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It remembered munching on part of a leaf, getting hit in the back by something, then darkness for a few minutes. It emerged from the sudden containment to find two men in a large room. The situation was new and frightening, so naturally, it waddled for under the desk.
"Oh, cool! It's a Venipede! We don't see those a lot here!", "Laura calls them PepperBelle. She's vacationing in Unova with her parents.", "PepperBelle.. That's a cute name. It suits them.". It trembled.
They let it be in its isolated hidey-hole. When Samuel sat at his desk, he was careful not to disturb it. It felt as though it wasn't there at all, until night fell and they seemed finished with whatever they were doing out there. The younger one placed bowls of food and water near it.
"Take your time, PepperBelle. I know this is probably scary.", he said, cautiously offering his hand for it to smell and observe. When it didn't attack him, he proceeded to stroke the top of its back. His hand was warm and his touch was gentle. "That's right. I think you're lovely.", he continued, with a smile. "We'll be down the hall.", he reassured it before turning out the light and leaving the door partially open for it to wander freely.
Three days passed, but it remained hidden. It wouldn't help to return it to their pokeball. Tracey continued to freshen its food and give it an occasional pat. When their work was done for the evening, they both wished it goodnight and proceeded to leave the room, as they had done. This time, PepperBelle emerged and pursued Tracey.
"I see how it is.", joked Samuel.
"This is my room!". Its antennae thrashed wildly with the curiosity of the new environment. Tracey laughed and sat on the bed with his sketchbook. PepperBelle was eager to see what he was up to and could barely sit still. "Hold on, hold on..", he flipped it around to show it the drawing. It took it a moment to realize; that's me! A burst of energy sent it skittering about the room and climbing the walls in excitement. Being cooped up for days had made it restless. It moved like a tiny racecar.
"Ok, ok!!", Tracey chuckled, "It's been a long day. I'm turning in now.". Clearly it was. He slept soundly through the tiny feet repeatedly passing over him well into the night.
Tracey awoke to an empty room and an open window. He frantically searched until its scurry was heard again. PepperBelle offered him the berry it grasped. "Oh, thank you!". He politely ate it without hesitation or fear. PepperBelle wiggled with excitement and continued to dart around the room. "I need to go feed the Pokemon, but you're welcome to join me!". It ran tiny figure 8's around his feet, making it impossible to move. "No, PepperBelle. I have to work. I can't play all day.". It had no idea what that meant, but hissed and headed out the window again.
Having loaded the food cart, he began his rounds where the hungry Pokemon waited for the soft creaking of the wheels. Filling bowls he placed by the pond, he heard a familiar skitter approaching. PepperBelle placed a flower by his shoe. "I guess this means you're not mad at me?". It hissed, but it was hard to tell what it meant by it. He tucked the flower behind his headband and continued on.
He'd made it to the final leg of his task, the hills where some of the rock and ground Pokemon enjoyed to congregate. Once more, PepperBelle appeared with something in its mouth. Tracey flinched when he recognized it as the rear end of a Weedle. "Th... thanks..". He trembled as he pinched it cautiously. Relieved that it immediately took off, he hid it under one of the rocks.
Faculty parties for Celadon University made Tracey anxious. He was still grateful The Professor considered him a vital addition and would pull through this one, as well. PepperBelle watched intently as he mentally and physically prepared in his room. It didn't understand why he looked particularly handsome. Even with his crooked tie and sloppily tucked shirt, it stared, entranced. He struggled to keep is hair out of his face without his headband, by occasionally running his hand backward through it.
"Is PepperBelle attending as your plus one?", Samuel joked, glancing through the open door. Tracey chuckled nervously, but took notice to its curiously tilted, little head. "What do you say, PepperBelle? Will you be my date?". It vaguely understood, and forced the window open once more, melting into the night. He gazed blankly out the window. Even joke-rejection felt strangely crushing.
Just as the two of them made their way outside, PepperBelle returned just in time, with the nicest flower it could find tucked between its eye and antenna. "You look very pretty!" Laughed Samuel.
The large bug remained perched awkwardly to Tracey's shoulder for the entire evening. Some guests remarked that it was cute, while others joked. With every disapproving hiss, Tracey gently reminded them of their manners.
Tracey took notice that PepperBelle slept still, in the corner of the room for once.
In the morning, he took to his chores once more. He cleaned the barn and performed his routine checkups on the Ponyta and Rapidash. Knowing this task was hard on him, Marill had wandered in to help. Its tiny arms couldn't assist with much, but it occasionally cooled him down with a softened water gun.
PepperBelle wished it could help. It watched jealously as Tracey thanked Marill and showered it with affection. It could take Marill, it thought. Lunging toward it and knocking it onto its back, it began to nibble at its ear.
"No!!", He shouted, quickly returning it to its pokeball, "We do not eat my Pokemon!! We don't do that!!"
He went missing for several hours while he rushed Marill to Viridian City to have the poison treated.
He returned to find a large assortment of flowers on his pillow PepperBelle had carried through the window, one by one. Still shaken, he felt slightly guilty for snapping at it and let it sit on his lap while he stroked it softly. "I know those are just normal Venipede things.". It wiggled with joy. It wanted to express its gratitude and gave him a smooch.
Samuel later found him collapsed; trembling in a puddle of his own sweat. "Ah. This again. Don't worry, Tracey.". He prepared the medicine and brought him a few berries to eat when he felt up to it. This seemed to be standard routine for them. "Careful to avoid poisoning my assistant from now on.", he gently scolded PepperBelle as he left Tracey to rest and the large insect to sulk.
When he came to, he weakly glanced around, his mind still foggy. It silently stared at him with its large eyes. "What did.. Ugh..", with little strength, he pet its head, "I know how you must be feeling. It's not great.". It tilted its head. "That you love. Unre.. Re.. Unrequited.. uh..". He retreated under the blankets in defeat.
The room was once again empty the following day. Samuel arrived to check up on Tracey. "We need to apologize to Laura for evolving PepperBelle." Tracey just rubbed his eyes, still groggy from the poison and twelve-hour rest. There was indeed a stationary Whirlipede outside the window. "Unfortunately, I can't seem to return it to the pokeball.".
In the days that followed, Tracey shielded the large cocoon from the rain and covered it up at night, avoiding the large, poisonous barbs. By the second week, he'd given in. "I'm going to carry you in now.", He said, "It's just another rest for me. I don't care if it hurts.". PepperBelle couldn't move at all if it wanted to. "It's safer inside. I wish you'd just get in your pokeball.". He jumped as the giant pupa lit up suddenly in a blaring light.
Tracey successfully lead the newly evolved Scolipede back inside. Samuel was relieved to see PepperBelle in good spirits. It pranced about energetically. Obviously the best part about its new height was being able to nuzzle Tracey's forehead without consequence. Tracey couldn't be more proud of the enormous centipede. He went in for a hug before The Professor was able to stop him. The poison barbs caught his torso, and he immediately fell to the ground in another state of sweaty unconsciousness.
Samuel had nursed him back to health by the following day. "It seems PepperBelle is off on its own journey.", "Wha?" he stared into the ceiling. "Laura was so impressed by how quickly it evolved, that she decided to train it for the Indigo League.".
They say Pokemon change when they evolve. True, PepperBelle enjoyed battling. Maybe it enjoyed being appreciated as a mere Venipede a little more, though. It hoped it'd see Tracey again soon enough.