Attempting to hype the young crowd after such a long stagnation, the Cinnabarian dashes off toward the expedition's intended destination, waving and shouting encouragement at the kids to follow. Some of them are rooted in bewildered indecision, but most wander toward the unmoving professor without a thought. A lone flame-red streak keeps pace with the sprinter, his glee evident.
"Man, look at Darwin go! How does he even run that fast…? Starla's legs are like twice the size of his…." The tallest of the three girls trails off in amazement.
"Your legs are almost as long as hers, and he keeps up with you," Cassie's shoulders lift in a mild shrug to soften the comment.
Eugene stands awkwardly next to the professor, a pile of backpacks sitting untouched beside him while the discussion occurs.
"I guess," Amelia shrugs back. "I always thought the expression 'Long bond, short differences,' was a myth until I met Darwin. Did you know his family breed Ponyta and even take them to competitions?" At this, many eyes widen, some in new understanding rather than shock.
"Why would people have a Ponyta thow? What foe-wr?" The higher pitched voice pops in from the side, significantly lower in altitude than the rest.
"Holy Miltank! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Evan exclaims. The six-year-old had not only appeared out of nowhere, but also continued to occupy an intimate level of territory within the blonde's bubble. The older boy leans back apprehensively, trying to create personal space.
"Thowrry." Bobby shuffles backward in apology.
"That's a weird saying, though," remarks Cassie, still perplexed by the phrase, despite being amused at her friend's jump scare.
Before the conversation can go farther, a commanding shout overtakes it, "Line up, runts! I have to pass out your Junior Explorer Kits before we go, because I am not carrying them all. And I better not hear any whining. The kit only has a few tools, a map, a compass, an Escape Rope, water, and snacks." The supplier glares around. "We are just going for a basic day dig, not somewhere expansive like The Underground, so they shouldn't be that heavy."
The kids file in, and the packs start being distributed.
Ever helpful, Skyler starts in on an explanation for Cassie while they wait for their bags, "It isn't exactly what it sounds like. It's an idiom. Like, how 'don't stick a spoon in your eye over it' means to not worry about something too much." The line moves up as Amelia and Cole grab their travel supplies. "This one just means that a human and a Pokémon tend to gain the attributes of each other the longer they're partners."
The lecturer stops to grab his backpack, then moves out of the way before continuing, "Most people associate it with Pokémon like Growlithe, Poochyena, Lillipup, and Electrike. You know, it's funny how often people start to look and act like their dog Pokémon…." Seeing the amount of attention on him the mousey boy trails off, realizing the extent of his tangent. The last of the kids move out of the queue, survival kits in hand.
No longer needing to wait, the professor strolls away in an easterly direction, an evergreen-engulfed peak towering above the tree-line miles down the route.
The resident sour-puss is left with a bag still hanging from an extended wrist. His expression is that of a Shroomish. Pack-Mudbray no longer fill the space in front of him, but the extra kit remains.
Eyes travel to a distant red-haired speck breezing past a sycamore grove. A wholehearted groan escapes the victimized soul before the additional weight is slung across an already-burdened shoulder, its awkward bulk settling atop a larger pack.
The scientist resignedly begins to trudge, filing in behind the newly formed procession.
A nearby stand of woods contain several locals perfectly positioned to ensnare a Trainer. The human Trapinch don't approach, but watch the increasing number of shenanigans in bemusement.
Eugene stares determinedly at the ground as they pass, refusing to lock eyes with any of the Pewterites.
Far in front, Starla slows, huffing and puffing in the shade of the Star Trees. The aqua-fire woman waves Darwin to a stop, and they both continue at a sedate pace.
Realizing that Bobby's question from several minutes ago had been overridden by Cassie's, then promptly forgotten, Granite attempts to revive the long-dead conversation, "Just curious, have any of you kids ever seen the Equine Show?"
"Equine?" Amelia pipes up as Emma tilts her head in confusion, one pigtail hanging partway on her face.
"It means horse. The Equine Show is where Darwin's family take their Ponyta to show off," the man of mountains and countertops clarifies.
Now that the question is understood, a chorus of variable no's sound across the gathered children, none of the kids having ever been to one.
To the professor's left, Skyler's toe catches a rock. Staggering, the boy watches the terrain more closely.
"But what ith a Ponyta thow foe-wr?" The youngest male's voice is slightly frustrated.
A glimpse of sandy-armored tail vanishes into an adjacent meadow, only the attentive Skyler as its witness. Thrilled, the intellectual dashes a little ahead of the plodding pack to get a better look.
"I'm getting to that, Kiddo. Remember your promise?" Chocolate eyes gaze down at Bobby, not unkindly. Embarrassed, the six-year-old waits for the professor—who had defended the boy's ability to come on the dig—to finish speaking.
"When communication between the regions used to be limited or non-existent, the show consisted of only Rapidash and Ponyta. But they expanded the categories as more horse Pokémon became known," the geologist explains as he walks.
From his place ahead, Skyler spots a drop off. Exaggerating a careful climb down, the boy checks the company's reaction from the lower ledge. Satisfied no one will be surprised, the errant child squats down, parking his butt on a small boulder to wait.
"Now it's a way for regions to strut their stuff and showcase their husbandry skills. There is a best in breed, posture, and agility category. There is also a strength category, and of horse a race," the older kids remain silent. The younger is startled into a short giggle.
When no more response is forthcoming, the comedian sighs and continues, "With the newest addition of Mudsdale, the strength category has been dominated the last two years, though. That's Alola's ace. Unova's is Zebstrika, although they have a heck of a time getting passage to Johto for the show." The gang approaches the first earthy shelf, and Skyler pushes off his rocky perch, springing to spritely feet.
Arms pop up from beyond the overhang and motion Bobby forward. Reaching the edge, the small boy is steadied from below as he climbs down the terrace.
Pride fills the squinty eyes of the troop's caretaker as the man nods, smiling at Skyler in approval.
Having seen the exchange from the trees, a Youngster also flashes a grin and poses with a thumbs-up, shorts billowing in the wind.
With nothing better to do and Bobby's question answered, the mentor just keeps spewing random facts about the contests as the group approaches and scales a second ledge, "It used to be in Kanto; but the Pokéathlon in Johto opened right around the time they started accepting entries from Alola. The board got flooded with new applicants; so, they passed a vote and now it's held at the Dome."
The duo that had explosively left the group behind finally recede back into the human amoeba, quickly getting reabsorbed. Starla listens in, curious as to what everyone is talking about, but too out of breath to join. Her sprinting cohort merely studies the landscape appreciatively, hardly winded.
Looking over at the pair, Granite shakes his head in bemusement, but otherwise offers no comment about them galloping off.
"Let's see. What am I forgetting?" The professor strokes his chin, thoughtful. "Oh yes, the current motion in front of the board. They are rather stuck in limbo right now, actually." On Granite's left, a grumpy Eugene swings a pack in front of Darwin's flame-framed face. The Ponyta-mimic takes it, grinning sheepishly at the man still carrying a heavy bag of his own.
"Since only Kanto, Unova and Alola have native species—although it could be argued that Galar does as well, I suppose…" The Pewter scientist trails off distractedly. He muses for a second, then continues the sentence as if he hadn't paused, "...they are trying to decide whether to allow cervidae- er, deer, into the competitions."
The chaperoned bunch traverses up another, much taller ledge as they listen. Luckily for the still-breathless Starla, this one has steps.
"The pivotal argument against letting them in is that equine and cervidae are different species. So, following that line of thinking, you could eventually be voting in Gogoat, Girafarig, Mareep, Tauros, or even Tepig. So many Pokémon are hoofed, where would you make the distinction?"
"That would be hard. Man, I am glad I don't have to make that decision." Cassie cuts in, dually to be part of the conversation as well as to silence the fact vomit. The adult opens his mouth to respond as another expanse of grass encroaches on the assembly's slow-moving view.
"Oi! Is that the cave mouth?" Sam voices, not missing a beat despite not having spoken the entire climb thus far. Nudged out of the conversation, the professor's brows knit together, his resistance futile. Green eyes glint in mirth as Cassie glances back at Sam approvingly.
Beside the towering stalks of miscanthus resides a short fence and a sign posting directions; beyond is a dead end. The professor turns to look north up the hill, a thumbs-up passing silently behind him as he starts in the new direction.
The group follows and climbs the final set of stairs, the slope's incline steepening yet again at the top. Seeing the most arduous leg of the journey still stretching before them, the Pewter Museum's representative calls for a small break.
Small lungs sigh heavily as Bobby's gaze dejectedly appraises the hill. Pack dwarfing him in size, the diminutive lad shifts awkwardly under the burden.
"My feeeet hurt. Can I get some water?" The child drudges over to the nearest adult. Eugene eyes him contemptuously before softening at the pitiful state.
"Come over here, then." The adult leans down, fishing through the kid's Junior Explorer Kit until a clear bottle and granola bar are dragged out. Bobby visibly brightens after the first bite of the sugary mood-booster and chases the oaty crumbles with water. Remembering his duty to be mature, a "thank you" is heard before little shoulders square up, revitalized.
Looking away from the towering mountain above them, Darwin catches Bobby's eye and beams at the junior in approval. Inspired by the six-year-old's fortitude, the athlete repositions his newly acquired pack, ready to move on.
"Finally! Just need to get up this last bit, then we can take a real break at the PokéCenter," Starla exclaims, relieved.
The Cinnabarian spreads her limbs wide, stretching after the exertion. A bag laden with iron-headed pickaxes loops its way over the extended left arm, victimizing the appendage and tugging it towards the earth with great gusto.
The woman's devastated expression alights everyone with laughter except a single, self-satisfied individual.
"Seeing as we were supposed to alternate carrying the adult's heavy supplies between us and everyone seems to have forgotten except me," a pointed look is directed toward two very embarrassed adults, "I would say that having you carry the supplies the rest of the way up the short, steep slope seems fair; don't you think?"
"But, this is the worst part!"
"I suggest you take that up with Professor Granite, then. Of course, as he is single handedly responsible for all of the children's wellbeing, I would say he has his metaphorical hands full." The lazy smirk morphs, turning downright sinister.
Purple eyes drop and slide away. The supplies make their way onto a hunched back, and a spare arm hangs, dejected, at Starla's side.
Chapter Notes:
-Darwin is a reference tying the breeder family and natural selection.
-Miltank is a cow Pokémon.
-You need an Explorer Kit to go to the Underground, which is a network of tunnels in Sinnoh where you go to find fossils and treasure. And Eugene would know what to include because he lives near the Oreburgh mine.
-Don't stick a spoon in your eye over it is an idiom from the KingKiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. It is a translation from Siaru.
-I made up the idiom Amelia uses. lol
-The Pokémon Skyler lists are in fact dog Pokémon.
-Shroomish has a default grumpy expression.
-Mudbray is a mule Pokémon. Eugene thinks of the kids as packmules.
-The people in the trees are the Trainers waiting for battles. Eugene is the only one carrying Pokémon with him, so he doesn't make eye contact. In the games, if you make eye contact, you get stuck battling. lol
-Trapinch are desert Pokémon that catch and eat anything unfortunate enough to fall into their quicksand pit traps. Which is why the trainers, who make it impossible to pass without getting caught in a battle, are like Trapinch.
-Star Trees is a nod to Tree Stars, which is the favorite food of many characters in the Land Before Time. Tree Stars are the leaves of a sycamore tree, ergo, a grove of them would be Star Trees.
-I refuse to remove the man of mountains and countertops description. It makes me smile every time I see it.
-Earlier drafts explained the promise Bobby makes. But basically he is supposed to be mature and careful. Since Granite convinced Starla and Eugene to make an age exception because he is a good kid.
-I made up the horse show. But, the Pokéathlon Dome is baaasically the same thing, right? In SoulSilver I spent a lot of time doing the competitions.
-Mudsdale is a working draft horse, of course it would dominate the strength category.
-Amoebas eat by engulfing their prey. They also constantly move and change shape.
-I know Zebstrika (electric zebra) was a stretch. But it's all I had. XD
-Gogoat is a grass goat, Girafarig is a palindrome psychic giraffe with two heads, Mareep is a cutie electric sheep, Tauros is an angry bull, and Tepig is a fire pig.
-The path they are following is actually route three in Kanto.
-The youngster that thumb-ups the group is the one that always talks about how great shorts are. Just as famous as the top percent Rattata youngster.
-Miscanthus is a variety of tall grass that grows in Japan.
-Sam and Cassie give each other the thumbs up behind the professor's back because they managed to stop his monologuing.
-"resistance is futile" was a low-key Borg reference
-Eugene's jibe at Starla is because she called out Granite earlier with that phrasing, and he wanted to get back at her for poking so much fun at him in the first chapter.