AN: Still trying to get back to twice a week updating. The new-new power cord for my laptop arrived, and I had to go on a trip and couldn't use it. Anyways, enjoy!
XXV: Living Tribute
"That's a Totodile," I said.
"Yep, you catch on quick," Michael replied. I slapped him in the back of the head, stifling a smile. "Why did someone give me a Totodile?"
"With a poorly written note," I said.
"It's probably a secret admirer of mine," Michael said.
"Yeah, some nice young boy."
"...Thank you for crushing my fantasy."
"No problem." Michael scooped up the Totodile in his arms. The Totodile looked at him.
"Who the hell are you?" I translated it.
"I'm Michael," Michael said.
"You my new trainer?" Translated.
"Uh, well I guess I am," he said, "Someone gave me your ball, and let me tell you something. They abandoned you, you didn't do anything wrong. You are the victim here."
"Actually I did do something wrong," Totodile said, and I translated.
"No, you see your trainer couldn't cut it," Michael said, still attempting to give a speech, "Nothing you did means they should have gotten rid of you."
"I attempted to run away three times, bit him in the balls, and destroyed three of his blue top hats," Totodile said. He then turned to me. "Also, how come you can understand me?"
"It's a long story," I said, "You see, I-"
"You're right, too long." Totodile responded. "So, blue boy finally gave up. Sweet! I don't have to take orders from that shiny moron!"
Shiny moron?
"Now, I need something to bite on," Totodile said. He bit down on Michael's right thumb.
"Gah!"
"Don't worry Michael," I said, "It's a bite of love!" Michael shot me a death glare, as he pulled the Totodile off his thumb. "So, are you going to keep him?"
"Of course I'm going to keep him," Michael said, "If I didn't, who would? He needs someone to look after him."
"True, but you're looking over Louis and...Lisa's pokemon," I said, my voice cracking for a moment, "Do you really want to take on another?"
"It's not about what I want, it's about what needs to be done," Michael replied, "Besides, I actually do want to do it. I've always had a soft spot for water types." Totodile bit down on his left hand. "...Even those who really try my patience. I'll make it work somehow though, even if I'm not really a trainer any more. The first priority needs to be a name for him."
"Hey Totodile, got a name?" I asked.
"No, probably should," he replied. Totodile tried to bite Michael's hand again, but Michael maneuvered him upside down.
"Alright, a name, what would be a good name you think?" Michael asked.
"Well, you named me Angel, showing that you cannot select a name that reflects a personality if your life were depending on it," I said, "I dunno, go with a name that means something to you."
"Then this will take a while," Michael said, "Let's head back to the room."
"Why on earth are we taking the stairs!" I shouted, "Why! Why are you torturing me!"
"Both elevators are out," Michael replied, "And stop shouting, you've only walked up five stairs!"
"It's five too many," I moaned, "I'm just not cut out for this kind of exercise!"
"Aren't you walking across the entire region?"
"Shut up!" We marched onward, Michael still carrying the Totodile. Several questions kept flashing through my mind, though they were ones we had already asked. Who was his trainer? Why was he given to Michael? What was Michael going to do?
"What was your trainer's name?" I asked the Totodile. He looked at me, and shrugged.
"I dunno, he wasn't really important to me," Totodile replied, "He was there, and he was nice I guess. I didn't like him though, he kept giving me commands, and expecting me to do stuff for him!"
"He was your trainer!"
"So? That doesn't mean he's allowed to order me around. I should not be expected to be subservient, I will be treated as an equal if I'm forced to go with him," Totodile responded, "Pokemon and trainers are supposed to be partners, but his word was law. Screw that crap, I wanted away from the control freak. Do this, do that, and most of it didn't even have to do with battling! He wanted me to water flowers for crap sake, who forces a Totodile to water flowers?"
"How terrible, being forced to water," I said sarcastically.
"Screw you too," Totodile snapped. By now we had made it up six floors, which would have been good, if we weren't on the top floor. My legs were burning, but I pushed on anyways.
"Ask him what he would like for a name," Michael said, "My Totodile, please ask him."
"You've sure been quiet. Alright, I'll ask him." I turned to the tiny reptile, "What would you like for a name?"
"Something that asserts just how awesome I am," Totodile replied, "A human name, nothing that sounds stupid. Also, not a color and not a damn fruit. That blue moron tried to name me Banana!" Sure, because when I think Totodile, I think yellow fruit. "Listen, if I stay with this guy, will he respect me?"
"Michael is one of the most respectful people alive," I said, "Of course he will, don't worry. Trust me, you're in good hands." We had now made it half way up the building, and my chest was pounding. Still wasn't going to let that bother me, just had to make it up the stairs.
"Alright, if I can trust him," Totodile said, "Ask him what he's going to do with me." I translated, and Michael laughed.
"Well, I'm not actually a trainer anymore, so I dunno. You can do what ever you want to, but if you travel with me, you'll always have food, and you'll be traveling with interesting people." Interesting people? Well I suppose that's a fair description, but then again Nazi's could be described as interesting, and they won't drive you as crazy as our group will.
"Are there any ice-types?" Totodile asked, "Because I don't travel with ice-types, they're always trying to screw you. Plus, they always bitch about how hot it is, and about how they're going to melt. It's part of their grand conspiracy to rule the world."
Yes my dear listener, he said ice-types are conspiring to rule the world. It didn't make sense to me either.
"Don't worry," I said, "There are no ice-types, just a group of pokemon you'll easily get along with. Trust me, I'm a great judge of character."
"You?" Michael asked, "You said Gaston was the hero of Beauty and The Beast!"
"He was, best looking, best song, and most tragic end!"
"You dated a psychopath who tried to kill you, and was so crazy and obsessed with you that he forced girls to dress like you."
"Donny only went crazy after we broke up, and tried to kill you! Not me, and besides, how could I foresee him going crazy?"
"I'm not going to even get into the fact that when you first met the Milotic monster, you thought she was a good guy, in spite of the fact that she was more obviously evil then a silent movie villain!"
"Okay," I said, "That was all part of my clever plan! I'd go along with her, trick her into trusting me, and then I'd spring into action!"
"Wasn't I part of this conversation once?" Totodile asked, "Look, if you two are always this crazy, I'll go somewhere else." I translated, Michael sighed.
"We're not," Michael said, "It's just, well we're a bit emotionally charged. You see, today was our first date..."
"You two are mates?" Totodile asked, "Ah, this makes sense to me, you have engaged in mating, and you both discovered it was most unpleasurable." After I translated, Michael and I looked at each other.
"N-no," Michael said, "We haven't been intimate yet, though it's something that isn't outside of the realm of possibility."
"It is definitely outside of the realm of possibility tonight," I said in a dry voice. Michael sighed, and his eyes dropped to the ground. "Anyways, we also weren't expecting for you to be joining our party tonight. Not that we're not glad you're here, but we don't know who your trainer was, where you came from, or why you came to us."
"I told you," Totodile said, "My trainer was the shiny blue guy! He tasted like onions and blood when I bit him." I nodded, and then fell to my knees. Michael frowned at this.
"You have to keep walking up the stairs, we have another twenty floors. You'll have to walk up it eventually."
"I can't go on," I whispered, sitting beside the door for the current floor, "Just leave me here, come back later, nothing bad can happen to me here." Of course, given that I believe in universal irony, I should have seen what happened next.
The door for the floor slammed open, hitting me in the face and knocking me down. Somehow I should have known that was coming.
"I'm free!" a voice shouted, "Four hours and I'm finally free!" I pushed the door off of my face, as a familiar girl entered the stairwell.
"April?" I asked. If you don't remember, April was a girl I met in Newbark Town, who had somehow managed to get lost while walking down a straight street.
"Who are...wait, I remember you! Angela right? You're Angela Duncan!" She turned to Michael. "And you must be someone also."
"Michael Luccelli," he said, extending his hand. April shook it vigorously, a big smile on her face. "You're certainly excited, Ms. April was it?"
"That's right, April Moore," she replied, "I'm just so happy, I've been lost for the last four hours!" Me and Michael turned to each other.
"In the hotel?" I asked.
"On this floor," April replied, "You know what it's like I assume, to be walking along and suddenly not know how to get back to the elevator no matter how hard you try."
"No I don't!" I said, "Because I'm not so damn stupid I could get lost walking a straight line!"
"That only happened once," April responded, "Maybe twice, but that's beside the point! The point is, I escaped! It's a happy day because I'm finally free from that accursed hotel hallway. I can get back to my...Totodile!" April grabbed the Totodile from Michael and started nuzzling it. "Awww, they're so cute!"
"She calls me cute again, she's getting a face full of fang," Totodile growled. "Who the heck is this freak?"
"Best not to ask," I replied, "I don't really know myself, except she's a pokemon trainer, and once didn't notice she had crossed an ocean."
"Ah."
"Why is Angela talking like an Umbreon?" April asked.
"If I knew, I'd tell you," Michael responded.
"So, is this your Totodile Mr. Luccelli?" April asked. Mr. Luccelli?
"Uh, yes technically, it is definitely my Totodile," Michael said, "He's been mine for roughly forty-five minutes now."
"I didn't know there were wild Totodile in this hotel!" April said, "You learn something new each day." Michael took his Totodile back from her. "What's his name?"
"I haven't given him a name yet," Michael said, smiling, "I'm not sure really what I want to name him."
"If you don't know, then I have a suggestion," April said, "Go with a name that means something to you, maybe a living tribute to someone you loved. Someone who might not be with us any more. Make sure the name matters to you though." Michael smiled.
"I can do that," Michael said, "Thank you for the advice Ms. April."
"No problem," she replied, "Now if you don't mind, I'm off to the twentieth floor." With that Ms. April started walking down the stairs.
"Should we tell her the twentieth is above us?" Michael asked.
"Meh, let her figure it out," I replied.
It took us nearly an hour to finally get back to the room, and by then I was so glad to no longer see stairs. Words can not describe how happy I was to see our unfinished room.
"You two are back early," Charlotte said, "Date not go well?"
"Piss off," I mumbled, collapsing on my cot. Anna and Saya both crawled on top of me.
"Did you have fun Angela?" Anna asked, "I think having a mate would be fun, of course it's not like I know..."
"It was fun," I said, petting Anna's head, "It was actually the most fun I ever had, and it's something I recommend highly. Just-wow."
"Who's the Totodile?" Saya asked. We all turned, to Michael explaining what happened at the lobby.
"I have no idea who left him!" Michael said, "There was a note, but it was so badly written I couldn't read it!"
"A Totodile?" Desiree mumbled, "I can work with this, come to me my Iggy!"
"Yes my mistress!" Iggy chirped. Totodile right now was talking to the worthless rejects, who were giving him the once over.
"So, you are not a servant of those who would see to annihilate the chu?" Pecha asked.
"Give it a rest fuzzball," Trish groaned, "He's no more dangerous then you are."
"Pecha is the most dangerous electric rodent of electricity in all of the world!" Pecha ranted, throwing her arms up in a victory pose. Yes really.
"Is she always like this?" Totodile asked Rush.
"Don't you think sunshine is fun?" Rush asked.
"Good to know, how about you Stunky? Things always this weird?"
"Weirdness is like the tides," Streak said, "It's something that comes in cycles, and washes over you like a wave, consuming you."
"Uh-huh. So I've found myself on a voyage of the damned." Totodile sighed. "Well I-Excuse me, who is that?" Totodile pointed in my direction, towards Anna.
"Her?" Streak asked, "Her name is Anna, I dunno about her, her ocean waters are rippley."
"Anna huh?" Totodile moved away from them, and climbed up on to my cot.
"Uh, hello?" I asked.
"Hey new guy." Saya said, "My name is-"
"That's wonderful, you're Anna right?" Totodile. Anna finally acknowledged his presence, nodding. "Uh, kay. Let me just say, you're the most beautiful Treecko I've ever met."
"Thanks?" Anna asked. "I guess the same to you?"
"I mean it, the curve of your snout and the sheen of your scales." He was breathing heavily, "You're just so..." I then noticed something on that Totodile that I really wish I hadn't.
"Gah! Pervert!" I shouted. I grabbed him by the tail, and tossed Totodile straight at Michael.
"Yah!" Totodile hit Michael in the face, landing in the crook of his arm. "Thanks, you can put me down now."
"Gabriel," Michael mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Angela, I've made up my mind," Michael sad to me, "His name is Gabriel."
"Fascinating, why?" I asked.
"Because of what April said," he replied, "The name means a lot to me, it's a tribute."
"Alright then," I smiled, "Gabriel it is."
Welcome to the team, Gabriel. Now where had I heard that name before?