A/N: Team Roster: Jackson (Cinderace), Hudson (Mudsdale), Rosa (Bellossom), Theodore (Corviknight), Rouge (Weavile)
Chapter 17 - Her Goals
Silence blanketed the clearing just as the snow did, and the only sound was the soft 'pat' of snowflakes that tumbled from the air and onto the banks around them. Rouge had led Dolly and Hudson to the quiet spot (after trading the knowledge for the Razor Claw), and the three stood, somberly gazing at the stone grave.
The pine trees framed it, and little pine needles surrounded the tombstone, as if to keep the ground warm for the Pokémon that lay beneath it. Dolly's tears had frozen, just as her hair and fingers had, as she stood gazing at the ground. Even with Hop's jacket around her, she was still stunned into nothing, and her mind was just as numb as her hands. When Hudson finally let out a sigh, Dolly rested her hand on him.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
Hudson offered no response as he watched the grave, as if waiting for it to move, as if waiting to hear a melody from the buzz of Vikavolt wings. The only sound was silence, and the soft 'pat' of the snowflakes.
When he heaved out another sigh, Dolly wrapped her arms around him. It wasn't much - she could offer little warmth, and little comfort to his large frame, but once she did, he finally let a single tear escape.
"She was funny, you know," Hudson finally said.
His voice rumbled against Dolly's ear, and Rouge glanced at them.
"She would talk to me."
Dolly lifted her head. Hudson was still watching the grave as he sighed again.
"She didn't talk like the rest of us talk, it was subtle. You had to pay attention. If you were lucky, you would get to hear her. She said I was the only one that really tried to listen to her."
Dolly rested her head against him, stroking through his mane.
"She loved us all," Hudson said. "She told me she would be happy to fight for us, to die for us. She told me that night at the fire on Route 8. I think she knew it would be coming soon, for her."
"I'm sorry, Hudson," Dolly whispered, trying to hug her Mudsdale tighter. "I'm sorry you're upset, I'm sorry I wasn't careful, I'm just… I'm sorry for not being better. I… please let me know if you need anything, and I'll try to help."
Another stretch of silence fell over the clearing. Hudson was trembling, just as Dolly was, both from the cold and from the emotion that coursed through them. After a while, Rouge's voice broke the quiet.
"So, this is what happens? Your Pokémon actually die?"
Dolly could only nod, still gazing at the proof lying beneath the pine needles.
"You can leave if you want, no one would blame you," Dolly said quietly.
She thought about her team of five, about her Cinderace, her Mudsdale, her Bellossom, her Corviknight, her Weavile. Then, she thought to the other five, about her Eevee, her Noibat, her Wooloo, her Riolu, and now her Vikavolt, gone, because of her.
Rouge watched as the tears finally fell from her Trainer's eyes, just as quietly as the snow.
"Sap said it well, that night at the fire," Hudson said, breaking the silence again. "She said that fighting and traveling beside all of us was what she wanted to do. She said the reward outweighed the risk ten-fold - that fighting and dying beside the ones she loved was the only kind of death she would want. She didn't care if it was by growing old beside us, or by going out in a blaze of glory, just as long as we could all be together. That was Sap's goal."
The words wafted through the air, and into the ears of the Weavile. Rouge looked down to her claws, which now so much resembled that of her brother's. Although she never got to know Sap, that was a goal they could relate to: fighting for the ones they loved.
"I'm cursed, Rouge," Dolly said. "With the Nuzlocke Curse. My Pokémon die, and I hate myself for it. I'm not good at many things, but I like battling, and I like Pokémon, and I want to break the Curse."
"We want to break the Curse," Hudson corrected. "We all choose to fight alongside one another. We share this goal - Dolly's goal. We want to break this Curse and show other Pokémon what it can look like to love a Trainer and a team as much as we all do."
"You are free to leave," the Mudsdale continued, finally turning and staring into Rouge's eyes. "Or you can continue lending us your strength. I can say with my entire self, the truest thing I have ever known, is that you will not find a team who will love you and care for you more than we will. You are free to leave, but know that you will never find anything like you will find with us."
Dolly turned, smeared the tears from her eyes, and held her trembling hand out for her Weavile. Rouge glanced at it, at her tear-stained eyes, then to Hudson, who was gazing at her with such an intensity that only raw authenticity could provide.
"What? I never said I was going anywhere," Rouge said. "Now quit looking at me like some sniveling Cubchoo. You showed me what it was to be selfless, and I want that too. Plus, my brother would probably kick me back out to you, even if I tried to leave."
Dolly let out a weak laugh as Rouge gingerly grabbed her hand and gave it a hesitant squeeze. Dolly reached out and pulled her into a hug, and her tears smeared her fur.
"Alright, alright, no need to get all mushy," Rouge grumbled, squirming in Dolly's arms. "Just sayin' what we're all thinkin'. You didn't smother the big guy when he said all that gooey rubbish."
Dolly let out a laugh and released Rouge, who brushed herself off with a huff.
"Can we go now? You both are shivering like mad, and your chattering teeth are going to attract a Beartic."
~later~
The sun twinkled through the curtains, the night having gone as quick as a herd of Nosepass. It seemed hardly likely that her battle with Melony was only yesterday, but the lack of excited buzzing in the morning only reminded her of that much more intensely. Dolly let out a breath and gazed out her hotel window.
She hadn't slept for a second, too distracted by the memory of Sap falling to the ground. Hudson said he could hear her speak. He said that he was the only one that tried to listen to Sap - not even her own Trainer would take the time to listen. What a terrible experience her Vikavolt must have had; to want to communicate, only to be ignored by a Trainer that was too wrapped up in herself. Sap was cursed too. She was cursed with a Trainer that was selfish, cruel, and a monster. Dolly was everything everyone said. Why did her Pokémon love her? How could anyone love her?
What did she miss about the rest of her Pokémon? About Posey? About Mateo? It wasn't even that long since they lost their Riolu friend, either. What could she have learned if she had paid more attention? Dolly hardly learned anything about her Noibat, Fay. She was too distracted, too self-centered, even back then. Dolly heaved out a sigh. She missed them. She missed all of them.
The sunlight glinted off the ring of gold sitting on the nightstand, and Dolly looked at her new Badge for the first time. Only two to go.
With another sigh she stepped into the bathroom. Each step was slow, melancholy, until she reached the counter and gazed into the mirror. Her eye wasn't swollen anymore, though it was still bruised, and the scratch from Rillaboom was as prominent as ever. Her fingers trailed over the dark circles that were slowly forming under her eyes. Dolly stepped back and gazed at the reflection before her. Then, her eyebrows furrowed, and she tore herself away.
After some morning tea, a phone call to her mum, and a round of three-way chess with Hudson and Theodore, it was about time to meet Hop at the restaurant downtown. Perhaps her best friend and some lunch would ease her troubles. She ran into him inside the hotel lobby, and delicately handed his jacket back.
"Thanks Hop," she said, tucking her hands into her pockets.
He tugged his jacket back on with a grin.
"Don't mention it. Couldn't stand there letting my best mate shiver like a Snorunt,"
Then, his grin faltered as she cast her gaze down. Not even a chuckle? This was worse than he thought. He sighed again and stepped towards her, and when she didn't back away, he set his hands on her shoulders.
"Dolls, when will you start taking care of yourself?" he asked, brushing her bangs from her face. "Your Pokémon need you, and so do I. You could have froze to death standing out there in the cold all wet like that,"
"I know…" she mumbled, kicking at the ground.
His eyebrows pulled together as he watched her look so guiltily to the floor. Hop sighed, and delicately held his arms out for her. When Dolly glanced to his arms, to his worried gaze, she took half a step forward, and Hop quickly covered the rest of the distance.
"C'mere," he said, pulling her into him. "You need a Hop hug."
She seemed so frail, like if Hop squeezed her any tighter, she would shatter like glass. Dolly froze for a second, then deflated against him with a deep sigh. Strands of her hair fluttered as she sighed against his shirt, and she wrapped her arms around him in return. When he rested his head on top of hers, she had to admit, she did feel a little better. After a rejuvenating ten seconds, Hop quietly muttered into her hair.
"Let's get some lunch, yeah? Knowing you, you probably haven't eaten in a while, either."
At that, her stomach grumbled and Hop tutted.
"I… had some tea this morning…" she mumbled against his shirt, holding back a smile.
"Ah yes, hot leaf water, very nutritious."
Dolly laughed and stepped back.
"Okay, fine, if you want to eat so bad then what're we standing around here for?"
"Wait, hold on, I was right."
Hop pulled her against him again, and squeezed her a little tighter. His warmth and his smile and his arms around her made the hint of a blush creep up on Dolly's cheeks.
"Right about what?"
"You need two Hop hugs."
She laughed, and let him hold her against him. When her stomach grumbled again, she tried to squirm away, though he was holding on rather defiantly.
"Hop, c'mon, I'm hungry."
"Wait, just like, two more seconds."
It was another two seconds, then another five, then another ten. Dolly cleared her throat, though Hop pretended not to hear it. When she noticed the front desk clerk raising an eyebrow at them, she became much more aware of how public they were in the middle of the lobby of Hotel Ionia, and she spoke up again.
"I think it's been two seconds."
"Just two more."
"I'm going to starve to death and it's going to be your fault."
"Alright fine," he grinned, stepping back. "All healed up from a Hop hug, now it's time for a nutritious and delicious distraction."
They pushed open the hotel lobby doors and made their way to the restaurant together. Although she tried to watch children build a snowman with their Snom, Dolly was still conscious of how close he was walking, and the back of her mind was quite aware of his hand only inches from hers.
"One of my Pokémon really likes this kind of food, actually," Dolly said, shaking off the distraction. "She says it 'fuels the hot Latin passion within her.' Not sure where 'Latin' is, but I'm sure she would appreciate joining us for lunch,"
Hop pushed open the door to Bob's Your Uncle, and they were both hit with the warm aroma of sizzling food. They inhaled simultaneously and grinned at one another, then Hop ran in and secured them a booth in the back corner.
"I've heard good things about this restaurant," Hop said, sliding into the booth after Dolly, and shaking off his jacket. "Sonia picked a good spot, she should be here any minute."
"Yeah, my auntie used to live in Circhester and would rave about their food," Dolly grinned. "That's actually how I got this jacket, she won it at a blazin' curry eating contest and gave it to me when me and mum first came to visit after we moved here,"
Hop grinned and rested his arms behind his head.
"Sounds like my kind of challenge! Wonder if Sonia would be willing to pay for me to have a go."
As the waiter set down some waters for them, Dolly set her bag between her and the brick wall, and finally fished out Rosa's Poké Ball. In a flash her Bellossom was out and standing on the table. She stretched and shifted her leaf skirt.
"Where are we, Dolly? It smells heavenly," Rosa said as she glanced around the restaurant. She froze when she laid eyes on Hop.
"Ah, and who is this?" Rosa asked, a sly grin inching onto her face. "Is this not the storyteller from the forest?"
"Rosa, this is Hop," Dolly smiled. "My best mate."
"Nice to meet ya," Hop grinned.
Rosa squinted her eyes as Dolly took a sip of her water.
"Look at your smile… I have never seen this smile on you before..." she muttered. She squinted between the two Trainers. After a second, she gasped and clasped her hands together. "Is this the one?! The man you have been so bashful about?! Tu amante? Your lover?"
Dolly inhaled her water and it shot out through her nose.
"Ah, look at your pink face! He is, he is! I am honored to finally meet him!"
"No!" Dolly exclaimed, coughing again and grabbing at a napkin. "He's not!"
"He's not what? What's she saying?" Hop asked as he leaned in.
He rested his arm against the back of the booth, and Dolly's face was quickly growing hotter as she became acutely aware of how little booth there was left between the two of them - and how her nose was dribbling. How delicate of her.
Rosa looked between the anticipatory Hop and the flustered Dolly, who was squeezing herself closer to the brick wall. Without much luck, however, as her bag took up quite a bit of space.
"I am right," Rosa said as she held a hand up to her chin and studied Hop's face. "You have noticed his long eyelashes, yes?"
With a decisive clap of her hands, Rosa beamed.
"You will have beautiful children."
"Alright, that's enough," Dolly coughed as she fished through her bag again. "Back into the Poké Ball."
"You try to keep it hidden, but I can see right through you," Rosa giggled. She skipped up to Hop, who picked her up and set her on his lap. "Ah, he is very handsome, tall, strong… yes, I approve. He is a good match for you, my Dolly."
"She's so sweet!" Hop beamed, patting Rosa on the head. "She was with us in the Glimwood Tangle, right? Did she ask for anything to be in my Skitty and Wailord story?"
"Have you kissed? Embraced?" Rosa asked, pushing on Hop's abdomen, then reaching towards his bicep. After a squeeze she let out a satisfactory 'hm.'
"Sh-she was the one that asked for the, uh… passionate romance..." Dolly mumbled, ignoring Rosa's comment and vehemently not picturing what it would be like to 'kiss or embrace' Hop. Why did he always have to sit so close?
"Oh yeah, that's right," he laughed.
"Dios mío, and what an overwhelming smile," Rosa breathed, fanning her face. "I can see why he makes your body flush, my Dolly."
"H-he doesn't... make my body do anything…" she mumbled as her eyes flicked to Hop. She hoped he didn't hear her, but that was unlikely with how close he was sitting.
"What's she been saying?" Hop asked, looking back to Rosa. "Is she talking about me? She keeps looking at me,"
"Tell him."
"What?! No!"
"Tell him what I have been saying or I will shoot you with acid."
Dolly's mouth hung open and Rosa stuck out her tongue.
"You know I will do it, I am a Pokémon of my word," Rosa threatened, snuggling against Hop.
"Okay, okay, yeesh… she, uh," Dolly said as she glanced to Hop, who was still sitting with their faces an inch too close. She glanced back to her hands. "She was just asking if I've ever noticed your… ahem…. eyelashes. And… that you're tall…."
"And? Tell him the first thing I said," Rosa said.
"I am NOT saying that,"
Rosa readied herself for an attack.
"Okay! Okay, no acid today, please," Dolly said, then she took in a breath. "ShealsoaskedifwewereloversandifwevekissedorembracedbutIdidnotwanttosaythatsoshethreatenedtospraymewithacid."
"What?" Hop asked, leaning closer. "Mate, I didn't understand anything you just said,"
Dolly's heart was about to beat out of her chest.
"Are you feeling alright?" Hop asked, holding a hand to her forehead. "You're burning up, are you sick? You caught a cold after all, didn't you?"
Then, his hand trailed to her cheek, his thumb grazing beside the cuts Rillaboom gave her.
"These still look tender," he said softly. "You want me to patch you up again?"
Nope, still not thinking about kissing or embracing Hop. Dolly shot a pleading glance to Rosa, who grinned deviously.
"Ah, alright, you poor thing. I will retract my threat, but in turn you must one day soon confess your love. And save me some spicy curry," she said as she crossed over to Dolly's lap. She tapped the Poké Ball in Dolly's bag and disappeared in a flash.
"Dolls?" Hop asked gently, still leaning toward her and holding her cheek.
"Ah, no, I'm fine," Dolly mumbled, doing her best to scrunch herself against the wall. "It's just… really hot in here…"
His golden eyes were staring into hers, and her body was absolutely and definitely not flushed. She was sweating a lot, though. Why was he sitting so close? Why was he holding her so gently? Didn't he realize there were other people in the bloody restaurant? A few were starting to glance their way.
"There you two are," she heard. Sonia came sauntering up to them, setting her own bag down on the seat across from them. "I didn't know you both came in already, I was waiting outside in the cold like a twit,"
"'Bout time, Sonia!" Hop grinned, sliding away from Dolly. "Hey, how do you feel about ordering me that blazin' curry challenge? I want a new jacket,"
Dolly let out a sigh of relief and deflated into the booth. She could just about kiss or embrace Sonia right now.
"Not sure what you're going on about, but I actually came to-" Sonia paused, brow furrowed as she looked at Dolly. "You alright there, mate? You're as red as a Tomato berry."
Dolly nodded more ferociously than she intended.
"Yup, perfectly fine. Fit as a Frillish!" she squeaked.
"...Right then," Sonia said, glancing between her and Hop.
As she shrugged her coat off, she started talking a bit more about her discoveries on the Darkest Day and about the sword and shield Pokémon. Dolly tried her best to listen, though she was distracted by how her skin was still tingling where Hop touched.
Hop and Sonia eased into conversation, and Dolly was fully aware of Hop's hand sliding towards hers under the table. When his fingers brushed hers, her hand smacked the underside of the table and an unfortunate crunch echoed throughout the restaurant. Dolly hid her groan of pain in a cough. Sonia lifted an eyebrow at her.
"...Anyway. So, I've been trying to decode where they could have ended up and -" Sonia froze, her eyes glued to the back wall.
Hop and Dolly both turned to follow her gaze. She bolted out of her chair and rushed over to the back wall of the restaurant.
"No way! Is this a fifth tapestry?"
Dolly and Hop followed her, taking in the bedraggled tapestry hanging on the wall. Sonia filled Hop in on the information from the Hammerlocke Vault as Dolly peered at the tapestry.
"Why do the heroes look so sad? And where are the sword and shield?" Hop asked, eyeing the tapestry himself.
"Maybe it was an end to the legend," Dolly pondered, tearing her thoughts away from the boy beside her. Her mind shot back to the other tapestries in the Hammerlocke Vault as Sonia scratched her chin. "Perhaps when their duty was completed, they went into some kind of sleep?"
Hop nearly jumped out of his skin and turned to Dolly.
"Dolls! Do you remember that Pokémon we met that day? Do you think… it could've been one of them? Either the sword or the shield Pokémon?"
Sonia's jaw dropped.
"You met them?"
"Yeah, in the Slumbering Weald," Dolly nodded. "That's what I was thinking back in Stow-on-Side!"
"Exactly! The mad Pokémon we ran into in the fog! Don't you think that could've been it?"
"Oh, that's right! You lot have been in the Slumbering Weald," Sonia gasped. Then, she grinned. "How about we discuss this over a meal? Go on, what do you want to eat? Let's get our orders in!"
The trio ate, and Hop ordered the spiciest food on the menu, only to burn his mouth after one bite. Rosa finished his portion with ease, licking the sauce remnants off her hands. So instead, Hop shared some of Dolly's more mild plate after he glumly admitted defeat. When Hop continuously leaned towards her to pluck the food of their plate, Rosa eyed her Trainer mischievously.
When they started to pull out their money for the meal, Sonia waved them off, and Hop and Dolly smirked at one another. Hop whispered a 'told ya she would buy it,' as they stepped out of the restaurant and back into the wintry chill of Circhester.
They made their way to the Hero's Bath next, and Sonia was still enthusing about the history she was finding in Circhester.
"They say this is where the two heroes came to soothe their wounds after the battle to bring down that evil presence, long ago," Sonia explained. "Nowadays only Pokémon really use the Hero's Bath, though, except for one night a year when the whole town comes in."
As she said this, dozens of people ambled about, hanging up strings of lights and moving in high top tables.
"And we're the lucky folks who get to go!" Hop enthused, pumping his fists. "It's the Hero's Bath festival, right Sonia?"
"Right-o," she grinned, turning back to them. "It's timed really well, what with a lot of Gym Challengers making it to Circhester by now. They're actually setting up for it tonight."
"You're coming, right Dolls?" Hop asked, turning to Dolly. His eyes bore into hers, and her gaze flicked from the expectant Hop to the bemused Sonia.
"Uh, what is it?"
"It's a festival!" Hop beamed. "There will be music and lights and food and it'll be brilliant!"
"Not to mention a slew of historical content," Sonia added.
"Tonight? I dunno…" she sighed. "I'm not sure I'm really in the festival mood."
"Aw, come on! It'll be fun, it'll help take your mind off things," Hop said, patting her shoulder.
Dolly tried to smile, but forced out a grimace instead. She was never one for parties… the last time she was invited to something that wasn't a family party it turned out just to be a prank. And all the loud noise and all the people crammed into one spot? She would much rather drink tea in bed with her Pokémon. She didn't really want to be pushed or shoved or have things thrown at her again, anyway, as seemed to be the norm every time she was in a crowd. She just lost Sap, too, and she hadn't slept a wink since. So far this idea sucked.
"Come on, Dolls," Hop added softly. "You've been doing so well at putting yourself out there,"
Well… maybe if Hop was there, it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it could be fun, maybe. The heat of the water could help soothe her muscles, which seemed to be tense literally all the time now. She glanced at Sonia, who had conspicuously turned away from them, and was pretending to be quite interested in the wall behind her. Dolly stepped forward and whispered to Hop.
"Um, you'll go with me, right? So I don't have to go alone?"
Hop's eyebrows pulled together as he nodded.
"I… I know you've made friends with other Challengers," she continued. "But I don't really think anyone else likes me. And, um… crowds make me nervous, now. I don't want anything happening again like it did in Motostoke..."
Dolly was fumbling with her fingers, her hair covering her face like a curtain. This was so embarrassing, spilling all of this out like that. She should really be better with crowds, especially with being in the Gym Challenge. Everyone else was fine in crowds, Hop was fine in crowds, so really she should be used to them and not be such a pathetic-
She was torn from her thoughts when Hop squeezed her hand. She glanced up to see him smiling at her softly.
"I'll be with you, don't worry," he whispered back. "I'll keep you safe. I'll even come pick you up so you don't have to walk there alone."
Warmth spread through her chest as she looked up at him. Well… no one would push her or throw things at her if Hop was there, right? He was among the top favorite Gym Challengers, so people would respect him. He wouldn't leave her there alone, scrambling for a safety net, and he had never lied to her before. She couldn't help but let a smile escape, and when she did, Hop smiled too.
"Really?" she asked.
Hop nodded, and her smile grew. And, as soon as she did, his cheeks stained slightly pink.
"Okay. I'll go."
"And Sonia will be there too, right Sonia?" Hop said, turning to Sonia.
"Yes - I mean what? What did you say? I was, uh, looking at this interesting engraving. 'Pool closes at dusk.' Huh. Awful interesting."
Hop rolled his eyes as Sonia trotted up to them.
"Anyway yeah, I'll be there. You've got a swimsuit Dolly? The boutique is having a flash sale for tonight,"
Ugh, and wearing a swimsuit...? This sounded like the worst way to end a night. Maybe it wasn't too late to back out.
"Hey, you already said you would go!" Hop pouted.
Well that hope left as quickly as it came.
"I - uh. I don't have enough money," Dolly lied, crossing her arms. "Can't go, I guess."
"Here, I'll even buy it for you!" Sonia squealed, pulling Dolly along. "See you tonight, Hop!"
After pulling her into the boutique, Sonia tried to get Dolly to buy a slew of ridiculous swimsuits. Dolly wasn't sure if she was teasing her at one point, when she handed her a bikini made of nothing but frills, then another one of just black lace. Was that even a swimsuit?! Sonia cackled when Dolly immediately threw it back out of the changing room.
"Can you just pick out something normal?" Dolly called, pulling off a stringy thing. "I don't even know how to put half of these on,"
"But they've got some super cute stuff! Goodness knows I don't need any more swimsuits..."
"Please Sonia? I already barely want to go."
"Oh fine."
Sonia obliged by her request, they checked out, and Sonia sent Dolly off with a wave and a shopping bag. It wasn't long before the sun was set, and she was in her hotel room with Jackson pounding on the bathroom door.
"What's taking you so long, Dolly? Don't you need to go?" he called from outside the door. "I can see a bunch of people there already,"
"Just a minute!" she called in return. Her poking about on the internet for cute-yet-casual hairstyles was a flop, as her hair laid on her head exactly as it looked that morning.
"Leave her be, Jackson!" she heard Rosa's muffled voice through the door. "She must make herself even more beautiful if she is to catch and keep the eyes of her darling Hop!"
Dolly rolled her eyes as she tried to put on the mascara the beautician gave her so long ago. She couldn't remember how she did it back in Motostoke, or how she got her eyelashes to look so long. She just kept stabbing herself in the eye. If she got another black eye before this bloody festival, so help her-
With a frustrated huff she chucked the mascara back onto the bathroom counter.
"Whatever," she grumbled, glaring at her reflection. "I'll just look like a Feebas, I don't even care."
Her eye was pink and bruised, eyelashes clumpy, and the scratches on her face were as prominent as ever. She flung the door open and marched out, yanking open the closet to get her jacket.
"What's with you?" Jackson asked, setting his hands on his hips as she stormed about the room, collecting her things. "What happened to your eye? The other one's black now, too,"
"She's an eighteen-year-old girl, this is pretty normal," Rouge yawned from the chair, picking at her claws. "But he's right, your mascara looks like rubbish,"
"Thank you." Dolly sneered as she tripped to put on her loafer. "Thanks for that boost of confidence, Rouge, real helpful."
"What're you putting on loafers for?" Rouge asked, picking at her fangs now. "Thought this was a pool thing?"
Dolly grumbled again as she flung clothes and bags around, looking for her other shoe.
"I look stupid in a swimsuit, I'm just going to wear what I always do. No one's going to be looking at me anyway, there's plenty of way sexier ladies down there already," she huffed, gesturing toward the window. "Where the hell is my other shoe?!"
"This is pitiful," Rouge muttered, standing from her spot and stretching.
The Weavile threw a look out the window overlooking the Hero's Bath. Dolly was right about there being women there, but it was mainly mothers and grandmothers with their families that were trickling into the festival. The steam wafted from the bath, and fairy lights twinkled as they hung from the ceiling and around the stone pillars.
"They're all wearing swimsuits, Dolly," her Weavile called. "You'd look even weirder if you didn't."
She looked to her Trainer and rolled her eyes as Dolly tripped over the blanket strewn on the ground. She heaved out a sigh, then pushed behind Dolly's legs, guiding her back into the bathroom.
"Come on, Rosa and I will show you,"
"I said I was fine," Dolly grumbled, crossing her arms like a toddler. "Doesn't matter anyway, not like I can ever be pretty..."
Rouge clamored up onto the bathroom counter, and Rosa hopped up behind her. Rosa was bustling around behind her, gathering the makeup and hair supplies Sonia lent Dolly. Rouge snagged a washcloth from the counter and wet it, then smeared it over Dolly's face.
"Hey, what're you doing?" she spluttered, ripping the washcloth away from her face.
"Gotta start over," Rouge said, wiping more gently.
"What do you know about all this," Dolly huffed, picking at the ends of her hair.
"Well, we both know Rosa is a beauty queen," Rouge shrugged as Rosa shot them a dazzling smile, "And I like fiddling with new stuff. We'll get your eyes to rival that rival of yours,"
"Ah, yes, with his golden eyes," Rosa swooned as she finished her preparations. "With his beautiful smile and strong muscles,"
"Muscles, huh?" Rouge grinned as she wiped the last remnant of mascara from Dolly's face.
"Yeah well herding Wooloo takes a lot of strength and… ugh never mind." Dolly grumbled, crossing her arms again as her cheeks flared pink.
Rogue and Rosa flitted around the counter, picking up new contacts, mascaras, hair ties and more as Dolly pouted. Rosa ordered her to sit on the floor while she fussed with her hair, standing behind her on the bathtub siding. Rouge clambered onto her lap with an array of brushes, but not before she plucked Dolly's phone off the counter and started typing something into it.
"What're you doing?" Dolly asked, peering onto the screen.
"Telling Hop you'll be a minute."
"What? How?"
"Georgie taught me how to read and write a long time ago," Rouge shrugged, setting Dolly's phone back on the counter.
Dolly's jaw dropped, and Rouge waved her off.
"Oh close your mouth. Actually, close your eyes, too, gotta get this makeup on somehow."
After a few more minutes of brushing, applying, and pouting, the two Pokémon finally finished.
"Annnd done," Rouge beamed, tapping Dolly's nose with her brush.
Dolly looked to her two smug Pokémon, then stood to look at her reflection.
"Well I…" she started, turning her head back and forth. "I certainly look better than a Feebas now,"
Her makeup was much cleaner than before, with crisp and smooth lines and long, dark eyelashes. Rosa had tucked her hair up in braids somehow, too, with a few light white-blonde curls cascading down artfully. Rouge and Rosa high-fived.
"Hey, told ya I knew what I was doing!" Rouge grinned toothily. She grabbed the swimsuit Dolly got earlier that day and tossed it to her. "Now get dressed, you're already fashionably late."
Dolly shooed the two Pokémon out of the bathroom and slipped on her new attire. Sonia might have tried to get her to wear some ridiculously skimpy things, but this one fit perfectly. It was modest and simple, and it accented her skin tone nicely. The support from her two Pokémon had her feeling a bit better, too. Dolly twirled in the mirror, smiling the first genuine smile she had in a while. She puffed out her chest and popped her hip, just to test how she looked.
Okay yeah too far.
She poked her head out into the main room. Jackson had already made himself comfortable on her bed, pulling up some local sports match. Rouge sat beside him as they crunched on some chips and cheered and booed at the telly. Hudson and Theodore lay playing checkers, with Rosa pushing along the pieces on Hudson's behalf. Dolly quickly scuttled to the closet to grab her jacket when Jackson looked her way.
"Hey, lookin' good!" he called from the bed as Rouge smirked smugly behind him.
"My Lady, you will catch the eye of every man there, looking like this," Theodore huffed, rising from the ground and ruffling his feathers. "I insist I accompany you, lest one act upon his uncouth desires."
"No, no, you cannot!" Rosa gasped, tugging at a handful of Theodore's feathers. "She is to woo her lover Hop tonight, you cannot get in the way of destiny!"
Dolly felt the heat rising to her face as Theodore grinned.
"Ah, the noble Sir Hop. If he is your suitor, you are in safe hands,"
"Better not be in anyone's hands tonight," Hudson muttered threateningly.
"Or those sexy muscles!" Rouge called through a mouthful of chips.
"Oh, stuff it you lot, I'll be fine. It's a family festival anyway," she said, tucking her jacket around her as her face grew warmer. "No one's going to be 'uncouth,'"
Her pocket buzzed, and Dolly glanced at her phone to see a text from Hop.
"He's waiting downstairs," she grinned, tapping out a reply. Rosa squealed.
"Ah, I love seeing that smile on your face!" she said as she rushed over and pushed Dolly out the door. "Now go, go! Run to destiny!"
Rosa beamed, pride blooming in her at her courageous Trainer, as she waved Dolly down the hall.