Hi again... welcome to the next part! As I said, I'd try to get it done within a month or two and now it's complete. The next part is here! This chapter is a bit slower paced and focuses more on getting everything settled before the next chapters which will pick up speed. Also introducing a few new settings that I plan to write more of in the future, unless my writing goes elsewhere.
I'm not going to spoil much else. See you below, here is chapter 8.
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'Thoughts'
"Speech"
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Chapter 8: Clearing The Air & Starting Fresh
For a vacation spot created by Pokémon - he finally got the pronunciation correct - he was surprised by how developed it felt. For some reason, he imagined dirt roads and little straw huts, but to find modern clay and stone buildings among the mix as well as paved smooth stone streets, it was a surprise. Then again, expecting anything so well crafted was a surprise in itself. Everything felt light and airy while keeping the tropical vibe of a vacationing spot. Treeko-nii-san showed him all around, from a places like the Keckleon shop, Kangaskan's Storage, to the local bank, a martial arts dojo, as well as various little shops and eateries around the island. The sights, the sounds, the smells, they were all quite pleasant. Then there was the beach, the beautiful ocean waves lapping gracefully against the golden sandy shores. There were Pokémon of all kinds, both big and small, running or relaxing on the warm sand. A couple of crab-like Pokémon were blowing bubbles creating a fun atmosphere as other small Pokémon around attempted to pop them. If he weren't paying attention, he really would have thought he was in Hawaii or some other tropical vacation paradise back home.
Treeko got a kick out of seeing Little Pip mesmerized and awed by every detail. The adult-like demeanor was pretty much left behind as he watched the young boy get curious about everything around him. It was so fun to watch, also a nice distraction rom what was about to happen. Right, Treeko was going to be a guardian to this little charge. When he thought about it, he was hesitant. Unlike most Treeko who live together and nest in the same tree as a big family, he was an exception. His parents left the clan/tree young and curious about the world. While traveling, they had him, so all he ever knew was the life of the a small family. It was the life of an only child. When he came of age, his parents asked if he wanted to continue traveling with them, but he respectfully declined, saying he wanted to settle down and have a stable life. A life of grand adventure was wearing him down, he wanted the normalcy of a monotonous routine. Really, he wanted a life more set in stone. Don't get him wrong, he loved his parents wholeheartedly, but he grew tired of their lifestyle. Following along to who knows where and living in a new space, meeting Pokémon just for an instance just to be eternally forgotten as they hardly ever seemed to traverse the same town twice. This is how he came to admire the police Pokémon. In Every town they stayed, they were a constant, keeping the peace and building relationships of trust and respect with the locals and travelers. So when he made the decision to settle down, his parents respected his wishes and they took one final trip to the vacation island he now called home. Wait… where were these thoughts going again? Oh yes, he was to be a guardian for Little Pip. He had reminisced too much of the past. The point is, he was an only child, so he had no way of knowing how to be a good caretaker or even an almost brother to the young Piplup. What was he to do?
It was then he felt the light tappings of a flipper upon his side, "Umm… is this the place, Treeko-nii-san?"
He snapped out of his thoughts and saw the treehouse restaurant, Oranguru's Place. A popular restaurant and juice bar that is farther from town. Oranguru, the owner, he always says he prefers his customers to have the true experience of nature. The view unobstructed by buildings and Pokécrafted creations. Here, his treehouse was made with the best bamboo straw, grass, mud, and wood, all curtesy of the locals who donated their resources for his dreams. It was natural yet kept the modern cozy design in style. Mostly locals who frequented this establishment often said he has the best food out of any other island's restaurants. Though Oranguru, the quiet humble guy he is, just thanks his customers and reminds them that there are others out there who can beat his cooking any day. Everyone always feels he is too modest, to which he shrugs.
When the duo enter, they're greeted by a green Pokémon with a human-like body, her body adored with what looked like a pomegranate colored top and a white puffy bottom. Her head had two large light green leafs and the center that looked like a hat with a stem, it reminded Conan/Shinichi of two pigtails. Her name was Steenee, and she's the pupil trainee cook studying under Oranguru. She smiled and motioned them over to sit at the bar counter, Treeko presented the tickets and the two sat. Once seated, she sets up the utensils and asks, "Hi Treeko, what can I get you two to drink?"
"Two pinap berry juices, please." Treeko answered for both of them.
"Right away, I'll get those prepared for you both." She smiled as she turned to the back, picking some berries that looked like Pineapples and some coconut shells.
Treeko looked around, hardly anyone was here today and he noticed someone else was missing, "Hey Steenee, where's Mr. Oranguru?"
"Oh? Teacher headed out on a supply run, we ran out of honey so he went to pick some up at Lady Beware's place. Best honey cultivator on the island. So I'm left in charge until he get's back."
"Seems like a slow day."
"Yeah, most are probably going to come later tonight, you know, the night time customers, especially when the weekend is so close. You've seen them before."
Treeko nodded understanding Steenee's words since he's visited at night a couple of times. He's seen the Pokémon either coming here to vent their frustrations and pour their hearts out. Oh Oranguru, what a guy, listening intently to each of their problems and serving them some nice juice to relax. What a trooper.
"By the way Treeko, I meant to ask earlier, who's the boy?" She asked while shaking the coconuts filled with juice.
"Oh, this is Little Pip, Pip for short. I kinda became his new temporary guardian." Little Pip waved a little awkwardly.
"Awe, what a cutie you are Pip! Hope you have fun with big brother Treeko here."
"Ah, thank you Steenee-nee-san, I will." She squealed as he spoke with his pitchy voice, then proceeded to place the two coconut shells in front of the boys, adding a nice bamboo straw for a little decor.
"Here you go, two pinap berry juices. Enjoy!" Both boys thanked Steenee as they drank juice. Trek touched his cheeks in bliss while Little Pip seemed to be a bit dissatisfied.
Steenee noticed and asked, "Little Pip? Everything alright?"
Rubbing the back of his neck with his left flipper, he commented, "This juice is really good and tangy, but it feels a bit too sweet."
Steenee immediately turned to the counter behind her and got another berry, one that reminded him of an asian pear but with bluish green circles instead of the tiny brown dots. She squeezed a few drops in the juice and stirred it with the straw.
"Here, try it now."
He did and all of a sudden, the drink tasted a whole lot more to his liking, smiling happily as he finished the whole thing.
"It's odd for little ones to prefer sour over sweet, but not uncommon. The hint of asper berry was just enough to give you the pleasant sour taste that mingle with the sweet pinap berry."
"I enjoyed it, thank you!" The little bespectacled penguin smiled sweetly before his belly rumbled and he looked down slightly embarrassed.
"Oh right," sterner remembered, "You two came here for a nice meal. Would you like to order off the menu or try one of my dishes?"
"I'll take one of your mystery dishes today and a menu for Pip here since he isn't familiar with the food."
"No problem, here's a menu." She handed it to Conan/Shinichi then noticed a group of Pokémon who seemed to be waving for their check.
"Oh, looks like they're finished. Take as long as you need Lil' Pip, then once you decide, just let me know." She excused herself and the two boys were alone.
Treeko watched the boy attempt to read the menu he knew he couldn't read. It was funny to see him scrunch up his face and squint his eyes at every little word, not understanding anything. He extended his hand out to the boy and reluctantly he handed the menu to the gecko, pouting a little.
Shinichi/Conan couldn't help but think, 'Looks like elementary school will be helpful for once.'
As Treeko-nii-san read the menu items aloud while giving the brief description of each dish, he noted some of the dishes sounded similar to foods he knew while others were a big mystery as to what they could be. Eventually, he decided to go with the curry option, it wasn't obvious he was foaming at the mouth when he first the word spoke by Treeko-nii. It also wasn't obvious when he wiped his beak of the foam and Treeko-nii was holding his chuckles while he did that. Though, he wasn't sure what curry to go with and asked Steenee-nee to make what she thought he would like. So both Treeko-nii and he were getting some surprise dishes. After coming back, taking their orders and refilling their drinks, Steenee left once again, this time to the kitchen in the back. It was separated by a wall with a window that made portions of the kitchen visible. Shinichi/Conan couldn't see much, but he thought he could see some other Pokémon back there though he didn't bother to see who they were - it's not like he'd be able to identify what kind they were anyway.
The two were left again, sitting tother at the bar counter awaiting their meals. Conan/Shinichi took this time to better look around at the area to fend off the boredom of waiting. Overall, the place was set up much like a café. Little round tables with simple bamboo stools were scattered about, some had Pokémon sitting there sipping their drinks like coffee or tea either by themselves or as a twosome. On the round walls were long rectangular windows with the sunlight pouring through, on the sides were some simple light brown drapes tied up, most likely to cover the windows at night. Outside he noticed the angle of the light showed it wasn't quite down yet, so it was still enough to illuminate the restaurant café. His eyes traveled up and he noticed a few solid frame like structures on the ceiling, it almost looked like a swing but immovable, perhaps it was where they hung the light source for the night. Looking back at the counter where they were sitting at, it was a simple tree-bark colored counter and behind was another counter withs level and compartments for cups and juice ingredients. Also of course, the window to the kitchen. Very simple, yet felt both modern and cozy. The atmosphere itself felt relaxing, probably wouldn't be later when the late night crowd arrives.
It was then he glanced back at Treeko-nii-san, his lips curled into a frown, his eyes sagging while his gaze seemed far away, and fingers fidgeting about. Immediately he could tell something was bugging the older gecko, and from the events that transpired today, he could possibly piece it together.
But before he could complete the puzzle, the meals were set before them. For Treeko-nii-san's dish, it was a brightly colored thick stew filled with vegetables, berries, and a few other things he couldn't identify easily. For his own, he got a veggie curry with what looked like some beans and lentils to replace the rice. There were lots of vegetables, berries, and potatoes. Overall, it looked a lot like how a curry would look back home. His mouth watered.
"Dig in and enjoy! For you Treeko, I made a brand new dish so all feedback is welcomed. As for you Lil'Pip, I made a dish based on a recipe I got from a friend who lives overseas. Although, I had to substitute a few ingredients since we didn't have the right ones available. Hope that's alright."
Both boys nodded firmly and Steenee was pleased. She smiled and left to go back to the kitchen, probably to prepare other meals. Treeko was about tot start eating when he noticed Little Pip clap his flippers together and say, "Itadakimasu!" Treeko looked at the boy oddly, he then explained it was just a way of saying thank you for the meal before eating. He nodded, putting his behavior to the side dismissing it as a possible behavior of Piplup and their kind, unless it was a human behavior? Well, for now, it was think later eat now.
They dug into their meals at the same time and immediately their faces melted in blissful enjoyment. The texture for Treeko's stew was nice and thick, warming his mouth like a blanket wrapped in the sweetness of a pecha berry. As for Conan/Shinichi, his meal tingled in his mouth, a mix of spice and sour flavors danced across his tongue, the vegetables and lentils that it paired with balanced the the flavors so wonderfully that he couldn't help but be pleased. The two enjoyed their meals in blissful silence, savoring each and every bite.
It was about ten minutes later when both boys let out a satisfied sigh, content with the meal they had just finished. Steenee came back after serving few Pokémon that had come in while they ate and cleared the plates from the counter.
"So how was the meal Lil'Pip? The one you ordered was originally a spicy curry, but I remembered how you liked some sourness so I made a few changes. I wasn't sure how you'd react, but I hope I did well."
Conan/Shinichi shook his head in approval, "Even with the substituted ingredients, it was really good!"
She smile and turned to Treeko, "For your meal I was experimenting with everything. I also made it a little bit sweeter since I know how much of a sweet tooth you have for your meals."
"Your experimental meals haven't failed to be delicious and this one hasn't failed either. This was the best yet, Steenee!"
"Awe, thanks Treeko!" She blushed as she smiled excitedly. Then she placed two coconuts in front of the boys, it was filled with what looked like saved ice with some coconut slices designed to look like a hibiscus flower sitting on top.
"Here you go, two servings of shaved ice with coconut mixed in. It's just a bonus and a more mild dessert and a cool treat for you to enjoy!"
They thanked her once again and she excused herself to prepare the tables for the expected evening customers. The little coconut dessert provided a nice cool feel after the warmth of the meal. But after awhile, Treeko stopped eating and turned his head to look at Little Pip, his whole face looking serious and hesitant at the same time.
"So… Little Pip, there's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about. It's…"
"I know."
"Huh? You know?"
"Well, not exactly, but from your behavior throughout the whole day and the conversation with the chief, I can tell what you want to talk about."
"Oh?" Trek was curious now, was he about tot see the little prodigy deduce the expected conversation accurately?
"Well, for starters, you have been distracted a lot today and I noticed you have a habit of playing with your fingers when you get worried or think too deeply about something that worries you."
Treeko was surprised, he had a habit like that?
The boy continued, "I especially noticed this when the chief mentioned your living arrangements as well as your financial status. From that, I could tell that before she decided to offer assistance, you only had enough income to support yourself. Also that your current living arrangement may not be suitable for me to live with you, which is why she offered a chance to occupy one of the huts closer to or inside the town." Treeko could only nod at the boy's words, so far they were accurate.
"But there's one other thing, this is more of a guess, but from the way you reacted, I have to wonder, would me being in your life affect your lifestyle in a negative way? I know you have been looking out for me since we first met, but I know looking after anyone for a day or two is different from long term. You seem almost hesitant back at the chief's office about the arrangement."
Treeko looked down, Pip got to the main point of what he wanted to talk about. He really was as sharp as Scyther's scythes.
"Well financially, I was able to support just myself, so you're right on that. As for my hesitation, this whole responsibility just felt a bit sudden is all. I can't explain well, but even if it's been a short time, I came to care about you a lot. I somehow gained a big brother protective mode despite me being an only child."
Conan/Shinichi was surprised, "You're an only child?"
"Yeah, it was just my parents and I for most of my life. I have no experience of taking care of a younger sibling, but make no mistake, even if it was placed upon me to be your official temporary guardian, I already wanted to help you. I may not know exactly how, but I'll learn. Just give me some time to figure it out and stop overthinking about all the ways I could mess up first." He awkwardly chuckled a bit.
Conan/Shinichi laughed a bit before he smiled and patted Treeko-nii on the back, "You know, it won't be just you. It's both of us together. No one is ever ready on the first day of anything new, it's a process and we'll learn how to handle this and go one step at a time."
Treeko was flummoxed, again the boy with his mature way of answer that sounded so caring and serious all at once. Who was suppose to be the adult here again? Though his words were helpful, they wouldn't stop his doubts right away. It would take time as he said, they would eventually get use to it as they got comfortable around one another.
"Well well, looks like the juice bar talks have done it again. Pokémon always seem to let ou their stress or fear the air of mixed emotions here." Steenee smiled with a toothy grin.
Treeko got startled, "How long have you been there?"
"Since Lil'Pip read you like an open book. He's honestly looking like the wise older brother between the two of you!"
"Steenee!" Treeko raised his voice at her in an annoyed yet embarrassed tone.
She turned to Shinichi/Conan and whispered in his ear, "He tends to overthink things and worry a lot, but please take good care of him."
He smiled playfully at her comment and nodded a few times.
"What did you tell him, Steenee?"
"Se~cr~et!" She sang teasingly.
Shinichi/Conan laughed as the two exchanged little arguments and bantering back and forth. Suddenly, the image of a dark skinned boy wearing a baseball cap and a girl with a light brown ponytail arguing in a similar way came to mind, again only to be forgotten as he shook his head. He knew this happened a couple of times before already, but whatever he saw kept disappearing too quickly to remember. Another thing to file away and write in the notebook he wished he had.
After the arguments and finishing their desserts, Steenee cleared their area and the boys relaxed a little before they felt ready to leave. The place was starting to get dark and he noticed several small mushroom Pokémon lining up around tables and the counters while some bigger mushroom ones sat upon the frames on the ceiling. They all illuminated up the area with a nice golden light, the area now looking more ambianced. That answered how they lit up the place at night. It was around this time that Oranguru, the owner had returned with the restock of honey. Conan/Shinichi noted how he looked like an orangutan but instead of orange-brown, he had snowy white hair and his back was purple, looking more like a cloak around his back and he had a four pointed yellow star on his forehead. The Pokémon seemed like the strong silent type, but he was also quite kind. He greeted Treeko and and Little Pip before heading to the back. The two said their goodbyes and both Steenee and Oranguru waved back while Steenee said, "Come again soon!"
As they walked out, the two looked up at the sky. The red-orange color was fading off into the horizon as the blue-purple evening sky was taking its place. The nearly full moon was just visible as the first stars of the night shown brightly. It was quite beautiful and the two admired the sight before Treeko walked down the stairs with Conan/Shinichi following on his left.
It was then he remembered something, "Ne ne, Treeko-nii, you talked about your finances and your readiness, but what about your house?"
"Oh, my house? Well… It's…"
(About Half An Hour Later)
"Wow!"
Conan/Shinichi looked at the clearing before him. In the midst of this thick forest, there stood a single large tree decorated with a few blankets hanging on the branches that were visible. Above, the foliage covered the rest of the branches, it was so thick that would be easy to hide up there and never be seen. Jutting out from some branches were thin trunks that reached down to the ground. At the center of the tree trunk, just below the lowest branch, a roof weaved of thatch wrapped around the tree and was being held up by the natural thinner trunks around the tree. At the base, there was a little triangular opening that looked hollow. To the right of the tree was a small structure of rocks with a small waterfall pouring out into a pool of clear blue water. He assumed it was a natural spring, so that means water wasn't an issue for the older gecko when it came to having to quench his thirst. Just above him, the sky was a brilliant color of violet with the mixture of the fading sun's reds and golds below, the first stars of the night were shining ever so brightly and the nearly full moon was already visible. The area was quite picturesque and reminded him of one of those places you would see on a nature magazine - if you take away the roof and blankets off the tree. Overall, he was impressed.
"As I said earlier, it's not much but it's home. The land is a gift from my parents when I decided I wanted to start building a life on my own. I sleep in the trees when it's a nice night like this, cool off under the roof when I'm feeling too hot or just stay by the spring and wade in there. If if rains I usually go inside the tree and set up a bed and wrap the blankets around the roof as walls for a temporary house. The blankets are surprisingly waterproof." Treeko explained.
"I see." Conan/Shinichi thought it was understandable, he was a gecko like ani… Pokémon, it makes sense his habits were similar to geckos and other kinds of lizards who like sleeping in logs or branches. The need for a bed on the ground wasn't that necessary for him.
"I'm sorry it's not a more traditional house. In all honesty, I wanted a nice house like others, but I am a little short on funds. One day, when I get enough, I want a nice house built around the tree. Now that we have backing, it may be possible now to get that little side project started. I could even higher a builder, I'd do it myself but I'm not that great at arts and crafts." Treeko scratched his cheek at that.
"I'm sure you'll be able to get it down soon." Treeko smiled at PIp's comment as he walked behind the tree.
"Oh! Looks like they delivered your bed and set it up here next to mine. That's one less thing to do. Why don't you go wash up before bed first while I clean up a bit. You can dive in the water, it's deeper than it looks."
Conan/Shinichi responded with an okay and he went straight to the spring. Once he got to the water, he looked at his reflection once more. The blue penguin staring at him with some oversized black glasses which he noticed had fake lenses and the big red bowtie. Both items just felt comfortable to wear and he had an automatic response to look for them to place upon himself. Taking them both off, he just felt strange. Seeing that this little penguin Pokémon was him, it didn't sit right. He felt odd but at the same time, somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt like he expected a change of some sort. Some nagging feeling that being changed wasn't all too strange, like it has happened several times before. Maybe it's from his lingering names of his previous life. Conan and Shinichi. Elementary school student and high school student. Was this change normal between the two identities? Ugh, his head was hurting again, he decided to just dive into the water and cool his head. Treeko-nii was right, the water was much deeper that it looked. Being under the water, he felt his body relax and feel at ease. The sound of everything above was muffled and he could only hear the garbled crashing of the small waterfall and the sounds of the water itself. His body just relaxed and he smiled, feeling like he could drift off to sleep in this water.
"Little Pip! Come on out, you've been in there for a long time now."
This jolted the water penguin out of his relaxed state, immediately swimming back up to the surface of the pool.
"Gee, you've been under for more than twenty minutes, I was starting to get worried you fell asleep under there."
He looked a little shocked, it had been twenty minutes? How had he been under for so long? He felt he could stay under for a long time if he wanted to do so. He looked down at his body and remembered, right, penguin Pokémon. If they were anything like the ones back home, they could stay under for hours before needing to come back up for air.
"Sorry Treeko-nii, I was just… It was just…" He couldn't find the right words to express his enjoyment of being under the water.
"It's okay. Now come on, it's already dark and it's time for you to get to bed. We got a lot to do in the coming days before you start school."
Little Pip nodded in agreement as a yawn escaped his beak. Treeko smiled as he dried off his charge and led him straight to the bed of grass and hay. When the boy hit the bed, he immediately fell asleep, becoming oblivious to everything around him. Treeko looked up at the night sky, the stars and moon were all shining brightly on this beautiful clear night. His eyes gazing deeply into its beauty as he thought about his life. His dreams were coming true, all he ever wanted to do but was too afraid to pursue, it was going to start soon. A new chapter in his life was beginning. He looked again at Little Pip whose face was calm, he couldn't help but stroke his head softly, his beak slowly curled into a little smile as he felt the gentle touch of the gecko.
"Thank you Pip, because of you, I'm one step closer to my dream. I hope to help you the same way. Until we find your family, I'll do my best to be a good older brother to you." Treeko whispered as the boy still had a small smile upon his face. He then went to his own bed and laid down and faced in the boy's direction.
Before closing his eyes, he looked at the boy one more time and softly spoke, "Good night, Little Pip."
TBC
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How was it? Was it paced too slow or too quickly? Even after reading it aloud a couple of times, I'm still not sure. This chapter was one of the harder ones I wrote, mostly cause I couldn't imagine the right scenario to write. I even scrapped the earlier drafts for this one cause I just wasn't satisfied about where went. This one currently better than my earlier writings.
So let's go over a couple of things:
This chapter focused more-so on Treeko than it did on Pip. I needed a way for Treeko to address his insecurities, his character is kinda going opposite of Pokédex entries. He isn't really the cool character, but more the skittish worrywart type. Out of character for the Treeko kind in general. Still not sure if I'm getting that point across well though. Also yes, his parents were kinda based on our Meitantei's parents if you caught on.
As for the new settings, the first is Oranguru's Place, yes I did base it off the one in the Alola series. The only difference is the interior. Steenee, if you were able to guess, she's mostly based off of Mallow/Mao. But I'll try to make her different from her, if she ends up being too similar, whoops. The curry she made, you could say she got it from a "Galarian" friend, but yeah it wouldn't be called Galar in the PMD world. Not sure what to call it yet since it's apart of a whole separate body of land, far from the elemental continents.
Now for Treeko's tree home, he has been living in a Banyan tree ever since his parents bought him the land as a goodbye gift. There is something that got left out since it was in the scrapped draft, but this was the tree they originally spent their vacation stay. Treeko liked the place so much and decided to live there, his parents worked it out with the town and they were able to own that portion of land. So it is now Treeko's, they paid for the land and now he has to be held responsible for everything else.
Finally, I just really wanted to add a tiny bit about Pip enjoying the water as a Penguin and finding that it's his place to relax and calm down. This may or may not be a useful space for thinking about a case or two once he gets use to his new situation.
So yeah, that's it, I got not much else to say. I want to limit these little notes, but I keep going longer. Oh well. Again, if there's anything I didn't explain well, feel free to let me know or ask.
So Thank-Q for reading, and thank-Q to all for reading! Also thank you to those who liked and follow up on this story! I really do appreciate it so so much!
See you next chapter...!
Posted Chapter: 09.14.2021