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The first thing it knew was white. White hands carefully holding it and cradling it, wiping down its oddly rocky snout and legs, sorting out its soaking feathers and gently drying them off. It felt… off , even though it had no real memories of being right . It knew it wasn't supposed to be rocky. It was sure of this, yet still, the rocks were all it knew.
It decided not to question it. Perhaps all things were not quite how they were supposed to be, but at least they were . It wasn't sure what that meant, but whatever “ wasn't” scared it. It shivered, and the white surrounding it gently soothed its head and back with soft pressure. It wiggled, disliking the weight of it. Being crushed was bad. It should avoid that. Suddenly, it was on a very hard, cold surface that was decidedly not white. It didn't like that. White was soft and good, even if it sometimes had pressure.
Its rocky talons fruitlessly tried to get a grip on the smooth surface, but the stone offered no traction and it had nothing to hold onto. It squeaked and trilled as it flopped over, knocking the air out of its chest as it did. That made it fall silent just from the shock of it. Then screeched, it did not like this. No, not at all. It wanted the white back now.
Thankfully, something answered its desperate cries for help. Suddenly it was picked up and gently held against white. Soft and warm white. Instantly, it quieted down. Soft things ruffled its feathers pleasantly, then soothed them down only to mess them up again. It was oddly soothing and whatever was doing it was far smaller than the previous things. It liked this better. There wasn't any pushing.
It nuzzeld closer to the warm white, making it shake as it heard a sound above it that it pinpointed as happy. It looked up to see what made that noise- and if it could do it again. The face above it was wide and smiling, looking down at it with nearly white eyes and hair.
“Hi.”
It reached up with an arm, snagging the white of the things it was snuggled up to. It pushed a bit closer, directly looking at the thing's eyes as it laughed again. It liked its smile.
“Emmet? They need to do one more check to see if archen can enter a pokeball.”
The thing's eyes left it, and it decided it didn't like that, actually. It trilled again, making it focus back on it. It purred softly, surprising itself into a hiccuping chirp that had the other one making a happy sound again.
“Ok!” It said as it looked away again. And then they were swaying gently back and forth. It was wonderfully calming, and if it didn’t want to hold onto the white thing holding it, it might have dozed off. They stopped suddenly, and it was gently cradled in tiny limps without any claws up to something. “Look!”
“I see it, Emmet. Here let me just-“ the thing in front of it, who was covered with a white fluffy thing, held out a red and white thing. It didn’t know what that was, but flinched back as the thing suddenly thrusted the object closer.
“Don’t scare it!” The tiny voice sounded louder, and once again it was snuggled up against the soft white thing. It nuzzled closer, happy to be safe against it again.
“I’m sorry Emmet, I didn’t mean to-“
“Wait!”
“I’m… sorry?”
“Need to wait!” It purred to help the distress in the small voice. It began to ruffle its feathers pleasantly again.
“I’m sorry Emmet, they need to know if archen can be registered. Sometimes fossil pokemon can’t quite-“
The body shook violently. It squeaked and looked up to see the thing holding it was shaking its head. “Not ready!”
“You have been preparing for this a while Emmet, I do believe you are ready.” The other thing reached out.
“No!” It seemed distressed again. It could feel the soft thing beneath it pick up pace as it seemed to breathe faster and faster. That wasn't safe. It didn’t know how it knew that, but it did. It chirped sharply, making the thing focus back on it. Once it did it began purring again, trying to force as much reassurance and calm as it could. It’s chest began to slow again and it felt the sudden sensation of falling.
“Emmet!” The other thing- the thing that it’s little thing didn’t like- approached very quickly. Too quickly. Immediately, it launched out of its little things arms, who had fallen to its knees, and hissed as viciously as it could. It puffed out its feathers bigger! Stronger! And opens with mouth to show its fangs go away! I’m dangerous!
“Im sorry Emmet I didn’t mean to- oh dear. Ah should I-“ the suddenly very big thing looked around, body language screaming distress and confusion. It hissed louder, little spots of dust forming around it. It was not strong enough yet to summon boulders as it knew it once had, but even little stones could be dangerous if used correctly.
It forze when it felt the body beneath it being to shake, and sounds of distress! Distress! It turned, chirping in do not worry! And trilled in calm! When it felt something hit its back. Suddenly it was in a very small space. It struggled and flung its limbs about. It needed to get back to its small thing! It’s small thing was in distress!
The small space was bad, the pressure was bad, it can't be so cramped because that means that it’s-!
Something gave way, along it to stretch its limbs out fully and screech at the big thing in fury. It was holding onto its small thing, which only made the distress! Shaking its small frame worse. The big thing was murmuring what almost sounded like reassurance and safe but it was too tilted, thought in a way that instead betrayed the confusion and panic beneath.
It hissed again, pushing itself hard as it rammed into the big thing’s side. Even though it was small, a Quick Attack managed to make the big thing back off in surprise. Immediately it was chirping and trilling at its tiny thing. It held out a tiny pinkish clawless limb, and it automatically nuzzled into it. It felt nice on its rocky snout. The soft fingers smoothed over the cracked stone, soothing the itch underneath it.
It purred as the tiny thing calmed down a little, taking in the affection. Slowly it was ushered closer to its little things chest, when it happily cuddled up with the soft white.
“Emmet, please calm down… you can’t take it home if-“
“Emmet?” A new voice, much louder. It’s tiny thing leaned towards the noise, and footsteps rapidly approached as it called out.
“Ingo..”
“Emmet! Are you alright!?” Something knocked into them- but behind its tiny things legs, it could not see what. But the body surrounding it relaxed suddenly, screaming thank you and glad you're here. A good thing then.
“Ingo…”
“Drayden.” Suddenly the voice was harder. “What did you do?”
Shuffling. It’s tiny thing sniffed. It purred, shoving its face in the tiny thing’s neck and then retracting at the pressure. Hands began carding through its feathers.
“My apologies, I did not… I was not thinking-“
“ Obviously”
A sigh.
“I apologize, Ingo-“
“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”
“… yes, you are correct. I’m sorry Emmet.”
The tiny thing flinched a little. It cooed up at it. It was calmer now thankfully, but its body still conveyed a slight uncomfortable and I want out. It hopped off the tiny things lap and grasped the soft white with its lips, making sure it’s teeth did not make contact. It tugged and trilled a get up! which It's tiny thing was slow to respond to.
“Come on Emmet, archen is right. Fresh air will help.” Finally it could look at the thing that had calmed its tiny thing so much. The other tiny thing looked nearly identical to its tiny thing, instead of white it wore black, and had an air of responsibility that its tiny thing didn’t. They were definitely from the same nest, but the black one must have hatched first.
It gently nudged its tiny thing up and held out an air for it. It happily scampers on, claws digging into the soft black and hopping onto its tiny thing’s shoulder. They walked through a much darker place, and the older one pushed open a large white slab and suddenly it remembered what sunlight felt like. It hadn't even known what the sun was a moment ago- but now it was sure that this was one of the best things in the world.
“There’s a bench here, we can sit in the sun. Do you want me to go get-“
Its tiny thing shook its head, nearly surprising it off the tiny thing's shoulder.
“Okay.”
They sat down again and it happily re-settled in its tiny things lap, taking in the world around it. It was green, but somehow it felt it wasn't quite green enough. Not a lot of cover to hide, but it also saw a lack of things to hide from .
“Do you want to talk about it, Emmet?”
It looked back up at the two tiny things, the older one looking at its tiny thing as the one in white leaned on its shoulder.
“… scared Archen.”
“Drayden did?” A nod, “how?”
“Tried to get it into a pokeball.” Suddenly, two clawless limbs lifted it up to eye level. “You don’t have to. Go in a ball. You don’t. If you don’t want to.” It didn’t understand what was being said, but it’s tiny thing seems very insistent about it.
“Drayden shouldn’t have forced it.” The older ones crossed arms and slouch screamed anger and irritation.
“He tried. Best. He did his. Best. Yep.”
“You don’t need to defend him Emmet-“
“ Ingo” the two shared a long look. It just went back to sunbathing, its tiny thing brushing through its feathers.
“Alright! I’m sorry…” the older tiny thing did not sound pleased
Its tiny thing huffed, chest puffing out in an I win and proud! But soon its posture slumped back against its sibling, eyes closed as it finally felt its tiny thing’s heartbeat slow down. The older one did not complain about being a nest, instead shifting to make sure it’s sibling was comfortable.
It suddenly liked this new tiny thing.
The one in black looked down at it, tone appreciative as it spoke.
“I’m sorry, I never introduced myself. I am Ingo,” it gestured to itself, “That,” he gestured towards its tiny thing, “is Emmet. He will be your trainer, if you want, Emmet is super strong, and I think… I think you two will make a good match.” It’s- Ingo? Apparently? Eyes shown with thank you and gratitude.
It chirped a welcome! And nuzzled into its tiny thing- Emmet?’s chest, trilling out a happy comfortable . It heard the other one, Ingo, laugh softly, and suddenly there were deft fingers brushing through its feathers. It relaxed into a puddle.
“I’m sorry,” the other one spoke up suddenly, “I should have… been there.” It looked up to see Ingo looked down at its hands, face twisted in frustration, anger and guilt . “I… I thought that… it would be okay but…”
Its little Emmet mumbled as Ingo shifted too much, making an unhappy sound. Immediately Ingo stopped moving, watching its siblings face carefully. When it didn’t wake, Ingo relaxed slightly.
“Drayden is trying but… he does not listen.” Dull claws gripped the soft white material of its sleeves, “adults rarely do. That’s why you have to watch over him, okay?” Ingo looked down at it, brows pulled into a please that would have even the most cold of hearts melting, “Emmet is fragile. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just how he is. Most of the time it’s really great, because he can understand what other people are feeling. He's just not great at showing his own emotions, and people… don’t like that. So we have to make sure that… that no one else hurts him, okay?” Ingo reached down a hand, palm up, in front of it, “can… can you help me do that?”
It looked down at Ingos hand, then up at its little Emmet. How silly that the tiny thing would even have to ask .
Of course it will take care of its tiny Emmet.
It placed its head on Ingo’s palm and chirped. Ingo relaxed slightly, rubbing the side of its face with its thumb.
“Thank you, Archen.”