Chapter One: Day Off
"One day. Two day. Three day. Day four. The day is bright and cheery, the sun is shining and the air brings winds of new beginnings... It's time to explore!"
Author's Note: Co-authored with Ten ways to spoil dinner
Dawn light filters through the treetops. The soft, warm light comes from the sun, ascending overhead. It was a quiet morning for those who were around to experience such peace. Two small figures sat side by side from each other; one leaned against the other, leisurely resting after a hard day's work. Both flanks rising and falling in a rhythmic way as a new day begins for the both of them.
Suddenly, something disturbs the yellow mouse creature. With an effortless sneeze of "chu" the Pokémon was quickly brought out of its soothing slumber. Her mouth gapes open into an enormous yawn. Round black eyes looks over to the still dreaming Dragon type, Axew. With a sigh she reaches over with a single pointed finger and begins to prod. Mouse-like ears twitch to and fro as she did so.
A gentle poke is issued as she tries to rouse up the sleeping species of Tusk Pokémon. "Hey, Aoi…wake up."
"Huh, what," the Axew rubs the drowsiness from his eyes. He groans, finding it hard to stay awake.
"Rebel , I'm still pretty sore from yesterday." Aoi winces as he felt his arm pulsate. The throbbing causes him to twitch uncomfortably.
"Oh, sorry," she laughs shakily. She turns her body to rummage through a sac bag and pulls out one rounded, triangular-shaped berry. It's of a very light blue, and the leaves at the top curling upward.
"Here." Rebel 's paw is extended outward for Aoi to grab it. He blinks his huge, carmine eyes before gently taking the precious fruit away; a hushed "thank you" follows after that. Carefully he opens his mouth and bites into the given berry. Chewing slowly, his face scrunches up into one of aversion. It was bitter, a very bitter berry. He swallows tentatively; the sharp, pungent flavor still present on his tongue.
Rebel tilts her head to once side, noticing her friend's sudden reaction to the first bite of the Rawst berry. Note to self: never give Aoi anything bitter-tasting again. She crosses her arms and nods to herself as the Axew takes another bite and feels the effects of the drupelet. The slightly darker parts of his scaly skin were clearing up. He sighs in contentment. Turning to his partner and nodding his head.
Something occurs to him. His ruby red eyes look at his partner, a Pikachu, up and down in a more curious sense. He scans her figure intriguingly while also making Rebel extremely incommodious. Fondling his half eaten Rawst drupe he trained his eyes on his feet now, deep in thought.
Rebel , hating the momentary silence, takes it upon herself to start another conversation. "What was that just now?" Her voice is reserved. The Pikachu flicks her thunderbolt-like tail to a side, an extra effort to draw attention.
"Hm,"Aoi looks back up to his partner, "oh, I just…well you see…"he trails off, toying with the Rawst berry once again. "You're a girl, right?"
There is a pause. Rebel looks tranquil as the seconds passes on. She inhales deeply before releasing the gulps of air. Aoi blinks then shrinks back, expecting a series of yells and squeaks of how indecorous his words were. For as long as they've known each other, he should know of his fellow Pokémon's gender, at least.
"Yes," she replies nonchalantly. She tilts her head, the expression of her face a calming neutral. "Why do you ask?"
Now it was Aoi's turn to cock his head sideways, giving a quick glance to her tail once more before opening his maw. "Well… It's just. Being my teammate and everything, I've been wondering this for quite some time now…" Rebel patiently waits for her friend to continue at his lingering words that tried to present themselves before her.
"And I've wanted to know, well, if you are a girl then why do you have a male's bolted tail-tip? I mean, shouldn't the female Pikachu's have a… a slightly heart curved tail tip or-something like that?"
Rebel giggles as Aoi tries to describe the cut-tailed version of the Pikachu. The Axew whimpers feeling a bit left out at Rebel's enjoyment of inner laughter.
"What?" Aoi looks perplexed, truly he felt out of place, somehow. "What are you giggling about?"
Rebel dispense that part with a wave of her paw, wiping a single tear from her bead black eye. Her gaze goes toward the still-rising sun.
"It's just… I don't know myself. But I truly believe that the way I was made was for some reasons. Maybe some great Pokémon in the sky disregard of how to correctly put a female Pikachu together, just a tad be off of the legitimate way of how I should look like. It doesn't bother me. Not even the thought of you doubting me of my gender." She winks at him which made a seed of guilt sprout from deep within his stomach.
"And hey, if we ever get in a tight spot, I could probably scar myself enough to get a cut in my tail. Maybe not as pretty as normal Pikachu girls, but I'll love it all the same." The yellow mouse chirps, spreading her lips into a warm smile.
Aoi returns that cheerful smile, before his thoughts dissolves from his mind. Not a single rumination present in his mentality. Well, there was one; an idea.
"Um, Rebel ?" the dragon type says, looking intently at the electric type seeing her eyes open from temporary happiness. The skin above his lip suddenly grew hot with embarrassment, feeling as if he should staved off this notion until another opportunity presents itself.
"Yes?"
"Shall we start our day off? Even though it is our day off, I-I just thought we could… You know, hang out? Enjoy the weather? Perhaps go to town and explore? Or tell stories to the other Pokémon who are around?" His heart beats a little faster than usual as his partner contemplated over his spoken choice of words.
"Hm."She glances up then looks to her tell, pondering over his suggestions. Then with a bright smile she nods her rounded head. "I think it's a splendid idea, Aoi, but first let's get the day started with a good ole run!" Rebel dashes off and her bolted-tail sways from side to side as her paws skit across the open fields of grasses and slabs of rock.
It took a second for Aoi to register what just flew out of his partner's mouth. Once his thinking process collected enough information, realization kicks in. Stumbling to his feet and fixing the scarf around his neck he too took off running, his small limbs flailing of the sides of his small body. He leaves behind the half-finished blue drupe, consummately forgetting of its remains.
"Eh, wait up-Rebel !" The only response he receives is a laugh as she gains more distance between them.