Author's Note:
Finally got around to updating this fic. For those curious, an update went out a few days ago for this story. Got a bit carried away and left out some important details, so I'm back with a quick hotfix. There's a few extra scenes here and there as well as some fixes to some grammar mistakes I missed the first time. Overall, I seem to have doubled the initial word count. XD
In any case, please feel free to drop a review if there's anything you'd like to say. Hope you enjoy!
- EMG
Evergreen Guild Infirmary:
Evergreen's guild was a peculiar one. Its guildmaster, Skye, was a veritable knight of the realm, deemed so by the queen herself! Unlike most guildmasters, the nature of her title meant she was away constantly. The guild's staff were similarly nomadic. Every other month, the guild helped new faces, welcomed new faces, and was run by new faces.
The only constant the locals could count on were the healers, a lovely cinccino and ninetales duo. The two mon practically lived in the infirmary. Not a day went by that I didn't see them there, and they always seemed exhausted. Even as they lifted the coffee-toned vulpix from my back, I could sense the exhaustion in their eyes. Someone should tell them to take a break. Not every cut or bruise was worth a visit to the infirmary!
"How is she?" I asked. The comment earned little more than a nod as the two females huddled about the unconscious vulpix. Pinkish, snow-white fur intermixed with luxurious silver as the healers crossed paths, conducting various tests. Pulse checks ensued, and soon the duo set upon the fire type with patchwork and moistened towels.
"Curious," Ether, the ninetales, muttered. "Chamomile, how's the fever?" The ice type eyed her partner with concern.
"She's stable," Chamomile replied with a sigh. "Her pelt is drenched, the poor thing. Likely collapsed from the heat." The cinccino took a step back and collapsed in her swivel chair. "She'll be fine, Dear." She flicked a tired glance my way. Her honey-yellow gaze carried a motherly warmth.
"Oh, uhh. That's good!" I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Seriously, what was with the look? The two were well known amongst the locals, but this was my first time in the infirmary. Was she like this with everyone?
"Mind yourself, Cami. Can't you see she's nervous?" Ether flashed a comical grin. The icy fox tickled her partner's chin with a stray tail, then padded across the room to retire her stethoscope. "Spare the sappy looks for me, hmm?" A tenderness inhabited her lavender eyes. This time it wasn't directed at me.
"Sappy?" Chamomile puffed out her cheeks, seemingly baffled. "In what way?"
"You're not the girl's mother, Dear."
"Did I suggest I was?"
"With an expression like that, anyone would think you were," Ether shot back. "Mocha, was it?" asked the ninetales. I nodded in kind. "Your friend will be fine. I'd wager she simply overheated."
"Good, good." I eyed the vulpix briefly. Had it not been for the feathery bed the duo supplied, I would've felt bad. They'd positioned the fire type on her back to check her heart rate, and while it was certainly convenient, it made for a rather…unflattering look for the unconscious fox.
"Will she wake up soon?" I huddled up in my seat, doing my best to save my pads from the cold, tile floor below. The infirmary was rather basic, featuring white walls upon white floors. A ticking clock occupied the far wall, accompanied by several pictures of landscapes and anatomical depictions of various pokemon, both quadrupeds and bipeds. Bright, overhead crystals showered the room in sun-like light, while arrhythmic beeps and boops drowned out the roar of the city crowd beyond the infirmary doors.
"That's hard to tell." Chamomile brought a paw to her chin. "If you have other business to attend to, you're more than welcome to leave her here. She's in capable paws, I assure you."
"No, I'm good here." I shook my head. That was a lie, of course. In truth, I would rather have been anywhere else. This was my day off, after all. Taffy had taken my shift and everything, and I was throwing that away for a stranger. That goodra was going to kill me!
"Skye told us you were a loyal one." The normal type smiled. "You're the girl who keeps volunteering to aid the fledglings, correct?" she asked with prying eyes. "I've heard your café is wonderful!" She clapped her paws and swiveled to face her partner. "And with that, I think we've found the venue for our lunch date!"
Ether hid a smile behind one of her tails. It was a goofy smile, one that suggested a deeper meaning behind her partner's reaction. Either this was their first outing, or the ninetales had been on far too many of these split-second dates.
"Honestly, Cami. It's a little late in the day for coffee." Ether glanced out a nearby window. The sun had hit its peak by now. Harsh rays bore down upon the sandstone streets of the plaza, creating an almost blinding glare as the steady stream of cityfolk grew ever stronger.
"We'll order lunch. A café is more than coffee!"
"Just say you want a pastry." Ether chuckled.
"And if I do?"
"Lunch will be on your wallet." Ether brushed one of her tails against Chamomile's cheek as she padded for the door. "Sweets don't come cheap."
My heart beat wildly in my chest at the sound of the bantering couple. To most, this was an adorable exchange, but to me? Any self-respecting merchant knew this was the sound of opportunity! Their poké was in the palm of my hands, no! The pads of my paws! All they needed was a gentle nudge.
"I'm sure the others at the café would love to know you helped me out," I interrupted. "Tell the goodra at the counter I sent you. She'll get you a good price on those pastries if you explain you're from the guild."
Chamomile glanced back at me with eager eyes. "That so?" She whirled on her partner. "You heard the girl. We're splitting the bill."
Ether sighed. I couldn't tell if she approved or not, but her steady gaze told me she knew what I was up to. "Thank you for the kind offer, Mocha." She nodded in kind. "Before we leave. When that friend of yours wakes up, she might be confused. Make sure she gets plenty of water, and don't let her walk on her own." She instructed. "The rest is up to you, Dear. If she sticks around, maybe then I'll consider that sales pitch of yours." With the wink of a lavender eye, she curled a few tails around her partner and whisked her out of the infirmary, leaving me to tend to the unconscious vulpix alone.
Before I could so much as turn around, however, a pamphlet slid out from beneath the door. It was an exploration team registration form! Granted, not the usual sort. In addition to the usual fields required for founding a team, this one came bundled with an extra space meant for a sponsor's signature. I wasn't getting in unless Ether said so. Well played.
Deception aside, those healers really were lovely. No wonder they were beloved by the locals, so much so that rumors of their relationship were common amongst the gossip that frequented the café. Consensus was that they would get married soon, while some residents seemed to think they'd already done so in secret. Judging from the playful banter, however, I'd say they were just barely dating. A cute couple perhaps, but the two seemed too lovey-dovey for marriage.
"Nngh." The vulpix let out a dry groan. She remained on her back and stretched herself thin, kicking out her legs to the extreme. Curiously, she curled the digits of her forepaws, as if to form fists. "Gah! Stupid alarm! I'm going to be late!"
As if stricken with an epiphany, the vixen jolted upright, flicking her head left and right in search of some unseen possession. She flailed her forelegs for but a moment before glancing around the room, confusion settling in amidst her cream-freckled cheeks and caramel-brown eyes.
"Oh, hello!" I stashed the form and padded forward with a wave. "You're awake." I sighed. "Good. I thought I was going to be stuck here all day."
"Oh my gosh!" A sharp gasp escaped the vulpix before I could finish my greeting. Creamy paws pressed up against broadened cheeks whilst she cast an adoring glance my way. "Who are you?" She cooed, wobbling to a sitting position whilst her tails shook eagerly behind her. "Goodness, you're adorable!" She squealed with glee. "I didn't know sprigatito could talk!"
I took a step back. This girl was too much! No wonder she passed out in the heat! "Umm… Of course I can talk." I tilted my head. "You sure you didn't hit your head? All that heat didn't fry your brain? I know vulpix have internal flames, but I've never heard of one overheating before."
The fire type paused. "Vulpix?" She glanced down at her paws, then back at her fan of tails. The girl seemed almost mesmerized for a moment before her enthusiasm returned tenfold. She pressed her paws to her cheeks and squealed once more. "These paws! Those tails!" She giggled. "I'm so cute!" She clambered to the ground below and stumbled over to a nearby mirror to observe herself. This girl couldn't be serious. Whose child did I find?
"Pardon me, but..." I padded over to the mirror and cut off the vixen's view. "Is there something I should know? Should I call for the nurse? You're acting strange."
The vulpix paused, a look of horror overtaking her features. "No, no." She shook her head. "Sorry." She chuckled awkwardly. "Please, none of that. I'm fine!"
Riiiiight. "If you say so." I eyed the vixen with suspicion. "What was that about? People who are fine don't question why others can speak."
"Did I say that?" She looked away.
"Well, sort of."
"I don't remember doing that."
"You're kidding." I sighed. "Look, it's my day off. We'll be here all day if you don't fess up." I plopped down upon the cold tiles and massaged my temples with my forepaws. Just my luck. I'd the weekend off and I was stuck looking after this confused mon.
"Your day off?" The vulpix straightened. "Shoot, you should've led with that!" She glanced around in a daze. "Come to think of it…right." She nodded. "Last I remember, I was in my room in the flat. I set my alarm…" She rubbed her temple in frustration. "Any chance you'd believe I'm a human?" She paused. "Or, well. Not any more, I guess."
I searched the fire type's expression. Nothing. Either she'd lost it, or somehow amidst her delirium, she'd understood the absurdity of her suggestion. "A human? Those are fairy tales. Myths," I argued. "You'd better have some evidence with a claim like that. That pelt and those tails of yours aren't doing you any favors."
"I'm telling the truth!" She insisted. "Look, my name's Crema Baker. My friends call me Cream." She reached for her tails, fumbling through their folds nervously. "I guess I'm supposed to be some kind of fox?" She shook her head. "I don't know how to prove it to you, but I've never seen a cat like you before, let alone a fox with multiple tails. What did you call it, a vulpix?"
"Cat?" I frowned. Sure the term was a commonality, but terms just like it were considered rude. Some used them like insults. This girl just seemed confused. What did she mean by a cat like me? Was there supposed to be some sort of baseline?
"Fine. You don't seem like you're pulling something on me." I shook my head. "Describe something about a human. Something specific. Depending on what it is, I'll believe you."
"Is a powerless, hairless ape enough for you?" Cream answered bluntly. "We're kind of ugly. We wear clothes to cover up. No fur and all." She paused. "Although we do sometimes have hair all over. It's sparse, mostly on males. Gets in all the weird places mostly."
The image alone was convincing enough. "Ok, ok. Enough." I shook my head. "I get enough of that mental image from the folktales." I shuddered. "So you used to be human then." I looked the vulpix over. This girl had to be joking. Not only was she the spitting image of a vulpix, but she was a unique one at that. Her pelt alone was enough to get her featured in one of those fancy papers. Surely it wasn't natural!
"Yes!" She nodded, desperation clear in her expression. "Please believe me. Someone has to." She shuffled uncomfortably. "I don't know where I am."
I sighed. Suddenly I wasn't feeling so great. Ice-cold guilt nagged at my chest, and soon I found myself shuffling my own paws. This vulpix needed help, and here I was thinking about my own problems. What kind of café host was that heartless?
"Alright. It's kind of hard to believe, but I don't think you're lying." I smiled reassuringly, putting on my best hostess smile. "Well then, Crema Baker. First of all, you're in Evergreen. The Evergreen guild, to be specific! You're one lucky mon!" I sighed. All of this and it still wasn't time to meet up with Uncle Riptide. Hopefully Taffy could stand to wait a little longer for those sweets. "I found you out cold in the outskirts. Passed out from the heat, so say the medics. If you don't have anywhere to go, you can come with me, I suppose. My name's Mocha!"
"Mocha…" Cream shook her head. "Mocha and Cream. Figures." She chuckled. "You mentioned something about a day off. I don't want to take away from that."
I shrugged her off. "I didn't have much planned for today anyway." I fibbed. "Come on. I'll show you the way." I stood up and padded over to the door, being mindful of the latch.
"The way to what?" The vulpix frowned. "And what's a guild?" Cream stumbled after me. I had to double back just to keep her on her feet. If this girl was lying, she was doing a great job at it. One thing humans were known for was their slender, bipedal frames. The suggestion that one could become a pokemon was absurd, but it would certainly explain the failure to walk straight.
"To my café, of course!" I grinned. "I've got today and tomorrow off, but you'd better be prepared to work. We don't accept freeloaders!"
The human-turned vulpix shrugged. "What else is new?" Cream giggled. "As long as you're paying me."
Café Evergreen:
The café was expectedly low on traffic by the time I returned. Only a few customers occupied the tables as we slipped past and into the kitchen where Taffy sat slumped over the counter, her chubby belly ever so slightly constricted by the countertop in front of her. A part of me wanted to chuckle in sight of the pear-shaped dragon, but I was already in hot water just by coming back here. The last thing I needed was an angry slime monster!
"Hmm?" Taffy cast a bored glance my way. Her expression immediately brightened, if only for a moment before suspicion overtook the newfound grin. "Arceus, Mocha! Can't ya stay away on yer day off? That beautified bum of yours too good to sit around like the rest of us?"
"Paws off, gurl!" I giggled and shot a quick glance back at Cream. The coffee-pelted vulpix had taken to my rear to hide from the dragon type's ire. "Brought a guest. New hire," I replied. "Try not to scare her."
Taffy raised a brow and shifted to get a good look at Cream. "Where'd ya find this one?" She frowned. "Gal looks downright terrified. Sure she's up to it?"
"What do you take me for?" Cream stepped out of hiding. "Do you know how hard it is to manage a hotel? A little café work shouldn't be too hard."
"You were a hotel manager?" I eyed the vulpix with newfound respect. I wasn't sure what human society was like, but hotels were a step up from restaurants. That being said, a managerial role didn't speak well to brewing coffee.
"Well, up until recently." Cream nodded. "I uhh… moved out here for a change of pace. The local hotels wouldn't take an outsider."
Taffy scoffed. "That sounds like 'em. Bunch of stuck-up scumbags," she spat. "Welcome aboard, I suppose. Name's Taffy." She offered a faint smile.
"Cream!" The fire type responded in kind. "Your umm… scales are lovely." She offered, taking note of Taffy's cherry-blossom goo. While scales weren't the proper term, the big lug blushed nonetheless.
"Sheesh. Take me out first." She cackled, then returned to the coffee-stained newspaper she'd spread across the countertop. "Still, yer on break, Mocha. Keep that business outta my kitchen." She flashed a soft smile. "Take a load off for once, girl. You need it."
I glanced around the empty building nervously. Blossom, a mespirit. The mespirit, was dusting off tables, but her pace was about as quick as a slugma's light jog. The girl wore striped socks. Tacky if you ask me, but she insisted on wearing them to work even as they collected grime from the tables she cleaned. The ivory countertop Taffy's belly clung to was littered with empty cups, while the windows remained smudged with grease from messy, kit-sized paw pads. At least the floorboards were clean. Ebony was particularly hard to keep clean, and for good reason. Everything stuck out against a glossy, black background!
"Fine, fine. Just keep your goop off the countertop!" I blew a kiss Taffy's way, then nudged Cream toward the staircase. "Take it slow." I urged. "I want to show you my room, not a hospital room."
"Hey!" Cream leapt forward with a sharp growl. "Back off the tails!" She dangled a paw over the first step for a moment, then pressed forward. It was messy, but she eventually made it the full way up. If only the trip back down was easier.
Mocha's Room:
As it turned out, Ether had been right about the thirst! The moment water was in sight, Cream dove for it. Literally. Muzzle first... straight into my water fountain. The girl didn't even wait for me to refill it! A part of me wanted to gag, even as she pulled herself from the silver dish and shook out her fur.
"Had enough?" I couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, usually you clear out the dirty water before you drink."
"Don't care." She let her tongue droop lazily from her maw. "Was parched."
"It would've taken seconds."
"Seconds too many!" Cream groaned. "Double the legs, double the exhaustion. Besides, that pretty face of yours looks fine. Doubt the water's as bad as you say."
"That is not how that works." I plopped down in my feather bed and offeree the vulpix a toothy grin. "Pretty sure it's the other way around. Bipeds have to put in more work."
"It's true when you don't know how to walk." The fire type complained. I couldn't argue with her there. I'd had to trail behind her the whole way back just to ensure she didn't break anything. Who do you even call in situations like this? A rehab clinic?
"I'll teach ya. You're fine." I glanced away and kneeded at the soft plumage of my alteria bed. "More pressing is our sleeping arrangement. We don't have any other beds."
"Nah, we're good. I call dibs on the floor!" Cream's grin returned in full force. "It's not as hard as I imagined."
"No one's taking the floor!" I protested. "We'll just have to share." I grumbled. "Of course, this wouldn't be a problem if the guild wasn't playing hard to get."
Cream flipped over onto her side and cast a troublesome look down at her still-drenched pelt. "You mentioned the guild before. Is it important to you?" She brushed a forepaw furiously at the affected fur.
"Catch!" I lobbed a brush Creams way. Its plastic, amber handle clattered against the barren planks before she so much as attempted to grasp it. "The guild's a place where explorers meet. I don't think I need to explain what those are." I paused for confirmation, receiving little more than a nod in response. "Right, well. Think of it as a job with travel benefits. You get to explore far-off territories. Occasionally you might be tasked with keeping the piece, or the occasional odd job or two, but it's a popular enough trade. My brother's one of them, and I've always... I dunno." I clawed at my bed uncomfortably. "I used to think it was stupid, but it's been fun helping the newbies find a foothold. Great for advertising the café as well!"
"Sounds like reason enough to join to me." Cream shrugged, already fumbling with the brush. "Why haven't you?"
"The guilds are harder on merchants." I unfolded the application from earlier and stared at the absent sponsorship signature. "They always think you're trying to peddle something." I huffed. "Which I am, but not to them!" I groaned. The goal of business was to branch out. Didn't they know that?
"So what? You need someone to vouch for you or something?" Cream asked absently as she gripped the brush with both paws. I reached down and stopped her.
"Sort of." I clambered out of the bed and sat beside the coffee-pelted vulpix. "The sponsor is the important thing, but I also need a partner, and Taffy's not much of an athlete, unfortunately. She talks tough, but she's as soft as a marshmallow once you get to know her." I gripped the former human's paw and trained her digits around the brush handle, letting her take care of the rest. "That aside, there's also an entrance exam. Not all guilds have them, but Evergreen's is prestigious."
Cream snickered. "Bunch of needs, eh? In that case, why don't I help out? Sounds fun!"
"Don't you think you should figure out where you came from first?" I sighed. Suddenly the bed situation seemed like a minor inconvenience in comparison. "I won't go easy on you here at the café. Exploring is a hobby of mine, not a fun retreat. I planned on using it to better the business. You know, advertise a little, maybe forage around for some ingredients to expiriment with. You'll be on the job constantly."
The coffee vulpix stopped brushing for a moment and cast a melancholic gaze at the unsanded planks below. "I didn't have much going on back home anyway." She gripped the brush tighter and continued with steady strokes. "Believe me, this is the most fun I've had in a while. If you need a partner, I'm there!" She poked a digit at my sweat bands. "Oh, but you'll have to change those! Sweat much?"
I felt at the spongey fabric. Indeed, they were just a soked as the fire type's pelt had been moments before. "Aww gross!" I kicked them off one at a time and rushed to my water dish to cleanse my paws. "You could've said something earlier!"
"Sorry! Got distracted watching you teach me how to hold things." She glanced down at her forepaws in amazement. "Paws weren't built for that back home." She smiled triumphantly. "It still doesn't make sense, but I'll take it. Just like I'll take the softer side of the bed!" The vulpix sprung to her feet and leapt into my bed without another word.
"Wha! Excuse me, that's my bed! I get the softer side!" I frowned. "What makes you think you get to decide something like that?"
Cream stuck out her tongue and rolled over, pretending to sleep. A full-grown pokemon acting like a kit, and I was the weird one. "I don't know about you, but you're all prettied up. You don't need the soft side."
"Says the girl with freckles on her rear." I clambered into the bed alongside the vulpix. The sheer audacity. It wasn't even close to night yet. I still had shopping to do! "Your pelt is just asking for a modeling job. Just look at that heart. It can't be natural!"
The vulpix blinked her maple-hued eyes and moved to inspect her coffee art-inspired pelt. "Huh..." She shrugged. "Fancy, if a bit loud. I'll take the tabby pattern any day." She puffed her chest out proudly. "Jokes asside, what's the rest of the day looking like? If it's just this room..."
"Shopping, mostly." I admitted. "Though, if we finish early, I might have time to show you around." I grinned. "In fact, we could swing back around the café to pick up the others and hit the town! I'm sure Taffy would appreciate the company, given she's covering my shift tommorow."
"Shopping then. That's one thing I can do." Cream sighed. "You can consider this my first mission. I'll make the list!" She grinned stupidly and leapt from the bed. "Oh, uh. By the way. What is Taffy and can I lay on her?"
"First, she's a dragon." I shook my head. "Second, do you want her to punt you? Believe me, she will."
That seemed to shut the former human up fast. Unfortunately, I had a feeling the questions were only beginning. Not just for her, but for me as well. Just who was this girl, and why had the legends chosen a café owner of all 'mon to look after her? That is, assuming she was telling the truth.
