Ch. 34: Poke' Daycare
Lyrik is taking a lunch break under a large tree. She's arrived on Route 5 with her Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Nidoran. Everyone is breathing heavily after spending the entire morning under intensive Training.
Nidoran looks to the other three questioningly- he doesn't know how they handle this kind of work. The others look at each other, Squirtle shrugging. The past few years her Pokémon have grown used to this. Lyrik may be cool looking and sweet at first glance, but she sure is tough on her Pokémon.
Lyrik is rummaging through her bag for the tin of Pokémon food. But when she finally pulls it out and turns it over, it's practically empty. She looks woefully at the couple of pieces in her hand, "Uh-oh..!" She gulps. Lyrik stands and walks up to her team, showing them what's in her hand, "I'm sorry guys. But since we haven't reached a town in a while this is all we have left…" Nidoran looks as if he's about to cry. All of their stomachs are rumbling in unison. Squir! Squirtle!They all look at where he's pointing.
Just a ways down the road is a field of fruit! Lyrik and the others go running. They're all so happy to have found something to eat, but when Lyrik pulls at the berry and bites down, she almost gags. She spits it out immediately, "This taste disgusting!" Someone is laughing behind them.
"Well that would be because those Pecha Berries aren't ripe, yet." An old man saunters up to where Lyrik and her Pokémon are standing. He has white hair that's tied up in a simple bandana and is wearing a blue colored apron over his clothes with matching gloves. A small pair of Pokémon are walking alongside him, one a Bellsprout and the other an Oddish. He swings the rake he's carrying over his shoulder and down into the dirt. The old man takes a moment to check the berry in Lyrik's hand, touching it and smelling the inside. After a good long minute he stands up straight and takes a bite. Lyrik notices the way he shudders at the after taste.
"Yep. That there's a pre-mature Pecha. Sorry. You're just a little early into the season for a good harvestin'." He puts the berry into his apron pocket, dusts off his hand, and offers it to Lyrik, "The name's Steven. Nice to meet ya!" Lyrik shakes his hand, introducing herself and her Pokémon. He scratches his chin, "You know, if you'd like a good hearty meal, I'm sure my wife's gotta pot boilin' up for lunch. Why don't you come along?" Lyrik looks around at her Pokémon, overjoyed.
Around the other side of the Berry Field is a small house. Steven brings Lyrik inside and into one of the back rooms. She doesn't even stop to look over the desk in the first room- as soon as they stepped over the threshold they could smell something good!
In the kitchen an older woman was humming away as she stirred a big pot. Her hair wasn't as white as her husband's, though you could see a few strands that were mixed in with the brown. She wore a similar bandana and apron on as Steven's. She turns around at the sound of her husband's entrance. Steven introduces them all. Lyrik likes the kind look on Toni's face as she offers them a fresh bowl of potato soup.
Lyrik and Steven sit down at the table while the Pokémon all gather around a set of bowls with Bellsprout and Oddish. Toni mixes the Pokémon food with some of the stew, but when she's finished pouring their helpings there's still so much left over. She looks it over, "Still plenty for the rest, I think." She smiles at her husband. Lyrik doesn't understand what they're talking about. Who else would be joining them?
Steven laughs at Lyrik's question. He explains about their Day-Care. He tells her how he and Toni run and operate this facility where passing Trainers can drop off their Pokémon to be taken care of. Toni joins them at the table, "You see, sometimes a Trainer might need a little extra help raising their Pokémon, or they might not have enough room to carry them along. So rather than leave them behind at a Pokémon Lab, they leave them here for the two of us to nurture them in their absence." Lyrik had never heard of something like this before. Steven leans in close, "Would you like to see?"
Once they've finished their lunches Steven grabs the pot of soup and leads Lyrik back into the entry room. It's a small lobby with a desk. This was where they met each of their Trainers before taking on their Pokémon. They all continue through the back door and into the yard. Lyrik is amazed with the number of Pokémon she sees. Pokémon of all types and all shapes and sizes, some she recognizes from playing in the forest and others she's never seen before. Steven walks up to the trough and to the individual bowls, dumping in the soup while Toni pours and mixes in the Pokémon food. Lyrik watches as each of the Pokémon go up to the Day-Care Couple, happily greeting them before digging in. They genuinely care for them, and she could tell that Steven and Toni love them back just as much.
Lyrik runs forward to help. It takes nearly an hour to get all the food done properly but once they were finished with that, there were still more chores to do. Steven laughs at Lyrik, "You may have offered to help, but you don't have to." But Lyrik is eager to show her gratitude for the meal.
She follows Steven around the yard. They clean up after the Pokémon and prep their bedding, they give each of the Pokémon a good bath and brushing, and once they were finished with all of that, Toni was ready with their dinners. It wasn't until the sun had begun to set when Steven turned to Lyrik and told her they were finally done for the day. They all sit around the table for supper. It's been a while since Lyrik had a home-cooked meal like Toni's. She wonders if this is what it would have been like if her Gramma Pearl was still alive.
Her hand stops an inch away from her mouth. She hadn't realized it until then. Toni looks at her, "You alright there, Dear?" Lyrik smiled, putting the fork back down on her salad plate. She looks between the two of them, "I was just remembering my Grampa Fuji back home. I used to help him with his work, too." Steven looks at Toni then back at Lyrik, "I'm sure your Grampa Fuji misses you, too. You should always remember to call home every now-and-then." She would have to remember that.
Toni set up some tea for them all to enjoy as they talked. Lyrik hadn't been on her journey for long and was welcome to any kind of advice they could give her. She had just finished her cup of tea when Steven brought up the subject.
He had been petting the bulb on her Bulbasaur, looking at him with a curious look, "Why haven't your Pokémon evolved yet?" This was a bit of a touchy subject for her. She had told them how she had received these three Pokémon a few years ago, so of course it would make sense that they should be ready to evolve. But why haven't they yet?
Lyrik set her mug down, "I'm not really sure. We Train hard every single day and I take care of them. I give them the right kinds of foods and everything, but they still haven't yet." Toni looks at her kindly, "When was the last time you played with your Pokémon?" Lyrik looked at her with a baffled expression?
" 'Played with them'? I don't know…" She shrugged, "I'm a Trainer, I don't really have time to play with my Pokémon." Toni sighed, "That, my dear, might be your problem." Lyrik was lost. Toni was petting her Oddish as she moved in her rocking chair, "You see, Pokémon aren't tools to be sharpened for work, they're wonderful creatures that deserve all our love and attention. Sure, as a Trainer you need to work as a team to become stronger, but you have to remember to enjoy each other, too. If all you do is Train they will never truly love you. They'll care for you, sure, and have respect for you, but love you..? Well, it's hard to show love when all you're doing is being hard on them."
Lyrik sat for a long time considering Toni's words. Could what she had said be true..? She looked down at her Pokémon. Charmander had fallen asleep by the fireplace and the others were nestled nearby on the sofa. She knew that she needed to become stronger, but to what expense..? She didn't want her Pokémon to hate her…
Toni set Lyrik up with a set of blankets for the night in the spare bedroom. It was nice to sleep on a real bed for the first time in weeks. And as she lied her head down, slowly sinking deep into the soft pillows, she dreamt of being home alongside her Grampa Fuji.
The next day Toni loaded Lyrik up with extra supplies for the road. She had made a few extra meals and even had given her some extra berries and Pokémon food. Lyrik didn't know how she could thank them for their kindness. Steven ruffles her hair, "Just do yer best out there, aye?" Toni nodded, "And be sure to look after one another, alright?" The Pokémon all nodded.
Lyrik continued on down the road, her Pokémon trailing behind and taking in the sights. Lyrik had been so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed the nearby rustling in the bushes. Charmander yanks on her skirt for her to stop. They all watch as a Pokémon jumps out into the open road. It stops to take in the warm sun.
"A Meowth!" Lyrik wanted to catch it right away! She was about to run forward and challenge the Wild Pokémon to a battle, but then she remembered. Charmander and the others looked up at her, confused. It took a moment for her to find the right words.
Lyrik looked at Charmander, a little pink in the face, "You wouldn't mind battling that Meowth for me, would you..?" Charmander and the others were shocked. They had gotten so used to Lyrik barking orders at them- never to be mean, that was just how she was. She pursed her lips as she spoke, "B-but if you're too tired, I understand. It's fine."
Charmander chuckled a bit to himself. Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Nidoran looked at each other, smiling. Before Lyrik could say anything more Charmander stepped forward. He was ready to battle.
Lyrik couldn't express how grateful she was to her Pokémon team. She only hoped that they could forgive her for all the harassment… She and Charmander battled hard against the clever Meowth until finally she was weak enough to stay in the Pokéball for good. They were all celebrating the capture of a new Pokémon to the team, and a new friend.