Visiting Old Haunts
Jul. 3rd, 2018 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chiron_survivorThe entrance to the pokémon cave hasn’t changed much since I was here with Caspar and Professor Madrone. It looks like the Professor fixed the part of the wooden fence that had been chewed through, but otherwise, it’s the same. A cool, quiet entrance in the middle of the bustling forest that abuts the back of the Professor’s lab.
I take a deep breath of the heady summer air before stepping inside.
There’s no Magnemite to light the way this way this time, so I have to settle for a flashlight. I keep the beam low to not startle the roosting Zubats or the Woobats who hold fast to the wall with their heart-shaped noses. I’m sure both Caspar and the Professor would have wanted to accompany me on this second trip, or at least send me off with a Pokémon companion, but this is something I need to do alone.
Besides, it’s not dangerous. Or, at least, not dangerous for me. I don’t know where Caspar got the idea that I like to rush headlong into danger. Danger finds me, no matter how hard I try to protect myself against it. At least for this situation, I know what to expect.
Hi! Hello! Hi, Adia! Adia! Hi hi!
A chorus of telepathic voices greet me when I step into the next cavern. I smile at the gathering of Solosis and pat their round, green bodies as they roll up to my feet, but I tell them that I can’t stay long, there’s something I need to do in the next room. They whine disappointedly and I try not to giggle because it reminds me too much of Anastasia when she wants attention. I promise that I’ll come back soon, hopefully to watch them compete in another stacking contest with Wobbuffet. They chatter their goodbyes, then roll over to the shallow pool in the middle of the cavern for another soak. It must be how they maintain their sticky, gelatinous coating. Although they’re able to control their stickiness, so maybe —
Ah, my mind’s wandering. It’s far too easy to get caught up in questions about pokémon physiology. I make a note to ask Professor Madrone about it, then continue on.
The last time I was in this cavern, I was lucky enough to witness an evolution ceremony. But now, the cavern is empty — no dancing Clefairy, no Magnemite and Magneton hovering in the eaves. I shine my light on the two large stones in the center of the space — one glimmers like dark metal, the other glows a cool greenish-gray — but otherwise, there is nothing but silence and shadows.
I sit down on a low, smooth ledge and pull out a box of Poké Puffs from my messenger bag. The cashier at the bakery assured me that pokémon find them nearly impossible to resist, and I can see why. They’re like little cupcakes, frosted in a variety of bright colors, and smell delicious. I fold back the lid, and put them beside me.
And then, I wait.
I pass the time by reading a book, propping it against my knees so that I can shine the flashlight onto the pages. I only get about a chapter into it when I spot something spiky and purple slowly rising from the shadows underneath the ledge. I keep my gaze on my book, pretending I don’t notice the two large red eyes leering at me from below. If I looked at Gengar now, he’d only sink back into the darkness. I need to let him come to me on his own terms.
It takes another chapter (or at least me pretending to read another chapter), before Gengar’s entire body appears. He stands in front of the Puffs, a skeptical expression on his broad face. “Gar?” he asks me, pointing to his chest.
I put away my book, then look at him and smile. “Yes, they’re for you.”
He grins widely. And then, with a sweep of his arm, sends the box flying. The little cupcakes splatter against the ground, the ledge —
And me.
“Gar! Gar!” he cackles, bouncing up and down in amusement. He mimics my surprised face, then starts laughing anew. “Gar!”
Calmly, I wipe pink frosting from my cheek. I couldn’t keep from flinching — how can you not flinch when something’s being thrown at you? But I’m proud of myself for not giving him much more of a reaction. Instead, I reach into my bag and pull out another box of Puffs. I offer it to him — with the lid closed.
Gengar’s laughter stops abruptly. He narrows his eyes and pokes at the box.
“I wanted to be prepared,” I say with a shrug. I put the box down on the ledge. “You can toss that one, too, if you want, but that’s the last of them.”
He gives me a suspicious look, but inevitably his gaze is drawn to the smushed Puffs littering the ground. Quickly, as if he’s afraid I’ll change my mind, he snatches the box out of my hands and then floats to the far end of the ledge. I watch him while he flicks open the lid and then tosses a green Puff into his mouth. When he catches my gaze, he grins at me and picks up another two Puffs, but this time he juggles them before tossing them into his mouth, one after the other.
How funny that he’s showing off for me now. It makes me smile, which only encourages him to juggle a few more. What a shame that Ghost pokémon are saddled with such a scary reputation. It’s no fun to be startled, but watching his antics, even in the peripheral light of my flashlight, he’s more endearing than intimidating.
My thoughts are cut short when Gengar suddenly mimes throwing a Puff at me. I flinch, which sets him off on another peal of laughter. Okay, maybe a little irritating, too. I reach into my bag for a package of wipes and set about cleaning the frosting off my face and hands properly.
Gengar polishes off the last of the Puffs and pushes the empty box aside. “Gar?” he asks, gesturing to the cave around us.
“How did I think to look for you here?” He nods. “This was the last place I saw you before you decided to work with Jeff.”
Gengar’s ever-present grin turns down at the corners. “Gar,” he says sadly. It doesn’t suit him at all.
“Were you hoping that Clefable would be here?” He nods morosely. I put the dirty wipes into one of the boxes, then scoot towards Gengar so I can gather the second box. He watches me, but doesn’t move away. “I’m sorry that she’s not. Although I hope you weren’t planning on grabbing her again.”
His sharp mouth pulls back into a taut grimace. I can’t tell if he’s feeling regretful over having nearly disrupted the evolution ceremony, or annoyed that he wasn’t successful. But when he looks down at the box full of frosting-covered wipes, it sure seems like he’s sorry over his antics. “Gar,” he grumbles, and sinks a little into the shadows.
“Hey,” I say gently, so he doesn’t disappear. “I know it’s hard to make friends. But you can’t force someone to be your friend. You can only be yourself and hope people will like you for who you are.”
Gengar doesn’t look so sure about my advice. Maybe a trickster pokémon will always have a difficult time with honesty. Or maybe he’s never had a good example of someone making friends the right way, and he’s only imitating what he knows.
“The offer is still open to live at Professor Madrone’s lab,” I tell him. “He takes excellent care of his pokémon. He could probably find you a trainer if you want one.”
Gengar sticks out his tongue and blows an incredibly wet raspberry. I reach for another wipe.
“Okay, no trainer. But there are plenty of other pokémon. And I promise I’ll visit.” I shake the empty box. “I’ll even bring more Puffs.”
His grin returns for a moment. At least until he smoothes down the spikes on his head with one hand and scrunches his mouth into a sour pout. “Gar,” he purrs snootily, I can’t help but giggle at his imitation of Caspar.
“Yeah, he’ll be there, too.” I pause and add more seriously, “He doesn’t hate you, Gengar. he knows better than anyone what it’s like to be an outcast. I think the two of you could be friends, too, if you give him a chance… so long as you don’t throw any Puffs at him.”
Gengar smiles — perhaps a bit too widely. I probably shouldn’t have put the idea in his head, but at least he no longer looks so sad.
“Well?” I offer him my hand. “It’s got to be better than being alone, right?”
He puts his hand in mine. It’s more solid than I expected, and soft like velvet. “Gengar,” he says, and despite the cheeky grin, I know that he’s being sincere.
~*~
On Professor Madrone’s desk sits an occupied pokéball and a note:
Dear Professor,
Gengar has decided to stay with you under your care. He’s not looking for a trainer, but he could use a friend.
See you soon,
Adia
I take a deep breath of the heady summer air before stepping inside.
There’s no Magnemite to light the way this way this time, so I have to settle for a flashlight. I keep the beam low to not startle the roosting Zubats or the Woobats who hold fast to the wall with their heart-shaped noses. I’m sure both Caspar and the Professor would have wanted to accompany me on this second trip, or at least send me off with a Pokémon companion, but this is something I need to do alone.
Besides, it’s not dangerous. Or, at least, not dangerous for me. I don’t know where Caspar got the idea that I like to rush headlong into danger. Danger finds me, no matter how hard I try to protect myself against it. At least for this situation, I know what to expect.
Hi! Hello! Hi, Adia! Adia! Hi hi!
A chorus of telepathic voices greet me when I step into the next cavern. I smile at the gathering of Solosis and pat their round, green bodies as they roll up to my feet, but I tell them that I can’t stay long, there’s something I need to do in the next room. They whine disappointedly and I try not to giggle because it reminds me too much of Anastasia when she wants attention. I promise that I’ll come back soon, hopefully to watch them compete in another stacking contest with Wobbuffet. They chatter their goodbyes, then roll over to the shallow pool in the middle of the cavern for another soak. It must be how they maintain their sticky, gelatinous coating. Although they’re able to control their stickiness, so maybe —
Ah, my mind’s wandering. It’s far too easy to get caught up in questions about pokémon physiology. I make a note to ask Professor Madrone about it, then continue on.
The last time I was in this cavern, I was lucky enough to witness an evolution ceremony. But now, the cavern is empty — no dancing Clefairy, no Magnemite and Magneton hovering in the eaves. I shine my light on the two large stones in the center of the space — one glimmers like dark metal, the other glows a cool greenish-gray — but otherwise, there is nothing but silence and shadows.
I sit down on a low, smooth ledge and pull out a box of Poké Puffs from my messenger bag. The cashier at the bakery assured me that pokémon find them nearly impossible to resist, and I can see why. They’re like little cupcakes, frosted in a variety of bright colors, and smell delicious. I fold back the lid, and put them beside me.
And then, I wait.
I pass the time by reading a book, propping it against my knees so that I can shine the flashlight onto the pages. I only get about a chapter into it when I spot something spiky and purple slowly rising from the shadows underneath the ledge. I keep my gaze on my book, pretending I don’t notice the two large red eyes leering at me from below. If I looked at Gengar now, he’d only sink back into the darkness. I need to let him come to me on his own terms.
It takes another chapter (or at least me pretending to read another chapter), before Gengar’s entire body appears. He stands in front of the Puffs, a skeptical expression on his broad face. “Gar?” he asks me, pointing to his chest.
I put away my book, then look at him and smile. “Yes, they’re for you.”
He grins widely. And then, with a sweep of his arm, sends the box flying. The little cupcakes splatter against the ground, the ledge —
And me.
“Gar! Gar!” he cackles, bouncing up and down in amusement. He mimics my surprised face, then starts laughing anew. “Gar!”
Calmly, I wipe pink frosting from my cheek. I couldn’t keep from flinching — how can you not flinch when something’s being thrown at you? But I’m proud of myself for not giving him much more of a reaction. Instead, I reach into my bag and pull out another box of Puffs. I offer it to him — with the lid closed.
Gengar’s laughter stops abruptly. He narrows his eyes and pokes at the box.
“I wanted to be prepared,” I say with a shrug. I put the box down on the ledge. “You can toss that one, too, if you want, but that’s the last of them.”
He gives me a suspicious look, but inevitably his gaze is drawn to the smushed Puffs littering the ground. Quickly, as if he’s afraid I’ll change my mind, he snatches the box out of my hands and then floats to the far end of the ledge. I watch him while he flicks open the lid and then tosses a green Puff into his mouth. When he catches my gaze, he grins at me and picks up another two Puffs, but this time he juggles them before tossing them into his mouth, one after the other.
How funny that he’s showing off for me now. It makes me smile, which only encourages him to juggle a few more. What a shame that Ghost pokémon are saddled with such a scary reputation. It’s no fun to be startled, but watching his antics, even in the peripheral light of my flashlight, he’s more endearing than intimidating.
My thoughts are cut short when Gengar suddenly mimes throwing a Puff at me. I flinch, which sets him off on another peal of laughter. Okay, maybe a little irritating, too. I reach into my bag for a package of wipes and set about cleaning the frosting off my face and hands properly.
Gengar polishes off the last of the Puffs and pushes the empty box aside. “Gar?” he asks, gesturing to the cave around us.
“How did I think to look for you here?” He nods. “This was the last place I saw you before you decided to work with Jeff.”
Gengar’s ever-present grin turns down at the corners. “Gar,” he says sadly. It doesn’t suit him at all.
“Were you hoping that Clefable would be here?” He nods morosely. I put the dirty wipes into one of the boxes, then scoot towards Gengar so I can gather the second box. He watches me, but doesn’t move away. “I’m sorry that she’s not. Although I hope you weren’t planning on grabbing her again.”
His sharp mouth pulls back into a taut grimace. I can’t tell if he’s feeling regretful over having nearly disrupted the evolution ceremony, or annoyed that he wasn’t successful. But when he looks down at the box full of frosting-covered wipes, it sure seems like he’s sorry over his antics. “Gar,” he grumbles, and sinks a little into the shadows.
“Hey,” I say gently, so he doesn’t disappear. “I know it’s hard to make friends. But you can’t force someone to be your friend. You can only be yourself and hope people will like you for who you are.”
Gengar doesn’t look so sure about my advice. Maybe a trickster pokémon will always have a difficult time with honesty. Or maybe he’s never had a good example of someone making friends the right way, and he’s only imitating what he knows.
“The offer is still open to live at Professor Madrone’s lab,” I tell him. “He takes excellent care of his pokémon. He could probably find you a trainer if you want one.”
Gengar sticks out his tongue and blows an incredibly wet raspberry. I reach for another wipe.
“Okay, no trainer. But there are plenty of other pokémon. And I promise I’ll visit.” I shake the empty box. “I’ll even bring more Puffs.”
His grin returns for a moment. At least until he smoothes down the spikes on his head with one hand and scrunches his mouth into a sour pout. “Gar,” he purrs snootily, I can’t help but giggle at his imitation of Caspar.
“Yeah, he’ll be there, too.” I pause and add more seriously, “He doesn’t hate you, Gengar. he knows better than anyone what it’s like to be an outcast. I think the two of you could be friends, too, if you give him a chance… so long as you don’t throw any Puffs at him.”
Gengar smiles — perhaps a bit too widely. I probably shouldn’t have put the idea in his head, but at least he no longer looks so sad.
“Well?” I offer him my hand. “It’s got to be better than being alone, right?”
He puts his hand in mine. It’s more solid than I expected, and soft like velvet. “Gengar,” he says, and despite the cheeky grin, I know that he’s being sincere.
~*~
On Professor Madrone’s desk sits an occupied pokéball and a note:
Dear Professor,
Gengar has decided to stay with you under your care. He’s not looking for a trainer, but he could use a friend.
See you soon,
Adia
