April 21st
Solaceon Town Outskirts - Sinnoh Region
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Blaze awoke feeling at ease. It seemed so foreign to him, waking up without his heart pounding, or his body tensing in anticipation as his eyes and ears strained to locate a potential danger nearby. Words could scarcely describe the incredible difference this had on his mood. Instead of fear and aggression pumping through his blood, he felt only the warm cozy feeling of a good night's rest.
He remained still for several moments, basking in the feelings of contentment before finally shifting his body and stretching, allowing energy to race into his limbs and dispel the haze of sleep from his mind. He even allowed himself the luxury of a wide yawn, his tail swishing happily as he completed the stretch and sat up.
A vast meadow extended all around him, with a large tree standing nearby to offer the prospect of shade and shelter if he so desired, and the meadow had a number of boulders of varying size for him to climb on if he wanted a different vantage point, or even to occupy him for a few moments. Just a short walk away was a small stream, and the sound of running water was a pleasant source of ambience.
Aureia had explained to him that a trainer's Pokeball contained a simulated environment suited to the tastes of the Pokemon inhabiting it, as opposed to the Eevee's initial concern that it was a prison with bare, silver-steel walls surrounding its captive on all sides. In his defense, that was exactly what the inside a Pokeball appeared to be whenever Blaze caught a glimpse of one opening. It was only after Ember had been called into the conversation to confirm the Vaporeon's claims that Blaze allowed Adrian to call him into the sphere.
The simulated environment was not quite as realistic as the outside world, which Blaze initially found a little unnerving, but after spending a little more time within his own little world, he started to take a liking to it. The vague sense of falseness actually did wonders to put his mind at ease. It reassured him that no rivals or predators were going to be sneaking up on him. The main downside was the sense of isolation. Part of Blaze wished there was some sort of a duplex ball or something, that could harbor two Pokemon together, but after a little while, he reconsidered that notion. A Pokeball was clearly designed to be a Pokemon's personal 'haven', a place where they could rest and relax with absolute privacy, without any sense of danger or unease to plague their mind. He felt safe and comfortable.
The Eevee was just starting to wonder whether Pokemon ever had to worry about getting hungry while inside a ball, when a tingling sensation ran through his body. This was followed by the simulated environment shimmering and distorting, alerting him to what was about to happen a moment before he felt himself gently pulled from that environment and released into the real world.
A variety of different scents bombarded his nose, and he spun around quickly to try and get his bearings. It didn't take him too long to discover that he was standing in what appeared to be the same clearing where Adrian and Marcus had had their battle two days ago. The sun was already up, and judging by its height in the sky, it was roughly mid-morning. The grass was slightly damp with the morning's dew, and a small fire crackled from a pit, surrounded by rocks, with a bundle of twigs nestled in the center and gradually becoming consumed by the flames. The two humans were seated around the fire pit, one of them suspending a long stick over the fire, with a number of different food items speared upon its point. Not far from them were a pair of small shelters made from some sort of waterproof fabric, just large enough to comfortably house one human, with maybe a little extra room.
"Hey there, little guy," Adrian greeted, smiling at Blaze. The Eevee cocked his head inquisitively, not really sure how to respond, if one was even necessary. He cast another look around the campsite, and soon spotted Ember sitting near the fire, the Charmander nurturing the flame whenever it started to die down. Continuing to look around provided no further clues as to what was going on. As if aware of what he was thinking, Adrian smiled reassuringly. "If you're looking for Aureia, she's swimming," he explained, pointing towards the far end of the clearing, where the streams were located. "But you should probably let her be for right now, okay?"
"Oh, okay," Blaze mumbled, sitting down and looking around awkwardly. It wasn't like he needed to always be around Aureia, but he still wasn't sure what was going on. He had never expected to be under a trainer's care, even if it was just supposed to be a temporary arrangement, so he had no idea what to expect at any given time.
"You hungry, Blaze?" Adrian ventured gently, pivoting his body so he was facing the Eevee directly, and held out his hand, exposing a number of berries in his palm. Blaze hesitated for only a moment before cautiously approaching, keeping most of his attention on the human's face. Once the Eevee was close enough, Adrian opened his hand more, providing easier access, but without dropping the berries on the grass. Blaze hesitated again, his heart starting to beat a little faster, but he steeled himself and stepped closer, cautiously seizing one of the ripe fruits between his teeth, and then retreated a pace or two to eat it.
Adrian didn't move, and smiled patiently, his hand still extended towards the Eevee. Once Blaze had finished with the first berry, he approached again to seize another, repeating the process as before. Once he went back for the third berry, he retreated only a single pace. By the fifth berry, he didn't bother retreating at all.
"See? I'm not that scary," Adrian chuckled. Blaze cocked his head inquisitively. He understood what the young man had said; his confusion was more directed inwards. Now that it had been pointed out, he had started noticing that he wasn't as on-edge around humans ever since he had allowed himself to be registered to a Pokeball the other day. Not to the point of happily approaching them, but he didn't feel as anxious around them. More bizarrely was that this extended not only to Adrian, but to other humans, like Marcus, or even other human travelers. Seemed like a bit too much of a shift to naturally occur in just a little over a day's time.
Shrugging it off for now, Blaze refocused on simply filling his belly. The different berries that Adrian had offered had a variety of flavors to each of them. Some were sweet, others a bit more dry, and at least one or two of them were sour. Once he was satisfied, he retreated again and used his paw to wipe his muzzle clean of any juice and residue that had missed his mouth.
"You know, Adrian, I still can't decide whether I'm doing something wrong, or if you're just getting lucky," Marcus commented, lifting his cooking utensil from the fire and carefully sliding the cooked foods into a container.
"What do you mean?" Adrian wondered.
"I mean, I know you take in Pokemon with special circumstances, but you've been able to raise Aureia, and now you're starting to get along with a wild Eevee," Marcus explained. "Meanwhile, I've come across that shiny Espeon twice, but both times, I've gotten attacked, either by a psychotic Leafeon, or a super-strong Glaceon. And other than those times, I haven't seen ANY other wild Eevee."
"I really don't think they're that common or widespread in Sinnoh," Adrian remarked. "They probably cluster in groups or packs, so you'll almost never find them by themselves."
Blaze fidgeted slightly, even though he knew the humans weren't really talking about him. From his own experience, he had never seen other Eevee wandering around on their own. If an Eevee was by themselves, they were either being looked after by a stronger Pokemon, or they belonged to a trainer camping in the area. It was even rare to see the evolved forms in groups of fewer than two or three.
Marcus shrugged, and started eating the small meal he had cooked for himself, distracting him from making further replies. Adrian chuckled to himself and turned his attention back towards Blaze. When the Eevee didn't immediately shy away, the human slowly extended his arm towards him, making the approach as non-threatening as possible. Blaze watched him warily, but did not retreat, even once Adrian's hand was almost directly above him. Just as slowly as before, Adrian let his hand descend until his fingertips gently stroked along Blaze's ears.
Blaze's ears twitched at the contact, and he flinched briefly before relaxing and allowing Adrian to repeat the motion, sending a ripple of delight through the Eevee's body. He inched a little closer to Adrian, permitting him to stroke from the tip of his ears down to the top of his head. After a few moments, he began purring softly, closing his eyes partially just to bask in the gentle touch.
"Oh, you like being pet, huh?" Adrian asked playfully. "I half expected you to try to bite my fingers."
Blaze smirked a little at the comment, in spite of himself, but made no effort to contradict the trainer's statement. Adrian shifted position again and knelt on the grass beside the Eevee. Cautiously, he continued to stroke along Blaze's ears and head, watching his reactions closely, and moving slowly enough to not startle the Eevee.
"So here's something else I've been wondering," Marcus said, between bites of food, and Adrian paused the petting to look over, to Blaze's disappointment. "How have you gotten so good at understanding your Pokemon? I mean, I'm making progress, but you seem to pick up on things so fast."
"Experience, little man, not much else to it," Adrian laughed. "It comes from time and practice, more than just having a 'gift' for something. When it comes to Aureia and Ember, I've worked with them long enough that I have a pretty good understanding of how they think and feel. Just takes some time and sticking with it. You must be doing something right, if you've got a Lopunny on your team already."
Marcus grinned from ear-to-ear, his cheeks flushing at his older brother's praise. "Thanks, but uh...do you think you could watch me when I train later, and maybe, you know, give me some pointers?"
"Yeah, I'd love to, little man," Adrian answered. "I'll be free in about an hour, once I finish up a few things and pack up the tents."
"I'll take care of the tents!" Marcus said, jumping to his feet and going over to the shelters. Adrian chuckled, but offered no objection, instead refocusing on Blaze.
"I don't know how you feel about battle training, little guy," he said, rubbing the Eevee's ears again. "No pressure, but if it's something you're interested in, let me know, okay?"
Blaze nodded, and Adrian paused, rummaging around in his pockets until he located a red, handheld device, the same object he had consulted during the other day's battle. The Eevee cocked his head inquisitively, and tensed when the human pointed it towards him.
"It's all right, it doesn't hurt you," Adrian reassured him, pressing one of the buttons, and then turning the display towards the Eevee to show him the results. Blaze blinked a few times. The screen had the image of an Eevee upon it, and then several lines of text. "This is a Pokedex," Adrian explained. "It scans a Pokemon and then displays information about it."
He flicked his finger across the screen, and the image rotated around, showing different angles, as if they were circling around the displayed Eevee.
"I mean, an Eevee is a bit more ordinary, but if I tapped a section of its body I wanted information about, like a Charmander's tail flame, or an Espeon's forehead gem, it would display that information," Adrian continued, demonstrating by tapping on the screen. "It also lists basic information, and if I scan a specific Pokemon, I can get more detailed information about its abilities."
Adrian again tapped a button, and the display changed to a printed list of attributes. Peering closer to the display, Blaze did his best to read the details, and Adrian, seemingly aware of what he was trying to do, merely smiled and read them aloud for him.
"Male Eevee, Normal-type, estimated three years of age, standard height and weight, movepool...huh, that's interesting..."
"What is it?" Marcus wondered, looking over as Adrian squinted at the Pokedex display.
"I mean, it's mostly the basic stuff that most Pokemon can do, like Tackle, Bite, Growl, and Quick Attack, but this little guy also knows Charm, and more surprisingly, Wish," Adrian said seriously, pointing at two lines of text that were displayed in a different color than the rest, as Marcus looked over his brother's shoulder to see. "Kind of like how Ember knows Dragon Dance...Wish isn't a technique most Eevee know naturally. It's usually inherited. Lucky guy."
"I don't know Wish," Blaze protested, bewildered. "What's Wish?"
"He just means your genetics have access to a rare technique, and not that you actually know how to do it," Ember explained. "It's not like I knew how to use Dragon Dance fresh out of the egg, but my body naturally could use it, I just had to be taught how."
"Oh," Blaze muttered. That made a little more sense than being told he knew a battle technique he had never heard of before. His next question was what 'Wish' actually did, but something told him that Ember had no idea. Because if he had the power to have his wishes granted or something, then it wasn't working. Everything he ever wanted from his life always seemed to turn out badly for him. Back at the clan, he had wished desperately for a means to change the system, or to finally be able to lash out against the bullying and injustices...and then one day, he had found a glittering orange stone radiating with energy.
The Eevee clenched his jaw, willing himself with all his might not to start crying at the memory of fate's injustice. He had found the stone, and had been convinced it was a gift from above, a blessing bestowed upon him...only to have it stolen out from under him, and his dreams destroyed in an instant. That was the day he decided that his fate would only change if he made it change, not by wishing or waiting, but by shedding everything else about his life, and beginning anew.
"Oh, there you are, Aureia," Adrian said, drawing the Eevee's attention back to reality. The Vaporeon was walking over to them, her body glistening with water droplets catching the morning sun. "How was your swim?"
"It was fine," the Vaporeon replied dully. "What did I miss?"
"I was just showing your friend how the Pokedex works," Adrian explained, holding up the device for her inspection. "I also checked his movepool, in case he wanted to join our battle training today. In addition to the basics, he knows Charm and Wish."
"And I know Fake Tears and Attract," Aureia replied promptly, without altering her flat tone in the slightest. "That's fantastic news, assuming you're mentioning it because our future goal is to spawn an Eevee genetically equipped to become the cutest sociopath."
"If it's going to be that cute, which parent is it taking after?" Blaze wondered aloud. Aureia just stared at him, and Ember stifled a snort of laughter. Blaze grinned innocently at the Vaporeon, and after a short pause, an amused smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and her rigid stance loosened slightly.
"Why do I find this endearing?" Aureia lamented, shaking her head in an effort to conceal her amusement, even as she sat down beside the Eevee. Blaze immediately seized this opportunity to affectionately nuzzle against her foreleg, but Aureia promptly pushed him back. "It's not that endearing," she chided him blandly. "Don't overplay it, or I'll start doubting whether you know when I'm being sarcastic."
"I just assume everything you say is sarcastic," Blaze replied brightly.
"To be fair, you'd be right more often than not," Ember noted. Aureia shot the Charmander a look, but it lacked venom, and Ember merely smirked in response. At about this time, Adrian got to his feet and started to move about the campsite, gathering together their various belongings, and talking to Marcus as the latter continued disassembling their fabric shelters. Aureia watched them for a moment, then shook her head.
"Whatever," Aureia sighed, and turned her attention back to Blaze, the Eevee's tail wagging in spite of himself. "Did you actually plan to join the battle training today?" she wondered.
"Um...I don't know," Blaze answered, shifting his weight from side to side. "I mean, I could if you want me to," he added quickly. Aureia fought the urge to roll her eyes, but she was smiling faintly, amused by his response.
"No, that's okay," she said slowly, averting her gaze, but undeniably still talking to him. "I think I've gotten my thoughts together now, so I'd like to finally have that word with you."
"Oh...right," Blaze said, feeling a sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't forgotten about the Vaporeon's request to talk to him, following the spar between the two humans, but it had been over a day since Aureia had last mentioned it, and considering how their last attempt for a personal conversation had gone, back in Johto, he didn't have much reason to be optimistic.
"Oh, relax," Aureia griped, seeing his nervous expression. "I won't put you in a tail bind this time."
"And you won't start acting like a passive-aggressive b...beautiful female?" Blaze asked, nearly fumbling the last words, and grinning playfully in a desperate effort to hide the near-slip. Ember and Aureia exchanged glances.
"That was a pretty smooth recovery, actually," Ember admitted, not even trying to hide her amusement.
"Yes, bravo, Blaze," Aureia deadpanned. "We're off to a great start already."
"I hadn't called you 'beautiful' yet!" Blaze explained earnestly, but he could tell that Aureia hadn't been offended. Her stance was still relaxed, and although her tone was its usual, near-constant deadpan, her eyes and voice lacked the coldness more typical of a guarded state. She seemed almost as amused by the situation as Ember was, even if her facial expressions did little to reflect that mood. Lukewarm responses were still a good sign.
Further chance to develop the conversation was limited by the announcement that the two humans had finished packing up the campsite and were ready to move on. What followed was a short disagreement over the ideal location for the training session to be held. Adrian felt that the present area would probably suffice, but Marcus disagreed. The bantering went back and forth for several minutes before Adrian finally conceded that since it was supposed to be Marcus' training session, with the older trainer primarily acting as an observer, it was only fair for Marcus to select the venue.
Blaze had no idea where the younger trainer was planning on taking them, but he knew that the trip involved passing through Solaceon Town entirely, only to do an abrupt change in direction and navigate through a small forest, hop over a few precarious ledges...and that was all Blaze knew, because Aureia 'noped' out of that arrangement so fast it almost made his head spin.
"Seriously, Aureia?" Adrian asked, when he glanced back to see that the Vaporeon had outright refused to traverse the first ledge. She responded by turning her nose up. "It's like...a six inch drop, girl...you really wouldn't get hurt."
Blaze glanced between the Water-type and her trainer uncertainly. He was also still on top of that ledge, and while his hesitation to drop over the ledge was more understandable due to his smaller size, he was genuinely baffled by Aureia's reluctance.
"I could carry you in your ball if you...wait, you just don't want to come at all, do you?" Adrian asked, realization dawning on his face.
"I heard Marcus say where we were going," Aureia retorted. "I'm not going anywhere NEAR another place with the word 'Ruins' in it."
Adrian seemed slightly frustrated, because he scratched at the back of his neck, turning to look over his shoulder at Marcus, who was looking perplexed by the situation. Finally, he sighed. "Okay, you don't have to come. But stay in the area, and behave. Sinnoh isn't as big on Pokemon wandering freely, like in Johto, okay?"
Aureia shrugged, and Adrian checked the time, before turning to talk with Marcus for a few moments.
"We'll come back and get you in about a half hour to forty-five minutes, all right?" Adrian asked. Aureia replied with a curt nod, and almost immediately turned on her heel and began walking back the way they had come. Blaze hesitated for a fraction of a second before going after the Vaporeon, jogging to keep pace with her larger strides.
Neither of them spoke until they had emerged from the small forest, and back within the town limits. After a moment's consideration, Aureia opted to go north, through the gate in the opposite direction of last night's campground.
"Where are we going?" he wondered, looking around as he followed her along the faded dirt path leading away from the human town.
"Just over here somewhere," Aureia answered dully, her eyes scanning the area. After a brief silence, it occurred to Blaze that he probably wasn't going to get a better answer than that, and it really wasn't worth nagging her to elaborate.
Compared to the humid and marshy terrain after Pastoria, and the streams and meadows between Hearthome and Solaceon, this route had open, sprawling fields with clusters of trees dotted around the area. The dirt road seemed to stretch on for ages, even branching off and forming a whole different road. With fewer obstacles to block out the sky, Blaze could even see the looming shape of a massive mountain in the distance.
He had seen mountains before, but the great titan of Sinnoh seemed to dwarf them all, and he couldn't even begin to imagine the fear and awe that it might inspire if they were much closer. The spires of the mountain reached above the clouds themselves, so that even the sun seemed in range of its summit.
"May I ask you something, Blaze?" Aureia abruptly asked, and she stopped walking, which resulted in the distracted Eevee colliding with her rump. The Vaporeon shot a poisonous look over her shoulder, even as he backpedaled, apologizing nervously. Once satisfied that he was appropriately cowed, Aureia's expression softened, and she moved off the path, and sat down on the grass. "Do you have any battle training or experience at all?" she wondered, gesturing for him to sit down beside her.
"Um...a little, I guess," Blaze answered, tiptoeing nearer to the Vaporeon. "I'm just...not very strong."
"Oh, that's right," Aureia murmured thoughtfully, as if she had only just remembered this tidbit of information. "You said you used to have a trainer, but were released because you weren't strong enough."
Blaze cringed, and his stomach churned with guilt. As much as he wished he could tear his memories from his mind and cast them aside, the reality was not so simple. In order to distance himself from his past, he had tried to fabricate a new life for himself. Other Pokemon he had encountered during his months of travel had been suspicious of this wayward Eevee that refused to say where he came from, and what he was doing. It was impossible to truly start at ground zero, as long as a single stone of the past was left at the foundation.
So rather than try to eradicate his origins, he disguised them instead. To justify his lack of roots, he told inquisitive Pokemon that he had been released by his trainer, and he had nowhere to stay. This seemed painful enough that he rarely received questions beyond that, and if any justification was ever needed, he said it was because he hadn't been strong enough. He had always been a lamentable fighter, so quick to anger and possessing all the grace of a Spinda. Claiming weakness added credibility to his backstory, and made him appear less like a threat, as someone unworthy of fighting.
And if fighting was ever an issue, he could always just lose.
Losing came naturally to him. So long as his life was not at risk, a loss was just a formal display of submission to the other party. Sometimes, it cost him a meal, by forfeiting the scraps he had found. Sometimes, it cost him a warm place to sleep. But none of that really mattered, because by losing, he stayed alive. He stayed safe. He only had to endure the victor's gloating, and then it was over. His heart burned with hatred, and thirsted for retribution, but that was the story of his old life, and he had cast that story, and that life, aside.
Until he had met Aureia. After getting to know the Vaporeon better, and developing genuine affection for her, Blaze never forgave himself for using his fabricated backstory. As hoped, hearing that he had been released by a trainer who only wanted Pokemon strong enough to win battles had discouraged the Vaporeon from prying deeper. And after spending time together, she had told him her own circumstances. She had been captured as an Eevee, and evolved into a Vaporeon. That in spite of caring deeply for her trainer, she was eventually replaced on the team, and set free. Perhaps it had been the trainer's idea of compassion, to allow Aureia to live in freedom, rather than confined to a Pokeball or similar...but it had shattered her heart. Even the mention of her second trainer, a second-rate criminal who had been arrested in short order, always seemed like an afterthought of her tale...she met Adrian through those circumstances, but it was the first trainer that had left the most impact.
There were times when Blaze longed to retract his tale of woe, and admit that he had fabricated it, but he always stopped himself. Aureia only tolerated him most of the time, and he felt certain that if she knew he had lied about his past, that tolerance would be broken in an instant. Yet the closer he grew to her, the more he hated himself for telling her that story, and there were nights when he lay awake, worrying that maybe she only cared as much as she did because she thought he could relate to her own past. That they weren't so different, and that they could provide a sort of comfort to one another.
The more time that passed, the more Blaze dreaded the inevitable revelation of his true origins. The closer they got, the more he feared that the truth would make her feel betrayed and deceived. The more uncomfortable it would be to finally be honest, and face judgment and wrath.
He didn't have the heart for this type of deception. She at times seemed to seriously consider him as more than just a male acquaintance. Someone she might finally be able to open up to...and if she learned everything had been built on a lie...he was terrified of how this might hurt her. He had promised himself, that if there was ever a point where Aureia might return his affection sincerely, he would need to tell her the truth before then. He knew the spring months brought their species' courting season, and although he sincerely doubted Aureia would be quick to act physically affectionate towards him...the possibility existed. There was no way he could risk things ever going that far without first coming clean.
"Um...Aureia?" he squeaked out, his mouth abruptly feeling very dry. The Vaporeon glanced at him. His entire train of thought had lasted merely seconds, although it had felt like a real-time retelling of the past several months of his life. She likely had no idea what he had been thinking about, or even aware of how much he was agonizing over these next few words.
"Hm?" she murmured inquisitively. Blaze hesitated, uncomfortably aware of the thundering of his heart in his chest, coupled with the clawing of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. He was starting to feel slightly nauseous.
"I have to tell you something, but I'm scared you're going to be really mad," Blaze choked out, his eyes stinging with emotion. In spite of his brain screaming at him not to do it, he inched closer and desperately nuzzled against her leg. It wasn't his usual show of affection, but some sort of pathetic obsequious behavior, akin to groveling for leniency.
"Are you cheating on me with Avis?" Aureia deadpanned, lifting her leg away from him and stepping back.
"What? No, I...why would you even-?" Blaze stammered, bewildered.
Aureia shrugged. "Because that would probably piss me off more than anything else ever could," she answered dully. "If you're going to go that route, at least have the decency to choose Ember."
"...why is your first instinct that I'm after someone else?" Blaze demanded, distracted from his original train of thought.
Aureia shrugged again. "I couldn't think of anything else that might warrant so much pre-emptive tail-kissing," she deadpanned. "Just spit it out if you need to say something."
Blaze cringed. "I...never had a trainer. I made that up."
Aureia stared at him. The silence seemed to drag on for hours, and Blaze squirmed beneath her gaze, looking at the grass beneath his paws. "Is that it?" she asked finally.
"What?" Blaze looked up indignantly.
The Vaporeon's response was interrupted by the sound of excited squealing, and both of them turned in the direction of the source. A small ball of brown fluff had bolted over to their location, showering their ears with a mixture of high-pitched squeals and chirps.
Once Blaze had focused his attention, he could see that it was another Eevee, but female, and far younger than he was. Probably around three or four months, tops, if it was still communicating with chirps, yet was this energetic.
The young Eevee had bright, curious eyes that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, and it was excitedly trying to get their attention, its bushy tail wagging with such enthusiasm that it brought a legitimate smile to Blaze's face.
"Hi there!" Blaze squeaked playfully, crouching his body to put his face on the same level as the little Eevee's, and wagging his tail in the same manner that she was. It was so much easier to bring out a happy, playful demeanor when interacting with younger Pokemon than for fellow adults. The same mindset was how he often managed to force a cheerful exterior, even when feeling moody.
The Eevee kit giggled, poking her paw at Blaze's nose. Blaze grinned, then gently poked her nose right back, making a 'boop' sound with his mouth when he made contact. The smaller Eevee squealed in delight. Aureia blinked several times, her eyes darting between the two Eevee with a confused expression, as if she wasn't sure whether this was really happening.
"I'm presently debating whether I'm in a living nightmare," Aureia remarked dryly. "Because the last thing I need right now, when Adrian is playing matchmaker while pretending he's not doing that, is for him to randomly come by and see you getting along well with kits."
"I like kits," Blaze protested. "They're cute, and playful, and innocent, and don't get off on tormenting people."
"I imagine many parents might disagree on that," Aureia muttered. The young Eevee looked up at her curiously and greeted her with an adorable chirp. When this received no reaction, the kit repeated the sound, her tail wagging adorably.
"She's so cute!" Blaze whispered gleefully, his own tail wagging again.
"Glacia!" a male voice whined, and the smaller Eevee's ears perked up, as a second quadruped hurried over. Its body was covered primarily in tan fur that vaguely resembled the shade of the dirt path, with vibrant green sprouts growing along its body, and a leafy appearance at the ends of its ears and tail. "Don't run off like that, Frost's going to get mad at me," the Leafeon scolded the smaller Eevee, who chirped obliviously.
"Hi!" Blaze greeted brightly. It was a little more difficult to judge the Grass Eon's age, due to being an evolved species, but it was smaller than average and the whining so clearly resembled a kit-age Pokemon that he was able to roughly estimate it as being just a little older than the female Eevee, probably by a few months.
"Oh, hey," the Leafeon replied, smiling apologetically, but Blaze immediately sensed a guardedness in his stance. "Sorry if we got in your way."
"It's fine," Aureia replied, speaking more gently than she normally did, which seemed to reassure the Leafeon a little bit, because he relaxed and began speaking to the Eevee quietly. "Are you siblings?" the Vaporeon wondered.
"Huh? No, just friends," the Leafeon answered with a smile. "We were just playing over there, and I guess she saw you guys and ran over. She moves really fast..."
"Which is altogether unsurprising," a male voice stated unexpectedly, and another Pokemon stepped into view. It was a quadruped with light-blue fur that stood out vividly against the lush green of the surrounding meadow. Upon its head was a tri-sectioned crest of fur with two teal dangles framing its face, like the flaps of an arctic cap. "She was raised around snow for her entire life, so grass poses little obstacle to her mobility."
As the newcomer drew nearer to the group, Blaze noted that its fur was frozen into needle-like quills, and an icy mist escaped its mouth with every breath. The Ice-type carried himself with an air of smug confidence that immediately made Blaze hate him. Glaceon were exceptionally rare Pokemon to see back in Blaze's clan, but he knew of them by reputation.
At the sight of the Ice Eeveelution, the Eevee kit squeaked and she dashed over to him, rubbing up against his leg and side affectionately. For some illogical reason, the sight made Blaze's insides tighten, and he averted his gaze, hoping that no one had noticed his reaction.
"Sorry, Frost," the Leafeon said, his ears drooping apologetically. "She kind of got away from me for a second..."
The kit squeaked indignantly, and she puffed her cheeks into a resentful pout directed at her playmate.
"I warned you, Leaf, she's a handful," Frost chuckled, reaching down and stroking the Eevee kit fondly. "I intended to supervise your playtime, regardless, and this situation is precisely why such supervision is required. No harm done."
The Grass-type nodded, and started walking back the way they had come, only to pause when he realized that no one was following him. A few seconds passed in awkward silence, yet no one moved from their places. Finally, the Glaceon's dark eyes flicked up to meet theirs, and his gaze was as frigid as his fur.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"No, we were just passing through," Aureia deadpanned, not the least bit intimidated by the Glaceon's condescending manner. Blaze, meanwhile, was grinding his teeth, and glaring at a specific strand of grass in front of him. He hated when people talked like this, as if he were a nuisance that hadn't gotten the hint that he was unwelcome, or, at the very least, someone undeserving of attention and respect.
"Splendid," Frost noted with a wry smirk. "Then I trust you don't need directions. Good day."
"Is this your territory?" Blaze demanded. The Glaceon seemed momentarily surprised by the question, but swiftly recovered his composure, and silently considered the Eevee in front of him.
"Mine? No, but we're just outside a den belonging to a friend. I'm chaperoning my daughter's first playdate, so it shouldn't be too much to ask that strangers continue on their way, rather than linger suspiciously in the area," Frost stated, gesturing to the Eevee cuddling against him, before looking Blaze straight in the eyes. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"You don't have to be such a condescending jerk about it," Blaze growled, his fur bristling.
"Nor do you have to be so obstinate," Frost countered smoothly. "My request is rather simple and inoffensive, so why don't you just step back, and be on your way?"
"Why don't you bite me?" Blaze snapped back. The Glaceon raised an eyebrow incredulously, before his focus shifted briefly to Aureia, and then back to Blaze.
"Hm, this is one of more pathetic efforts I've seen of someone picking a fight, only worsened by my awareness that you're picking a fight you have absolutely no hope of winning. If your aim is to impress a prospective mate in time for the season, you're going about it in the worst way possible."
"Why, afraid I'll kick your tail in front of your daughter, you stupid wuss?" Blaze snapped.
Aureia inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in disbelief. Frost arched both eyebrows, and after a moment, he chuckled quietly.
"Oh dear...you poor, sad little Eevee. At this point, I'm not convinced thrashing you wouldn't be a show of mercy, if only to keep you from recklessly crossing a line that would justify homicide," Frost murmured. "Very well...I accept this inane challenge."
