Hands

She, for what ever reason, always wished for a pair of hands of her own.

She didn't know why, but she always envied the fact that most of her friends have hands, even the trainers that she traveled with! They all had hands! Well except for that Fetchling... but still, almost everyone she knew around her had hands.

Some of them didn't use them at times, and some of them used them at all times.

Either way she envied them.

She wished for hands, and it wasn't just for show, oh no.

She always wanted to hold someone's hand.

As she traveled from town, to city, she would always witness, from far away, up on her trainer's shoulder, a tourist couple, or a mother and a child, holding hands.

She imagined it as a form of reasurance, comfort, and protection, as well as a form of love, care, and affection.

And she always wanted a taste of it herself. But being a Fennekin... it's hard to have a taste of that wonderful sensation because... well... A pokemon of such

innocence... has no hands.

So it always remained as a simple cloud above her head, even when she traced her paw around her empty food bowl, waiting for the others to finish eating.

One pokemon seemed to notice her actions, but only stared with a look of concern in his eyes, muttering statements like, "I wonder if she's alright..." or questions like, "Is Fennekin okay? She seems to be out of it recently." silently to himself.

He watched at the Fox like pokemon stand up, and say, "I'm going to take a walk." and kept his gaze as she trotted away, towards the river that was near by.

'Should I go and see if she's alright?' he thought to himself, looking down at his half-empty food bowl. He sat there for a moment before he stood up and began walking towards the stream as well.

"Where you going Froakie?" the yellow mouse pokemon that was next to him asked.

Froakie stopped for a moment, turning to his friend. "I'm... I'm going to talk to Fennekin." He said, sighing.

"Are you sure that's a safe idea buddy? The last time I tried talking to her she-"

"Almost burnt you to a crisp, I know, I know. You already told me about that Pikachu."

"But are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"Haa... I'm sure of it buddy, you dont need to worry."

"If you say so Froakie."

Fennekin sighed as she stared at her reflection in the water.

The feeling of wanting to holding someones hand has washed over her completely once more. She closed her eyes, imagining a scene where she had hands. And her fingers were carefully intertwined with his. Where she softly whispers, "I love you." to him, and they would just stand there, watching the sunset over the horizon.

The thought of the scene made her smile and blush.

But her thoughts of the scene quickly vanish as soon as she heard a voice calling for her.

"Fennekin! You Okay?"

She turned to see him, running up to her, with a bright grin on his face.

Fennekin's blush darkened as she whipped her head back to where she was originally looking at; the rushing water of the river that she was sitting by.

"Uhm... hey Froakie!" She said, trying to hide her embarrassment. "What are you doing here?"

"I was checking to see if you were alright." Froakie rubbed the back of his head. "So... Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..."

"Really?"

"... No..."

"Oh. Well why?"

"I don't want to talk about it..."

"Why?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes! I do want to know!"

Fennekin sighed as she turned to Froakie, with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Well you see... I have a lack of hands... and I. Thought it would be nice if... Uhm..."

Froakie playfully rolled his eyes. 'So this is what she's all worried about?' He smiled, extending out his hand. "Would make you feel better, if I held your paw?"

Fennekin froze, her blush worsening. 'Is he seriously...?' She stared at his hand for a quick moment before she blinked and hesitantly raised her paw. "I guess... It'll make me feel better."

She carefully placed her paw, (which was smaller in comparison) on the palm of his hand, which suddenly began to quiver upon contact.

"Uhm Froakie?" She lightly huffed. "Are you alright?

She didn't know this, but Froakie was shocked by the way the skin on her paw felt against his skin. It felt soft, like a young child's own flesh, and smooth, like silk of a blanket. He has held hands with humans before, but he has never touched another pokemon in such a way, it seemed to send jolts of pleasure up his spine!

"Oh!" Froakie snapped out of his 'trance' and met Fennekin's eyes, which were radiating off the feeling of concern. "I'm Fine... Acutually better than fine..." he

carefully wrapped his fingers around her paw, securing his grip. "I feel fantastic."

Fennekin blushed as she felt his grip tighten around her paw. Sure. This wasn't the romantic scene she was hoping for, but his hand was firmly wrapped around her's. And even though the sun wasn't setting, she could picture the sunset within her own imagination, just as long as he was holding her "hand."

Although she couldn't say it, she thought of the three words in her head, hoping to use them another day.

'I love you.'