Chapter Text
The turning of seasons have always been some of your favorite times of the year; the first snowfall when the chills in the air become crisper, summer greens fading to beautiful reds and oranges, snow melt feeding the earth as new flowers bud and bloom… It truly was a gorgeous sight to behold. And being in Unova, there was always a chance of seeing the ever so unique Season Pokémon, Sawsbuck, whose antlers and coats went through changes in coordination with the changing of the seasons, or its pre-evolution Deerling. You looked forward to it at the tide of each season! And as luck had it, the snow on the ground had just melted and made way for the lush greenery of spring…
Although the air still held a certain nip to it, you continued to rush down the path which led out of the city and into the green fields and forests beyond. Stinging air whipped past your face in the early morning breeze as you sped your way towards the forest in hopes of catching your favorite Pokémon-related event. Your legs simply couldn’t carry you quickly enough…!
Before too long, the broad dirt roads leading out of Driftveil City narrowed, trees and shrubbery now lining either side of the pathway as you entered the sparsely forested area of Route 6. Although the groups of forest were separated by bits of fields, Deerling and Sawsbuck still frequented the area, giving you a good chance of running into either, or possibly both if you were lucky! Although your main mission was to see a Sawsbuck, you looked just as forward to seeing a Deerling during this transition. And so, finding a nice spot to sit and wait, you passed the time on your phone. As grass and normal types, Sawsbuck and Deerling were more likely to come out as the day became warmer, and thus you had some time to kill.
About an hour or so had passed before you saw any sort of Pokémon, the first of which was a group of Vanillite, enjoying the still-crisp air that lingered in the shade of the trees before midday came. You watched with a large, uncontainable smile as they danced and played among the trees and shrubbery at the edge of the small clearing you observed.
As the happy Pokémon they tended to be, when one spotted you, it and the others weren’t at all hesitant to approach you. You watched with bated breath as the group floated through the air towards where you sat, cooing with joy as they began to play. The Vanillite twirled in the air around you, dusting you with tiny snowflakes which melted on your clothes and skin. You couldn’t help but giggle as you held your hands out, allowing them to play as they pleased in your presence, even as your fingertips became chilly. As much as you were enjoying your time with the tiny Pokémon, the group left after one wandered off back into the trees, the light streaming in from above as the sun continued to rise sending them towards the shade further into the cooler shadows the forest provided. Heart a little lighter from the sweet interaction, you turned back to the clearing and continued your watch.
The next to come out were the tiny Foongus who had been burrowed into the ground overnight, previously hidden by the long grass. They popped out of the soil one by one, dusting themselves off as the sunlight of late morning hit their adorable heads. Dew still sat on their caps, sparkling in the light before being shaken off as they roused with stretches and yawns. You couldn’t help but awe at the adorable scene.
Swadloon came out just before you began to see all other types of Pokémon making their appearances, swaddled in their grassy, blanket-like cocoons. They always looked so cozy, you loved it! You watched as they used their string to lower themselves from the trees above, and were rather surprised when one happened to land on your head. Gently, you reached up and grasped the Pokémon, bringing it down to the ground so it could join its friends. It didn’t seem one bit bothered as it simply waddled over to another Swadloon. Textbook unbothered nature for the species.
Even though you were seeing all these different Pokémon – eight species in total so far – the ones you were hoping so desperately to see still eluded you. You shed your jacket as the sun rose high enough to blanket you in its rays, warming you and the forest floor significantly. Alas, even as you sat there for two more hours, not a single deer Pokémon crossed your path…
Deciding they likely wouldn’t come around, you decided to be content with seeing the Pokémon you had already observed that day and stood, planning to head back into the city.
However…
The sound of a heavier creature moving through the brush caught your attention. Freezing in place, your head swiveled from side to side, looking all around yourself to try and locate the source of the sound. A flash of bright, unmistakable white among the greenery caught your eye! You moved ever so slowly as to not scare the Pokémon away, eventually being able to see it in its full glory; a Sawsbuck, still in its winter form with white, insulated fur on its legs and chest and barren branch antlers atop its head. Truly a glory to see, and your favorite form of Sawsbuck. Its head was leaned slightly down, as if munching on the shrubs, but something didn’t seem quite right…
You continued to circle the Pokémon from a distance, eventually seeing that the foliage had been hiding a person who stood next to Sawsbuck, hand raised and petting the content deer. You could see his mouth moving, but whatever he was saying was far too quiet for you to hear. He looked somewhat peculiar, but not in a bad way in any sense; long, green hair spilled from his ponytail, tufts sticking out this way and that in a somewhat crazy fashion. His clothes were quite simple, just a black undershirt with a white button up overtop, beige pants, and a dually colored black and white hat. More interestingly, his accessories consisted of an almost Saturn-like necklace and a large cube attached to a belt chain which hung by his side, accompanied by a couple of bracelets around his wrists. His eyes… You could barely see the color of them, but when the light hit his face, you caught a glimpse of an almost otherworldly blue-gray color.
With how in awe you were of this strange man, you were snapped back to reality when a Vanillite passed in front of your face, spinning as the breeze carried it. A small flurry of snowflakes wafted over your face as it passed by. Unfortunately, the chill of the ice-type made your nose tingle, and no matter how you tried to hide your sneeze, it was still rather noticeable. Looking up, you saw the Sawsbuck was now fully alert, staring directly at you. The man next to it was also now looking in your direction. He seemed surprised to see another person out here. Sawsbuck huffed a powerful chuff of air from its nose, creating a high-pitched sound. One of its hooves stomped threateningly on the ground. Warnings. The man turned back to it, gently petting along its neck and seeming to put the deer Pokémon at ease. He turned to you once more when it seemed the Pokémon was at ease, observing for a beat before beginning to walk through the sparse shrubbery towards you.
You internally began to freak out; why was he coming towards you?? Did you do something wrong?? Were you making him uncomfortable by accidentally staring?!? You had half a mind to walk the opposite way, but were held in place by the Sawsbuck, who stood stock still where it had been left. You were afraid your sudden movement could spook the beautiful deer Pokémon off. Attention turning back to the man as he approached, you wrung your hands together, nerves wracking your body as your heart skipped multiple beats. Fear? Curiosity? Anxiety? You couldn’t tell.
He came closer, closer, closer… Until he stopped somewhat uncomfortably close to you. You steeled your nerves and chanced a glance up, meeting his icy eyes as they looked down at you, as if judging your soul itself. A moment passed before he spoke plainly,
“Who are you, and why are you here?”
His voice was calm, almost enough to soothe your nerves, but his approach and way of speaking made him seem almost robotic, or at least under-socialized. You smiled as best you could as you formulated a response, “Uh- my name’s (y/n), and I just came out here to see the Sawsbuck and Deerling… That one is the only one I’ve seen today, unfortunately-” You pointed behind the man and to the Sawsbuck he had been beside, “- and I’ve been here since early morning. I’m- I’m sorry if I was staring or interrupted, I was just leaving…” Your voice dwindled towards the end, eyes evading his own as you spoke rather quickly due to the sheer anxiety you felt.
The man in front of you took a moment, but nodded in understanding. “I see. My apologies if I frightened you at all. My name is N.” Again, his way of speaking was monotone, as if he was reading from a script. But his tone changed ever so slightly, as if he had realized how he came off and was trying to be less forward. You released the breath you hadn't realized you were holding, letting out a quiet sigh of relief and composing yourself before replying,
“Ah- It’s nice to meet you.” You smiled as genuinely as you could despite the circumstances. Right after, your eyes drifted to the Sawsbuck whose gaze was still locked onto you. “Uhm, N… If you don’t mind me mentioning it, the way you were so close to that Sawsbuck a minute ago…” N tilted his head slightly as your eyes met again, indicating his listening. “That was… It was just amazing…! How did you get its trust? Sawsbuck and Deerling are the most skittish Pokémon around this area.”
N’s expression changed ever so minutely at your sudden question. His typical detest of all humans made him wary to answer such a thing in fear of you planning to do something to the Pokémon, but the way your eyes shone… Somehow, it brought his guard down just enough, “I’ve always had a… close connection with Pokémon. Ever since I was little, I’ve been able to communicate and interact with them, tell what they’re feeling and what they’re saying. They inherently trust me, it seems.” He hesitantly explained, his own eyes darting from place to place in what seemed like awkwardness. Your response was immediate and excitable, yet still quiet as to not spook the Sawsbuck,
“Really?? That’s incredible! Geez, what I’d give to have a natural connection to Pokémon like that…” You smiled at the thought, anxiety now completely blown away as your interest piqued. N’s brows knitted together slightly, seemingly confused in his own thoughts, not that you noticed. Your eyes darted back to the Sawsbuck who still stood still as an elegant statue, huffing and stomping at you once more as your eyes met. Your smile fell to a less exuberant one,
“Seems like Sawsbuck doesn’t like me at all, it must think I’m something scary…” You mumbled, mainly to yourself, although N had clearly also heard. He was pulled out of his own head by your words. He glanced over at the Sawsbuck before shaking his head, “I don’t think that’s what’s going through Sawsbuck’s head. You’re definitely not scary, at least.” N reassured with the slightest hint of a smile tugging at his expression. You turned to look up at him, a little struck by his kind words. “Let me show you what I think its standoffishness is really about.”
With a confident smile, N slowly got to his knees, motioning for you to follow his lead. You did, although you were definitely confused by what he was doing. How was kneeling supposed to make Sawsbuck less wary of you? Before you could even think to ask, he swiveled slightly to the side to look at a small cluster of bushes that sat in front of Sawsbuck,
“Come here little ones, she’s a friend. She’s not going to do anything to you.” His voice became softer and much more gentle, a stark contrast from the robotic, monotone voice he had spoken to you with before. You raised a brow, briefly wondering if he was a little off in the head.
Before you could question anything further, however, the bushes he had his eyes on rustled, grabbing your attention in an instant. Clearly Sawsbuck was standing still, so you had no clue at all what it could be. That is, until a small head popped out of the bush, adorned with a bright yellow flower on top. You gasped quietly, bringing your hands to your mouth as you processed the image before you. Another head popped out, followed by one more. Suddenly, there were three Deerling peeking out from the shrub, staring at you and N. He continued to coax them,
“I promise everything is alright. This is (y/n). She said she’d like to meet you, if you don’t mind. I promise it’s safe.” The Pokémon seemed to debate for a moment longer, but soon enough, one brave Deerling took the first step out of the bush. It cautiously approached, looking between you and N, and eventually stopped in front of you. It still seemed cautious, leaning down to sniff at your clothes as you sat in front of it. You didn’t dare make any sort of move in fear of scaring the little thing off; this was a dream come true, and you’d be damned if you somehow managed to ruin it…!
The Deerling seemed to finish its observation of you after a moment, simply looking up at you with its large doe eyes. You could only stare back, awe struck. That is, until N extended his hand and effortlessly pet the Deerling. It loved his attention, crying out delightfully as it smiled. N retracted his hand soon after, motioning for you to do the same. Although you were unsure of yourself, you ultimately reached out, ever so slowly bringing your hand closer to the Deerling and holding it there. It turned to your hand, giving it a slight sniff. It took a long moment to observe you and take in your scent. As much as you had expected it to be disinterested or run away, you found your heart doing leaps when it smiled and leaned comfortably into your palm. You nearly imploded then and there-
“Hi there, little fella…” You whispered, scratching under the Deerling’s chin, earning you a quiet yet content cry. Excitedly, the Pokémon jumped and turned back to face the bush where the other two still stood, crying out in a way that made them both come running. You didn’t have time to snap out of your blissed state as the three of the full-force crashed into you all at once. The combined weight of them easily toppled you over, landing on you and unintentionally knocking the breath out of you. Although you were now on your back and covered with rather heavy Pokémon, your coughing fit subsided quickly and instantly turned into a belly laugh. Your hands found two of the Deerling and began to pet,
“Wow, you guys are excitable, huh? It’s nice to meet you all!” You managed to say between giggles as they jumped off of you and romped about happily. As you sat up with a content sigh, you looked over to N, “If I’m dreaming, please never wake me up. This is like a fairytale from my wildest dreams.” You grinned uncontrollably. He seemed to chuckle lightly,
“They were the reason Sawsbuck was chuffing and stomping; it was protecting them.” He explained, stroking one of the Deerling that approached him, “You’re definitely not scary if Deerling of all Pokémon are playing around you. They even seem to like you quite a bit, oddly enough. They’re typically quite choosy when it comes to people.”
Huh. Maybe you just hadn’t gotten the full picture before. Maybe he’s right…
Before you could respond, you noticed a shadow come over your body. A cloud maybe? However, when you looked in front of you, what you saw was a tall silhouette cast onto the grass. You froze up slightly. No way this could be what you thought it was… However, as you cautiously chanced a look up, you were met with the mighty form of Sawsbuck standing almost scarily close to you. One stomp from this Pokémon could easily send you to the Pokémon Center. But… You didn’t get the feeling that you were in danger. Its dark brown eyes stared down at you, and you up at it, both examining the other thoroughly. Although you didn't feel in danger, there was a little voice in the back of your head that told you this could all go very wrong, no matter how magical the moment was…
After a moment that felt all too long, Sawsbuck lowered its head to be level with yours, sniffing your hair in a way that sent locks flying as it exhaled. You were frozen as you allowed the Pokémon to do whatever it pleased, soaking in the moment even as your heart raced. However, when Sawsbuck gently nudged your head with its snout, you heard a rustle in the grass beside you, then promptly felt a hand on yours. You nearly flinched, but stopped yourself in fear of scaring Sawsbuck away. Your eyes darted to the side to see N now crouched right beside you.
“It’s just me. Sawsbuck trusts you enough. Just stay calm.” N’s smooth, composed voice came chillingly close to your ear, his hand lifting yours from the ground. Time seemed to slow down as he lifted your hand with his, bringing it to rest on the side of Sawsbuck’s jaw. Wow… You were actually touching this powerful yet gentle beast of a Pokémon. And it was allowing you to… In fact, just seconds later, Sawsbuck leaned into your touch just slightly, enticing you to gently scratch under its chin.
“Woah…” You couldn’t help mumbling in awe. This was easily the highlight of your entire life. “Hello, Sawsbuck. It’s an honor…” You grinned from ear to ear. Never would you have thought you’d be able to get so close to a wild deer Pokémon, let alone have one allow it to touch you like this. It was so calm, so elegant, yet powerful and imposing. It made your heart beat faster out of excitement rather than fear and anxiety.
N stood after a moment that seemed to last forever. Snapped out of your focus, you looked up at the green haired man, watching as he extended his hand to help you up, which you took before returning your attention to Sawsbuck. It seemed to grow less and less guarded, seeing as it now pushed its head into your shoulder. You laughed a bit at the action and gladly brought your hands up to cup the Pokémon’s face once you were standing.
“This is absolutely the most magical moment of my entire life… I can’t thank you enough, N, really-” You began, but cut yourself off when you saw N go from standing at Sawsbuck’s side to jumping onto its back in one swift motion. Your jaw dropped to the forest floor at the action. First he so easily and effortlessly gains the trust of one of the most skittish species of Pokémon in the region, and now he’s riding it without issue?? Just who was this man?!?
“Sawsbuck wants to apologize for being so standoffish, and is offering us a ride.” He explained. His words were followed by a short huff from Sawsbuck itself, as if confirming what N said. You grinned yet again, turning back to the Pokémon,
“Awe, you don’t have to apologize for that, big fella. I understand you were just looking after the Deerling, and I forgive you.” You leaned up and planted a kiss on Sawsbuck’s snout, earning a small, happy chuff from it. “May I?” You motioned to its back, to which it nudged you towards its side.
N couldn’t help grinning too; it was so rarely that he met a trainer who asked Pokémon for permission in regards to anything. Much more commonly, he’d see trainers who bossed their Pokémon around like lackeys doing their bidding, or as tools to do a certain task. This… You, were a breath of fresh air, even if he was still cautious, as was his nature.
“Uhm…” N was pulled from his thoughts by your voice, looking down at you, “How exactly do I… get onto a Pokémon like this? I’ve never…” You smiled sheepishly as you stood by Sawsbuck’s side. The Pokémon’s withers were easily as tall as you were, its back just slightly shorter, and you doubted you could jump up that high on your own. Without hesitation, N slid off of Sawsbuck’s back to stand next to you before placing his hands on your waist and lifting you onto the Pokémon’s back with relative ease. Your hands flew to grasp his arms as he did so, the sudden and unexpected action making your heart jump briefly. The feeling of being lifted off of the ground was unexpected and new, it felt as if you’d fall at any moment. Thankfully, you were on Sawsbuck’s back in seconds. Your poor heart… And it wouldn't get a break, as N followed you soon after, hoisting himself up and sitting in front of you. The closeness surprised you a bit.
With that, Sawsbuck began to slowly walk on, but your heart – goodness, YOUR HEART – felt like it was racing a million miles an hour! You oftentimes avoided touch from others aside from maybe the occasional handshake, and never had ANYONE EVER put their hands on your waist like that! You could feel your face start to heat up to the point you’d think it was summer if you didn’t know any better…
You were unexpectedly thrust forward as Sawsbuck made a maneuver of some sort, causing you to instinctively wrap your arms around N to keep yourself from falling off. Looking back, it had apparently decided to jump over a small offshoot of the stream that had blocked its path.
“Ah- sorry, I probably should have warned you to hold on before. We’re almost there.” N apologized, glancing back at you before returning his attention to what was ahead. Rather than reply with words, you simply nodded slightly, now flustered from before as well as from grabbing at him so suddenly. He didn’t seem to notice – considering his behavior, he seemed to not know what social cues were and how things like this typically affected people – which was probably for the better in that moment, lest your poor heart suddenly give out on you from embarrassment.
In an attempt to distract yourself, you turned your attention to your surroundings; the forest had become slightly denser, the only light illuminating the greenery being dappled as it filtered through the canopy above. It gave such a scenic atmosphere to the impromptu trail ride you were currently on, making your surroundings look like you had been transported into a vibrant oil painting. As you went on, you also began to notice the flowers; while there had been relatively few where you had been, this path Sawsbuck was taking seemed to get continuously denser with all different colors of flowers, their beauty only accentuated by the spotty light. Foongus, Leavanny, Deerling, and other Pokémon began to appear more frequently, all taking advantage of the warmth the afternoon brought the forest.
Suddenly, a brighter light hit your face. Looking up revealed the canopy had opened up a significant amount, and looking forward, you were met with a gorgeous sight; one large, clearly old and mighty tree stood in the middle of a somewhat large clearing. Its leaves had not yet grown in, but leaf buds were on every branch, ready to sprout and grow when spring came in full force. The greenery and grass were dotted with flowers of all kinds. Many Deerling and Sawsbuck, still in their winter coats, were gathered in groups as they grazed, played, and relaxed as they pleased. Their dark coats soaked in the sunlight the afternoon brought with it as the Pokémon happily went about their lives. It was by far the most extraordinary sight you had ever seen…
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Asked N, glancing over his shoulder and seeing your wide eyes taking in absolutely everything they possibly could. You nodded without looking, too enraptured to look away from the sights before you,
“It… It’s more than I could have ever hoped to see…”
You felt Sawsbuck come to a stop, putting you right under the huge tree which sat at the center of everything. N slid off it with ease, turning to help you down by basically catching you as you clumsily slid off of the tall Pokémon’s back. You thanked N before turning to Sawsbuck, cupping its face in your hands ever so gently and pressing your forehead to its own, “Thank you, Sawsbuck. You’ve been kinder than I could have ever asked. You’ve made this day one I’ll never forget.” With a happy chuff, Sawsbuck gracefully walked away, leaving you and N under the tree. You looked up to its branches, bare save for the green buds which were just waiting to grow into bushels of leaves.
“This tree is amazing…” You mumbled, “I bet it’s beautiful when all the leaves and flowers bloom in spring. I can only imagine.” N looked down at you, taking in your awestruck expression as your eyes wandered to and fro in an attempt to gather every little detail. He remembered the utter whimsy he felt when Pokémon had first been so kind to him, when they had first started bringing him to their secret places like this. In a way, you reminded him of himself. Or, at least, a younger version of himself.
“I’ve been here a couple of times before when this tree is in full bloom,” He mentioned, gaining your attention in an instant, “It was certainly something to behold. It’s a scene I’ll always remember.” He raised his hand into the air, as if reaching for the tree’s branches, “It was the end of spring the second time, one of the times this tree is at its fullest. I climbed it with the Swadloon and sat in its branches with the Tranquil and Emolga. All the Pokémon in this area are so kind… It’s one of my favorite places in Unova, undeniably.”
The look on his face as he recalled the memory was so content, as if he was living that day again. He looked as if he was remembering better times, an oh so subtle sadness hidden behind his smile, as if something had gone wrong since then.
“You’re so lucky…” Your voice came quietly in the peaceful clearing, catching N’s attention with ease. He turned to look at you as you spoke, seemingly listening intently, “I’ve always wanted to be friends with every Pokémon I meet, it was my dream to be friends with every single one when I was little.” You chuckled dryly, “I was a little eager back then; Pokémon would run away when I’d come at them, screaming ‘Please be my friend!’ I learned pretty quickly that you can’t approach them like that. I’d sit at the edge of the forest near my house, totally still, not making a sound, hoping that the forest Pokémon would walk by. I ended up befriending a lot of them, even one that came on my journey with me. But…” You turned to look up at N, “I’ve never had the kind of charisma you seem to with Pokémon. I wish so badly I could understand them better. I try, but… it doesn’t always work, y’know? Well actually- I guess you might not know.” You laughed briefly, turning your attention back to the Sawsbuck and Deerling in the clearing.
“This is just… something really special, and I’m honestly jealous that you get to see stuff like this. The way these Sawsbuck and Deerling are living away from people, completely in nature and completely free… It’s fascinating. So, so beautiful. I want to travel to all the corners of Unova and see as much of this beauty as I can…”
N quickly became conflicted inside due to your rambles. Hadn’t trainers always been bad people? Hateful and selfish and horrible people who make their Pokémon battle for no reason. He’s seen the worst of trainers and how they treat their Pokémon. How could there be people that act otherwise? His stomach turned this way and that as his truths were mangled and challenged right before him…
Snapping both you and N out of your thoughts was the wind, picking up and rustling the grass and leaves around you. It was a welcome breeze, gentle yet refreshing, and with it came a certain calmness. The grass swayed in a way that made it look like waves on water, and the scent of wildflowers wafted your way.
N’s hand on your shoulder grabbed your attention, causing you to turn and look up at him once more. You saw him pointing towards where the wind was blowing from, “Something tells me you don’t want to miss this.” His cryptic words had you at a loss for a moment, but soon enough, you were graced with an extraordinary event you could have only ever dreamed of witnessing…
As the wind blew into the clearing, newly opening flowers began to sprout along its path, turning the flower dotted fields and shrubs dense with color and vibrance. As the wind moved, it pushed the wave of budding blossoms towards the two of you, until flowers began popping up at your very feet. You couldn’t help but crouch down to get a closer look, observing with wide, practically sparkling eyes as flower after flower gracefully unfolded itself below you. A tap on your back made you look up, and boy were you glad it had.
You witnessed the most spectacular thing; the tree’s branches grew colorful as they began to explode with life! New leaf buds on each branch unfolded into lush, emerald green foliage, moving in a wave with the wind to cover the entirety of the once barren branches with new color. Long, wispy branches grew to reach the grass, swaying around you and N, encasing you in your own little space away from the clearing. The dense leaves on the long branches only let so much light through, dappling what light that came through. The sound of branches swaying and leaves rustling around you was one of the most serene you’d heard.
Following closely after, a wave of blossoms were quick to replace each leaf, bundling together on each hanging branch to create lovely, full bunches of vibrant golden hues. Long bundles of seeds and petals made it look as if the branches were covered top to bottom in fuzzy caterpillars, the sweet scent pleasant as the breeze brought it to you.
A willow tree…
Just outside the cover of the tree as the swinging branches created gaps you could see through, you could see the Sawsbuck and Deerling all looking to the sky. The Deerling’s coats became more vibrant, lightening and gaining color until they became a soft baby pink hue to compliment the yellow flowers on their heads. The Sawsbuck, however, were the spectacular thing you had come in hopes of seeing; every Sawsbuck simultaneously leaned down and shook their heads, their white tufts of fur and white velvet on their antlers shedding easily as they did so. Their coats got slightly more saturated, turning a more milk chocolate color, and their antlers…
As their heads shook and the velvet from the winter shed, in grew a bushel of wonderful pink flowers. Your typical spring Sawsbuck will have rather sparse flowers on its horns, but at the beginning of spring, their growth is at its peak. The energy they’ve stored over winter explodes into new growth, causing a cascade of pink flowers to sprout from their branch-like antlers, even more full than the set of leaves they get in the summer. It truly was a spectacle, even among the other three already amazing transformations the Pokémon goes through each year. Petals from the Sawsbucks’ shaking blew into the wind, the sheer abundance apparently not all being able to fit on their antlers. Over time, these flowers will shed to the typical amount you’d see any other time of spring, shedding and regrowing throughout the season, but never being so spectacularly abundant as now…
It didn’t take long after that for the winds to subside as the blooms came into their full glory, the sunlight from above filtering through the willow’s yellow blossoms to create a golden glow inside the tree’s long, dancing branches, swaying softly in the subsided breeze. You watched the golden light around you dance through the gaps between flowers and branches. Looking over to N, you watched it pass over his face, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance. He looked quite calm, serene even, as if he was right at home.
His eyes unexpectedly met yours as he tilted his head to look down at you, “Ta-da~.” He said with a somewhat sing-song tone, causing you to laugh quietly,
“N, that was the most exceptional thing I’ve ever seen! Honestly, how do places like this exist outside of fairytales…”
“Well, Pokémon are amazing creatures. Of course it makes sense they’d live in equally amazing places like this.” You nodded in agreement, supposing it made sense. In a world of such a wide array of magnificent creatures such as Pokémon, with their abilities and ties to this and that, there were bound to be places like this.
“... N?”
“Hm?”
“I…” Your hands wrung together nervously as you tried to find the right words to even begin to describe how you felt in the moment, “Geez, I don’t even have the words… I really can’t thank you enough, for all of this I mean.” You gestured widely to the gorgeous willow tree and Sawsbuck that surrounded you two, “I came to the forest hoping to see a Sawsbuck or a Deerling go through the winter-to-spring change, and I was about to leave thinking I would miss it this year. Then I saw you and thought you being able to so effortlessly interact with Sawsbuck was the most amazing thing ever. Then I even got to see Deerling and a Sawsbuck up so close, thanks to you… And now… Well, this is beyond anything I would have thought I’d ever get to see! It’s really the most gorgeous, unique things I’ve ever seen in my life, and I bet nothing I’ll ever see again will be able to top it… I’m… far, far beyond grateful for all of this. I still wish I could connect to Pokémon like you do so naturally, but it was nice to get a taste of what it must be like.”
The way you smiled so sweetly up at him, tears pricking the corners of your eyes and threatening to spill over any second, and the unbridled honesty and truthfulness in your voice… It made him rethink so, so many things. He kind of hated it in all honesty, but couldn’t bring himself to push all his preconceived notions of trainers onto you as he’d done for so long. You’d broken his perceived truths in so many ways, all within the span of maybe half an hour. He truly couldn’t comprehend it all right at that moment.
However, he reasoned with himself…
He might be able to change his mind about a trainer. Just this once. Just this one trainer.
N smiled brightly with such kindness, cheeks tinged just slightly with a warmness he hadn’t felt before, “I’m glad I could give that to you. And maybe, if we meet again, I could teach you a few things about Pokémon.” Suddenly, his mind was overwhelmed with every reason you may never want to see him again. His eyes fell to look at the flowers beneath him, causing you to worry slightly. Why the sudden change?
“However, I do have to tell you that my life is… well, I suppose it’s quite complicated. You may end up not wanting to be around me.” His shoulders slumped as he spoke, his hand coming up to pull his cap down to cover his eyes. If you were to ever find out, you’d probably tell him to never come near you again, or worse, you could be put in danger due to being affiliated with him.
“What??” You exclaimed, taking a few steps so you stood in front of the green haired man. He tilted his cap further to hide his face from you. Shame washed over him. “N, I know we’ve just met, and this may be a little forward, but you’ve been nothing but kind and sweet and friendly. You’re a good person! Pokémon love you, and they’re the absolute best judge of character! I can’t think of a single thing that would put me off someone as thoughtful as you.”
His expression soured greatly, although you couldn’t see it, “I can think of dozens… Please, just…” N let out a sigh, his thoughts moving faster than he could keep up with, “I can’t tell you everything that’s wrong with me, but if you ever find out… please, if you end up hating me, don’t lie about it…”
At his words and shame filled tone, your brows knit together in worry. What in the world could be making him so hesitant to see you again?
“Okay… I promise, no lies. But…” You brought your hand up, gently taking the brim of his cap between your fingers and lifting it. N tried to look further away, seemingly unable or unwilling to look you in the eyes. You leaned over so you were at the edge of his vision, forcing him to glance at you out of the corner of his eye. Once you had his attention, you lifted the cap off his head and planted it right on yours, taking him by surprise,
“I also promise that I’ll never hate you~.”
The confidence in your statement, the smile on your face, the way you seemed so completely and utterly genuine… He could hardly believe it. Just what kind of trainer – what kind of person – were you…
“I…” N began, eyes darting this way and that as you continued to smile up at him. You felt your cheeks grow hot; how could he be so innocent and sweet?? He took a deep breath, his eyes coming back to meet your gaze,
“Do you… have some time to spare? We don’t have to leave yet…”
Your smile grew even wider at his invitation, to which you gladly accepted. You and N spent the rest of the afternoon under that willow tree with the Sawsbuck and Deerling as he taught you a few things about how he makes friends so easily with Pokémon. Most of it is his natural ability, but he gave you good tips and tricks. You’re even able to test them on the Pokémon that came by the clearing! By the end of your time together, you were surrounded by friends; Swadloon, Deerling, Sawsbuck, Tranquil, you name it and you had befriended it with N’s help!
As you parted ways, N warned that with how he travels Unova, the two of you may not meet for some time. Of course, in typical you fashion, you reassured him you didn’t mind so long as the two of you actually met again, telling him how he shouldn’t stress about it with how mysteriously chaotic his life seems to be.
As you tried to return his hat before going your separate ways, he held his hand out in protest. Keep it, he said, you can give it back to him next time you meet. Like a promise for the future.
With that, you headed on your way back to the city. However, there was suddenly a lonely feeling following you. You took his hat off of your head, holding it in your hands with care. You found yourself sitting at the forest entrance after you followed the path out, maybe hoping to see him walking out behind you? You honestly didn’t quite know.
Placing the hat back on your head, you waited a few more seconds, before steeling yourself and walking away.
A promise is a promise; you’ll be seeing him again, surely.