Chapter Text
Why couldn’t they just leave me alone.
Why won’t you just try? The league challenge is fun! Merron is travelling all over the world, don’t you want to be like your brother?
Nobody could ever just let it go. What was so wrong with wanting to read? Stay inside? Wasn’t it enough that everyone was always making fun of me?
They always fussed about my hobbies. “Don’t you get tired of reading? Of sitting around all day? You’re crocheting on a fine day like this? You could be battling right now!”
What was so great about battling anyway? Choking on volcanic ash, getting battered and bruised. Not to mention all the noise. We lived in the middle of nowhere, how was everyone in this town so noisy? Oh, right, the Contest Hall. Bane of my existence. So many trashy tourists guffawing about how grand their equally obnoxious Pokémon were. Disliking pokémon was easy, when their trainers were so irritating. Other people were definitely why I didn’t have a pokémon of my own already.
Mom and Corri were right though, it was a nice day. Had they not been so annoying, I’d have opened my window or found a tree to crochet under. Instead I found myself angrily stomping through Route 114 to Meteor Falls. A Surskit and Masquerain skittered by as I walked through the tall grass. Hopefully I wouldn’t encounter a Nuzleaf. In my rush to leave, I’d forgotten to grab any Repel. Nuzleaf weren’t necessarily mean pokémon but they liked to scare people and I didn’t need that in my life.
I slowed my stride, overly cautious now. Storming off may have been a bad idea. What if something bigger than Nuzleaf came around? There were Seviper out here. Startling one of those would definitely be a problem. Or Zangoose, they were hot tempered, and fast. Shit, why did I have to forget my Repel?
Wooooo, a deep bell tone sounded from behind me.
“AAAAH!”
I spun around, heart hammering in my chest. The sound had come from a Solrock, oddly far from Meteor Cave, but enjoying a patch of sun nonetheless. It faced me, tilting side to side in response to my yelling. It was hard to tell what pokémon like Solrock and Lunatone were feeling, but this one was probably feeling confusion or curiosity at the petite little human, squealing at its noise. It wasn’t as if it had been hiding itself. It made another noise, a higher pitched bell sound this time and started to come closer.
My dumbass was, of course, frozen stiff, my heart pounding. Why did I forget my Repels? The Solrock approached slowly, making gentle bell noise. Why was it coming closer? Was it trying to be nice? It’s tones got softer and...was it making a melody? It was also radiating a lot of heat.
I put up an arm instinctively and tried not to squeak as it got right in my face. Solrock spun itself slowly and cast glittering lights everywhere. It was actually kind of pretty. I guess it was trying to be nice. It sang, like a giant wind chime, the deeper tones you only got from the really big ones. Each note vibrated in my chest. It almost sounded like words. It backed away a little and started to twirl. What strange behavior. I’d never heard of Solrock being particularly friendly, much less this expressive or emotional. I would need to look this up later.
The Solrock danced about for a few more minutes, singing and casting glittering lights. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it chimed again and floated away. I waved to it as it floated away, and as I began walking again, I realized that it had stopped its show the moment I had stopped hyperventilating. I definitely needed to research that.
As I got close to the caves, I realized they weren't as quiet as I'd hoped. There were a couple trainers inside, the sounds of their battles with wild pokémon echoing too close to my usual hiding spot. I couldn’t sneak away fast enough to avoid their attention and they even tried to challenge me.
“No, sorry, I actually don’t have any pokémon.”
“Oh!" One of the trainers, an excitable boy in a yellow jacket exclaimed. "Do you want us to catch one for you? There are some great pokémon around here!”
Ugh, I thought to myself, as his voice rebounded around the cavern. Why do I always find the ones with zero volume control?
One of the girls with him, a pretty, dark skinned teen with hair dyed in jewel tones, noticed my flinch.
"Rue!" She said, hitting his shoulder with the back of her hand. "Stop shouting! You’ll bring the cave down with all your echoing!”
The boy, who was of similar dark chestnut complexion, possibly her younger brother, just gave a wide grin. “Sorry Tem, I just like helping new people!”
Tem shook her head and started quietly scolding the boy. The other girl, green eyed, with Moltres-red hair and pretty freckles, gave me a sheepish grin and held out her hand.
“Neriel, nice to meet you. Don’t mind my friend and her kid brother, he gets excited.”
I forced a smile, folding my hands behind my back. “Yeah, no, I get it. I have a sister back home who gets loud and smiley when she meets new people.”
Neriel pulled her hand back with another smile, far more gracious about my dodging the handshake than any adult I’d ever met. “Would you like us to catch you a pokémon? I heard from the town that Solrock live here. My Pokédex said they can sense people’s emotions and they like to soothe their trainers.”
Ah, so that was it. Although, I wondered why the Solrock went out of its way to soothe a random human. Was that a thing?
Wait, I thought, as Neriel flashed a friendly smile, this girl just saw through me.
“Oh my gosh," the boy, Rue, started. "Tem, come on,, lemme make a new friend! Neriel is getting first dibs!”
My heart leapt into my throat as Rue bounced over to me. I was always amazed that people actually bounced in excitement. It was times like these when I wished I had fur to bristle or fangs to bare, but Tem came to my rescue.
“Geez, Rue, slow down.” She said, grabbing her brother’s collar. “You know, sometimes you gotta go up to other people the same way as shy pokémon. You come running up to folks like you’re gonna tackle ‘em and they get nervous. You may not mind a rollout to the gut but most folks don’t like a body slam.”
Rue laughed but didn’t come closer. “Ok sis, I got it, I got it!” Tem released her brother, to my chagrin.
He got in my face immediately. “So, what’s your name? I like meeting girls my age!”
“Rue!” Both girls said, pulling him back.
I took a deep breath to steady the palpitations. I could feel a meltdown coming on fast. I needed to get away from these people.
“Ki," I murmured. "That's what you can call me, I guess."
“Key? Like a lock?”
“No.”
“Oh, like energy? Like an aura sphere from Lucario!” He said, getting loud again and coming closer.
“Umm, no," I replied, taking a step back. I cast a glance towards the cave entrance. "Look, I'm-I'm gonna go home, I’m not really supposed to be all the way out here….”
“Oh, you should let us walk you home!" Rue chimed loudly. "Since you don’t have any pokémon, you could get hurt without a body guard. And we can get to know each other on the way!”
Neriel came to my rescue this time, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Uh, wait, Rue, we’re supposed to be going back to Rustboro remember? Besides," she said, glancing apologetically at me, "she seems to get out here all the time. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, most people without pokémon know how to travel safely. Plus, nobody wants to answer your thirty thousand questions!” Tem said teasingly, shaking her brother by the arm.
“Hey, I just like to get to know people! You two are no fun." He cast a moping look at me. "Aww, and I wanted to get her her first pokémon...”
“I can just get one from the Pokémon Center, it’s fine. I’m fine, thank you.” I said quickly, turning to leave.
It took all my restraint not to sprint out of that cave. Rue was so loud I could hear him complaining about the missed friendship opportunity until I was back on Route 114. I was very glad for those girls, it would have been a nightmare to just deal with Rue.
As I walked the world suddenly tilted. Dizzy. Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, crap crap shitshitshit. I collapsed under a tree and forced myself to breathe. The worst habit I had, holding my breath when I was nervous. Gasping, vision gray, world turning, heart pounding, ears ringing. But I was supposed to do the League Challenge? When I couldn’t even handle a conversation with a loud child younger than me?
Truth was, I was probably older than Tem and Neriel. Rue looked like he was around 11, fairly standard age to go on a journey and start the League Challenge. Tem and Neriel, who seemed closer to 18, likely volunteered to protect his kind and vivacious self from getting taken advantage of, and to keep him out of trouble, and he didn’t mind because he clearly loved them. They probably got him his first pokémon.
Late bloomer my parents would say, if they said anything. Being short and baby faced had its advantages when you didn’t want people to know you hadn’t even attempted the League Challenge at 20 years old. Especially for a family like mine, with a line of several highly accomplished Trainers. We were even related to Flannery in Lavaridge. My parents and sister and some of my school friends had all tried to get me into battling, they brought home all kinds of pokémon, every single one loud and overwhelming and scary. After so much effort, some of them didn't bother to hide their disdain of me.
You’d get their respect if you stood up for yourself more. Demand their respect! Go get some badges and that’ll make you stronger! Leave the house for once, geez what are you a Silcoon? Don’t you want to go on an adventure? Like your brother?
The ironic part is that my brother was the only person that didn’t pressure me. He’d been in three League Challenges. Travelled all the way to Johto and Kanto, was planning to go to Sinnoh next. I admired him, he was quiet, like me, but did much braver things than I ever could. He never sent me a pokémon like everyone else. Instead he sent me every book on botany and natural medicine he could find from all over Hoenn, Johto and Kanto. He actually listened.
Didn’t even make fun of me when I said I didn’t always feel like a girl. Just the opposite, asked me what I wanted to be.
“Left alone.” I mumbled.
He laughed. “Yeah, I get that, but I don’t know how to make that a pronoun.”
I had to ask him to explain that one.
“Well, if you don’t always feel like a girl, it’s not really accurate to always call you 'she' right? It’s probably pretty annoying. It annoys me, that’s for sure. Took a while for everyone to stop calling me she.”
I was baffled. “You’ve always been my brother though?”
“Well, you were pretty little when I made everyone stop calling me that. Changed my name too, but you never knew any different, you never really needed to. You can do the same if you want, I’ll back you up. Think about it, it may help. Just remember I’m always on your side.”
I didn’t know what to make of it all at the time. I was still a bit confused, honestly. How can you only sometimes be a girl? And it’s not like I ever felt like a boy, just, sometimes a girl, sometimes a void. My brother thought that was pretty funny too, but he never made fun of me.
The wind was blowing gently, the cool air filling my lungs. It really was a nice day. A little too cool in the shade, but it was spring after all, couldn’t expect it to be hot yet. I stretched out on the grass. I wondered where the Solrock from before was. Would it be nice to me again if I saw it? Do they make good first pokémon?
And what the hell was sitting on my head?
It must have snuck up on me while I was busy thinking of Merron. Whatever it was, it was very light, and soft. I reached up slowly to touch it. Yes, very soft, extremely soft even. It...settled in? Just getting comfy all up in my hair. Here I am, recovering from a panic attack, half passed out in the grass, and some pokémon just sits on my face and gets even more comfortable when I touched it. I poked it.
It chirped and tweeted. “Swablu!”
Ah, of course. Of course it’s a Swablu. Swablu are notorious for just sitting on people’s heads, just because. Weird little creatures, but very nice. How do I get it off? They’re worse than Skitty, they get attached so quickly, they'd actually cry if you forced them off. You can’t be mean to a Swablu, it’s practically a crime, it might as well be a capital offense. But I couldn't just lay here all day as it rested on my forehead.
Is this how people get Swablu? Does anyone even catch them? Do they just appear, claiming your head and well, look you have a Swablu now? Crap, do I have a Swablu now? What do I do with a random Swablu?
The Swablu started shuffling around, it's tiny feet kneading my scalp. What the heck?
“Umm.” It stopped moving at the sound of my voice. “Could you, uh, possibly sit somewhere else? I, uh, need to sit up.”
It remained motionless for a moment, then chirped again and hopped down to my shoulder, then down my torso to my leg. I sat up and beheld possibly the fluffiest creature in existence. I couldn’t remember if I’d ever seen a Swablu so close. It looked like a ball of cotton candy. Were they always so fluffy? There was more fluff than pokémon, good grief.
It chirped at me again, almost a questioning peep, and when I said nothing, it fluttered up to my head. Great, just what I needed. As if I didn’t already get teased for my curly hair being a “bird’s nest”. I would never escape the puns.
I sighed heavily. “You’re not gonna get down are you?”
It nestled into my hair in reply. I groaned. “You better not poop on me.”
It peeped indignantly. How such a tiny, fluffy thing can be indignant is beyond me, but at least I had some assurance it wouldn’t do more than leave cotton behind. Does this mean I should name it? Would it leave at night? What do people even do with these things?
There didn’t seem to be anything else I could about it, so I got up slowly and started walking. It seemed fairly balanced up there, and was so light I could have mistaken it for a hat. Though, I suppose that’s what it wanted, in some way. Hopefully there wouldn’t be any more excitement on the way home.
The Swablu began to sing on the walk. It was sweet noise at least, though I much preferred the silence. Still, it wasn’t like it was irritating, it was even cheerful. Perhaps I could—
*CRASH*
What the—?
A dark shape went flying through the trees ahead of me. Swablu shrilled in fear as a second blur thrashed through the underbrush after the first shape. I stood frozen, as an adult Zangoose sauntered out of the undergrowth. It made eye contact with me, glowering and chewing a twig. It was a big one, with blue and white fur instead of the normal red and white, with long purple scars across it’s chest that spoke of hard fights and poison.
Fuck.
My head started to spin. Shit, I needed to breathe. Breathe! I felt something sharp pinch my scalp, as Swablu dug its feet into my hair, and I managed a little gasp. Not enough. The Zangoose snorted and turned away, following the two shapes that had dove through the brush. My legs collapsed under me, my whole body trembling. That Zangoose didn’t care about me, strolling after the two shadows like a mother following a kid and Poochyena. It had zero doubt that it was following a victory. It wasn’t even looking at me like a threat, just a mild interest in an unexpected witness.
A witness. I was a witness. It was probably chasing a Seviper, and it was probably going to kill it. I knew such things happened, everyone knew of the vicious feuds between Zangoose and Seviper. Both species were strong and aggressive, and the old ones often held humans in contempt. Like that scarred Zangoose. Fuck, but it’s actually doing it, where I could see it, and it didn’t care, it could see right through me. Of course pokémon hunt, that’s the way of things, they’re animals, but shit it’s right there.
Swablu bit me, sharp pain lancing through my cheek. I couldn’t even squeal, because I hadn’t been breathing, but I gasped. Choked, sputtered, gasped, coughed. I couldn’t hear it chirping over the roaring in my ears, but it had even gotten off my head, so it could look me in the eyes. It was distressed.
We have to help it!
How are we going to stop that mean, grizzled old Zangoose? I thought, looking at Swablu. I have hats heavier than you, and I don’t know what moves you can do. And that Zangoose is clearly a den leader.
It hopped around in earnest, like it could hear my thoughts.
We can’t just leave it, we’re right here! They’ll kill it, they’ll kill that Seviper!
I didn't know what to do. I looked around for anything that might help. What I wouldn’t give for that Solrock to be around.
I wonder.
~~~
The old Zangoose sauntered after her kit. Her mind briefly wandered back to that pathetic human. It had had an interesting scent, underneath the sheer terror. Shame that they were so weak. It smelled like another human from many seasons ago. That one had been worthy of attention. She still owed that human for saving her life. She stared down at the mortal enemy of her kind. This one was pathetic too. Big, scaly bastard was all hiss and no slice, still had egg shell on his head. So weak and foolish. What a fool, starting a fight with her kit while she was nearby. Hadn't even scented the air before attacking. This season’s brood of hissers was barely worthy of training a kit’s claws on.
Her kit had the Seviper pinned by the throat. Cocky kit wasn’t watching the tail. Sevipers were tricky, they’d play dead and then cut you down soon as your back was turned. Damn near how she died all those seasons ago. She kicked a rock at her child and snapped an order. Curb that Swagger, it'll kill you faster than that hisser tail.
The kit growled in annoyance but put a foot firmly on their enemy’s tail nonetheless. The Old Mother slow walked around their quarry. The Seviper’s breath was haggard, its eyes half shut. The kit had done a good job, hadn't taken too many direct attacks, put in well placed Slashes and used Pursuit to good effect. Still needed work on Fury Cutter, but sacrificing multihit attacks for agility was an effective strategy, especially when one lacked power. This was the runt of this year’s litter, and Old Mother was proud of the kit’s cleverness.
Well, no point in being cruel, time to put this hisser out of his misery. She started to bark that order when a rock cracked into a tree above her head. Another rock flew from behind some bushes. Seviper didn’t throw rocks. Could it be that human from before?
~~~
What the hell was I doing?
That Zangoose could definitely kill me, yet here I was, throwing rocks at it. On a Swablu's behalf. Hurry up, I thought anxiously. Come back with that Solrock dammit, I can’t outrun a Zangoose!
The old Zangoose was looking right at me. The smaller Zangoose was staring back and forth between the older one and the bush I was hiding behind. It chattered and started to move from its place pinning the Seviper but the elder hissed at it. It stayed, while the elder started towards my hiding spot. Do I run? Do I stay? Try and throw more rocks?
Why did I come over here to rescue this damn snake?!
The elder Zangoose stopped short of stepping into the bush. It could absolutely see me. I had always scoffed when books described a character’s eyes as piercing, but hell if this Zangoose didn’t have daggers in those blue gems.
I was definitely gonna die.
Wooooo.
Holy hell, that blue fluff had found the Solrock.
Solrock floated into the clearing and began to shine cheerfully. The old Zangoose looked at it, listening to it chime and tone. It belled and tolled for what seemed like ages and then approached the younger Zangoose, which hissed menacingly. My head started to swim. Fuck it lungs, breathe.
The elder Zangoose growled at the younger one.
Let it go then.
But Mother—
Are you going to fight the old rock? Got some trick in your pelt to make claws good against stone? To keep your tail from burning? We don't have a thing to gain from crushing the hisser’s head. Was barely a threat.
The kit looked down at the Seviper before standing up with an audible huff.
….Fine.
I put my head down in the dirt, eyes shut tight as the two Zangoose left the clearing. I focused all my attention on just breathing. I didn’t move until the Solrock tolled at me. I glanced up as it’s low pitched hum rattled my brain despite the blood rushing in my ears.
Take care warm-blood. Blades are sharp.
I stayed hidden in the bush until the Solrock’s heat had bled away, until everything had been quiet for a good minute. Until Swablu returned trilling and tweeting. I crawled out from behind the bush, cold and shaking. Swablu had done the second task I had asked, though not as well as I had hoped.
One lone root. Merron had bought me a book on Hoenn herbal medicine and it listed a root that could be found near Meteor Falls. It was less potent when powdered but you could cut the bitterness with berries. I had hoped Swablu could bring a berry to mix with it, since the book said it was so bad tasting that it could make a pokémon hate you. Didn’t have much choice if I was gonna save the Seviper.
I approached the injured pokémon slowly, still on hands and knees. Its breathing was ragged and it was cut up pretty badly. Its eyes were barely opened. My ears were ringing, head still spinning. I focused all my thoughts on breathing, just keep breathing, you’re no use to anyone unconscious.
Swablu twittered nervously by my side. Did I get the right one? Will it help? Can you save it?
I didn’t respond, it would take energy I didn’t have. I was using all my strength just to keep getting closer to this Seviper, just to keep breathing. I gently touched the snake’s head. It didn’t respond, so I moved down to its mouth. Those fangs were longer than my hand. With no antidotes or potions I’d probably be screwed if it bit me.
It stirred when I started to open its mouth. I froze. Don’t flinch, I thought, you don’t have the strength to flinch, you’ll never get this close again if you flinch. Slower than Slowpoke, you’re slow as a Slakoth, gentle as this Swablu, you can do this, you have to or it will die. I pushed the herb into its mouth, it tried to back away but couldn’t. It closed its mouth around the root. In the silence of the forest you could hear the firm squish of it biting down.
Then all hell broke loose. It thrashed violently at the taste. I flung myself away before I could even process my own motion. I backed away even more because of its tail. I had always heard the tail venom was even deadlier than its fangs. Shit, why did I let Solrock leave, what if this thing tried to kill me in its dazed recovery?
The Seviper hissed and thrashed and spat venom for several eternal seconds. Its pupils were blown wide and it panted harshly when it finally stopped flinging itself about. I, of course, had managed to backed myself into a tree. Great going there, genius. It fixed me with a vengeful Glare. I could barely breathe, my chest tightening up like a vice.
It hissed menacingly. Who are you Human? Come to finish the job of the vile, cheating Zangoose?
Swablu swept down from where it had fled into a nearby tree. How dare you! She saved your life you ungrateful wretch!
Saved? Seviper spat and hissed. That foul poison she shoved down my throat?
Swablu hopped around, chirping angrily. Where do you think the Zangoose went? We saw you get beat; we could’ve let them kill you!
The Seviper hissed, rattling its bladed tail. It surveyed itself carefully. All but the deepest wounds had stopped bleeding, and the bleeding of the deep wounds had slowed. It allowed itself to relax, just a little and lowered its paralyzing gaze. I finally managed to suck in a breath. I was grateful for the air, but now I didn’t know what to do. It’s not like I had any pokéballs on me. Would this wild thing let me carry it to town?
Swablu kept chirping at the Seviper, and it hissed in defeat. It was too tired. Swablu tittered at me until I found the energy to get up. I moved slowly, still trembling, but the Seviper let me get close. Swablu flapped onto my head when I bent down to scoop the Seviper up.
“I’m-I’m going to pick you up now," I said, holding my hands out. "We gotta get out of the woods to get you someplace safer to heal.”
Seviper gave an angry look but didn’t move when put my arms under it.
Oh shit, I thought, feeling the densely packed muscle along my hands and arms. This fucker is heavy. Holy hell, it was near as heavy as my sister and she was thin as a rail. Swablu had the audacity to tweet like it was cheering me on. Seviper was clearly annoyed, but what choice did I have? I struggled to carry the snake ten yards before I had to rest, but dammit I tried my best. I even tried putting it on my back, which got me a lot farther than carrying it in my arms. Still, we didn’t even make it to the river before I had to take a long break.
“We’re not going to get back before it starts to get dark at this rate.” I lamented to the pokémon.
Swablu chirped encouragingly and flew off, presumably to find something to eat. Seviper coiled onto itself and stared at me with suspicion. Was I imagining it earlier that I could hear its thoughts? I certainly couldn’t now.
“Kiara!”
That voice—!
“Kiara, you out here?”
“M-Merron!” I yelled out. I tried to get to my feet but my legs went to jelly.
Snapping branches, crunching stones and swept away leaves and there he was. My brother, brown and lanky as a Sudowoodo, tough as a Machoke, black coily hair cropped too close to know its real nature, hazel eyes filled with concern. His hand held the scuffed pokéball I knew held his precious Swampert Kailani, the one that had helped me build a raft, and escorted me on the only “adventure” I’d ever gone on, a bad attempt at running away to live with the Zubat in Meteor Falls.
Daruki, Merron’s beloved Mightyena, who always led Merron right to me whenever I’d go hide near the Falls, was right on her trainer’s heels. She took one look at me, another at the Seviper, and jumped into a battle stance between us. The Seviper rattled its blade and hissed, a warning more than a challenge.
“What’s going on sib? Are you ok?”
It took me a second to get my voice back as intense relief washed over me. “I- there were Zangoose," I huffed. "They were killing it, I tried to-, but it’s heavy.” I said, pointing at the Seviper.
Merron knitted his brows in confusion, then understanding dawned on his face. “You saved it.”
I nodded. Swablu returned, a berry in its beak. It chirped at my brother, then got on my head. Merron smiled.
“And made a friend at that. Mom said you’d run off as usual but she was worried because it seemed like you didn’t take any Repels with you. Come on, let’s get back to town.”
“But the Seviper!” I exclaimed, breathless.
Merron hauled me to my feet. “Will be looked after. Come on now, you know me better than that.”
Daruki stepped back to stand near me as Merron walked by. Seviper balked as Merron approached it, not at all interested in his help. Merron knelt down slowly to get eye level.
“My sibling here saved you, but you’re still in rough shape. Can I help too?”
It hissed in suspicion.
“Don’t be ungrateful! We wouldn’t make it back without help, or would you rather risk another run-in with those Zangoose tonight?” I snapped.
Seviper huffed, but settled down. Merron nodded and then tossed his pokéball in the air. Out came Kailani, a Swampert my mother lovingly called wicked and mischievous since she was a mere Mudkip. Definitely the only giant pokémon I’d ever liked. Kailani had let me get into all kinds of trouble, had taught me to swim and kept me safe during nighttime wandering. Despite being a very outgoing and playful pokémon she always respected my space and need for.
Kailani stretched before casually scooping me up and depositing me on her shoulders. I squeaked, startled, even though I shouldn’t have been, as she loved carrying me.
“Kailani, could you grab this Seviper? Kiara rescued it but I guess she forgot Sevipers are, ahem, solid.”
Kailani snorted a laugh and swept Seviper up with ease. Seviper hissed in indignant protest but stopped with a look from the much larger, stronger pokémon. This was a better outcome than I could have hoped for.
I’ve lost my freedom haven’t I?
I looked over at Seviper. It seemed defeated. Had I done the right thing?
“You ok sib?” Merron asked.
“A lot happened, somehow, in just a short time. I want to go home.”
“We can definitely do that." He cast a small smile at me. "You'll tell me about it after Mom goes to sleep, yeah?”
I nodded. Kailani adjusted Seviper in her arms, and patted her fins for me to hold on to, while Swablu got settled on my head. Merron lead the way home, Daruki picking up the rear.