Waking up all I could feel was the soft sensation of blooming flowers and sharp blades of grass caressing my form. I lay there not questioning the moment, feeling nothing wrong with it. I began to regain my senses. First hearing the soft rushing of a stream beside me, then smelling the sweet, though soft scent of the flowers around me, so powerful no other scent was accessible. Finally I opened my eyes feeling them sting with the mornings rays. I now saw what was here to question, I was very unsure of my surrounding.
I sat, staring at the flowing stream trying to recall the events leading to my placement here, but to no avail. The last thought I could remember was getting in the car with my trainer. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a rustling in the trees aside this meadow.
"who's there?" I called out, surprised at the roughness of my voice.
A rather giddy looking glaceon stumbled from the bushes "just me," she replied with a smile.
"Who are you?" I asked before she could get another word in.
"I should be asking that question seeing how your in my territory," she said with a smirk
I looked at her grudgingly feeling irritation set in at her playfulness in my confusion.
"Oh don't give me that look" she walked closer. "my name's Sam." "Have you got one?"
"Well I….uh," I fumbled looking for the right words, before she noticed the bright red collar wrapping above my cream colored mane.
"Wait a sec," Sam pronounced "you're a pet aren't ya?"
"Well I mean, I…. I suppose so" I stuttered out losing all confidence.
She became flustered getting into a defensive position. "Your trainer's not around here are they?"
"Well, not that I know of I muttered."
"gah!" she exclaimed, her mood changing abruptly. "Why are you here?" she said "just go away!" she ran off back into the foliage.
I sat there unable to understand her concern, and why she ran off like that. I started off in the direction she ran, easily finding the trail she made braking through branches and various plant life. I had been following the path for some time before coming to a small den.
Figuring she was in here I hollered in. "Hey, Sam are you in here?" no response.
Walking in I felt a shiver. Feeling unease I tried to back out before being pushed to the floor, the seemingly psychotic glaceon pinned me to the harsh dirt flooring.
"What the hell?!" I sputtered as she held me in place.
"I thought I told you to go away!" she spat.
"I don't know where I am," I cried in retaliation
"Well you can't stay here," she growled as she bit down on my mane before hauling me out of the small den.
I watched as she flipped around to go back in the den, figuring she wouldn't help me I wandered back to the meadow. Now feeling drops of rain cut through my pelt I rest under a tree, trying not to let tears escape my eyes. I was so lost, how would I ever get home I wondered helplessly. Closing my eyes I eventually drifted off to sleep.
I awoke to a prodding at my side, still raining, Sam was peering at me with a sense of compassion.
"Hey, uh if you need, you can stay in my den tonight" she mumbled.
"Really?" I asked, lighting up from her kindness.
"Sure, just follow me" she said, turning around and walking to her den.
I followed not knowing how long I had slept, just knowing my pelt, and mane were heavy with rainwater.
As we got to the den I could feel a chill radiate from her as we entered, though she said nothing. She lay down in one end of the den, so I lay down in the other, though we were still very close in the small room. I could feel her cold aura next to me and shivered slightly.
She noticed my discomfort and asked "Are you too cold?"
"N.. I-Im f-fine" I quickly stated in response.
Noticing my blatant lie she told me to wait here as she left the den. She returned with a branch in her muzzle, one containing many aspear berries and she lay the branch in front of me and told me to eat them.
I took a bite from a berry and instantly felt a rush of warmth go over me. Seeing my reaction she let out a lighthearted breath and lay down, closer now. I quickly ate the majority of them, now realizing my prevalent hunger.
Now able, I fell into the arms of sleep
Waking to a glow penetrating my eyelids I let out a soft groan as I open my eyes. Beginning to recollect the events of yesterday I felt anxiety slip into my bundle of emotions. Now noting how Sam was not here I lifted onto my weary legs, not feeling the rush of energy mornings usually bring to me. I walk out of the den, my mouth now feeling sandy and dry. Deciding I would go drink from the meadows stream I head towards it.
As I reach the meadow I feel my legs dampening from the heavy dew covering the flowers and grass. I inhaled as I reached the stream feeling a sense of comfort due to the fresh smell of rain mixing with the softer scent of the flowers. I lean in for a drink when a magikarp rubbed against my nose, startling me, I jumped back. Seeing an opportunity I wait for another to swim by before trying to grab it, as I was taught by my trainer on a fishing trip once. I missed, though determined to not fail I tried on the next. I felt the sensation of the fish in my maw, and tried to pull it up, when I heard a giggle sound behind me. Startled I dropped this one as well, turning I looked at the giddy glaceon with a small amount of distain.
"Hey!" I yelped "I almost had that one."
"Sorry," she giggled once more "it was funny, watching you with those magikarp."
Feeling slightly put off by the idea of fish at this point I decided I would rather have some berries. I wondered off into the foliage looking for some.
"Don't want any fish now?" She asked in a rhetorical tone.
I returned her comment with a grumble as I noticed some
Oran berries and lightening up at the sight.
Walking over I took a bite, savoring the sweet flavor the berries provided.
Sam stumbled over "eh, magikarp are kinda bland anyway."
"Hey," I mumbled, "do you think you could get me back to the city?"
She sat peering at me with a blank stare.
"Or, well…maybe just tell me where to go," I pleaded. hoping for at least that.
"Sorry," she muttered " its just that, the closest city is well, to be bland, very far away.
" what do you mean?" I asked, knowing we couldn't be that far.
"I mean, given where we are, a trek, to even the closest city would take possible months!" She spat out.
I choked on the Oran berry I was currently eating, getting a look from Sam. This is not possible I thought to myself… trying to hold back tears… she had to be wrong, those four words corrupting my thoughts. I can't stay away from home, from fresh meals, from my trainer, my friends, everyone I knew…
Sputtering now trying to remember how to speak I fell into her as I let out a whimper and felt tears sting my eyes, before they froze on her cool chest.
"don't worry," she tried to reassure me, "I can
help you find your way back"
I gazed into her eyes, not seeing pity, now seeing empathy as I rest against her.
"I… I wouldn't want to trouble you with that," I whisper "you don't want me around anyways" I said recalling yesterdays events.
"look," she admitted "I'm sorry for how I snapped, your scared, I get that…" She continued "I just have a resentment towards trainers…" taking a breath she shivered before looking down and saying " i-its just that when I was younger my family was captured by trainers, me being left only because they didn't have another pokeball…"
She looked at me in the eyes before turning away and letting out a small whimper.
I just sat there and stared, not able to think of what I should say, I hated this. I have never been good with knowing what to say when someone's sad. I simply sighed as I rest against her, now both of us quiet, and tired, despite it being early morning. Laying there hearing her soft sniffles as she regained her composer was relaxing, almost nice, until the silence was broken by a movement to my far right. Looking over I watched as a rather large growlithe walked into the clearing, and turning to look at us. His look made me tense, though I can't be sure why.
"Oh… hey Lionel" Sam murmured, wiping an ice crystal from her cheek.
"What's wrong Sammy?" he asked, glaring at me.
"Nothing, I just… got emotional" she replied, trying on a smile.
With a look, once again to me, he moved to the stream and drank. I looked at Sam with a puzzled look.
"who's that? I asked "I don't think he likes me."
"That's Lionel, he's a friend of mine." She assured me, "look, don't take it personally, he's just protective."
Now walking back Lionel looked at me, and took a long sniff.
"Who is this, and why does he reek of human" Lionel demanded as he peered at the red band still around my neck.
Sam looked at him unkindly, saying "He's lost, I'm trying to help him, maybe you could too if you would stop being so aggressive"
Looking down at my collar I murmured my name incoherently.
"what was that?" Sam asked inquisitively
I cleared my throat. "My name is… peppers" I repeated shyly.
She looked at me with an unreadable look.
"that's a pets name if I've ever heard one" Lionel said sourly.
I tried looking at the ground, but Sam pushed my head up with her paw, looking at me she said "it's a great name, don't listen to him." She turned to glare at him.
He took another look at me before letting out a growl, and twisting away, heat radiating from him as he ran into the forest. I exhaled heavily, now understanding what life would be like for some time now, seeing how I would have a hard time getting home. Looking at Sam, the glaceon seemed to melt away as this realization once again fell on me. I lay down trying to regain some confidence to stand, and ask Sam what she felt we should do, though the glaceon lay beside me and I chose to stay.
I waited there until I heard Sam's soft breathing beside me indicating sleep, I wonder how Much sleep she got as I stood from her, knowing she hadn't ate still I retrieved more berries, and even caught a magikarp despite her saying they were bland. I walk to her and set the magikarp next to the berries.
I soon. Decided I couldn't just sit there and do nothing, I had to explore Sam's so called territory. I stared walking ng towards her den, though instead of stopping I continued past it. As I walked I decided to enjoy the warm, though humid day. Paying attention I now notice the forest life, many pidgeys flying above, as well as many other flying types. Below however I mainly noticed rattatas swiftly darting through the undergrowth. As I look down admiring their precision in the undergrowth I bump into something, someone?
"Uuff" I let out as I was stopped so soon. I look up to see Lionel, the growlithe. He glared at me with the, I'm already sick of talking to you, stare. "Hey," he growled, though, this was not a greeting, "what the fuck is wrong with you?" he was almost braking into insanity in his anger toward me.
"nothing" I said back, barely keeping a steady voice "what did I do that was so wrong" I asked, honestly confused over his eagerness to dislike me.
"do you think I'm blind?" he stuttered, "I know your faking this whole thing."
Shocked, I didn't know how to respond, "wha-you don- I…" not being able to think of a proper response I just stared back at him, slack jawed.
"You need to just leave" he muttered and jolted off to where I had left Sam. I was paralyzed with such confusion it was unexplainable…
I recollected myself before deciding to continue with my exploring, though I couldn't shake the anger I felt toward his misconception. I suppose there was nothing I could do, but it didn't stop me from thinking about it.
As I continue to explore I notice some berries I could not identify, probably not the best idea to try and eat those, so I stay away. I take note of how the area I believe to be Sams territory is quite small, though has plenty of food. This is not what I was really thinking in reality however. I couldn't keep a single thought in my head, damn it, I decided the only way to fix this was to confront Lionel about his view on who I was. Walking back seemed faster than before, though I can't explain why. As I walk past the den I check to be sure Sam hadn't moved to it in the time prior, she hadn't, though I still felt a soft chill exit the shallow hole.
As I enter the now ominous meadow I look for Lionel, seemingly not there I notice the glaceon sitting by the river bed. She was freezing parts of the river before snapping them off, and watching them float away. Trying to make some noise as I approach her she turns toward me with a confused look.
"y-your who you say you are, r-right" she spoke, hurt pouring from her word
"Of course I am" I refrained from yelling this statement.
"Ok, I…believe you" she said looking back to the water.
I walked over hesitantly, worried she still didn't believe me, worried my small chance of making it home was diminishing I tried to ask what I did.
"Why did he think I was faking being a pet?" I asked hesitantly.
"because, it wouldn't be the first time I was tricked into believing someone was not who they really were." She sighed as she said this, slouching as well.
"Well I'll go if you just point me in the direction of a city" I said, trying to avoid conflict.
Her eyes widened slightly as I said this, her head turning towards me as she spoke "no, you can't go alone, you would probably die" she muttered honestly.
I felt my stomach knot at her words, nausea sliding in to play. "w-well" I asked trying not to irritate her "if you could help me, when would that be?"
"Fuck it, how bout' now" she mumbled before walking in the direction opposite of her den.
"Wait, now?!" I shouted, surprised at her sudden decision.
"Yea, I just gotta tell Lionel I'll he gone" she said as she continued on.
I followed her, feeling uneasy about her sudden change in mood. Perhaps she just wanted me gone, I did feel guilty of how this she had to help me due to my inability to do it myself. I continued to wonder about her until she told me to stop.
"Just stay here, I'm going to go tell Lionel, he probably won't take the news well." She sighed at this statement, showing her irritation towards his overprotectiveness.
I watch her walk away before laying down for a moment, sighing as I realized how long this will take. I think about how I can't believe someone who doesn't even know me would help me so much. I would never help someone like this, is that bad? I…I can't be sure, but maybe after this… I can change the ways I help people. My thoughts being cut short by arguing I decide I'd just keep laying here, believing anything I could try to say could make the situation worse. This realization was short lived though as Sam pushed through foliage toward me.
"Come on" Sam muttered as she passed me. "we should get started now."
I nodded before standing and strutting up beside her. Taking a moment to decide whether I should say something I decided against it, despite her obvious aggravation. In the past, angry people haven't been the easiest to comfort.
"Well, uh, Peppers" Sam spoke toward me "hope you're stamina is high, we have a long way to go."