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"Why are we out here trying to find a Numel anyway? Tired of Vesuvius?" Archie jokes, lightly elbowing Maxie, who was currently looking around the rocky landscape of Route 112. The large Camerupt in question snorts smoke, and Maxie lightly lays a hand on her head. It was hard for Archie to believe the Pokemon was once such a runt.
"Well, I'd like to bring my little sister one, as a gift for her birthday," Maxie explains casually. "I think she'll like it." As if reminding Archie of something he already knew, even though that couldn't possibly be further from the truth.
"... Ye have a sister ?"
"Correct."
"We've known each other for five years, and you never told me you have a sister? How is this my first time hearin' about this?"
"I could've sworn I told you," Maxie crouches down to pick up what must be a particularly interesting pebble, turning it over a few times before pocketing it. "But if it hasn't come up, then I suppose it's because you never asked."
The last part was true, Archie had never asked. But just because it was true didn't mean he wasn't caught off guard. “... Any other secret siblings I should know about?” he asks, exasperated.
“It wasn’t a secret,” Maxie frowns, “But no. Not to my knowledge.”
Silence hangs in the air like a thick smog for several minutes as they walk down the route, towards where Archie presumed Maxie knew Numel would be, Mt. Chimney towering overhead. Vesuvius stomped slowly behind, out of her ball to hopefully reassure the Numel against running away. At least the occasion explained why Maxie had several Premier balls visible in his bag.
“So… what do we know about ‘er?” Archie asks.
“Not much, unfortunately. Besides that she exists, I suppose. She was a year old when I left. Turning… six, now.”
“What’s she like, do ye know—?”
“No. I don’t. Not really,” is the curt answer he’s given, and Maxie looks away with a frown on his face.
A few months ago, just after Maxie turned eighteen, he’d made calls home for the first time in years.
It hadn’t gone well.
Archie didn’t really know what happened—Maxie asked to be alone, and then said he didn’t want to talk about it, and that was that.
With an uncomfortable shift, he gives Maxie a light pat on the shoulder and decides to change the subject. It looked like they were coming up on a herd of little Numel now. They didn’t seem to pay their human visitors much mind, though it might’ve been helped by Maxie’s own Camerupt’s presence. They were cute in a way, Archie had to admit, but he still thought his Sharpedo would win that contest any day.
"Aye, Maxie, look at that one," Archie lightly elbows him and nods at a Numel that is noticeably off-color from the others. It didn’t seem to be any common variation. "... I think that's a Shiny," he realizes.
"Holy— sweet mother of mew! Archie, you're right!" and before Archie can say another word, Maxie is already darting after the thing, Vesuvius lumbering behind.
Archie had hardly seen Maxie stumble over himself that much in years, but he could hardly blame him—it was hard to believe his eyes, especially with how similar the Numel looked to its fellows. So he trots over to catch up with Maxie, in time to watch him kneel down and hold a berry out to the blue-backed Numel from a couple feet away. If he had to guess, Vesuvius was the only reason he’d been able to get so close, and now the towering Camerupt was gently nudging the Numel towards Maxie encouragingly. The poor creature just seemed drowsy and confused more than anything else.
Archie just tried to keep his distance—he didn’t want to spook it, and Max had to know more about Numel than he did, at least he hoped. But he can't shake the feeling of awkward suspense as he hangs back, watching as the shiny Numel eventually accepts the berry, and even lets Maxie lightly pat it on the head.
Slowly and carefully, Maxie pulls out a Premier ball, and just barely tosses it at the Numel. The Pokemon is absorbed into the ball with no initial protest.
Shake.
Shake.
Shake.
Click!
"Oh thank Arceus," Maxie sighs in relief, picking up the Premier Ball as though it were made of glass. Archie swiftly jogs over, the remaining Numel scattering out of his way.
"You got the little scamp!" he grins, smacking his hand on Maxie’s shoulder.
“Ow-”
“Sorry. But you got ‘er!” He gives Maxie’s shoulder a light shake. “I bet your sister’ll love it.”
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Upon arrival, the pleasantries between Maxie's father and apparent new stepmother were terribly awkward at best and actively torturous at worst, though at least his new stepmother seemed a good enough woman. And Archie was there, reaching over to squeeze Maxie's hand.
Thankfully, his sister was playing out in the backyard, so he was at least able to excuse himself quickly.
His stepmother—Maxie hadn't caught her name at the time, too consumed with just narrowly avoiding his father's attempts to guilt him into staying longer, and it was too late to ask now—went out with him and Archie.
There she was, his sister, playing in the sandbox that Maxie fuzzily remembered spending so much time in. Her hair was purple, but it appears pinker, almost red, in the light of the sun. He found a small measure in amusement in that, glancing at his stepmother’s blue-black hair.
“Courtney!” she calls, catching the young girl’s attention. “Courtney, I want you to meet someone. This is.. your brother Maxie and his…?”
“Friend.”
“Friend, Archie. Maxie’s brought you a gift for your birthday.”
Archie leans in next to Maxie’s ear. “I’m just yer friend now?”
“Shut up,” Maxie hisses, lightly elbowing him, earning a chuckle from Archie.
Courtney blinks at them with wide eyes. "A gift?" She asks in a quiet voice.
Maxie takes a breath. He’s never figured himself as being as good with children as Archie was, but there was no turning back now. After a moment's hesitation, Maxie approaches Courtney and lowers himself to her height on one knee pulling the Pokeball out of his bag. Upon being retrieved, the shrunken-for-transport ball returns to its normal size. ".. Correct. I brought you your own Pokémon. I—"
Courtney gasps, holding out her hands. "A Pokémon..?"
He was surprised by her zeal, and held out the Pokeball for her, which Courtney grabbed eagerly with her little hands. She quickly finds and presses the button, releasing the pale, blue-backed Numel. It gives off a small sparkle as it emerges from the Premier Ball, and the first thing it does is plop down onto the grass with a yawn. Her eyes widen, and she immediately pulls the hapless Numel into a hug. “You’re… adorable!” she declares with a singsong tone.
“Careful—” Maxie says lightly, standing up. He just stays still for a moment, like he doesn’t know what to do with himself, before taking a few steps back over to where Archie stands.
“Told ya she’d love it!” Archie nudges Maxie with an elbow, and is met with a small smile.
Courtney’s small voice sounds in the air again. “You’re… so cute… I’m gonna.. name you Soot…!” she declares, slowly but with conviction.
There weren’t many words exchanged between anyone present, save for Courtney playing with her Numel for a while. When she was called back inside, she went up and gave Maxie a hug—a gesture that was mildly startling to him—and then went inside clutching Soot’s Pokeball like it was a precious gem, the Numel slowly trailing behind her.
Maxie glances at Courtney’s mother—his stepmother?—the woman who’s name he still hadn’t managed to catch and would rather walk straight into the ocean than admit the fact—and awkwardly clears his throat. “.. The way she talks—she sounds like she may have some sort of speech impediment?”
“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about,” his stepmother(? Maxie still wasn’t sure how he felt about that) smiled. ”I’m sure she’ll grow out of it.”