Sorry this blog became absolutely barren. The holiday season led my part time retail job into full swing and I’m having forty hour weeks and can seem to only find real time to sleep. I can’t apologise enough!
N reached out for the Umbreon, wordlessly asking permission to stroke his fur as he chuckled at the comment. Reeked of Unova… Did he really? The Pokemon’s supposed trainer neared, and the same comment was repeated in a human tongue. The laugh was still playing at N’s lips; he smiled.
“That so?”
And quite abruptly that smile vanished. For just a moment, it seemed he’d forgotten that other people wouldn’t understand those words— or hear them at all. There was no way for an average trainer to simply infer such a thing, no matter how close they were to their Pokemon. N stared blankly into the other man’s sunglasses, mouth slightly agape.
The questions asked of him were ignored. He spoke quickly, suddenly intense.
“Just now, you said—… You understood him. You can hear them too. Pokemon, I mean. How?”
Wes’s eyebrows perked slightly when he was asked just how he understood them. So apparently, this man was also given that same gift. Obviously, there was something in him that was favored.. By who or what that something was, at the moment, was a total mystery. Maybe this stranger wouldn’t disturb the Relic, give it the respect it deserves…
“Come on.” The ex-snagger was quick to turn on his heels and head towards the motorcycle he used to move across the massive desert that was Orre. A helmet was offered over to the stranger that now seemed like someone Wes was destined to meet. “Celebi.. Suicune, none of them told me others could do this. I thought I was just.. Gifted,” he mumbled.
Watching the young man take out two Pokeballs, his eyes laid on two glowing figures that popped out. The glowing settled away and an Umbreon and Espeon appeared. A small smile appeared on Steven’s face as he watched the two creatures have a look around, and already decided to get comfy. Well, at least he knew his home was warm enough for them. So he held his hand out for the Umbreon to sniff, satisfied that it gave him permission to be pet. He looked back at the young man, and nodded his head after he introduced himself.
“Nice to meet you, Wes. My name is Steven. Steven Stone.”
Wes recognized that name, but he wasn’t exactly sure where from. Hoenn had its fair deal of local celebrities, but Steven Stone was a name he heard in Sinnoh. Wouldn’t a man of such fame be selective of who he invites into his home? The question only briefly stayed in the former snagger’s mind as he watched his Umbreon.
“He’s not exactly kind to strangers, but…” Obviously there was something different about Steven. This was prevalent. But who was he? The temptation to ask was great, but in the end, silence held onto Wes as he sipped at the mug of cocoa.
Traveling to Orre ended up exhausting N quite a bit. If it wasn’t the relative lack of wild Pokemon— so few compared to what he was used to— it was the people, ones that didn’t take well to his tactless, accusatory disposition. And if it wasn’t the people, it was the climate, a sweltering heat inhospitable even to most Pokemon.
He’d been taking a moment to rest and find his bearings when he noticed Wes’ approach. He donned a ragged cloak, the only thing he had to shield himself from the sand and sunlight, and peered out at Wes from under the hood. He said nothing, only stared, a little apprehensive.
But when Oíche neared, he dared to relax. A Pokemon’s presence, even one that clearly wasn’t wild, was more than welcome. He pulled the hood back off his head and knelt before the Umbreon, offering his hands for him to sniff.
“Hello, friend.”
The corners of Wes’s lips seemed to twitch when his little friend made noises that could only convey happiness and content. The Dark type never took to strangers unless he felt something in them, something marvelous and pure. The Espeon, Latha, was quick to follow in confirming the theory on the mysterious individual, as she began to purr in her friend’s ear. Their judgement was to be trusted, considering they haven’t been wrong yet.
“My friend seems to likes you,” Wes started, nodding down to the Umbreon. “But he’s saying you reek of Unova.” As he bent down to meet N, he pushed his large sunglasses down over his eyes. “What do you want with such a hellhole?” The criminal organizations were finally eliminated and here comes a stranger! Would he ruin that? Was he here to start something?
Golden eyes narrowed behind the protective lenses. His suspicion was small, for now, but he just couldn’t shake it. What would someone, especially from Unova, need here? Wes’s next words were hesitant, but he needed to know this stranger. “Were you looking to cross the desert?”
Taking the hot water, Steven tipped the end of the teapot onto the mug, allowing the liquid to pour and mix with the cocoa substance. He took a spoon and stirred together the drink, shaking his head to answer the man’s question.
“No, I don’t mind at all. I’m used to some of my Pokemon out of their balls and in the house. Go ahead, they’re guests too.”
With a couple taps of the spoon, Steven placed it on the counter, while dropping small marshmallows into the coca. He soon made way with the drink. Of course, he was careful while walking. He’d hate to spill delicious cocoa, especially when it was just made. He reached his arms forward, handing this man his drink.
“Here you go, sir. On cup of hot cocoa. May I ask you what your name is?”
Sir? That was hardly fitting. Shaking off that thought, he took out the two balls and released the restless Umbreon and Espeon. The latter jumped up onto Wes’s shoulders, taking what seemed to be a usual spot for her. Oíche, the Umbreon, immediately moved to investigate the stranger and sniff at him as he was walking.
Which name should he use? Was it a Seth sort of interaction? Thomas? No, no. Neither of his companions had negative reactions. In fact, the apprehensive Umbreon was even nudging the man’s leg to get pet. He didn’t even behave like that towards Wes sometimes! So surely, he was to be trusted.
With confirmation to his question, Steven gave a soft smile and made way to his kitchen. What were people doing outside today? It was very well underneath the freezing point, and it was snowing hard outside. Perhaps he had gotten lost, with all the wind whipping around the snow, making it hard to see. But this man was his guest, and he kindly took him in, so he would warm him up and make him feel comfy. Steven took out the cocoa mix, measuring the right amount, and tapped it into the cup.
“So tell me, what are you doing outside on a day like this? Shouldn’t you be at home, warming up?”
The questions didn’t exactly make his head spin. He just hated answering them, hated talking. It was more of a nervousness than anything, a simple anxiety about not being perceived as someone to fear. Wes was feared most of his life, for Arceus’s sake.
“I.. Don’t live anywhere near here. I wander… A lot.” Two sentences was better than nothing, but of course, he needed more. This man was calm, had a pleasant aura about him. “You don’t mind the released Eeveelutions, do you? I’ve.. Never exactly put them in balls for long periods of time.”
Wes never spoke too loudly, not since he was young. And this boy could honestly hear him? It was something.. Nice, really. Knowing someone’s ears could pick up his mumbling.
“I..” Words always seemed to allude him, so he gestured with a gloved hand. It was a circular motion, as if he was trying to urge the words out of himself. “I do enjoy laying with my Espeon. She’s a sweetheart. But you have a Pidgeot? Do you.."
Wes, quit pausing. Of course, the question’s weird. Just ask it.
It took him another moment before he could speak, as he was trying to think of a way to phrase his question so it wasn’t insane sounding. "Do you mind if we sit down, have coffee, and I can talk to you and that Pidgeot?”
Wes knew every citizen in Orre, even to the point of knowing most names. The region didn’t have an incredibly dense population and only one real city, so this accomplishment was able to be shared by anyone willing to cross the desserts in their free time. Crossing today, however, wouldn’t be an easy task. The harsh winds blew and stirred the sands, giving the air a burning sting. The port town, Gateon, had a few rooms for rent because of this usual occurrence if visitors ever came. These rooms were seldom filled.
With small nods to the usual faces in the town, Wes, with his Umbreon by his side and Espeon perched on his shoulders, widened his golden eyes at someone… Fresh. Someone new. Who would come to his region? Nothing was really wrong… Did they hear about Mt. Battle? Or the Relic Forest? The possibility of the later frightened Wes, as he knew how most humans behaved. They couldn’t ever understand how pure and sacred that place was.
Lips nearly twitching with a mix of curiosity and nervousness, Wes moved towards this man surrounded in mystery and.. Wait. There was such a positive energy about him. Was this needed? It was too late now, though, considering Oíche, the Umbreon, was already sniffing and investigating.
