Work Text:
Her first memories were of heat and the scent of hay bedding, of the comforting squish of bodies and the taste of milk. Mother was a beautiful apparition crafted of golden warmth like the sun. Mother would whisper stories to them nobody could hear, telling them about the trees, the land, the big, open sky. She would tell them the story of evolution, of the wild, of the humans, of friendship.
Humans came to visit them, pick them up, stroke their pelts. Mother did not seem worried, so she herself wasn’t concerned. Mother knew everything.
She remembered very clearly the first time she was put inside a ball. It felt like going to sleep, and yet being just awake enough to hear things. Mother praised her for being brave and well-behaved. One of her siblings bit a human and was taken away. Mother didn’t explain why, but she was very quiet and sad for a while.
Then there came The Girl. It was around the time meat became palatable, with new teeth that could tear it. She and her siblings would squabble for the taste of it. The Girl had yellow fur like Mother, pudgy limbs, and a good smell, like the outdoors beyond the fence. The Girl took her on a leash around the inside of the fence and talked to her, though she did not understand the words. She was curious about the smells, less so about The Girl herself. Inside again, the girl did not speak to the other humans, kept her eyes looking at the floor, moved stealthily like prey. The Girl held her and pressed her mouth to her head, then showed her teeth and gave her over to Mother again.
The Girl came again and again. The last time, The Girl came with a big, soft shell on her back that smelled of food things, metal things, human clothing, and feathers. The Girl put her inside a ball. It was the last time she saw Mother or her siblings. It made her feel alone and afraid, but when she was let out again, the sky was so very big overhead and the land smelled different. There was no fence, no matter where she looked. There was fire eating a pile of sticks. There was the smell of water, and the sound of it was bigger than anything she had heard before. There were strange bugs that wanted chasing, and the smells of many animals, and so many trees she had never marked.
The Girl and she traveled together for many moons. The Girl liked to stroke her fur, jabber at her in her strange human voice, and would let her sleep inside her small, feather-scented den at night. The Girl didn’t seem to like other humans much. The Girl played with colored mud. When Cinnamon stepped in the mud and walked on the thin wood she was decorating, The Girl became shrill and held up her electric toy; it clicked and flashed at her repeatedly until she scampered away, shy of the attention.
Her first memory of Battle was exhilarating and painful. She fought a bird that should have been easy prey, but it was strong and fast, and her little fires didn’t amount to much in the face of all that wind. The Girl was the first thing she saw after waking again, indoors, somehow. The Girl’s face was leaking. The Girl looked profoundly in pain, picked her up and held her tight against her body. She licked the water from The Girl’s face and realized this made The Girl stop leaking, made The Girl show her teeth and trill that strange sound.
By the end of that year, when the snows began to melt, she had learned very much. She had learned human words for her attacks, and what humans called emotions. A leaking face was called crying: an expression of unhappiness or fear, sometimes anger. Smiling was when a human showed their teeth, and laughing was that odd sound they made. It was something they did instinctively to display joy, but also an oddly fearful reaction to unwanted attention, to embarrassment, or to hide their unhappiness from others. The Girl was called Jasper, and Jasper called her Cinnamon. The colored mud was called Paint, and Jasper was called an Artist. Jasper was also a Trainer, and Cinnamon was her first pokemon, her Starter.
They returned from the wild, back to the realm of people and buildings. Jasper let her have free reign of the house when she went outside in her special School clothing, carrying books and sticks that were off-limits for chewing. Jasper’s small pack would often bark at each other about her School things and Artist things and Trainer things. Jasper would return to her private den, crying, and loudly shut the door. Cinnamon would join her on her bed and lick her face until it stopped leaking, and then she would be still and quietly let Jasper hold her against her body. She found humans became cold when they were unhappy, and Jasper needed her warmth to regain happiness.
Jasper whispered many things to her when her door was shut. She hid her turtle-like shell –called a backpack- in her clothes-cache and began filling it with things. Little by little she filled it with familiar food-things and clothing and her portable feather den. Cinnamon didn’t see her smile much, but there was an atmosphere of secretive joy and a scent of excitement when Jasper would quietly go through her things and rearrange them now and again.
And then they were back out in the wild! Jasper let her out and Cinnamon ran alongside her, tongue hanging out and glancing at her Trainer as they ran through the darkness of early morning. Jasper didn’t stop smiling for many days.
Jasper caught more pokemon and trained Cinnamon alongside them. She painted when they were in a calm place, and when they reached a town, Jasper would give the painting for money, and then go to a building full of books and spend a day staring at several very intently. Cinnamon didn’t understand what was so exciting about books –or why she wasn’t permitted to mark them when they smelled of trees- but Jasper would point to things called Pictures and tell her about them with bright eyes and a smile. Jasper was happy, so that made the boredom somewhat tolerable.
They battled at places full of other Trainers like a pack of wolves. Jasper always smelled anxious and excited when they went inside one such den of Trainers. Their pokemon were very strong and skilled, but Jasper was clever, often more clever than they were, and Cinnamon learned to pay attention to more than her barking. They defeated one den and Jasper was given a Shiny. Jasper bought Cinnamon and her assorted comrades very good food that night and she used her electric toy to take a Picture of them all.
Some moons later, they defeated another den of Trainers, and Cinnamon learned what Gyms were for: a challenge to strong Trainers like her Jasper. When they defeated a Gym, Jasper gained respect and power in her ever-widening territory, and a new Shiny. Cinnamon understood that these Shinies were precious. Jasper would sometimes take them out and wipe them with cloth until they were very clean, then gaze at them for a while before putting them away.
Jasper became taller and her smell began to change. The kit-like pudginess was migrating to other, concentrated areas of her body. She grew more fur that she spent much effort trying to scrape off when bathing. Cinnamon knew female adult humans had permanently swollen teats on their chest and large hindquarters, perhaps for chasing kits or kicking away unwanted males. It was interesting to watch her girl become an adult. It was strange how embarrassed she became of her chest harness, and Cinnamon thought she should do without if it bothered her so. Cinnamon didn’t much like leashes or harnesses herself. When Jasper began to bleed, she became very weak and cold, so Cinnamon would sit with her and warm her until she felt well again. The other adult females didn’t seem as weak, so Cinnamon assumed it was a problem juveniles had with growing and learning to master their bodies. She was happy to cuddle up and rest with her girl all the same.
Males also noticed Jasper’s evolution and began talking to her more, often looking at her teats and smiling at her. A male on the train touched Jasper’s haunches and was severely punished for it, even before Cinnamon could throw herself at him. She set his carry-thing on fire, causing panic and a stampede for the doors. Jasper was very angry and afraid, but not angry with Cinnamon. It took Cinnamon some time to understand that some males were smart, while others deserved a thorough scratch to the face and chewed ears. Jasper was very cautious of males after that. Cinnamon decided all males were a potential threat and became protective of her Trainer, taking a forward stance and showing her teeth to any one that came too close. Her Trainer wasn’t going to be anyone’s prey if she could help it.
They spent some moons in a town where Jasper went to school to learn about pokemon. She would paint outdoors when the weather was pleasant and sold some of her paintings. They visited a shop frequently, browsing painting sticks, and paints, and things called canvases. There was a young male there who was learning how to be an Artist of wood. He was calm and quiet, and after the first visit, he had snacks for Cinnamon waiting each time they arrived. She wasn’t impressed with his flattery, but food was still food, and she’d grab it in her teeth and prance back a few paces to eat just out of his reach, keeping an ear on her Trainer and her eyes on him. He presented no threat, so Cinnamon saw no reason to bare her teeth at him.
The male looked at Jasper often, but not in a predatory way. He praised her long mane, which made Jasper smell hot and embarrassed. He was smart and stayed put behind his work-bench, unless Jasper wanted to buy something and called him forward. He would talk to Cinnamon while Jasper sniffed around, and Cinnamon would curl her tails around her feet and cock one ear towards him to listen. His voice was pleasing, though his words held no interest. Jasper would laugh and they would both turn to see her leaning her elbows on the glass counter, and then she would say something that made the male’s face become red. Sometimes when Jasper gave money for the things she bought, the male would touch his hand on hers and she would be embarrassed.
They left the town and defeated more Gyms. Jasper met another male and invited him near, though Cinnamon was cautious of him. He was kindly, but rough and unappealing. He was also a Trainer, with an irritating Fearow for a partner and few other strong pokemon. Cinnamon often thought of pouncing on the bird. It would surely be enough meat for herself and Jasper and her weak male to feast on for days. Cinnamon didn’t understand why Jasper liked to roll around with him, and understood even less why, one day, she abruptly barked at him and smacked his face. He barked back and pushed Jasper to the ground. Cinnamon bit him until blood filled her mouth and used all her strength to pull him away from her girl. Then she set his few clothes on fire. He ran away howling. They never saw him again after that. Jasper held her tight and was shaking and crying very hard. Cinnamon didn’t mind that her fur became wet and rumpled, and she slept with her body against her girl that night and many nights after. Jasper cried often and seemed angry. Her paintings became dark as night, though she was still able to sell a few. She cut off her long mane. Cinnamon wondered if she was an adult now, if all adult females suffered the same sadness.
They returned to the town with the wood-Artist that winter. When it was time for Jasper’s Birth Day, the male friend offered her a small piece of wood shaped to look like a vulpix and said it was Cinnamon. Jasper packed up her things and ran out of town the next morning without buying any new paint. Then she became very sick and was put in the hospital. Cinnamon snapped her jaws at anyone who tried to remove her from her Trainer’s side, and was successful all but one time when a clever human trapped her in a ball. When she was released to Jasper’s side again, her Trainer smelled of strong medicine and blood and weakness. Cinnamon licked her fingers until she woke up and stroked her crown. Jasper’s pack came to visit and there was much crying and barking and finally happiness. After some time, they left. Alone with Cinnamon, Jasper would occasionally lift her clothes and look at the bandages on her belly, then smile and rub Cinnamon’s ears and tell her she was alright now. When the bandages were removed, Cinnamon observed three small but healing cuts. She was not permitted to lick them, and Jasper continued to smell of medicine for days and days.
Jasper returned to the town with the wood-Artist and took up living with a few other females in a house. They were lively humans, and shared the work of cleaning the den, arranging food, and inviting Jasper to commune with them at the TV with human snacks and smelly red water. For moons, all Jasper did was rest, paint, exercise. The male friend brought her supplies so she wouldn’t have to go far, and they would talk underneath a tree behind the house for whole stretches of day. Cinnamon often sat between them and tolerated the male stroking her fur. He would stare at Jasper’s eyes for many heartbeats, and Cinnamon didn’t know why Jasper didn’t find that insulting. Certainly, no male had ever stared Cinnamon down without a well-deserved smack of her paw and a warning nip. Jasper seemed to tolerate him putting his mouth on hers frequently, though it was nothing like the coarse Trainer that had tussled with her. Cinnamon thought it was a bizarre human mating ritual to beg food like that.
Cinnamon was confused when Jasper began packing to leave town again. The male friend came to visit and seemed pleased that Jasper was leaving. Cinnamon wondered why Jasper would leave if she liked him. The other females twittered like birds, laughing and yipping much, clearly dominant in their territory and happy to tease the male friend and Jasper. Cinnamon thought it was humble of him to show no aggression, though she thought him stupid for letting a prize mate like Jasper run away. Perhaps he had failed to impress her girl?
They trained and battled many Trainers in the wild, and Jasper brought them to exiting new places: salt-water for as far as the eye could see, which contained very large fish; mountains as tall as the sky; forests that were dusky even at midday; meadows with a great many small prey waiting to be pounced upon! Jasper became stronger and faster, and Cinnamon, too, felt her body becoming stronger, felt her attacks gaining more power. Some of her comrades evolved, growing ever mighty. An older male Trainer joined them, remained with them throughout their exploration for many moons. He was kind to Jasper and made good food for Cinnamon and her comrades. He was clever and strong, and made Jasper laugh often, and Cinnamon thought this male would be an appropriate mate for her Trainer. Jasper seemed to enjoy rolling around with him and never once barked at him. She liked to tease him for his food arrangement. They spent much time grooming each other. He enjoyed watching her paint.
Cinnamon watched him leave one day, and never understood why. Jasper didn’t cry and didn’t seem angry, so why was he leaving? If a vixen liked a tod, they would mate until she was full of kits, den together, and raise them.
Jasper brought them back from the wild to face the greatest challenge: other dominant Trainers that had also defeated Gyms and now sought to become the topmost in the world. Cinnamon fought hard for the sake of her Trainer, but these Trainers were powerful, too powerful. Jasper was defeated and returned to the wood-Artist’s town, where she accepted her ever-patient male friend as her mate. Her thirst for exploration kept them in town for only a year, and when they left, it was with her male in tow. Cinnamon was very proud of her Trainer.
For years, they wandered, selling art and exploring the wild. Cinnamon birthed her first litter after a chance encounter with a very handsome vulpix. Jasper and her mate, Micah, provided good food and safety when Cinnamon’s own mate never returned, and her kits grew to be beautiful and healthy. She told them the stories Mother had told her, taught them about human friendship and how to be clever. Cinnamon felt her chest grow hot with pride when her kits began burping fire, and knew they would do well wherever they would venture. Jasper gave them to other wandering trainers who seemed very excited and joyful. Cinnamon felt a little lonely when her litter had dispersed, but relieved that she had done her duty to her kind. Jasper invited her to sleep with she and Micah in their feather-den, and Cinnamon obliged for a few nights until the loneliness abated. Nestled between them, she felt very warm and content. She grew to appreciate Micah’s ear-scratches. When Jasper wanted to cuddle one of his shoulders, Cinnamon would claim the other, wedged under his arm, only her nose poking out into the cool night air.
Jasper eventually became full of kit as well, and as her belly grew larger, their travel progress slowed and diverted them to a town to await the kit. Cinnamon and Micah joined her in the whelping den and Micah spoke gently to her and let her dig her weak, flat claws into his hand. Cinnamon was deeply worried as Jasper howled and cried for hours, smelling of fear and pain and other body smells, until finally a shrill little cry announced her kit’s arrival. The lone female was small and meaty-looking, howling powerfully and jerking her limbs. Cinnamon learned a new human emotion that day as Micah and Jasper smiled and cried and embraced each other. The human baby was slow to grow and very fragile and stupid and howled often. Cinnamon found this both annoying and concerning, but made every effort to keep it warm and protected. It resulted in pulled tails and bruised snout and aching ears, but it was her Trainer’s precious kit, and she would keep it safe no matter what.
They began living in a small den in a building full of dens and Micah would work down the road making furnishings. When Sandy began to crawl, Jasper began going to school again, letting an old female care for her kit in her absence. Her painting supplies remained untouched for a long time. Cinnamon would coax Sandy to crawl by crawling along beside her and yapping encouragement. Sandy liked to break things, small things with many complicated parts, and then try to make sense of the pieces. She liked to smack sticks and cooking things together to see what kind of noise they would make. As she grew bigger, she liked to tie ribbons on Cinnamon’s tails and crown, and wrap cloth around her, calling it pretty. They would have parties with empty cups and plastic cakes that weren’t for eating.
Jasper became full of kit again, this time producing a male that became known as Spark. His sister was jealous for a time, but he was a cheerful, easily-amused infant. Jasper brought home a young eevee, barely weaned off the teat, and Cinnamon took it upon herself to nurture both young males while Sandy went off to school. Blue was timid and small for an eevee, and he would follow Cinnamon around, curl up with her when she slept, and try to hide under her tails when something startled him.
They were moved into a house with much land around it and no fences. Cinnamon enjoyed running through the grass, letting Blue chase her or chasing him in turn. Sandy would throw chewy balls for pouncing. Spark toddled after Blue, and when he took a tumble, Cinnamon was there to reassure him and inspect for damage.
Jasper introduced her pokemon to a Gym full of Trainers and there was much excitement and howling. Cinnamon would come to learn that the Gym was not a challenge to be won; they were the challenge now, to every Trainer that came around. Cinnamon felt very strong and dominant indeed; her Trainer was now a leader of a pack of Trainers, a powerful holder of valuable territory. Jasper would be giving the Shinies now.
Cinnamon was mated with another Trainer’s ninetails and brought home to safeguard the kits. Her mate visited a few times, but Cinnamon was disinterested; her Trainer had proven a more reliable companion, and she had no need of him. Spark was diligent in providing her fresh water and tasty snacks, and when the kits were born and cleaned and had fed, he smiled and gently pressed his mouth to each one, and then to Cinnamon’s own head. Sandy couldn’t wait for the kits to grow bigger so she could send them after some children that had been mean. Cinnamon saw many similarities to Jasper emerging as Sandy grew up, as she began to resemble her mother, but unlike Jasper as a child, Sandy was aggressive and loud. She would have made a fine Trainer and won many Shinies.
Jasper brought home a Fire Stone and there was much talk about evolution. Cinnamon felt her fur stand on end when it was brought too near and decided that she would rather remain a vulpix. She scrabbled around the house hiding under and behind anything that would keep the stone away, and the human children came to her rescue, pleading to their mother not to make their Cinnamon evolve. Jasper relented and the Stone was never brought out again. It was the first and only time Cinnamon had felt betrayed by her girl, and it took many days before she let Jasper come near again. Cinnamon learned what Sorry meant.
Jasper’s final kit was born some years later, just as strong and healthy as his siblings. Shadow was a happy infant, and a mischievous toddler. When any of the children became sick or upset, Cinnamon let them cuddle her for warmth and comfort. Spark was overjoyed to have a brother, and Sandy was irritated it wasn’t a sister. But she wasn’t around for much longer; her coming of age led her to venture out like Jasper had so many years ago. Soon enough, it was Spark’s turn, and little Shadow was home alone, without a brother and with a very busy sister. Cinnamon did her best to comfort him.
Cinnamon felt the years of battles beginning to weigh on her. She watched Blue, long since evolved into a vaporeon, take charge of battles, watched her own male kit spew fire at his opponents. Jasper would evolve him soon. Cinnamon had no doubt he would be a magnificent ninetails. She felt the space between the stair steps become larger and more treacherous, felt her vision become gradually dull. Cinnamon knew before anyone when Spark was due to ring the bell and would already be on her feet and walking towards the door to greet him. She was the ring-keeper at Sandy’s grand mating ritual. She licked Shadow’s tears when he returned home after his year away, smelling of familiar but still-fascinating places, and listened with her still-sharp ears as he told her all about them.
Jasper let her stay home now, free to rest from her years of work. Jasper would bring her good food and warm milk before the fireplace, her favorite spot in the house. There was always a soft cushion and a handful of coals left smouldering, a lovely warmth just for her. Spark’s new pikachu was a pleasing little rodent that left Cinnamon feeling exhausted just being alone with him. His eevee was a calm and respectful descendant of Blue’s that she enjoyed cuddling with. They told her that Spark had become a Gym Leader, the head of a pack, just like Jasper. He was well-liked by his pack and many females, and he worked hard, but also played often and let them run as much as they liked.
When had she last seen Spark? It felt like so long ago. When had he grown so large?
Cinnamon was pleased that at least one of her Trainer’s kits had grown to show her strength and cleverness. Sandy wasn’t around much, and when she visited, she smelled of new and foreign places. Shadow was still an awkward juvenile, and Jasper would not let him leave her yet.
The murmur of voices awakens Cinnamon and she can see dimly-outlined shapes. She feels a hand near her snout, smells the familiar scent of Spark and wags her tails in greeting. There is the scent of Shadow nearby, and a human female talking. She can smell the female on Spark. Ah, his mate?
Dash joins Cinnamon, the static of his fur a mild irritant until he settles down and licks at her face. He tells her the female is kind and pleases Spark. Her female pack are fun and like to squeal like kits at play. She has an eevee, a smart and quiet male. Bojangles is very glad to have a good, safe den because of her. Spark has decided she will be his mate, but he is not sure she will accept him yet. Cinnamon licks Dash’s ear and tells him that human females are intimidated by males, and that it may take more time for Spark to win her. Spark is a good, strong, dominant male, and she will enjoy being his mate when she is ready. Dash says he is proud of his Trainer.
Shadow, Spark, and Spark’s mate leave the room. Delicious food smells are coming from the kitchen. Jasper and Micah are talking quietly and laughing. Spark is showing his female around the den. Upstairs, Shadow is quiet. All the humans are content. Cinnamon closes her eyes and sighs, sets her chin down and doesn’t mind the prickle of Dash’s whiskers as he cleans her ears. He asks if she has had a fun battle lately; she says Jasper has retired her. It means she can rest. Dash says this is good.
Sleep is her favorite activity now. She is tired, and in her dreams she sees Jasper leading her along, just a girl, and the big wild before them.