I checked the time, then right as the clock hit noon, I rushed inside the warehouse. Eve was right behind me, her resolution working to banish my trepidation at what I’m apparently about to do. Erupting from speakers throughout the city, a boisterous voice announced: “Porto Marinada, are you ready for the yearly great auction!?”
Even from inside, the light of the gigantic holographic screen shined through the windows. I kept my head down low with my hood high, moving through the shelves to find my target. Eve’s eyes darted around frantically, then she quietly gasped when she noticed a rather ornate black box, its lid displaying its contents on a bed of red velvet. I immediately realized what I was here for, and I grimaced.
A small unassuming silverish-blue egg, a small fog of frost covering its surface.
Glancing around to make sure no one can see me, I rushed forward and stuffed the egg into my bag. Seemingly in the clear, I lurked back to the way I had come in, dipping out the door to trace around the edge of the building. Once we’re on the city's edge, Eve tossed me on her back as we began to scale the sheer cliff, which sits beneath the iconic hill of the west province’s area two.
“Let’s not keep you waiting!” On the now visible screen, Kofu walked to a glass box pulling a sheet off of it to reveal- the item I had just stolen. I froze, then frantically checked my bag to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. Thankfully the egg was as it had been, and on a closer look, the faint fog was not present on the one being shown off to the market.
“This, my curious fellows, is no ordinary egg!” A wide grin on his face, Kofu placed his hand on the glass, gesturing to the quickly growing crowd. “That’s right! This is an egg of the legendary bird of frost, Articuno!”
Eve sent me her distress at the sight, and I grimly nodded.
This was probably… really bad.
Knowing we don’t have much time, Eve began to channel her energy, leaping to the top of the cliff as we set into doubletime. Right on cue, an alarm began to blare from the warehouse below us, and we didn't waste our headstart as we rushed away as fast as we could. We dashed up the incline, heading towards the one place I knew that Eve could lose our soon to be pursuers.
Namely, into the Asado Desert.
Wind whipped up around us with every step, a bright energy gathering in Eve’s horn before she launched a Razor Wind across the desert, sending sand flying into the air along its trail. She repeated this process multiple times in a row as we pranced through the dunes, and before long the wind began to pick up without our input. Having detected the pseudo sandstorm, several Hipowdon and their calves clambered out of the ground, their Sand Stream effortlessly taking command of the dust clouds. Soon, a full fledged squall had begun behind us, and we utilized it to our full advantage.
To my surprise at the time though, Eve doesn’t immediately get out of the desert as soon as she can. Instead, she ran up to one of the gigantic, sand eroded stone monoliths that dot the desert, digging into a small cave not visible from above. I climbed off her back once I knew we were probably in the clear, rummaging within my bag until I found a small flashlight, clicking it to reveal, well, seemingly not much. The cave continued downward in a web of twisting claustrophobic tunnels that I’d never be able to get through on my own, at least until we slipped through a crevice that Eve only barely managed to fit through. To my surprise, however, as I emerged from the crack, I turned my beam of light onto a carved plaque hanging above a large brick entryway.
image [https://fontmeme.com/permalink/241017/da7caf1884cedfbfe196c61975e5412d.png]
As I followed my partner into a gigantic cavern I couldn’t help but gape at the sheer… wonder of the place I had inadvertently entered. Huge structures are carved into the stone, their walls weathered through time. A strange mix of pokemon roamed the area, the typical wildlife you’d find in Asado like Rellor or Phanpy intermingling with the eerie remnants of ancient civilization, like Yamask and Golurk.
Sticking close to my partner, I found that Eve definitely seemed to know this place, at least somewhat. She’d walk with conviction one way, then end up raising her head and looking around in confusion when she reached something she didn’t recognize. Eventually, she released a sigh of relief, and we entered a gigantic temple-like structure.
Within its walls, what I assumed to be a gigantic fountain, despite the lack of water, displays a large statue of a gigantic Braviary upon its top. I looked around in awe at the beautiful carvings covering nearly the entire walls, all using that same language that was present on the plaque outside. Then, Eve approaches the statue and bows. I take a step back as the previously completely inert bird moved, its power radiating around it as it raises its head.
[Ah, an Absol. As has long been our covenant, I will assist you and yours. What is your purpose here?]
Eve barked, gesturing towards me, and I hastily opened my bag to reveal the egg. The bird’s eyebrow twitches at the sight, and it sighs as it slowly stands up. When it flaps its wings just once, a gigantic gust of wind blows away all the sand that had managed to filter into the room over a period of who knows how long.
The Braviary’s eyes flashed pink, and suddenly I was falling beside Eve.
I screamed, a sudden horror falling over me as we swiftly dropped towards the peak of Glasedo Mountain. A huge set of talons soon wrapped around me, and our descent slowed dramatically, yet it made it no more easy on my heart as we soared hundreds, if not thousands of feet above the ground. I closed my eyes and grasped on for dear life, and when we finally came to land within the ice and snow, I found myself unable to stand.
Eve snickered at me, pulling me onto her back, but her amusement soon turned into anxiety as we approached a cliff face. Eve leaped upwards to land upon its edge, and I accidentally glanced down to have my stomach do a flip at the sight of the drop. That was new, and I vainly hoped that fear would not stick.
My mind was quickly taken off of my terror when Eve sent me an urgency as we stood over a nest. I fumble out the egg, placing it back in its spot. I took a step back, only to have a blood freezing chill spread through my veins. I peeked to my left to find a blue bird larger than the Braviary glaring down at me with pure hatred. Eve barked as I trembled, and soon an incomprehensible yet still incredibly tense conversation began to erupt. Thankfully, it seems to have turned out well, Eve tossing me onto her back as we swiftly fled the scene.
As we slid down the mountain, I hugged my partner close as every jerk and sudden drop made my heart skip at least four beats. Finally we came to a stop just above Montenevara, and I bit my lip as we looked out over the place we had met. It had only been a few months, but that warm town, illuminated by purple flame, still managed to bring on bittersweet memories.
It’s a real pity that I’ll never be able to visit them again.
My eyelids flutter open, a rather unfamiliar warmth covering me whole. A teeny excitement emits from near my stomach, and I lift my blanket to reveal Tinder, her energy full and white tail wagging. I breathe through my nose as I find a huge grin crossing my face, bringing my new little sister up to my face.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
I put my forehead to hers, sharing my affection, which makes her pause before she returns it herself. I hug my little fox, stepping out of my tent to find Sofie making breakfast once again. The girl smiles at me, putting her hand on her hip.
“Well, Miss Clumsy, how nice of you to join us today!” Sofie gestures towards a chair, and I sit to find the small kit that was in my arms swapped for a bowl of oatmeal. Sofie raises the little Vulpix up, smiling widely as she does. “Good morning to you too, little Tinder? Are you hungry?”
The kit squeaks in confirmation as a bit of drool forms in her mouth, and Sofie chuckles as she places the fox beside me. The girl grabs a bunch of berries, placing them out before the Pokemon. Like before, the fox immediately gnaws on the Pecha berries first, but she also paws Cherri berries away, knocking them out of the little bowl Sofie had set up.
This absolutely incenses Cappuccino, who lectures the kit as she picks the berries up. Wiping them off with her tail, the Minccino pops the Cheris into her mouth, happily walking away from a teary Tinder. I sigh, patting my little fox on the head and sharing my appreciation for her eating well. The fox, her mood restored, begins to chow away at the remaining berries.
Eve, yawning, walks up and nuzzles me as she sits down beside us. I scratch the back of her head, then begin to consume my bowl of breakfast. It’s a bit similar to yesterday but… was that Rawst? Interesting how a teeny bit of bitter can change a dish so much.
I finish my food fast, not wanting to dawdle too much longer. Chamomile does basically nothing in comparison to everyone else as we pack up the camp, though she does release a pleasant lavender scent. When we have all our supplies, we walk up to the cliff, and I hug Tinder to my chest as I look up, grimacing.
“These next few hours are gonna suck,” I mutter, recalling Tinder into her ball. She sends me a bit of confusion, but quiets down when I send her my affection.
Sofie shrugs, following my lead and storing her Pokemon, “I guess, but we’ll be fine. It shouldn’t take too long to get over this mountain right?”
I roll my eyes, mounting up onto Eve’s back while offering Sofie a hand. “Famous last words, miss Meier. C’mon, I wanna be off the cliffs by sundown.”
Sofie sighs but takes my hand, and I grunt as I pull her up as well. I freeze as she hugs me from behind, leaning forward with a grin. “This is much better than the first time I rode Eve, by the way. Far less stress.”
I bite my lip, doing my best to ignore Eve’s snickering at my situation. I pat her on the neck, and my partner begins our to be long trek by leaping up onto a ledge quite a bit above us. Sofie giggles as the wind rips past us, but I just do my best to not look down.
We get about a quarter up the mountain before anything interesting happens, but when we get onto a rather gigantic cliff, I smile at the various rock types lingering about. A few Geodude bonk against themselves and others, including a Carbink that I almost miss. Aron chomp away at the mountainside, apparently having formed a large indent on its side as they do.
As we continue walking, it becomes abundantly clear that Eve is purposely avoiding going near large patches of rocks, taking long routes to go around them. I have no idea why that is exactly, considering they seem to be perfectly fine to pass through, but I’ve learned to just accept that kind of thing.
Eventually, we reach the end of the cliff, and I have to go back to not thinking about where I am. We slowly leap from outcrop to outcrop, progress slow as Eve has to get her momentum just right for us to not fall to our deaths. I banish that thought and close my eyes, leaning back against my friend. She huffs, and I feel her hand scratch my head. I essentially purr, making both her and Eve pause, then crack up as my face nearly burns away.
About halfway up, a sudden rumbling begins, and I have to hug Eve tightly to not fall off. Sofie does the same, and we watch in frightened wonder as two gigantic Steelix battle away across the rockface. One’s jaws shine as it bites into the other, and they pull away from the mountain’s surface as they go tumbling down. I hear as they slam into the ground far below, but I don’t look to confirm if they are okay.
Eve doesn’t waste the opportunity, leaping onto the small trail indent the battling steel snakes had formed, walking along until it becomes apparent they had burst out from inside the rock. Eve considers for a moment, then begins to resume her perilous climb. I gasp when she almost slips once, but she catches herself before she does.
Finally, we reach the peak of the mountain a fair bit in the afternoon, where a small plateau leads to the other side of the range. We walk along in silence, relieved that the stressful ascent is over. My eyes go wide when I see a Drampa stomping by us, several young Axew happily resting on its back. Eve gives the elder a nod, which is returned without a question.
We come to a seemingly empty clearing, and Eve lies down to let us off so we can rest for a bit. Leaning against Eve with me beside her, Sofie hands me a sandwich she had made earlier, which I immediately begin to devour. If there was anything that made you hungry, it was climbing up a mountain on Eve’s back.
“The more we climb this mountain,” Sofie mutters between bites, “The more I’m shocked you managed this for two whole months.”
I shrug, closing my eyes as I savor the too salty meat. “It wasn’t that bad, honestly, there are quite a few small villages along the way we were able to take a few days rest at.”
I smile, taking another bit
“They were rather kind to me, I should go visit them again if I get the chance.” I find my gaze shifting to Sofie, then turning to look at a very interesting cloud. “M-Maybe by then, We’ll be strong enough to get there without issue. I-If you wanted to.”
Sofie pauses, then starts giggling as she pulls me into a hug.
“Of course I’d go with you!” Realizing the situation, Sofie coughs and pulls back. “If you invited me, of course. Who knows what’ll happen during our circuit.”
I nod, feeling a bit bashful. Making future plans now was a bit hasty, for sure. It was a nice idea, and something I could look forward to. But I really wasn’t sure if Sofie liked me, uh, like I liked her.
Like, what a strange word. So vague, yet so ever present that it’s an impossible word to avoid. Its use as a way to indicate a crush is so flippant, so minimizing towards something that can truly burn away at someone. Love is more apt in many cases, but the implicit weight of the word chases us away from it, the knowledge that romantic love inherently warps a relationship in a way that can’t be changed.
It’s a shame, I think, that we humans shy away from expressing our emotions as they are. The anxiety that comes with uncertainty is so murky, so hard to pierce through that we simply can’t seem to avoid it at times.
I’m worse, of course, considering I can’t even admit I’m in love with the girl beside me.
I pause, blinking, then hide my face in my hands, silently screaming at my stupid brain. I wasn’t thinking about that for a reason! We still are on the run! A relationship is a terrible idea! Romance and crime infamously don’t mesh together well!
Yet now, even if I try, I can’t get the idea out of my mind.
Taking a deep breath, I, extremely hesitantly, share how I feel about Sofie with Eve. She looks back at me with a raised eyebrow, then shakes her head. Then, I see that damn mischievous smile peek out right before my partner shifts her leg just enough to knock my head into my friend’s lap.
I stare up at Sofie, who stares down at me, her crimson eyes a bit taken aback by my sudden fall. Her short chocolate hair flutters in the breeze, a bit messy from the long climb we had been going through. Her athletic jacket seems a bit thin though, I hope she isn’t cold…
“Uh, hi.” Sofie smiles, poking me on my nose. “Something up?”
I jolt up, lightly kicking my partner as I fan my face.
“N-Nope! Nothing at all…,” I sputter as I climb onto Eve’s back and hide my face in her fur, “S-Shall we get going now that we’re done eating?”
Sofie snorts, getting behind me as Eve stands up. The descent is nearly as long as the ascent, and would be just as treacherous if we hadn’t installed some ropes, but I end up completely lost in my own mind the whole time.
Romantic love was something… new.
In my memory, I don’t think I had ever felt it before, at least not like this. Not for anyone. It wasn’t even a question for them, no desire even trying to emerge. Yet for Sofie? My heart essentially boiled for the girl, steam rushing into my head to crystalize into far flung dreams of the future. Not all were good of course, several nightmare scenarios were mixed in that made me want to puke, but the idea remains the same.
I had fallen for her, ridiculously hard.
Yet still, I can’t do anything about it. At least not for now. I didn’t know if she even liked girls, let alone… people like me. That stung a bit as well, the knowledge that who I am might implicitly push her away. She said she didn’t mind, that I was a girl, but… that’s not in this context. Arceus, what would I even do if that was the case?
“Morgan, I can tell you’re thinking about something way too hard.” Sofie squeezes my stomach, and I squeak. “You’re doing the thing where you dig your nails into your skin.”
“I… What?” I blink, raising my hand to see the marks that show she was telling the truth. “Huh, I… Didn’t know I did that.”
Sofie chuckles, leaning forward so I can see her face, “You only do it when you get lost wherever your little mind runs off to. It just happens enough that it caught my attention.”
“I-I… Sorry.” I hang my head, a sudden anxiety filling me at my unconscious actions. What if…
Sofie flicks me in my ear, and I yelp.
“Silly, it’s fine, don’t worry.” Sofie reaches forward, taking one of my hands into hers. “I’ll make sure you don’t hurt yourself anymore.”
My heart skips a beat, and I quietly nod. Regardless of what I say, a unease swirls in my stomach. This whole thing might be getting a bit…
Dangerous.