Hope you all saw the notice about ch 2. If not I posted the real one a few days ago. Thanks for almost 350 views!
Cynthia hands the packet of papers to the Child Welfare representative that Sycamore had called over to collect the documentation. The gentleman stuffs the papers into his briefcase before he bows slightly to both the champion and the professor. He waves goodbye as he leaves.
"That took awhile," Cynthia sighs as she stands from the couch to stretch out her stiffened joints.
The professor copied her movements and a crack was heard as his vertebrae popped back into place. "Always does," He looks at his watch before looking back at the blonde. "It's been a few hours. Maybe we should go find her; she probably lost track of time. We'll take a cab."
The champion nods and follows the professor out of the lab's front entrance. A cab pulls to a stop in front of them when Sycamore flings a hand up and both slide into the backseat. Cynthia leans back into the fabric covered cushion as the professor leans between the seats to tell the driver their destination. The driver gave a short okay as a reply before the vehicle starts moving beneath her. She stares in quiet fascination at the metropolis before her. Her gaze trails the skyscrapers and her mouth slightly drops when she sees Prism Tower looming over the extension of her vision. Her mind snaps back to reality when the car comes to a stop. Professor Sycamore laughs quietly at her confused expression.
"That happened to Angel the first time I took her out of the city. Lumiose is a normal thing for her, but the moment she saw Anistar she packed a bag and went out on an adventure."
"Anistar?" Cynthia asks.
Sycamore nods, "I took her to Anistar for a research project I was planning. I came back to the hotel and she said she was going on her adventure. She came back to Lumiose around three times on her first loop around Kalos."
They laugh and crawl out of the car. Cynthia listens intently as he describes each visit. One story includes the girl coming back with her hair housing a scatterbug that refused to leave and another involving her so covered in dust from a sneak attack from a dugtrio that her hair turned brown.
"She really has five gym badges?"
"Um hum. She's missing our city's badge, the Voltage Badge, due to Clemont being so uptight over rules; the Anistar's Psychic Badge because she didn't have two pokemon when she first started, and Snowbelle City's Iceberg Badge because Wulfric thinks she needs to grow up more."
The playground comes into view and both adult's straighten when they see an empty lot. A roar alerts their attention and both turn their gazes skyward. Mystic hovers above them. One mouth points at the forest and the others caw at them before flying off. Cynthia doesn't hesitate and rushes after the disappearing figure.
The champion throws branches away from her face as she approaches the hydreigon. Angel's arcanine barks a greeting at her that prompts his trainer to turn around. Violet eyes flood with relief.
"Help me Cynthia. It needs help."
Whatever lecture was crawling along the champion's lips clears for curiosity. She walks closer and kneels down beside the child to get a look at the object of Angel's attention. The blonde tilts her head at the purple ball of what appears to be goo.
"What is that thing?"
Angel looks at her sternly, "It's a pokemon. It's goomy the dragon type. I think it needs water, do you have any?"
Cynthia shakes her head no and watches the child pick up the pokemon. The desperate creature droops and slides along her arms. The champion can't help but grimace slightly.
"I'll just have to take him to the Pokemon Center," She looks down at the pokemon. "Don't worry Goomy. I'll make sure you feel better. Mystic get us to the center!"
The hydreigon lowers so his trainer can scramble onto his back with the melting slime ball. He waits for his fellow pokemon to be returned to their capsules in crimson rays. Cynthia's hair swirls around her body as the air around her stirs in Mystic's wake. She watches in a blank stupor before she is snapped back to reality when she feels Garchomp's pokeball shake. Her hand grabs at one and throws it into the air.
"Togekiss, air ready."
The white avian flaps its wings to stretch her muscles. She straightens as the added weight troubles her body. It bounces as it lifts its body off the ground to zoom past the trees and after the quickly shrinking black dragon. Below Sycamore lets out an exasperated breath before turning around back towards the city.
…
The young trainer is given the much more lively slime ball. A smile lights up Angel's face as the goomy lets out a happy cry. Her palm runs over its gooey head and ignores the slimy feeling tickling her sensors.
"You were pretty dehydrated Goomy. You should be more careful," She pets the creature's head in a soothing manner when it droops. "Now don't be like that. It's okay. You're alright."
The familiar, iridescent pulse radiates from her hands. Cynthia feels Lucario's pokeball quiver from the inside of her jacket. The champion unlatches the capsule from its clip and releases the aura pokemon. The blue pokemon catches its fall with a front paw and pushes onto its hind legs. Lucario approaches the girl and watches her interaction with the goomy. It grunts at her.
"My aura? Uh, I don't know what you're asking sir." She looks down at her hands as the light around her palm dies down. "That pulse has been with me forever."
The blue pokemon remains silent.
"So what did Nurse Joy say about Goomy?" Cynthia asks to lessen the awkward silence.
Angel immediately smiles again, "He's fine. Goomy is a species that need to keep their fluid level high to remain healthy. He dried out too much. Your better now right? Even better, Goomy decided to come with me. I just need a name now. Any ideas Cynthia?"
The ball of goo straightens as it cries out a response and both look at the champion.
"Uh? I don't know?"
The child's cheeks puff out in annoyance, "You're no help." She turns toward Lucario when he grumbles something at her.
"Destin? What do you think?"
The pokemon nuzzles into her stomach and she giggles at the funny feeling, "Okay! Destin it is! Thanks Lucario." The girl pulls a spare pokeball off her trainer belt and holds it in front of the pokemon. "Ready to go Destin?" The goomy jumps and headbutts the capsule. It gives two slow shakes before resting. "We have many adventures in our future Destin, and we'll show everyone just how strong a goomy can become."
…
Angel looks nervously at the large plane in front of her. Wide violet eyes fixate on the beast of a machine as she tugs at her shirt. Sycamore turns an anxious glance at the child's new caretaker, "She seems very uneasy. She's never been on a plane before. Take caution. Angel panics easily in new situations."
"I'm sure she'll be fine Professor. I'll keep an eye on her, and her pokemon will be able to come out of their pokeballs after take off." Cynthia reassures. "Thank you for your hospitality. We'll be back to visit."
The champion waves goodbye before walking up to the child. She grabs her hand and walks Angel up the steps of the airplane. The platinum waves her farewell at the professor one last time before following Cynthia through the door. She gapes at the interior of the private jet.
The champion laughs at her expression and settles her into one of the plushy seats. Her hands nimbly buckle her new charge's seatbelt. Cynthia gives her hand a squeeze when Angel worries her lip and shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
"Nothing will happen. Relax."
Cynthia instinctively looks up when her pilot's voice beeps over the loudspeaker.
"Please take your seats and buckle up. The plane will be taking off shortly."
The champion took the seat across from the fidgeting Angel and fastens the seatbelt in its lock. She fingers through a magazine as she feels the jet plane purr beneath her and registered the acceleration of the object by the blurring scenery she caught at the corner of her eye. The magazine tumbles out of her hand when the plane suddenly jerks to the side. She looks up when she hears a squeak.
Cynthia's gray eyes pause on Angel's shaking frame as the child stares at the window with dazed, dull eyes. The champion looks out the clear glass to the incoming dark clouds of an approaching storm. On que, the pilot's voice sounded over the PA.
"I'm sorry ma'am. We are experiencing some turbulence and will hit some more as we avoid that storm. It's advised that you remain seated and keep your pokemon in their balls."
Cynthia looks back towards Angel and undoes her buckle to squat in front of the cowering child, "Hey? Are you alright?"
Angel curls further into herself when thunder roars outside and the plane shakes due to a shift in the air currents.
"Angel? Sweetie? What's wrong?"
"Thunder," The little girl murmurs as she turns away from the champion, embarrassed that the champion was around to witness her panic attack.
"Oh Sweetie. It's okay. I promise nothing's going to happen." Cynthia reaches out and tries to unravel her from her fetal position.
Thunder shakes the earth as a three year old clings to a man. The adult runs a warm cloth over the pokemon's scratched neck and glances at the foreboding sky above him. Violet eyes curiously watch as the disaster pokemon stirs back into concioussness. It barks at them as it stands. The absol shakes its black horn at the duo and forces them back.
"Daddy, it's telling us to run."
"What do you mean little one?"
A crack sounds and one of the trees surrounding them crackles as it sparks. The younger Angel is pushed away as the log collapses and plummets onto the man. He looks at the disaster pokemon as a fire erupts from the smoking timber.
"Take her out of her Absol. Please."
The white and black pokemon gives a subtle nod. It jostles the child onto its back before taking off, away from the accumulating blaze. Angel tightens her grip on the white scruff and squeezes her eyes shut. When she opens them she's at the gate to Lumiose City and the absol is lowering her onto the ground as she slides down its head. She grabs its horn.
"Help my daddy Mr. Absol. Please. I'll wait in my house for him."
Her face is nuzzled before the white guardian disappears into the reddening forest.
Angel feels water drizzle from her eyes as Cynthia finally unclenches her arms and she clutches her shirt before placing her crying face into the champion's shirt. Her body is lifted from the seat and tugged into the awaiting arms that wrap around her. She feels Cynthia replace her position in her seat and the soothing rocking motion that follows.
"It's okay Angel. Nothing will hurt you. I'm here."
"It scares me Mama." The girl murmurs into Cynthia's chest as she shakes.
"I know Angel. I know it does. Just focus on me, okay Sweetheart?"
Angel nods and tries to match the older blonde's breathing. As her shoulders slowly decrease in their rapid movements, the violet eyes begin to close as mental exhaustion begin to set in. She places her head into the crook of Cynthia's neck and listens as the woman slowly hums a tune that streams into her eardrums. The champion notices her drowsy expression and places a kiss onto her head.
"Go to sleep Love."
"M'kay Mama," The sleep delirious girl whispers.
A loving hand runs along her hair as Cynthia sighs in relief. She replays the moment in her head. The palm running along the girl's head freezes when the champion stiffens in awareness.
"She just called me mama."