This city is calm, peaceful.
He thought to himself while walking down the lively broadway, brushing past humans and Pokemon alike, going on about their daily lives. The avenue is simplistic, yet its simplicity matched the city perfectly, the sidewalks are paved in smooth deep gray stones, packed so perfectly together that cracks and joints are bare visible to his eyes, almost like the whole street is made out of one long slab of stone, it is not swarming with people, far from it actually, there are a lot less people walking on the streets than he want he expected out of a street of this magnitude. Gold tinged trees lined the sidewalk in an organized fashion, each are off the same distance from the others, shedding away their leaves in preparation for Winter times. The homes and buildings lining each side of the streets are old and wooden, though some more modern looking buildings and low rise skyscrapers with sharp edges and corners are dotted here and there this in wooden colony, they are far from the majority. The asphalt was wide enough for four cars to pass in the opposite direction, but rarely there are more than two or three cars passing the road at the same time, the composition of the pedestrian along the sidewalk is also out of the norm, usually in a world where Pokemon and Human coexist, the human is always the majority while Pokemon are the minority in cities are urban areas, but here the table seems to be flipped, there are more Pokemon roaming the streets than there are humans, some are even wearing clothes or uniforms, he saw a Jolteon wearing a postman's hat and carrying a small mailbag, dashing down the streets, which greatly surprised him, it appears that Pokemon here are more than just pets, but also citizens and workers.
He is surprised, at the least, of how this city is the way it is, normally humans would just abandon wooden structures and move on to concrete ones and huge skyscrapers as soon they have the chance to, and he can see why, they are more durable, less susceptible to fire and cheaper to construct. This world certainly have the appropriate technology to accomplish such a feat, but somehow they didn't, perhaps it is a matter of "Heritage" than anything else? The Umbreon remember his friend told him about how humans are not the same, while some seek innovation, technological advancement, creativity and a way to escape the ancient ways, and some seek to keep it, protect it, retail it and pass it on from generation to generation. In this constant battle and stalemate between the new ways and the old, it is natural for the old ways to give in as the new comes in play, the new will always end the ancient ways, but really do the old ways go down without a fight. This city is clearly an exception to that rule.
Nevertheless, he is content to be somewhere that is safe and prosperous for once, his journeys ot varies worlds never game him a break, always dropping him in the middle of a dangerous situation or always lead him into one, and he need time to figure out how to resolve or escape from said situations, it can be tense and exciting the first few times he encountered them, but it gets old fast as fear starts to settle in. Other times, the world he is dropped in is either a barren, post-apocalyptic wastelands where the only sign that intelligent life once inhabited this planet are the ruins of cities and building left behind, or peaceful planets with no other sentient life forms besides himself, the scenery on some of those planets are absolutely breathtaking, but the feeling of loneliness and isolation soon sets in as the creatures on these planets are either incapable of organized speech, or mistaken him as a viable food source. He really wish he could find more worlds similar to this one, but wishing can only do so much.
"Umm, excuse me? Mr. Umbreon?" A clearly feminine voice called from behind, causing him to turn around to find the source of the voice among the noise of the crowd, it was relatively easy, since the Pokemon who called him is right behind him, a Zangoose to be exact, a green backpack perched on her shoulders, she appears to be relatively nervous, constantly rubbing her claws together.
He was dumbfounded as to why someone like her would stop him, a nobody on the streets, he is only been in this world for a few hours at best, and had no to little verbal contact with ... just about anyone really, there are no reasons for her to stop him. He could just give her a world look and walk away from her, decided against just walking away from her, instead he want to see where this would take him. "... Yes Miss? How may I help you? I don't believe we have met before."
The Zangoose seems to be relieved that Umbreon is treating her politely instead of hostility, "Oh, thank Arceus, finally someone that is willing to talk to me, you have no idea how difficult it was for me in the past hour. Ok, calm down Vul, no need to get worked up like this, you are only here to ask a question. Now, could you tell me where is 249 Latios Driveway? I am kind of late on my job application."
Obvious, he has literally no idea where that is.
"... I am sorry Miss, but uh… I don't know where that is, since I am..." He certainly can't tell her he is not a part of this world, she not believing him is one thing, calling him crazy is another, maybe even calling the police, "... Not from here, I entered the city only a few hours ago."
The Zangoose only grew more excited at this words, "Really?! You are new in town as well? Oh I am so so so glad to finally meet someone with a similar experience to me! Oh my Lord, Uhh… My name is Vul, very… glad to meet you! What's your name? Where is your hometown?"
...Wonderful.
He doesn't like lying, but there are times when a lie is necessary, it is better for her and himself.
"Well, you may call me Alger, as for where I am from, I was born in the North." He is mentally praying the Northern part of this continent is actually inhabitable.
"The North? Oh my god oh my god oh my god! That's where I am from! Tell me tell me! Back in your hometown, is there lake near by? Lake Nat?!" Vul's reaction told him the shoot he took in the dark indeed landed.
And probably dug a deeper hole for himself in the process.
"...Yes, I remeber Lake Nat, my old home is not too far away from it." He can't really say anything else at this point, since he have absolutely no idea what geography up North is like.
Vul first paused, her expression is a mixture between wonder and awe, before suddenly rushing forward and hugged the Umbreon, catching him completely by surprise. The duo's bizarre interaction earned a few weird looks from the passing crowd, but none stopped to question their doings as they presume they must have known each other. Alger had been hugged before, but certainly never like this, hugged by a stranger in broad daylight, her arms wrapped around him, her embrace was warm and welcoming, but it made him feeling more awkward than ever. A hug was a simple yet powerful gesture, it can represent affection, gratitude and perhaps the fragile beginnings of love, but as of now, Alger wasn't sure of what this hug is supposed to represent.
"You have no idea how glad I am..." She tightened her grip on him, coming so close to a point where she is almost nuzzling him, making Alger beyond uncomfortable. "I left the Town of Avalon a long time ago in search more opportunities for myself in this world, you don't know how lonely I have been! I haven't seen someone else from Lake Nat in years! How is it over there now? Has anything changed? How are you-"
"Miss… I would gladly answer your questions but… you are crushing me… Please let go..."
"Oh! I am so sorry!" She promptly let Alger go of her hug, giving the Umbreon some space to breathe again, "I really didn't mean to do that! I just… got excited! That's all! I can't really help it..." Vul bit her lip and looked down, has she unintentionally hurt him? She doesn't want to hurt anyone, she might be a bit too outgoing for most people, but her intentions are never ill.
Alger coughed a few times, "...No worries, you didn't hurt me, I am just a bit surprised at your reaction, that is all. Though it is completely understandable for someone to get that excited in a situation like this. Just… give people a warning before you do something like that again, alright?"
"I didn't hurt you? Thank Arceus… Again I am really sorry about this, but it is just hard for me to contain my excitement! Anyways! Why did you decide to come to Astron? Looking for a job just like me? " She gave him a light smile, there is something about this Umbreon that comforts her, but she couldn't put her fingers… or claws on it.
"...Well, I am merely traversing through this city, I am a traveler, you see. I would like to see the world with my own eyes rather believe in photographs and what other people say, so in other words, I am not looking for a job, but I will, however, most likely stay in this city for a few days."
"Oh! You are an explorator! Oh my, when I was younger, that was my dream, to see the world with my own eyes, but uh… as you can see, life got in the way. Could you please tell me some stories of your travels? Please, I am really interested!" The Zangoose is seemingly growing more excited by the minute, which is not something Alger particularly like, but who can blame her for being curious, but he does need to remind her that she is forgetting something. "Don't you still have… a job interview?"
Her eyes widen as she clasp a claw over her mouth, "Oh dear! I forgot about that! I still don't know where it is! This is bad this is bad this is bad! Uh… Alger, is it? Could you help me with asking people where that place is? I will pay you back! I know the owner of a pub near by and they serve some amazing drinks! Please!"
He wanted to tell her that he is not one for alcohol, since they have the ability to clog up his mind and impair his judgement, but now it is now the time for that, "...Sure, I will help you, but paying me back is no-" She cut him off in mid sentence.
"Oh don't be like that! I always pay back the ones who helped me, that is what my mom always tell me. Now! Question time!" Vul turned and stopped a Grovyle who was just passing by and immediately started bombarding the startled fella with questions. He watched the scene in amusement before remembering he should do the same as well.
This ought to be interesting.
(Line Break)
The dusk is cold.
Alger is sitting on the side of the shaded evening street, watching the already thinning crowd passing in front of him. He can see the horizon out of the corner of his eyes, the Sun slowly sinking behind the mountains as the Moon moved up to take its place, illuminating the shimmering sky with its last orange glow of the day. Along the streets, tall metal streetlamps lay in neat rolls, casting artificial light onto the streets below, adorning the paved ground reach with a faint yellow glow as the sun is on longer able to reach them, it is not windy, but the combination of the coldness and time caused the hustle and bustle in the city to slowly come to a halt.
It has been almost half of an hour since Vul entered this building and asked him to wait for her to complete the interview, the human guard of this building did invite him to come inside for some shelter against the cold, but he kindly turned it down and thanked him for the offer, not because he doesn't want to, the interior of this building has a working heater and a comfortable sofa for him to lie on, it is because he wants to reduce unnecessary contact and influence with the worlds he has been to, he is an observer, not a hero, not an enforcer, he doesn't want his presence to directly influence the events and people in a foreign world too much. Sure there are exceptions, like this case right now, or when he moves to save another creature from imminent danger and he greatly enjoys some of these interactions, but he still tries to keep his interaction with the world to minimum.
He heard a door opening and closing, he turned his towards the direction of the sound and saw Vul walking towards him with a confident smile on her face, it seems like she most likely got this one in the bag. "...How did it go?"
She laughed "Ha! It was great! The manager was really impressed with my experience working with paint, I think I got this one in the bag! You should seen the look on his face when I showed him my artworks! Woohoo!" She did a fist pump in the air.
"You...paint?" This is certainly news to Alger, as she never said anything about it on their way to his building.
"Of course I paint, Silly! How do you think someone will get a job without some speciality? Do wish you see some of my artwork?"
"Sure, I don't see why I shouldn't, if you insist."
"Alrighy! Give me a minute please!" She hastily thrown the bag off from her shoulders, setting it on the ground, before producing small canvas from it and presented it to Alger.
It is a drawing of a Roselia resting in a field of flowers, and it looks just as good as the ones he saw on walls in his friend's house. The flowers are blue and red and their petals fan widely over the canvas.
"So, how do you like it?" She asked, her fluffy tail bristling behind her, showing her excitement.
"... I would say it looks lovely, just as good as any painting in art galleries, you are really talented. Who did you learn from?"
She pull the painting back and stuffed it into her backpack again. "Heh, thanks! They are something that I am really proud of! My mom taught me most of it, she was a famous artist, but she doesn't like the fame and moved out of the city, but in the end, your parents can only teach you so much, you have to experiment and improve on your own at some point. And it is not easy with these claws around." She flexed one of her claws, "Mine are smaller, as females usually do, but it is still tough to learn how to hold a brush with them, but I got used to them eventually. So! Now the drink I promised you."
Alger opened his mouth to speak, but Vul interrupted him again. "Uh-Uh, I know what you are going to say, but as I said before, no one says no to me! I have to pay you back, you have no idea how much you helped me! Come on, the pub is a lovely place if you want to kill some time or hang out with others."
"...Very well then." He acknowledged the fact that he is unlikely to get out of this one, might as well follow it through.
"Wonderful! See? Was it really that hard? Come on, the Pub is not to far from here! I think… Anyways, Let's go!" She turned and started leading the way for Alger to follow.
But Alger has his own concerns about this whole situation. Why is she… acting so friendly towards him and trusting him so easily? If he was in a situation like this, he won't dare to invite her for a drink, but again, it might as be how things are around here, less crime, doubts and sinister thoughts, instead everyone trust each other and rely on each other. But if this society is not like that, then there is only two viable explanations. First, Vul is secretly working for a crime organization and is trying to lure him into a trap, which is highly unlikely, given into consideration the way she is acting doesn't look fake or forced. And the second explanation is…
He inwardly laughed at himself for coming up with something like this, surely she can't have feelings for him, they only met four or five hours ago! They barely know each other, it is impossible for her to develop feelings for him in such a short time period.
Right?
He is no longer laughing, if she indeed has feelings for him, then things could get complicated, fast, something he always tries to avoid. He shook his head in annoyance, maybe he is just overthinking this, maybe she is just a friendly person, but only time will tell.
(Line Break)
"Hey look who is here! Vul is back! How are you doing my friend? And who is your little friend over here?"
"I am fine Alan! Thank you for asking and caring about me! In fact I think my day couldn't get any better! I might have just finally got myself a job and made myself a really good friend, which is Alger over here!"
"...Pleasure to meet you, as she said, my name is Alger."
"That's wonderful! I know you could do it, I always believed in you Vul. You know what? In celebration of that, your drinks and your friend over here is on the house today! Enjoy! But don't get too carried away thou, I am not going to carry you back home if you get drunk."
"Pfff… When did I ever get drunk?"
"You never know."
The crowd didn't pay much attention to them as they moved towards the bar stand, to them, they are just a couple more strangers. The pub itself is quite peculiar, , in fact in comparison with other pubs he had seen and been to it is nothing like them, the interior quite small and oddly quiet for a place like a pub, it doesn't have middle-aged man drowning in alcohol, drinking away their sorrows or hundreds of conversations going on at the same time, all told in loud or arguing voices, mingled together, creating an irritating atmosphere, combined with the heavy rock music that usually blares through the entire pub at maximum volume, he never really enjoyed or see the point for a pub. The crowd and stuff here are mostly composed of Pokemon, save for only a few human customers and a human bartender, he could hear a soft piano playing in the background, and see a faint wisp of smoke twisting and curling in the air, only made visible by the tattered bar lights, casting arcs of golden light in the gloom.
Vul sat down on an empty barstools the lined the bar stand and signaled Alger to follow suit. "Come on now! Alan is nice, he doesn't bite! Which… doesn't really make sense considering he is a Feraligatr, but hey! Trust me on my word! Is that right Alan?" Alan nodded in silence as a form of acknowledgement.
"...I am not scared or shy, just… observing the environment in this bar, that is all." He hopped onto the stool, albit with some difficulty considering how high it is for an Umbreon, but he got on nevertheless. Behind Alan, the bar wall looks like it is closet, only much larger, covered in shelves, bottles lined up in neat rolls with colorful tops, the vibrant hue of amber liquid seemingly leaking out of the bottle under the intense background lighting.
"Yea sure. Of course you are not shy." Is she teasing him now? His suspicions are dangerously close to being true now, does she really have feelings for him? Alger wants to know the answer, but he couldn't just straight up ask her, he is a living being, with regards to other beings emotions and feelings, he can't just go up to her and ask question like this. And what would happen if she doesn't have feeling for him? What if he is just being extra sensitive? There are too many uncertain variables in this situation, the best course of action is to wait, and see what happens.
"Anyways, Alan! You know what I usually order, The Kicker, please. Thank you!" Vul then turned to Alger, "So! What do you want? Royal Passion? Wrightsville Sunrise?"
"Uh..." He doesn't really know what any of these actually are, in fact the only two human alcoholic beverage he knows are beer and tequila, and he is sure that he cannot handle tequila. "I think I would just go with plain beer."
"Plain beer? Alright then, not really a bit one for alcohol aren't cha? Coming right up!" The Feraligatr ten promptly left to preparing their drinks, leaving the duo alone for the time being.
With their orders now being prepared, Vul again turned to Alger, with a sweet smile on her face, "So, Alger, why don't you tell me more about yourself? What pushed you to become a explorer? Could you tell me some stories about your travels? Please?"
She might be getting a bit too close for comfort, but if that is all she wants to know, he surely can share some of his travel stories, though not the ones that sound too otherworldly which would accomplish nothing but to raise suspicion. "If you so wish, but keep in mind not all of my stories are happy ones, because that is how the world is, it is never a flawless place to begin with. I don't know the exact reason as to why I chose to become a wanderer of worlds, but I guess it has something to be with the fact I never had a proper concept of home, or a place of belonging. My parents told me the world is not always Sunshine and Rainbows since I was young, that I have to learn how to do everything by myself if I so wish to survive, I never got the proper care and love from my parents when I was a cub, but I don't blame them, I don't hate them, they only wanted the best for me, they want me to able about to survive on my own when they are no longer able to protect me, I thank them for doing so. It wasn't easy for them. There was once where I got lost in a forest and couldn't find the way I came in, and thankfully, a Sylveon found me and took me in, she looked after me for about a month or so before she finally found my parents, who have almost given up on me at that point. She also has my gratitude, but… she teases me about the stupid things I commited a bit too much than I would like, she finds it funny, but I am just embarrassed"
Vul let out a faint chuckle at the mention of being embarrassed, "I was like that once, but I eventually grew out of it, you know- Oh! Sorry, continue please."
"No worries. I began my journey not too long after I evolved, I bid my parents farewell and proceeded into the unknown and uncertainty of the world, it is mostly a pleasant journey, but dangers and troubles never left me alone for too long, they always manage to find me, though never hindered me for long. I am going to leave out the uninteresting ones and tell you some of my more interesting ones, is that alright?"
Vul nodded eagerly in response.
And so, the tales begin to flow, he doesn't share his travel experiences all that much, nor does many knows about his travels, he like to keep these things to himself rather than going around and inform everyone about it, but when there is someone willing to sit down and listen, he would gladly share them. He told her about the time where he was alone in a forest, looking for a murderer, only to be mistaken as his accomplice and almost shot up by the police; The time where he was mistaken for the leader of a Cartel and almost arrested; The time where he uncovered a small ruin within a large forest; The time…
When he finally finished, Vul now has this dreamy look on her, she stared blankly at his face, fiddling with her own claws, it is hard to tell where her mind is now, was she listening at all? Maybe she is immersed in the stories he told? Or perhaps she wasn't thinking at all, but instead simply have fallen asleep. But nevertheless, Alger is getting worried.
"Vul? Hey Vul? Are you al-"
Slam
"Your Drinks are here!"
Alan's sudden and loud voice nearly made him fall off his chair and woke Vul up from her trance. "Ah, sorry about that. Didn't expect to startle both of you, but you sir looks like you just seen a ghost. And lady, wake up! Not time for bed yet!"
"Ack! Please don't hurt me!" Vul screamed at first, but she eventually calm down when she realized she is still inside the bar, "Alan… Please don't do that again… And Alger, I am really sorry! I just got lost in thought!"
After regaining his footing on the stool, Alger looked up at the bartender and sighed, "...Then perhaps next time you could please refrain yourself from yelling that loud or slam the drinks on the bar too hard? And it is alright Vul, I understand."
Alan just gave them a hearty chuckle, "Alright, alright, I will admit that I did it purpose just to get your reactions, and it was certainly worth it! But anyways, as I said before, your drinks are here, if you want a refile or need assistance, just yell my name. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other customers to tend to, busy day!" With that, he left the duo once again.
"I am… so sorry about that, but that is how Alan is, he likes messing with customers he has known for some time, please don't hold anything against him. Now! My drink!" She reached for the mug, containing some ruby red liquid, a few piece of icecubes and a slice of lemon to the side, Alger can smell the strong scent of strawberry and alcohol in the air, Vul brought it up and chugged down about half of the red liquid in the mug before putting it back down, "Ahh… That is the good stuff! Are you sure you don't want something other than beer Alger? Alan has a talent at mixing drinks."
"No thank you, but I appreciate the offer." He politely declined Vul's suggestion before looking down on his own mug, eyeing the deep amber colored liquid and the golden glimmer of the glass-like cubes. He nudged the mug and smelled the liquid within, it has the mixture of smell from wheat, alcohol and perhaps barley, he doesn't despise liquor in general, his friend told him that, with right dosage, it can bring out good qualities in people, but he doesn't really want to test his words out on himself.
Extending his psychic abilities, he earned a few stares from the crowd, including Vul herself as his eyes begin to glow the same familiar blue, he wrapped the energy around the glass, he can almost feel the the coldness of the drink through his psychic grasp, he raised the glass to take a small sip, immediately, a bitter, yeast, malty yet refreshing taste slipped into his mouth, catching him completely by surprise, the liquid left a controlled burning feeling on his tongue and throat, causing him to involuntarily shudder, coughing slightly. He set the mug back down onto the bar and secretly decided that he will never try to take another sip of beer ever again. "I was… certainly not expecting it to taste like that."
Alan, who was watching from a distance in amusement finally wasn't able to hold his laughter in any longer, "Ah hahaha... Not doing too well with the taste and alcohol ain'tcha Alger? Well, if this the first time you drank something like this, it is too be expected, the beer in my pub is a lot stranger than the others, but you will get used to it eventually."
"...I don't think I would ever get used to that." He coughed again, "May I get a glass of water?" He needs to get the strange taste out of his month.
"Alrighty then! Cup of water coming right up… Well, right up after I finish with these customers, hang in there! Pretty sure you can't die from a cup of beer!" Alan laughed at his own joke, but Alger on the other hand, was not amused. Sighing in defeat, he looked away from the busy bartender, only to meet Vul's eyes, staring at him in wonder.
"...Is there… something wrong?"
"You know how to use psychic?!" She screeched out, causing some Pokemon to turn and stare at them in mild annoyance before returning to what they were doing.
His ears involuntarily laid back to protect themselves against the sudden increase in volume,"My ears… would you mind keeping it down a little bit? Yes, I do know how to use psychic, is it a big deal?"
"Well, uh… Sorry! But you have to understand, it is kind of a big deal to me! I always wanted to learn how to use Psychic! It would make drawing much easier for me, so I can directly control the brush with my mind rather than using my claws! Which are fine and all, but it can be awkward to maneuver at times. So! What I want to ask is," She took another gulp from her mug, "Could you teach me how to use psychic in the near future? I mean… if you wish to stay here for some time? "
Alger is obviously baffled by her request, to his knowledge, Psychic is an ability that can only be learned and used by a set collection of Pokemon, and Zangoose is definitely not in there, so it is either she being slightly ignorant on the subject matter, or this world works differently than the one he is from. "...My apologies, but I am a bit lacking in knowledge on the matter of learning moves and abilities, but can Zangoose learn how to use Psychic?"
Vul is a bit surprised at his words, "Of course we can! Psychic is essentially just moving things with your mind, there is nothing complicated about that, even some humans learned to use it with some practice! In fact, I believe that all existing Pokemon can learn psychic, it is not about your typing, is not about your ability, it is about the strength of your mind and how to utilize that strength! You… seriously didn't know?"
"I think I have heard of it before, never paid much attention to it, must have slipped past my mind, apologize for the inconvenience," He lied again, he is not enjoying the process of lying, but as of now, he has no choice. "But as for your question…" He wants to say no, to refuse her, since he won't be here in a few days time, but his refusal came out as acceptance, "...Sure, I will try my best to teach you."
"Yippy!" She leaned towards Alger again, her arms outstretched, wanting to hug him again, but she remembered what he said about hugs, "Oh! Sorry, is… a hug allowed right now?"
Alger nodded in reply, "...Just… don't hug me too hard."
"Request acknowledged!" She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close, gently rubbing his back, even though this time around she is not crushing him, it still feel a bit unnatural. "You have no idea how much you helped me today… You are such a wonderful person and a really good friend, do you know that?"
"...No need to thank me, I was merely doing what I could to help out someone else in need." He replied, trying to hold down the feeling of awkwardness.
Thankfully, she didn't hold him in the hug for too long this time around, she let him go after a few seconds later. "You are so sweet, do you know that? And so ver-"
"Hey, Vul! Sorry to interrupt you, but it is very close to Mid-Night now, don't you think you should start thinking about how to get back?" Alan interjected, reminding her how late it actually is.
"Oh really? I have to get back to my apartment then! Time really flies you are enjoying yourself. So Alger! Do you have a place to live for now?" She asked as she drained the last few drops of liquor from the mug.
"...Not really, since I only got here."
"Well, you can stay here for tonight, I am sure Alan allows people to stay in his bar overnight, is that right Alan?"
The Feraligatr just smirked, "When did I ever toss someone out of my bar? This is Al's Bar! Everyone is welcomed, unless you are looking for trouble."
"See? So you can stay here for tonight! I will figure something out for your housing, no need to worry about that! Now, you are a traveler, right? Tomorrow I will bring you around the city! It is a beautiful place, I will see you all later, my friend." She got up from her stool and left the bar in a hurry before Alger could even interject any of her points, he wasn't planning on staying here for more than a few days, but this unexpected turn of events made things more complicated.
"So what do you think? She is a pretty nice gal, isn't' she?" Alan asked from behind the bar, cleaning the mug with a wet towel.
"...I think she is alright, energetic and friendly, albeit a bit too friendly… Don't you think she will get in trouble if she continue to trust everyone she meets? I mean… what will happen if she rans into a criminal?" Alger is genuinely concerned about her safely, going around and believing in everyone can't be good for her in the long run.
Alan just laughed at his question, earning a confused look from the Umbreon, he waited for him to stop laughing, "...Care to explain the sudden laughter? "
"Oh, yea yea..." He set down the cleaned mug on the bar and proceed on to the next one, "Sorry 'bout that, but that question is probably the best joke I have heard all day! You are not from here, are you not?" Alger shook his head, "Though so, that would explain where you would ask something like that, as you are not familiar with the social circumstances around here. You see, in Port Astron, we have no… criminal activities around here. I don't think there has been a murder or robbery in decades, to a point where our police force is only for sorting out small quarrel or to break up a nasty fight. Because everyone here cared for one another, they shared with one another, they helped one another, everyone here knows when to swallow down their pride, we all stood up against what is wrong and fight for what is right, united as one… I know it might sound near impossible to an outsider, but, we managed to achieve that. It might not last forever, but hey, might as well enjoy and maintain it while it lasts."
"That sounds so… perfect." He muttered out, he really wished that more worlds are like this, where everyone would just get along, there will be no wars, and no more sufferings.
"Oh trust me, we are far from perfect, I do suggest you enjoy yourself while you are still here in the city. Didn't Vul promised to show you around the city tomorrow?"
"Yes, she did," He is getting mildly uncomfortable on this topic, though he couldn't put his paws on it. "...Anyways, back onto the topic of her, she told me that she knows you personally, how did you two… meet?"
"How did we met? Well, it really depends on what version of the story you wish to listen to. The short version is, she wandered into my bar one day asking for help. The long version is, it was… I think it was a rainy Thursday day evening about 2 to 3 weeks ago, I was just about to finish closing the down the bar, and then this soaked Zangoose stumbled into my bar, shivering from the cold and asking me for directions."
"...She seems to have an tendency of getting lost."
Alan chuckled again, "Oh boy does she now? Looks like she didn't change a bit in these weeks. Anyways, back to the story, so I sat her down, gave her towel to dry herself off, handled her a glass of water and asked her what she needed help with. Apparently, that was her first day in town and… Guess what? She couldn't find her way to her pre-purchased apartment, near the downtown area. Being the gentleman I am, I waited until she is warm enough before escorting her back to her apartment, and from there, the seed of friendship beging to grow and blossom. Not love! I am already a middle-aged Mon with a wife and two lovely kits."
"...Why would I ever think it is love? You already stated in your sentence that it is friendship, not love." The Umbreon is quite baffled by Alan's sudden outburst.
"Well, when referring to seeds growing and blossoming, it is usually about love than anything else, and some folks might mishear it and get the wrong idea, so I just wanted to make sure, but again, you don't exactly look or act like one of those people. Ack, getting side tracked a bit too much for my liking. As I was saying, I escorted back home, and after that, she became a common visitor to my bar, always coming in at least once every two days, bringing in news or just how her day had gone. She repaid my favour a few days ago… despite me instigating that it is ok, she is a persistent one." Alan gestured towards a large scale painting on the wall of the bar.
It is a painting of a beach, but the fantastic colourings and the usage of paint almost made artwork seem like a enlarged version of a photograph. The beautiful waves are crashing against the soft against the sun-warmed, golden beaches, dotted with gorgeous, shiny shells that have been washed into the shore by the rippling of the water. This painting actually took him far away to another place, a long time ago. A place where fine grains of sand crunched beneath his paws as the waves washed onto him in a steady rhythm, cool under the summer sun, his eyes were on the horizon, where blue meets blue, two opposite places, joining together at least, it sounds like a melody, an orchestral directed by nature, only for the ears of those who are willing to stop and listen. He can almost can taste the salty air and feel it feel the chilly breeze on his furred face once again, he can almost hear the cries of the gulls, circling and chasing after a fleet of fishing ships. "...She is… an absolutely amazing painter."
"You don't say, Alger. She indeed is, when she first brought me the painting, I couldn't believe my eyes either. I frantically told here that there is completely no need for this, and I will even buy it off her if she insists on putting this up on my bar, but her stubbornness won in the end, I felt like I own her, but she is very dismissive about it. Saying it is what any friend would do for each other and she is only paying off what she owned me. Oh! I forgot, here's your cup of water." He pushed a glass mug half full with water in front of Alger.
He gladly took the mug with psychic and drank up its contents, "Much appreciated."
"Arceus… How thirsty are you? Was my beer really that bad?"
"... Well, you are not someone who has an unremovable coat of fur on them, plus the fact it is black, meaning it will absorb heat much faster, I would need a lot of water, that mug of beer wasn't making anything easier for me."
"Ah, I see… But you still haven't answered my question yet, what do you think of her?" The Feraligatr gained a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Alger is once again… well, confused, he doesn't really know what he meant by that question, he already answered it before, "I… don't understand, why are you asking me the same question again? I thought I already answered that question."
"Wait… are you being serious right now? You really didn't get what I was saying? You must be really, really oblivious, what I meant was. Are you interested in her?"
"...Why would I be? Should I be?"
A look of disbelief crawled across the bartender's face, "Are you… Are really serious right now? Are you really just not interested in her?! From my point of view, you two seems to be getting along pretty well, and the logical conclusion is that you should be at least have a slight interest in her!"
"... I am not planning on starting a relationship, never had one, didn't plan on having one."
"What? How old are you now, in your early 20s? You gotta start somewhere, young Mon."
"Yes… I am in my early 20s, but my point still stands, I currently hold no interest in starting a relationship, Vul might be a really nice person and a friend, but that is it."
Alan looks oddly defeated, "Well, if you say so, will it really hurt for you just to live a little bit? I mean, having a relationship is basically a huge chunk of your life, but it is still your choice in the end." He turned to check the clock on the wall. "It is really getting late now, if you so wish to sleep, just pick one of the couches over there," He pointed towards a line of comfortable looking couches near the walls, "And if you need something, just call my name, alright? Good night!"
"...Thank you for your hospitality, good night to you as well." Alger begged him goodbye before hopping off the stool and head towards the couches, he made himself comfortable on it, curling into a furred ball and quickly descend into sleep.
Tomorrow is another day.
document/d/1gtB5PbJr9Hnw5vmOn61YAv7_7CjqTTRd5ak8YvERz3s/edit?usp=sharing