The harsh light of the fluorescent lamp penetrated my sleep, and I had no choice but to open my eyes. Above was that same repugnant ceiling. It greeted me with its peeling, yellowing paint. Little specks drifting down, slight yet constant. There were some large sheets hanging by their nads, revealing the concrete beneath, smooth, gray, but moulding. What would have been a beautiful industrial look was marred by time and a lack of care. Worst of all was the dark smudge of what looks to be splashed soda pop, rotted, blackened. I keep my eyes on the smudge, watching intently, seeing it morph away into something else. The bit of white specks enlarge into sharp, long claws, held up against a little mouth, being sucked on. A little red feather pricked up, and twitched with the breeze. The smudgy, peeling texture became fluffy fur, warm in contrast to the snow below. Eyelids fluttered, then stopped, no longer scrunched up in a sorrow I could not fathom, but restful, soft.
"Hey! Sally! She's come home to me!"
Jim's booming voice broke me from my particularly weird reverie. She was not cute as hell, and I am not obsessing over damned Angry. That's a fact.
I turned over, away from the smudge, to face good old Jim. "Told you your axe will come back if you just waited a tad."
"Nah man. Its gotta be like SOME...ONE... got it for me. Hmm?" Jim looked away from his axe that he was kissing, to smirk at me. He was acting coquettish, hand on hip, trying to force his surly body into that S shape. It was an attempt to pull a rise out of me, I knew it, and it certainly did. The act was annoying, but he could not know that I was the culprit, not at all.
"Hahaha... Yea, kinda like some lost and found Santa Clause eh?"
Jim gave a dispirited look. I did not give him the expected reaction, and he wanted to ask what was up. Only a month and the man was an open book to me. He scrunched his eyebrows together and stroked his beard wistfully. As he was about to open his mouth, I took the opportunity to interject.
"Anyways, today's the day my accordion comes back from the repair shop. Gotta be excited 'bout that huh?"
Predictable Jim made fake retching sounds, covering his ears tightly and screaming something or another about his ears bleeding. The accordion was one of the most hated instruments in the world, right next to Galar's bagpipe, another instrument I am quite fond of, and Jim hated it with a passion. Not even sure why. I was one of the best players I know after all. However, it did shift the balance of the conversation back over to me, allowing me to run away from his interrogations. I just cackle at his theatrics, and scooted over to the dinky toilet, getting ready for another day of work at the docks. Today was going to be good, because I'm gonna live forever.
The sky turned a soft pink with orange streaks breaking out. The snow was was falling as it always had, but atop that iconic red roof, it melted away to slush, making sure that any trainer can recognise it with just a glance. The Pokecenter was the busiest part of Snowpoint, what with trainers coming almost everyday to sleep, eat, and care for their Pokemon. With high foot traffic, it was ideal for what I planned to do.
I opened my accordion case, and there it gleamed in the artificial lights coming from the Pokecenter. The dark wood that formed the body of my 12 bass accordion was lacquered to a sheen, giving it that smooth warm feel in the hand. My old buttons were replaced from the peeling plastic to ivory white, from a dead coral I had found on my way here. The sounds the button makes when pressed, the soft clicks that I feel for when playing, that gives some percussive rhythm to my pieces, at least for myself, felt just right. The bellows were no longer old and yellowing, instead replaced by a simple matte black, ensuring that air can blow through my reeds to make symphonic harmony. On the back of the right-hand side, the engraving, 'Lupa', remained. My mother's accordion stayed with me from childhood, and it was likely one of the first things I heard in my life.
I put on the straps and a small crowd of bright-eyed trainers begin to gather around. In these parts of the world, the accordion was a rare sight. Generally, from what I've seen, guitar players were a dime a dozen. That makes me a bit like ice in the desert. Not terribly valuable elsewhere, but here, I am in the right place. I pull the accordion gently, hearing it take a breath full of that clean blue air, and squeeze. The sound that arose from the accordion was crisp. I was ready.
I squatted down, and stretched my legs a little, and begun to play the base, setting the rhythm and the tone. It started soft and slow, then rose in speed and loudness. I am sure these have their fancy names, but my mother was a self-taught player, and she taught me. At this point, I had even attracted the local wild Pokemon with my foreign sounds. There were Swinub, Buizel, Pelipper, and even from the forest nearby, the larger Piloswine and the shy Snorunt appeared. I had attracted quite the crowd, both people and Pokemon, here to see what this stranger had to say, and with that much anticipation, I will not let them down.
More than just music, it needed action. As the music rose in its speed, so did my body. I was like a Buizel, popping up and around the sea of people, above them, behind them, and twisting and spinning. Instigating some of the trainers to try and keep up, dance with me. It got the crowd going, most of them no longer really paying attention to me but dancing with each other to my tunes. Blast that Jim and his hate of the accordion, for he has no taste. My audience is the source on that. But as all good things must end, so must my performance. I hadn't eaten today either, and my lethargy was returning. As much as I wanted to continue this, I could not. I wound down the rhythm, from a rushing blizzard to a calm breeze, I gave my audience some time to relax together with me. Then, with a long note, it was over. The trainers and Pokemon cheered. I bowed and held out my accordion case, and the sound of paper ruffling was true music to my ears. Some Pokemon even came up to me with their assorted berries which was much obliged.
Today was a much better turnout than most. Enough to live for 2 weeks it looks like. That said, this crowd is only due to Candice holding a special class for ice-type trainers around the area. With this place being the second last stop on the circuit, most gym challengers never reach here. And with the harsh environment of Snowpoint, there are essentially no tourists.
"Man, I need to move from here, but with no Pokemon, I'd be eaten for sure."
I sigh, letting my breath vapour form a bit of mist into the forest. I follow it, letting myself be entertained by its swirls for a tad, when I catch a glimpse of her. Her eyes glowed in the dark shade of the forest. It was bright like the moon, and particularly wide. She breathed, slowly, steadily. I could see from the vapours, and so did I. We were stuck in the gaze of the other, not one move, not one utterance. Why had she come here? Was it for me? Was she pissed off about something? Is this how it all ends?
She took a step forward, I took a step back. Another forward, another back. I was backed up against the wall, and she was coming into the light. No one would save me now, because they had all gone inside. It was late, it was cold, and I was alone. I sank down onto my ass, just giving in. No screams for help from me, it seemed like I had just accepted my fate. I raise my head, showing my neck. Making it easier for her, and hopefully, less painful for me. I scrunched my eyes up, and awaited cold bone on flesh.
"Grraogh." A claw pulled softly on my pants. I open my eyes, carefully, to see her. Angry. She wasn't scowling, glaring, or even growling. Just frowning a bit and pointing to my accordion.
"Snnraaogh." She pointed at the accordion a bit more vigorously.
"You wanna listen some more?"
"Gragh!" She exclaimed, large eyes all lit up and smiling.
"Well, alright." I pick up my accordion and start up a little ditty. Angry, if I can even call her that at this stage, clapped her little paws and bounced about. Little feather bobbing up and down with her little body. It felt good, having her not kill me. It felt better that she loved what I did. Sure, the audience did too, but I was coaxing money from their wallets. With her, it felt like I was coaxing out her warmth. It felt more like home, when Mum used to play this accordion in the village festival. Little bobbing heads and shifting feet, just like this one... My world went to darkness, and the last thing I heard was a squeal of terror.
"Vince, hey, are you alright?"
I wake up to bright fluorescent light once more. This time however, I was met by a clean white ceiling. I look over to my bedside to see the nurse.
"Oh, good, you're up."
"What, how, umm... yes, what?"
"You were out cold at the entrance. I only just realised when I heard a commotion outside. This Sneasel was frantically calling, trying to stuff a Chesto berry down your mouth."
She pointed out Angry sleeping next to me.
"She wouldn't leave. Didn't know you had Pokemon of your own." The nurse giggled airily.
"No, she isn't mine." My gaze kept firmly on Angry as she makes all sorts of adorable little grumbles and chirps in her sleep. I should probably thank her when she wakes.
"Wait, did you do anything to me when I was out?"
"How rude. I'm a lady you know." She pouts.
"Nonononono. Anything I have to pay for?"
"Oh! Well, there's an IV drip, because you didn't have enough to eat, and the stay. But don't you worry about that. Just rest up first alright? Get your strength back."
"Nonono. I'm fine already see? Fit as a fiddle." I exclaim making my way out of the bed.
The nurse snapped. "You. Will. Not. Leave."
She glares at me, raising a finger at me. I've seen how she manhandles some other patients, and I would not want to on the receiving end of that kind of violence. It would make me have to stay here longer. So I opted to be smart and returned into my sheets. Her amicable demeanour returned as quickly as it had left.
"Good. Now, if there's anything you need, just press the call button there alright?"
I simply nod and deflate into the bed. It may have been softer than my cot, but it felt uncomfortable, stinging. I shift my attention to Angry, who was still sound asleep. Was she so confident that nothing here could hurt her, and hence why she remains in dreamland, I could imagine that. She shifted a little in her sleep to cling onto my arm, and mumbled a little something something. Her soft fur, and the little grin calmed me down some. I decided I might as well enjoy this tiny luxury and think about what I should do tomorrow. And so, I close my eyes, falling asleep to the little mumbles of the Sneasel clinging to me.