"...Rusty?"
The golden Lucario hadn't moved from his spot by her bed, snout almost poking her nose. Her human nose. She could see the concern in his eyes. Growing up with such an expressive and intelligent pokemon did that Why-
Human nose.
She felt at her body. She had her underclothes on, her hair was its usual brown rat's nest when she woke up, her glasses were not on her face, dark skin instead of thick blue fur folded up neatly on her nightstand. She smelled at her hands…
And smelled no honey.
It WAS a dream.
…and she was just starting to enjoy it too.
Rusty's sharp bark jarred Amber from her thoughts. She turned to see the Lucario pouting at her, annoyance mixing in with the worry. She gave him a big grin and patted his head as she pulled herself out of bed. His tail wagged despite himself.
"Did I worry you, buddy?" she asked, still patting him as she pulled herself up and took a look around her room. It was small but cozy. Her desk was caked with papers and books, just like she left it. Her floor was a hazard area of discarded clothing, and her closet was shut tight. Rusty had opened the door to her room leading to the wider house, and she could smell Nana making breakfast. Something felt off though. Her eyes were drawn to the window, which overlooked the canal. A breeze was coming through the crack. That was weird. Nana was kind of paranoid about leaving windows open ever since the Swablu incident. Drove that into her since she was five.
"You open that boy?" she knew Rusty enjoyed a good breeze. The Lucario's eyes narrowed at the window, and he let a small growl escape his mouth. Her eyes widened. That was weird. Did something freak him out?
"Ok, take that as a no…" she then looked to her chair where she piled her clothes, and blinked.
Her shirt, pants, and jacket were all folded up, placed neatly on the chair. That was weird, did Nana do that? Hasn't done that since she was a kid… in fact, she didn't even remember how she got home last night. All she really remembered were… the eyes.
She shuddered. Rusty gave a nervous wine, and she shook the thought from her head, giving him another pat.
"Let's see what Nana's making, eh?" Rusty's tail wag showed her exactly what he thought about that idea, as she threw on her outfit from last night and walked downstairs.
The house was small but comfortable. Two floors, the bedrooms on the second, and a staircase leading downstairs. The living room had a small couch, a coffee table, a tv, and a coat rack. The door sat on the opposite wall, and the kitchen was situated right behind the couch. Amber and Rusty made their way straight there.
"Morning Nana," she waved, and Rusty repeated the motion. The older woman with graying black hair, wrinkling skin, and dark, sharp eyes turned to face the two, sizzling potatoes in the skillet, loaded with bacon and green onions. Loaded hash browns. Not pancakes with honey, but after that hand thing she was glad about that.
"Oh, so you skip dinner," Nana started to admonish, putting the skillet back on the hot pan. "Come in without a word, fall asleep immediately, and the second you smell breakfast you come down here?"
"...yeah," Amber shrugged. She THOUGHT that's what happened.
"...you are your father's daughter alright." Nana shook her head and turned back to the stove. "Sit down and EAT before you go and see the professor. Rusty, make sure she doesn't run off."
Rusty gave the older woman a salute.
"Traitor," Amber groaned and went to take her seat on the couch. Rusty was right behind her, not taking his eyes off her for an instant. He seemed… more attentive than usual. Even for a Lucario.
"I'm ok boy," she smiled and patted the now sitting shiny on his head. His tail wagged behind him as he let out a small breath. He was pretty tense…
Nana came in, three plates of loaded potatoes on a tray with orange juice. She put it down with a thump, looking at her granddaughter.
"Now, are you gonna tell me where you went last night?" she asked the teenager, as she and her dog reached for their portions of her food, as if they were mirrors of each other.
"Oh, you know," Amber said, before taking a bite of loaded fried potatoes. "Places."
"Places huh?" she sat down next to the dog, who mirrored the human's motion with a fork of his own. "Like that old inn that's been run down since I was a little girl?"
"That is, in fact, a place."
"And why would my precious granddaughter go near that place? And after I was so thorough on how no one goes near it?"
"Well, it just so happens some idiots needed proving to," Amber said between mouthfuls. Rusty was drinking his own glass of juice as he too listened.
"You've got nothing to prove to idiots," Nana scolded, pointing her fork at her. "I'm guessing you didn't find anything then?"
Except for those eyes…
"Nope," Amber nodded, finishing the last of her meal. "Just a weird dream after."
"Oh? What kind?"
"I was a Munchlax," she smiled, thinking about it. "There was this entire pokemon society! I was just starting to enjoy it when I finally woke up…'
"Then you wasted your night," Nana shook her head as she too began to eat.
"Thanks, Nana. Your support, as always, is appreciated." Amber said flatly and stood up. Rusty rose with her, watching her like a hawk. He really was tense today.
"Anytime, granddaughter," a sip of her own drink. "Seems that Rusty wants to come with you today. I was gonna send him on a grocery run, but the professor did want to run some tests on aura. He wanted you to bring him along anyway…"
"Just text me the list," Amber said, patting the dog on the head. "We'll swing by the mart before we come home."
"Good. Don't get mugged."
"And you don't burgled." With that, Amber grabbed her bag, and she and Rusty walked out the door. Canalave was bustling with the early morning hubbub. The stone roads were cluttered with people and pokemon alike, the gym down the road had a line of challengers stretching all the way down the road, up and around the library, and back again. It seemed news of old man Byron's declining health had gotten the attention of opportunistic trainers. But he was still a damn gym leader for a reason. Undefeated except by the most skilled. Rusty rolled his eyes at the sight of both the gym and the line, suddenly huffy.
"Still sore?" she asked the dog, who turned away and started towards the canal with another huff. There was already a line waiting for the bridge to drop, ships passing under them.
"Come on," Amber said, joining the line with the dog. "You don't even like battles all that much."
This was true. Rusty and Amber tried battling when they were young, but they just didn't have the passion. Byron was their only real gym attempt because it was so close to home. Rusty never really got over that first, and only, loss to the old man. Even if neither of them really liked battles, it being so close really got on his nerves. The Lucario only growled, at the reminder, arms crossed.
"Alright, come on you sore loser," Amber said walking on the now-closed bridge. "Something tells me the professor is gonna need us bad.
Plus, if anyone was gonna know what those eyes belonged to, it was Freddy.
…
The Mercury lab was a small facility just outside of town. The small, two-story building sat right next to route 218. It was white and gray, a contrast to the firm stone Canalave was made of. The windows were shut, and blinds were drawn. Guess it was still early… Bidoof wandered freely around the front yard. One even wandered up to her and Rusty, giving them their characteristic doofy smile. Amber didn't mind, bending down to pat the little guy-
At least until Rusty scooped him up with no warning, grabbed her by the arm, and yanked her to the side with fighting-type strength.
"Rusty! Wha-"
Then the professor flew out of the window.
A bundle of protective gear crashed through the thin glass and rolled a few feet. It had just missed the three. The person sprawled on the front lawn just kind of laid there, stunned and confused. That helmet and padding probably saved his life, judging by the glass shards that came with him. The roar of the culprit followed soon after, scaring all but the Bidoof Rusty was holding off. Amber took a few deep breaths, before walking up to the dased professor.
"...Atalanta still being rough with you Freddy?" she asked, crouching down. The tall man pulled off his helmet with a sigh, revealing his slicked-back hair. His bushy mustache was as perfectly kept as ever. He wheezed in pain.
"Maybe a little…" he admits. "Good morning Amber. Did you bring Rusty? Might need a Heal Pulse…"
"You heard the man," she turned to the Lucario, who handed her the still shivering Bidoof and raised a paw. A pinking blue shot of power surged through the air and slammed into the professor. He sighed in relief, sitting up and smiling at the two.
"What would I do without you two?" he asked, shaking his head.
"Be dead a few times over," Amber noted, before putting the Bidoof down after a few pats. It seemed a little calmer now, but still anxious. It looked up at her for a time, before the pokemon insider that just did that roared, and it went to hide in a bush. She couldn't blame it.
"Probably…" he patted rusty on the head as thanks and stood up, a head taller than Amber. "Alright, let's get Atalanta her breakfast, and get started." With that, the professor fearlessly went back into the lab. Amber and Rusty stood there for a bit, hesitating.
"Might wanna have a few of those Pulses ready," she told Rusty, who nodded. With that settled, they both walked in.
The Bewear sat on the couch for guests was a familiar sight for Amber. It sagged with her weight Ever since being caught by her father in the jungles of Alola, Atalanta had not taken to her captivity… nicely… at first. Figuring out how to let herself out of her ball startingly quickly, she had to be let out at least for a few hours a day, else she does it herself and trashes the place. She seemed to enjoy the professor's favorite, tooth-rotting cereal though, which she was currently busy pouring into her mouth.
"Atalanta!" Freddy balked, marching up to the much taller and stronger mon with absolutely no fear. "We've been over this, those are mine!"
The Bewear didn't even look at him as she held one paw out and against his chest to prevent him from getting closer as she finished the box, and burped in satisfaction. Freddy sighed as Amber put her hand on the professor's shoulder.
"Well, she's had breakfast," she notes waving to the bear. It didn't return the wave, simply staring with those Unnerving eyes. Amber had to hide her shudder, Rusty more so.
"Yeah, yeah…" Freddy shook his head. "It's just not healthy for her…"
"Then maybe you should stop eating it?" Amber suggested.
"You sound like your dad," he walked away from the now calm bear dosing on his couch, before entering the lab proper. Amber and Rusty were right behind him.
The lab looked neat, despite its professor's shortcomings. The counters were all sectioned off, filled with equipment, samples of different mon, an entire shelf of pokeballs caught by her father in the field, and of course a beefy PC. Amber took her usual seat by this PC, taking out her laptop, while Rusty stood by. The professor took a Move reader, a handheld screen to measure the energy pokemon put into moves, and got to work.
"Force Palm please," Freddy asked. Rusty obliged, his paw alighting in azure flame. The screen started beeping. This was the morning routine… and Amber watched with waned interest. Honestly, her tasks weren't much, and she was ahead of the schoolwork required by the city. She could do her own research, ask a question-
The eyes.
"...hey Freddy?" Amber said as Rusty demonstrated his next move, Metal Claw.
"Yes Amber?" he looked over the sharp, metal claws that sprouted from the dog's paw, not looking up.
"Had a question… are there any pokemon that live around here with blue eyes?"
"Blue eyes?" Freddy asked, even as Rusty demonstrated a Bone Rush that he was looking over. Testing and recording thickness, density, weight…
"Y-yeah," Amber reiterated, trying to swallow her shudder. "I think I ran into something with them yesterday, but I didn't get a good look."
"I think mon species with blue eyes are pretty rare…"Freddy asked, poking the Aura Sphere Rusty had created with his pen. It blew up in his face, to absolutely no one's surprise. "Sylveon comes to mind, or Galvantula, but neither are native to Sinnoh… the same applies to Rockruff…
None of those sounded right either… "...It blended into shadows really well, it may have been a dark or ghost type?"
"In that case," Freddy sighed as another Heal Pulse washed over him. "maybe a Shuppet? Not native to this area either but it's a possibility.
A Shuppet… no. No that wasn't it either. The eyes were too blue. Like looking into a vast lake, or an empty sky. Or a void…
"...alright," Amber sighed. That wasn't helpful… "Thanks for the insight professor."
"Anytime Amber! Now, as the person closest to Rusty here he should be able to sense your aura the most keenly…
…
After her day helping out at the lab and picking up groceries, Amber wandered into her bed after dinner. Rusty had stuck to her like glue all day, rarely getting more than a few feet away. She loved the dog, sure, but this was really weird. The professor said he looked to be in perfect condition too, so he wasn't sick. At least at a glance. And he just… looked worried, even as she crawled into bed. Was he worried about something else?
Was he worried about her?
"Boy, I'm ok," she reassured, patting him on the head. "Really! It was just… a really vivid dream. Ok?"
The Lucario accepted the pat but didn't move from her bedside. She sighed, knowing he wanted to crawl in with her, but after he evolved they both knew that was a bad idea. She still had the scar…
"You can stay." She relented, sighing. The Lucario wasted no time in getting comfortable, sitting against the wall. He didn't even go and get his blanket? He really was determined…
She tucked herself in regardless, with another sigh. She still couldn't get those eyes out of her head… or that dream…
…it was probably fine.
"Goodnight Rusty."
She drifted into sleep quickly after that. Faster than she ever had before.
…
When Amber opened her eyes once again, the first thing she saw was a pair of soft red eyes. For anyone else, this may have been surprising. For her…it was normal.
…wait, soft?
And why was she so… heavy? Hungry? She could smell the unfamiliar food being made from her curled-up pile in bed, and why did her hands smell like they were just dipped in honey?
No… not hands.
Paws.
"Wow, that stomach really grumbles!" Felix said, even as Amber shot out of bed and away from the eyes. "I could hear that all night! Why didn't you eat last night if you were so hungry?"
Was she having a recurring dream? That had continuity? Everything felt the same, the thick fur, the fat that clung to her body, the black hole that was her stomach, she even came back in the same place she fell asleep!
"Guess you really were tired!" Amber chose then to actually pay attention to the Mawile trying to talk to her. He had on a cheerful smile, contrasting the literal toothy maw closed behind his back. "Have a good night?"
"...why were you watching me sleep?" Amber asked, deciding to stow away her questions for now.
"Hm? Oh, no! I was just waiting for you to wake up!"
"...why?"
He looked away at that. "Well, you know… we barely talked yesterday, you kinda just ate my apple and made me show you where the guild was… thought we could get breakfast together and-"
At that moment Amber's Munchlax belly roared unhappily, as food was not currently filling it despite it being so close. Skipping the promised meal yesterday in favor of sleep didn't help the feeling either.
"...sounds like you need it." Felix finishes.
"...yeah, come on." Amber literally rolled out of bed, landing with a thump, and followed her amazing nose to where that amazing smell was coming from. The steel fairy wasn't far behind. Maybe she could enjoy the dream without starving all day…
The mess hall was massive, both to account for the number of members and the largest of said members. The one that really stood out was the Tyranitar, scars adorning his face and belly, he still had kind eyes as he munched on his own breakfast. In fact, the tables were absolutely packed with mon of all shapes and sizes. A Galvantuala sat by a Starravia as they each ate a small berry platter. A Bibarel was making sweeping gestures to a Combusken as he told what sounded like a grand story. The empty line to their side was being moved along by a female Meowstic, food floating onto trays with a flick of her ears. She seemed tired. At least the food smelled amazing…
Amber stepped into line, Felix right behind her, and ideally making conversation.
"Do you like the guild so far?" he asked, a little nervous. Why was he nervous? Why was she so hungry? Right, Munchlax.
"I haven't seen much of it yet," she said simply.
"Of course, yeah. But after you eat, I need to ask-"
Before Felix could finish his sentence, they both heard a sharp intake of air. They were at the front of the line now, and both turned to the source of the voice. The female Meowstic was just… staring at them… no… at Amber.
"Uh, morning, miss Salem!" Felix greeted brightly. "Two trays please."
Amber's stomach rumbled at that, as if protesting such little food for her. The Mewostic winced. Right… a Munchlax was probably the worst nightmare of any restaurant or kitchen staff. Great…
"...maybe three?" he tried.
"...two is fine." Amber managed. She wasn't gonna let her stomach affect how others viewed her. She could deal with such a paltry about of food-
STOP that brain.
The Meowstic didn't complain, piling on a normal serving of food onto Amber's tray. She sighed in relief as she moved on to Felix. Amber didn't waste any time in getting to her seat, the Mawlie joining her not long after.
"Hope you like it!" He greeted cheerfully. Ms. Salem always makes it-"
She shoveled a fistful of food into her maw, and suddenly she doubted she could have stopped herself if she wanted to. The tray was empty in less than a minute, and when she came out of the trance, she found herself about to take a bite out of the tray itself. Felix was staring at her, his own food untouched.
"...good." he finished, slowly sliding his own tray away from the gaping hole that was the Munchlax.
Amber internally groaned, putting the tray down. What kind of missing self-control did she have? She needed to be better, even if it was a dream! Why would her subconscious make her something like this? Luckily, no one else seemed to notice.
"Hungry, young lady?" said a voice from behind the duo. It was kindly, soft. She did notice Felix's flinch when he heard it, so she turned slowly. The old Heracross, female if the horn was to be believed, looked over the pair with kind eyes. Felix turned to face her, headmaw almost knocking his tray over to her. She found herself internally cursing that didn't happen, would have been a good excuse-
STOP DREAM BRAIN-
"Guildmaster Stylene!" Felix sat up straighter. "Good morning!"
"Good morning Felix," the Heracross gave him a smile and turned to the Munchlax. Amber wiped some stray drool from her mouth, a little sheepish. "And you're the new recruit?"
"Yeah…" she nodded. "Amber, nice to meet you."
"You as well. I hope you'll do good work! Bue before you can, have you reported to the medical wing yet?"
"...no?" Amber blinked. What kind of work did her subconscious dream up? "I'm not sick or anything."
"Just a physical," she reassures. "To clear you for work and dungeons. Also need to do it before you join or make a team"
…dungeons? Was she gonna be guarding prisoners? Why would they let a random mon that just joined do something like that?
"I'll take her!" Felix immediately perked up, opening his headmaw and swallowing his entire meal in one bite. Amber and Stylene blinked. She knew in her head Mawlie could do that, but… seeing it was something else.
"...you're gonna want to see Cheshire for that stomachache coming your way too," she commented. "I expect big things from you two!" and with that, the big bug walked away. Amber was still looking at Felix, who was looking queasy.
"Are you…ok?" Amber asked,
"...Let's just get you that physical." he managed, clutching his stomach and walking off towards the cafeteria exit. Amber, after some hesitation, followed. That feat made her forget about her hunger!
…for a brief amount of time. It came back with a vengeance soon after.
