Hilda introduces Oshawott to some dear friends of her's and finally... her mother, Helga.
Chapter 4: All In The Family
Oshawott hit the mud face-first after a nasty Tail Slap across the cheek. He barely got up to spit out the dirty water and looked up at Hilda pleadingly.
[I... can still... fight,] Oshawott swore up and down desperately only to be met with a rather blank look from his Trainer. [I-I-I can win this.] Hilda's eyes were shrouded by her cap's brim but her mouth was a slight frown that made him scared all the more. [Please...]
"I need to think..." his Trainer replied in a fairly bummed out tone of voice while holding up his Poke Ball.
Oshawott shut his eyes when the red beam hit and opened his eyes to... nothing. An empty void of blackness wherever he turned.
[Hilda?] Oshawott anxiously cried out. [Anyone?]
"Looks like you lost pretty badly," he heard Professor Juniper's voice speak somberly. "Barely even touched Minnie."
[Wait, no!] Oshawott pleaded in but didn't know where towards. [I got a few hits in.] The voice seemed to be... everywhere yet nowhere. [Didn't I?]
"The little guy's cute and all but... he's not cutting it," Hilda's voice sighed wearily. "Figuratively and literally." Oshawott's blood ran cold at her words. "I'm sorry, Auntie."
[No,] Oshawott whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. [Y-y-you don't mean that...] His breathing shortened considerably as if the blackness was smothering him.
"I suppose he always was a bit hopeless," Professor Juniper conceded reluctantly. "He's nice but that won't win any battles."
[I can do better!] Oshawott shouted frantically with a strain in his voice. [I will do better.] He stumbled about in an attempt to find somebody. Anybody who could help him.
In a distance, Oshawott could make out Minnie from behind and felt a twinge of relief. [Please help me,] he begged, rushing forward blindly. [You can't let Hilda throw me awa-]
[Must I though?] Minnie replied with a tone of voice that was soaked in disdain. Oshawott stopped dead and felt his body go cold from an all too familiar fear. She wasn't speaking in the usual squeaks of a Minccino... but in hissing.
[By the sound of things,] Minnie hissed while turning around slowly, [it would be in everyone's best interest if you simply ceased to be.] Her beady eyes held the slitted pupils of a Snivy. The Snivy Oshawott hoped he had left behind.
The Sea Otter Pokemon couldn't speak in his unmitigated fear, let alone breath, when Minnie began to marched towards him. She came closer while also growing bigger and bigger.
[Would that not be for the better?] Minnie postured. [Would everybody be more at ease without you to complicate matters?] By the time she was a foot away from Oshawott, she was bigger than a Krokorok and morphing slowly into the Snivy he grew to fear. [Aren't you tired of being a burden?]
Oshawott wanted to run and scream but felt... glued to the spot, looking up at the enormous Grass Snake Pokemon. As if a part of him... agreed with her?
No.
No. No. No.
It wasn't true. Oshawott shook his head violently to dash the idea from his head. He wasn't considering...
Was it?
[Too weak to do it ourselves, are we?] Snivy boomed despite her cold tone of voice. [Very well.] She slowly raised her right foot above Oshawott. [What are friends for?]
The Sea Otter Pokemon had second to run out of the way but found that... he couldn't. Snivy's right foot slowly stepped on him and slowly began to press down. Oshawott felt himself smother and unable to breath with such a heavy weight pressing down on him. The Sea Otter Pokemon found his cries for help muffled when he woke back up and found something heavy really was weighing down on him.
Oshawott recognized Hilda's pink pajama top while feeling her chest heaving up and down into him. Her snoring was loud enough to fully wake him up to boot. The pressure wasn't anything the Sea Otter Pokemon couldn't take but he still found it more than a little hard to breath. Especially under a rather soft yet firm area much to his curiosity.
[Hilda!] Oshawott managed to call out however muffled. [You're crushing me.] He pushed up against his Trainer's body if only to shove her awake but found her to be virtually dead to the world. Minnie's warning about Hilda's tossing and turning suddenly didn't seem so trivial at the moment.
"...mmmm... s'not your puddin'... Purrloin..." Hilda slurred in her slumber, laying front down. "...get 'er... Pidove..." Her body rocked about from Oshawott's vain attempts at either tossing her off or waking her up. Not without a few... drastic measures.
[Forgive me, Hilda,] Oshawott prayed before channeling Normal-type energy throughout his body. He tried to be as gentle as he could in pushing his Trainer off of him with greater ease with his boosted strength. The Sea Otter Pokemon gasped in fresh air and stood up hastily but put a touch more elbow grease despite his best efforts.
Hilda rolled onto her right side in the process... and processed to fall off the edge of the bed. Oshawott winced when he heard the thump and the inevitable cry of pain that followed suit.
[Oops...] he could only gulp nervously, still fresh from his nightmare. [Anything broken, Hilda?] Oshawott could hear her silently curse under her breath and feared the worst.
"I've had worse from Minnie," Hilda quipped while lifting herself up from the carpeted floor, kneeling down. "Who needs alarm clocks when you got Pokemon, right?" She laughed in an effort to downplay her initial morning irritation for Oshawott's sake. However, it couldn't keep her from wincing over the sore bruise on her cheek.
Oshawott felt his nerves settle after seeing Hilda put on a happy face and decided to fess up. [I'm sorry for the rude wake-up call,] he apologized with a humble bow. [It was hard to hold back let alone breath.]
"Oh no no no no," Hilda insisted apologetically, grabbing Oshawott with both hands. "I'm the one who forgot I had a sleepover last night." She put a surprised look in Oshawott's eye with a peck on the forehead. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" Her eyes were taking a cue from her Starter with how big and worrisome they looked.
[Nothing I couldn't handle,] Oshawott quickly touted with a more confident front. [I've had worse from Minnie.] His little call-back got a a smile back on Hilda's face thankfully. He was mainly relieved to see that she wasn't upset anymore.
Not now.
"I just might put it on our training regimen then," Hilda joked while placing Oshawott down onto the carpet. "Until then, a girl's gotta get ready for the day ahead if you'll bear with me." She stood back up to make a beeline right for her desk where her Personal Computer and X-Transceiver were charging on their respective ports.
"Looks like Auntie Aurea got a head start to the lab," Hilda went on, reading the texts on her device before strapping it to her wrist. "She even took Minnie so you just know she's desperate to pass sanitation." One tap of her P.C. removed her pajamas in an instant and left a can of body spray.
"We're expected around One so it won't so much 'seize the day' as much as 'seize the morning and a touch of the afternoon," Hilda continued while grabbing the can. "Not that I haven't made do with less." She began to spritz herself if only to save time on a morning shower. "And believe me, we're gonna make the most of it." Minnie would balk at it but that was the fun of it.
While Hilda rambled on, Oshawott couldn't help but let his thoughts drift to his dream and his smile melt into an anxious frown. He couldn't remember most of his nightmare but could certainly feel the fear of it lingering in his heart. It only got worse when he could remember that the inspection was already upon them.
[It won't happen...] Oshawott quietly lied to himself, closing his eyes. [It won't happen...] The thought of Snivy snuffing him out under her foot came back to mind. [It. Won't. Happen...]
"Think fast, Oshawott!"
The Sea Otter Pokemon snapped out his thoughts to look back up and see a small bottle being tossed his way. Oshawott was quick to catch while just barely fumbling it in his paws. He looked up to find Hilda putting her hair up in a ponytail with her clothes from yesterday back on.
"What is this?" Oshawott asked, almost forgetting his previous anxieties. The cap had a plastic lid that easily popped open for him.
"Protein shake," Hilda answered while picking up a mini-carton of her own. "Just a little thing to tie you over until breakfast." She started for her bedroom door while checking her inventory for the essentials. "Bought them in bulk as part of a Starter Pokemon discount."
"We're not eating here?" Oshawott questioned in confusion, following his Trainer while keeping hold of his carton.
"On a day like today?" Hilda replied with a touch of sass, taking a chug of her shake. "Where's the pizzazz?" She was still sifting through her P.C. before coming across what she was looking for. "I've had this little shindig planned before we blaze a trail through Unova." One tap on the screen materialized the baseball cap onto her head. "And you're our guest of honor."
[A party for me?!] Oshawott exclaimed, his spirits truly rising with his smile. [I certainly am honored] He started to bow but remembered his Protein Shake in time to not spill.
"Consider me your chauffeur this fine morning," Hilda chortled while curtsying, putting on the worst Galarian accent ever. "The bike awaits, Young Master Oshawott." She opened the door and heading into the hallway while working down more of her Protein Shake.
[Right behind you!] Oshawott called while following with more pep in his step. Maybe this would be a good day. [By the way, what is a bike?]
Oshawott soon found his answer in the form of holding onto Hilda's bicycle basket and crying out for dear life. The house of suburban Nuvema flashed by with the speed his Trainer was pedaling and through an impressive streak of green lights no less. The Sea Otter Pokemon had to really batten down when they served around their fair share of sharp curves. A series of small potholes and uneven sidewalk tiles really gave their trip a little bounce than expected.
"Sorry for the rough ride, Oshawott," Hilda swore through all her panting. "Seize the morning and all." She turned on a local street just before the shopping district. "I've only ever crashed once... a week." Her face went lightish-red over the silent admission.
[W-who's complaining?] Oshawott replied in an attempt to hide his anxiousness, putting on another confident look. [The rougher, the better!] He went so far as to stop holding onto the basket's edges and put his paws to his hips boldly. [Full speed ahead, helmsman!]
A pothole Hilda missed too Oshawott up on that challenge when she bumped and barely had time to recover from such a dip. The Sea Otter Pokemon wailed when he bounced out of the basket and ended up just barely grabbing the edge before he could fall out. His Trainer kept bicycling despite feeling shaken herself.
[Or half speed!] Oshawott hastily course corrected, flailling his flippers in fear of falling. [Half is good!] He quickly managed to lift up with his paws and dump himself back in. [Maybe a quarter if you prefer?] The Starter Pokemon managed a very shaky smile and chuckle while panting heavily.
"Very good, sir," Hilda chortled back, reveling in her cringey accent once more. "You'll be pleased to know that we're halfway there."
Oshawott looked back ahead and was surprised to see how the road they were on about to end in a cul-de-sac before leading into a dirt trail amongst tree. They were the most trees that the Sea Otter Pokemon had ever seen even back outside of the laboratory for outdoor battle tests. His mouth hung open in awe when Hilda's bike hit the dirt and surrounded them with so much natural beauty to look at.
Hilda smiled warmly the more they went down the trail and felt all her worries wash away. It was like she had come home after a long day. The feeling wasn't too far off as Pokemon along the trail would stop to at least glance their way whenever they rode past.
[Nice Starter, Hilda!] a Patrat called, spilling berries from his stuffed cheeks. [Looks like a real winner!]
[Hilda, darling!] an Unfezant chirped from her nest above while feeding her babies. [My kids will miss you!]
[Try not to forget about us little folks,] an elderly Stoutland chortled before sniffing the ground for his buried berries.
Hilda waved to each Pokemon who gave their regards to her happily while Oshawott found himself growing curious by all the attention they were getting. A small clearing with a tree stump in the middle came into Hilda's view soon enough, her cue to put on the brakes.
"Last stop!" she called out like a Subway conductor while sliding her ride to a stop. "Please watch your step as you exit the basket."
Oshawott does just that when he lifted himself out of the basket and dropped down to the ground below. All the while, Hilda dismounted while taking out her Personal Computer to quickly digitize her ride and return it to her Inventory.
[Wow!] was all Oshawott could say.
Now that he could stay in place and look around, the trees now towered above him yet didn't intimidate him. Rather, they felt peaceful with the sunlight shining through their branches and leaves. He closed his eyes with a soft smile just beneath. The sounds of distance Pokemon calls across the breezes only cultivated this growing sense of serenity in his heart.
Hilda gave Oshawott a moment to really take it all in and was more than happy to see him share her affection for this slice of heaven. "First time in the great outdoors?" she finally asked, giving him space to really let it all sink in.
[I've only ever been in the backyard of the lab and never seen anything like... this...] Oshawott claimed, his mouth still hanging open in his smile. [Have you ever been here before?]
"Been here?!" Hilda repeated with a hint of excitement. "This is practically a second home for me." She swung around to really take in all the natural beauty like she had so many time before. "Like a Pokemon born human."
Oshawott snapped out of his awe at Hilda's claim and remembered something that he'd been too distracted to ask about. [By they way, I had been meaning ask about-]
"HEEEEEEEY! YOOOOOOU! GUUUUUUYS!"
Oshawott jumped in alarm when Hilda screamed the words from the top of her lungs, drawing them out in a single breath. The Pidove in the tree flew off from the branches in their own fright while various Patrat and Lillipup dashed off. Not merely because of the loud cry but what was likely to come.
[Um... okay?] was all Oshawott could say in his state of confusion, looking at Hilda like she really did become a Pokemon. [What was that about?]
"I said this was like a second home, right?" Hilda repeated with a eager smile and a wink. "You're about to meet the family."
Oshawott still cocked his head in his lingering state of confusion and began to wonder if a lack of breakfast was getting to his Trainer. However, he was soon distracted by rustling leaves from a tree to his right before the same happened with a tree to his left. The Sea Otter Pokemon darted his head between both sides and gulped in anticipation of a potential wild encounter.
However, Oshawott found himself concerned with Hilda once more when he turned and found a weird smirk she now wore on her face. "Hit me with your best shot, girls," she whispered eagerly.
As if to answer her challenge, a silky strings shoot from one tree to the other and another from the other to the one. Oshawott only just looked up when two bugs clad in leaves, one from each tree, swing in on their respective String Shots from their mouths.
Each Sewaddle thrust out one of their feet with Hilda being right where they'll meet, clearly going for a good kick in the head. Their target was just standing around seeming so nonchalant aside from a rather slight smirk on her face. Oshawott attempted to be more proactive in grabbing his Scalchop however hastily.
"Whoops, shoes untied," Hilda pretended to claim excitedly while bending down. The two Sewaddles crash into each other just behind her and fall to the ground like twin sacks of potatoes that went "Ow!"
Hilda pretended to be surprised when she looked behind her and turned around with a slight smug grin. "Sue, Addle," she gleefully greeted the Bug-Type twin sisters when they were still picking themselves back up. "When did you decide to drop on by?" The twins either groaned out of pain or from her very bad one-liner.
[Yuck it up, Hilda,] Sue vowed vigoriously once she'd sprung to her feet.
[We'll knock your block off yet!] Addle chimed in with gutso to back up her sis.
The persistent pair rushed forth to blindly tackle Hilda only for their friend to easily grab them by the leaves on their backs. Even when their human friend held them up, they wriggled about in attempt to give their "rival" a real licking but could only flail their stubby limbs. Hilda giggled over how they were still adorable even after all this time.
Oshawott, all the while, still held his Scalchop in hand but didn't attack over how... bizarre this sequence of events. [Um... okay?] he repeated, figuring that this was happening now with or without proper context.
"A solid 'A+' for effort, girls," Hilda cockily commended, hoping to at least soothe Sue and Addle's rowdiness a smidge. "You actually got up pretty early in the morning this time around." The twins each blew a raspberry at her but she knew they were still a tad salty. "Now if only we could get your Speed up to snuff."
Irony struck in every sense of the word when something sprinted pasted the alienated Oshawott and made him spin on his flipper. He forgot to be dizzy in his horror upon seeing a small light-brown puppy-like Pokemon struck Hilda in the back and made her fall to the ground. Sue and Addle were flung from her hands but landed on their feet while their friend landed face first in the dirt.
[Hilda's here! Hilda's Here! Hilda's here!] the Lillipup yipped with boundless excitement all over her bushy face. [Yay! Yay! Yay!] She even bounced upon her friend's back with her tail wagging nearly at Mach 20.
"Thanks for setting an example, Lilly," Hilda greeted with her smile maintained, trying to save her grimed up face. "It's just the sort of attack Sue and Addle could learn from." She lifted up her head and spitting out dirt. "Yuck."
Sue and Addle burst out laughing over how obvious Hilda was trying to play it cool. Oshawott once again felt like he was given a joke's punchline without any set-up.
[I think she's had enough, Lilly!] a bigger dog Pokemon called out in concern while rushing on past the Sea Otter Pokemon. [What did we talk about pouncing into humans?] The Herdier picked up his little sister by the nape of her neck off of Hilda, holding her beneath what looked like his mustache.
[Aw, Harry!] Lilly whined to her older brother, dropping to the ground with a pout. [I held back!]
[Your holding back doesn't amount to much,] Harry scolded, speaking from personal experience.
Hilda got back up to kneel and break up the canine siblings with an affectionate pet to their heads. "It's very nice to see you two still getting on swimmingly," she joked, trying to ignore her back pain. "Bring it in, doggos." Thankfully, her furry friends smiled back and jumped up to give the better kind of licking.
Oshawott felt relieved when it seemed like the Lillipup and Herdier meant no harm but still felt weird about it all. Hilda letting Pokemon attack her was bizarre enough but that they were her friends and almost enough here to fill up her team. The Sea Otter Pokemon could only hope that this was the last shock his tiny heart would have to take.
A very audible snap of a tree branch sadly proved him wrong as it put him and everyone else on alert. It was so audible that they could tell that somebody wanted them to hear.
"Somebody's saving the best for last, aren't they?" Hilda quipped with a smirk while standing up, eying the trees around her intently. "I thought this soup was lacking a certain spice."
[We swore not the spoil it but...] Sue began, speaking as eager as ever.
[...you're in for a real spanking, Hilda!] Addle finished, sniggering sinisterly with her sister.
A brown rodent of an unusual size with yellow stripes rushed out of the bushes from right behind Hilda and pounced in an attempt to tackle her to the ground. However, the Trainer turns around and managed to grab the Watchog by his fore-arms. Her shoes dig into the dirt while standing her ground against her opponent's raw strength.
[Hilda!] Oshawott cried out. This time, the Sea Otter Pokemon couldn't standby and rushed in while drawing his Scalchop. However, the Sewaddle twins quickly popped up in his way and made him pump the brakes.
[I have to help her!] Oshawott insisted. He tried to go past them but they moved right in front of him every single time.
[You'd need help if you just dove in, new guy,] Sue told Oshawott staunchly. [Believe us, we tried.]
[This ain't Hilda's first rodeo either,] Addle added, pushing the Sea Otter Pokemon back a few feet. [She knows how to wrangle Watcher.]
Oshawott looked up ahead with lingering concerns but soon became inclined to believe the twins. Watcher's hind paws were digging into the dirt considerably with Hilda actually taking a step forth in their Push-Pull stand-off. The Starter started to wonder if Hilda really was a Pokemon herself.
[Guard's sharp as ever,] Watcher assessed, gritting his buck-teeth to not give Hilda any ground. [Seems Trainer life ain't makin' a slacker out of ya.]
"Oh, ye of little faith," Hilda retorted sassily before giving a strong surge forward. "Allow me to reassure you." She reached down to grab Watcher by the torso and haul him up with a great groan within just a second.
Oshawott nearly forgot to breath even with his mouth agape over the sight of Hilda heaving a Watchog over her head and throwing him at a tree. Sue and Addle roar over the so-called carnage on display. Lilly yipped about hyper-actively while Harry held her in his mouth, knowing full well that she'd try to get in on the action.
Watcher managed to land on all fours after taking the hit and got up on his hind legs. "Footing's dull as ever," the Lookout Pokemon heard Hilda retort and looked up to see the triumphant look on her face. "Never account for the soil, do you?" She stuck out her butt to smack it tauntingly and looked back to blow a raspberry like she was still ten all over again.
[That's it...] Watcher sneered back, looking almost too calm about his trouncing. [Keep tootin' yer horn, big shot...] His super sharp eyes spotted something bouncing along the branches light enough for Hilda to overlook.
[Get 'er, Pat!] the Lookout Pokemon cried when he saw the pieces fall into place.
Hilda stopped her teasing just when a smaller, light-brown rodent made a free fall dive from directly above her. He grabbed onto the back of her short with his fore-paws and buck-teeth in order to drag them down in one fell swoop.
Hilda gasped a most mortified cry over the surprise attack while trying not to trip over her pants around her knees. Patrick hanging from her pair didn't help her as she stumbled about.
None of the Pokemon present understood why a lack of clothes could ever concern a human so much. They did, however, have a good laugh over how silly Hilda looked trying to shake Patrick off and losing any composure she'd tried to maintain. Sue, Addle, Harry, Lilly and even Oshawott were giggling if not guffawing over the slapstick on display.
"Patrick!" Hilda barked back with a furious flush of red painted all over her face. "What did we discuss about artificial furs?" She tried desperately to sound in control despite trying not to trip over her shorts or fall from the Patrat hanging onto her. "Just get off before you tear it."
[Much obliged, Ma'am,] Patrick quipped cheekily before dropping off of Hilda's shorts. He landed and dart off to the side just as Watcher pounced upon his opponent.
Hilda found her embarrassment becoming full-blown humiliation when the Watchog tackled her from behind and pinned her to the ground. The soft dirt didn't hurting as much but the force knocked her for a loop or two. Enough for Watcher to exert all his strength upon her and keep her from pushing up against him.
[C'mon, Watcher!] Patrick cheered on, shadow-boxing in his excitement. [Let 'er have it.]
[You got this, Hilda!] Oshawott shouted in support, finding himself caught up in the spirit of battle.
Try as she might, Hilda could only grit her teeth and groan in trying to lift her best friend off of her. [Never counted onna double team, did ya?] she heard him gloated triumphantly into her ear. After four strenuous attempts, Hilda was left catching her breath and eating the biggest slice of humble pie.
"Okay, Watcher," she admitted with her deepest sigh, "you've finally won."
[Hot diggity daffodil!] Watcher whooped while springing up to his feet and punching the air. He could hear Sue, Addle, Harry, Lilly and Patrick joining in on his cheers to his further delight.
Hilda managed to roll onto her back while pulling up her shorts hastily to sit up. "What way to go out," she muttered in both parts embarrassment and bemusement.
[I keep telling ya,] she heard Watcher, getting her to look up. [Y'all humans get real uptight 'bout what you slap on.] There he was holding out his right fore-paw generously despite his pretty patronizing tone of voice.
"I guess next time, I should come at you stark naked," Hilda sassed back with a chortle over how ridiculous it all was at the end of the day. "Nice work making me look stupid at least." She took Watcher's paw and let him help pull her up.
[Can't take too much credit,] the Lookout Pokemon claimed humbly. [Patrick was practicin' his free-falls all night.]
The Patrat scurried up to his big brother's side. [Got ya real good, didn' I?] Patrick giggled at Hilda before he saw the stern look she cast at him. [No hard feelin's?] He twiddled his paws innocently like whenever their Ma caught their in big trouble.
Thankfully, Hilda dropped her sour act and grinned while she knelt down to ruffled Patrick's head. "After you literally caught me with my pants down?" she praised, earning a smile from the little guy. "I'd say that you're overdue to evolve with those slick moves."
[Think you could give us some pointers?] Sue eagerly pipped up, scrambling over with her twin.
[That jump was sick!] Addle praised, making Patrick blushed bashfully.
Hilda happily let the Patrat address his "fan club" when she felt Lilly's paws on her legs. [Don't worry, Hilda,] she heard Lilly sweetly speak. [I think you did great out there.] Hilda was all the more warmed to see the Lillipup wagging her tail while having jumped onto her leg.
"Well, winning isn't everything," she imparted onto Lilly, doing right by her little sister figure. "I'll just have to do better next time." She gave a good stroking to the canine cutie-pie.
[Still wish you had,] Harry chimed in, sounding rather dreadful. [Watcher is gonna be insufferable for days because of this.]
[Y'all got a problem?] Watcher retorted indignantly to his best frenemy, sticking his head down to give the evil eye. [M' bro and I'll take you to task any time, any day.]
Harry spread out his legs with a mean look cast back towards the Watchog and a growl thrown in. The circle of friends began to get pumped for another round of roughhousing, chattering amongst themselves over their favorite to win.
[Um... begging your pardon...] Oshawott spoke up for the first time in what felt like ages. [I don't mean to intrude but… um…]
The Sea Otter Pokemon felt all the more put on the spot when they all turned their eyes upon him at the same time. [Who... even are any of you?] he ventured forth regardless despite his gulp.
[Been thinkin' that m'self,] Watcher replied with an eyebrow raised. [Who's th' squirt, Hilda?]
"Oh man, I really am stupid!" Hilda berated herself with a slap to her forehead before rushing towards Oshawott. "I'm so sorry I complete forgot to introduce you to everybody." She scooped up her Starter Pokemon from the ground and hoped that her hold would comfort him. "The world really slips away when you got friends like mine."
[These really are your friends?] Oshawott exclaimed in bewilderment before looking back at the Pokemon in question. Most of them put on their best smile while Watcher had a more perturbed expression on his face.
"My very best I could ask for," Hilda happily answered. "I do have a few human friends but only a few who I hang out with regularly." She remembered how jealous Georgia would get about her being homeschooled. "Luckily, a trip to the woods cures even the worst boredom can dish out."
Oshawott was amazed by the idea that a human had a place amongst wild Pokemon but began to connect the dots. He hadn't been sure about it at first but now it seemed all too apparent. However, the Sea Otter Pokemon forgot to voice his question when he found himself lowered back to the ground.
"Everybody, meet my Starter Pokemon," Hilda asked while putting Oshawott back on the floor. "Come and introduce yourselves but try not to overwhelm him, okay?" She squat just behind him like a mother seeing off her son on the first day of school.
[P-pleasure to meet you all,] Oshawott spoke with a humble bow, trying to put on a smile.
[Pleasure's all our's, new guy!] Sue greeted back happily, scuttling towards Oshawott. [I'm Sue, the smart twin.]
[And I'm Addle,] Addle greeted, coming up on her sister's left, [the smarter twin.]
[How do I tell you two apart?] Oshawott asked in his confusion, unable to see the difference between the two.
"You don't," Hilda answered rather knowingly. "And that's just how they like it." A snigger between the Sewaddles spoke volumes for her.
[Hi, I'm Lilly,] the Lillipup yipped, trotting up to Oshawott gleefully. [You smell really nice.] The Sea Otter Pokemon jumped back a bit in caution while she rattled on excitedly. [Did you have cookies for breakfast or dinner?]
[You're... not going to tackle me, are you?] Oshawott warily asked.
[Nah, silly,] Lilly laughed. [We're not besties yet.]
"Trust me," Hilda reassured Oshawott rather cheekily, "your time will come."
[Oh... good...] the Starter Pokemon gulped anxiously.
[She doesn't mean any harm... intentionally,] Harry promised, coming up behind his little sister. [I'm Harry and the one who keeps this little gremlin in check.]
"Tries his best anyways," Hilda sassed smarmily.
Oshawott felt more at ease with his Trainer's color commentary until he turned right to find Patrick staring at him with his red-ringed eyes. [Um... Patrick, is it?] he broke the ice awkwardly. [Is there something in my teeth?]
[Just curious, s'all,] the Patrat pondered while leaning in closer. [Ain't seen no Pokem'n like you 'round these here parts or any other parts.] Oshawott leaned back in discomfort due to his shrinking personal space. [Where'd Hilda snag you from?] The Sea Otter Pokemon yelped when he fell down after leaning back too far.
"What did I say about 'overwhelming,' Patrick?" Hilda firmly reminded her furry friend before picking Oshawott back up. "Sorry about his inquiring mind, Oshawott."
[Ya won't find that critter in our wood or water, Pat,] Watcher chimed in while strolling over, sounding a touch cocksure. [Lab rats like 'im one prob' never seen the wild before.]
Oshawott couldn't help but feel like the Watchog was judging him rather harshly even if his tone was more lighthearted. He looked up to find him looming right over him and giving off a slight Snivy vibe. The kind of vibe that unsettled his stomach badly.
"What my oldest friend, Watcher, means to say," Hilda began with a fairly force friendliness in her voice, "is that Starter Pokemon are a rare thing in the wild." She cast a very firm glare with her eyes alone at the Lookout Pokemon over Oshawott. "He's concerned if you'll be able to adjust as all." Watcher's gulp wasn't nearly subtle as he'd hoped. "Right, old buddy, old pal?"
[Yeah, just lookin' out for the new guy,] the Watchog hastily claimed with an uneasy smile, bending down to Oshawott's level. [Stick with me and I'll show ya the ropes, squirt.] He could hear his friends snickering over how Hilda had him by the ear without touching.
[O...okay,] Oshawott replied with a more comforted look on his face.
The Sea Otter Pokemon could tell that Hilda had a hand in his course correction but knew that they all meant well. In fact... Hilda had seemed to know exactly what her friends were saying and how to response now that he thought about it. It was one thing when it was mainly him and her but now...
[Hilda... can you talk to Pokemon?] Oshawott ventured forth, hoping that he didn't sound dumb just then.
His Trainer and her friends collectively cast their eyes towards him with a rather blank if concerned stare. The Sea Otter Pokemon gulped in fear that he might've tripped on a landmine or however the humans tended to phrase it. Either way, it felt awkward for about four seconds thankfully.
[Seriously, Hilda?] Sue began incredulously.
[You didn't tell him?] Addle backed her sister up.
"I thought he'd caught on," Hilda said defensively. "I mean... you never brought it up, Oshawott."
[I thought you just pretending or going off by my mood,] her Starter claimed in his own defense. [I don't know if you noticed but most humans can't understand us.]
[Well, Hilda ain't whatcha call "most humans," squirt,] Watcher chimed in, folding his arms to look like the big guy on campus. [Any cry or yelp we make comes out as human speak in that sharp noodle of her's.]
[That's amazing,] Oshawott exclaimed with growing excitement, looking back at his Trainer. [Did Professor Juniper teach you this?] He would've wagged his tail if he were Lilly right now.
"Auntie Aurea wishes she was that good of a Professor," Hilda laughed with a snort. "This is a secret gift that's been in my family for generations." Her expression softened up subtly. "My mother shared it with me and made it clear that neither people nor Pokemon shouldn't know about it so easily."
[Your mother?] Oshawott mentioned curiously, remembering something else he meant to ask. [Come to think of it, I've never seen her back at the house.] He did remember a picture in Hilda's room of an older woman with brown hair. [Will I meet her soon?]
Oshawott looked up at his Trainer with eagerness in her eyes before finding her smile falling slowly. In its place was an reserved expression of what seemed like sorrow. He looked around and found that her friend had similar somber expression on their faces. Even Lilly and Patrick appeared more subdued than they ought to have been.
Oshawott gulped hard. This time he knew that he brought up something that he really shouldn't had. That is until he saw Hilda putting on a smile, one that still seemed melancholy to say the least.
"How about right now?" she suggested warmly.
Without a clear path, Hilda chose to have Oshawott hold onto the back of her ponytail and run deeper into the woods. The Sea Otter Pokemon didn't know how but he found it somehow far more frightful than the bicycle could ever hope to be. She was hopping over those bushes and sliding down that embankment, following signs that she seemed to know by heart.
Her friends were easily keeping pace as Oshawott could see around them. To their right, both Watcher and Patrick leaned down to still run fast on his hind legs but only to stay close to Hilda. To the left, Harry was scurrying along with a tail-wagging Lilly on his black coated back due to her tendency to dash off recklessly.
Up above, Oshawott could see Sew and Addle shooting String Shot after String Shot to swing above them on the trees. He could hear them cheering and jeering like they were some kind of superhero duo. The way that they stuck to the trees with their feet alone still fascinated him.
After what seemed like a while, Oshawott could see the trees becoming less dense up ahead and even make out a road up in the distance. However, his attention was more drawn to a rather wide tree just ahead of them.
Hilda began to slow to a walk just in front of the tree in question before finally stopping within ten feet of it. She caught her her breath as quick as she could while leaning on her knees and let her friend gather all around her.
Oshawott was about to ask where they were before Hilda reached up and lifted him off of her ponytail silently. Once he was placed on the ground, he looked up to find that the frown on his Trainer's face had only become more melancholy. The Sea Otter Pokemon didn't understand why but was wise enough to maybe wait and see.
[Need a few one-on-one?] Watcher asked Hilda, sounding a lot more reserved.
Oshawott looked around to see that none of their previous energy was on display. Lilly surprisingly was looking rather depressed as well.
"Thank you," Hilda replied in a near whisper before walking up towards the tree.
Now that Oshawott had time to focus, he could see that on the tree's shadowed side was a picture in a frame hung on the bark. Around it were a variety of flowers and in it was the photograph of a familiar woman. The same brown-haired woman who almost resembled Hilda down to their eyes and was in a similar photo hung on her bedroom wall. The same woman that he had seen no sign of.
Oshawott's face fell further once said picture became clearer and clearer much to his dismay.
Hilda wiped her wet eyes and steadied her breathing once she can within three feet of the tree. Despite her raw state, she still managed to take in a deep breath slowly and exhale just as long. Her warm smile returned to her face as she looked at the picture of the woman properly.
"Hi, Mom."
To Be Continued...
Oshawott gets a colorful introduction to the woodland Pokemon that Hilda considered family. However, the story behind their little group is both sweet and sobering to say the very least.
Pokemon and Trainer contend with their inner demons with Little White (& Blue) Lies
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