string of ideas that i will totally return to once season 2 drops next year.

May: - KOUJI -

Runner up: Fashion (that sketch of Alex and Jet in casual clothing)

What happened this month again? oh right, i went back to Digimon for a hot minute cuz i continued playing the copy of Cyber Sleuth Complete that i won from a giveaway on Twitter and created Alex and Jet, my latest Tamer and her Hawkmon partner. i should really do some more stuff with them.

ANYWAY,

June: - DOUBLE TROUBLE -

Runner up: “No Time to Waste! HENSHIN!” (AF attack against IonicIsaac on Twitter), Cafe Mix ~Ace, Yagami, Lance and Seliph

Art Fight. third year. and this time i kicked things up a notch and beat my old record from last year!...after uhh....cramming in 8 attacks at the very last night and totally going insane from the amount of sleep i lost. ^  ^’

But trust me when i say i will NOT do that again next year, i swear.

July: Squad Up

Runner up: Comin’ Out to Stun (Jet the Hawk sketches)

So after playing and beating PMDX, i started fleshing out Lance and Selpih’s characters and made more art and stories surrounding them and the rest of the team. one of those being a drawing for Mystery Dungeon Day, which happens the day after Odaiba Day. which is in August. why did i put this down for July then? some questions just don’t need to be answered.

August: - TOGETHER -

Runner up: In the Storm

You can tell by now just how uneventful life was this year cuz i have literally nothing else to talk about other than the art parts. no life issues, no big adventures like moving or something. just....indoor stuff.

It’s...kinda sad, now that i think about it. but hey, at least i was making the most of my time, trying new things and getting around a bit more.

September: Small World

Runner up: Rescue Together, PMD Forever!, Midnight Adventuring, Down Time

So this year, i turned 21, which a lotta people say is important. not really, if you can’t do much i guess. though, i did crank out a ton of art i’m super satisfied with as you can see by how hard it was to frickin’ pick one to use for this month’s wedge on the clock.

October: Feathers of the Shadows

Runner up: PAPERMOON - Final Mix - (not picked because it’s a touch up of an older drawing)

Hoo boi, this month was crazy. cuz i drew a whole lotta e d g e .....and a whole lotta Murkrow. lol

It was fun letting my inner edgelord out this month. even if nothing really significant happened in reality.

November: ~ One More Game ~

Runner up: UPokerap Project: Frogadier, - LEAF STORM -

This month....was actually kinda rough. it was basically me falling into a depressive episode after a scare at the dentist made me worry about my self image and insecurities again. but this time it really hit me just how much permanent damage i’ve done to myself in that aspect of my appearance. i know i shouldn’t worry so much, but it’s not great when people tell you to smile when the most i can do is grin since i’m just so....unhappy with my teeth.

But then around the end of the month, i stumbled upon a Pokemon themed Discord server with people that made me feel....not as alone as i suddenly felt i was. which i’m glad i could meet them even after only knowing them for a month now. if they’re reading this, i hope you know i’m thankful for raising my spirits when there’s still things i just can’t do due to financial issues.

December: Colors of the Heart  + Happy Holidays! ~Grovyle ver.

Runner up: ~ After the Battle ~ (the two part KHII anniversary drawing), - XIII -, Sketchmon: Buizel

And now this month. on top of my insecurities, i’ve now been struggling with my frustration with not being noticed as much as i should, watching as some people quickly climb up in following when i’m going much slower. honestly, i feel like the months when everything started lightening up for the world....was when things started falling apart for me. yeah, i know. pretty depressing way to end, huh? i hit 300 before the year ended thanks to the support from my new friends though, so i’m actually pretty happy.

But that doesn’t mean i’m not still scared of the future. i mean i have my teeth to worry about and also my wisdom teeth are coming in. so next few months...might be kinda rough.

Though, that’s not to say i didn’t soldier through it. this month i pushed myself, plowed through as many commissions as i could get to raise money for my new computer and made some of the best drawings that to me, feel like a great accomplishment. even if a couple of them weren’t as grandiose as some of my previous work. it was a big step forward for me as an artist. at least in my eyes.

And i have a feeling....that it can only get better from here.

[misskikuwrites]

Into the Wild (3/8)

Bede/Gloria (dressedinpinkshipping)

-

A strange scuttling noise woke Gloria from her blissful sleep. She tried to block it out, squeezing her eyes shut tighter, but the rustling continued. Shuffling of fabric close to her ear. She grumbled and nestled deeper in her sleeping bag, too addicted to the warmth to care.

Until something crawled over her arm.

Gloria shrieked and swung her arm frantically, jolting alert and awake as a small yellow creature flew off and hit the side of her tent. The Joltik fell to the floor. Wide eyes blinked at her, thick fuzzy legs shuffling over the floor of the tent as it joined the half-dozen other Joltiks climbing over her bag.

Gloria's heart seized in her throat, her body turning to stone, cold and frozen and she couldn't breathe.

"Bede…!" she croaked. His name died in her throat. Her eyes fixed on the wriggling, shuffling mass of bugs trying to burrow into her bag. Her throat constricted painfully tight.

She swallowed, mouth dry, throat raw. A claw of white hot panic seized her heart like a vice, stinging tears filling her eyes.

"Bede…!" Louder this time. A whimper, still barely louder than a whisper, escaped her rigid throat. A sob heaved her lungs. "Bede, please…!"

The flap of her tent pulled open. The sight of Bede, wide-eyed and flustered with a mess of bed-hair, made hot tears spill from her eyes. She waved in a frenzy at the Joltik on her bag, a sharp, incoherent blub the only sound she could make.

Bede stole her bag, a couple of Joltik falling off it, and threw it outside. He grabbed the remaining, scattering bugs off the floor and tossed them away as Gloria yelped. With the bugs gone, he peered into her tent before slowly entering. Gloria curled up tight, drawing her knees to her chest, as she sniffled away the last of her tears.

Her chest still felt tight. Stiff and shallow, unable to get enough air into her lungs with each breath, and she stared at the floor, unwilling to meet Bede's eyes. Lingering panic, the buzz of her nerves, squashed any fragment of shame she would have felt otherwise.

"They're gone now," Bede said. His voice was calm and collected, a hint of a question filling the silence that fell.

Gloria nodded. Swiped away the wet trails of tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"You have a fear of Joltik."

It was a statement, a simple observation, but it made her scowl shamefully at the floor, her jaw tensing as the lump in her throat wedged firmly into place. She shifted her gaze across the floor, still not meeting his eyes, but looked at his feet instead. He crouched under the low ceiling of her tent, wearing pale pyjama pants with thin purple stripes. The loose top he wore, that same pastel pink, had a large Galarian Ponyta on the front.

The unexpected sight of Bede in his pyjamas stilled the rapid course of her heart. It was like a breath of fresh air had filled her lungs. Like she'd suddenly remembered how to breathe, finally rising from the dark depths of her panic and breaking the surface. Her eyes slid up to meet his gaze. He was watching her. Gentle concern filled his violet eyes, a slight worry to his brow. Gloria relaxed slightly.

"Thanks," she said, still faintly breathless. "I can't stand Joltik at all."

Bede nodded slowly. "I can see that."

A mixture of emotions flickered over his face, his eyes, that she couldn't read.

"They must've come in during the night." Gloria puffed out a long breath of air.

"You left your tent open?"

"I was enjoying the breeze," she said. Her lips pulled into a sheepish smile, blinking demurely at him. "I didn't think anything would actually come inside…"

Bede sighed. "Obviously not."

He raked a hand through his platinum blond hair, smoothing down some of the unruly curls. Tired lines rested beneath his eyes, sluggish when he blinked. He was barely awake, the weight of sleep still resting over him.

"Did I wake you up?" Gloria asked apologetically. She pursed her lips to stifle an amused smile at how sleepy he was. The flat stare he gave her was dull and heavy, lacking it's usual bite.

"Why else would I be up at this ridiculous hour?"

The fatigued, hoarse edge to his voice pulled at her lips in a twitch of a smile. A flower of warmth bloomed in her chest in a strange sensation of delight.

"Sorry," she said, but couldn't keep the breath of mirth from her voice.

"I suppose, since I am now very much awake, I shall start getting breakfast ready." Bede stood, ducking slightly so as to not hit the ceiling of the tent with his head. "In the future, make sure you close your tent at night so we don't have a repeat of this scenario."

"Okay, okay. I will."

Bede raised an eyebrow doubtfully at her.

"What?" she huffed. "I will!"

"We'll see."

Bede left her tent before she could scoff at his lack of trust in her. She flopped down with a sigh, feeling remarkably warm for such a cool morning. A noticeable coil of heat had settled on her cheeks, Gloria rubbing at the spot with her fingers. Something tickled in her heart. Light and fluttering, like a clump of feathers were flying around in her chest.

She hadn't expected Bede to look so… adorable. His curly hair mussed and fluffy, a sleepy glaze in his eyes. The striking concern on his face when he'd rushed into her tent remained in her mind.

It was weird. The way her heart tingled, when she realised that he'd come for her when she'd cried his name, was weird. Foreign and yet not entirely uncomfortable.

Gloria rested a hand over her chest, feeling the rapid pace of her heart begin to settle. Her heart pounded yet she felt calm. Her eyes closed as she concentrated on that feeling, as she let it wash over her again and again in an attempt to discern its cloudy depths.

She felt warm. Warm and safe and… sleepy.

-

Bede flipped the pancakes on the camping stove, casting another quick glance towards Gloria's pink tent. The sun had already begun its slow journey above, a thick blanket of clouds colouring the sky a dull grey. The morning was cool and quiet - save for the earlier panic - and a stack of fluffy pancakes sat on a plate beside the stove.

He had busied himself with making breakfast after changing from his pyjamas and had lost track of time. He'd made more pancakes than necessary, much more than enough for both of them and their Pokemon, as he'd put himself to work and tried to force the events of this morning from his mind. The bottle of instant pancake mix was empty and he still couldn't stop himself from thinking back.

Her earlier cries had snapped him from his slumber instantly. Their tents were close enough that he'd heard the broken gasp of his name, a lightning bolt of adrenaline coursing through his veins as he'd jolted awake. For a few, heart-pounding seconds, Bede had dismissed the sound. He'd sat up in his tent, thundering heart racing in his ears, and listened.

The second time she'd sobbed his name had him tearing from his sleeping bag in an instant.

The realisation that it had been Joltik, and not something more serious, had almost made him laugh in desperate relief. The bugs didn't bother him in the slightest but his heart squeezed tight at the terror on her face, the panicked tears pouring down her pale cheeks. Her whimper shattered something deep in his chest.

He didn't want to leave her, even when the Joltik were safely deposited and scattered outside. Not when she drew herself up tight, not when she wouldn't meet her eyes, not when she couldn't catch her breath. He'd lingered at the entrance to her tent, unable to cross that threshold to comfort her. Unable to trust himself not to spill his heart out to her if he did.

And now, because of those moments he'd paused and watched her, he couldn't stop thinking about it. About her and the shy dusting of pink on her cheeks as she looked away, embarrassed at her fear. Her disheveled hair, mussed from sleep. The way her pyjama top was crinkled, hanging too large on her petite shoulders. The sleepy way she'd blinked at him, her sweet smile faint and yet dazzling and breathtaking all the same. He'd made an excuse to leave, to get breakfast started, knowing fully well that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep after that.

Not with Gloria haunting his mind like this.

An unknown period of time had passed, Bede cursing the large, broken gold watch on his wrist. It hung heavily, a dead, useless weight he still couldn't bring himself to discard. Again, he sent a quick glance to Gloria's tent.

The pancakes were done and she still hadn't emerged.

Bede huffed and drew his hand through his hair. He had little choice, and trudged over to her pink tent, stilling outside the entrance.

"Gloria?" Bede called. He folded his arms and waited, tapping his foot impatiently on the grass. The smell of fresh pancakes made his stomach grumble. He looked over his shoulder at their breakfast, making sure no random Pokemon had decided to take their chances for a free meal.

Only silence answered him.

"Gloria?" Bede tried again.

Silence.

With a huff, he sent out Hatterene to guard their breakfast before slipping into Gloria's tent once more.

She was sound asleep, curled on her side in her sleeping bag, a serene look on her face.

Bede's brow twitched. "You have got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath. He took hold of her foot in her sleeping bag and gave it a shake. "Gloria, wake up."

She didn't react in the slightest. Bede shook her foot again, firmer this time. It slipped from his grip, pulled higher and out of reach. A low grumble sounded from Gloria, her brow furrowing slightly as she curled her legs closer to her body.

"Get up." Bede jabbed a finger on her sleeping bag, hitting nothing but cloth. He poked higher until he hit her leg. "Get up now."

Gloria rolled over, wiggling in protest. The lower half of her face disappeared beneath her sleeping bag.

"Just… a bit longer…" she mumbled.

Bede swallowed. The tips of his fingers tingled as if he'd gotten a static shock from her. "No. Get up now. Breakfast is ready."

"Bede…" she drew his name out in a sigh, a long, breathless whine, and his blood turned to lightning. His heart short-circuited.

"I-I will throw you in the damn lake if you do not get up right this instant!" he barked, recoiling at the ripple of heat and electricity through his veins. His lungs caught alight, his blood aflame. He wanted to be anywhere but here, to scramble away and throw himself in the lake instead.

Gloria finally opened her eyes, blinking blearily at him for a few moments. Her eyes snapped open. She shrunk into her sleeping bag like a Squirtle retreating into its shell, her eyes wide and fixed on him.

"G-Good morning…" she said quietly.

Bede stood up robotically, his head thumping the ceiling. "Breakfast is ready," he said and whirled on his feet, stalking out of her tent.

Hatterene smiled suggestively at him, her eyes narrowed with a cheeky glimmer. Bede scowled, fighting the choking blush spreading across his face and down his neck.

He was not going to do that ever again.

Bede tried not to jump when Gloria finally emerged from her tent, keeping his back to her despite the tug on his heart.

"Ooh, pancakes!" Gloria chimed. She skipped over to the plates Bede had set up on the small, collapsable table.

"Don't expect too much. They're from a bottle of instant mix."

Bede's galloping heart eased slightly when he saw she'd changed from her pyjamas into a dark jumper, shorts and leggings. The cuts and scrapes to her legs were completely covered, but he knew she still had to be sore.

"I'm not fussy when it comes to pancakes." She swiped one and bit into it greedily. A delighted hum sang from her chest as she melted dreamily. "So good…!"

"You are so easy to please," Bede said, shaking his head incredulously.

"And what, that's a bad thing?"

Gloria dug through her bag, finding her Pokeballs and sending out her Pokemon. She greeted each of them with a bright smile, handing them plates of pancakes.

Bede watched in silence. Something softened in his chest and he turned away to focus on his breakfast.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked after a moment of amicable quiet passed. Gloria settled on the grass, her legs spread out before her, plate on her lap.

"A bit sore, but not too bad, thankfully." She munched on her pancakes, her feet swinging rhythmically as she ate. "I just kinda ache all over. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be covered in bruises tomorrow."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

She breathed a gentle laugh. "Thanks for waking me up; I didn't mean to fall asleep again. Hop tells me I sleep like a rock sometimes."

"That's quite an apt description, although I'd say you are more like a Snorlax instead."

Gloria scoffed in disbelief. "What? I am not!"

"With all that grumbling and complaining? Definitely a Snorlax. Surely you've seen how they can get when awoken."

"I was not like that at all." Gloria puffed out her cheeks in defiance.

Bede's mouth twitched in mirth at her adorable pout. A sweet dusting of pink settled on her cheeks as she stuck out her bottom lip, which only made it harder for Bede not to find it amusing.

"You were much too vocal to be a rock," Bede continued. Amusement filtered out into his words despite his intention to remain calm and neutral.

Gloria grumbled, her head slumping in embarrassment. "Please, forget that. I'm not a morning person, okay?"

It would be difficult to wipe his memory of her crooning his name in a soft whine. He cleared his throat as it echoed in his ears again and shoved a large piece of pancake in his mouth so he didn't have to answer her.

Breakfast finished swiftly, the remainder of pancakes disappearing fast in Cinderace's bottomless stomach and they soon broke camp. Gloria retrieved Bede's magenta jacked from where she'd hung it to dry yesterday and bundled it in her arms. She paused as she handed it to him, studying the patch on the back.

"Did it always used to look like this?" she asked. She ran her fingers over the large Fairy Gym logo before Bede took it off her.

"No, it didn't." He folded the jacket neatly and placed it in his bag, trying not to think about the design that lay beneath the patch. It was his jacket. Nothing more. He shoved it deeper into his bag.

"How'd you change it?" Gloria asked.

"I sewed a patch over the top."

"Oh… Wait, you did it?"

Bede hefted his bag over his shoulder and gave her a blank look. "That is what I said."

"Oh, wow! I didn't know you could sew." Her eyes lit up, a sparkle of wonder gleaming at him as she smiled.

"It's a useful skill," he said, then changed the topic. "Which way are we going?"

A trickle of unease built in his gut as old memories resurfaced. The stench of mould of dust. Clothes too big, too loose, frayed and worn. Stale bread, tasteless meals. Isolation and fear.

He swallowed it down.

The smile she gave him made the memories of darkness, of the cold and damp, fizzle away into nothing. Like she'd blown away the layer of dust on an ancient book and seen right through him.

"Well, I wanted to go further north. We can head around the lake that way." She pointed towards a dirt trail edging around the lake, hemmed in by tall trees. "Before that, I wanted to take another look for my hat. Maybe it got caught in the trees."

"Alright. But don't take too long; we didn't travel as much as we'd planned yesterday so we need to make up for lost time today if we're to stick to our schedule."

Gloria nodded happily and skipped over to the trees and bushes nestled up against the cliff wall. She sent out Cinderace to aid her search, the two of them peering up into branches and over scrubs. Bede scanned the undergrowth, not seeing a single sign of her hat.

He watched Gloria for a moment, watched her dig through different plants and scramble over bushes in her search. Determined lines set on her brow. There was an intensity to her gaze, a stubborn blaze that burned whenever she had her mind fixed on something. A passion similar to the gleam in her eyes during the heat of battle.

All over a simple hat.

Gloria sighed after a few minutes of fruitless searching and threw her hands up in defeat. "It's gone. Maybe it didn't even make it down the cliff with me. I can't see it anywhere."

With a final shake of her head, Gloria started down the track around the lake. Bede fell into step beside her, and soon noticed the glances she kept casting his way. A curious light flashed in her eyes. A question on her lips she didn't voice. The next time she glanced at him, Bede pointedly turned and met her stare.

"What is it?" he asked curtly. "Are you actually going to say something or do you plan on communicating with me telepathically for the whole day?"

"Well…"

He knew that look in her eyes. "Look, if there's something you want to ask me, just ask."

Get it over and done with so she could stop flustering his heart with every glance she gave him.

"Can I?" She sounded doubtful. Cautious, unexpectant, as though she hadn't thought he'd be receptive to her curiosity.

The wonder in her voice made his heart stutter.

"You… get one question," he said flatly. He doubted he could survive an onslaught of questions and intrigue from her.

"Only one?!" she gasped.

"For today."

"Then… does that mean I can ask another tomorrow?"

"Only if I get to ask you one in return." He turned away from her, focusing on the path ahead as he ducked beneath a low hanging branch.

"Ooh, it's kind of like truth-or-dare!"

He raised an eyebrow. "No one is daring anyone to do anything."

Cinderace leapt at a Magikarp swimming close to the edge, splashing into the water. He held his paws up, dripping wet with no Magikarp in sight, and made a disgruntled huff.

Gloria giggled at her Cinderace before humming. "Hm… one question per day, huh…?" She tilted her head gently from side to side, thinking as they walked.

Bede quietened the thrum of his heart with a slow, deep breath, and tried not to focus on the fact that he'd left himself open to any question she could think of. Anything personal or private, answers to which he didn't want to voice. Not to her, not any time soon.

"Then… what made you learn how to sew?" she asked eventually.

Bede's composure fractured slightly, cracks forming as his expression dropped, as his mind drifted. His hands clenched at his sides. He forced himself into the depths of his mind for purchase. Shoving everything else away; the crunch of dirt beneath their feet faded. His vision greyed. His senses numbed as he hardened something deep, deep inside.

Her eyes lingered on his face.

"When I was young," Bede began, his voice quiet and measured, "the clothes I got were second - sometimes third - hand. They were either too big or had holes in them. Sewing was a practical skill to learn."

"Was that because…?" she trailed off. Her question hung in the air. Uncertainty drew her eyes away, shame curling her lips in regret.

She knew.

Of course she did. Everyone knew, thanks to what happened during his League Challenge. Thanks to a nosy announcer reciting Bede's past to the world before a match.

"Yes, it was because I grew up in an orphanage," Bede answered her unvoiced question and she shrank.

"Bede, I-"

"It's fine. Everyone knows."

Her expression fell. He looked off across the serene surface of the lake, the glassy mirror broken only by the occasional Pokemon.

"I'm used to it," he said. He shrugged, a heavy weight resting on him and stilting the movement. "I suppose I should think of something to ask you, then."

She perked up slightly and Bede's mind drew a blank. There was so much he didn't know about her, so many unanswered questions he had. Questions that receded into the far corners of his mind the instant she smiled at him.

She waited for his question in anticipating silence, the sparkle in her eyes making it impossible to think.

The only question that formed in his mind was one he definitely did not want to ask.

"I'm sure I'll come up with a question sooner or later," he said. He managed to force an unperturbed facade despite the skittering of his heart.

"Aw." Gloria pouted before stopping. She narrowed her eyes at something between the trees, leaning forward with a frown. "Hang on, is that…? My hat!"

She gasped and pointed through the trees where a Thievul stood, a familiar cap dangling from its mouth.

"Fyrian! Get it!" Gloria cried and Cinderace bolted at the thief. Thievul flinched at the sight of the charging Cinderace and fled with a start.

"Hey!" Gloria barked. "Fyrian, don't lose sight of it!"

Cinderace skidded and leapt over a fallen log before rushing after Thievul, Gloria breaking into a sprint in order to follow.

"Gloria-!" Bede went to protest but she was already running down the track at full pelt. Not wanting to lose her, and knowing how impulsive and one-track-minded she was, he ran after her.

He didn't know how she could run at that speed with a heavy pack on her shoulders, how she could duck and dodge the branches that whipped Bede's legs and arms as he sprinted to keep up. Cinderace disappeared into the trees ahead, Gloria struggling to keep pace with the Pokemon.

Bede caught up with her when she finally stopped. Thievul and Cinderace had vanished, leaving them far behind, and Gloria huffed in frustration as she caught her breath.

"Damn it!" she grunted. She glanced around the trees frantically, looking this way and that, for any sign of Cinderace or Thievul or the direction they'd taken.

"Gloria…" Bede sighed, running a hand down his face. "Are you trying to get us lost?"

His chest ached, backpack feeling immensely heavier than it did this morning, and a sticky layer of sweat now accompanied them on every surface of their bodies.

"It has my hat, Bede!" she insisted. "I'm going to get it back!"

"And how are you going to do that? By running after it like a nutcase?"

"I thought I could catch it!"

"I don't believe you thought very much about it at all." Bede folded his arms with a bitter huff.

"I didn't hear you offer any advice, oh-mister-know-it-all." She cut him an embittered glare, clicking her tongue sharply. "What was I supposed to do, just let it run off?!"

"If you hadn't chased it in the first place, perhaps it might not have run off at all!"

Gloria scoffed. "What do you know?!"

"I know that running after it did us no good, and now your Cinderace is nowhere to be seen!" Bede gestured around them to the empty, silent trees. "What a load of good that's done us!"

Gloria's jaw hardened. She glared at him, eyes narrowed, a heated and indignant blaze burning with vitriol. Her shoulders trembled, fists quivering at her sides. When she blinked, tears glistened in her eyes. Hot, frustrated tears that made Bede's breath catch. The air fled his lungs, taking with it his annoyance and frustration in a shaky exhalation.

The raw burn in his throat made him realise, with a sudden start, that he'd been yelling at her.

"Gloria…" he said her name, softly now, and she sniffled and turned away from him curtly.

She stomped off down the track in fuming silence. Bede slumped, pressing a hand to his forehead with a sigh of displeasure.

Arceus, he was an idiot.

He walked after her, every step dragging his heart deeper into his stomach. Heavier and heavier his shoulders sank as he kept no less than a few metres behind her. He longed to be closer, to be by her side, to wipe those painful tears from her eyes and apologise.

He wanted to see her smile again.

Gloria halted, making Bede stop a few steps behind. She looked over her shoulder at him and his heart cracked. The wobbling of her bottom lip, the ripple of tears glistening in her eyes, made him close that distance between them with quick strides as though she'd pulled on his heart and tugged him closer.

"Bede…!" Gloria sniffled. "Where's Fyrian…? Oh, Arceus, what if we can't find him?"

Bede touched her arm gently, swallowing the tight anguish slicing his throat. "Let's head back to where you lost sight of them," he said, giving her arm a comforting squeeze, light and tender. It was all he allowed himself to do, a simple touch he could give her without his heart yearning for more.

Gloria nodded quickly and wiped away the rest of her tears. "I didn't… I didn't notice he was gone, I thought… I thought he'd be up ahead…!"

Bede set his jaw, pushed down the agonising twinge digging in his heart, and led her back the way they'd come. It was hard to be sure where the exact spot they'd fought was, but Bede didn't mention that. He swept his eyes over the path, the dirt, the undergrowth and leaf litter around them, before he spotted it.

"There, look." Bede pointed to the impressions in the dirt. "Do you think those look like Cinderace's footprints?"

Gloria gasped, rushing over to inspect them. They were difficult to see at first, but with a closer look the footprints bore a striking resemblance to Cinderace's.

"They… they might be…!" Gloria studied them with a hopeful lift to her voice. She looked up, staring through the trees where the footprints were leading.

"Something large definitely went that way," Bede said. "It could have been Cinderace and Thievul."

Gloria nodded firmly. "Let's follow them." Her gaze steeled, determination solidifying in her eyes.

The tracks were faint and hard to follow, whatever Pokemon left them traveling fast and light with long, powerful strides. Gloria kept her head down, studying and following the footprints as they wove through the trees. She worried her brow, focusing forward, focusing ahead. Bede could see faint traces of fear in her eyes. Of doubt and panic.

"He'll be alright," Bede said. He ducked beneath a branch, shifted another out of the way. "You said it yourself; Cinderace is comfortable here. You were confident enough in his abilities to send him after Thievul, weren't you?"

Gloria sighed. Her gaze cast downward, heavy and lost. She turned and followed the mess of tracks to the right.

"I know, but…" There it was again. Doubt in her voice, in the tight line of her jaw. "We've never been separated before. What if he can't find his way back? Or if he heads back to our camp and we're not there?" She glanced through the trees, turning and turning on her feet anxiously. "What if we've missed him and he's already heading back?"

"Gloria-"

"Fyrian!" she called loudly, sending a flurry of Corvisquire into the air. Bede flinched at the sudden burst of noise. "Fyrian!"

She paused, listened to the silence that followed the rustling of scattered Pokemon through the bushes, and brought her hands up to cup her mouth.

"Stop!" Bede stepped in front of her, with half a mind to yank her hands away if she tried to yell again. "Do you want to disturb the whole Wild Area?"

She went to protest when a lumbering shadow surged from the bushes at them. Bewear roared and charged. Gloria screamed and went to run, slamming straight into Bede's chest, toppling them over. A flash of light erupted from his hip as they fell in a tangle of limbs. Hatterene appeared from the flash, blinding the enraged Pokemon with a rain of light.

Bewear stumbled and staggered. It covered its face with its arms, fumbling blindly through the trees. Hatterene stood tall, ready to launch another volley of light, and peered back at her trainer.

Bede groaned, his heavy backpack digging into his back and shoulders. He winced, blinking through the pain to find that the weight pressing down on him was Gloria. She was sprawled over him, on his lap, completely unaware and oblivious to their position as she stared over her shoulder at the Bewear. Her knee dug into his thigh.

"Gloria-!" Bede hissed. His heart rocketed into his throat with a painful surge of heat.

She flicked her gaze to him, eyes wide. "Oh, sorry! Are you okay?" She peered at him, at the obvious discomfort wringing his lips in a silent scream.

"J-Just get off me…!" he snapped, his whole body turning rigid and stiff beneath her.

Gloria gasped, "Oh!" and scrambled off his lap. She dusted herself off, before remembering the Bewear and shrinking behind Bede.

The Bewear grumbled deeply as it walked into a tree. It blinked furiously, vision finally clearing, and turned towards Hatterene, Bede and Gloria again.

Slightly impressed, the corner of Bede's mouth lifted with interest. "That's unexpected. Coming back for more?" He stared down the Bewear, watching every movement, every shift of its powerful legs and narrowing of its eyes.

Bewear lunged again. Sparkles of light flashed, spraying and slamming into Bewear like a hailstorm of glistening knives. It roared and protected its face with its arms, standing strong through the onslaught. When the hail of light ended, Bewear trembled on its feet. Knees buckled slightly.

"Well, now I really am impressed." A fascinated smile grew on his lips. Without a second thought, Bede threw an Ultra Ball at the Bewear.

The Pokemon was absorbed in a wave of light and the Ultra Ball fell to the dirt with a thud. It rolled a few times before stilling with a quiet click. Bede picked the Ultra Ball up with a satisfied nod.

He then noticed Gloria gawking at him.

"What?" he asked, his skin prickling with heat beneath her stare.

"You caught it!"

"I thought that was rather obvious."

"No, I mean, I'm surprised you tried to catch it in the first place," Gloria elaborated. "It's not a Fairy type."

"Regardless of its type, it proved to be rather strong."

She grinned at him. "And it's pink."

"That had nothing to do with it." Bede sighed as she giggled.

Gloria turned to Hatterene. "Thanks for protecting us."

Hatterene made a gentle sound in affirmation.

"Hatterene makes an amazing bodyguard," Gloria said. "She came out of nowhere!"

"She probably sensed Bewear's emotions from inside her Ball," Bede explained. A bubble of pride welled in his chest. "They're highly attuned to emotions and can feel them from miles away."

"Oh, yeah. I think I've heard something about that before."

Gloria patted the top of Hatterene's head tenderly with an affectionate smile. Bede's heart warmed at the sight, at how receptive Hatterene was to Gloria's affections. His Pokemon smiled sweetly, and nuzzled into Gloria's touch.

"I should've taken stronger Pokemon with me," Gloria mused weakly. "I've only got Pearl and Ralts now that Fyrian is off somewhere…"

"Hatterene can stay with you, then, until we get Cinderace back," Bede said.

"What about you?"

He held up the Ultra Ball with a smirk. "I think I'll be fine." He tossed the Ball out onto the path, sending Bewear out in a flash of light.

Bewear stood there for a moment, still injured from battle, and looked around in confusion. It spotted Bede, turning around to face him with a jolt. Bede held up a pacifying hand, bringing out a Hyper Potion with the other.

"Bewear, my name is Bede," he said slowly, cautiously, and took a step forward. Hatterene focused intently on the new Pokemon, ready and primed to react. "I'm your trainer now."

Bewear studied Bede for a moment. Large eyes blinked at him, its nose twitching as it sniffed the air. Bede took careful steps towards Bewear, holding the Hyper Potion towards it. When it was in range, Bede sprayed the Potion across Bewear.

The Pokemon flinched to begin with, but soon settled under the spray. It made a quiet, confused trill, as the Potion healed the injuries it'd received in battle. The spray finished, and Bese stuffed the empty Potion into his bag.

"There. That should do it." He nodded, satisfied, at Bewear.

Bewear lunged and wrapped Bede in a tight embrace, lifting him up in its large, fluffy arms.

"H-Hey!" Bede squawked.

Gloria giggled, then burst into laughter, as he squirmed in Bewear's grip. "Aw, I think he likes you!"

Bede grumbled until Bewear finally deposited him onto his feet again. He huffed, an embarrassed blush colouring his cheeks darkly, sparked by Gloria's laughter and the shock of the situation.

"Let's get back on task, alright?" he huffed, stalking over to the trail of footprints.

Gloria muffled her giggles behind her hand, but Bede heard each one as if she'd sounded them right into his ear. Hatterene trilled in amusement and Bede shot her a warning glare, which made his Pokemon smile smugly in return.

Gloria didn't notice that exchange, too busy finding the footprints again and following them. Hatterene stayed by her side, occasionally smirking at Bede whenever he would glance at them.

He swallowed the strangled noise building in his throat before it could sound.

-

The trail of footprints led to an empty riverbed, a narrow trickle of water running through it. The sides of the riverbed were relatively damp, but save for the tiny stream no wider than a hand, the mass of water it should've carried was nowhere to be seen. The footprints were deeper in the damp earth, leading through to the other side.

Gloria stilled at the edge of the river, a worried frown narrowing her eyes. She glanced further upstream, where the faint trickle of water came from.

"This isn't right," Gloria said. "It should be full at this time of year. Something's wrong." An anxious glimmer flashed in her eyes. Teeth chewed her bottom lip. She looked back to the trail of footprints as the pit of her stomach began to swirl.

"You want to check it out," Bede said.

Gloria met his eyes and nodded slowly, admitting to him, and herself, where the pull of her chest was leading her. Her heart felt like it was being tugged in two directions. Between her duty and her Pokemon, the Champion of Galar and a simple trainer.

She took a breath, forced the cool air into the depths of her lungs, and steeled her heart.

"I have to." She drew her hardened gaze up the river again. "I can't leave it like this, not without checking it out. It's my duty as the Champion."

It sounded like she was trying to convince herself. To calm the throbbing needle of doubt sinking into her heart. The anxious pull towards the footprints.

"Cinderace will be fine." Bede stood beside her. A spark of confidence, of trust and determination, met her eyes. The calm, measured tones of his voice washed over her like a soothing breeze. "If he's anything like you, he'll find his way out of trouble one way or another."

She let his words sink in. "Is that… meant to be a compliment?"

Bede grumbled with a miffed frown, the strangled noise accompanying a light swath of pink on his cheeks. "What I meant is, Cinderace is your Pokemon. I have no doubt he's learnt a lot from you. Trust him. He'll be okay."

Gloria's expression softened. A soothing warmth spread through her chest, filling her lungs, her veins, with reassurance. She brought out her phone, marking their GPS coordinates with a nod.

She set her gaze upstream. "Alright. Let's go."

Gloria strode alongside the empty river with Hatterene staying close at her side. Bede and Bewear kept a few paces behind, the large Pokemon thumping the ground with every step. She pushed down the urge to glance over her shoulder at them and studied the river.

The damp earth meant that it carried water until fairly recently. The slim trickle of water sitting at the bottom indicated that the source of the river hadn't suddenly dried up; for some reason, the volume had dropped. Something was preventing the regular flow of water. Something that was, hopefully, not too far upstream.

Pokemon scattered when they heard Gloria approach. Oddish and Bounsweet scrambled away, Skwovet scurrying up trees. Rookidee and Corvisquire fluttered away as Gloria gaped at the sight before them. She drew closer, water sloshing around her feet, and stared at the gigantic tree that had fallen across the river. Water poured out, with nowhere to go but across the forest floor.

"We need to do something before this place floods," Gloria said. She rushed up to the thick tree trunk, almost as wide as she was tall. Her heart thundered in her chest, her mind drawing a blank at the enormity of the task before them.

Bewear shot forward, leaping into the air and landing square on the centre of the trunk. He made a low snuffle, nodding at Gloria. She took a few steps back and sent a confused look to Bede. He raised an eyebrow, echoing her confusion.

Bewear steadied his feet and tensed. He punched downwards with sudden, earth-rattling force, and an ear-splitting crack sounded from the tree. Splinters flew. Chips of wood frayed from the indent in the trunk beneath Bewears paw.

Gloria gasped. "Yes, that's it! Do that again, Bewear!" she cried, pumping her fists encouragingly.

Bede nodded. "A few more Hammer Arms will do the trick."

Gloria smiled at Bede, her heart soaring. The tree cracked and groaned with every punch Bewear threw at it. The middle, right beneath Bewear's assault, began to dip. A flurry of quick, powerful strikes, again and again, cut through the wood. Fragments of wood flew into the air.

The trunk gave way all at once. With a thunderous snap, the tree broke into two and sagged into the river. Bewear leapt to the side, landing on solid ground, as the split trunk wedged into place. Unmoving once again, water sloshing out across the ground.

"Ugh, really?" Gloria huffed, throwing her hands up in frustration at the tree. "Come on!"

"Do you still have that rope?" Bede asked. He studied the fractured tree, an idea forming behind his eyes.

"Yeah, I made sure to pack it." Gloria swung her bag around to her side, digging through it for a moment before retrieving a length of sturdy rope. She handed it to Bede.

He unravelled the rope and directed Bewear to loop it around the section of trunk closest to them. Bede tied the rope off, gave it a few tugs, and nodded.

"If we can pull this section free, it should unblock the river," he said. He handed the length of rope to Bewear before taking hold of it himself, closer to the trunk. Gloria shot into place behind him, grabbing the rope with a grin.

Bede blinked at her for a split second before he focused. "On three, okay?"

Hatterene joined in, grabbing the rope with her tentacle behind them. Gloria planted her feet, braced herself with a nod to Bede. Something flickered in his eyes that she couldn't place. Something deep and alluring, shifting his expression slightly and making her heart catch for a brief moment before it faded. He turned back to face the tree, and Gloria's heart pattered in her chest.

"Ready?" Bede called, and Gloria switched back into gear. "One, two, three…!"

They pulled together at Bede's command. Grunting and huffing with effort, the rope strained in their grip. The stubborn tree remained put.

"Again!" Bede called. They pulled. "Pull!"

Gloria tightened her grip. The rope dug into her hands, a dull burn settling on her palms. Bede called for them to pull again, and again, and again.

Bushes rustled behind them. Gloria whirled as a Bellossom danced over to them, grabbing the rope behind her with long vines. A few Oddish trooped over, following Bellossom, and joined in.

Gloria shot an excited smile, a silent gasp, at Bede. His eyes sparkled.

"One, two, three…!"

With each tug, each command from Bede, more Pokemon joined their quest. Bounsweet hopped over, a pair of Tsareena strutting behind them to help. Pancham and Pangoro grabbed the rope behind Bewear.

The trunk shifted slightly. Feet skidded, a ripple of energy washing over the group with a surge of newfound determination. Gloria began to call with Bede, their voices rising through the trees as they pulled in sync. Each tug, every inch of movement, made them pull harder.

It came loose. The tree nudged towards them, toppling over the lip of the river and like a dam having burst, water surged through the opening. The tension in the rope snapped and everyone fell back with a start. Gloria hit the dirt, landing on her butt on the wet ground in shock. Bede toppled over too, and their eyes met in a mixture of relief, exhaustion and awe.

They'd done it. Water surged through the river once again. Gloria got to her feet, her joints stiff and protesting, but she smiled. Pokemon cheered around them. Bellossom danced around her feet, swirling and twirling happily in an ecstatic show of appreciation. Bewear swept Gloria and Bede into its arms in a hug, smooshing the two trainers together.

Gloria yelped from the sudden embrace as Bewear cuddled them jubilantly, her vision spinning for a moment. Bede squawked indignantly, inches from her face. Her shoulder was pressed against Bede's chest and he recoiled and craned his head away from her.

"Bewear!" Bede protested, his voice cracking. "Put us down!"

Bewear released them, Gloria stumbling on her feet dizzily for a few steps before she regained her balance. Her heart clenched tight, deep in her chest, from Bede's reaction. How sharply he'd pulled away from her. Desperate and uncomfortable. A strange weight sat in the base of her throat. She swallowed and focused on dusting herself off, looking away from him to greet the triumphant Pokemon.

A group of Pangoro, a couple of Pancham and Bede's Bewear rolled the giant tree trunk away from the lip of the river so it wasn't at risk of falling in again. Gloria surveyed their work, the running stream, the gleeful Pokemon, and pushed away the niggling in the back of her mind. She enjoyed the moment. Laughed and cuddled the Pancham, shook hands with a small Bellossom and patted the Bounsweet. She focused on that feeling, the giddy warmth in her heart, as the Pokemon trickled away into the forest once again.

She kept that feeling close when Bede retrieved her rope and handed it back to her. There was no discomfort on his face anymore, but the memory lingered. It stung. Like a tiny needle driven into her flesh, into her heart. She smiled through it. Ignored the sinking of her heart into the pit of her gut. Ignored the way it chilled her blood, froze her to her core, to the very marrow of her bones.

Too far.

She'd gone too far. Overstepped boundaries again, that invisible line she could ever see. He'd drawn away from her, recoiled, and it was like she was back there, in Postwick, many years ago.

Isolated and alone.

It was no longer a balancing act between her impulsivity and self control. She'd failed, fallen from that tightrope, once again.

A gentle touch stole Gloria from her thoughts. Hatterene tilted her head sweetly, her tentacle resting on Gloria's shoulder.

She forced a smile at Bede's Pokemon, knowing that Hatterene could read the pain rippling through her. She stepped away, looked down the path they'd come.

"Let's go," she said. Didn't check to see if Bede heard her, if he was following, and walked off.

-

Bede followed closely behind Gloria, catching the worried coo Hatterene gave her as they walked. Something had hardened in her eyes, in the way she walked. As if she's closed off all of a sudden, despite what should have been a moment of relief and triumph.

Her anxiety about Cinderace's safety must have come back now that the river was flowing again. It made sense. Bede would have felt similar if Hatterene had disappeared on him. The bond people have with their first Pokemon was something special, something deep and strong, yet it left them open to situations like this. Where it feels like half of their heart was missing.

Gloria focused on her phone as they hiked, keeping track of their GPS position so they could work their way back to where they'd left Cinderace's trail.

Her mood had changed like the flick of a switch. She'd been laughing and cuddling the wild Pokemon, an adorable smile crinkling the corners of her eyes, mere minutes earlier. Now, her shoulders were tight. Her expression focused, yet it lacked the determined fire that usually heated her gaze. A storm brewed behind her dark brown eyes, Bede had noticed disquietly, when their eyes had met briefly.

He could only hope the storm would calm when they found Cinderace and, soon enough, they reached the section of river they'd paused at earlier. The water was high, flowing free and fast, the footprints on the riverbed had cleanly washed away.

"We should be able to find the footprints on the other side," Bede said. "Is there a bridge nearby?"

He stepped over to Gloria, attempting to look at the map on her phone, when she turned away.

"Bewear, can you carry us over?" Gloria asked. "You should be able to make it if you jump."

Bede tried to keep the discomfort off his face, forcing back his grimace. "I suppose that is one option-"

Bewear collected Gloria in its arms and rushed towards the river. It cleared the gap with a swift leap, depositing her safety on the other side. Bewear turned to Bede and he raised his hand.

"I'll just have Hatterene teleport me over, if it's all the same to you." Bede nodded to Hatterene, noticing that his Pokemon was studying Gloria with a forlorn expression.

Hatterene teleported them over, never taking her eyes off Gloria even as they began to search for where the footprints continued. Bewear dropped to the ground, sniffing the dirt intently. His nose twitched and he sounded a purposeful huff.

"Can you smell them?" Bede asked. Bewear gave an affirmative grunt. "Are you able to track them?" Another grunt.

Gloria fixed her eyes on them, expression impassive.

Bede nodded to Bewear. "Alright. Lead the way."

He purposely didn't look at Gloria, didn't want to make her feel put on the spot or affected by him noticing her change in demeanor. She followed Bewear closely, Hatterene giving him a dejected look.

He'd thought that being firmly on Cinderace's trail would help Gloria pick up slightly. Instead, it only drove her harder. Walls she'd never had before snapped into place, an uncrossable distance opening up between them.

Despite the time they'd spent together, Bede realised that there was so much he didn't know, or understand, about Gloria. They were rivals and friends, had grown closer over the almost two full years he'd known her, and yet there was a chasm of unknowns separating them.

His heart ached to close that distance, to bridge that unknown, and see the light in her eyes once more.

Bewear led them through the forest, winding around trees and between bushes, until the ground dropped away before them. The mouth of a cave opened up into the earth, a wedge of darkness beyond.

Bede opened his mouth to comment when Gloria strode forward, her Rotom phone hovering in the air in front of her to light the way. He bit back a sigh and did the same, carefully following Gloria and Bewear into the cave. He grimaced at the heavy stench filling the cave. Thick and putrid like rotting meat and wet fur. A noise echoed further in the darkness. Flames licked into the air, illuminating the walls of the cave as a roar of snarls and growls reached them.

Bede tensed. "This is a Thievul den," he said in a hushed whisper to Gloria.

"Did you see those flames? That must be Fyrian!" she hissed back and strode forward, onward and deeper into the cave. She wormed her way through the dark with greater ease than Bede, her pace quickening when a cry, separate from the growls of Thievul, sounded.

A dozen eyes flashed at them as Gloria's Rotom phone lit up the dark. The Thievul snarled, sharp teeth bared, their focus torn from Fyrian for a moment.

Gloria's Cinderace looked no worse for wear despite being hedged in at the back of a cave by a pack of furious Thievul. A towering pile of stolen objects was nestled in the corner, a familiar hat perched at the top.

"Fyrian!" Gloria cried, her heart lifting.

Cinderace trilled happily in return, an easygoing grin on his face. Gloria flicked her eyes to her hat, then back to Cinderace.

Bede came up beside her. "Gloria, we should-"

"Pyro Ball!" Gloria ordered and as Cinderace readied to strike, the Thievul lunged.

Bede's shout of protest was lost in the chaos. Bewear knocked Thievul out of the air as they launched at them from above. Dazzling shards of light hailed through the darkness, blinding and flashing painfully.

Gloria took her chances in the chaos. She rushed over to the pile of stolen goods. Focus fixed on her hat, resting atop the mess of jewelry, bags, shoes and jackets, anything and everything a trainer would have on them. She snatched her hat off the pile as something slammed into her from behind.

A cry of pain sounded too close to her ear. Gloria hit the ground hard, scrambling onto her side to see Bede braced over her. The shoulder of his jacket was torn. A heavy, metallic scent sparked in the air. Thick and sickening.

"Bede!" Gloria froze beneath him. The air fled her lungs. Ice ran through her veins as his face scrunched in agony. He winced, hissed through his teeth, and met her eyes.

"We're going!" he grunted and yanked her to her feet. He dragged her, forcefully and quickly, back the way they'd come. "Bewear, we're leaving!" He quickly recalled Hatterene into her Ball, not stopping for a moment, a second, as he pulled Gloria along.

She stumbled after him, their Pokemon right behind. A chorus of snarls and scrambling feet echoed behind them, interrupted only by a heavy thud or a wave of heat from Fyrian.

Gloria gripped her hat tightly to her chest as they ran but all she could see was red. Bede's back, his skin torn, bleeding and exposed between the straps of his bag.

Her foot caught on a rock and she stumbled with a shriek.

She didn't hit the ground. Bewear swept her, and Bede, up into his arms, holding them on either side of his hips as he charged through the cave. They burst into sunlight and fresh air but didn't stop. Bewear tore through the trees, Cinderace right on his heels.

Gloria clenched her jaw as her whole body shook with each step Bewear took. Her teeth rattled. Vision blurred and swam, and she clamped her eyes shut until the snapping of teeth and snarls died down behind them and Bewear slowed to a stop.

Gloria sank to her knees when Bewear deposited her onto her feet. Her lungs heaved as if she'd run the whole way herself. Bede's bag thumped on the ground and her heart stopped. She shot to her feet, blood running cold, hat slipping from her fingers as if the world had crumbled beneath her feet.

The back of Bede's jacket was slashed open, right below his neck. The thick, dark fabric had been sliced clean through by a Thievul's claws. Blood, thick and red, was all she could see beneath the jacket.

"Bede…!" Gloria choked on her words. A vice clamped around her throat, tight and burning. "Your back…!"

He sucked in a tight breath, reaching back to feel the wound.

"Don't touch it!" Gloria stole his hand away. Blinked away the stinging tears in her eyes. Swallowed the heavy lump lodged in her throat.

Her hand trembled around his. He turned to face her and she couldn't bear to meet his eyes. Her gaze dropped to the ground, vision blurring and clouding behind a wave of tears.

"Bede, I-I…" She couldn't speak. It hurt, her tongue heavy and aching and unable to form the words properly. "I… I'm so- I'm so sorry…! Your back…!"

A sob stole from her throat. She held his hand, held it tight and close as the tears began to fall. The weight of regret pressing down on her was choking. It squeezed all the air from her lungs. Crushed her heart.

His hand shifted in her grip. For a moment, terror gripped her heart, her lungs, in a chilling embrace before his hand slipped into hers. His fingers wove between hers. A gentle, tender gesture.

"I should have seen it coming."

Bede's voice was a beacon in the darkness. The eye of a storm tearing through her mind, and a sudden rush of breathless calm swamped her. She looked up in a moment of shock, in disbelief, unable to believe what she'd heard.

He hadn't blamed her.

Bede glanced away from her. The changing emotions in his eyes, on his face, were indecipherable. His brow furrowed slightly in discomfort but there was a hint of pink on his cheeks. A growing pool of heat that spread across his face.

"I should have stopped you before you entered the cave; shouldn't have let you enter in the first place without a proper plan." He sighed, though the force of the sound didn't match the light in his eyes. "Of course you'd do something like that, you're impulsive by nature."

Gloria curled her fingers around his, something tugging on her heart. "I don't understand. Why…? Why are you being so nice to me when it was my fault? I didn't even think about what I was doing and now… you're hurt because of me."

Bede's jaw tensed. His eyes swept over their surroundings, never coming to meet hers.

"I suppose… I acted without thinking as well. You might have rubbed off on me, a bit."

Gloria searched his eyes, those stunning violet depths and the emotions she couldn't read beyond.

Why wouldn't he look at her?

"I thought… I thought you didn't like me."

His eyes shot to hers as he balked. "What? How on earth did you manage to come to that conclusion?"

His quick denial made her lungs flutter.

"Well… earlier you looked so… disgusted with me. I thought I'd… frustrated or annoyed you somehow."

Bede blinked at her, frowning slightly. "What? When?"

"Earlier! When Bewear hugged us!" Gloria met his frown with her own. "You acted like you wanted to get as far away from me as possible."

His mouth opened in a silent protest. "That… that was not because I…" He paused and cleared his throat. "I was not comfortable being hugged so tightly by a Pokemon like that. That's all. It had nothing to do with you."

"Oh." Her eyes widened in shock, in realisation, as a wave of calm finally settled over her. Everything clicked into place. "So… you don't hate me?"

Bede scowled. A frustrated grumble sounded in his throat. "I thought we've been over this. I don't hate you, I never have. I actually li-" His words caught, eyes widening fractionally with a start. "Uh. I mean…" He looked away from her with a huff. "I don't dislike you."

Gloria tilted her head in quiet confusion as she worked through what he'd said. "You don't dislike me…?"

Bede dropped her hand. "That's what I said. You don't have to repeat it." He folded his arms disgruntledly.

A smile of relief tugged on Gloria's lips. "I don't dislike you as well."

Fyrian chirped in concern and the giddy relief fled Gloria like a sudden gasp.

"We need to tend to your back," Gloria said. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach and she took a deep breath to quell the nervous thrum in her chest.

Bede exhaled a sharp sigh and dug his first-aid kit from his bag. Gloria watched, nibbling on her bottom lip, as he settled on the ground with his legs crossed. He opened the first-aid kit and took out what he needed, laying out clean wipes, distilled water, antiseptic cream and bandages.

Gloria shuffled over on her knees and peered at the gashes on his jacket. The Thievul had torn through the jacket, the shirt beneath, and Bede's skin. She couldn't see the wounds themselves through the mess of cloth and blood, dark clumps coagulating where some of the blood had begun to dry.

"Can you take your jacket off?" Gloria asked. Her hands itched to do something, anything, but they flexed helplessly in her lap.

Bede peered at her, turning slightly to look at her around his shoulder. "Are you alright doing this? I can't exactly reach the spot myself."

She nodded and tried to loosen the tight hold of her jaw. "Yeah. I'm usually fine with blood."

Except this was her fault.

And those wounds were meant to be on her back, not his.

Gloria held her breath firmly in her lungs as Bede removed his jacket, bracing herself for what she'd see beneath. A dark stain of blood bloomed over his grey t-shirt around the wound, the thin material shredded and frayed. Bede tugged it over his head, discarding the shirt along with his jacket beside him.

She couldn't stifle the gasp that fled her lips. Her blood ran cold, draining from her face, as she stared at the three long gashes running along Bede's pale skin. A sharp sob caught in her throat and she reached out without thinking and rested her fingers just beneath the cuts on his back. His shoulders tensed instantly and Gloria stole her hand away.

"Oh, sorry! Did that hurt?" she apologised quickly, recoiling in shame.

"No," Bede croaked. His voice sounded strangely rough. "Your fingers are freezing, that's all."

Gloria relaxed slightly. "That's good."

She clasped her hands together, close to her heart, her fingers prickling with an unusual heat. A desire to do that again, to press her fingers to his porcelain smooth skin, burnt the tips of her fingers.

Beautifully smooth, pale skin now marred with thick, bleeding gashes. Already, the skin around the wounds had gone an angry red. Gloria pursed her lips and grabbed the distilled water and the wipes. She paused, staring at the wounds.

"It might hurt a bit," Gloria said. She shuffled closer, studying the gashes, studying his back. Her heart flopped.

"I'm aware of that," Bede said. His shoulders shifted, muscles and skin moving as he straightened and Gloria froze with wide eyes until he stilled.

Her heart pattered at a pounding, rapid pace. She rose on her knees, focusing on the task at hand, and carefully began to clean the wound. Dried blood broke away, the water running a pale red, as she washed the wounds as gently as could. She forced all thoughts away. Fixed her gaze on her actions, on Bede's back.

When she'd finished, she sank with a long exhale. Her heart thumped in her ears. Despite the amount of blood, the wounds were relatively shallow.

"It doesn't look like you'll need stitches," Gloria said. She dabbed away droplets of water that cascaded down Bede's back, following the curvature of his spine. He was surprisingly lean, skinnier than she'd thought, though his shoulders were rather broad. The thin layer of water on his back made his skin appear to shimmer in the light ethereally.

She barely heard Bede's reply to her comment, too busy reaching for the antiseptic cream and working through the heat swimming across her cheeks. The longer she stared at his bare back, the harder it was to focus, let alone breathe. Her eyes kept skidding down his back and she had to snap her gaze up, time and time again, as they wandered against her will.

It was strange.

She felt strange. Strangely warm, slightly dizzy and fuzzy. Like there was too much air in her lungs yet she couldn't breathe.

It made no sense at all. This was Bede. Sure, he was shirtless, but she'd seen Hop shirtless loads of times and she'd never reacted like this. Strangely drawn to his skin yet also hesitant. Nervous yet wanting.

Her mind span. She applied the cream across the wounds, stiffening when Bede flinched slightly. Despite his reasaurances, she knew it had to hurt.

Maybe that was why her chest ached, why she couldn't think straight. The situation itself was strange, foreign and anxious, with regret and guilt clouding her mind. A torrent of emotions churned in her gut.

She ached because he was her friend, because he'd gotten hurt because of her.

That was why it felt different to when she'd seen Hop without a shirt on countless occasions. Hop was like family. He was familiar, this situation wasn't.

And Bede's glossy skin, enviously smooth and soft, was what drew her fingers to glide across his skin. She indulged a little, letting her left hand rest on his back as she applied the cream. Letting her fingers slowly dust across his back. It filled her with dizzying warmth, a puddle of heat on her cheeks.

He's so lean…

"Wh-What?" Bede gaped.

Gloria jolted alert. "What?" Her mind raced, heart pounding deafeningly in her ears. "Did I… say that out loud?" She stared at the back of his head, saw the tips of his ears burn pink.

"Yeah…"

"Um…!" Her heart skipped. "Well, it's just, you're… y'know, slimmer than I thought. You're a lot leaner than Hop, is what I mean." The words tumbled out, one after another. "A-Anyway, I'm almost done." She slathered the cream along the final cut as her cheeks burned furiously. She snatched the bandages and fumbled with them for a moment before applying them across the wounds and standing.

"There. All done." Gloria nodded, brushing her hands together as she took a quick step back. For some reason it was now infinitely harder to look at him. She whirled on her feet to give him some semblance of privacy while he retrieved another shirt from his bag and she skipped over to Cinderace.

"I'm so glad to have you back," she said. Her heart softened and she smiled. "I was so worried."

Cinderace tilted his head with a confused trill, an innocent smile on his face. Gloria giggled at the sight.

"Don't worry, everything's fine now. How about we get lunch started?"

Cinderace bounced on his toes eagerly with an excited cry and a bubble of warmth, of calm, grew in Gloria's chest. Everything was back to normal again. She glanced at Bede as he pulled on a navy, long-sleeved turtleneck shirt, his back to her. There was a faint tug on her heart.

Well.

Almost everything was back to normal.

-

Bede watched Gloria run around aimlessly with her Cinderace and Ponyta after lunch, hiding his smile behind his hand, elbow propped up on his knee.

The afternoon was cool, the grey clouds thickening overhead, yet the impending rain hadn't dampened Gloria's energy in the slightest. She played with her Pokemon with a silly grin on her face, her sweet laughter refreshing like the summer rains. She'd returned to her happy, overly energetic self again. The whirlwind of emotions from earlier had faded.

Bede tried not to act like he was staring. Tried to force his eyes away, to watch Hatterene, Bewear and Ralts instead, but his eyes kept finding her. His gaze softening, his heart squeezing, when she laughed.

It was maddening.

He was lucky she hadn't noticed his behaviour when she'd cleaned and dressed the cuts on his back. The slightest touch of her fingers had left him smouldering in heat, burning up inside like a raging wildfire. It had taken every ounce of his strength, his willpower, not to shiver when her fingers brushed over his back. The pain throbbing from his wound, elicited from her cleaning and dressing it, served to ground him back to reality. Otherwise, he would have surely succumbed.

They gathered up the remains of their lunch, Gloria recalling Ponyta and Ralts, as they prepared to move on. Bede recalled both his Hatterene and Bewear, turning back to Gloria to see her holding onto her hat. It was slightly frayed, teeth and claw marks on the brim, looking remarkably worse for wear than when she'd lost it.

She looked up and saw him watching her, giving him a pursed smile before tucking her hat away.

"It's a bit grimy," she said with a forced laugh. "Didn't exactly survive the Thievul all that well."

He studied her for a moment. "I know what my question is - what I want to ask you now."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, you do? What is it?"

She was so eager to hear a simple question that Bede's heart stuttered, the steady rhythm in his chest faltering for a few beats.

"That hat - why does it mean so much to you?"

Her smile faded slightly. A thoughtful glaze washed over her eyes. "Well, there's a few reasons…" She shifted on her feet, twiddling her fingers together as she thought. "It was the first piece of merchandise I ever bought during my Challenge." Her smile grew faint and whimsical, memories playing behind her eyes. "I bought it because it was pink and it didn't really have that much meaning until you became the Fairy Gym Leader, and then it kind of ended up representing you and our friendship and…" she drifted off, smiling shyly at her feet. "It's a bit silly to care so much about a hat but it reminded me of you, and how far you - and I - have come."

Bede stole his gaze away from her, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stubbornly kept the fluttering of his heart, his lungs, from showing as a giddy smile on his face.

"You don't need a hat to remind yourself of me," he said with a sharp huff.

Her sheepish laugh made it impossible to breathe.

"I know," she sighed. "It's kinda ruined now anyway."

"If it means that much to you, then…" His cheeks coiled with heat. "I'll get you another."

"Really?" she gasped. She bounced up and down on her toes like her Cinderace and Bede almost smirked at the comparison.

Almost.

He went to reply when the sky opened up and doused them with rain. Cinderace cried in protest, Gloria shrieking from the sudden downpour. Bede hissed a curse under his breath and dashed to the meager shelter of a tree. Gloria slid under it with him, recalling Cinderace as she huddled close.

"Of course it had to rain!" Gloria grumbled. She hugged her arms around herself with a huff.

Bede brushed the water from his hair, raising an eyebrow at her. "Didn't you check the forecast? There was a sixty-percent chance of rain today."

She pouted at him before her disgruntled expression shifted and fell away. She stared, her eyes widening fractionally and fixed on his face. Bede stopped dusting the water off his curls and frowned at her.

"What?"

It was hard not to stiffen under her intense gaze. When he spoke, Gloria straightened as if he'd startled her and she looked away.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

Bede pushed that aside and slid his bag off his shoulders, biting back a wince as a dagger of pain lanced through his back.

"I don't think it's going to ease up any time soon," he said and searched through his bag. He pulled out an umbrella and Gloria shucked off her bag to do the same. "We should look for somewhere to shelter in the meantime."

"I think there are some ruins nearby." Gloria hummed as she dug through her bag. Her brow furrowed harder the deeper she searched, her hum turning into a grumble. "Where is it…? I know I put it in here somewhere…"

Gloria stilled. Her face paled and she pulled her hands from her bag slowly as her expression fell.

"Oh."

"What?" Bede had already opened his umbrella, holding it overhead to catch the raindrops filtering through the branches.

"I may have accidentally left my umbrella at home…" she trailed off and looked up at him with an innocent smile, batting her eyes sweetly.

Bede sighed. "Seriously?"

Gloria stood, slipping her bag over her shoulders again and nodded slowly. "I vaguely remember setting it on my desk the night before we left and I must have forgotten to pack it in the morning. I was in a bit of a rush."

Bede remembered that clearly. He shook his head in disbelief at her. "Well, there's nothing we can do about that now. Where are these ruins?"

Gloria leaned around the tree and pointed to a crumbled stone structure on a hill in the distance. "It's over there. Most of it has collapsed but there's a section with a roof."

"That?" Bede scoffed at the dilapidated ruins. "Do you have a death wish that I don't know about? That looks like it is ready to collapse at any moment."

"We could always go back to the Thievul den," Gloria suggested with a shrug. The corner of her lips quirked upwards at him, a teasing twinkle lighting up her eyes.

Bede gave her a deadpan stare in return. "The ruins it is."

"Great!"

Gloria grinned and drew right up to Bede's side, under his umbrella. His breath caught silently in his throat. She was so close. Close enough that he could see the flecks of gold in her eyes, a rim of dark brown, like rich chocolate, surrounding the iris. Every breath carried her scent.

Bede snapped his eyes forward as a surge of heat rushed up his neck to curl on his cheeks. "Let's go," he barked and strode forward.

Gloria kept in step with him, their shoulders brushing as they tried to fit together under the umbrella. Rain patted loudly, drowning out the sound of Bede's heart. Despite the cool wind and the chilly rain making the air brisk and sharp, he felt too warm next to her.

Wooper plodded around happily in the rain, cooing at them as they walked past and headed up the hill. The slow downpour steadily increased and soon enough they were getting wet even under the umbrella. Gloria shrunk closer, closer still to Bede, too busy trying not to get wet to notice how visibly flustered he was getting as she sidled up to him.

Lightning flashed in the distance, a burst of light in the clouds a few seconds before the clap of thunder reached them. Gloria flinched under the wave of noise.

"That's it - I'm running for it!" Gloria said over the rain and bolted up the hill.

"Hey!"

Gloria dashed up the hill, squealing with her arms crossed over her head in a futile attempt to block the rain. Bede huffed and jogged after her, reaching the ruins only a few seconds after her.

It was a strange, old building of stone, too worn and aged by the elements to tell what it had been originally. The section Gloria had chosen had a partial roof, the corner furthest away from her collapsed and open. She tossed her bag by the wall, rubbing her arms up and down to stave off the chill.

Bede huffed at her impatience and shook the water off his umbrella before closing it and setting it on the ground along with his bag.

"You could have just walked with me," he chided. "Now you're soaking."

"Not for long!" Gloria declared and tugged off her wet jumper, tossing it on top of her bag. She sent out Cinderace and wrapped her arms around him in a greedy hug. She sighed contently. "See? Now I'm all warm!"

Cinderace nuzzled her back with a trill of delight. Bede remained unimpressed and sat on the cold, stone floor, leaning his back against the wall. He shifted so that he wasn't pressing his wounds against the wall. He could already tell that he'd have difficulty falling asleep tonight.

Gloria plopped on the ground beside him, a comfortable distance between them, Cinderace leaning into her.

She grinned at Bede. "Betcha wish you had a Fire type right now."

He purposely ignored her smug smile and checked his phone. "I am warm enough as it is. Unlike someone, I didn't run through the rain and had an umbrella to keep me dry."

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

Gloria raised an eyebrow at the noise, sending him a pointed look. "And risk getting struck by lightning? No thanks!"

"It's nowhere near us."

"Well, I wasn't taking my chances!" She pouted, before curiously glancing at Bede's phone. "Whatcha looking at?"

She shuffled closer, leaning over to get a better look. He involuntarily tensed at her close proximity, the smell of rainwater and flowery soap filling his lungs. He kept his gaze fixed on the screen of his phone.

"I'm checking the weather radar," he said. Somehow, he managed to keep his voice from cracking or wavering, maintaining an appearance of calm.

She had no concept of personal space.

He moved the phone so she could see the screen better, showing her the mass of colours moving over the map.

"This is where we are." He pointed to a spot on the map covered by a patch of dark blue and speckles of orange. "The colours show how heavy the rain is. It doesn't look like it's going to clear up any time soon."

Gloria hummed, interested. "Guess we're stuck here for a while, then." She sat back and stretched her legs out in front of her with a grunt. "I'm definitely feeling that fall from yesterday now."

Cinderace cooed sadly and curled up by her legs, resting his head in her lap. Gloria absently ran her fingers through her Pokemon's fur, rubbing gently between Cinderace's ears and on his cheeks. Bede watched for a moment out of the corner of his eyes.

Damn, her Cinderace was lucky…

He snapped his gaze back to his phone with a start. Now wasn't the time to get jealous over a Pokemon.

He almost flinched when Gloria sat up straight.

"Did you hear that?" She glanced towards a fractured doorway at the opposite side of the room, leading deeper into the dilapidated structure.

All he could hear was the pounding rain, the whispering of trees in the wind and the crackle of thunder overhead.

"Hear what?" he asked.

She frowned at the doorway, listening for a moment. "I could've sworn I heard- there! Surely you heard that!"

Cinderace perked his head up, ears twitching in the direction Gloria was focused.

"What am I supposed to be hearing?"

Gloria huffed. "I don't know! It's like… a weird noise! Almost like a voice!"

"It's probably a Pokemon. Nothing to worry about."

"You think so?"

Her gaze remained fixed on the door. Cinderace sat up and tilted his head as if trying to listen harder.

"We're in the Wild Area. Of course it'll be a Pokemon. What else could it be?"

Bede rested the back of his head against the wall. The exhaustion he'd fought back all day had finally caught up with him, a heavy weight settling on his eyes. A dull ache filled his bones.

Gloria grumbled disgruntledly in her throat. "I don't like it. I'm going to go check it out."

Bede sighed. "Seriously? Just leave it be. Whatever it is, it's not bothering us."

She stood and brushed the back of her tights off with a pout. "It's bothering me. I need to know what it is."

Cinderace hopped to his feet beside her with an enthusiastic chirp.

Bede's eyes shuttered closed. "Well, I am not moving from this spot anytime soon."

"Fine. Be like that. I've got Fyrian to help me, anyway!" She stalked towards the door, Cinderace right behind her, and disappeared through it.

He would have rolled his eyes had they been open. He listened to her footsteps fade into the distance, swallowed by the pouring rain and a clap of thunder that sounded closer than before.

With his eyes firmly shut, it wasn't long before his exhaustion got the better of him and he fell asleep.

-

When Bede next opened his eyes, the sky had cleared. The rain had stopped, leaving the Wild Area glistening and sparkling in the afternoon sun. The air was cool and damp, and his body ached deeper than before. He gave a lackluster stretch of his arms above his head, feeling a tug of pain from the scratches on his back.

Gloria was gone. He blinked at the empty room, a cold chill filling his lungs. The ruins were silent. Her bag was still nestled in the corner where she'd left it, untouched and unmoved. An uneasy weight dropped into his gut.

"Gloria?" He sat up, looking to the door she'd left through.

All he heard was the faint plinking of water hitting stone as droplets fell through the gap in the ceiling. Gloria, usually loud and energetic, didn't reply.

Bede stood and pushed the unnerving thoughts running through his mind aside. Surely it hadn't been that long. He checked his phone, finding over an hour had passed, and stiffened. Shoved his phone deep into his pocket.

"Gloria?" He made for the door. The silence echoed back at him.

Something tightened in his throat as he strode through the doorway, glancing into the various empty rooms as he passed them.

"I swear, Gloria, if you've gotten yourself into another mess…!"

The air died in his lungs. Two figures lay on the floor in one of the rooms, swaying candles surrounding them in a tight circle.

Litwick.

A searing blaze erupted violently in his chest. "Get away from her!" He tore forward, scattering the Ghost Pokemon and sending them fleeing from the room. He whirled, his heart in his throat, and his blood ran cold.

Gloria and Cinderace lay collapsed on the floor. The Litwick had drained them. Bede shot to her side, dropping to his knees and gripping her shoulders. Her skin was pale. Too pale, too sunken, a dark shadow beneath her closed eyes. Her lips, usually a soft pink, had a faint tint of blue across them.

"Gloria!" The gasp of her name burned his throat. He shook her by her shoulders, forceful in his panic. Her head lolled to the side. "Gloria, wake up!"

How did this happen? How long had she been lying here in the cold, her life slowly leeching away in the dark?

A jolt of freezing cold panic flashed through his veins, his bones, and he leant over her with his ear just above her mouth. His heart pounded in his ears. Deafening and overwhelming, the surge of blood in his ears made it impossible to hear. He snatched her wrist, her skin cold, and pressed two fingers firmly to her pulse.

A faint thump against his fingers came with a shot of adrenaline and relief. He took her hand in his, letting his warmth bleed into her, his other hand nudging her shoulder again.

"Gloria, come on. You need to wake up!"

Despite feeling her pulse, a frantic wave of urgency still thrummed in his chest with every beat of his heart. She was too cold. Unresponsive. Her body flopped as he shook her. His heart constricted painfully. His throat tightened.

Her eyes remained closed.

"Gloria!"

Please-!

She had to wake up. Had to get warm, somehow, but their bags were in another room and there was no way Bede was going to leave her alone like this. His mind made up, he dug Cinderace's Pokeball from the front pocket of Gloria's shorts and recalled him.

Bede scooped Gloria up into his arms, gritting his teeth through the dagger of pain lancing his shoulders in protest, and stood. Her brow furrowed, every-so-slightly, at the sudden movement and Bede's lungs filled with a sharp gasp of air at the sight. He held her closer. Gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and stalked out of the room.

He headed quickly back to the room with their bags and lowered Gloria down so that she was propped up against the wall. A hint of colour had begun to return to her cheeks. He parted from her for a moment, enough time to dig his magenta jacket from his bag, and lay it over her like a blanket.

He nudged her shoulder again and finally, he got a long awaited response. Gloria's lips parted with the faintest sigh. The furrow on her brow deepened. A low grumble sounded from her throat, a weak protest escaping her lips.

The sound was like a breath of fresh air to Bede. He sank in relief, terror finally dropping off his body like a discarded coat.

No, he wouldn't relax yet. Not until she opened her eyes. He grabbed both of her shoulders, firmly but gently, and shook her again.

"Gloria, I'm not going to stop until you wake up," he threatened. She turned her head slightly at his words, shifting under his jacket. A low groan of discomfort hummed in her chest.

Her eyelids fluttered for a moment. Her lips drew tight, pursed as she grumbled and her eyes struggled to open.

"What…?" she mumbled, voice groggy and soft. Her eyes fell closed, then opened again. Opened and closed like a faulty switch.

Bede released her shoulders and sat back to let her wake without him looming over her. She cupped her forehead with another groan. The shifting of fabric made her gaze fall to Bede's jacket lying over her.

"What happened…?" She squeezed her eyes shut in pain. Took a shallow breath, exhaled a huff, and looked at Bede.

He swallowed the sudden urge to embrace her and attempted to wipe the concern from his face.

"I found you fainted and surrounded by Litwick." He folded his arms and gave her an unimpressed look, betraying the softening of his heart at her confusion and vulnerability.

She nodded slowly, her eyes drifting across the room. "Oh yeah, the Litwick. Wait, where's Fyrian?"

"Here." Bede held up the Pokeball, handing it to her. "He's fainted, just as you were."

She frowned. "Fainted?"

"You really have no idea?" Bede sighed incredulously. "How on earth did you manage to survive the Challenge? You are the most naive, unlucky, accident prone person I have ever met."

Gloria pouted, though in her exhausted state it lacked its usual enthusiasm. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"They were Litwick, Gloria," he huffed.

It was hard to keep the emotions coursing through him from his voice. He could have lost her. She could have-

No. He wasn't going there.

He continued, speaking through the frustrated tightening of his throat, "they drain the life force of anyone nearby. How do you not know that?"

"Wait, really?" Her eyes widened. A shadow remained beneath them, fainter than before as her strength began to return.

"Yes, Gloria. Really."

She looked down at her lap sheepishly. "That explains why I feel like my brain is full of mud."

Bede bit back another sigh. She'd been chided enough. The last thing she needed right now was a further round of him going off at her, and he didn't want to risk seeing further pain in her eyes.

Gloria pulled Bede's jacket up higher so it rested under her chin, snuggling into it with a tender smile. The weak curl of her lips sent Bede's heart skittering away in his chest.

"I'm glad you weren't wearing this jacket earlier," she said. Her voice was as soft as a whisper, frail and weak and sleepy. He could hardly hear her over the pounding of his heart in his ears at how utterly adorable she looked cuddling into his jacket like that.

His heart swelled, stealing his breath and the words from his lips.

"It would've been horrible if the Thievul had slashed it," she continued. "It's my favourite jacket of yours."

Bede shot his eyes away from her. "It's just a jacket." Furious heat began to trickle onto his cheeks.

She had no business looking so damn cute right now!

"I know," she sighed listlessly. "But I like it. And I think you do too, otherwise you wouldn't have kept it, or sewed a patch on the back."

He didn't look at her, didn't want her to be able to read that she was right from his eyes, the miffed frown on his face.

"I think you're the sentimental type," Gloria said, tilting her head at him as she spoke. She studied the side of his face, he could almost feel her curious gaze wandering over his skin.

Bede rested his chin on his hand, feigning disinterest. "What on earth would give you that impression?"

"You kept that watch."

His expression fell. The heavy weight tugged on his wrist, the cool metal almost biting painfully into his skin now that he noticed it. Impossible to ignore, the chain of his past still firmly stuck around his arm.

Any response he could have given her died in his throat.

"I think it's nice," Gloria said. "The past isn't something people should forget so easily. I'm not saying that everything happens for a reason or anything like that, but…" She sighed, puffing out her cheeks. "It's hard to explain. I don't know how to say it, but everything that happens has an effect on us, it shapes us. You wouldn't be who you are now if you hadn't been disqualified and decided to take Ms Opal's offer up, for example."

Bede made a non-committal sound, letting her words sink in. She had a different way of thinking, a different perspective to his, and it washed over him in a calming wave of clarity.

"I like that you decided to change your jacket, made it your own." She drew her knees up beneath his jacket, resting her cheek on top of them and gave him a gentle smile. The soft light in her eyes filled Bede with a dizzying warmth.

Bede pressed the back of his hand against his flushed cheeks, elbow propped on his knee, and frowned at her. "You're thinking too much about it. It's just a jacket. Nothing more."

He ignored the fact that her words had rung true.

Her smile twitched, unconvinced. "It's a nice jacket." She drew it off her legs and pulled it over her shoulders, slipping her arms through the sleeves. "So comfy!" She beamed in whimsical delight.

The heat burning Bede's cheeks grew and grew as he watched her until he was smouldering inside. She had no idea of the effect she had on him, innocently grinning to herself.

He needed something else to think about unless he wanted to combust on the spot or say something stupid that he would undoubtedly regret.

"Don't do that again," he said, making her look at him. "No more wandering off by yourself- even with your Cinderace." He cut her off before she could object. "We can't afford to have another incident like that."

Gloria pouted but nodded, conceding defeat. "Fine, fine…"

"I'm beginning to think I'm here as a babysitter rather than a trainer."

"Hey!"

Bede snorted. Gloria grumbled, flushing darkly as she levelled a sharp glare at him.

His heart felt full and light. He stood, brushing himself off and turning away from her to fetch his bag, conveniently hiding his grin in the process.

"Alright, we've wasted enough time. Let's get moving again."

"I guess I'll keep Fyrian in his ball a while longer." Gloria stood as well, smiling forlornly at the Pokeball in her hand before she put it away and grabbed her bag.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

She smiled warmly at him."Thanks, Bede."

His heart stuttered, a shot of heat coursing through his veins at the sight. He quickly turned on his feet and made for the door before she could notice the blush on his cheeks.

They covered less ground than originally planned in the afternoon, Gloria still suffering the effects of the Litwick, and decided to make camp by a river as the sun began to arc lower in the sky. Despite walking far less than they had the first day, Gloria was exhausted.

Bede made dinner for them, letting her rest by the fire. The night wore on and, instead of crawling into her tent for an early respite, Gloria dragged out their picnic blanket and spread it on the grass.

Bede raised an eyebrow at her where he stood by the dying cinders of their firepit.

"What are you doing?"

She lay on the blanket on her back, wiggling on the spot to get comfortable. "I'm gonna stargaze!" she declared.

Bede poked the cinders with a stick. "And here I thought you were too exhausted to function."

"I can stargaze when I'm exhausted," she said. "Besides, the sky is nice and clear today and the moon's not up yet. It's now or never!"

"Right…" He glanced up at the sky, only seeing speckles of stars since his eyes had yet to adjust to the dark.

"Don't knock it 'till you try it!" Gloria patted the spot on the blanket beside her, leaning up slightly to grin at him.

He stood there, by the dwindling fire, and just looked at her for a moment. Lying there on the blanket, a twinkle in her eyes and wonder in her smile. His heart tugged and he was walking over to her before he could think.

Bede flopped on the blanket beside her with a huff. His heart had already begun to race. Lying next to her, their shoulders almost brushing, was already too much. He forced himself to focus on the wedge of black above them and not the silly, ecstatic grin Gloria was giving him.

All he'd have to do is turn his head slightly and her face would be there, mere inches from his. It wouldn't take much to steal that smile from her pink lips.

Arceus. His cheeks burned in the cool air.

Focus on the stars, not how much you want to kiss her, you fool!

"I haven't gone stargazing in ages," Gloria sighed whimsically. "You can't see much at all in the city. It's pretty good here in the Wild Area, as long as you're far enough away from Motostoke and Hammerlocke, but out in the farms near Postwick is the best."

Her voice filled him with warmth, he could hardly pay attention to the sea of glistening stars forming above him when she spoke softly like that in his ear.

"I've seen a ton of shooting stars too. You should come with us next time we go. It's much better than this, trust me."

All Bede could manage was a quiet hum in his throat.

"We make a fire, have marshmallows and smores, it's really the best. Have you ever made smores before?"

"No."

"Oh, then you definitely have to come! I'll show you how to make the best smores - with the marshmallows all soft and the chocolate all gooey! But don't listen to Hop. He's always burning his!"

He wouldn't mind if she kept talking forever.

"He's so impatient and sticks his marshmallows right into the fire! Then he peels off the burnt layer and eats it!" Gloria shuddered, making a disgusted sound in her throat. "And then, he puts it back into the fire again!"

The cool air filled his lungs, yet he felt warm. Warm and calm and peaceful. An array of stars spread out above him, more than he'd ever seen.

"That does sound like something he would do," Bede replied.

She laughed then, soft and light, and Arceus, he wanted to face her and see the way it lit up her eyes. He stole a shaky breath. Turned his head slightly, ever so slightly, and she was looking right at him. Looking right into his eyes and smiling.

His breath caught in his throat, his body freezing in place instantly as if her gaze had turned him to stone.

"Thanks for coming with me, Bede," she said.

He couldn't breathe.

The corners of her eyes crinkled with her smile. "I'm so glad I could share this with you."

His heart stopped. A rush of heat flooded his body and he couldn't think or speak. Couldn't tear his eyes away from hers.

She shifted and looked up at the stars, shattering the spell she'd cast over Bede. He tore his eyes back to the sky as he flushed darkly. His hands trembled into fists at his sides, skin tingling with emotions he didn't dare name.

He burned inside. Smouldering and combusting at how damn oblivious and naive she was. At how his heart thundering away in his chest and pounded in his ears.

He wanted to chide her. To point out how trusting she was, how oblivious she was being and how someone could easily take this whole situation the wrong way-

But no. He wouldn't. That was a can of worms he wasn't going to touch, let alone open, anytime soon.

And so, he star-gazed with her. He lay with her as the night crept on, ignoring the urges of his heart.

[ericsonclan]

Curry Time

Summary: Clementine and Louis meet for the first time on their Pokemon journeys.

Read on A03:  

“You guys ready?” Clementine asked, smiling down at her Pokémon. “I think tonight’s curry is really gonna knock things out of the park,” Her Luxray sniffed the pot she was stirring in curiosity while her Absol was curled up beside her, placidly watching Leafeon run around the camp, playing with the leaves it found scattered around the campgrounds. They’d set up camp fairly early tonight, so there should be plenty of time for dinner and some games before settling down for the night.

Something shifted at the corner of Clem’s vision, drawing her attention. She looked over to see a trashbag sitting on the edge of camp. That wasn’t hers. Had somebody left this campsite without properly cleaning up? Clementine tsked in annoyance as she walked over to the pile. She hated litterers. Suddenly though, the bag shifted. Clementine jumped back in surprise as she spotted two large eyes watching her from the pile. This wasn’t trash; it was a Pokémon! A Trubbish to be exact. Clementine knelt down in front of the Trubbish to better meet its height. “Hey there, little guy. Are you lost?”

“Trubbish, there you are!” A dreadlocked boy ran up, scooping the Trubbish into his arms. He nuzzled it against his cheek fondly. “Don’t go wandering off like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack,” Looking up, he became aware of Clementine. “Oh, my apologies! Didn’t mean to come barging through your camp like that. Trubbish has a tendency to wander off sometimes, especially while I’m cooking,” He scratched the back of his head, grinning awkwardly. “I’m not exactly the best cook,”

“Would you like to share? I actually made extra tonight,”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly impose…” the boy insisted, but his eyes betrayed him, wandering over to her curry as his nose twitched in interest.

Clementine chuckled. “It’s not a big deal, really. Do you have more Pokemon than your Trubbish here?”

“Actually, I do. If you could just watch him for one second?”

“Put him next to Absol. He’ll keep an eye on him,”

“Thanks!” the boy exclaimed, placing Trubbish back on the ground with a quick pat on the head. “Be right back!” With that he was off like a shot, tailcoats flapping behind him. He seemed to match his Trubbish in a weird way, all awkward yet charming. For most people that’d be an insult, but seeing how fond he was of his Pokémon, Clementine was sure he’d take it as a compliment. The boy quickly returned with two more Pokemon in his arms: a Bellsprout and a Mareanie. He placed the Bellsprout on the ground where it wobbled back and forth, waving its tendrils in greeting to Clem’s Leafeon. Mareanie though he kept in his lap as he took the seat Clementine offered him. It looked out shyly at Clementine from behind its tentacles.

Clementine couldn’t help but giggle. “You sort of match, you and your Pokemon,”

“Oh, is it the hair?” the boy playfully tossed his dreadlocks back. “We get that a lot. I’m Louis, by the way,”

“Clementine,” She offered him two bowls of curry which he gladly took, placing one on his lap for his Mareanie before calling his Bellsprout over to take the second. Trubbish beat Bellsprout to it though, jogging frantically toward the bowl of curry, its ears flapping in the wind. Clem and Louis laughed as they watched it dig in.

“Trubbish, don’t be a pig,” Louis chided before taking the third bowl Clementine offered and setting it before Bellsprout. The plant Pokémon hesitantly dipped its toes in the curry, settling down contentedly beside Louis as it absorbed the nutrients.

Clementine’s Pokémon were the next to get food, then Louis and Clementine last of all. They settled down round the campfire, enjoying a delicious dinner. Louis was particularly effusive with his compliments.

“Holy shit, this curry is amazing! Are you some sort of traveling chef?”

“Nope, just a Pokémon trainer making their way in the world. I’ve been at it a long time though, so I guess the experience helps. I really only know how to make curry. What about you, trainer as well?”

Louis paused before answering to gulp down the curry in his mouth. “Nope. I compete in contests mostly,” He gestured to Trubbish with his thumb. “Little Ol’ Trubbs here just clinched a win in the Beauty contest in Prescott,”

“No way! Congrats, Trubbish!” Trubbish looked up at her with a grin, curry dripping off of its face. Gosh, it really was cute. A Beauty contest though? Louis certainly was full of surprises.

It was a pleasant evening for all. After dinner, Louis and his Pokémon helped with the dishes then joined in a couple lively rounds of hide and seek. Leafeon and Bellsprout ended up being the best hiders, blending in perfectly with the surrounding foliage in the evening light. After that was done, they sat together chatting for a while, throwing sticks for Luxray to fetch as Trubbish and Bellsprout ran around them playing tag. Finally, it grew too dark for any more games though. The Pokémon were returned to their Pokeballs, and Clementine and Louis bid each other goodnight.

“Think you’ll be heading out in the morning?” Clementine asked.

Louis stretched his arms above his head, yawning loudly. “Not sure. I usually take a few days off after a win in celebration, let my Pokemon relax for a few days before starting to train for the next big contest. So I might stick around for another day. You?”

“I was thinking the same thing. There’s some tall grass nearby that Luxray looked particularly interested in. We’ll probably check it out tomorrow then stay here one more night,”

“I look forward to seeing you in the morning then, my lady,” Louis said, giving a dramatic bow before sauntering back toward his campground.

Clementine shook her head affectionately, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. What a funny guy. She’d certainly enjoyed spending the evening with him. But for tonight, it was bedtime. Clementine made her way over to her tent, crawled into her sleeping bag, and turned off the lantern. She was looking forward to tomorrow.

[lunarity2013]

PostwickShip Fic Ideas

So I beat the main game of Pokémon Sword this past weekend, and I have been COMPLETELY obsessed with this adorable ship — to the point where I have been writing down all these ideas for a fic for it, and I just really needed to put the words to paper (or google doc, I guess) and share them! @kuumamochi - here ya go!

So quick note, I changed their ages so she, Hop, Bede, and Marnie are all around 16 instead of 10-12, and I actually made an OC for this to use instead of the base Gloria/Yuuri, so first some little details about her!

OC: Elizabeth

Called: Lizzie

Age: 16 (birthday - Spring)

Hair: long, caramel blonde; usually tied back into to twin braids with side-swept bangs

Eyes: large, round, icy blue eyes (get darker closer to the center)

Height: 4′11″

Weight: 115 lbs

Starter: Sobble  (nicknamed “Darcy”, like from Pride and Prejudice)

Likes: strawberries, hydrangeas, warm blankets, and a good book

Dislikes: meat (she’s vegetarian), scary stories, snow, and sports

Favorite Pokemon Types: Fairy and Grass

Typical Outfit/Style: knit beret, striped shirt, short skirt, hoodie, thigh-high socks, and ankle boots

Personality: shy, a bit oversensitive as a child, easily upset by harsh words or by bullies, slowly grows out of it and comes out of her shell as she grows up with  Hop; always felt like a “damsel in distress” when Hop would stand up to bullies for her, and wants to be the one to stand up for him for once; always thinks before opening her mouth, sometimes for too long and misses her chance to speak in a conversation

Family:

Mom: Sara

energetic, but soft-spoken; worked as a journalist in Hammerlocke for years before meeting Lizzie’s father, and moving to Postwick to become a mother and an online journalist

brown hair, blue eyes, 5′0″

Pokemon: Budew, Munchlax

Dad: Dimitri (deceased)

shy, very calm; prefered books to people in most cases; was working as a low-ranking police officer (alongside many cousins named Jenny) in Hammerlocke when he met Sara; later moved with her to Postwick and became a small-town detective

Died of illness when Lizzie was 7

blond hair, purple eyes, 6′0″

Pokemon: Pikachu “Zeus”

Aunt: Carol

Her late dad’s older sister

Lives in Ballonlea, working as a teacher

blonde hair, purple eyes, 5′4″

Pokemon: Cutiefly “Zipper”, Ponyta “Magi”, and Clefairy “Momo”

Grandpa: Phillip

Her mom’s dad

Former Dark-Type gym leader before Piers (his eldest grandchild)

Currently retired and living in Spikemuth

Pokemon: Obstagoon, Thievul, Grimmsnarl, Phantump, Skuntank

Cousins: Marnie and Piers

Their mother is Lizzie’s mom’s younger sister

She was also the Dark-Type gym leader for several years until Piers took over

History with Hop:

Grew up with Hop for as long as either can remember

It was always the two of them against the world

Hop protected her from bullies

Lizzie patched him up when things got “too real”

Always figured they’d be together forever, no matter what

Leon gave Hop his first Pokemon (Wooloo) right before he left on his Pokemon journey

Lizzie was a little jealous and wanted one too

Leon said he could catch her one, but then Hop one-upped him and said he’d find her a shiny Wooloo instead

Lizzie agreed to let Hop find one, and hasn’t tried to catch one until he finds her a shiny Wooloo

It’s been six years since this, and he’s still looking

Lizzie realized she had a crush on Hop when he came over to cheer her up after being stood up for a date at age 13

They watched Pokemon league matches while eating ice cream until they finally passed out on the floor at about 3am

Hop turned 16 first, and should have been the first to go on his Pokemon journey, but insisted on staying another six months until Lizzie’s birthday so that they could go on their journey together

Hop realizes he might have a crush on her right before they start their journey, when they both reach for the Wishing Stones

He sees her eyes light up in the stones’ glow, and gets the “oh no, emotions” feeling in his gut

Their Journey Begins:

Lizzie gets her Sobble because it reminds her of her childhood self

She wants to be for Sobble what Hop was for her

She names him Darcy, after the character in her favorite book

Hop is only a little jealous she named her first Pokemon after the love interest to the character that shares her name (No, Liz, I didn’t read it, you just talk about it all the time and I can’t escape it!)

In the Slumbering Weald, they get separated in the fog, and have to try and find each other as well as the lost Wooloo

They don’t see the sword or shield Pokemon until they find each other again, holding hands to not get lost again

They’re still holding hands when they wake up after passing out in the fog

Lizzie’s second Pokemon and Hop’s third Pokemon are a pair of Rookidee, who they help out and that choose to stay with them

The two bird Pokemon bicker like an old married couple half the  time they’re together, but cuddle and coo at each other and hate to be apart for too long

Hop, oblivious: “Look, they’re just like us! Best friends who can’t be kept apart!”

Lizzie: *facepalm*

They travel together all the way to Motosoke, camping together in the Wild Area

Lizzie teaches Hop how to cook, so as not to starve or poison any of his Pokemon or himself

His Pokemon are forever grateful

After opening ceremonies, they take on different gyms

Lizzie starts with Milo’s, while Hop takes on Nessa’s first, then they switch and meet back up in Motosoke for Kabu’s badge challenge

This starts as the longest either of them have ever been apart, and they’re both nervous while putting on a brave front

Just about every battle they’ve ever had has either ended in a draw, or been cut off by something

They don’t find out who is the “stronger trainer” of the two until the Semi-Finals

***

I think I’m gonna stop here for now, let me know if anyone wants to see more! I’ll post a link if I end up writing a whole drawn-out fic for this concept!

Note: please ignore any spelling/grammar errors, I used my computer to type these and it’s kind of shit.

[sorairokaze]

Enstars x Nintama rantarou why hasn't nobody thought of this?

It was strange. I suddenly had the urge to draw fanart while I was continuing my 'name' (storyboard) for " Jinxed! The adventures of the unlucky mystery club". After several failed attempts at making the concept art for one of the uniforms I decided to go on pintrest and while I was searching up ryuseitai I suddenly came across a very old anime I had watched 2 years prior. ( I forgot whether it was 2 or 3 years. ) Nintama rantarou.

So Nintama is an anime that appeared around 1993 and is still going with over 2000+ episodes ( Yeah. It's that old and that's why I gave up watching it after a while and decided to skip between seasons). The plot is about 3 boys Rantarou, Kirimaru and Shinbe as we follow their journey to become great ninja, followed by a cast of fun and quirky characters which get more attention in the later seasons. Because we don't even know thier names by season one. I just realized the characters are all still in the first grade. Oof that's a surefire hit. It means they were even older than Ash Ketchum from pokemon. Anyway...

I drew Shinobu and Rantarou together. You know the old switch'a roo, Shinobu is wearing the first year uniform and Rantarou wearing the ryuseitai uniform. Cute... Imagine if you could go back in time and meet your ancestor, technically Nintama is the oldest amongst the all boys school trope so doesn't that make it the first?

Btw Ensemble stars!! basic and music is finally released! I want to play it so bad. But something terrible happened, as I just installed the game the app won't open at all! Was this my imagination? Nope. I installed and uninstalled over and over again but it won't open. Well at least I tried.

This is the first time i posted digital art on tumblr. Hope you enjoy it.

[peekychu]

The history of my fursonas! 🐱

I’m in an especially infodump-y mood at the moment and I watched a video about fursonas that inspired me (Shoutout to Pocari Roo’s channel!) so here we go ^o^ 

Click under the cut to read the whole enchilada! (It’s a long post, make sure you have the appetite for it first xD)

I first learned about the furry fandom in about 2013-14 from some friends at school! Granted, the two teenage boys I talked to a lot were more obsessed with the... sexual side of that xD I won’t go into that though because that would involve me talking about more uncomfortable stuff >.> I also had another friend that was such a huge influence to me and they’re a big reason that I still draw fuzzy animals to this day! Their fursona at the time was named Icy and I thought that character was the freakin’ coolest. I remember going home after talking to them, filled with inspiration and making my very first fursona!

Her original name was Rogue Feather, but the name Scarlett came later and ultimately stuck way better! Her design was simple, a red fox with a purple bandana! Not much thought was put into her, I just put together what I thought a typical fursona would look like :P I didn’t draw her much since I was way more focused on MLP and my ponysona Starfruit, but I still enjoyed doodling her!

Shortly after Scarlett, I created Citrus the cat! To be honest, she didn’t really represent me other than being a cat xD Her design was actually based off of a girl that I had a crush on at that time, but that’s a whole other story >.>

Also, it was coincidental that Twinkie has elements from both of these beginning characters, I just noticed that making this post! I learned that I loved cats from creating citrus, and I loved drawing Scarlett’s wings and bandanas so I suppose it was natural that my current fursona would have all of these traits :P

Well, months pass after posting the first drawings of Citrus and Scarlett on my Instagram, and at this point I decided to try taking up digital art! I downloaded FireAlpaca for free (still my program of choice x3) and worked really hard at drawing with only my mouse!

My friend that inspired me to draw more furry characters had changed their fursona over from a bright sparkledog-ish color scheme to another character with muted browns and oranges. Inspired once again, I designed another cat character to represent myself!

Meet Macchiato (or Mac for short)! They were made when I switched my focus from My Little Pony to furry characters, and I moved from Instagram to DeviantArt as my main art site. 

When I made Mac, I was close to beginning high school and I questioned a lot about my identity, mainly my gender and sexuality :P For a period of time, I pushed aside my adoration for ponies, Pokemon and colorful things in favor of things I thought were “cooler” and more boyish. A large part of this was my complicated relationship with my gender identity, but also because I thought I had to act more mature... so I expressed this by drawing myself as a cat? It was complicated xD

Anyways, while I have a soft spot for Mac, they’re sort of my own Rex Dangervest if that makes sense :P I mean, they were my first expression of feeling neutral to gender which was a big deal for me, but when I look at their drab colors it sort of makes me sad that I didn’t have much fun designing them. (I did have a blast drawing that pixel reference though, I remember that xD)

I also created a few more furry characters just for the fun of it! I won’t post pictures of all of them for the sake of length, but they were Chamomile the fennec fox, Minx the cat, Caira the alien dog, Pfeffer the bunny, Flicker the bat (who I should draw again sometime >.>) Mitzi the dog and... Whatever animal Skyler was supposed to be xD I made all these characters before I attempted to make a fursona that I felt more connected with...

Along came Clash the cat, an even more depressing character than Mac for me to look at xD I was considerably depressed at this point from the pressure of high school and my identity issues, the droopy eyelids and chaotic color scheme of him sort of reflect this. 

It’s a good thing you can’t read his description in that screenshot, Believe me, but I think I should quote a part of it because it greatly represents how I felt about myself during the time period when I made him.

“If you were to dissect his brain, you’d see something much like somebody’s tangled collection of thread and yarn. Colorful, unkept, and full of pushed aside potential.”

Ouch!!

Well, after a period of depressing fursonas I played that one cat icon creator game that circulated on Tumblr for a while, and I made my favorite old fursona! I think that he had a lot in common with Twinkie and I used them more than everyone else beforepaw.

Here’s Cetrada, my little Nickelodeon slime cat xD I named them after the Italian citron-flavored soda that my friend Francesca (Love ya buddy!) sent to me in the mail! That soda is actually spelled Cedrata, the misspelling of the name was not a creative choice but an actual dumb mistake xP 

I genuinely still love this character, I nicknamed them Limey since it’s simple and cutesy like them, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever use them again. Think of them as teenage Twinkie I guess xD I love ya Cetrada, you were a good kitty <3

Eventually Cetrada grew stale for me and I went through a couple of other fursonas. I don’t have much to say about them since they were pretty short lived, but I’ll post a single picture of each of them! I’m getting a bit tired of making mini collages of them anyways :P

While Reese’s design and colors are a bit awkward, I genuinely adore their mini companion Mallow the bat :P They look like pistachio pudding, what a cutie!

Ugh, this fursona stresses me out to look at too xD I mean arguably they’re the closest in design to Twinkie (yellow cat with angel wings and star knee markings) but they remind me of a rough time I suppose? I drew a couple pictures of them looking more sexualized and with a more slim body type when in reality I was overweight and scared of intimacy... they just remind me of an unhealthy period of my life @_@ I must have felt that too though, I dropped this fursona pretty quickly.

I do actually like Kit even though I used him very briefly, I was starting to have WAY more fun with bright colors in my drawings! Sure he’s a bit too pastel 2015 Tumblr, but I do still like that pink and yellow combo ^w^

Eventually I grew sick of my DeviantArt and mostly just posted art on my main Tumblr where I got super into the kidcore scene! I had rediscovered my love of fun colors and sparkly eyes, kidcore sparked a new me! I wasn’t doing fantastic in life, but I developed more optimism and a genuine love for simple things which grounded me a lot. This was such a wild part of my life, through reblogging pictures of rainbows and Pokemon and slime I gained over 2,000 followers O.O Two of my closest friends told me that they found me by my influence in the kidcore Tumblr community back around 2016 and were intimidated to talk which is just nuts to me x’D

Anyways I’ll try not to go on a tangent about that anymore, but 2016-17 was wild! I should give a shoutout to my very first sparklesona Cosi, but he was made only barely before my true fursona...

That’s right babey, the one... The only!!!

HE’S FINALLY HERE! Twinkie, the fursona I truly felt a personal connection with. I mean, he’s everything I love bundled into one! Pikachu has been my hugest comfort ever since I was four years old so naturally I would have to incorporate it into my fursona somehow! I also gave him a bandana, my favorite accessory to draw on furry characters, and wings! Of course I love rainbows too so I gave him rainbow wings..... But I tweaked his design since the colored wings made him more bird-like. Nothing against birds of course, but I thought plain white angel wings were simpler and more iconic for him! I did give him a touch of rainbow later with his tag design! I also scrapped his red dot eyebrows and his tail bandana, but overall I loved the character I made! I was thrilled to have a fun cartoon kitty that I could use to express myself :3

Before him my only true-feeling ‘sona was Starfruit the pegasus, it was fulfilling because I feel like when I made Twinkie, I started to find myself! 

Twinkie did go through a couple redesigns including a semi-drastic color change sometime in early 2018, but I really do feel content with the way he looks right now! In Twinkie I see friendliness, optimism, and a caring heart which is what I strive for! He represents the journeys I took to be more comfortable with myself and he radiates the confidence that I hope to achieve one day as well >:3 I mean it is possible I could change him for a new fursona or even flat out drop him in the future, but after 3 strong years I think Twinkie will stay a part of me for a while ^w^

Anyways, if you’ve read all of this, THANK YOU!! This was a really personal post and I think it’s fascinating to look at my own self progression this way, I hope somebody gained something from this but if it was just for me that’s okay too xD

If anyone read all of this looong post and wants to make a similar post, PLEASE tag me! I’ve been so interested in fursonas and how people see/represent themselves through cartoon animals, isn’t it a wild phenomenon?? 

If you don’t feel like making a big post like I did though, you should reply with some cool facts about your fursona or count how many you’ve made in the past xD That would be rad <3