It was cold.
Dark, save for a faint glow coming from under the crack in the door, entirely too similar to her last memory before… before that person had come in, eyes as blank and shiny as they had been for the duration of her time captive with him, leather straps in hand.
At the time, Nimue Henson had already known that she had already died. Could remember it, having already lost her arm to the sicko who had then gone and sold it, left her strung up and bleeding through the bandages. Let her watch, still in pain and shock, as another man had come to the decrepit building and handed over a bundle of cash for the bag with her prepared arm.
Her captor hadn't thought it through, or maybe hadn't cared if she was alive still before… harvesting the rest of her. She had bled out, dizzy and nauseous and knowing that no one would be able to find her. The nut job had grabbed her on a mid-morning jog and she was scheduled off for the week after that day, it would be a while yet before anyone thought to look for her. By then it was definitely too late.
She remembered feeling her body shut down, feeling everything fade away, until there'd been a… a tug of some sort. Dragging her so quickly through the darkness that parts of her had been left behind until she was stuffed into something too small, too wrong, and the rest of her snapped back into place only just then.
Something was wrong because she still had both arms, and she was too small.
It took a while for it to sink in that somehow, she'd been reincarnated. Well, given that a uniformed woman bust through the wall with what looked like a miniature rhinoceros, blinding her with the sudden light, and letting out a shriek upon seeing her, she could hardly be blamed for just going into shock and staying there. The days after that passed in a blur, being shuffled through a hospital, seeing weird yet familiar animals everywhere, a parade of people in office wear.
Maybe they tried talking to her, but to be frank she had just zoned the fuck out and was nowhere near willing to come back for the time being.
So yeah, it took her a while to realize that a) those were fucking Pokemon, and b) she'd actually been found in an abandoned house that had been scheduled for demolition after the owners had abruptly moved. And according to the snippets that had eventually permeated the fog in her brain, the owners had been her parents, who were abusive fucks that now had a warrant out for their arrest. She had been plopped into a foster home after being treated for a variety of recently scabby wounds on her arms and torso, and had been there for the past three months.
It became clear to the 'adults' (she was a fucking adult, thanks) that she was not responding well to the well-off couple's house, as every time she saw the gray curtains she dissociated visibly (which was, she allowed, exceptionally disturbing to see an apparent seven year old go through) and she also had fainting episodes every time she so much as saw the glint of something metal.
Given that she couldn't remember anything from this 'new life', she had tentatively assumed that it was PTSD from how she'd died the first time around. Which. Sucked, so there was that. She was also emotionally shut down 24/7 which was great for basic robot functioning and snark but frankly awful for everything else.
They kept calling her Euphimia, which she gathered was this life's name.
Honestly, she hated it. The nut job had already taken her arm and her life, why the fuck should she let anyone else take from her, especially her name?! But no, clearly the 'child' was just lashing out with her 'demand' to be called Nimue.
Needless to say she did not get on well with the foster parents, who gave her up just a couple months later. Good riddance. She just wanted someplace to be left alone to process without having to tiptoe around the presence of nosy would-be puppeteers. And men. The following bouncing around between group homes and foster families that gave her back a couple months in was hardly conducive to getting her bearings.
Worst of all, winter had come in harsh and the cold made her scars ache fiercely, with a bonus round of sharp and deep needle-like stabs of pain that went on for hours if she wasn't kept warm enough. As if the phantom pain in her arm where it had been cut off in her previous life wasn't bad enough.
Nimue alternated between total dissociation and distant wariness. She'd been snatched once with no way to escape, she didn't want it to happen again. The case workers just didn't seem to know what to do with her, and only succeeded in making themselves look incompetent-given the conditions she'd been found in, what the hell did they expect? Her to blissfully forget being trapped in the dark alone, apparently left to die after being physically injured and locked in a basement?
She didn't want any of this. Had never asked to be reincarnated into another shitty situation, to be forced into the body of a child.
XxXxX
Cadenza Rosswith took the offered file folder with a frown, listening to her old friend give her a brief summary of Circhester Town's blatant mishandling of their most recent ward of the region. While she had resigned after her own disastrous last case-poor Victor, she should have seen the signs, she was trained for it, for Arceus' sake…-she still resurfaced every now and then to advise. But this…
"They didn't even put a note of recommended therapy, after confirming the abuse? What the bloody hell kind of case workers are they hiring?" She demanded, appalled.
"That's about how the board felt," Evan sighed. "And that's why I'm asking you to foster her. Kid needs somewhere stable even if you don't get along. Don't think the lass has even spoke other than to request people call her Nimue."
"That's a lovely name," Cadenza mused, flipping through the medical files and scowling at the sheer number of pages. "Of course I'll take her. The quiet of Postwick should do her good, and the locals know to leave people be when they obviously just want to have time to themselves. Let the matron know I'll come pick her up this weekend, that gives me time to move everything out of the guest room and into storage."
The elderly man grinned, relieved for the girl's sake. Cadenza would take care of her.
XxXxX
Studying the slip of a girl that had been directed into the matron's office, Cadenza shot the woman a dark look. The child was dressed in little more than am oversized sweater, no socks, no shoes, and quite possibly no underthings. No wonder Nimue didn't want to 'cooperate', the gits couldn't take care of a Magikarp!
"I do hope you realize this will be going on record," she near snarled at the rapidly paling woman, before forcibly calming herself and turning to the girl. "Hello, miss Nimue. Given the conditions here, it's been decided that I will be your next legal guardian. I live in Postwick, its a quiet town with a lot of space-something I suspect you are in dire need of."
The appraising glint in the girl's eyes was gone as soon as it appeared. "Yes."
Lips quirking up at the corners, Cadenza nodded. "Then let's be off. Have you any belongings to bring? No? Well that will change soon enough. Have you ever ridden in a Flying Taxi? It's a rather fascinating experience, though I'm afraid my eyesight has gone south enough that I can't quite make out all the details I used to. Though I do recommend the back window, it gives the best view."
The idle chat-carefully worded so as not to treat the girl like a child-had Nimue relaxing somewhat, if not actively engaging. Still, it was a good response given her situation.
The next few weeks gave Cadenza a far better idea of what she was dealing with. For all she was only eight years old, Nimue had been forced to mature rapidly and significantly. One could not treat her like a child, because Nimue was fully capable of understanding the things that had landed her here, the implications of how it would affect the rest of her life, and was by no means blind to the more subtle or hidden faces of humans.
Nimue needed to be allowed to be independent (though phrasing it that way would no doubt destroy what little trust Cadenza had earned), needed to not be coddled or talked over. So Cadenza obliged, making sure to discuss any decisions that involved Nimue, even ones as simple as asking her opinion on what they should cook during the week. Only the most basic of rules were implemented, essentially 'be a decent person and leave a note if you go out so if I need to find you I can, also the Slumbering Weald is off limits to literally everyone'.
So Cadenza made sure Nimue had proper clothes, food, and let her go off exploring the fields around the town, observing carefully without coming across as nosy. It was clear that the girl did better when given time to sort things out on her own, because five months into living with her Nimue approached of her own accord and quietly asked for the therapist she had mentioned would be willing to meet with her if ever she wanted. With weekly appointments, the next few months slowly showed Nimue getting a little more social-not much, but she would willingly talk with Cadenza now without actually 'needing' anything.
The observations began to yield different results. Long silvery hair that had once been only brushed was now beginning to make its way up into ponytails and buns, short strands artfully slipping free. Honey brown eyes were more alert, in motion, brighter than before. Tanned skin, while not put on display, was no longer religiously covered in hoodies and large sweatshirts. Aside from when it rained, of course, poor dear had one hell of a time dealing with the aches her injuries loved to inflict her with in the wet or cold.
But the stubborn girl didn't let the pain stop her from trudging outside and making her way to the fields. Nimue preferred the wide open spaces much more than being indoors, and in Cadenza's personal opinion the many adorable Wooloo were half the reason the girl was healing so well. There was just something about the fluffy, sweet little Pokemon that made it hard to be sad.
XxXxX
Nimue had a hard time denying the Wooloo anything. She'd always been a sucker for a sweet face, and Wooloo were the definition of a sweet face. Even the dreadful little brat that liked to hang out by the fence and roll itself into it until the timbers fell apart. As far as getting adjusted to Pokemon went, the fluffy sheep were the easiest ones she had seen around, as they were the closest to a regular animal. That they responded to the old kulning melodies just as well as the cows on her grandparents farm had.
She hadn't sung those songs in a long time; using them on the Wooloo was bittersweet, though the hurt softened a little as the months went on. At least the fluffy herds seemed to appreciate the sounds of an art her nana had insisted on passing down-and did Nimue ever regret not listening to her nana and staying on the farm instead of heading into the city for work.
But what was done was done. What she had now was an okay place to stay and a lot of places to explore, even if she was barred from the forbidden forest. And she was living in the world of Pokemon. Because yeah, sure, that fucking made sense.
In any case, when the Wooloo led her places, she followed. This time they gathered round and gently nudged her across several of the fields bordering the town and over to where she could hear somebody enthusiastically narrative some sort of battle fantasy, a Wooloo staring up at him and occasionally making happy sheep noises.
Vaguely recognizing him as one of the characters from the Galar-based game she had only gotten two Gyms into in her past life, Nimue couldn't help but snort when the boy fist pumped but over balanced and toppled over with a squawk. Upon hearing her he scrambled to his feet, grinning sheepishly.
"Oh, hi, didn't see you there!"
"Hi," she returned, amused despite herself. If she hadn't had white hair herself she would have wondered if the boy's vibrant purple locks were natural. After a moment she decided to spare the kid's pride. "Image training for when you're a trainer?"
"Image training?" He blinked at her in utter confusion.
"Ah… it's where you mentally run through different scenarios and map out different reactions or plans. Its a visualization exercise, like imagination meditation." That was… child-like enough logic, right.
"Oh! Y-yeah, something like that. Me'n Wooloo here were just planning ahead for when we can do the Gym Challenge!"
"Sounds fun," she offered, wobbling slightly as one of the local Wooloo nudged her leg. "What, you puffball? I thought you just wanted me to some see what they were doing?"
"That's a lot of… oh! Oh, you must be the girl Miss Rosswith brought back, my mum kept saying there was a new girl that could get all the herds to stay out of trouble!" The boy exclaimed. "I'm Hop, what's your name?"
"... Nimue." Come to think of it, she hadn't exactly hung around the town itself, just the house and the fields. Mostly because she was still leery of adult and teen men, but Hop here was barely taller than she was and a beanpole besides. She could take him. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too! Mind telling me how you do it? Even my Wooloo likes to get up to mischief every now and then."
"... Kulning. It's… a 'herding call', something about the pitch catches their attention."
Hop's golden eyes blazed with interest. "Really? I've never heard of that, can you show me?"
Averting her gaze, she caught sight of the edges of the herd, predictably already wandering to the limits of her vision. "I don't see why not."
Her voice swung up into the high tones of the first kulning she'd ever learned, sitting on her nana's knee on the back porch. The Wooloo around her surged, pressing closer and staring up at her with their big round eyes while the ones farther off turned back towards the sound. Pitch rising and falling with the few syllables of the call, she cupped her hands to aim the sound better for the ones still on the far edges of the field.
Soon enough they came trotting back over, the picture of obedience but really probably just curious about the noise. Still, it worked every time, and when she stopped the herd was gathered fully around them. Rolling her eyes at the wriggling, overgrown cotton balls, Nimue sighed.
"Alright, back to the field proper we go. You can walk with us if you like, these guys seem to just like having something to do."
Hop was staring at her, eyes wide, but at her words he scrambled closer. "Yes! That was so cool, I've never heard any songs like that, it was like-like-" He couldn't seem to find the words to express himself, so substituted with vague hand gestures.
Laughing softly, she decided to take it as a compliment. Her small group of school friends in the city had thought the kulning pretty cool, but kids were more genuinely interested. Guiding the Wooloo back through the bushes they'd led her through in the first place, she occasionally sung out some scattered high, swooping notes to keep them all close. In between those, she responded to Hop's chattering and the odd question.
It went rather well, up until they were walking back into town, and Hop asked why she was living with Miss Rosswith.
"Mm… my parents locked me in the basement, sold the house, and left me to die," she deadpanned, mood sinking like a rock in a pond. Turning on her heel, she stalked back over to Cadenza's house, only feeling slightly guilty for dropping that on Hop, who was actually a child. She'd apologize later, when she wasn't relapsing into flashbacks of the nasty building she'd had her arm chopped off in-it was still there, she had two arms, but before that she didn't-and flinching at the phantom pain.
XxXxX
Cadenza grimaced at the look on Talia's face. Her neighbor had practically flew across the road when she'd spotted Cadenza heading out to the market, and, given the way Nimue had locked herself in her room for the past two days, she had a feeling she knew what it was.
"Don't give me that look, Denzie, I know the girl didn't mean to snap at my boy. He knows he just asked the wrong question."
"Oh, good, I wasn't sure exactly what happened but she hasn't come out of her room since."
"Given what she said about why she's living with you I don't blame her for being upset. I've already talked it over with Hop, he's more upset that he upset her, you know."
Sighing, Cadenza kept walking, her childhood friend turned neighbor falling into step alongside. "Hop's a good boy like that. And Nimue… she's gotten better but there's still a ways to go. I assume he told you, at least, what she said?"
"That her parents locked her up, sold the house, and left her for dead, yes. Bastards, if I ever got a hold of them…" Talia trailed off, but the threat stood. Cadenza didn't envy those two the fate that would befall them should Talia find them.
"Yes, well, you're gonna have to get in line. They beat her before leaving, she's got a number of nasty scars from it. Poor thing gets terrible aches in the wet and cold. And I don't know what her deal with Pokemon is-she doesn't mind the Wooloo, but she looks at Munchlax like he's going to bite her hand off. And we have no idea if her sperm and egg donor had Pokemon, if they used them to abuse her, or not," she scowled, flipping a strand of dark brown hair out of her face.
Crossing her arms, Talia mimicked the facial expression. "She hasn't asked for one of her own? Not even one of the Wooloo?"
"No, hasn't so much as hinted. Part of it might be that she doesn't even realize she can have one, though… She hasn't had much exposure before."
"Hm… I wonder… Denzie, why don't you ask her if she would like one? If she doesn't want something local, it would hardly be any trouble to ask Leon to swing by the wild area and catch a little something to send over-he needs to come visit more anyways."
Cadenza blinked, then nodded slowly, adjusting her basket to her other arm. "It couldn't hurt to check with her, I suppose. Although it'll have to wait until she's no longer holed up in her room."
Although, given that this was the first time something of the sort had happened, she wasn't quite sure when that would be.
XxXxX
Hop blinked in surprise when he opened the door and got a basket shoved in his face. Just barely managing to catch it, he was even more surprised to see that it was Nimue in the doorway.
"Sorry for being rude the other day," she said, bags under her eyes and looking like she'd rather still be in bed.
"Oh! No, it's okay, I shouldn't have been so…" Stumbling over his words a bit, Hop shrugged helplessly. He'd been thinking about what she said that day ever since, and had been horrified by what Nimue's so-called parents had done. Nobody deserved that, and he found himself wanting to check up on her, because she should know that people cared about her. She seemed like a nice person, and that kulning thing was really cool!
"So we both could've handled it better. Anyways… there's cookies in that basket, for you and your mum. I think your mum talked to Cadenza, she was asking me about what I thought of Pokemon…"
"Are you going to get one? My brother got Wooloo for me, y'know, and there's a ton of different types even on the way to the train station if you want one."
"Maybe… I haven't really been around Pokemon before coming here, so I don't really know," she shrugged, and turned to go, but Hop wanted to get to know her better.
"Wait! Do you," he paused, then went ahead with the first thought that came to mind. "Do you want to come in? I have a lot of Leon's old trainer books, he has this one that shows all the Pokemon you can find in Galar, so you can see. Or we could just hang out?"
She stared at him for a long moment, then gave him a very small smile. "We can do that."
XxXxX
Talia heard a loud thump from upstairs, followed by shrieking laughter and not a little hollering, and grinned to herself. It had been nearly two years since Hop had befriended Nimue and now they were practically inseparable. Of course, that had translated to the two of them getting into all sorts of trouble, even with the girl's quick mind getting them out of it just as easily. But both kids had grown, pushing each other to become adventurous, kind, fairly responsible preteens.
Of course, there had been that one incident where Nimue had all but gone catatonic and Hop wasn't much better, and the both of them absolutely refused to say anything about it once they'd come back to themselves, but whatever had happened had brought them closer than ever. In fact, that incident was why Hop had become almost overly protective over his friend.
That boy rarely left her side, and Talia and Cadenza were sure they were going to be joined at the hip all throughout their journey-because it was obvious to the women that those kids were going to attempt the Gym Challenge.
While Hop was determined to start with his Wooloo, Nimue had, surprisingly, decided that she wanted a Dragon type. Somehow, Leon's rival had heard about it (likely from Leon, who had been texted by Hop because the boy wanted to know what kind of Dragon type would be okay for a new trainer), and Raihan had actually flown over on his Flygon to present Nimue with a newly hatched Noibat.
Talia had seriously worried that Hop was going to jump the Gym leader, because Nimue had fallen head over heels for the little Noibat and struck up a friendship with Raihan that mostly consisted of a lot of pictures of their Pokemon and internet jokes over text. Her youngest son had been terribly put out by having to share his best friend's attention, it seemed.
By this point the resentment had faded to a light sulk every time Raihan's name came up, as Nimue adored her Pokemon partner. Noibat went everywhere with her. In fact, if the spoiled little thing wasn't cuddled up in her arms, it was napping in her hood.
Sighing, Talia allowed herself a little sadness, as it was only a month or so away, the day that Leon had said he'd be bringing the two kids a present to send them off on their journey. Then both her kids would be off and out of the house! Leaving just her and Purloin… Goodness, the very thought. Ah, she'd just have to make sure Hop understood that he did not have the excuse of being Champion yet to get out of regular visits!
XxXxX
Gently rubbing the soft purple fur of her Noibat's outer ears, Nimue frowned down at her phone. One of Raihan's new Pokemon had been attacked while they were out in the wild area, but the attacking Pokemon had been acting very strange, and seemed to be surrounded by a dark aura. He wouldn't say anything more about it, other than that the League was investigating, but she had her own suspicions.
Although what the fuck shadow Pokemon were doing in Galar was another story altogether that she hoped was quickly solved. She wanted nothing to do with Any of That. Shaking her head, she glanced down at her partner, who was working his way through a bag of apple slices he had picked out himself.
Belphagor was definitely spoiled, though she really couldn't help it. He was just adorable, and those little chirps… ugh, she couldn't deny him a damn thing. As if sensing her thoughts, he 'purred' at her, the rumbling little growl he used to get himself out of trouble. Oddly enough, the one thing he matched his 'look I'm just an innocent little baby I'd never do anything wrong' routine with was how hard he worked in training. From what she could tell he'd be a right menace on the battlefield.
In any case, it looked like Raihan would be unavailable for questions on training, so she'd have to look elsewhere for tips on teaching Super Fang. Seeing as the Dreepy was with Hammerlocke's Nurse Joy, there wasn't anything she could actually do to help. Sighing at the thought-Dreepy had looked so adorable in the pictures her trainer had sent-Nimue instead resorted to crawling through the various trainer forums online. When that didn't yield any results better than what she already had, she set it aside.
"C'mon, Bel, let's go see Hop."
"Brr?"
"Yes you can bring your apples, greedy boy." Rolling her eyes at her Pokemon's resulting flailing for another bag of the sliced fruit, Nimue threw on her hoodie and slipped on some sandals. At this time of day, their best bet would be down by the small stream that curled around the far east corner of the pastures, and she needed her daily dose of Hop bad enough to force her tired limbs into a jog, despite the way the overcast sky and threat of rain made everything ache.
