Chapter Text
It's still dark out when you duck out of your den. The mornings are normally cool in the early parts of spring, and this morning is not different. Looking around, you can see the buildings in the distance still have their lights off. It seems the city is still sleeping, but if you're awake then the rest of them should be waking up soon.
This city would be Nimbasa City, one of the most active cities of the Unova region. From morning to night, the place never seems to stop moving. Locals, tourists, street vendors, Pokemon trainers; the city is a hub of entertainment, and it has a place for just about anybody.
Normally such a place wouldn't be ideal for a being like you, but you and your community have learned how to thrive in the chaos. By far, it is probably one of the best places to stay in this region for something like you.
You are a being known by many names, but most know you as a borrower. Standing at about 5.5 inches, you're doing your best to survive in this big big world. You've had some ups and some very low downs throughout your life, but it's your hope that this city can prevent you from reaching your lowest lows again.
Honestly, you could do without all the chaos and excitement. Being around so many humans makes your skin crawl, but your need to be around a community outweighs your wants. After losing your last home, you cannot afford to be alone anymore. Despite being a loner, you're not sure you want to be anymore.
The city has a rather sizable borrower community hiding in its shadows, and you have been welcomed into it with somewhat welcome arms. The other community members keep their distance from you but it's fine. Borrowers tend to be on guard about things that are different, and you are certainly different.
It's fine. Knowing they're there for you if you need them is enough for you.
Reaching the edge of the shrub you're stationed in, you peak out into the plaza in front of you. It's a simple area with large strips of grass and shrubs flanking a decorative water fountain at its center. Simple benches are placed along the sides of the grass strips, and a single dual-bannered streetlight is placed at the front of each strip.
The area is always well lit, but you can never be too safe. Listening out for a second, you rush out of the shrubbery and cross the distance to the fountain. A move like this is normally risky with little to no ground cover, but it's too early for most people to be out and about in this part of the city.
Besides, this part of the city doesn't get much traffic to begin with these days.
The humans have been doing a lot of construction in the Rondez-View Park for the past couple of months, and the two biggest draws of the area have been closed because of it. From what you've heard and seen, the old Pokemon gym is what's getting all the attention. They've been tearing the place down so they can rebuild it bigger and better somewhere else in the city.
That giant landmark of a ferris wheel shutting down seems to be collateral. It's too risky to run with all the construction happening next to it, but you're certain it'll be back to brightening up the night skies once everything is done and dealt with.
Unfortunately, the park was also where a lot of the community used to meet up and stay. Normally the lack of human traffic would be a good thing for your kind, but the risk of getting hurt due to the construction was too high to stay in the area.
Most have scattered deeper into the city over it, but you are one of the few that stayed in the area.
The lowered risk of running into humans is a massive bonus to you after all.
Hopefully, the moving of the gym will lead to permanently lowered traffic around your area.
Sliding to a stop next to the fountain, you unhook a treble fish hook and twine grapple from under your cloak. Removing the safety caps from the hooks, you spin the twine in a couple wide arks before throwing it over the lip of the fountain. Giving the rope a couple good tugs, you climb up to reach the water.
All the fountains in Nimbasa have drinking-safe water for the sake of the Pokemon. The promise of readily accessible clean water was one of the main things that drew borrowers to Nimbasa. It wasn't what drew you in, but as you dip your hands into the cool water, you can see why it was for others.
Bending down lower, you run some of the water over your face to give it a quick wash. You feel the ears of your cloak fall over your shoulders before you sit back up. Wiping the excess water off your face, you shrug the yellow and black ears back behind you before checking the plaza again.
You sense nothing, and a quick slide and tug has you and your handmade grapple back on solid ground. Reattaching your grapple to your bag, you cross the stone plaza again to reach your next destination.
Climbing the blue direction sign is easier compared to the fountain. Because of the shrubs behind it, your additions to the back of the sign have gone unnoticed for months. Your twine rope is still holding on strong as you climb to the top of the sign. Despite being a decent height up, this is not your destination.
Looking over at the streetlight next to the sign, you lock eyes with the green and yellow banner that's just the right height for you to grab. Putting on a pair of thorns climbing gloves, you run and jump, snagging your false claws into the fabric. You climb to the metal pole at the top of the banner, and then you're at your destination.
Most borrowers would call you insane for even thinking about stranding yourself out in the open like this, but the high vantage point is worth it in your eyes. At this height, you stand higher than the humans. Most don't think to look up due to how common these streetlight banners are.
Looking around, you can see hundreds of feet in every direction. It's perfect for path planning and identifying points of interest, but you're using it now to check for further off dangers. Flicking your right ear, you listen out but don't hear anything concerning either. The only sound reaching your ears in the moving water of the fountain.
That's normally the case around this time in the city, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Wild Pokemon tend to leave or go back into hiding once the city begins to wake up. Occasionally there's one that lingers longer than usual, but Pokemon dangers aren't your main concern right now.
Pokemon are predictable. Magical or not, they're animals at the end of the day. They hunt your kind out of hunger or instinct.
Humans do not.
The cool morning air makes your left ear try to flick, but it doesn't move. It rarely does these days.
Shaking yourself to get back on track, you don't see any humans within range of your streetlight. A nearby bridge connecting your fountain plaza to the Rondez-View Park is empty of life as well. You're thankful for that since that's where you need to head to start your day.
Deciding you have all that you need, you go to scale down the banner when a distant sound reaches your left ear.
Footsteps. Human footsteps.
Cursing your luck, you scramble back up the banner pole and, careful of the thorn claws you never removed, pull the hood of your cloak over your head. A brief flash for light covers blinds you for a second before the illusion of a Pokemon replaces you.
You suppose you were wrong. There are some humans that are somewhat predictable. Some of them really like following a routine.
From the other side of the plaza, two human men walk in. They stand taller than your average human but neither are tall enough to reach your little banner perch. Even at this distance, you can tell they're a pair of twins.
Both share the same silver hair and formal wear, but their biggest differences are the coats and hats they're both carrying. One carries a set in white while the other carries a set in black. Both nurse a cup of something in their hands as they chat with each other. Despite being engrossed in conversation, you can see the eyes of the one with white roaming around your fountain plaza.
Specifically, along the underside of greenery and the tops of streetlights.
Had you seen any other human acting this way, you would've taken a leap of faith off the streetlight and hoped for the best. These two humans are a bit different, however.
They know about your community, and a good chunk of your community knows about them too.
The three of you in particular are very familiar with each other, much to your irritation.
It doesn't take long before the man's roaming eyes find you. His already bright eyes somehow get brighter, and you clench the bar underneath you to anchor yourself for what's to come.
Speed walking ahead of his twin, the man gives you an introduction that you've heard a hundred times before and will probably hear a hundred times more.
“Hi I am Emmet.”
The direct eye contact is unnerving, but you have long since discovered it's not something done out of malice. He can’t emote well with his voice so it all shines through his eyes instead. Both men have quirks like this.
You could live without it all being directed at you with this much fervor though. Looking into those silver eyes makes you feel overwhelmed and dizzy more times than not.
It's worse whenever the man is excited.
Unfortunately for you, the man is always excited to see you.
You're too easily identifiable for your own good.
“Ingo and I weren't expecting to see you today so this is a welcome surprise. It’s nice to see you again.”
You don't give the human a vocal response, and he isn't offended by the lack of one. In all the time you've known the two men, you have never spoken a word to them. They picked up on your body language pretty quickly in response.
You don't want to become too familiar with them, so you keep your mouth shut.
“Hello again ‘Pichu’," greets the man with the black coat. You were so distracted with his brother that you didn't notice he'd made it to your streetlight. His frown makes him appear upset, but the warmth in his voice tells you otherwise.
“We shouldn't dally,” he says, turning his gaze back to his brother. “We have a schedule to follow.”
Ingo grabs his brother's dress shirt as he not-so-subtly pulls Emmet away from the streetlight. Emmet gives off a dramatic sigh at his brother's antics, but there isn't any annoyance behind it. The two playfully bicker at each other as they head for the bridge you'd been planning to cross a couple minutes ago.
Looking back, the man with the white coat calls out a goodbye to you. You humor the man with a flick of your right ear. Despite the growing distance, you can see the smile on his face change a bit. His chat with his brother sounds a bit louder than it was before.
Even after the men are out of range of your senses, you stay cloaked and on the pole for a little while. Despite your cold shouldering, you can't bring yourself to fully dislike or distrust the men. These two have done more for your kind than most know. Their care isn't limited to the borrower community of Nimbasa either.
Human or not, you cannot bring yourself to completely disregard that.
Looking up, you can just barely see the sky beginning to change colors behind the city skyline. You can't afford to stay up here any longer than you already have. This city likes to wake up early, and it's best to get a heads start before the locals start to wander and the tourists arrive.
— — —
The screeching of the steel beast's brakes marks your arrival at your destination. You wait until the doorway is free of humans before making your leave. You get a couple waves and goodbyes from humans mistaking you for a ‘grumpy little Pokemon going on a big journey’ but you don't pay them much mind. So long as no one tries to grab you, you're happy to let them make their misunderstandings.
The platform you step out onto is made of concrete and yellow metal tiles. The benches in front of you are empty, much to your relief. You've had to deal with children sitting in those benches before, and you're not up for being chased right now.
The platform is protected by a canopy made of dark green and grey steel. The humans that left before you are nowhere to be seen. With their longer legs, they have already crossed the matching dark green footbridge that leads to a safe path through the forest surrounding Driftveil. You can still hear the sounds of conversation from that direction.
You flinch as the steel beast screeches into motion beside you. Taking that as a sign to get moving, you begin to follow the same path as the humans before you. Going half deaf from the screeching wheels at ear level doesn't sound very appealing to you.
Taking a deep breath of the warm forest air, you mentally prepare yourself for the day trip ahead of you.
Today marks your first out-of-city supply run for the year. Your target for today is a familiar one: the Driftveil City Market.
With spring in full swing, the market should be in its prime now that long distance trading has begun again. The market is usually full of all kinds of things. Fresh produce, handmade items, products, and raw material; the place sounds like a borrower's paradise.
If things had been different, this place would've been the perfect home for you.
…Well, no need to cry over burnt bridges. Your knowledge about riding the trains lets you visit this place whenever you need. It’s a compromise you can work with.
Jumping off the last step of the footbridge, you leave the human forest path and disappear into the tree line. After checking your senses for dangers, you place the paws of your disguise on your chin and push up. The illusion disappears in a flash, and the head-shaped hood falls to your back.
Your cloaked appearance is a couple inches taller than you actually are. In your opinion, it's easier to hide from prying eyes when you're smaller. And not bright yellow.
Checking your supplies, you confirm all your bags and pouches are still where they’re supposed to be. The bag is kept on your back underneath your cloak but the pouches are attached to a belt. Your climbing gear was left at home this time around to keep the weight on your back low. If you're lucky, you'll be headed home with a decent supply of stock for yourself and the others back in Nimbasa.
With no other reasons to dally, the trek through the woodlands begins. Walking on the human-made path isn't an option for obvious reasons, but this little batch of woods is normally free of threats unlike the deeper parts of the forest. All the noise from human activity in the area tended to drive them away. The train station didn't help, but that wasn't a problem in your eyes.
The river you approach is heard long before it is seen. A small break in the trees revealed clear blue waters. A couple fish Pokemon could be seen swimming in the small pond at the end of the river. The lack of predator Pokemon in the area had let their numbers flourish. You knew a couple fisherman that tried their luck here, but thankfully you didn't see anyone set up around the water’s edge today.
You give the shoreline a wide berth and continue your walk around the pond. There was a wooden bridge further up the river that offered safer passages, but that was part of the human's path. Both travellers and trainers alike used it, and the less you had to deal with that, the better off you'd be.
You can't help but notice that the forest feels thinner than it was before as you continued on towards Driftveil. There's more tree stumps than you remember from last fall. There’s even the occasional group of logs resting on the forest floor. You weren’t sure how to feel about this discovery.
Driftveil City used to be a lot calmer than it is now. It was a slow lazy-feeling city, and for the most part it still is. Things are still slow and calm. But the lower part of Driftveil has been in a constant state of construction for at least half a year now, and you were beginning to see that construction spread upwards into the city itself.
You guess that explains the increased logging. If they're building new things, they're going to need more lumber. You just hope they leave a decent chunk of the forest behind once they're done.
The forest edge appears quicker than you were expecting. Peeking out of a bush, you see the orange-roofed buildings are still where you last remember them being. The unused lighthouse is still visible off in the distance, and you can see the bright red drawbridge is currently raised.
The bottom part of the city is still a mess of machinery and lumber, but peeking out of the rumble is the beginnings of a new building.
Something about the building makes your skin prickle. You have a feeling it's gonna be trouble for you eventually.
Your observations aren't all doom and gloom though. It looks like some of that lumber has been used to expand the market.
Three rows of wooden stalls have been added to the front of the main market building. From what you can see, it's primarily produce being sold out here. You think you spy a fabric stall furthest from you, but you'll have to double check once you get closer.
There's a lot more people here than you're used to seeing, but your experience in Nimbasa has taught you how to manage large crowds.
You've never been the best at it, but you blame your eye for that. Fucked up depth perception is terrible when judging distances and dodging feet.
The fact that you haven't gotten a rib kicked in yet is a miracle all on its own.
Seeing the crowd line itself up just right for your needs, you take the plunge and leave your bush.
The shadows have always been a borrower's best friend. Sticking to them and lying low keeps your kind safe, and it has yet to fail you as you jump from human shadow to human shadow. Your shadow hopping ends once you reach the entrance of the market's main building. Ducking inside, you slip under the stall closest to the entrance and breathe.
Thankfully you only had to dodge under the heel one foot and bounce off the tip of another. You don't trust yourself to skirt under one in the middle of stepping down.
You will forever be thankful for the human habit of not looking down. May every pretty color and bright light distract them for your sake.
Perking up your ear, you listen around from your hiding spot. It sounds like the inner part of the market isn't as active as the produce stalls, but that's fine in your eyes.
The things you're after aren't produce.
The shop you're looking for is always stationed on the right side of the market. You happen to be on the left.
Glancing down the aisle, you can see the sellers furthest from you are busy with customers. They won't be an issue when it comes to crossing the aisle. It's the ones directly above you that you're concerned about. Because of the angle, it's near impossible to tell what they're doing.
Deciding to take the risk, you use the shadows of a couple that just walked in as a starting point. You dart out from under the stall, hop a couple shadows, and slide under a different one. You don't hear anything questionable behind you so you consider your plan a success.
From here, you need to walk down a couple more storefronts before reaching the one you need, and it's easy enough to just walk under the stalls until you get there. You're given one good scare when one of the sellers blindly reaches under their stall to grab something but outside of that it's smooth sailing.
The one you're interested in sells herbs and natural healing items. These remedies can be used for both humans and Pokemon, but their biggest draw to you is that most of them have been reduced to a powder. A powder is easier to sneak portions of, easier to store, and easier to carry. With a single trip, you can get enough of this medicine to trade with your community for a month or two.
With a single trip, you can also get enough medicine for yourself that can last you months depending on the season.
Your arm is notorious for giving you problems once the weather gets extreme. It’s an issue you don't think you'll ever be free of, but the medication helps you get by on days when things get rough.
You certainly wouldn't be here without it.
This stall is one you have to be really careful around. Unlike the others, this one is run by two humans. Most of the time, one stays at the front while the other stays in the back with the product. The risk of getting spotted is higher but the gains are worth it.
Slipping into their area, you hide behind several crates of product that aren't for sale yet. You can hear one of the humans checking their stock from where you are, but it sounds like they're not close enough to be a problem.
The herbs tend to be sold at the front display in jars or single dose packages but those aren't what you're after. The humans always keep an open burlap or cloth sack full of each remedy somewhere near the counter. Sometimes it's used to restock the things they've managed to sell while other times it's to make custom doses. Regardless of the reasoning, you see the practice as a blessing in disguise because it leaves the stuff easily accessible to you.
Keeping your ears tuned to the human watching the stock, you slowly make your way to the front counter of the stall. You pass some strong-smelling mint, several food crates full of raw ingredients, and many other remedies you couldn't begin to understand the use of. You check out a couple to see if they're worth taking before deciding against it.
The trains of Unova rarely stop running. There's no need to try to do everything in one trip.
Your targets happen to be in the same area they were placed the last time you visited: at the very front near the human that interacts with the customers. While you're not a fan of the location, it does make sense. It's somewhat common for this stuff to be bought by Pokemon trainers and the more traditional herbalists. You're just happy they're somewhat hidden by the counter and not out in the open.
By now, the human that was checking the product has returned to the counter with their coworker. The two sound like they're chatting with one another. As far as you're concerned, any distraction is a good distraction. You leave your hiding spot behind a bright yellow food crate and approach the burlap sacks.
It's easy enough to scale the first bag due to the amount of folds in its surface. Reaching the top, you're greeted by a light green powder. Heal Powder is great for injuries caused by the elements. Burns, electricity, poison, freezing; you've been told it also helps with insomnia and nausea as well, but you've never used it for that.
Slinging your cloak to the side, you take off the backpack to access a powder scoop made out of an ice cream spoon. You remove one of the burlap pouches tied to your belt and get to work. Going too fast could cause noise and so you take your time. Thankfully it doesn't take too many scoops to fill your pouch. The amount in the little bag now reattached to your hip adds up to about 20 single-use dosages for someone your size.
You're not done here yet though.
Reaching into your bag, you pull out a smaller cotton sack and fill it up with the Heal Powder as well. This smaller bundle is for you. It amounts to around 10 single dosages. You won't need much of it at the moment, but it never hurts to have some handy.
Taking the scoop in hand, you smooth out the surface of the Heal Powder bag. Leaving groves behind on the surface is a surefire way of getting caught. Satisfied with your clean up, you repack the scoop and cotton pouch, slip back on your bag, recheck your pouches, and then slide your way back down the massive burlap bag.
Turning your gaze to the Energy Powder bag you'd spotted, you begin to climb again. It sounds like the humans are still talking to each other. You're not sure if there's a third one now so you go a bit faster than you were before.
Before you get a chance to hide traces of your presence, a bit of commotion reaches your ears. You can see the humans close to you turn towards the sounds. A bit of talking from across the aisle reveals the source: a Pokemon has stolen some berries from the outside market.
Briefly, you wonder if that Pokemon was a real Pokemon or another borrower. You've never met another borrower in Driftveil. With how readily available food, medicine, and water is, you'd be a bit concerned if there weren't any.
The sounds of one of the humans moving in the stall puts you on alert. You see the cashier bending down and immediately jump off the bag. You make sure you grab your belongings but you aren't able to hide your tracks. The confused sounds from the humans echo out from behind you, but you're long gone before the two consider checking the area. Hopefully, they won't change the way they handle their stock after this.
Besides, you've gotten what you came here for.
Hiding behind some crates in the neighboring market stall, you clean your belongings and make sure everything is properly secured. With everything ready, you decide to explore the newer parts of the market while you're here.
It's still fairly crowded outside so you have to make this quick. From what you've seen, you can confirm your belief from before that it was mostly food. Some of the food you're seeing is new to you though.
The market used to only have fruits, vegetables, and berries available, but you've walked by a couple selling meats and grains. You even saw a honey stall at some point. If the jars had been in your size, you think you would've risked it just to taste fresh honey again. You would've explored the fabric shop, but the sound of children drove you away.
It's about time for you to go anyways. Another train should be arriving soon at the Driftveil station, and you aren't interested in missing it.
So, with a time limit hanging overhead and a newfound lack of space in your bag, you head for the forest tree line with several berries added to your stash. It's not uncommon for the smaller berries to fall through the gaps occasionally. The humans don't care to pick them up, but that just leaves more food for beings like you.
You reach the tree line with relative ease. There was a shoe that gave you a scare but that's not too unexpected for you. Running a couple feet into the brush, you pause and listen out. You're not expecting to hear someone following you, but it never hurts to check.
When the sound of approaching crunching footsteps doesn't reach your ears, you begin your trek back to the station. It's quicker heading back than it was heading to the town now that you have a path in mind.
You make it to the station with minutes to spare. You're catching a different train this time so there's no need to cross the footbridge. Flicking the hood of your cloak over your head, you take a more unassuming form to the humans you can see sitting on the station benches. There aren't many around much to your relief, and you settle underneath a bench without much fanfare.
The sound of the train reaches your ears before you see it. Looking back, you can see lights getting brighter in the tunnel behind you. You pin your ear in preparation for the loud screeching of the train stopping. You'd cover your left ear with a paw if you could, but your arms are a bit too short in this form.
There's more humans visible in the windows compared to the last one you rode. That’s not too uncommon for this train even if you're not a fan of it. The dark green stripe going down its side gives it away as the Single Train, one of the most commonly used trains in the region.
The doors open and people begin to move, but you don't make your way onto one of the cars yet. Due to how busy this route is, there’s almost always a conductor onboard. Different conductors have different ways of handling things, and some of them are really stuck up in your opinion. There's at least one that makes it his mission to kick you off the train every time he sees you.
You're filled with a tentative relief as a man in black steps onto the train platform instead of one in blue. Ingo and his brother take their jobs very seriously, but they always give a bit of leeway to you. Riding a train with one of them equals smooth passages for you.
Confident you won't be heckled for riding, you jump into the least crowded car you saw. This car happens to be near the back of the train but that's fine by you. Most people choose to sit in the middle cars rather than the end ones. You should go unbothered for most of the trip.
You settle under a seat in the middle of the car. This spot is a bit hard to see both from outside and from the gangway’s door. If there's someone sitting the seat above you, you're near invisible unless someone points you out. It's perfect. It's how you'd prefer it to be, even if Ingo is the one manning the route this time.
While he's not as pushy as his brother Emmet, Ingo is still as equally determined as his brother is when it comes to getting to know you and gaining your trust.
You think it's your left ear that's causing this.
Scratch that; you know it's your left ear causing this.
When cloaked, that ear always hangs down and it never moves. To anyone with a pair of working eyes, it looks bad.
…They're not wrong but that's besides the point. You have no interest when it comes to whole-heartedly trusting any human.
It's about 10 minutes after the train begins moving that you are found. When checking on the passengers in this car, the conductor glanced under the seats and spotted you pretty easily. It's almost funny, the way he looks away, freezes, looks back, and immediately zeros in on your left side.
He regains his composure quickly though, and a simple “Oh hello again" and nod are sent your way. You give an ear flick back and he goes back to work.
With nothing else to do but wait, you settle down for the long ride back to the Gear Station. You can still subconsciously feel your bag on your back, but you're unable to check on the contents unless you destroy your cloak’s illusion. Keeping your ears pricked for the sounds of Pokemon or movement, you decide to doze lightly until you reach your destination.
— — —
Today is the day of your community’s monthly gathering.
The Nimbasa borrower community has an interesting tradition you hadn't seen before until you joined it: every month, everyone gets together and trades their findings and handmade wares. The practice also allows for the trading of important information.
The community gathering area is stationed underneath a building called the Big Stadium. Though you've never seen the inside of it, you've been told that above the community center is a large green artificial field the humans like to play on. The concept confuses you a bit, but you can see why the place was picked after the old location became a safety hazard.
The big green field is both heated or cooled depending on the season, and that heated or cooled air makes its way down into the underground area hollowed out by your kind. It's a bit of a squeeze to get down there, but the community center members are working on making it a bit more comfortable. The actual gathering area is surprisingly spacious with one half being dedicated to announcements and chatting while the other is dedicated to the trading market.
You are in the trading market today in order to sell your findings and wares. Most of the stuff you offer is based on medicinals. That stock consists of things like Heal Powder, Energy Powder, small bandaids, healing berries, and gauze. You also offer a small selection of raw fabrics bundles and replicas of your pouches.
Your stall isn't the most popular, but there's always someone that’ll be interested in your wares. Your current customer is one of those people.
The man has been eyeing up the powders for a bit. He doesn't look injured, but the rarity of the items and their healing properties are swaying his decision. It's always good to be prepared for the worst after all.
“Tell ‘ya what,” says the man, snapping his fingers as he turns for his bag. “I've got some trail mix I've been trying to trade around before it goes bad. With a big ol’ bag like that, I wouldn't’ve been able to eat it all myself.”
He places an honestly decent sized resealable bag of trail mix in front of you. It looks like one of those small 2 x 3 inch plastic bags you see in craft stores. The bigger nuts have been broke a bit so more fits into the bag. The fact that he bothered with a detail that small but meaningful has you already prepared to tell him yes even though the bag isn't completely filled.
“It'll last you…mmm, about a good two weeks or so if it ain't stored somewhere cool. It's got all kinds of stuff in it but none of that messy melty stuff. It's got seeds, nuts, several kinds of dried–”
The man pauses. Glancing up from your observations of the bag, you see the man staring at you. Or rather, the left of you. You feel your good mood diminish at the sight.
You're used to being gawked at whenever you participate in the gatherings. It doesn't make you feel any less like a walking attraction. You suppose you can give the man the benefit of the doubt this one time. Leaving your left arm completely exposed in public isn't something you normally do.
Despite being a resident for years, it feels like your appearance has scared people away from you. They see your burns and freeze, and then they act if they don't know how to act around another person. It's exhausting every time it happens.
Your train-riding behavior doesn't help your case. The others don't understand why you'd risk your life by putting yourself in such close quarters with humans for hours on end. They don't understand why you'd do such a thing for ‘just a few herbs’.
They don't understand how someone can willingly walk down the steps into the roaring of the Gear Station.
Reaching your right hand out, you snap your fingers to catch the man's attention. He's silent for a second before snapping back to attention.
“Oh shades, I am SO sorry!” At least he has enough sense to look apologetic. You give a smile that doesn't reach your eyes and wave your hand in response.
“Oh it's fine, it's fine!” It is not. “What was it that you wanted?”
“Right, right! I was interested in these two powders right up ‘ere. The Heal and the Energy. Is it possible to get a single dose of both with this bag of mix?”
“Frankly,” you say while making the single dose bundles for the man, “with the amount of mix you just offered? You could get two of each if you'd like.”
The man looks at you like you just offered him gold and he didn't just offer you a two week’s supply of food. Needless to say, the two of you leave this encounter happy.
Well, mostly happy for you. The moment the man leaves, your face falls into your hands with a deep sigh. You close your eyes and try to pull yourself back together. The sound of a whistle pulls you out of your spiraling.
“[Y/N], I don't know how you do it."
With a snort, you raise your head a bit to look at your stall neighbor. Set up next to you is a woman selling clothing and accessories. Her hair is done in a low curly ponytail with a decorative bow tied at the base. Her clothing, both worn and for sale, is as decorative as her bow. Her passion is sewing and embroidery, and it shines proudly throughout her work.
“‘Oh shades!’, ‘Oh distortions!’, ‘Oh Maker’s Shadow!’. What are they gonna say next, hon?”
Your laugh is a crackling noise you don't think she can hear over the chattering of the gathering, but you shaking shoulders give you away well enough. It feels like she always knows what you need to hear in moments like this.
“That trail mix is looking mighty fine though. Wish he would've given me some of that.”
“I don't mind sharing a handful with you Lacey,” you said as you stood up to stretch. Your voice carries the same crackle and waver as your laugh when you're not forcing it to be steady. “It’d be helpful if this bag was a bit smaller anyways.”
Lacey leans over to catch the bag as you toss it over, and you begin to pack up your stock. You traded a good amount of your stuff away, and now you need to find a way to get that leftover stock and your earnings home safely.
“You leaving already?” She frowns as she looks over at you. “Don't tell me that guy chased you off.”
“Maybe a little bit. This humidity is also starting to get to me.”
The woman grimaces at your reply. She's one of the few borrowers you've told about your burned skin's inability to sweat. Because of this, you overheat a bit quicker than others, and it's a lot harder to get you cooled off afterwards.
“Ooof. Then I wish you luck, [Y/N]. Don't forget to visit me next month!”
Tying the now returned bag of trail mix to your backpack with a piece of twine, you clean up the stall so another borrower can use it for trading. With a wave to your stall neighbor, you begin your walk towards the community center exit.
As you walk through the communal area, a raised batch of voices catches your attention. Looking to your right, you see a group of six huddled in a circle, attempting to keep their conversations hushed. They're failing, but you don't think they care. Shaking your head, you begin to walk away until you hear the words ‘Gear Station’.
“--telling you man, this human is real!” insists a young man with a red scarf. His voice has a wondrous tone to it, like that of someone telling a story. “They say he runs the Gear Station.”
Most of the group rolls their eyes at that. Another borrower sitting to the left of the scarfed one leans their shoulder into his.
“Pshhh nah man. If you left out that Gear Station bit I might've believed you.”
“No one goes down into the Gear Station,” chimes in a young woman tending to her Foongus cloak. She's focusing all her attention to sewing up a tear seamlessly, but her perked ears give away her split focus. “No one would be able to confirm that and you know it.”
“Well, some people do,” corrects the woman's neighbor. She also has a Foongus cloak, and you wonder for a second if they're sisters.
A scoff draws your attention to a man with a Caterpie cloak.
“Okay but those people are crazy as fu–”
His admittedly correct statement is cut off by one of the Foongus cloaks kicking him in the knee. He gives his knee a rub before trying again.
“Okay, but those people don't mention a tall as fuck human whenever they share stories. They just mention riding the steel beasts."
A snort and chuckle has everyone looking up at the furthest member of the group. Laughing into his curled hand is another young man with a Joltik cloak. His cloak was held in his lap, most likely to avoid the heat. His shit-eating grin just screams that he's about to say some crazy shit.
“Riding the steel beasts? Nah, have you heard the rumor that people have Pokemon battles on those things?”
The man just laughs as the group reaches the volume that originally caught your attention with their vehement disagreements.
You give a small huff yourself before turning to leave again, content with the knowledge that these people aren't planning to head into the station or something along those lines. You don't get very far before–
“Ayo, Pichu!"
–a cheery voice calls you back.
Looking back, you see the Joltik cloak wearer staring back at you with that shit-eating grin still on his face. The rest of the group turns their now confused gazes to you too, but that confusion turns into unease once they get a good look at you.
You raise your right ear, and the man takes that as permission to continue onward.
“You're one of those steel beast riders aren't you? Think you can confirm any of our claims?”
“Which one?” You scoff, turning a bit to give them your full attention. “I think I heard about three different ‘claims’ there.”
The prospect of getting confirmation regarding some of the rumors they've heard seems to dash any unease the group had. You have six pairs of excited eyes turned your way, and you begin mentally coming up with answers for potential questions.
The Joltik-cloak goes to speak, but his question is cut off by the friend of the scarfed borrower.
“Riley here–” he jabs his friend in the side a couple times “–swears up and down that there's this giant human called ‘the Master' that no one has seen before staying in the Gear Station. Now, I'm not sure about all that, but what do you know?”
You ‘mmmm’ for a second while considering your answer. The guy's not wrong you guess. There is in fact a tall as fuck human that is a Master that practically lives in the Gear Station with how long his work shift is, so you decide to tell them exactly that.
“Well, you’re not wrong. There is an insanely tall human in the Gear Station that is considered a Master…”
The excitement coming off the scarfed man can almost be felt. The dude looks ready to jump into the air.
“...but that's not entirely truthful.”
The excitement dies, but a decent amount returns as the man realizes he wasn't entirely wrong. He and his friend share a look before you continue.
“There’s actually two of these humans that work for the Gear Station. A set of mostly identical twins with their biggest difference being their clothing color.” You clear your throat with a small cough. You're not used to talking this much without breaks in between to rest your voice. You continue forcing it to be steady. “They're called ‘Subway Masters’ or ‘Subway Bosses’ because that is their job title.”
“The fuck is a ‘Subway Boss'?” asks the woman sewing up her cloak. Or rather, the woman who was sewing up her cloak. It looks like the discussion has her full attention this time.
You ‘hmmm’ again in a slightly creekier voice, debate how much you want to answer this. You don't want them to become excited and decide to investigate themselves, but you also want to say enough to caution them away.
“‘Subway Boss’ just means it's their job to make sure the passengers of the subway trains (or ‘steel beasts’) get to their destinations safely.” You take a deep breath and prepare yourself. “More importantly, it also refers to how the two of them host Pokemon battles on certain trains.”
You're sure the noise that just erupted from the group could be heard from the field above them even to human ears.
“I call bullshit on that one,” says the Joltik cloak as he looks you in the eyes. “You've gotta be saying that because you’ve been eavesdropping.”
You return the eye contact but shake your head.
“I wish I were. Each man has a full team of Pokemon attached to their hip at all times for this reason. I've had to cancel plenty of my foraging trips because the train I intended to ride had been scheduled for a battle shift rather than a passenger one. It's one of the many dangers of the Gear Station.
“Trust me on this if nothing else," you stress to them as your voice begins to fully give out. Looks like you've hit your vocal limit for the day. “You don't want to be trapped in a sealed off moving subway car while 2-4 Pokemon battle in the confined space you are also in . The men might keep an eye out for us, but no one else will."
The group goes silent. They share a couple skeptical looks amongst themselves but so long as no one looks ready to jump down the Gear Station steps, you're happy with that. You turn to walk away from the group again before you're stopped by yet another voice being directed at you.
“Ah ah ah! I heard that! ” You hear a bit of scuffling behind you as someone scrambles to turn behind you. Glancing back out of the corner of your eye, you see the Caterpie cloaked man pointing at you. He's got this look of dawning horror on his face that feels familiar to you.
“You can't just walk away after saying that! What do you mean ‘The men might keep an eye out for us’ ?"
You flick an ear. Good. At least one member of this group has a sharp set of ears on them. You don't bother turning back to them while giving your response.
“It means what I said. They've been nothing but harmless and respectful, but you can never trust how real a human’s honesty is. Stay out of the Gear Station if you can help it.”
The conversation spurred on from your warning doesn't try to drag you into it again, and you finally take your leave. As you approach the exit of the gathering area, you share a glance with the borrower currently standing guard next to it. You get a dramatic eyebrow raise and nod towards the loud group for your shenanigans. You shake your head and decline giving them a verbal answer.
The group was full of the young impulsive types that tend to hype each other up and get themselves in trouble. They would've been given this warning eventually.
Besides, you hadn't lied to them. Everything you'd said had been true.
Both of you know that.
— — —
The summer has just begun, and you already want it to fuck off again.
The air conditioning of the Gear Station cools your overtaxed body, and for a second you stand there and wonder why you haven't moved into this place permanently yet.
An uncaring human foot almost kicking you in the back of the head despite your Pokemon appearance reminds you why immediately. Shaking yourself out of your no-longer-overheating reverie, you make your way down the remaining steps to begin your plans for the day.
Today, you intend to explore the rest of Driftveil’s outdoor market. You've visited a couple more times since your first spring scavenging trip, but you always stuck to the indoor parts of the market. The outdoor areas have been crowded nonstop due to the newness of everything. You're hoping the traffic has died down now that a season has gone by.
Unfortunately for you, the traffic in the Gear Station has not gone down. If anything, it's worse than it was before. Adults, children, trainers, businessmen; it seems like every kind of human is here today. It doesn't surprise you too much even if it is annoying to deal with. Nimbasa is a popular city year round, but that popularity skyrockets in the summer.
Hopping down the last step, you make a beeline towards the center of the station. In the center stands a giant pillar giving off heat and light. Three giant clocks adorn the pillar, but their ticking is inaudible due to the chattering and footsteps of visitors and passengers. The clocks serve no purpose to you, but the humans tend to stand further from the pillar’s base so they can read them. Despite it being in the center of all the chaos, this pillar is one of the safest places to linger while in the Gear Station.
And linger you did. Due to the time of day, it was paramount that you listen closely to the announcements given over the intercom. Six of the eight trains that call this station home have what the humans call ‘battle shifts’. Battle shifts are where the normal passenger subway travel is halted and the passenger subway is traded out for one used primarily for Pokemon battles.
And then, like the crazy Bouffalant they are, the humans proceed to have Pokemon battles on them. While the train is in motion. Without any stops.
Getting trapped on a moving train while 2-4 Pokemon battle with all their might is not how you intend to die, thank you very much. If that means you have to sit and listen while getting looked at by an unknown amount of humans, then that's just what you're gonna have to do.
You shuffle to the side a bit to avoid a stray foot. You've had a couple trips ruined by these inconsistent shift schedules, and you're hoping today won't be the day your luck runs short again.
You hear a chime sound out from somewhere above you, and you perk up your ears the best you can to listen.
“The Single Battle Train is departing from platform 1 at 2:15 PM. Trainers, please board at your convenience...”
Ah, just your luck. Single Battle instead of Single Passenger . The announcer goes on, but you ignore it. You hadn't intended to ride the Single to Driftveil, but that train was normally your go-to for returning to the Gear Station. It’ll take you a bit longer to return home if you have to wait for the Anville again.
This also means you won't be seeing the man in black today. Sure you don't trust those twins, but they have always been reliable when it comes to allowing you onto the steel beasts. Some of the other conductors aren't quite as willing to turn a blind eye to you.
There's one that works here that you swear has a personal vendetta against you but that's a story for another time.
Walking around the pillar, you position yourself right across from the Anville Train Tunnel entrance. From what you've heard, the train hasn't arrived yet so there's a good 10 minutes of waiting you'll have to do. There's not a lot of traffic moving through this subway tunnel, but that's not too unusual for the Anville. Taking a deep breath, you jump into the fray.
Your less than ideal depth perception makes you anxious with every leap and dodge you make. A few humans startle when their shoes graze you but no one has kicked or reached for you yet. You're in the home stretch, the plaque of the Anville Train tunnel becoming clearer and clearer, when a noise reaches your ears.
Footsteps. Familiar footsteps. Quick moving ones at that.
Looking to your right, you can just barely see a black coat and hat through the shifting crowd. He's moving like a man on a mission, and it's only after someone steps out of his way that you see why.
Held close to his chest is a set of cupped hands.
Something about the way he holds his hands close to his chest rings familiar to you, and you pivot mid leap over a shoe to follow him.
Turns out you will be seeing the man in black today. Maybe, if the gods feel like delaying your plans further, you'll run into the one in white as well.
You have 10 minutes until your train arrives. It won't hurt to check.
Just to be sure.
The man disappears through the Super Double Train tunnel, and you follow through not too long afterwards. Jogging down the tunnel’s white ramp, you stick to the right wall in order to avoid any stray foot traffic. Several signs, cans, and benches are located over there, and they're all great for staying out of the public’s eye.
The tunnel is mostly empty due to most of the passengers having already boarded. The cars closest to the tunnel entrance seem to be full, but you don't pay them much mind outside of a cursory glance. You can see the tail end of the man's massive coat disappear into the furthest car.
Checking both ways, you dart out from under a bench to the ‘front’ car of the subway. The sounds of a conversation can be heard within but you can't tell what's being said. Peeking in, you don't see anything until a white shoe steps down directly in front of you.
You flinch backwards, almost stumbling your way right out of the car entirely. Had you been spotted? Had the humans noticed they had a tiny tag-along?
Your panicking is curbed by a simple look upward. The all white matching clothing gives the man's identity away, and you don't know whether you should relax or tense further. Though he is still speaking about something, the human’s words aren't being directed at you. In fact he's not even looking at you.
He's…messing with something next to the door?
A barely audible click cuts through your confusion, and you instinctively leap forward to avoid the closing subway doors. You reach back and pull your tail closer to yourself as doors click shut behind you. You've seen humans get their items caught in those doors before and you have no interest in seeing if your tail getting caught will leave you with phantom pains.
Neither of the men have noticed you yet, and you hope to keep it that way as you back away into a nearby shadow. Flicking off the hood of your cloak, you dissipate the illusion with a flash of light you hope the seats’ end barriers hide. It's easier to hide in the shadows when you're smaller and not bright yellow.
As safely hidden as you can be and no longer feeling your heart in your throat, you tune in to the conversation happening at the front of the car.
“Alright Ingo, the door is closed like you asked. What is it that you needed help with again?”
“I apologize for dropping this on you with such short notice, but I need you to look after something for me.”
Your ear pins back slightly at the way the man's voice bounces off the subway walls. It feels quieter than usual, but the lack of other people in the car makes him sound deafening regardless.
The man in black looks down at his cupped hands for a second before opening them. The quieter of the two leans forward a bit to get a closer look but you do not have that luxury. Your view is hampered by the jackets, the seat you’re under, and those white gloved hands, but you can just barely make out what all the fuss is about.
There, cupped in his hand, sat a ball of lavender and peach fur. From what you can see, it looks like a smaller than usual Rattata. Maybe it's a pup?
The white clothed man tilts his head a bit in confusion at the sight, and for the first time in a while you agree with the man’s motion. His brother is supposed to be on the Single for a battle shift right now. Why is he risking being late over a young Rattata?
You take a couple steps closer to the edge of the seat to take as close of a look as your eyes will manage, and that's when you see it.
From what you can see, the Rattata has its tail curled in front of its face like a shield. Right underneath the curl of its tail is a perfectly straight peach-colored stripe.
It feels like your nerves have been dosed in freezing water.
Your species goal with their cloaks is to blend in seamlessly with the Pokemon around them. This camouflage brings safety because a human won't look twice at a familiar Pokemon that is meant to be there.
Sometimes, a borrower will choose to deviate from the norm and will add a small marking to their cloak. Most of the time, this is done so the borrower is easily recognized by their own kin. These simple but slightly unnatural-looking markings are known as identifier markings.
That perfectly straight peach tail stripe is an identifier marking.
You kind of expected to see one of your own in those cupped hands the moment you saw them, but that doesn't make it any easier to see.
Despite the confusion clear in his movements, the smiling man accepts the ‘Rattata’ from his brother. He gives them a quick look over before turning his gaze back to his brother.
“I admit I'm still a little confused. It's almost…” he transfers the disguised borrower to his left hand to check a watch on his right. He looks up again only to find his brother already walking away. You scuttle further back into the shadows as the man’s shoes click by. “...2:12. You're supposed to be leaving on the Single in a couple minutes. Surely this pup could've been given to a station worker.”
“No, this detour was necessary. I'd deal with the situation myself if the Single wasn't scheduled for battle.” With the click of a button and a slight hiss, the doors you'd hopped through not too long ago open again. With one foot out of the door, you see the bottom of his coat turn as he looks back at his twin one last time.
“As for why the risk? Take a closer look at them.”
And then he's gone, leaving behind a confused twin and two borrowers with their hearts in their throats.
A droning “hmmm" eventually fills the silence. Your gaze tracks those white shoes follow the same path as their black brethren, and a familiar hiss and click mutes the sounds of the outside world.
“‘Take a closer look’ he said. I think…” the man drags out the word as he walks away from the outer doors. He leans his back against the door connecting this car to the one behind it. You move yourself closer to stay out of his line of sight.
He raises his hands closer to his face, giving the ‘Rattata' his full attention. You can't see what he's doing but you don't need to. You preemptively squint at the flash of light you know is coming.
“...I know what he meant.”
A blueish-white light flashes outside of your eyelids, signalling the undoing of the borrower’s illusion. You blink your eyes back into focus at the sound of the human's quiet verbal prying. If it was hard to see the borrower before as a Rattata, they're near invisible to you now due to their smaller size. They're just barely audible to your ground level ears so you tune in as best as you can.
From what you've gathered, the Rattata-cloak made the mistake of nosing around a trainer's bag after it was left on the ground. They'd been hoping to find berries, and instead they found themselves stuck in a bag that an excited trainer sealed shut behind them.
It's a miracle they weren't caught several times over when this trainer decided to try their hand with the Battle Subway.
You can only assume this borrower is either young or too bold for their own good. Most experienced borrowers know to avoid trainers like the plague due to all the risks surrounding them. The abundance of Pokemon is the main reason cited, but there's a lot of risk with how young most trainers are.
When your whole childhood journey is based around finding new things and exploring the world, you tend to notice things your older peers don't.
Their eyes are too full of wonder for your kind’s safety.
“I don't know where I am now,” comes a barely audible voice from above. “I was in Castelia before, but I'm not sure where this is.”
“Castelia? Well, it appears you've gotten verrrrry lucky. The Super Double, the train we're on now, leads straight through Castelia’s center.”
The man goes to say something else but a pattern of knocking startles everyone into silence. A quick flick of a gloved finger has that familiar flash of light occuring in his hand again as he turns his attention to the car's outer door. Another click and hiss welcomes a new human into the subway car.
“Ah. Hello operator. I hope you haven't been waiting over here for long…?” The white coated man's tone doesn't change, but the way it peters out gives it a sheepish air. His white pants step out of the way of a dark blue pair walking towards the front of the car. You can't see anything else from where you're pressed against the metal walls of the car.
“Oh no I just got here. The other cars were a bit crowded so I took the long way around. What are you doing up here?”
Ignoring the continued human chatter, you see the subway car's door has been left open this time around. With both humans distracted, if there was ever a time to leave and try for the Anville, it would be now. The invisible weight of empty bags and a wasted day weigh on you.
You humor the idea for a whole 3 seconds before dashing it.
Despite how aggravating they are, these two conductors are some of the safest people your community could be caught by. They've got good hearts on them, but you don't think you can ever fully trust any human with your kin.
Something about seeing someone in hands bigger than them makes your skin crawl.
You want—no, need — to see the Rattata-cloak make it to Castelia. It's the least you can do.