A/N: Oh boy it didn't take me another year to update this! Please hold your applause as I have done the bare minimum as a writer. But really it has been hard to write in general since April-May are the busiest months of my work and in June I had to deal with a family emergency but for some reason watching Love Actually in July with my sister made want to update this story instead of like... every other thing I should be working on. This premise just leaves a soft spot in my heart so deal with it.
Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon, I only hold the rights to this lowkey shit characterization. Sorry.
"Absol! Use iron tail!"
"Dodge and use supersonic my Butterfree!"
Solidad countered her young friend, Drew, as they practiced battle at the Goldenrod Pokemon Center. Absol dug its paws into the dirt to not fall over once hit by supersonic, stars clouded the pokemon's vision. It was definitely left a bit out of sorts from Solidad's attack.
"Don't give in yet Absol! Stay steady and use razor wind!" Drew commanded, his confidence had faltered slightly but soon returned as he commanded his pokemon. Absol in return listened well to its trainer, it didn't get overwhelmed by confusion and hit Butterfree dead on with a razor wind. Butterfree cried out and shook midair but while Solidad looked concerned she saw that Butterfree still maintained flight so she was ready to end things.
"Butterfree use stun spore! We are gonna stop Absol right here and now!"
"Freeee!" Butterfree cried out as it made yellow spores flood the battlefield and cloak Absol below. Absol's fur let out a static charge as it tried to move but the effort was fruitless as instead the feline pokemon was brought to its knees.
"Absol return!" Drew called the pokemon back to its pokeball with a click of his tongue.
"That was good. Battling with your Butterfree has given me things to think about when using my own Butterfree in the battle rounds of contests," Drew complimented his mentor as he approached her and her victorious Butterfree.
"Are you gonna use Butterfree for the Goldenrod Contest?" Solidad inquired.
"Maybe but I'm not sure if we're ready yet. For sure Butterfree should be ready for battle by the time we get to Ecruteak. I should look into a status move like stun spore, it really fell like an elegant blanket on the battlefield."
"Appeal is still very important for the battles of course," Solidad said with a smile which Drew returned. He had asked Solidad after breakfast if she could help him train. Usually they never talked about their own performances when they met, let alone train together like they did now. But Drew wanted Solidad's input since he had kind of forced her hand by making her stay in a city she was not so fond of. At the very least Drew thought a battle could take Solidad's mind off of the painful memories Goldren held. But even though Drew wanted her help he wasn't yet divulging his new techniques in this practice battle. His new moves Solidad would have to wait and see for herself at the Goldenrod Contest.
Solidad on the other hand didn't think much of the intentions behind Drew's request to train. She was just happy to help her young friend anyway she could. She was looking forward to seeing Drew compete in person, it had been to long since she had the pleasure to see it. Aside from being focused on drew she often found her gaze returning back to the Pokemon Center and towards one certain window. Her thoughts were filled with what Harley might have in store for this contest. He was quite the loose canon with plenty of tricks up his sleeves.
Solidad had no idea why Harley had asked her to stay for the contest. He never really cared whether they ran into each other or not during the contest circuit but he wanted her to watch? Did he have a new technique ready? Or maybe even a new team member to take the Johto contest hall by storm? She really wished they talked more, maybe then Solidad could understand her strange friend better. Oh how she longed to understand him better. Get closer together.
"Solidad? Are you listening? Is there any technique you'd like to practice for the Ecruteak City Contest? We have some time before lunch so I don't mind," Drew offered with a friendly outstretched hand, his other hand was resting gingerly on his hip.
Solidad returned her gaze to Drew and just gave him a weary smile.
"No, I'm not even that hungry… I might take a nap before dinner. Can I take you up on that training at a later date?" Solidad asked a bit sheepishly. Drew just silently let his friend go, and she walked back into the pokemon center.
As soon as she returned to her room Solidad practically threw herself onto the bed. She was even more tired than usual and she wasn't really sure why. Was it because of Harley's rude awakening from earlier in the day? Or was it caused by the clouds she had seen as she and Drew fought, those clouds that threatened to split open and cover the world below in rain?
Solidad really didn't think for long as soon doziness took over, it was as if Butterfree had used sleep powder on her, she was out like a light in no time.
"Do you like rain Solidad?"
"Rain is okay, thunder is scary," A little Solidad responded to the woman in her dream. The woman had long pink hair like her but her face was blurry. Solidad really couldn't remember her anymore.
"I like rain. The sound of it hitting the window is relaxing, plus I can use it as an excuse to stay inside," The pink-haired woman said with a dry laugh.
On the TV a contest played.
"Cacnea! Use pin missile!" A coordinator with purple hair in an elaborate green costume commanded on the TV. He wowed the judges as spikes flew out of the cactus pokemon and hit the water below, making dramatic splashes to exaggerate his performance even further. This memory should have tipped Solidad off that she was dreaming, Harley was not in the Wallace Cup like this when she was a little girl. But still, in her memories it was just like a normal afternoon watching contests with that woman.
"I wish I could control the rain," The woman commented. "Just like the Slowpoke at the well."
"I can get one for you mommy!"
"Would you really? I can give you some pokeballs, wear a raincoat and take an umbrella… it'll be like a fun adventure!"
Solidad shouldn't have gone to the well. She shouldn't have left the house. Mommy didn't even put the pokeballs down as an expense in her finance book. She should have realized something was wrong.
"Mommy?"
"Mommy!"
CRASH
"Tits almighty what a storm," Harley commented to himself as a big roll of thunder came through, it pulled him out of his own thoughts. He couldn't go outside earlier and practice for the contest since Solidad and Drew were out there. Then shortly after Drew left the training fields it started raining Growlithe and Skitty. So instead Harley just relaxed in his bed and just had to plan out some strategies in his head. That particular bolt of thunder however shook him out of his thoughts enough to realize it was getting late and he was starting to get hungry. He decided now would be as good a time as any to go and get some free food from the Pokemon Center cafeteria.
He leisurely entered the hallway as another round of thunder echoed through the halls. Harley wouldn't have thought much of it if someone hadn't swung their door open right in his face at that moment.
"Hey watch where you're-"
Harley didn't finish his angry comeback as he made eye contact with the person who had opened the door. Solidad looked frightened. Her eyes were open wide and even had a few tears in them, threatening to overflow down the woman's pale cheeks. Once Solidad had noticed just who she was looking at she frantically began to wipe at her eyes and murmur apologies in the man's direction. Harley didn't have anything to say in response to this. No quips or anything, he really wasn't expecting to see the usually calm coordinator shaken up over a thunderstorm of all things. They really didn't know each other that well.
"What time is it?" Solidad asked.
"About a quarter past six," Harley responded.
"I see…"
Soon they were silent again, neither made an attempt to move from where they were until thunder roared threw the hall again and Solidad flinched. Harley almost moved his hand out towards her but stopped himself. Seriously what the hell had gotten into him lately?
"Would you like to get dinner with me?" Harley asked.
Soon the pair found themselves back in the Pokemon Center cafeteria just like that morning, but now it was Solidad's turn to not have much of an appetite. Harley had some pasta while Solidad just grabbed some chocolate cake. She needed a pick-me-up more than an actual meal and she had been thinking about sweets ever since seeing May at her favorite cafe.
"I never expected us to have so many silent meals together, you'd think I was having dinner with a Whismer," Harley said as he stabbed almost forcefully into his food and proceeded to shove a forkful of pasta into his mouth almost to help fill the awkward silence. Solidad just took a small bite of her cake in response, she really didn't have anything to say. She was a bit embarrassed to let Harley of all people see her so frightened. He was being nice in his own way however, he could be nastier in this situation if he so desired. Solidad could tell he was holding himself back. But still, she wasn't sure if she should appreciate the effort or feel even more mortified about the whole thing.
"I'm sorry Harley," She eventually responded in a low voice. At first Harley ignored her, frankly, useless apology. But soon he looked at her mournful eyes and just let out a sigh.
"Oh don't give me that love, if anything I am glad to know that the seemingly composed Solidad has a weakness, as nonsensical as it might seem to me personally," Harley said and he was being a bit honest. He finally had some dirt on Solidad, but this didn't make him feel better like he had expected to.
"Outside of my family now only you and Drew know about my silly fear," Solidad said with a dry tone. Harley furrowed his brows
"Of course, that brat knows about this too…" Harley thought. "What doesn't he know about her at this point?"
"Well I know people well and as ridiculous as others might view it I know every fear has a reason," Harley said. "I'd tell you what I'm afraid of to make you feel better but I can't have such a thing being public knowledge."
"Well now that you've brought it up I wanna know even more," Solidad said. Much to Harley's secret relief, he could hear some of her signature playfulness returning to her voice. "If I tell you why I am afraid of thunder will you give me a hint as to what your biggest fear is?"
"I can't say no to you divulging your weakness anymore so I'm down," Harley said as he leaned forward on the table with intrigue making his eyes gleam more than usual.
"Well I had been spooked by thunder from a young age it hadn't really become a huge issue until on a stormy day… I went to go find a pokemon and ended up falling into a well."
"Oh my Arceus," Harley exclaimed. That was definitely not what he expected to hear.
"Now thunder is the only thing that can disturb my sleep," Solidad joked.
"How in the everloving fuck did you survive falling down a well?" Harley asked, still pretty shocked by what he heard.
"It was actually because of my partner Slowbro, meeting her as a Slowpoke was the only good thing about that day," Solidad explained. "She stayed by my side during that storm, gave me company, and leaned her cool head against my broken leg. Eventually, when the storm settled she called out to other pokemon outside of the well and soon I was found."
"However when I returned home…" Solidad trailed off a bit before continuing. "But that has nothing to do with this story."
"No fair," Harley pouted as he crossed his arms. Solidad just chuckled as she watched his childish antics unfold in front of her.
"What about your fear? Give me a hint?"
"Well since you are hiding stuff from me I will hide things as well," Harley said with a puff of his chest.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Solidad said with a bit of annoyance in her voice.
"I will still tell you, I won't just give you a hint I will tell you everything if you cheer me on in the contest tomorrow! And I better be able to hear you or the deal is off, " Harley teased his fellow coordinator with a smirk.
"I-I can do that," Solidad said with a blush just thinking of it. She was usually a silent supporter so even the thought of cheering super loudly for someone made her embarrassed. But if she'd cheer loudly for anyone it'd be for a friend like Harley.
Harley didn't expect her to agree, he thought she'd just laugh and roll her eyes like usual. For some reason seeing Solidad blush made him want to blush as well. He brought a hand up to his face to stop himself from doing just that.
"You better not back down then," Harley said, his voice losing a bit of its usual edge out of embarrassment.
"Same goes for you," Solidad said with as much composure as she could muster.
They soon finished their meals before parting ways for the night. Solidad had another thing to worry about tomorrow it seems…
A/N: I thought Growlithe and Skitty would be a clever replacement for the saying "It's raining cats and dogs". Sometimes the most basic phrases cause me much pain when trying to write Pokemon stories T-T
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