Just as a random note, when a Pokémon's name is plural, it's no different from the singular version… My proof is in the Japanese language itself and a couple of episodes.
Enjoy!
Read and review,
Raven's secret-keeper
A Work of Magic
Chapter 5: The Journey Begins
By the time Jess's eyelids fluttered open the next morning, the pink dawnlight had already lifted just about every other one of her roommates' eyes, and the trainer was greeted with a soft coo from the bird on the top bunk. After a thorough stretch and feeling her body crackle refreshingly, Jess blinked up to the bird and smiled. "Hey pretty-bird."
The Pidgeotto nodded in acknowledgement of her soft greeting and ruffled his wings before going back to grooming his caramel-colored feathers.
"Not even a note of a hello?" the trainer observed, then she rubbed her eyes and glanced around the room for the source of his quietness. She spotted the reason almost immediately, and her expression softened from alertness to tender understanding.
Resting on the windowsill were her two darkest companions, leaning against each other and sleeping peacefully.
"I'm surprised that morning light didn't wake them up," she whispered, her voice extremely low as she leaned towards the Misdreavus hovering by her side.
The little ghost nodded sleepily in agreement before turning to the pair.
Then the trainer blinked, a little puzzled. "Yesterday that Mismagius looked so ill at ease… but now she's… Huh… I wonder what happened last night…" She tilted her head at the two, then shrugged, deciding to let them keep their privacy. She wanted to know exactly what had happened, but she decided that it would be best if they had a little privacy, and at least a little time. Especially with how delicate of a position the Mismagius seemed to be in, and the last thing the trainer wanted to do was make her feel invaded, or worse, set her off again and never have a chance of bonding.
The Misdreavus by Jess's side blinked, tilting her head inquisitively. There had definitely been something wrong last night, and the Misdreavus couldn't stop herself from worrying about her. But it was so great to know her friend was okay… That thought relaxed her, along with the realization that she was sleeping soundly, and her tension for the Mismagius faded away. She smiled and leaned her head against the trainer.
"Better let them sleep," the trainer mumbled to herself, bringing the ghost into a loose hug.
The little ghost let out a comfortable note and nuzzled her trainer.
Jess couldn't help giggling lovingly. "Missie, you're so affectionate!"
The Misdreavus just smiled up at her.
"I never knew a Pokémon could like you this much after only being with you for three days!"
Missie nodded, then she let her head rest in the crook of the trainer's arm as she mumbled a contented note and closed her eyes.
Jess smiled at the Misdreavus as she began stroking her hair softly. It really was amazing, how quickly this little ghost had trusted her… especially with what her last trainer had done to her… A flare of hatred for whoever previously owned the ghost sparked within, and she hoped that particular person would get what was coming for them, but she sighed and blinked it away. She couldn't stay mad like that with the little Misdreavus leaning against her so lovingly… She smiled again and let herself refocus on the ghost, realizing that this was probably a bonding moment – Missie had just been healed from whatever sickness had stricken, Mismagius was back, and now everything was okay.
Pidgeotto cocked his head, and the Ninetails glanced up at him knowingly. Both nodded contentedly, sensing a relaxation that hadn't overcome the trainer since she had left home. And, having been with Jess since she received him as a Vulpix on Christmas so many years ago, the Ninetails knew that this was a rare moment, and he savored every moment of her quiet joy.
Jess saw their slight motion of agreement and smiled. She had just managed to pull off the one dream she had ever envisioned… And it's a perfect morning for that accomplishment, she thought, gazing contentedly at the dust motes floating lazily through the golden sunlight shining through the window, the beam broken by the shadows of the Mismagius and the Murkrow beside her. They look so peaceful, she observed, and then she looked beyond them into the forest. The sun's light hit the trees and cast shadows into the forest, it just looked so amazing…
Then the silence was broken by the distant call of Starly, and the Mismagius stirred and lifted her head sleepily.
The Murkrow felt her shifting and pulled his head from his wing and tilted his head at her, seeing her semi-alert expression and wondering what caused her –
The Misdreavus squealed a greeting and lifted her head from the trainer's arm excitedly. She felt too comfortable to actually get up, but the Mismagius was definitely feeling better than she had last night, it was obvious from her expression, and the Misdreavus was extremely relieved and glad for her.
"Hey Mismagius," Jess greeted softly with a smile. "You look better."
The ghost blinked, lifting her body just a couple of inches above the windowsill, then shrugged by tilting her head before turning back to the window.
"Still tired over there?" Jess asked affectionately.
Mismagius was too busy gazing beyond the meadow again to reply.
"Krow…?" The black bird tilted his head, his expression concerned, and blinked at her.
"Misma," the ghost sighed, bowing her head and closing her eyes. So many vivid memories flared relentlessly within her mind every time she saw that forest… Maybe it had been only a few days ago when she was gliding along its misty atmosphere and taking in every possible sensory excitement: the smell of the leaves on the floor, the taste of the fear and anxiety from a Buneary who had wandered too far from home, the sounds of every other forest creature carried softly through the air and murmuring things incomprehensible on the wind, the feel of the fog caressing her as she sped through the air, the perpetual darkness, the veil that shrouded everything within the trees, heedless of whether the sun was risen or set… That all seemed so far away now, so hazy and unreachable…
The Mismagius lifted her head and blinked out at what had once been a haven of shadows…
The bird stepped to her side and nudged her a bit with his wing, his expression a smile he hoped was more optimistic than the desolation emanated from her every action.
The trainer's smile slipped downwards as the Mismagius shook her head. She looked better... but not contented. Not yet…
"Mis…?" The younger ghost blinked up at her friend.
The larger ghost let out another desolate note. She turned her head a bit more upwards, hoping something would seem familiar, but from this angle… and through the glass instead of the clear midnight air…
Her body sank just a fraction of an inch lower as she felt, once again, the pang of change and this new containment. Her eyes flickered to the canopy, longing for a sense of familiarity –
She winced and had to turn away, the sunlight was just too painfully bright for her nocturnal eyes to handle any longer.
Jess felt an expression of sympathy cross her face as she watched the Mismagius's actions. Sympathy, but mixed in with a bit of appreciation and with the slightest hint of fascination – this creature had actually given up her home, her forest and sense of security, her entire life, just to stay with her friend…
Now that's friendship, the trainer thought enviously, wondering if she would ever be able to find such a close friend – of her own species… But she smiled as the Misdreavus in her arms lay her head back down, yawning softly and closing her eyes.
Who says I need a human friend?
"Still sleepy?" she asked the little ghost tenderly.
The Misdreavus nodded soundlessly.
"Okay… Well, I promised the nurse that I'd let you rest for the next couple of days…and you guys are nocturnal Pokémon, right?"
The Mismagius made a soft note of reply, pointing out exactly how much of an understatement that was.
Jess chuckled. "Okay… Here… Murky, Mismagius, can you guys move for a second?"
The Murkrow fluttered clumsily onto the bed as she stood up, and the Mismagius followed suite, only taking a place much closer to the wall, in the shadow of the top bunk. She was still trying to blink away the afterimage of all that sunlight…
Jess pulled the drawstring and let the blinds close slowly, not wanting to disturb the early-morning harmony that always accompanied such early risings. "So, I take it I'm not the only one who wants to take advantage of this little artificial piece of darkness?"
The Pidgeotto on her bed flapped his wings and let out a few cries of curiosity.
"I'm gonna let the nurse take you and Ninetails for awhile," Jess told him, setting the Misdreavus on the bed and taking their Pokéballs out of her bag. "While Missie's resting in here, you guys can rest in there… and get all healed up and healthy. And I'll be napping!" she added jovially.
The Ninetails raised his head and cried his inquisitive excitement out loud.
"Yes we will!" the trainer laughed. "The adventure doesn't stop here! You should know me better than that," she teased, reminiscing of all the times they had gone out together on their own mini-quests, long before Jess's dream of capturing the ghosts had surfaced… Such pleasant memories… Oh the times they had had together…
The fox nodded contentedly.
"All right, in ya go," Jess said, clicking open both Pokéballs and watching intently as her first two Pokémon ever became beams of red light, and shot into their respective capsules. She was getting better at avoiding the thought, but for some reason she always worried that something would hurt them in there…
The Murkrow let out a soft note of inquisition. Usually she put him in his Pokéball with the other two.
"You can probably just stay in here and catch up on your sleep, you didn't do much in the forest since we joined up…" This was only half the reason she didn't want to take him to the nurse; actually it was a lot less than half, most of her logic was in the fact that he and Mismagius obviously did something interesting last night – what it was, she had no clue, but she didn't want to separate them. It was one of her personal virtues: When there's a chance to bond, you take it and nurture the relationship every chance you get.
After leaving the two in the nurse's care and sleeping through the morning and half of the afternoon (the remaining three Pokémon weren't the only ones still trying to adjust to actually seeing the sunlight), Jess woke up the Misdreavus and redressed the bandage on her back, told the ghost to sleep if she felt like it, and then she picked up her Pidgeotto and Ninetails and released them in the room once more.
"Missie, take it easy!" she said, almost laughing affectionately as the ghost began stretching and winced.
The Misdreavus sank back down onto the bed and muttered a soft note of ready agreement.
"Yeah, that's gonna take at least until tomorrow to heal enough for you to fly freely again… And with the way you were playing with Mismagius yesterday – " The other ghost lifted her eyelid sleepily at her name. " – I'd say that you really should let yourself rest… That was probably pretty strenuous, for how soon it is after the injury…"
The Misdreavus nodded her understanding, and the Mismagius closed her eyes again.
"I know that's probably hard for you, you're pretty energetic."
"Mis," she replied, nodding emphatically.
"Oh, trust me, I now exactly how you feel!"
The ghost nodded again.
Jess smiled at her tenderly.
The Mismagius sighed in her half-sleep, and the Misdreavus turned to her curiously.
Jess chuckled softly. "I guess she's more nocturnal than the rest of us…"
"Murkrow," the bird pointed out quietly, lifting his head only to make note of that one observation before putting his head back under his wing.
Jess giggled, then leaned close to the ghost and whispered, "Did you notice his crown was more fluffy than usual?"
The bird grumbled something incoherent.
Jess smiled knowingly and said, in the fondest of tone, "He's so vain."
The Misdreavus nodded her agreement.
Then the ghost blinked, confused, and turned to the sleeping Mismagius.
Jess saw her actions immediately and followed her gaze. And her expression became investigative as well.
The Murkrow wasn't the only one mumbling.
"I hope she's not giving herself nightmares," Jess murmured, sincerely concerned for the subtle tone of anxiety on her voice. Since she was turned against the wall, her expression was invisible to them, but the sounds gave them a pretty good idea of what it would be like.
"Mis…?"
"I don't see why she couldn't," the trainer replied in a whisper.
"Misdreavus…?" The small Misdreavus's tone was a little concerned.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine.. Even if it is a bad dream, it can't be that horrible… Look, see? She's done."
The little ghost sounded a quiet note of uncertainty and turned her head up to the trainer.
"Knowing how most Mismagius are with their abilities…her subconscious probably just pulled her out of it."
That wasn't exactly the reason – in truth, the ghost had just startled herself awake – not that she was ready to let them know she was awake…
Yes, the Mismagius's instincts had stopped the murmurs, but for a reason other than what they believed. It had become a reflex to prevent the incidents that had been trailing the Mismagius's sleep since her all-too-soon evolution… The ghost closed her eyes just a bit tighter, an uneasiness rising within her as she tried to fight back the nervous and fearful thoughts.
The trainer tilted her head at the Ninetails on the other bed – his ears were pricked and his eyes alert.
She turned back to the Mismagius, starting to feel a bit uncertain about what she had just said.
The Misdreavus muttered a small sound of concern.
"She looks tense," Jess observed softly.
The Misdreavus let out another high note.
"Misma," the other sighed, then she added a reassuring note as she lifted herself off the bed and turned to them.
The Misdreavus looked at her contemplatively. "Drea…"
"Misma," the other reassured her once more, adding a small smile this time.
"I'm still not convinced you're relaxed," Jess told her with affectionate concern.
Mismagius bowed her head, then turned her head to the window. The blinds were still down, and she couldn't see it, but the acute pain of the homesickness was welling too swiftly for her to not remember what lies just beyond them.
A view of the place she called home.
But now that she was with this trainer, this traveler, where was home now…?
Jess sighed. "You look so heartbroken… and you're breaking my heart, too…"
The Mismagius turned to the trainer questioningly.
"I know exactly what it's like, to feel trapped and like you've lost everything… You can ask Ninetails, that's half the reason we were so close… I was always wanting to go on an adventure, to explore, to not stay trapped in the house… but my parents wouldn't let me because of all the chaos going on, all the fear in the world… it changes everything when you know what others think and what kind of situations might be just around the corner…"
The ghost bowed her head desolately. She knew exactly how true every bit of that was…
The trainer sighed softly, faintly wondering if she had her hat cover her eyes on purpose when she did that. "You know, you're not trapped, I hope you know that…"
The ghost lifted her head just a bit.
"I don't want you to feel like I'm holding you with me against your will. I want us to be friends, partners, not master and servant."
The ghost let her head slip down again. Part of her wanted to believe the trainer, but most of her mind pushed those thoughts aside and easily overcame her.
She suddenly because tense with the sentiments of her memories, and she would have slipped back to those times if Jess hadn't pulled her out of the air.
The Mismagius let out a startled note and froze.
"Take it easy," Jess soothed, stroking the ghost's back with one infinitely gentle hand. "Trust me, I won't hurt you…"
But the problem was that the ghost didn't trust her, and she began shifting nervously in her arms.
"Hey, calm down, please, take it easy," Jess crooned, her expression patient yet slightly alarmed. "Calm down, at least try to – Here, I just want to try something, Mismagius…"
The ghost stopped and blinked up at the trainer warily, tensing and ready to teleport herself away if something –
The Mismagius was quite startled when Jess put her on the bed and told her to take it easy – again.
"Mis…?" The Misdreavus turned to her companion as Jess sat on the bed, her back against the wall, and she ran her finger down the Mismagius's face delicately. "Just relax, okay?"
The ghost shivered at how… unbelievably… gentle her touch was… She had never known that humans could touch her without –
Her previous thoughts were even further disproved as Jess began lengthening her strokes to extend all the way down her cheek and onto her throat. And she shivered again, hardly believing how the finger barely brushed along her and almost tickled…
Jess smiled. "So I guess it does work then, huh?"
The ghost looked up at her, her expression confused – at least it was until the trainer began applying nearly undetectable amounts of pressure with her strokes. Then she sank into a puzzled contentment.
"I'm the one who should be confused," Jess told her with a wispy voice, as if she was becoming detached as she began rubbing the ghost's hat with a circular motion.
The Mismagius couldn't hold back a tiny, pleased smile.
"So you tell me. How does it feel?"
The ghost murmured a noise that almost sounded like a purr.
Jess chuckled softly. "I know it's probably not exactly professional, but…"
Mismagius opened her mouth and tried to speak, but something had become entrancing as Jess began shifting her hands from her hat to its brim, to the small forms jutting off of it, and then moving down her back, and all in one smooth motion too… It was too enthralling for her to speak, and all that came out was a slightly bewildered note.
The trainer smiled. "So do you like it?"
The ghost nodded once, faintly but surely.
"Okay, that's good to know, it does actually work… It's kind of a family secret, kind of not… Certain kinds of pressure help relieve certain kinds of mental tension… Maybe now you can actually get some real sleep…"
The ghost suddenly opened her eyes, anxiety flitting through them for a second before she closed them again and let out a tense note.
Jess pulled her hands away and began stroking her again. "I guess it's not something you can get rid of that easily then, huh…?"
The ghost shook her head and shivered – this time an actual full-on shiver.
Jess sighed. "Relaxed but not relieved," she muttered, a sympathetic expression crossing her eyes.
The ghost shook her head, all of the thoughts she had been trying to suppress rushing forth again and completely shutting away the momentary relaxation. The difference was that his time she was confusing herself, trying to decipher exactly what thoughts had gone through her mind, how or why she had let her guard down… if she had actually thought that everything was at peace, if for only a second…
"Do you think that you can maybe try getting a little more rest?" Jess offered, sounding almost afraid to ask.
The ghost shook her head.
"What's wrong? You can trust me." Though she knew better than to expect a new team member to trust her so much, it was always nice to get a solid ground of understanding. "It looks like something's really bothering you…"
The Mismagius suddenly felt desperately self-conscious. Being a solitary creature by both species and nature, the Mismagius had never had to worry about being observed, let alone questioned, and she couldn't help feeling exposed and helpless in this whole new situation, a whole new world.
The one with a trainer.
She didn't respond, and she turned her head down into the bed.
Jess blinked, a teeny, tiny, microscopic part of her wanting to giggle. It would have been amusing if this was a television show, some kind of jovial scenario trying to play itself out with entertainment in mind. No, this was serious. The ghost's reaction was… odd, she had never seen a Pokémon do that before (burying her head…?) but the trainer told herself sternly that now wasn't the time to play Murky. She sighed, and then she began comfortingly stroking the top part of her hat, starting just below the uppermost pink cluster and moving downwards… unable to stop herself from noticing that the ghost's tension only multiplied… but also not wanting to not let the Mismagius know that she was here, ready to listen whenever she was ready to talk.
And then she noticed something completely random and seemingly unimportant: the group of spikes protruding off the back of the hat's brim were darker, duller than the rest, and they curled downwards at the end.
What happened with - ?
"Are all Mismagius like this?" she asked, touching the curled ends with her fingertips, brushing them as delicately as possible –
Obviously it wasn't gentle enough.
Shockwaves of fear shot through the ghost's body for barely a moment before she bolted up with a yelp and veered to the corner of the room, shivering and whimpering faintly as the flashbacks finally broke through her mental floodgates.
Jess was stunned. "She looks traumatized…"
"Mis…?" The Misdreavus let the soft, high note escape saturated in concerned curiosity.
The Mismagius didn't, couldn't, reply. She bowed her head and closed her eyes tightly, trying to lock out the vivid images, the memories clear enough to almost recast her into those situations… the pain…
The ghost shuddered and let out a soft gasping noise, leaning her body against the corner and huddling into it, her head still bowed and her eyes still closed as she tried desperately to force it away, get a hold of herself...
"Misdreavus," the smaller ghost muttered, ignoring the ache in her back and taking to the air. She didn't even wince as she glided to her friend's side.
The Mismagius shifted uncomfortably. But then, somehow the offer of comfort and the desperation of her memories caused a sudden recourse, and her memories snapped to a totally different time, and she began mumbling a lullaby her mother used to murmur in desperate times, not realizing that she was chanting the syllables exactly as her mother had.
The Misdreavus leaned her body onto the Mismagius, feeling suddenly relaxed by the smooth flow of the notes, the seamless way the sounds ebbed and flowed as if they were more of a river than a song, carrying them away to a place of peace, away from all the tension…
The trainer blinked, a bit confused at first by the Mismagius's sudden change of mood, but then she sighed and let herself relax. The song was almost ethereal, the notes weaving a veil blocking all other thoughts from the mind, the only thing she could possibly think about was the ghostly music…
The Ninetails and Pidgeotto on the other bed tilted their heads in unison, an instinctual reaction to get a better perception of the sound, and their expressions became distant, almost drowsy, entranced…
Murky mumbled a soft note and closed his eyes, his mind wanting to replay the song not by note as it continued on, but not needing to.
Every wordless line, every noteless measure, was only a repeating of the first few notes, and they played on and on, over and over, with only the slightest variations, repeating like a mantra, a prayer, a chant…
The Mismagius suddenly gasped a sharp, airy note and halted the singing, tearing everyone in the room from their hypnotic state and shaking her head violently.
"What on Earth - ?!" Jess began, suddenly wondering what she had just done and why she stopped so suddenly.
"Mismagi, Mis, Mismagi," the ghost mumbled, her eyes shut tightly and still faintly shaking her head.
"Are you okay?" Jess asked urgently, sensing her sudden anxiety.
"Mis," the ghost mumbled, not wanting to let the trainer see exactly what was going on – she had never been able to let a human know what was going on and she wasn't about to start now, she simply wouldn't risk it. "Mis, Mismagi…"
Jess sighed. "You don't look that fine to me…"
The Murkrow tilted his head, then he fluttered to the end of the bed and cawed out to her softly, and he mumbled a few notes too quietly for the others to hear.
"Mis," the ghost muttered, closing her eyes decidedly and taking a position of confidence.
"Krow," the bird told her, reminding her…
The ghost shrugged, then she moved over to him and whispered something so quietly that he could barely hear her himself, and she turned to his face with every bit of seriousness in her gaze.
"Murkrow," he sighed, then fluttered over to Jess and landed on her shoulder. "Mur, murkrow," he whispered to his trainer, and lighted on her arm when she held it out for him.
"Uh… Okay, I kinda guessed that she would need time, it's pretty much a given, but… Exactly how long are we talking…?"
"Murkrow," he told her emphatically.
Jess sighed, then she glanced at the ghost and shrugged.
"Well, whatever it takes," she told both of them, stating her determination and letting the corners of her mouth tilt up a bit. "If there's one thing I won't give up on it's a Pokémon…"
"Magi," the ghost murmured, her gaze on the trainer scrutinizing and wary.
"You'll see eventually," Jess told her gently, realizing she would have to bring all her careful patience into play with this one.
The ghost's expression changed, slightly and barely noticeably, but Jess caught it before the ghost turned her head away and expelled a soft note, voicing her disbelief as obviously as possible.
Jess nodded. "Okay, ignore me if it makes you feel better," she said with another shrug, finding it ironic how she only wanted to get closer and the Mismagius only wanted to get away, but it seemed like they had something in common here… Whenever Jess was upset, the last thing she wanted to do was let other people see it, and anyone who tried prying ended up with nothing but a glare.
"Okay, well, since an interrogation probably won't do me any good, I should probably call home, I bet my family wants to know how everything went…"
The Murkrow tilted his head, suddenly a bit confused.
Jess laughed. "Today I get to introduce you three – being Murky, Missie, and the silent one over there – to my family!"
"Misdreavus?" the smaller ghost asked, blinking curiously.
"Well, sort of… Technically it's not person-to-person, but you still get to talk in… what-do-you-call-it, 'real time' I think… Well, it's over the PC. So, you guys ready to meet the rest of my family?"
"Misdrea?" The Misdreavus lifted her head excitedly, then winced as the injury flared into a sharp searing pain.
"Take it easy over there," Jess said, fast-walking across the room and taking the ghost into her arms. "And yes, I meant "the rest of" as in you guys are the other part."
The Misdreavus looked up and blinked at the trainer's face, then she smiled and nodded, muttering a soft, high note of heartfelt thanks.
Jess nodded. "I really mean it…"
The Misdreavus nodded back and shifted a bit, nestling herself comfortably in the trainer's arms and closing her eyes, resolving that this really was the trainer that would give her the life she craved – or at least used to. As far as she had imagined, she was living the perfect life right now, in the arms of a trainer that truly cared about her, and every day it seemed to become more and more obvious – come to think of it, it had been obvious that she actually cared the moment they met.
"Okay, everyone ready?"
The Ninetails and Pidgeotto jumped off the bed and hurried to her side with calls of eagerness, the Murkrow nodded with a note of confirmation, and the cradled Misdreavus squealed a note of excitement. Only the Mismagius stayed silent.
"You coming?" Jess asked softly.
The ghost blinked, glanced at the Misdreavus in her arms, then she hovered hesitantly to the trainer's side.
"Alright, we're all here, and off we go," she said, lifting another arm for the Pidgeotto to perch on, and she led the group out of the room after the Ninetails used his teeth to open the door. (It's amazing what ideas a boring summer day can lead to.)
After glancing around the lobby quickly to make sure there wasn't anyone waiting to use the open PC, Jess sat down and logged in.
The image appeared with Jess's youngest sister looking excited – and holding that Glameow in her arms, as always (regardless of how much their family Pokémon squirmed), and with Jess's little brother calling "I wanted to get it!"
"Oh, will you put that poor cat down?" Jess told her, playfully scolding for old times sake.
"Down-down, cat down!" the youngest sibling's Chatot mimicked in her squawking voice.
"That would be Jess," the first adult voice of the day announced as she walked in from the kitchen.
"Yes it is," the trainer confirmed. "Hi mom."
"Hello Jess," she replied, pushing her shoulder-length and dark brown hair out of the way – at least, dark brown was today's color; she had died her hair so many times that it was impossible to know exactly what color she was born with – the ever-so-wonderful threat of going gray being the cause. "So? What've you been up to?"
Jess shrugged, playfully feigning boredom. "Oh, nothing much, just achieving my dream and setting down the stones for my career."
"Well if that's all – "
"Espeon!"
The lavender cat-like creature jumped up and licked the screen.
Jess giggled.
The Ninetails by her feet stood up on his hind feet and put his paws on the keypad for a second, nodding his greeting to the family before returning to his trainer's side.
"Ninetails says hi."
"I can't see!" the brother complained. "Move over!"
Jess sighed as they began a shove fest, both trying to get the best view possible and getting pretty frustrated.
"How about you stand here, you stand here," the mother said with parental sternness, placing each of them so that they could both see and both could be part of the mini-reunion.
"The best of friends and the worst of enemies," Jess sighed, remembering how she had once been with her closest sibling… until…
"So, Jess, you look tired. Anything wrong?"
"Oh, no, nothing! Everything's great!" Jess replied, perking up immediately as her mind began recounting the incidents before her mouth could. "I just went nocturnal a few days ago, and I'm still getting used to daylight."
"Nocturnal, huh?"
Jess nodded.
The brother pretended to bring a cape over his face, and he said, "Are you becoming a werewolf?" he asked, hissing as she chuckled in response.
"Vampires hiss like that. Werewolves are more like a, Aroooooooo!"
The Murkrow on her arm started at her sudden burst of sound as she tilted her head back, and the Ninetails looked up at her quizzically.
The Mismagius, having never even heard those words before, blinked, utterly confused and wondering what that noise had been for.
The Misdreavus faked a shudder, elaborating the eerie atmosphere – she had seen a few of the movies that Marie's father watched…
"So what made you become a creature of the night?"
"I was born," Jess said, raising her eyebrows.
"Would it be any different if you were hatched?"
Jess chuckled, adding a pretend mischievous tone. "Oh mother, if only you knew," she told her, faking a small evil laugh.
The Mismagius rolled her eyes. She could barely stand being around one human, but four?
"So, why did you choose to go nocturnal?"
"Weeeell… This is where the introductions come in. Remember those Pokémon that I kept obsessing over before I actually left home…?"
"You mean the ghosts?" the brother asked, adding a "spooky" ghost noise that he heard on a Halloween decoration last year.
The Mismagius's eyes narrowed, suddenly indignated and realizing that she could be a hundred times eerier than that cruel mockery… It was so typical of a human, to make up a noise and label it as "ghostly". It sounded more like someone was strangling a Hoothoot.
"No, actually, they don't sound anything like that," Jess pointed out.
The Mismagius started, then she shook her head and turned away from the screen, still slightly bewildered.
"But yes," Jess continued, "the ghosts. I caught them a couple night ago!" And she lifted the Misdreavus up so they could see her a bit more clearly.
"Murkrow!"
Jess chuckled at the bird. "Soon. Well, this is Missie, isn't she so cute?"
The little sister put her clasped hands to her cheek. "Awwww, she is," at the exact same time the little brother said "Yeah she is!" Then they turned to each other and said, in stereo once more, "Jinx!"
"So who owes who the soda this time?" Jess asked jovially.
"He does!"
"She does!"
Another round of same-timing each other.
But then the younger sister broke the cycle. "Jessie?"
"What-ie?"
"Why are you holding her like that?"
"I thought you said ghosts weren't cuddly," the mother pointed put.
"This one is," Jess replied, smiling down at Missie affectionately. "Besides, she hurt her back really badly the other night, and hovering like she is – " she nodded to the Mismagius – "puts stress on her back and might only make it worse."
"Who?"
"You can't see her?" Jess asked, just then realizing that the Mismagius had been staying apart from the group and probably wasn't in their view. "Hey, Mismagius, don't be shy," she called over her shoulder. "Don't worry, they won't bite."
"Magi," the ghost mumbled softly, wondering why Jess bothered showing her off.
"Mis…?" The Misdreavus shifted and looked at the Mismagius. "Misdreavus…"
"Mis…?" The larger ghost sighed, then she inched through the air and settled near the trainer.
"You know, you're a member of this group too," Jess crooned.
The Mismagius debated whether that was a good thing or bad…
"She doesn't look too happy," the mother observed.
She's just not used to people I guess," Jess shrugged. "She's not always this unhappy, I know she was smiling yesterday when she was playing with Missie… She was staring out the window every chance she had this morning, maybe she's homesick… Or maybe she's just tired… The ghosts and Murky are all nocturnal, that's the whole reason I switched – "
"Muuu-uuur. Krooow."
"Okay, alright, have patience, Murky! Well, Mister Can-Never-Wait over here is Murky, I caught him a few weeks ago. And as you can tell, he likes being the center of attention."
"Attention!" the Chatot echoed.
"Yeah, that."
"What kinda Pokémon is he?" the older of the two siblings asked.
"He is a Murkrow, one of my favorite kinds of all."
"Does he fly?"
"Duh, he's got wings doesn't he? Wings with actual feathers?"
"My Shinx can so take him down!"
"When did you get a Shinx?"
"Daddy gave him to me!"
Then the sister called out excitedly, "And he gave me a Love Fish!"
"A wha…? You mean a Luvdisc?"
"Yeah!"
"They wanted their own Pokémon teams too," the mother sighed, "just like you."
"But Mommy and Daddy won't let us have more than three," the brother grumbled, obviously downcast.
"And they won't even give us all three at once!"
"Well…" Jess shrugged with a half-smile; she never knew how to react when it came to their mimicry… She was proud that they saw her actions as worthy of imitation, but it took away so much of her feelings of accomplishment, feeling like she was the only one…
"I'm glad that you were able to achieve your dreams…"
"It's not done yet!" Jess corrected her hurriedly. "I've still gotta train them and teach them how to act and make sure they don't be destructive cuz I plan on letting the new ones stay out and I – "
"Take it easy!" The mother laughed. "I'm just so proud of you… Going out on your own and chasing your dream without a doubt, and then actually accomplishing your goals… I told you that you could do anything you set your mind to…" She sighed, a loving smile on her face. "You're growing up so fast…"
"Thanks." Jess grinned and nodded, her expression hopefully conveying her sincere appreciation.
Then the caramel-colored bird nibbled on Jess's ear tenderly.
Jess giggled, too lost in the moment to notice his expression and the way he was fluffing his wings.
Knowing exactly where her mind was, the Ninetails barked up at her, one short and sharp note bringing her back.
"Yeah?"
"Mur, Mur, Murkrow!" The black bird began bobbing his head, displaying his impatience.
"Okay, I get it!" she told them, laughing as she spoke. "I've gotta go, these guys are getting hungry."
"Okay, well, just know that however long you're gone, I'll always love you just as much as ever, and no number of Pokémon in this house will ever replace you."
"Aww, thanks," Jess smiled. "I love you too."
"Love you!" both siblings said in harmony, and the Chatot repeated it as well.
"I love you guys too."
"Hugs and kisses – "
"Hugs right back," Jess added softly.
"Mur - !"
"Okay, bye, love you all!" Jess told them, then she waved, nodded as the others waved back, and switched off the PC.
"Murkrow?"
"Yes Murky, we're going to get dinner now."
"Krow," he replied, his tone dripping with relief as Jess started off down the hall.
"Misdreavus?"
"Yep, that's my family… but only part of it… My dad was at work… I'll have to send him a message later, Pidgeotto knows the way… So what're you in the mood for today?"
The Murkrow immediately launched into his idea of a gourmet dinner.
"That's a little lavish for a Pokécenter, don't you think…?" Jess asked, her eyebrows high.
"Murkrow," the bird shrugged.
"And what about you guys, what kind of food do you like?"
The Misdreavus in her arms tilted her head in contemplation – she had never really had that much variety…
"What kind of berries do you like?"
The ghost tilted her head the other way, still trying to recall what she had eaten back when she was in the forest.
"Not sure?"
The ghost shook her head.
Jess still smiled. "That's okay, we'll just have to let you try every kind of berry I can get my hands on tomorrow," Jess said. "Tomorrow, when I'm stocking up on everything else… Hm… Do you even really eat that many berries…? The Pokédex says… Have you guys ever eaten anything besides, well, fear…?"
The Mismagius, lingering behind the group once more, shook her head. But the Misdreavus nodded.
"I wonder how you guys can get the proper nutrition… It's always seemed to me like fear is pretty important to you guys… and I only get scared in the right situation…Does it have to be actual fear, or can it be, I dunno, an adrenaline rush, or just nerves or something…? Maybe if I watch the right movies…"
The Misdreavus in her arms nodded with a note of reassurance.
"Okay, good."
But the Mismagius bowed her head, a small bit of embarrassment and dread sparking in her mind. She was unable to keep herself from thinking that the trainer's plans of induced fear wouldn't be necessary… she had a feeling that soon there'd be more than enough to go around… all it would take would be one slip up –
She shook her head and grit her teeth, forcing herself to focus and to not let that happen. The last thing she needed was to let herself become nervous, those kinds of emotions led to nothing more than disaster… She had to stay focused, stay in control. Even if it meant denying her nature, she couldn't let it happen again. She wouldn't.
"Coming?" Jess asked, glancing over her shoulder as she turned the corner; the ghost had almost missed the turn and would have wandered down the hall alone.
Mismagius's head shot up, and she hurried around the turn with an expression of shock, startled from being pulled so suddenly out of her thoughts.
Jess blinked at the Mismagius as she slowed and they started off once more. "You okay?"
She looked up at the trainer, saw the concern and could almost feel it… but she also felt a bit of unease rise within her, and she went with her instinct and plastered on an expression of aloof numbness.
Jess blinked at her again, her worry doubling but not wanting that to show. The Mismagius was really starting to worry her… but she wouldn't pry, she refused to. Rushing a bond and forcing out secrets was like picking unripe berries: some people liked the bitterness that came with it, but it's always better when time ripened the situation.
She began stroking the Misdreavus's hair out of habit, subconsciously realizing that there it was again – she was masking whatever was really going on. The realization was from the dark, quiet corners of her mind, but the puzzled concern lingered as obviously within as it ever had.
"Only time can tell," she murmured, so quietly that she could barely hear herself – but the Misdreavus heard her muttering, glanced up, and saw the concern, and she glanced at the Mismagius curiously. And she was suddenly wondering why her friend was so uneasy as well… but, being a creature of nature, she was able to sense that it wasn't necessarily the Mismagius's personality to be so ill at ease, but something… something beyond that, something different… She glanced up at Jess and blinked, then she shifted a bit and nestled into a comfortable position. She couldn't help thinking that this trainer would probably be able to help… eventually… There was just something so warm, so welcoming and accepting in the way she held them, the way she talked, even the smooth, rhythmatic way she walked, so much like a lullaby… She had faith in this trainer. Real, genuine, sincere faith that she wouldn't let them down.
She yawned, still not completely caught up on he sleep, and she let her mind wander off… and it wasn't long before she had drifted to the quiet and contented sleep that had been eluding her for more days than she could count, because now she was in the hands of someone she trusted, and that made her so much more comfortable – literally as well as figuratively.