Chapter 5:
You Can Always Go Downtown
"I thought we were going to use the car?"
"Nope. This time, we'll walk. Consider this as a little tour, you know?"
All around us, snow still covered the grounds, most of which had been shovelled out of the way into a pile. Just earlier, there were people, even pokemons working out in the streets, trying to push the snow clear off the roads. The 'mons had cheat codes, of course, using their power to their advantage. Some used some kind of psychic barrier to push them, some even melted the snow using fire, and some used their large wingspan to simply blow the snow away.
A large bird pokemon flew above us, their wings produced a wake that left me shivering.
It was around evening and the town had begun to light up to prepare for the night though it wasn't dark enough for the need to have the street lights turned on. As I gazed up into the sky, I saw the orange-blue hue from the sun had turned the blinding white sky earlier into a beautiful mixture of soft pastel colours as it slowly dipped towards the horizon.
The temperature had dropped a bit as the day transitioned into the night and I could notice my breath was significantly more visible than during the noon.
Taking a deep breath from the cold and crisp air, I realised that even though I had lived in a city for all my life, It's been a while since I'd admired or really, just enjoy the ambience of a city. Now that I've experienced it, I actually like the idea of taking a walk instead. In fact, I felt like I was on vacation.
"This ain't that bad…" I muttered.
When we first walked outside, I half-expected there to be pokemon battles everywhere, even on the sidewalks, the middle of the streets, you name it but no, there wasn't. The people here are pretty chill. The show and games influenced me to think that way, but now, looking at it with my own eyes, I realised it wasn't the case. We passed by some people and they were just minding their own business and so did pokemons as far as I can see.
Well, provided that I can't see far in the place but- That's not the point here. To put it simply, it's an everyday world out here, just with pokemon!
"So… where are we going?"
"To the market of course. We're going to do some shop-ping."
"This is going to take so long..." Saber telepathically sighed.
"I know, I know, I used to go shopping with my mom." Even after countless quests and missions into the depths of the clothing store, in reality, I still wasn't used to it.
"I'm surprised you guys made up in a short time."
Saber and I stared at each other. His big-ass eyes stared back at mine and the bro-code kicked in. "Let's… just… not."
"Yeah… We… don't talk about it."
"No one shall mention it."
Agent Ryna had come back from work earlier than expected and she, for lack of a better word, dragged me out of the apartment so that we could go to town. Truth be told, I don't want to go out because it's cold. It was barely bearable when I went to the balcony earlier today and that was during noon and I was distracted by a conversation. She insisted I wear her jacket on top of my long-sleeved shirt, which is the only shirt I have.
On top of that, my legs still felt pretty numb, though I can still walk normally nonetheless. Even then, my legs get sore faster. That is… what I noticed, at least.
In the end, she bribed me by saying that I could get anything I wanted as long as it was reasonable. I wasn't that stupid to not take that offer.
All I have to do is endure 6 degrees Celsius and I get free shit? Count me in!
Mmmm… Ehhhh… I do feel kind of bad though…
Eventually, we made a turn into another street and we were greeted by the sight of stalls and shops. The place wasn't fully opened yet; most of the shops were in the process of opening up for the night. It also meant that there weren't that many people here; we were one of the first people to arrive. Even then, I could tell that this place would be bustling later tonight.
"We came in a bit early…" Agent Ryna muttered. "Say, let's have dinner first, yeah?"
I looked at her. "Dinner?"
"Yeah, dinner. You're not hungry?" Agent Ryna pointed towards the other end of the square. "Perhaps we can go to-"
"She's about to say that we're going to the Pokemon Center."
'Yeah- For fucks sake, stop readin' my mind, Saber." Agent Ryna placed both her hands on his shoulders and pretty much just shook him.
"You can do that?" I asked regarding the Pokemon Center.
"Yeah, it's off-season so there aren't that many trainers. Ones that do end up here are probably just stopping by at Sandgem to rest for their journey back home, anyway."
"...Oh."
Trainers… Huh. I wonder how it feels to be one.
"So… about trainers. How… What's the off-season all about?"
Agent Ryna took a deep breath before pouring her knowledge on me. If her words were to be put on a Google Docs document, it'd probably take nine lines, or five centimetres if printed on an A4 paper.
"Well, you know, every year trainers can participate in the gym circuit. The time between when the gyms are opened and when the league-slash-tournament finishes is the season. The gym opens for 9 months starting from March to July, then a month break, and then August until January. The cycle repeats every year but the Pokemon League, in this case, since we're in Sinnoh, the Lily of the Valley Conference, takes place every two years. If they win the league, they get to challenge the Elite 4 and the Champion," Agent Ryna said, "So… when I say off-season, I mean the league has ended and everyone goes back home. And the first three weeks after the league, there's always going to be a period of massive influx of trainers in the Pokemon Center because of that."
Trainers, Elite 4s, Champion, Pokemon League… That is so much to swallow. Sure, the show gave me some insights into how this thing works, but I don't know if it would tick all the boxes on how it actually is.
"Wh- How do you know so much?" I asked, my tone tinged with curiosity and bewilderment, mostly bewilderment.
"I used to be a trainer. It's common knowledge at that point."
As we walked around the fountain where the market was centralised, one by one, the stalls began to light up. The fountain in the centre of the square reflected the lights, creating a mesmerizing dance of colours on its cascading water. The market was coming to life, and the air was filled with the delicious aromas of various foods being prepared.
We passed by various stalls that sell fruit and they looked hella funky. One of the fruits looked like a tomato and a durian somehow fused into one well-made amalgamation. One of them was shaped like a pine cone and one of them is literally just a pink banana.
Pink banan hehe.
"Slipped on a banan." I giggled on my own. "That fuckin GIF…"
We took our time this time when passing the stalls. Ryna led, and we simply followed.
Not long after, we found ourselves in front of a building with red trim all around. The building towered relative to the surrounding area, perhaps being the tallest building in the whole town. A large pokeball sign marked its purpose.
"This… is the Pokemon Center. First time seeing?" Agent Ryna asked, her eyes glancing over the massive building.
"...This place is massive."
"Should be. It's a hotel, a restaurant and a store all in one building. In fact, this place is a hotspot for trainers since the port is like… one of the main gateway into Sinnoh- by sea at least."
I looked up at the at least 6-story-high building. "Damn," I said, impressed by its grandeur.
"Look, why don't we just go in now because it's chilly out here."
"I don't know about you but I'm fine," Agent Ryna said.
"I wonder why," I sarcastically said as I stared at the orange fox that Ryna was currently hugging.
"Flare~" Mana then proceeded to stick her tongue out.
"I knew you were going to say that."
"What did she say?"
"It doesn't matter- Look can we please just go in."
Agent Ryna pushed open the heavy glass doors, and we stepped into the Pokemon Center. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior yet unlike outside, the lobby was a lot more quieter and calm. I could hear faint conversations but that was just about it. However, the faint conversation combined with more faint conversation created a crowded yet oddly smooth and comforting feeling.
It's a lot of sounds, yes, but at least it doesn't pierce your ears.
The place was huge. The lobby was spacious, built like an atrium where everywhere I saw, I had to sometimes guess what it was since my eyes were failing me. Imagine… a hotel lobby. All the way at the end of it was a red counter with a lot of people and pokemon around that area.
On each side were what I could only guess as shops? It looked like it. Still, it looked like it had a lot of people.
On the walls were banners that showed the exact same stadium; it was probably an advertisement. The people passing by all wore some kind of warm or athletic clothing, with backpacks on their backs, which I could only assume were trainers. They all had either pokemon beside them or had pokeballs in their hand and each of them was wearing a unique outfit reflecting their individual styles and Pokemon preferences. Most were in warm jackets, scarves, and gloves, prepared for the chilly weather, while some outfits leaned towards looks and identity, proudly showing their team's themes.
Even if they had to sacrifice thermal insulation for it.
Look, while I appreciate the effort into crafting an outfit, I cannot possibly imagine wearing skirts and tank tops in single-digit temperatures. You know, something that is more suited for summer, not late-winter.
You know, I lived near the equator, so the weather was really hot and humid so watching them wear shit like this while I can't even stand 20-degree-C? I felt physically ill. How can they not suffer from hypothermia?
"Don't they feel cold wearing that kind of outfit?" I asked, looking around at some of the trainers.
Agent Ryna chuckled, "I wouldn't know either, to be honest. I wasn't like that back then. They'd probably have pokemon that can generate warmth like this little gremlin." She turned around and showed Mana to me. Mana then proceeded to give me the side-eye.
I don't think she likes me. "Oh."
"It's just a matter if they want to deal with it or not, really." Agent Ryna shrugged.
The lobby also gave me a sneak peek into the life of a trainer.
There is a dude sleeping on the sofa or was sleeping before one of the staff there woke him up. The guy looked mad exhausted. Hell, I don't think he knows where he's at.
"Hello, welcome to the cafe. How can I help you?"
Agent Ryna turned around and counted all of us, excluding Mana. "Can we get a table for one, two, three, four… Table for five, please."
The attendant checked the reservation list on a tablet and scanned the bustling restaurant area. "Sure, there's one available right in the corner. Please follow me to your table."
We sat in silence, at least I was. I was sitting at the table but my mind went somewhere else as I gazed at the menu stand with a picture of a rotisserie chicken on it along with some other side dishes.
It really manifested a lot of questions for me, the most prominent one being the existence of livestock. There's nothing wrong with animals, no, but in this case, with Pokemon existing alongside them, how would they survive? I mean, clearly, Pokemon are far stronger than lions, for example, so how can they live long enough to reproduce without getting mauled by, for example, a Luxray? Judging by this logic, animals existence would be hanging by a thread, if not for the intervention of humans. The way I see it, that's the only way it makes sense.
Even then, for more intelligent Pokemon, have they learnt to farm animals?
How about insects? Do they exist too? I hope they don't.
Fuck the mosquitoes. They suck. Literally.
Ah… I'm getting ahead of myself.
"Agent Ryna-"
Agent Ryna suddenly choked on her water upon hearing her title. Her voice tinged with playful exasperation whilst coming out just a bit raspy, "Just call me by my name, PLEASE. It doesn't sound right coming from you."
"Uh- Alright, so like- You didn't tell me you guys had chickens here?" I asked.
"Well, you didn't tell me you guys had them too. They are mostly locked in a pen most of the time."
I paused. "...When you put it like that, it sounds so cruel…" I smirked at her words. It sounded awful, yes, but at the same time, it's amusing.
"Flare." Mana chirped.
Ryna shrugged slightly, her gaze softening as she considered the situation. "They won't survive in the outside world, anyway. If it's not us and pokemon, then it's just pokemon that eats them."
Breaking the tension with a warm smile, Ryna patted my shoulder reassuringly. "That's true but damn."
"Also, great save."
"What do you mean?"
Ryna gestured towards the kitchen. "You know, 'told the guy just to give you what he recommends?"
"Well...Yeah... I can't read. I had to cook something up somehow."
With a snap of a finger, she finger gunned towards me. "I figured. Well, we have to fix that."
"What, we're going to go get a book?"
"We're going to go get a book, yes. Actually, no, we have a book."
I let out an audible sigh as I remembered all the pain of learning a new language. When I was younger, I was forced to learn Chinese as part of elective subjects when I was in primary school.
I didn't learn shit for two years. Even if I did, I've probably forgotten most of it by now.
Fuck, I don't think I have enough commitment for this.
"Hey. You won't live right if you don't commit."
I snapped out of my thoughts and I looked Saber dead in the eyes. The guy was giving me a slight but mischievous smile. "Dude, come on. Can you not read my mind?"
"It's what I do."
"Don't."
"No, but really though. If you want to read, then you gotta learn."
I sighed once more. "I know, I know… It's just… I'd a rough time learning languages…"
"I experienced that once. You just gotta believe or something."
"So you can talk?"
"Verbally? Nah but even then, moving your mouth is unnecessary when you can do this. It's eeeeeasy."
"Yeah, easy for you to say tha- What are you doing?"
"Flare! Flareon!" Mana put smacked paws on the table, making an audible 'thud'. I followed her eyes to see Russ holding the menu stand and attempting to bite it.
"NOPEEE! Nuh-uh. You can't eat this." I snatched the menu stand out of its hand and placed it back on the table far away from his reach. In return, Russ pouted at me and I patted him on his fluffy head, full of tuft.
"D'awww." Ryna looked at us as she leaned back on the banquette.
"Hey, I'm trying to be a good… what's the word…"
"Trainer?"
"No- what? Who am I training?"
"Dad?" Ryna guessed again.
…
"Uh… I don't know about that."
"Well, Saber, can you ask Russ what he calls Ben?"
"Seriously- Alright." Saber took a deep breath and said, "Hey, little guy. What do you call him?"
"Rio."
Out of nowhere, Saber started to chuckle. "Called him 'dad'."
"My god…" I thought to myself, "This… lad called me 'dad' the entire time…"
If I'm being honest, I don't really mind being called 'dad' but it really did catch me off-guard, especially since I'd been unaware of it the entire time. It really is adorable but at the same time, I am contemplating having that title and having the responsibilities of a dad at the age of 16.
So, with the title shoved into me, I had to somehow take responsibility of that role. "Alright- uh-, if I'm your dad, I'm going to have to tell you- just don't eat that, alright? You can't eat that. It's not meant to be eaten, okay?"
"THIS IS AWKWARD IHATETHISIHATETHISSS NOOOOO!" I screamed internally.
I'm going to be such a bad father.
Russ looked back at and back at the menu stand. He slowly nodded right after.
Good Riolu.
According to Ryna's watch, it was half past seven when we finally exited the Pokemon Center. The sun hadn't fully set yet but it was getting really dark outside.
When we reached the market once more, the liveliness of this town was apparent. As if the Pokemon Center wasn't crowded enough, the market was even more so. More people had filled the square and unlike before, instead of only the light poles lighting the area, now the lights from the stalls contributed to illuminating every corner of the place.
One thing that really caught my eye was not the stalls around me, no. Instead, what I saw was a kid eating an ice cream.
It doesn't sound bad at first but considering the weather is already stupid cold in itself…
Are the people here built differently or something?!
I sighed. I should probably not pry into other people's business. What a legend, though.
Speaking of which, who the hell is catering to these people? Are there more people eating ice cream to the point that the dude running the place decided it would be profitable to run the place every. Single. Night?
I don't get this place.
As we walked further into the market, the sound of music drifted towards us, growing louder with each step. Eventually, we found the source – a street performer was playing a guitar while a Meowth sat at his feet, occasionally tapping its paw to the rhythm.
Few people stopped to check them out, most passed by but as far as I can tell, everyone was enjoying the music.
Eventually, we passed by the exact same stall that was selling the funky fruits. That was when I decided to ask Ryna about it.
"What fruit are those?"
"Those? Oh, those are berries. Super useful when you or your pokemon get hurt. Like, Oran Berries, those blue ones on the right side?" Ryna pointed towards the display rack. "They can heal wounds."
"Just like that?" I asked.
"Well, yeah, but if for example, you get stabbed, you can't expect to recover from it just by eating berries no. You have to go see a doctor or else you'll die."
"Are those… expensive?"
"Ohohohoh! We don't talk about that."
I grimaced. "Definitely expensive," I thought to myself.
"But why though?" I asked.
"As I said, it has healing properties, and also, it's super difficult to find since it is pretty much just mutated fruits from mutated trees. Some can't even grow here and you have to get it in other regions."
"Mutated fruits?"
"Well… Ah… let's just walk first."
So, we strolled along, and Ryna went on explaining the whole berry situation. Apparently, these berries had some sort of Type Energy or aura or whatever that made them super helpful for healing. Not just healing, it could have other types of abilities, depending on the berries, of course. Of course, different berries would have different effects! Why wouldn't they?
"Think of it as superfoods, except it actually works."
"How rare… exactly?"
"Well… finding it is hard but you can stumble upon it in the wild. Depends on if you know how to find it or if you're lucky enough."
"So… it's hard to find if you're actively searching for it but when you don't search for it, it just appears."
"That's how it feels, at least. Just speaking from experience."
"So like toilet papers… got it." I made a mental note to myself.
Then, we encountered a stall that really caught my attention. It was selling, believe it or not, rocks. Not just any ordinary rocks, colourful rocks. And they glow too! I didn't pay much attention to it at first but the glowing part made me think that there was something up about them.
"Hang on, what are those?" I tapped Ryna's shoulders. "The rocks, I mean."
"Uh… oh yeah those. Those are evolution stones. Makes some pokemons evolve. It's also expensive. Come on."
That's why they were glowing.
"I-" I was about to ask more questions but I realised that I'd asked too much and she was probably tired of answering them, judging from her quick reply. "Never mind."
But still, those words wanted to come out. How do evolution stones work, anyway? Do they act like a power bank that stores energy and when a pokemon touches them, the energy just flows into them? If that's the case, why only specific pokemon though? Mana evolves using evolution stones if I remember correctly and oh- yeah! Saber-
"Yeah I did," Saber said, "Pretty wild if I say so myself."
I sighed. There he goes again reading my mind.
"How did it feel like?" I asked in my thoughts. I figured that if he could read my thoughts and answer my question before I even voiced it out, I could also speak to him with my thoughts. You know, a two-way telepathic communication type-shit. You fuck around, you find out.
"It's… imagine getting a surge of energy seeping into you. Not like energy-energy. It's like- you feel super powerful when you get it. But then you get worn out afterwards."
"IT WORKED- I mean uh- so… like drugs?" Saber stared at me after I essentially just screamed in my head. I bet it felt like someone had just screamed into his ears.
"Like what?" he asked, dismissing the internal scream.
"Actually, scratch that." While the two-way telepathy had worked, it made me a little dizzy on my end.
We eventually found ourselves near a stall with a bunch of T-shirts hanging on display. They were all emblazoned with various Pokémon and cool designs. One shirt had a Charizard breathing fire across the chest, and another had a Pikachu doing a battle pose.
"Whoa, look at these!" I said, gesturing towards the shirts.
Ryna chuckled. "Yep, that's Pokémon fashion for you. Wear your favourite Pokémon loud and proud."
"Nah… I'll pass. I would like a jacket for my own though," I said.
"We found you wearing a Lucario t-shirt."
"You don't have to bring that up…"
"That's in the past. Well, you wanted a jacket then we shall get it."
"Really?"
"I did bribe you."
"...Yeah."
"Now, come on. Let's go to the clothing store." Ryna ushered me to follow her as we continued past the crowded square.
The door opened with a jingle and we headed into the store. It wasn't as chaotic as the market outside, which was a nice break. Compared to it, the store was like an anechoic chamber but in order to make the store not feel boring and soulless, the people running the place decided to play some jazz.
I should probably make it clear that we weren't the only ones in the store. There were other people too – even trainers, as far as I can assume – here. I could see the head of their pokemon just above the clothing rack. To see how people bonded with their pokemon in the show was cool, but like everything else, seeing it happen right in front of you was something else.
Quite frankly, I was pretty overwhelmed by the selection in the store that I actually forgot what I came here for, for a second. I snapped out of it eventually, and I gravitated towards the shirt section.
I didn't want anything with fancy graphics. I just wanted a plain shirt and a plain shirt was what I searched for.
As I browsed through the shirts, I noticed they came in various colors and sizes. Some had simple logos of popular Pokémon, while others had cute illustrations of them in different poses. There was lettering on most of the clothing, but I can't read so…?
I mean, the lettering could say a racial slur and I wouldn't know.
"What are searching for?"
My eyes landed on a plain black shirt, and I pulled it out from the rack. "Something like this," I said.
"Solid. Goes with everything."
"Can I get two, please?"
"I don't mind, really. You're wearing your only clothes."
I gave a slight smile out of embarrassment. "It's fine. It's fine. It's fine," I told myself.
"What else do you need?"
I grimaced. "Ooooh… yeah… I need extra pants… underwears… and… probably a scarf too. The cold is still too much. I'm sorry if it's a lot."
If I'm being honest, it felt wrong. It felt really wrong. Getting stuff from someone close doesn't feel right, let alone asking for things from someone I'd just met. She'd done a lot for me yet but I have nothing to contribute. I'm sure you all can understand it.
Ryna turned towards me and put her hand on my shoulder. She said to me in a low voice, "Listen. I know what you're dealing with and I know that you can't do much about it so I'm here to help you alright? I'll try my best to help you because I know you don't deserve this in the slightest, yeah? Get what you need."
Even then, I keep thinking that I'm just a burden to her. I tried to force a smile. "Thanks… I really appreciate it."
So, we went around the store, picking out a couple of comfortable pants, a pack of underwear, and a soft, cosy scarf. Ryna even helped me find a simple jacket that she insisted would keep me warm during these chilly days. She even insisted that I get a bag, saying "You can't live without a bag.". I'm not sure if that's correct but I won't complain.
When I looked into the bag, reality seemed to break for me. SOMEHOW, for god knows why, the bag was actually bigger inside than outside where if you are aware of basic… if you have common sense, you'd know that this can't happen.
And HERE WE ARE!
"Ryna, what the- is this- Huh?" I asked in utter confusion.
This universe has laws of physics and this bag took those laws and stomped it on the ground.
"It's a bag?" Ryna said.
"It- wha- huh?"
Mind brokey.
She nodded, a playful glint in her eyes. "Yep. Bags like this are quite common here. It's a bit of a convenience, to be honest. It's actually quite amazing."
In the end, I decided to give up. They have fruits that can somehow heal wounds in an instant. Hell, they have balls that can capture creatures hundreds of times the mass of the ball itself and not have the weight shift not even by a little. This shit shouldn't even be a surprise! Why am I surprised?!
This bag is chipping my sanity away the more I think about it.
We decided it was enough and it was time to pay. We were next in line for the counter when I realised that the entire time, Russ, Saber and Mana weren't with us. I frantically looked around the store in search of them before I saw what seemed to be Saber's fin-head all the way at the other side of the store and just then, I thought of Russ.
"Hey, sorry but can I get another scarf?" I asked, hinting slightly towards Russ.
"What for- Ohhhh…" It didn't take long for her to realise who I was talking about. "Yeah, sure. Go for it."
That is when I made a run for it. In my mind, I figured if I didn't come back before it was our turn to pay, I would spontaneously combust and die. I zigzagged across the store, making my way past the racks before arriving at the scarf stand.
I thought for a second before deciding that Russ would probably like a blue and black scarf; something that matches him.
I grabbed one and dashed back to the counter. In the end, I was absolutely panting and while I did make it before it was our turn (which meant I didn't die, that's just how the rule goes), I entirely missed the fact that my legs were still in fact recovering. By the time I realised that, I had just finished the marathon and they felt incredibly sore. In fact, it actually hurt.
I leaned against the counter, trying to catch my breath while Ryna paid for everything. She shot me a concerned look, but I managed to give her a thumbs-up, signalling that I was okay.
"I… I shouldn't have- I shouldn't have done that."
"I was to tell you not to but… You were already at the other side of the store…" Ryna looked at me, a face that says screamed, 'I don't know how to feel about this'. "Don't ever do that. I don't want you risking yourself going back to the hospital again," she said firmly.
"I'm sorry… I kinda forgot I broke my legs."
The cashier paid no mind to me, which was good. At first glance, they seemed to not care about their job at all, but I came to the conclusion that they were just tired, judging from their dead expression. I turned around to see Saber, Mana and Russ walking towards us. Ryna didn't seem to realise until Saber tapped her on her shoulders which left her startled.
"Holy- Oh, you guys are here." Ryna laughed a little. "Got tired of walking around, huh?"
"Well, when you have someone sprinting across the store like a maniac, it's bound to catch our attention." Saber turned to me and asked, "What possessed you to run like that?"
"It's- uh- It's a secret for a bit. I'll show you later."
As the transaction was completed, we gathered our bags and left the store. When we exited the store, I decided to sit on the stairs leading into the store and reached into the bag. Saber looked at me and smirked.
I looked back at him.
"Saber, you fuckin' bitch. You read my mind, didn't you?" I asked him.
He smirked and he nodded.
"Breathe in… Breathe out."
"Hey, Russ! I got you something," I called out.
Russ hopped over to me, his eyes filled with curiosity but I could tell, there was a little bit of hesitance. I pulled out the blue and black scarf I'd picked for him and handed it to him with both my hands.
"Riolu?" He tilted his head.
"I got you a scarf. Here you go, buddy," I said, gently wrapping the scarf around his neck. It was pretty big for him so I had to wrap the scarf twice around his neck. He seemed to appreciate the gesture, hugging me afterwards.
"He seems to like it," Ryna commented, a warm smile on her face.
"Yeah, he does." I patted Russ on his head, feeling a sense of contentment that I was able to give something to him.
"Well, now that we're all set, how about we head back home?" Ryna suggested.
"Actually, can we get something to eat?" Saber asked.
"I'm all up. How about you, Ben?"
"I… Eh… It's up to you guys."
With every press, the lock beeped until it clicked, and the door finally opened. As we stepped into the apartment, the warmth from inside was a welcoming embrace after the chilly outdoors. I took off my shoes and my socks.
I let out a contented sigh, finally able to relax my sore legs. Dropping my backpack on the couch, I flopped down beside them. I had decided to put the clothes that I got inside the backpack so that I didn't have to get my hands full.
So, weird shit, by the way, the bag didn't feel that much heavier even with two paper bags of clothes stuffed, for lack of a better word, into the bag itself. To recap, this bag can store more stuff while also not being heavy.
Yeah, baby! Yeah, science. Or sorcery.
I don't know, to be honest. I can't be bothered to think of anything right now.
I glanced over at the clock, squinting my eyes to see better. It was already 9 PM.
"I want tae fuckinnnnnnnn sleeeeeeeeeep, bruv."
I watched as Ryna and Saber unpacked their bags, arranging the new clothes neatly. Russ was playing with his new scarf, while being accompanied by Mana, tugging at it with his mouth and pouncing around. It was heartwarming to see him enjoying his new accessory so much.
Ryna turned to me with a soft smile. "Hey, Ben. You looked exhausted. Seems like the shopping was a bit too much?" she said, looking tired herself.
"It really was…" I said, giving her a tired chuckle.
"Yeah, I can tell. But at least you're all set with some new clothes and stuff," Ryna said.
Saber chimed in, "And a scarf for Russ. I mean, look at the guy." Saber gestured towards Russ who was snuggling his scarf, while 'talking' to Mana. "He seems to really love it."
"He does, yeah…" I yawned.
"I'm so tired…" I thought to myself.
"Hey, I think I'm off to bed now…"
I got off the couch and picked up Russ, with his scarf still on him. He looked like he was panicking. He calmed down eventually. "Ri. Riolu. Riolu?"
"Let's get to bed, alright?"
Russ didn't protest. He simply went with the flow.
"Ben, wait." Ryna handed me a paper bag. My bag, with my clothes. "Take this with you too."
"Alright."
With only my pinky finger, I held onto the backpack until I arrived at my room where I slowly put Russ and the load on the floor. Closing the door behind me, I was left in the darkness.
I carefully navigated towards my bed, using the wardrobe as a guide. After making myself comfortable, I looked around the room, trying to find Russ in a pitch-black environment before a pair of crimson eyes popped out of nowhere from the edge of the bed, nearly giving me a heart attack.
"There you are. Shit…"
Russ climbed up the bed like a snake, slithering into the comforter before popping its head back out. "Ri!" he chirped happily.
"Been a long day, Russ. Let's sleep."
"Rio…"
I closed my eyes. As I lay in the cosy cocoon of my bed, I reflected on my day. As far as I can tell, this town has exceeded my expectations.
This place is alright.
I think I'll be fine here.
Hopefully.
Even if sadness is inevitable.
…Damn. Intrusive thoughts.
Eh… might as well enjoy it while it lasts.
Maybe. Just maybe, I'll find my place here.
With Russ snuggled close, I drifted into slumber.
AN:
"Yo, Moon. I'm currently writing an author's note right now. What should I put?"
"Audda what-uh?"
"Put down- lmao- Put down the smiley. Put down the smiley. And don't say anything. Cunk on Eart-"
"-SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!"
"We still need to light up this place. This place is still too dark."
"Cunk on Fanfic soon. You know Generic Self-insert? I'm gonna interview fanfiction authors. I'm gonna interview myself. Generic Self-insert and Captain Moonlight are two different people. Their humour is vastly different."
"Also, I typed out everything you said and put it into a dialogue."
"We're getting transcribed."
"To be fair, Generic Self-insert is more Gen Z than I am."
Thanks for reading! I didn't know what to put here so I decided to get some funnies from Moon. Have a good day.
Go read 'Welcome to the insane world of Pokemon' written by him. Go watch 'Generic Self-insert' on Youtube.
WC: 5977 words