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"Of Rocks and Sweaters"
The fire crackled and Arven leaned back against the cave wall.
That... Had been...an experience. This wasn't going to be easy. Not that he ever thought it would be but...
"You did so good everyone, I'm so proud. Eat up babies. You earned it."
The new girl she just spoke quietly to the brute and her little gaggle of poke'lings as she broke off pieces of food for them all.
There was a bump on his arm, oh right.
"Good job buddy." Arven murmured and his own… team(?) All chattered happily.
"You know… for someone who didn't want to be a trainer, you sure can hold your own."
"Mabosstiff! YES! Good boy! Good boy! Haha looks like I won this round!"
He stiffened but the new girl only continued feeding the tiny crocodile. Complete unaware of… the bitter irony of her words.
"... They're good Mon'. I didn't have to do anything." Shellder squeaked happily as he tore off a piece of bread and set it on its tongue and Skwovet just chirped with his berry. They seemed… happy at least.
"Ha, spoken like a true trainer."
"Are you thinking of doing the gym challenge?? C'mon! C'mon do it with me!!"
"Ha, maybe but I got my own quest first."
"Ooh sounds fun where you going????"
"Sorry, secret."
"Lame."
"Yup. I am."
"I'm not a trainer. I'm just… Arven."
"Just Arven huh?" She cocked her head. "Well, 'Just' Arven… thank you."
"For what?" It was getting late. Surely she'd be off on her way soon. He was getting restless… well at least Arven imagined… he was.
"You saved my butt. Poor Azu didn't have a chance."
The new girl only hugged her arms- both covered in raw angry red welts from one… hell of a fall. He frowned.
"It was unfortunate the thing landed a critical." He grunted. "Shit happens." Those burns looked… awful. "You know you really ought to be more careful. You're climbing a mountain but you're wearing a shorts and a short sleeve." He rolled his eyes. Newbies. Pah.
"Yeah well." She pulled her hat down somewhat, "Sometimes you get into things more than you can chew.. like titan hunting." A mumble.
"Tch, just try to be more careful, wear a long sleeve at least until your arms heal up."
"... Can't." Another mumble.
"... Why? It's not that hideous I promise- oh."
She held up…a school sweater that had…clearly seen better days already. His eyes widened.
"... Koraidon and Fuecoco… got in a tug of war." She muttered. "My uniform was a casualty.
… Of course they did.
"And you didn't replace it yet because…?" He trailed.
"You can do that?"
"... Did you read the handbook at all? Seriously the student handbook??"
"Oh you mean the one I never got?" She scoffed. "I get that there's a lot of students but whoever sent my welcome packet… was an idiot. Mom was still signing stuff my first day - Director Clavell had to come and drop em' off himself… let alone let me pick my Pokemon." She scoffed.
"The school is a mess." He shook his head. "Complete dumpster fire since-." He trailed again.
"Since-?"
"What- what is this! WHAT IS THIS!?"
All over his door. Everywhere. The skeletal canine just stared at him.
He ripped one after the other. His eyes burned as the laughter started.
"Aw c'mon man can't you take a joke?"
Rip. Rip. Rip.
"Houndstone is way more cool anyway!"
Rip. Rip. Rip.
"Too cool for you honestly."
Rip. Rip. Rip.
"Your mom is already obsessed with dead things, we figured you're probably the same."
Rip.
Rip.
Rip.
"Doesn't matter." He muttered before he dug in his bag and grabbed his own copy, tossing it to her. "Here."
"Why are you giving me a rulebook?" She said dryly. He scoffed.
"It's for the directory in there smart ass. You know - apply to get a new uniform. Hello. You request it, they tell you when it's ready then you go back to the school and there it is in your dorm. Easy."
"...oh." She frowned before she began typing. "So how long does that usually take?"
He shrugged, "Depends, I'd say a week maybe."
She finished typing, "Ah, I see well I guess we could use the rest."
".... I mean these titans aren't going to find themselves and gyms wait for nobody."
"It's a three day hike from here! Obviously I'd have to stick around!"
"... What? No you'd just call a sky taxi-."
"A what?"
Silence. The fire crackled.
"... Scuse' me? What do you- Arceus did they not tell you?!"
"Um… no. What's a sky taxi?"
"How'd you get to the school!?"
"I…walked? With Nemo from my house?"
"And she never told you?"
"No, she said it'd be a good way to get experience?"
"Oh of course she did- for the love of- give me your phone."
The girl clutched it. "Why - hey!" Arven snatched it quickly
"Ridiculous. Paldea has a sky taxi system in place, you've probably seen their logo everywhere, it's complimentary to students and they can get you anywhere - and what the-!? Did they really tell you nothing!? What if something legit happened to you!? Or your Pokemon!?"
"Mabosstiff…. Mabosstiff wake up Bud… please. Please. I'm sorry. I'm so… s-s-sorr-r-ry.x
He grabbed his own phone before quickly transferring gee everything into this girl's sparse contacts INCLUDING:
Student Medical
Student Medical (Pokemon)
Student Emergency (non medical)
"Give me back my phone you oaf! That's private!" She snatched it back. "Seriously, the hell is your problem!"
"Safety is paramount on a treasure hunt. Whoever was supposed to send your welcome packet was indeed an idiot. And seriously I can't believe that student council girl never mentioned it either!"
"... Sounds like it was so elementary that she just presumed I knew." She mumbled. "Ha… I mean fair."
"You really… don't take care of yourself…do you? You just jump into crap without thinking. Case in point, did you know it's supposed to drop almost fifteen degrees tonight? A cold spell from Galar is heading this way and you don't have a coat. Brilliant."
"Are you always so condescending or do you just save it for your Titan killers- oof! Hey what gives-!" She held out the sweater that he may have just thrown at her.
"The gym is a day's hike from here."
"...so?"
"So, shouldn't you get going? No doubt student council girl is probably going crazy waiting for you."
"Yeah….probably but this is your sweater-."
"I'm a little bigger than you… little buddy " she bristled. "I'll be fine. More body heat you know."
"... But what will you do."
"Just leave it at the school when yours comes in. Easy trade."
She frowned but nonetheless pulled the ludicrously too large sweater over her head and the sleeves… Arceus she looked like that streamer. The sleeves were so long that her hands weren't even-! He snorted before he got up and helped her tame the beast so to speak.
"I'm not that short !" She whined while he fixed her sleeves.
"Mm, evidence doesn't lie little buddy." Her eyes narrowed. "There, bet that's warmer already."
"I look stupid." She grunted.
"But a warm stupid." He countered with a smirk.
"...you're… kind of weird Arven. I can't figure you out. One minute you're insulting me… the next you're just giving me your sweater. What's your deal?"
Badum.
This girl's gaze was… unnervingly striking. There was a strange glint almost. It was… hard to meet face to face.
"... I just want to make… good healthy sandwiches. That's all."
She didn't believe him. He could tell just from the way her head cocked to the side and her gaze just seemed to sharpen.
Maybe… maybe he should-.
"Houndstone! Houndstone!"
"Arven the ghost master! Ha! Sounds about right!"
"Maybe his Mommy will like him better when he starts collecting dead things!"
Hahahahahahaha
Hahahaha
Hahaha
He threw her a big smile.
"But hey that's one down right little buddy we just got four more!" He pumped his fists. "But you got stuff to do little buddy I get it - so off you go don't you think?"
Please leave.
The girl frowned more. "I guess yeah, here let me help clean-."
"No no, no need, I'll do it - you've done more than enough!" His cheeks hurt from how hard he smiling.
Take a hint chick. Go away.
Juliana Scarlet gave him one more suspicious look before she finally grabbed her backpack and threw it over her shoulder- he winced right along with her. Those cuts had looked… deep.
Arven probably had a first aid kit in his bag. He should have offered how stupid could he-!
"See you around Arven." She called over her shoulder. "... Thanks for the sweater."
Badum.
He only waved. "Sure thing! Thanks for your help!"
She was limping too. Crap. Yeah, find the first aid kit before-.
He heard a familiar cry and bristled, the Brute called out triumphantly and in a flurry of scales and feathers they were gone.
His hand remained up in a wave for a bit longer, before it lowered and he dug in his pocket before finding Mabosstiff's ball and holding it up.
"Alright… it's safe… you can come out now."
He didn't make a sound, or even move save that… trembling and horrid.. horrid wheezing . It was like every breath was… a struggle.
But… but when Arven knelt down at his side Mabosstiff still… still acknowledged him. He bit his lip.
"H-Hey Buddy… I… I got something special for you. It's really good you'll love it. I promise just… it's gonna make you better buddy… I.. I know it."
All he got was a tremble. Arven frowned, "Are you cold? Yeah… yeah it's really cold today." His paws were cool to the touch. The lump in his throat just got bigger before he grabbed the picnic blanket and threw it over Mabosstiff as well as his sleeping bag.
A groan.
"I… I'll be fine don't worry, I'm hot blooded remember, just like you. I'm not like Juliana she uh, I'm honestly shocked she hasn't broken yet."
More wheezing as Arven continued to crush the sandwich to little pieces.
"Oh who's Juliana? That's right you haven't met her that's um- the girl who was crazy enough to take that Brute. Tch, he hasn't changed a bit, still stealing food like a Arceus damned barbarian." He scowled. "Clearly Mom didn't teach him any manners. Spoiled shit."
Another wheeze.
"She's very brave, this… Juliana. Real strong too, probably as strong as Nemona you know, remember her? You and her Chansey used to go at it, tch, can't believe that crazy chick has gone and started a whole new-." He shook his head before the patte in his hands was sticky and soft. "I know it's tough bud.. I know you hate this part, but you have to eat, can you open your mouth? Just a little bit? For me?"
Mabosstiff wheezed, but his head moved, clumsily, his eyes were still closed and Arven propped the massive dog on his knee, those jaws finally managed to open a crack. Just enough for Arven get a hand through, more wheezing, more shaking. A twitch of a tail.
Badum. Badum.
"She's not bad, the new girl, I mean she's crazy- she's impulsive- naive as all hell , Nemona just went and claimed her like some kind of-." He sighed. "Well, with you not around… I guess she didn't have much options." The patte was sucked down. "Easy, easy Bud, nice and slow… that's it.- But this chick Juliana… Bud she was walking around in the mountains with nothing but shorts and a tank top… and no emergency numbers. Can you believe that?"
Another wheeze.
"Yeah I agree, that school is run by morons. All of em'. Nothing's changed there… can't help but feel bad for her though… far from home and all that. She's from Unova. Unova, Bud, may as well be from another planet." He frowned. "I bet she's lonely."
Badum.
"N-Not that I care obviously. If you're going to be some kind of overeager helpful bidoof then… that's your problem."
Badum.
Arven froze. The touch was… brief but gentle.
"B…Bud?" He whispered. That tongue slid across Arven's hand once, twice, then a final third time before the Pokemon shifted slightly with another wheeze.
"... Mabosstiff you… you can hear me. You… you can hear me! You can open your mouth the herbs… they… they work!" The lump dissolved and Arven gasped out a heavy sob. "They work… they work! Four more… just four. We… we can do this." He choked. "We can do this!!!"
Mabosstiff was silent. Ah. He'd fallen asleep. Right back in his ball then- and … and off to the next!
Four more. Just… just four.
Ro-ro-ro-tom – Ro-ro-ro-tom
He frowned.
From: Juliana Scarlet
You were right it's cold as hell but are you going to be okay? I can leave your sweater at the Pokemon center?
Arven blinked before he snorted, then chuckled, his shoulders shook and then… he just burst out laughing.
Okay? OKAY??
Arven shook his head at the lunacy of this girl. Okay indeed.
Arven… Arven was on top of the world.
From Arven
It's cool.
From: Arven
Btw just keep the sweater. You need it more than I do. I needed a new one anyway.
From: Juliana Scarlet
Okay weirdo 😛– btw if you ever want a grass type- don't go for Sunflora. They're annoying.
….
…….
... Ah what the hell.
From: Arven
Duh. They're lame. Now a Scovillain on the other hand - that's a grass type!
From: Little Buddy
A what?
From: Arven
😑- I'll send you a picture.
Fin