13.

With Birds Like These…

Serena suggests that Liko stay until the airship leaves.

"They're planning to leave for Pewter City," the older girl said. "My guess is that they think you went running to the neighboring city because the airship spooked you…well, they're not wrong about that, though."

Not like it mattered.

Everything was a mess of lies anyway.

The airship was gone the next day, bright and early.

Serena, too, left to do a few errands, telling Liko to stay put until she came back. The older girl returned later with a bag of clothes for Liko, a traveling bag, and a few other things.

"Here! Viridian is not really Saffron so there wasn't much to my liking but…!" Serena took out something from the traveling bag and showed it to Liko. It was a black colored phone. An odd-looking model. No touchscreen, from what Liko could see. It definitely wasn't a Rotom phone.

"Umm…"

"Oh, yes! You're probably too young to know about this little thing, huh? It's a Pokegear! Quite the classic! Back in the day it was the most popular cellular phone in Kanto and Johto until a ghost took them out of the market." Serena gave the device to Liko. "It's a simple device, not too advanced, not too many apps, basically starts with a phone, a map and a radio."

"Oh…"

"I know, I know…I couldn't find a color to match you but the Pokegear is a safer phone, not unhackable, no, but safer," Serena explained. "I asked for a favor and got this little guy delivered. Just for you!"

"A-are you sure…? I mean…I…"

"You can pay me back by getting to Paldea safely," Serena responded, smiling. "Now, get a load of these clothes…I don't have your style down yet but I should have something you like here!"

Serena stared at Squawkabilly. Squawkabilly stared back.

"You found this guy fighting the Beedrill in Viridian Forest?"

"Yes…I guess he was migrating and got lost…I mean, that makes sense, right?"

"I suppose so. He looks young, too. That tends to happen. They get seperated from the group, run into trouble, pick fights…I guess he's coming, too, right?"

"W-well…"

"Why not? He's cute, and seems like a real gentleman! Look how quiet he is! Perfect for scouting, too!"

"Squawkabilly's are not usually this quiet…"

"You know someone with a bird friend, too?"

"Yeah…my mom."

"Is your mom's bird loud?"

"Very. He knows a few words…"

"Not bad words, I hope."

"No."

"Still…why don't you catch him? You're heading out on your own, and I don't think you want Sprigatito to do all the work. He's adorable, true, but no Pokemon is a miracle worker by itself. Teamwork is a wonderful thing, you know?"

At the end, Liko took Serena's advice and caught the docile blue feathered Squawkabilly. He accepted being caught without a word, only popping out of his Pokeball to stretch and sit on Liko's shoulder.

Liko tried not to look at the mirror, glancing at the silent bird, reminded of a familiar woman and her very vocal yellow feathered bird.

Sprigatito took Squawkabilly's capture better than Liko thought. It wasn't a friendly welcome but a stern staring contest that was ruined by Serena dragging Liko away to try out clothes.

"New Bark Town?"

"Yep! It's become quite the tourist trap these past few years. They built a little mall, a harbor, the local professor's lab got a second floor…a little bit of everything to nothing…and that's your first stop."

Serena and Liko arrived at the local bus station, a familiar sight for poor Liko of better days without troubles.

Sprigatito and Squawkabilly were inside their Pokeballs, at Serena's suggestion, mostly to not attract attention because the older girl figured that either suspicious Friede or those thieves were asking about a girl with a green cat.

Serena, too, was dressed casual, no sundress, with a jacket, shorts, and cap and glasses that hid her looks the best they could.

Liko had ditched her old school uniform, for a white t-shirt with a dark blue jacket tied around her waist, and a navy colored skirt with shorts, a traveling bag hanging by her shoulders. Her pendant was hidden in her skirt's single pocket, away from sight. Liko figured she'll wear it on her neck once she feels safe.

A little washing machine floated towards Liko and Serena as they waited for the bus that would take Liko to the ship that would lead her out of Kanto.

It was Rotom; it squeaked, going round and round, spilling water all over.

Liko couldn't believe it.

"Rotom! How…?"

"Oh! How sweet!"

"...is that the school's washer?"

"Bzzzzttt! Bzzztt!"

"Ah! How crafty! You won't have to worry about dirty clothes again!"

Liko had been asked to put her Rotom away by one of the workers, and Serena quickly urged her to catch the little guy. "Rotom did go the long way to see you, right?"

The girl didn't have much of a choice, mostly because one of the workers by the cash register was giving them suspicious looks, and so, Rotom became part of her team…along with her school's washing machine.