"If you touch those carrots, you'll be eating nothing but stewed greens for dinner."
A white paw froze inches from its goal.
Red eyes flickered with indecision for a moment, jumping between those sweet, orange temptations and the speaker, who still had his back turned. The light tapping of a wooden spoon within a plastic bowl continued without pause. Even as he kept his focus on mixing the batter he was working on, she knew that her trainer would know the second she got her paws on one of the carrots he had set aside for baking.
She had no idea how he did it, but he always knew.
If she really wanted to, she would be able to grab one and make a break for it. Her trainer was pretty fit for a human, but she could outrun him any day of the week. She always proved as much when they played soccer together. However, she also understood that his threat was real. Very real and very cruel. She hated stewed greens.
It would be better to starve than to eat that disgusting mush!
"Cin!"
With a whine and a pout, she decided to give up on her attempted theft.
Still, that didn't mean she couldn't get a carrot through other methods. She was nothing if not stubborn, so rather than settling for defeat she opted to try a less direct approach. Despite his tough exterior, she knew that her trainer was a sucker for a cute face, and she just so happened to have the cutest face around. This would be as easy as stealing an oran berry from a Slowpoke!
…Well, minus the stealing part.
"Cinin~"
With a quick hop, she tucked herself affectionately into her trainer's side. He was a full two heads taller than her, so she was easily able to nestle under his arm as he stopped his stirring to look down at her. She allowed her ears to fold forward a bit, knowing that it would increase her charms. She could see the question in his eyes, so she chirped cutely as she nuzzled her face into his shirt. As his confused expression gave way to a smile, Cinderace knew that she had him.
Easy.
Her trainer ran a gentle hand over her cheek, massaging his fingers lightly into her fur, causing her to lean into his touch with a coo.
Now she just needed to-
Ow! Ow ow ow ow!
"Cina! Cin?!"
That gentle hand had turned into an unforgiving vice. Using his thumb and forefinger, her trainer pinched her cheek and pulled. It really hurt! She stretched her neck in a vain attempt to keep up with his hand as he tugged on her poor cheek. How could he treat her like this?!
Looking up at him with teary eyes, Cinderace was met with a gentle smile even as his fingers tightened.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" He asked happily.
A shiver ran down her spine.
"Cinder! Cin cini!" She hastily denied his accusation.
His eerily happy gaze rested on her a moment longer before he finally let go. Accepting the mercy that had been granted to her, Cinderace took a step back as she rubbed both paws over her burning cheek.
"Cina…" She complained bitterly as she sulked.
"Don't give me that." Her trainer rolled his eyes, "I fell for that trick often enough when you were a Raboot; you try the same thing every time you want something. Instead of acting cute, how about just asking for it?"
"Cinin?"
"No. Those carrots are going in the cake."
"Cin!"
How mean! She was willing to swallow her pride and simply ask as he said, but instead of giving her a carrot he immediately refused! Why would he even bring it up if he was just going to shoot her down regardless?! Crossing her arms with a huff, she tucked her chin down as her sulking intensified.
As she prepared to vent her frustrations, however, she was interrupted by a finger taping once on her nose. Her eyes crossed briefly as she looked at the offending digit.
"Don't whine." Her trainer sounded amused, "We both know that you prefer carrots mixed into other foods anyway, so why are you so determined to get a raw one?"
She was about to answer, but her chance slipped away. The finger that had just touched her vanished with lightning speed before it reappeared and poked her belly. She jumped at the sensation, barely catching her trainer's next sentence as she prepared to defend her ticklish middle.
"Just wait for the cake, chubby bunny."
A heartbeat passed as she processed the words.
She puffed up in indignation.
Chubby?!
She was not! Sure, she had been eating a bit more since they took this season off from battling, but it was just a little bit. And maybe she snuck food more than she used to when she was younger, and it wasn't always as healthy as it could be, but it was getting close to winter. A few extra pounds would be good for her to deal with the cold weather! It was perfectly natural! Humans were definitely the weird ones when it came to things like this.
Her inner grumbling came to a halt as she heard the clicking of the wooden spoon begin again.
She eyed her trainer for a moment before huffing and turning her head to the side. Without a further word, she marched out of the kitchen, intending to mope around in the yard rather than be subjected to this thoughtless cruelty.
Really, sometimes she wondered why she put up with him!
She was so caught up in her frustration that she didn't sense the eyes watching her leave.
The human could only shake his head in bemusement as a smile tugged at his lips.
"Really, sometimes that bunny can be so forgetful. I wonder if she'll remember before tonight."
A swift series of kicks tore through the air.
The sound booming from each blow would have left any human martial artist green with envy. Yet, despite the clear power behind each kick, every movement was executed with a sense of unnatural grace. Rather than techniques to be used in a fight, the moves flowed together in a way more akin to a dance. Even among Pokemon, perhaps only an experienced Hitmonlee would be able to match such a display.
Three high. Two low. Switch foot. One in the middle, leading into a full spin and a bounce into the air over the target.
Even before she landed, the stone she had kicked up with herself had already transformed into a ball of fire. A flip in mid-air brought her leg around, launching the ball at her invisible enemy. The impact was the loudest so far as the flaming projectile blew away a portion of the earthen training area.
She landed weightlessly on a single foot.
The tuft of fur on her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm as she caught her breath.
After spending a good amount of time sulking on a tree branch, Cinderace had gotten tired of lying around. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became, leading to her current training session. It had been a while since the last time she had gotten a decent workout. Her movements felt a bit rusty, but she knew it wouldn't take long to get back into the swing of things. They normally took the winter off anyway since the league circuit slowed down during that time to give the gym leaders and other staff an opportunity to use their vacation hours.
At worst, it would take her two weeks to get back into her top form. It was a familiar grind.
Yet, as she began another set of kicks, she considered the sheer amount of time they would have before they'd be able to participate in another league. They were barely halfway through their downtime, so it would be several more months! Would she really need to keep up a solo workout routine that whole time?
Ugh. The thought wasn't particularly appealing.
Working out was okay, but she would really prefer some battles to keep her in shape instead. Few things got her blood pumping like a good fight against a skilled opponent. Unfortunately, none of the local Pokemon were able to keep up with her, and it was unlikely any strong trainers would be traveling in the area since there weren't any gyms nearby.
She loved the area that they lived in, but sometimes she wished they had chosen a place near a more populated city.
She would just have to make due training alone…
Ah, wait a minute. Maybe there was a chance?
Her trainer had mentioned a vacation to Alola in a few more weeks so they could skip out on the cold weather this year. How could she have forgotten that? Her tail had practically been wagging the entire day after she found out, much to her embarrassment at the time. According to him, they had enough money saved up to spoil themselves a bit. She had never been very fond of snow or the chill that came with it, so she had jumped aboard that plan immediately.
The poketube videos they had watched about Alola afterward had been icing on the cake. Spending time lounging on a tropical beach enjoying the sun and listening to the waves brush against the shore. Touring around a new region leisurely with her trainer at her side. Thinking about it made her want to start packing immediately.
Bringing it back to her current situation, however, maybe they would be able to find a few battles while they were there?
Apparently the league presence in Alola was pretty different compared to other regions, so she didn't really know what to expect, but she could hope.
She allowed her mind to continue wandering as her body carried her through her exercises.
She kept up her workout for a few more minutes before finally moving to a cool-down. Sitting down in the grass outside of the training arena, she started a series of stretches her trainer had introduced her to back when she first evolved from her previous form. A Cinderace's body was built for speed, so these leg and back stretches were designed to keep her as limber as possible. At least, that's what her trainer had said. She couldn't argue with the results, so she always kept up her stretching even during her breaks.
The routine was second nature to her; she barely registered the passage of time as she finished.
With a final huff, she hopped back onto her feet.
The sky was growing dark by now. A handful of stars were already visible; it wouldn't be long until night fully blanketed them. The few autumn leaves remaining on the trees in their yard rustled in a light breeze. She moved back to the house at a sedate pace, content to savor the quiet evening air. Her frustrations had been worked out, leaving behind only a sense of peace and a few pleasantly sore muscles.
Curling up on the couch with her trainer sounded pretty good right now.
The door opened with a click. As she stepped inside, the scent of dinner and a hint of cinnamon washed over her, causing her nose to twitch and her stomach to give out a soft rumble. The temptation to rush into the kitchen and get a taste of her trainer's latest creation was strong, but she glanced down at her sweat and dirt-stained fur in consideration.
If she went into the kitchen like this, she knew that she would be carried bodily right back out of it.
She had plenty of experience on that front. Occasionally, when she was feeling cheeky, she would barge into the house covered in dirt and immediately beset her trainer with affection. While he always protested it, she knew that he did not truly mind her antics.
Such experiences usually ended with the both of them in a bath together after she transfered as much dirt as possible onto her target. Sometimes he would end up even dirtier than her! It was quite funny. Of course, she had her reasons for such actions beyond mere flights of childish fancy. His gentle ministrations as he lathered her with shampoo were always pleasant, and for some reason he seemed to be able to get her cleaner than she could manage herself. Even if they used exactly the same technique and fur products, she always shined just a little brighter after he bathed her. It was odd, but she had given up on stealing his skills in that regard.
However, tonight she would rather scrub herself down quickly. It would be more efficient that way.
The increased rumbling from her stomach certainly had nothing to do with it.
Slipping by the kitchen, she caught her trainer's figure out of the corner of her eye as he bent over the counter. He was certainly working hard today; normally he wouldn't spend so long baking and making dinner. How strange.
She padded up the stairs to the second floor slowly.
A few moments later, the door to the bathroom clicked shut with a whisper.
Several minutes spent in the shower allowed her to get herself into a more presentable state.
As she washed the last remaining suds from her coat, her mind couldn't help but wander back to when she had first been introduced to the concept of a 'bath.' The thought of willingly getting into a tub of water had been completely bizarre to her as a young Scorbunny. She had given her trainer quite a bit of grief before she eventually settled into the practice. The fact that the water was warm had helped, but it was still water at the end of the day.
Even now, as a Cinderace, she felt the occasional shiver run though her when she submerged herself fully in a bath, regardless of the water's temperature. That was a big reason why she preferred showers on most days.
Finishing up, she took a deep breath and savored the faint scent of berries that now emanated from her fur.
Another rumble from her stomach urged her to hurry things along, but she still had one more step before she could rush downstairs and satisfy her raging appetite. Her coat needed to be properly dried. She had skipped out on drying herself fully a couple of times, and each instance resulted in her waking up the next morning with her fur sticking up in every possible direction at once. Her trainer always laughed and toyed with her stray tufts of fluff, while she always got mad in response.
She let out an amused sigh as she ruffled herself down with a towel.
Sometimes she envied her trainer's lack of fur. Getting dry was so much easier for him. Not that she would want to shave herself or anything, but it would be nice to cut a few minutes out of her cleaning regimen. Ah well, she supposed that she couldn't have everything.
With a click, she turned on the blow dryer he had bought for her.
At the same time, she increased the heat of her internal fire. It was pure instinct, something she had been able to do for as long as she could remember. According to her trainer, it was something natural that all fire types had. An inner flame that allowed them to harness their abilities and gave them an edge over Pokemon that lacked the fire typing when it came to using moves of the same type.
For now, however, she simply used it to increase her body temperature to aid in the drying process.
She had barely started before two light taps sounded from the door.
Her trainer poked his head in a few breaths later. She met his gaze with a curious tilt of her head. Was he impatient to begin dinner or something?
"Ah, you're almost done?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "Here, let me help."
He extended a hand in her direction as he stepped into the bathroom. The assistance was more than welcome, so she passed the blow dryer into his grip without protest. With practiced ease, her trainer got to work.
She hummed in pleasure as a gentle hand massaged the back of her head, parting her fur slightly to allow the blow dryer to do its work more easily. As his fingers moved to the tufts on her cheeks, she shut her eyes and leaned into his touch, allowing his digits to comb through her fur slowly.
"Keep your eyes closed." He instructed quietly.
Heeding her trainer's words, she felt the current of warm air move to her face, followed by a series of feather light touches under her eyes and chin. A pleasant shiver ran down her spine and into her tail as a hand trailed down her neck.
"Alright."
As he spoke, he shifted the blow dryer up toward her ears, which were drooping slightly due to the moisture soaking them. He knew that they were particularly sensitive, so he held the dryer further back and his touches became even more careful. As she blinked her eyes open, they took a moment to readjust to the brightness of the room. A deep sense of relaxation filled her; she had to be careful not to fall asleep standing due to the pampering she was receiving.
"Cind…"
Her ears flopped forward as they were finished, getting a laugh from her trainer.
She wanted to turn around to face him with a pout, but was stopped halfway as his previously gentle touch gained a firmer edge. Once he directed the blow dryer downward to begin working on her back, his fingers dug deeply into her sore muscles. She barely managed to bite back a moan. That would have been embarrassing.
His thumb and palm kneaded into her back, parting her fur as the warm air followed along. Even though her trainer was only using a single hand, the unexpected massage was heavenly. She'd have to convince him to make this a regular thing. Oooh, that was the spot. Her front, arms and legs received the same treatment over the course of the next several minutes. By the time the blow dryer was turned off and unplugged, her limbs felt like jelly.
Definitely a regular thing.
She must have zoned out briefly, because her trainer tapped her on the shoulder and made a gesture toward the door.
"C'mon, lets head back downstairs. We don't want our dinner to get cold."
At the mention of food, her stomach instantly reasserted itself. Loudly. Her cheeks took on a pink hue as she quickly skipped out of the bathroom, her trainer's chuckles following her as she practically floated down the stairs.
Spotting several plates and bowls laid out on their small living room table, she took the hint.
They tended to alternate between eating in the dining room and the living room. It seemed that today was a living room kind of day. She hopped onto the couch, tucking her legs underneath herself as she reached out for her plate. It was easy to recognize which one was intended for her since it was already cut into bite-sized pieces. Her trainer had always been very considerate when it came to things like this; she could use a fork or a spoon without issue, but her paws tended to fail her when she tried to handle a knife, much to her chagrin. It wasn't impossible, but it usually ended in a mess.
She had just settled in with a plate on her lap when her trainer joined her on the sofa.
She gave him enough time to grab his own food before she wiggled herself closer. Once she had glued herself to his side, she smiled happily before getting to work on her dinner.
Mmmm~
It was even better than usual!
They ate in companionable silence, content to savor one another's company. The TV was turned off and only the light clinking of silverware echoed throughout the room. It didn't take long for Cinderace to demolish her first plate, after which her trainer simply gave an amused hum and held out his hand. She passed her plate over, watching as he refilled it with another half portion before passing it back to her.
"We still have dessert after this, so make sure you save a bit of room."
"Cinder!"
Giving her acknowledgment, she worked through her second helping more slowly. There was no way she would be willing to miss out on dessert - her trainer was a great cook, but he was an even better baker. With her reduced speed, the two finished at nearly the same time.
Letting out a sigh of appreciation, she relaxed for a moment more before attempting to get up so that she could help take the dishes away. However, before she could stand, she was blocked by a hand resting on her sternum.
"I've got it." her trainer stated as he piled up the dishes, "Sit here for a sec while I go put these away."
She watched him slowly make his way back to the kitchen, plates and bowls balanced in his hands.
Suspicious.
Normally, he was happy whenever she volunteered to help with the clean-up. It was rare for him to refuse assistance. Combined with the fact that he had spent the whole afternoon preparing dinner, she felt that she was missing something. Had something special happened, or was she simply over-thinking it?
As she was racking her brain, her trainer returned. In one hand he carried a marvelous looking cake, while in the other he held two smaller plates and some silverware. A can of some sort was tucked under one of his arms.
Oh well.
Mouth watering, she put her thoughts aside to focus on the sweet offering being brought before her. Carrot cake wasn't something her trainer made often, so she looked forward to it every time he did. She might just call it the perfect dessert.
He set the cake on the table, giving her a chance to see it whole before they dug in. Rather than frosting, it was coated in a layer of heavy whipped cream. The edges were decorated with swirls and small mounds, while the top had five cartoonish carrots drawn onto it with orange and green colored cream. As he cut out the first slice, she saw that it had a thin strip of filling running through it. It was plated quickly, and an extra spray of whipped cream was added to the plate next to it.
She accepted with eager paws.
The temptation to gobble it down immediately was strong, but she held out long enough for her trainer to cut a second, smaller, slice for himself. As he settled back into the couch with her, they shared a glance and a smile before she set to work.
Ah, this was was heaven.
Each bite sent her taste-buds on a journey of a thousand miles. The cool sweetness of the whipped cream mixed perfectly with the mild carrot flavor of the cake. Enjoying such a treat with her trainer truly made for a wonderful evening.
She wished this moment could last forever.
Unfortunately, just as the thought crossed her mind, her fork hit her empty plate.
"Cin?"
Wait, where did the cake go?
She had to do a double take to ensure that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. Did she…finish it? But the taste was barely on her tongue! She couldn't have been so lost in thought that she ate the entire slice already, right? Something must have happened. Maybe she dropped it, or maybe it was stolen?
Her confusion had attracted her trainer's eyes. As their gazes met, she watched him try and fail to hold back a laugh.
Her brow set itself in a firm scowl.
This was no laughing matter! Her cake had vanished without her noticing!
Just as she prepared to go into a righteous tirade, her trainer extended a hand in her direction causing her to pause.
"My bad, my bad. I should have grabbed some napkins."
Resting the tips of his fingers on her cheek, he tilted her head slightly in his direction. With a gentle motion, he brushed a thumb over the sides of her mouth in two quick swipes. As he pulled back, she noted his thumb now sported a fresh coat of whipped cream. He gave the digit a lick to clean it before picking up his fork again. She felt her face heating up.
Oh. So maybe she had eaten her cake.
A bit messily, at that.
She eyed her empty plate for a brief second, locked in an internal struggle. Should she ask for seconds and accept her designation as a chubby bunny? It was tempting. Very tempting. After all, what was the point of being prideful if it would leave her without cake? There was no point at all.
Having made up her mind, she brought her demands to her trainer.
"Cini, cinder. Cin."
He understood her request clearly. However, rather than cutting her a new slice, he took her plate and set it to the side. A brief flash of disappointment passed through her, but she didn't even have time to vocalize it before she found a forkful of cake hovering before her face.
She blinked at it curiously.
"I've still got half of mine, so lets make sure that gets eaten before we go back for round two. Now say 'ahhh'".
"Cin!" she chirped happily, accepting the bite.
It was even sweeter than before.
She snuggled closer so that it would be easier for her trainer to feed her. Under his measured pace, it took several minutes to finish the half-slice of cake. It was entirely too slow in her opinion, but she accepted it as the price for being spoiled. Completely worth it. He took the occasional bite, but was content to offer the majority to Cinderace.
A new slice was cut and subsequently consumed at the same leisurely tempo.
The clocked ticked on and the night deepened steadily.
Once they both had enough dessert, the plates were set aside. Neither moved to take them to the kitchen, instead choosing to remain tangled together on the sofa, savoring one another's warmth. Cinderace had all but climbed onto her trainer's lap, forcing him to lean back to accommodate her. She took advantage of the movement, nestling even closer as she tucked her head into the crook of his neck.
His arms wrapped around her, tracing slow circles on her back.
The steady beat of her trainer's heart lulled her into a state of peace. They remained that way for a while before the silence was broken.
"Do you remember what today is?"
As he spoke, she felt the vibrations of her trainer's voice running through his throat. She blinked her eyes open. She didn't remember shutting them in the first place, but clearly she had at some point. She hummed sleepily at the question. So there was something after all? She knew that her suspicions had some basis, but for the life of her she couldn't remember what today was. Her mind filtered through several options, each being denied as it popped up. It definitely wasn't her trainer's birthday. It wasn't her own birthday either. They hadn't won any leagues on this particular day. What else could it be?
"Cinder. Cin, ace."
Giving up, she could only admit that she didn't remember.
She could feel her trainer huff in amusement. Although she wasn't able to see his face, she knew that huff was usually accompanied by a fond smile. It was an expression of his that she knew by heart; after all, she was often the cause of it.
His hand moved up, tracing her spine and causing her to shiver at the pleasant sensation. His fingers came to rest on the back of her head, gently scratching into her fur.
"Five years ago, I decided to take a walk around Axewell Lake. To this day I still have no idea what possessed me."
His voice was filled with humor and light self-reproach.
"I was never much of an outdoors person in the first place, and I didn't have a Pokemon to keep me safe in case something went wrong. I can think of a dozen reasons I shouldn't have gone, but I went anyway. Then, wouldn't you know it, I ran into trouble not even halfway through my walk. It was the meanest, scruffiest Scorbunny I'd ever seen in my life."
Her eyes widened and she shifted her weight around, laying her paws on her trainer's chest so she could sit up and get a better look at his face. She knew this story already, but she made no move to stop him from speaking.
"I always thought Scorbunny were supposed to be cute and energetic, you know? But apparently this one went against the grain. I barely managed a "hello" in its direction before it tried to beat me black and blue. It chased me around for over an hour before I finally convinced it to stop by promising it free food whenever it wanted from my bakery."
She felt her trainer's chuckle travel through her paws and into her chest.
"After that, it followed me home to make sure I would hold up my bargain. It was a day off for me, so I didn't have much prepared in the shop. By luck, however, I had spent my morning before the walk trying out a new recipe for carrot cake. It was a bit stereotypical to think that a bunny Pokemon would like carrots, but it was the freshest thing I had and I didn't want to offend the Scorbunny right after it stopped trying to throttle me. I handed over the cake and my luck held; she ate the entire thing in minutes. In fact, she ate so much that she got sick, but she was too proud to show weakness after she just extorted me so she ran off."
The affection in his gaze as he spoke of the past caused her heart to flutter.
"From there, she became a staple in my life. Every morning she would come by to demand her due without fail. It took quite a while because of how stubborn she was, but we grew closer over the course of her visits. Eventually, one thing led to another and we became partners."
She watched as his face drew near. Leaning to the side, he pressed his lips to her cheek. Instead of pulling back like she expected, he remained where he was, only tilting his head slightly so they were resting cheek to cheek. She felt him smile.
"Looking back on it, I'm really thankful my recipe turned out well. I'm not sure where I'd be now if that little Scorbunny had decided that my baking skills weren't worth sticking around for."
Wrapping her arms around her trainer, she pressed herself as close to him as she could manage.
She was ashamed that she forgot the day they met, but the happiness blazing in her chest drowned out any feelings of self-reproach she might have. She could take the time to feel guilty later; for now, the most important thing was showing her trainer that he meant the world to her.
She remembered that day clearly.
She never liked humans when she was young, but the opportunity to get free food just handed to her every day was worth taking a chance on despite her feelings. At the time she thought that even if the human eventually went back on their deal, a few days worth of meals would be worth it provided that they were decent. However, much to her surprise, he never went back on his words. Even more surprisingly, the food he prepared was amazing.
It galled her to admit it, but she knew herself well enough to say that if the cake had been bad her younger self would probably have never gone back to that bakery. She would have foraged for berries rather than eat something that wasn't tasty. Even back then, she had been spoiled, though in a different way.
The thought caused a pit to form in her stomach, despite the fact that such a thing hadn't come to pass. Her life now was more than she had ever dreamed of; thinking that she could have missed out on it because of her picky tongue was a scary notion. Maybe she would try to be less particular about her tastes from now on? …As long as it didn't involve stewed greens, of course.
She wiggled a bit in her trainer's hold, putting her negative thoughts aside in favor of savoring his warmth.
A contented sigh escaped her.
Some days she wondered how she got so lucky, but a reminder always showed up soon after.
To think, they owed this small slice of happiness all to a simple carrot cake.
AN:
A bit of fluff for my favorite Galarian starter. At first I was going to try to shoot for 5K words exactly, but I went over and didn't want to remove anything. Alas.
Sweet cover art is by QuartzStash over on DA.