Chapter Three - A Tiny Milestone

"I remember when the Poketch was cuter by default," Nikolai mused as he attached the small, square watch to her smaller wrist.

Lucas snorted. "You mean more fragile. Those things broke worse than red cups. Barry broke the record for most replacements."

Okay, he couldn't deny that. "There's a reason for Holo Casters." Noelani, meanwhile, was admiring the large, expensive piece of technology. The screen was even lined in an ice-blue casing, her favorite color. She waved it eagerly at her new Turtwig, Percy, who wiggled the leaf on his head as if proud of her. For what, Nikolai couldn't say.

Lucas chortled. "This is a much later model, and has that Ranger alert system and the Black Flute app installed."

"Did they finally link them to the pokedex phone?" Nikolai fingered one of the pokeballs placid at his belt. Noelani was still placidly ignoring them, having stolen a watering can and was now watering her turtle. She looked so proud of herself for knowing how that Nikolai felt his eyes water.

You didn't want a kid, you said, a voice reminded him chidingly in his head.

And he still wasn't sure he did. Not like this.

He went over and rested his hand on Noel's head, ruffling her hair. SHe smiled up at him, gently bright and excited. "You ready to go," he asked her.

She nodded and squeezed his waist. "I'm ready! Let's get pokemon!"

Nikolai squeezed it back. "Then show me how it's done, new trainer!"

She pumped a fist with sudden, heavy enthusiasm and made to race away from him and out the door. "Slow, darling," he chided, making her pause. She turned back to pout at him. Then she went right out the door.

Nikolai's eye twitched. "Impertinent little nut, ain't she?"

"And it's all your fault too." Lucas' agreement was dripping with unsubtle glee and it really did make Nikolai want to deck the guy.

He laughed it off instead. "Yeah, it is. Here, lemme take her stuff."


Of course, because the Darius family had no sense of fear or boundaries, Noel was already advancing down the route with Percy in front. Both of them were looking straight ahead, with little attention on the sides. A youngster mistake, because your sides were more vulnerable than any other part of your body as a trainer. A back could be pressed against a tree, guarded by a companion or something, or even be covered by a protected backpack.

The sides were not the case. They had to be free to throw, fire, and use your hands. Also, armor was so outdated it was asking for a problem. Nikolai rubbed his bare wrists as he caught up.

"Noelani." He kept his voice firm. Not stern, but firm. He'd found the difference the first time the little girl had managed to get chalk on someone's ceiling fan. She stopped and turned, the makings of a pout trying to stay on her face.

"Daddy," she said, trying to adopt his own firm voice. "You're scaring the pokemon."

He could hear himself in that voice, in that sulky kind of childish annoyance, in that 'i know better than the adults kind of way that was only endearing to parents and even then still rankled. Just more politely. "You clomping around like that scares them more," he replied with a small grin, moving his weight as he walked after her. "Now, cover Percy's hearing spots." He did not walk into the taller, thicker sections of the grass. Instead, he stayed on the dirt road, releasing one of the six pokeballs at his own waist.

A feline rose from the flash of light, waving the leaf attached to the top of its head.

"Laika," Nikolai murmured. "Grasswhistle."

Laika's leaf tail flicked, creating a sharp whistling sound. It continued with each flick, slowly softening to a gentle, practiced rhythm. Nikolai himself fought back a yawn.

Noelani however just yawned, barely managing to keep her small palms over what were hopefully turtwig's ear holes. Her head drooped over and then the rest of her, only to smack awake when her forehead collided with Percy's shell.

Laika snorted, only to outright snigger as multiple thuds echoed across the tiny area. With another flick of her tail, the song faded away, leaving the low sounds of breathing prevalent in the air.

Nikolai couldn't help but grin at his daughter. To his surprise, she only pouted at him.

"I can do it!" She said in the fiercest little whisper. Then she stomped off to do so. Percy waddling after her. Soon, all that was visible of her was her bobbing hair.

Nikolai swallowed and stepped back a little further. Okay, his daughter might be ready but he sure wasn't. There wasn't much too bad here, but this was the place where babies were stolen from their parents. Early routes were notorious for that because how did you teach a ten-year-old about poaching? Especially since the little buggers wanted to be caught, to go on adventures and envied by their numerous siblings. Poor things didn't know any-

Noelani let out a crow of triumph. "Let him get ya Percy!"

Percy's response was something obedient, following a yelp of pain. The turtwig stumbled to the edge of the road, followed by a blue and black kitten. It leaped quickly, teeth bared, only for Percy to smack his forehead into the cat's face. It rolled and quickly caught itself, clinging tightly to the ground.

Noelani burst from the grass already covered in dead bits and dirt. There was a gleaming scratch on her right cheek.

"Tackle!" She shouted, blue eyes watery with tears. Percy pulled back and sprang forward, throwing himself into the small body and sending them both sprawling and kicking up dust. She jumped up and down. "One more Percy! You got 'em!"

Nikolai was really not sure if he enjoyed seeing this absurd amount of energy from his daughter or not. She spent so much time being tired.

"PokeBall," he reminded her softly. The shinx's ears twitched. Thankfully she did not pout and instead pulled one from her pocket and threw. It bounced off the Pokemon's head and opened. Then it was on the ground, wobbling back and forth under Percy's squinty glare.

It suddenly stopped, the light on the button going dark. Noelani squeaked with glee, bounding to pick it up.

"I did it," she sang. "I caught a pokemon! I caught him!"

"What about Percy?" Nikolai said lightly.

Noelani huffed. "Percy won! I caught him because Percy won!"

Percy let out an approving churr and ambled back over to them. Noelani looked at the shinx's ball. "Your name is Kaylee," she told it with a beaming grin.

For a moment, watching her, Nikolai wanted to believe she could take on the world.