Four days earlier
Today was the day. Angel couldn’t stop watching the sun, practically counting the seconds as it traveled across the sky. His chores taunted him, every seed he planted took an hour, every row a week. His drill plugged into the soil, a human dropped a seed behind him, slink forward a foot, drill into the soil, drop a seed, slink forward--OH COME ON! Where’s my trainer?
Living in the shadow of Mount Silver was enough of a tease. The humans called this little patch of boring Argentbrook Town, after the seasonal river that threatened to wipe it out every spring. Most of their work focused around the logging community, cutting down trees and planting their replacements, with plenty of Pokemon help of course. A family of Marills and a Vaporeon watered the trees, a gaggle of Aipom helped keep the trees healthy, a group of gruff old Scythers cut them down, a few burly Machokes lugged the logs around, and so forth. Most Pokemon didn’t technically belong to anyone in town, but they’d fallen into the humans’ lifestyle and worked with a specific family or individual.
Of course, the most important job went to the Dunsparces. Angel, his mother, and his eleven brothers and sisters lead the way in planting. Actually, they did all the dirt-related work, including digging channels to protect the town from the spring thaw. Tilling was his favorite work, since they hosted races to till as fast as possible; Angel was one of the quickest.
As they worked, his attention kept going to the little blue bandanna around his neck, as well as his siblings’ differently colored ones. He still couldn’t believe it: they were going to be adopted! Angel was going on an adventure with a trainer! What was his trainer going to be like? Were they nice? Intense? Smart? Oh he hoped they were smart, he had so many ideas but he really needed them to be smart to understand, since humans couldn’t understand Pokemon speech.
“Uh, Angel, buddy, didn’t you hear the bell?” the human behind him asked, patting him on the back.
Angel jolted and glanced up at him with a confused trill.
“It’s lunch time.”
Sure enough, his family were all fluttering towards the cafeteria. Ah. Right. Yeah. Food. That’s import0ant. Come to think of it, I think my stomach’s trying to chew its way out to find something.
Then, just as he was starting to head over, he noticed a Houndoom and Houndour leaving the town’s charcoal shed. Normally, he would’ve just met the black and orange hounds over there, but then he noticed a green bandana around the Houndour’s neck.
“[OH MY GOSH! DAISY GOT ADOPTED! DAISY DAISY DAISY DAISY…!]” Angel squealed as he raced towards her, kicking up a plume of dust as he flew.
The Houndour’s gaze was firmly fixed forward, oblivious to him.
Angel dropped to the ground and kicked up a wave of dirt as he stopped. Daisy yelped with surprise as she disappeared behind the dust.
She reappeared a deep, rich brown. She shivered in place and stared at Angel with eyes wide with panic.
“[Uh. Oops. Sorry,]” he said, wincing sheepishly, “[Uh… congratulations?]”
She whimpered pitifully.
The Houndoom, Trigger, chuckled deeply and nudged his daughter with his snout, “[Oh shake it off. A little dirt never hurt anyone.]”
“[W-we’re fire types,]” Daisy squeaked, but managed to take a deep breath and calm down a little. She even managed a fragile smile as she replied, “[B-b-but, uh, yeah. I-it’s really exciting.]”
“[I know!]” Angel chimed, fluttering his wings, “[I can’t wait to meet them. What do you think your trainer will be like?]”
The Houndour tucked her ears back and ducked her head. “[I-I hope they aren’t a trainer,]” she whispered.
Angel gasped in abject horror and started to blabber, “[What do you mean you don’t want a trainer? That’s the dream! That’s the life! That’s--]” Grrrrroooowwwwl. “[Sweet Arceus I need food.]”
The Hound’s chuckled a little and Trigger used his paw to turn him around. “[It’s that way, son,]” he rumbled.
Angel laughed at himself, then turned to Daisy, fluttering excitedly, “[Race?]”
That finally perked her up and she crouched playfully, “[You’re on.]”
Naturally, Daisy blew him out of the water, leaving him eating her dust, but that was okay. Angel liked challenging himself, and if he one day caught up to her that would be a real achievement.
Regardless, they skidded into the food yard, falling into line alongside Angel’s siblings. Those who’d been picked out for adoption immediately started jabbering at them, talking over each other in their excitement. Again, Daisy got anxious when they collectively asked, “[What adventures do you want to go on?]”
Despite his own excitement, Angel noticed his friend and answered himself, “[Well I want to challenge the Mountain Master.]”
“[Well, duh,]” one sister scoffed, “[You’ve been wanting to do that since you ‘saw’ him.]”
“[I did! I saw him fighting!]” he insisted, glancing up towards Mount Silver. Near the peak he spotted a rock that had once been snow white and was now scorched the darkest grey. He could still picture the flames. “[It would be so much fun to see how close I can get to his level.]”
“[You were just dreaming, the Master’s a myth,]” another Dunsparce countered.
“[I mean… Ho-oh’s real,]” Daisy pointed out, coming to his defense.
The siblings collectively groaned, but let it go as one of them said, “[Well I want to go to Kalos and eat aaaalllll the fancy food,]” and continued jabbering about their own ideas. Mostly involving food.
It all stopped the instant the cafeteria doors swung open and several carts loaded with food came flowing out. Both people and Pokemon helped, and at the head of the group was an elderly woman with fiery blue eyes and a huge mane of white, curly hair. Despite her obvious age, she moved with a bounce in her step and wore what looked like an old ranger uniform, jokingly leading the procession like a band major with her gnarled oak cane as a marching baton. A similarly old Ampharos quietly pushed one of the trays, the big yellow Pokemon’s black stripes turned a dark grey.
Of course, Angel and his siblings knew better than to play too hard with Grandma Akari and Bo, but the Azurill, Aipom, and other smaller Pokemon eagerly raced at them. Not that Akari seemed to mind, happily picking up any Pokemon small enough and giving them a big hug, and everyone always reciprocated. Bo was a little more careful, but that was because every move he made was met with crackling electricity.
Regardless, pretty soon the elders and their helping hands started passing out bowls of homemade pokéchow and stew, the humans all heading for picnic tables and the Pokemon basically gobbling it down on the spot.
However, when Angel and Daisy reached the front of the line, Grandma Akari spotted them and lovingly patted their heads, “Well hello darlings! And how are my stars of the day doing?”
They barked and chirped happily, respectively.
“Wonderful! I’m sure you two are hungry, but I’m gonna ask you to be patient for just a liiiittle bit longer. Bo made you something extra special for your extra special day.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The Ampharos looked over and blinked slowly, then continued handing out food.
Angel pouted a little bit, his growling stomach already getting the better of him, but Daisy yipped, “[Yes ma’am!]” and pranced in place.
Akari gave Daisy a big, warm hug, then moved along to finish dishing things out. As expected, she was keeping food from the other Pokemon slated for adoption, but that didn’t stop him from whining, “[Oh come oooooon! I’m starving here.]”
“[You’re always starving,]” Daisy pointed out with a smirk.
“[You would be too if you missed second breakfast,]” he countered, another deafening roar erupting from his gut. Doing his best to focus, he asked her, “[So seriously? You don’t want a trainer?]”
She tucked her ears again and gulped, looking away nervously. “[I-I don’t know how to explain it. B-but it’s just… I’m happy here.]” she told him, shuffling her paws and staring at the ground, “[What if we never come back? What if I don’t like my trainer? What if I get badly hurt on the journey? What if…]”
As Daisy continued rattling off her worries, Angel calmly fluttered overhead, then dropped onto her with a soft plop.
She yelped and flattened under the weight. After a few seconds of clawing at the dirt, trying to get out from under the serpent, she flopped her head down and let out a tired sigh. “[Why?]”
“[Stop worrying,]” he told her, nestling his chin on her crest, “[I’m not moving until you stop.]”
“[Easy for you to say.]”
“[Hey, the unknown is what adventure’s about,]” he soothed, “[You think all the people and Pokemon who made champion knew where they’d wind up? You think Bo wasn’t nervous when he got adopted? Don’t you get bored just making charcoal every day?]”
She grunted, refusing to dignify his points.
Angel wagged his tail in the air, playfully casting shadows ahead of her. “[Just think, maybe you’ll meet one of the legendary birds. Or Entei! You might get to go in a submarine or meet a ghost. And don’t forget, you get to evolve.]” He looked up towards Mount Silver, its peak seemingly eternally capped in snow. “[Man, I wish I could evolve.]”
Finally, Daisy relented, “[Okay, you win. Please get off, you’re crushing me.]”
Angel obeyed, fluttering to look back at her. “[I’m not that fat, am I?]”
“[You kidding?]” She groaned and stretched, cracking her joints noisily. “[You’re the biggest Dunsparce here.]”
“[Really?!]” he said excitedly, jabbing his drill into the dirt and rearing back to look over his siblings. Pretty sure I’m not that much bigger. Jager at least looks bigger. Though, he was on the north end of Dunsparce sizes.
Before he could say anything, Akari came back and told him, “Okay dearies. Come inside.”
Angel fell back down with a flop and squealed with glee, “[FINALLY!]”
By this point she’d gathered a pretty serious trail of five Dunsparce (including Angel), two Azurill, an Eevee, Daisy, and a Scyther, plus Bo. Angel had been in Grandma Akari’s house plenty of times, especially during winter, and he always loved it. It wasn’t really a typical human house, more like a kitchen with a bed and rocking chair attached to a gigantic greenhouse. Fruit trees and bushes from all across the world bloomed inside, a handful of Roselia quietly humming to themselves as they tended to the plants.
Near the center of the room, several dinner domes had been set up, each with a different color tag in front of it. Behind them waited the parents of the various adoptees, including Angel’s dear mother, Honey. In unison, the parents all lifted up the dinner platters (with the help of some Roselia), Honey and the Scyther both fluttering their wings to blow the smell towards the kids.
The Pokemon couldn’t have charged any faster. Each meal looked to be specifically picked out for the individual, and when Angel saw his mountainous pile of fruit pastries he literally flew into it. Fruit and bread smothered him and one of the delicious treats disappeared down his gut before he’d stopped, the sweet and tangy bite of Wacan berries sending an electric tingle down his spine.
“[So, can I tell Bo you liked your meal?]” Honey teased.
“[Mmhmm. Ish ‘mazhing,]” Angel replied, still buried in bread.
When he finally escaped his sweet sweet prison, he saw Daisy snout-deep in what smelled like her beloved Occa berry curry. “[Man that looks good,]” he commented to her.
She gasped as she came up for air, her snout stained bright red as she declared, “[It’s delicious!]” then dove back in again.
The rest of the Pokemon were similarly dramatic across the garden, parents and Roselia all giggling at the children’s antics. Before long, everyone had massacred their platters, Angel for his part winding up flopped onto his back amid the carnage of crumbs. Not a single pastry was spared. His stomach was ready to burst.
“[Would this be a bad time to dog-pile you?]” Daisy teased, daintily cleaning her snout.
“[Mercyyyy…]” he moaned.
“[‘Cause I could do it.]”
“[Nooooooooo.]”
Throughout all of this, the parents were contently chatting with each other alongside Akari and Bo. Eventually someone piped up, “[What do you say, kids?]”
A cacophony of thanks erupted from the group, several actually rushing over to thank Bo with licks and nuzzles, Daisy included. Angel tried, but all he could muster the energy to do was to inch over and bump into him. Though, the smile he gave the Ampharos was warm enough to melt anyone’s heart.
Bo never said anything, instead just happily petting his fellow Pokemon, his touch sending a slight electrical tingle across Angel’s skin.
A few Pokemon tried to play, but everyone was too full. Angel, for his part wound up nuzzled up against his mother and siblings, the Dunsparce collectively huddled up in a nice beam of light and sunning. Once the food was cleaned up, the garden’s natural sweetness filled the air, lulling Angel into a peaceful rest. The other Pokemon also joined their parents, nestling up against them. Daisy walked the greenhouse with her father, peacefully sniffing the flowers and enjoying this moment of calm. It was downright idyllic, and as his stomach settled Angel felt truly at home.
It’s the only home I’ve known.
A weight dropped into his heart as he realized just what that meant. For a tiny instant, he understood what Daisy was so worried about. He looked around at all his siblings, at his mom, at Daisy… he might never see them again. His new life would be with his trainer. He’d be carried away on the first wind away from Argentbrook, never to come home.
“[I’m so proud of you kids,]” Honey suddenly said.
Angel and his siblings collectively reared up to look at her.
“[I always hoped a few of you would follow in my footsteps. I never thought it would be so many,]” she sounded genuinely choked up as she inched out and looked back at them, “[My little warriors. All going out there to protect a trainer and help them become better humans. You’re all going to shake the world, you know that?]” A few tears escaped her. “[You haven’t even left and you’ve made your mom so proud.]”
Of course, Angel and his siblings all dogpiled her in a huge full-body hug, cooing their reassurances to her. As he did so, all those doubts faded away. Yeah, that’s right. I’m not just leaving. I’m going out there to make mom proud. To make the whole town proud. I’m coming home a hero. You hear that world?! I’M COMING HOME A HERO!
Okay, maybe you can’t hear inside my head. Unless there’s a psychic type listening…
Suddenly Grandma Akari whistled and waved everyone over. As they came over, Bo pushed up her rocking chair. “Okay kids, your trainers are all waiting outside,” she began, sitting down with a grunt, “Before you go, though, I wanted to give you a last piece of advice.” The kids all ‘sat’ up straight and listened. “It’s not gonna be easy out there. It’s hard being a trainer and Pokemon, and your first few days especially will be a trial. You and your trainer might fight, might not do well in your first few battles.”
Angel noticed Daisy shrink and tuck her ears back.
“That’s okay.” Akari reached back and rubbed Bo on his neck, looking up with some memory in her eyes. “It’s all part of learning. Part of growing.” She leaned back down to look across the field of young Pokemon. “Not everyone can become the greatest; that’s not the point of going on this adventure. It’s about the journey. It’s about the friendships you make. It’s about growing with your trainer and making each other better and wiser for it.” She glanced back at her Ampharos again, “Bet I’ve learned more from you than you from me.”
Bo rolled his eyes.
“Point is, what makes someone great is sticking with it. Getting up when you’re knocked down and keeping your eye on whatever goal you and your trainer set.”
Most of the Pokemon collectively cheered at that, but Angel saw that Daisy was still downcast, eyes firmly fixed on the grass. He grimaced in thought, but then he made eye contact with Bo.
The Ampharos gestured at Akari and winked at him.
Smirking, the Dunsparce got behind Daisy, then gave her an almighty push to the front of the group.
“[Hey! What are you--?]” she yelped, only to realize she’d interrupted Akari and immediately tucked her ears back.
Not that Akari minded; she reached down and pulled the fire type into her lap. “Just remember, no matter what happens and how far you go,” she continued, scratching Daisy behind the ear, “We’ll be proud of you, and you’ll always be welcome home.” With that, Akari reached up and pulled a flower-shaped amethyst stud off her own ear and placed it on Daisy’s.
To call the Houndour surprised was an understatement. She stared up at Akari with shock for several long seconds. Then she showered the town grandmother with licks, wagging her tail happily.
Grandma Akari laughed and petted her back for a while, then gently set her down. “Okay, that’s enough, baby. Now go get ‘em.” She got up and looked out at the group. “All y’all. Time for you kids to face your destiny.”
While the group followed Grandma Akari out of her house into the yard, Angel fluttered up next to Daisy and gave her the biggest smile he could muster.
She was positively beaming. For the first time that he could remember, she looked confident.
Then they made it outside where a group of young trainers were waiting. Some Angel recognized, some he didn’t, but all of them were wearing bandannas to match their Pokemon’s. Daisy’s trainer was none other than Akari’s own granddaughter, Sakiko.
Angel didn’t recognize his trainer, he was a pretty normal looking kid with dark brown hair and equally dark eyes, but had a certain fire to him that the Dunsparce felt in his soul. The serpent flew at him with an eager squeal and accidentally tackled him to the ground, landing on top of him. “[Oh my gosh oh my gosh it’s so good to meet you!]” he trilled, “[I’m Angel, we’re gonna be best friends!]”
If he only knew…