Ice crystals drift down from the cave ceiling above. The wind catches them, blowing them about in a flurry, tugging at Rabbit’s scarf. Looking up, she spots Elu standing opposite her, his expression hard, and knows there’s no running this time.
dream-of-ice replied to your post:Bram Causefobrel Presents: A Pokemon Biome Event:...
that. Is so looooong.
i knoooooow i’m sorryyyyyy
i write long. it is the thing i do. i like taking my time during writing.
if you want a summary it basically goes “Rabbit is asked to be a waitress for the Solstice Festival. She has reservations about it but agrees. She then talks to Laila about this and they end up showering together.
“Later she and Laila are invited to a party, but due to technical difficulties are late. On their trip there they have an incident with an ariados and almost fall off the walkways in the canopies that make up the village they live in. Rabbit’s arm is dislocated, but set back in its socket.
“Upon arriving at the party, Rabbit and Laila have a small argument and seperate. Rabbit spends most of the party on her own before encountering Galahad. He looks at her injury before there’s an accident involving Rabbit’s chatot breaking the punch bowl.
“Rabbit begins to panic and is put into a trance by an unknown source before she can react badly. She’s lead away by Laila, and on the trip back to her house it is revealed that Galahad’s xatu, Esther, is the one who put her into a trance at the behest of Rabbit’s ralts, Korso. While in the trance, Rabbit is shown a group of people moving contraband by Esther, and focuses on one in particular. As they disappear out of view Rabbit blacks out and the story ends.”
And that’s what happens, but there’s a lot more nuance to it than that because WRITING!!!
Late evening light filtered through the window, into the hotel manager’s office. It glinted off the polished wooden surface of her desk, catching Rabbit’s eye and making her squint at the glare. She stood before that desk, watching the hotel manager, Mrs. Namsek, with close knit brows. Her eyes flickered over the room, looking for any respite that might tell her she was being played a cruel prank. All they fell on, however, was natural, wooden furniture, some growing out of the very walls and floor, molded from the still living wood. Plants draped from almost every surface, pots hanging from the ceiling on naturally formed hooks. Their contents flourished in the rich sunlight that was let in during the day when the skylight was uncovered, cared for with an affection most would reserve for their own children. Nestled among them and hanging from a high corner was a woven hammock, which Rabbit’s eye trailed to.
Over her time working at the Treetop she’d woken in that hammock more often than she cared to admit, having fallen asleep on the job as frequent as she did. It had become a place of safety for her, and now, after the nightmares that had given her such fitful rest the night previous, she couldn’t help but regard it with a longing eye.
“The wait staff is short for the solstice event. Flora got called away on vacation by her parents, and I need someone reliable to fill in. I know you’re capable, Rabbit. You’ve filled in for the waiters on short notice before, and I’ll make sure you’re mostly serving instead of taking orders,” Mrs Namsek said. She’d pulled a pitcher of water from under her desk and begun fussing with some of the plants, brushing away at them. Nearby, on a little fluffy bed just for it, her ledyba gave a yawn and shifted in its sleep.
Grimacing, Rabbit leaned forward and chewed at her lower lip. “M-Miss… Ma-a’am. I… I know I’ve f-filled in b-before, b-but… Th-this is the s-olstice f-f-festival! I-I can d-o something sh-ort n-notice s-sometimes, b-but this is…”
“One of the busiest weeks of the year, I know,” Mrs. Namsek looked up, flashing Rabbit a reassuring smile. “Which is why it’s important that I have you serving at least a few of the nights. We’re going to be jam packed, and if we’re shorthanded we’ll need as many people as we can get. I even have Laila working with you. I’ll be handling the front desk with Winry in her place.”
“Prep!” A voice called out, making Rabbit flinch and look up into the jungle of plants above her head. She’d forgotten Iggs was out of her pokeball. The colorful little bird had taken roost in one of the pots and was looking down at her with a curious but otherwise blank expression.
“Y-yeah, th-at…” Rabbit said, a tired waver in her voice.
Mrs. Namsek took a moment to return her attention from the chatot, her lips pulled into a grimace, looking a little worse for wear after the surprise. “Francisco can… He can go a day or two without you, Rabbit. He’s done it before, after all. And if you’re that worried, you know you’re allowed to come in early to help out. Shorthanded is shorthanded, after all.”
“M-rs. Namsek…” Rabbit said, pleading, but the woman was already shaking her head.
“Rabbit I need you on this. We’re going to be under pressure as is, and I need as few hold ups as I can get. With you I know the likelihood of you dropping a plate or spilling food is next to none. I know you’re scared, but you’ve been making progress in leaps and bounds lately, and you’ll be allowed to have Iggs and Korso with you at all times. I have full confidence that you can do this. You’re allowed to say no, but I would be incredibly grateful if you agreed to do this.”
The two met eyes, and it was all Rabbit could do to keep from ripping her gaze away. Mrs. Namsek had been good to her over the years. Even with all the problems Rabbit could cause she’d been steadfast in the young woman saying on and making her feel as welcomed as she could. Even with her odd sleeping tendencies the usual reaction was to set her up in the hammock or a spare room and let her sleep it through. Now she was needed more than ever. With all that in mind she simply couldn’t refuse.
Letting out a sigh, Rabbit lowered her head and gave a dejected nod.
************
“So, how’d it go?” Laila grinned at Rabbit as she crossed the distance between them in the back room with only a few strides. She’d been in the middle of changing into her regular clothes after a shower, and her hair still hadn’t been pinned back and wrapped under her hijab. Candy blue stands of it that matched Rabbit’s own pink were colored dark with damp that still hadn’t dried, and was pressed almost flat against her head. It resisted against the laws of gravity with its curly nature, but could do little with the excess weight of water, just managing to make ripples along her scalp.
“W-what?” Rabbit blinked up at her friend, more than half a foot taller than herself. She was all of a sudden aware of the uncomfortable sticky feeling on her skin, and the fact that Laila was wearing little more than a bra and underwear. Maybe she could be convinced to take another shower? Both their shifts were over after all.
“You were talking with Norah, right? How’d it go?”
“M-mrs. Namsek?” Rabbit grimaced, looking uncomfortable. “Y-yeah I t-alked to her… H-how did you n-know that?”
“She talked to me too, remember?” Laila grinned, slipping into a pair of pants while Rabbit’s hopes slipped down a bit further. “I may have mentioned you as well. Or at least hinted that getting someone who is really cute and dexterous was probably a good idea…”
“W-wait, w-what?” Rabbit rounded on Laila, advancing with one pointed finger. Y-you mean y-ou’re the reason M-rs. Namsek c-called me t-to w-work the h-oliday shi-ift!?”
Despite herself Laila was still grinning, holding her hands up defensively, hijab hanging from a thumb. Her brows knit together in a guilty expression and she leaned away from her shorter friend.
“Awh c’mon, Rabbit! It’s no biggie! You know it’s way more fun to work with a friend than to get conscripted into some job with people you don’t really know. The only waitress I know is Hailey, and that’s more like I got in a battle with her and she lost so now she owes me fifty poke.” None of what Laila said was helped by her guilt ridden grin, but she wasn’t backing down, either.
Rabbit glared at her for a moment, cheeks puffed up in anger, before blowing out a sigh and slumping forward. “F-iiiiine,” she groaned. With a tug at her work uniform, she stripped down and let it drop to the floor. Even as prep, working in a kitchen was hot and exhausting.
“B-but you owe me,” Rabbit said, turning the pointed finger on Laila again.
“Sure thing, babe, anything you ask.” Laila didn’t even try to hide how her eyes ran up and down Rabbit’s body, or the grin spreading across her lips. Rabbit returned the stare with a half lidded, flat look of her own, before grabbing Laila’s hand.
“Y-you’re t-aking a sh-ower w-with me,” she said, dragging the taller woman with her.
“What-? Awh- I just took one, Rabbit!” Laila protested, stumbling along behind.
“T-too bad. Y-ou’re the o-one who s-said a-anything I a-ask!” Rabbit stopped in her tracks, staring down at the floor, feeling her face go hot. “I-I mean you d-on’t have to… I j-just thought it’d b-be n-nice…”
“Rabbit!” Laila’s voice broke through, and Rabbit looked up, realizing Laila was gripping her hand with as much strength as she had been moments before. “It’s fine, really. I was just giving you a hard time. It’s been hot today, I wouldn’t mind another shower.”
A grin to match Laila’s own spread across Rabbit’s face. She grabbed Laila’s other hand and started walking backwards, pulling her friend along. “C-c’mon, then! S-slowpoke!”
“Ohhh noooo!” Laila groaned, digging her heels in and only barely hiding her smirk. “My legs have gone like jelly after all that work todaaaaay! I can’t move I’m gonna fall I’m gonna-“ She cut out into a burst of laughter as Rabbit pulled her forward, off balance, and caught her, returning the smile.
“Hi there,” Laila grinned.
“H-hey,” Rabbit smiled back. She let out a squeak as Laila leaned forward and kissed her, and the two fell backwards into the shower, giggling all the way down.
************
Wood shavings fluttered to the deck of Rabbit’s front porch. With each movement of her knife they curled at her fingertips, brushing against her skin. At the end of the stroke they fell away, joining the rest in a little pile at her feet. Every motion was mechanical, her eyes running up and down. The little knife flashed in the setting summer sun, its heat pleasant on her dark skin. Each slide forming a scraping rhythm that she fell into like breathing. The smell of fresh cut yew met her nose, mixed with the usual smells of the forest around her, and she felt herself smile. A pause, and she raised a glass to her lips, lemon iced tea, herbal and tangy, with just a touch of sweet.
A burst of mischief and golden sparkles flickered in her mind as she set down the glass. Rabbit let out a yelp and lifted her feet as a little white body crashed into the pile of wood shavings. Curly wood flew everywhere, tossed this way and that as the furry creature writhed among them. As sudden as it had started all movement froze for a moment as the ralts stared off at nothing in particular, his lanky body held tense, and his ears twitching. Then, he turned to her with beady little eyes and gold and salmon joy blossomed in her mind and he went back to playing.
Smiling, Rabbit adjusted her grip on the long block of wood she’d been carving, moving it out of his way. Her knife pressed against the flesh of the block once more and she resumed her activity. Each shaving that fell was snapped at by Korso in his joyous dance, and each one brought another twinkle to her eye.
Nearby there was a small chuff of exhaled breath. It came from the form of the big ninetails with her curly fur, lounging in a pseudo slumber under the eaves of Rabbit’s hut of a tree house. As she heard it, Rabbit glanced up to find Laila walking down the way, a bag under one arm, whistling to herself. Flickers of light danced around her, telling Rabbit that Skai was out of her pokeball and accompanying her friend.
“Hey! Rabbit! Franny called me, wanted me to ask if you’d be helping cook at Heart Home tonight. They’ve got the champ back in town,” Laila said with a waved greeting.
An image of Rabbit’s own shoulder flickered through her mind. A frown crossed her face and she stuck out a leg, Korso clambering up to find perch next to her head, her eyes never leaving Laila. “C-coulda called m-me,” she said. “D-didn’t need y-you to t-trouble yourself.”
“Well he said he did, but you weren’t picking up,” Laila stopped on the porch, leaning over to pick up the cell phone left on a chair nearby. “Yep, you set it to silent again and forgot about it,” she said, tapping at its see through surface. “Seriously, Rabbit, you need to upgrade. This phone is, like, five years old.”
Cheeks flushing, Rabbit busied herself with her wood carving. “I l-like it, th-ough.”
“Doesn’t mean there aren’t waaaay better ones out there. Yours doesn’t even have holographic capabilities. I remember you came back from the tundra babbling about how cool those were, and they sent a shipment of the newest prototypes a week ago. I could get you one, if you want.”
“L-last time you d-id that I b-broke it…” Rabbit picked at a wood shaving that had gotten stuck in her sock as Korso nuzzled her cheek. “I w-wouldn’t wanna p-p-“
“PUT!” Iggs shrieked from a perch in the trees, making both Rabbit and Laila jump.
“R-right, uh… Th-at… Except, n-o… I m-ean, y-you sh-shouldn’t be d-oing stuff like th-at for m-me if it’s j-ust going to g-get b-broken…”
“Yeah, except they need walking tech bane like you in order to better understand how to keep the delicate parts from breaking. Honestly you’re doing them a service,” Laila grinned, Skai’s electric current flickering around her fingers as she tapped at the phone. Every once in a while a flash of teeth or a strange looking eye would appear, only lasting for a fraction of a second before disappearing once more. Rabbit shuddered, leaning away. On her shoulder, Korso made a little spitting noise, and scrambled down, looking all the world like mercury flowing down Rabbit’s side.
“So, you coming to help cook or not? Cuz they needed you there, like, three hours ago,” Laila said, looking up and regarding Rabbit with a grin.
“Shit,” Rabbit’s eyes went wide. She was on her feet in a moment, brushing any remaining wood shavings from her lap.
The door to her house slammed behind her as she dashed inside. Jarres stood up from her spot and gave a luxurious yawn, showing off a curling tongue and quite a few disconcerting, white teeth as a clattering arose from Rabbit’s hut. Each of her tails was given special attention, stretched and shaken individually as Laila gave a grin and squatted next to her.
“Hey there, Jarres,” she said, ruffling the fox Pokemon behind her ears, which the ninetails leaned into. “Wanna meet with your dad today?”
At Laila’s question Jarres pulled away and shot the tall woman an unimpressed look, positively brimming with disgust.
“Alright, I get it,” Laila chuckled. “Yeah he’s not the easiest to get along with, is he?” Jarres snorted, letting out a lick of flame from her nostrils, as if to comment on Laila’s under exaggeration, and Laila let out another chuckle.
“Still, I know even if you two don’t get along great, he does appreciate seeing you. He appreciates all his kids, even if he sucks at showin’ it.” Jarres’ expression didn’t change, and Laila gave a shrug in response. “Alright, was just asking.”
Something crashed from inside the hut, and Laila stood, a look of concern on her face.
“Hey Rabbit, everything alright?” She asked, eyeing the door handle.
“F-fine! J-j-just kn-ocked over my s-screen. D-did a d-domin-no effect and t-toppled some-“
“POTS!” Iggs piped in from atop the roof.
“Yeah th-those!”
Laila eyed the hut for a moment longer, before shrugging. “Well so long as you’re-“ She didn’t get to finish the sentence, however, as the door swung open.
The taller woman’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as she spotted Rabbit standing just inside the frame. She wore her hair back in a braid she’d put it in to keep it out of her face for wood carving, her bangs on the right side left to hang free and cover the cigarette burns on her brow. Now, however, it was accompanied by a dark blue, strapless dress, the murkrow feather hair clip Rabbit had made a few months ago, and her usual golden locket. A shawl had been draped over her shoulders, looking like a sunset as yellow spread from the center, turning to orange, salmon, red, purple, indigo and finally the same deep blue of night sky as her dress at the ends. She’d touched up her makeup in record time as well, giving a soft glow to her dark skin, topped off by glossy red lips.
“Arceus, Rabbit, I thought you were just gonna help cook…”
“I’m w-working the f-festival! I d-don’t g-et to d-dress up how I w-wanna. Th-this is my o-only ch-chance to do something f-fancy this s-eason,” Rabbit explained, taking Laila’s arm and leading her away.
Korso bounced along beside Rabbit and Laila, looking happy as could be. Rabbit could feel a message pass between him and Jarres. The ninetails stretched again before taking Rabbit’s woodcarving project in gentle jaws and slipping down into the platform beneath Rabbit’s house. Above, Iggs noticed her human leaving, and took flight to follow, always eager for a little bit of exercise and exploration.
“You know there will be plenty of chances to dress up fancy than just this,” Laila quipped as the two of them walked arm in arm. Their footsteps echoed against the raised, wooden platforms and pathways that made up Kaprawlii village.
Said pathways traversed the treetops, some aligning with and resting upon branches underneath them, but just as many hanging freely if not for the many woven vines keeping them aloft. Huts much like Rabbit’s own could be seen here and there, although some of them were much bigger than hers. They sported multiple levels, and extra rooms. Patios and decks could be seen on some of them, some even with pools or hot tubs built in.
Those were the ones that made Rabbit’s eyes go wide in wonder at how anyone could live in such a giant place without getting lost. She’d always been fonder of the respectable homes built for families than the huge mansions. They were more common, as well. On most occasions no more than a single story, with enough rooms to survive but no more. She’d wanted one of her own, someday. She had to admit, however, that they weren’t as eye catching as the mansions…
“Earth to Rabbit. Anyone in there?” Laila snapped her fingers in front of Rabbit’s eyes.
The shorter woman blinked, drawing her eyes away from one of the larger buildings. “W-wha-?”
“Mew’s left nut, but you’re out of it today. I was saying you don’t need an excuse to dress up like this. You can do it anytime you want, you know?”
Rabbit flushed, looking away. “I n-know…” She mumbled, reaching up to thumb at the golden locket around her throat. “B-but it d-doesn’t f-feel as r-real if it’s n-ot for an ev-v-vent or s-omething.”
“And what if it’s for a date?” Laila asked. Rabbit didn’t have to look up to know she was smirking. She could feel the expression on her friend’s face just as easily as she could feel the heat in her own cheeks.
“Th-then th-at’d feel r-real…” She mumbled. “B-but it’s n-ot like I h-have one. Or… Or l-ike I w-want one, ei-ther. It’d be a r-really b-bad e-excuse to g-get g-gussied up.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Laila responded in mock dejection. “Piss poor excuse indeed. But we could always go on a friend date. Just the two of us. Maybe end it with a nice evening to ourselves, too,” she said, ending with a singsong note.
“You are i-inc-corrigible,” Rabbit said, shooting Laila a glance.
“Says the one who ambushed me in the shower at work a few days ago,” Laila quipped in that same singsong tone.
Letting out an annoyed grunt, Rabbit pulled back her hips and slammed them into Laila, sending her stumbling to the side as she howled with laughter. The noise disturbed a few yanma who had been lazing in the sunlight. They scattered, while Korso interpreted their feelings of surprise and disgust in flashes of yellow and murky green in Rabbit’s head.
“Oh so that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?” Laila said. Her grin was wild as she caught her feet under her. “You are seriously going to regret that,” she continued, and pounced at Rabbit with grasping hands.
The shorter woman yelped and danced to the side. She slipped along some of the braided vines holding the pathway up, out of Laila’s reach. The ground stretched far below her, but she paid it no mind, focused only on Laila.
“Cheater!” Laila called, one foot placed uncertain on the vines. “Get back here you little monkey! I’ll noogie you! I swear I will.”
“Isn’t it c-c-counterproductive to t-tell me t-to come b-ack and als-o th-threaten to n-noogie me if I d-do?” Rabbit asked, cocking her head and grinning.
“I’ll counter your productivity! With my fist!” Laila yelled, grinning as well. “Stop bringing logic into fake fights!”
“Y-you m-ean s-stop w-winning f-fake f-fights with my l-logic?”
“Yes! That! Now get back here or I’ll… I’ll… Oh crap,” Laila’s eyes went wide.
With a frown, Rabbit turned about and wished she hadn’t.
“A-a-a-ariados,” she let out a squeak, and stumbled back on her vine. The large, red spider Pokemon had slipped down from the treetops and clambered on the trunk near Rabbit’s head. It sat in place, eyeing her.
Within a millisecond Korso was in Rabbit’s mind, detangling the panic that had formed to the best of his abilities, but the Pokemon’s appearance had been too sudden.
“Rabbit, look out!” She heard Laila’s voice at the same time as her foot came down without vine to support it. There was that awful jolting sensation like when you step on a stair that isn’t there. Then, she was falling.
Falling wasn’t a new experience for Rabbit. She went clambering in treetops often enough that tripping and falling was a common occurrence. Usually she found a foothold, or something to grab onto. On those occasions she came away sore, but usually none the worse for wear. Sometimes, however, they just weren’t there. Sometimes she came away with a broken ankle, or arm, or wrist. She’d survived each one, obviously, but those had been small falls. This was at the canopy, and the canopy stretched high in Kaprawli village.
With all that running through her mind, she didn’t even notice as her fingers slipped past the vines. She’d been surrounded by so many vines, it was astonishing she hadn’t been able to grab a single one. Yet there she was, watching them whizz past her hands, none of them coming the least bit close. If she could reach out the teeniest bit, maybe she could- But no, they were already gone, weren’t they? This was it, then. An ariados and a dumb joke would be her end. This was-
Something gripped Rabbit’s arm and she felt herself jolt, stopping all at once. At the same time she felt something in her shoulder pop, and then someone was yelling directly in her ear.
“Rabbit! RABBIT! Quit screaming! We’ve got you, alright? You’re not falling!” It was Laila’s voice. Rabbit blinked up to see her friend’s face screwed up with strain.
Screaming? Was she screaming? Oh, she was. She could feel her throat going raw. Why was she screaming? Rabbit clamped her mouth shut, and the answer hit her all at once as her shoulder seemed to light on fire. Oh. Right. Pain. That would explain the screaming.
“Sh-shoulder. F-fuck. Sh-shoulder!” Rabbit could barely speak above a whisper as she felt the strain on her arm.
Rabbit nodded in response, squeezing her eyes shut. She’d clenched her teeth to keep from bursting Laila’s eardrums with her cries of pain, but even then she was having to work to level her breathing. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could feel Korso working to calm her and push away the pain, but his touch was light, as if he was focusing on more than one thing at once.
“Hang on, I gotcha,” Laila said, and Rabbit felt a wooden ledge scrape across her arm, then press against her chest. She blinked up to find Laila heaving her up onto the pathway once more, and realized their hands had been stuck together by sticky strands of goop.
“S-string sh-ot,” Rabbit mumbled through her clenched teeth.
“Yep. Better be thanking Korso, cuz I’m pretty sure he saved both our asses big time right here.”
Clambering to her feet and looking closer, Rabbit realized Laila was covered almost head to toe with the webbing. Nearby, the ariados was looking dazed, and Korso had his paws to his forehead, little weasel face screwed up in concentration.
“K-korso… Sss-saved us?” Sha asked, blinking away the spots in her vision caused by pain.
“It was a group effort, from what I understand,” Laila said, leaning over Rabbit. “How’s your arm?”
“Hurt.” Bringing attention back to it wasn’t helping, either.
“Yeah?” Laila licked her lips and grimaced. “Well this isn’t gonna be any more pleasant. Brace.”
Realization hitting, Rabbit did as she was told, trying to ignore how her arm was swinging around outside her influence. She felt Laila’s hand on her other shoulder, pressing hard, followed by pressure on her dislocated shoulder and-
“FUCKING HELL!” Rabbit screamed, a flash of white hot light blinding her for a moment, before fading with agonizing slowness.
A door opened nearby, and Laila turned to spot someone peeking out of their treehouse, looking curious. She ignored them and turned back, looking Rabbit over like a mother hen.
“How’s it feeling? Gonna live?”
“Th-think so. ‘S g-g-gonna be s-sore, b-but n-nothing I c-can’t ha-andle. Had w-orse,” Rabbit said, rubbing the tender flesh as she stood.
“Think you can still wait tables with me?”
“Y-eah. I’ll b-be alright. J-ust h-hurts.”
“Good,” Laila said, putting her arm around Rabbit and leading her away. “Then let’s get you to the Heart Home, the elevator’s nearby. I think if they’ve gone this long without your help they’ll survive for the rest of the night. Still, would hate to have made you get gussied up for nothing.”
“A-alright. I th-think I c-can agree to th-that…” Rabbit said, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit as she came off the adrenaline high.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Laila said, hugging Rabbit closer.
“Wha- ACK!” Rabbit sputtered as Laila’s knuckles dug into her skull, the taller woman catching her in a headlock.
“Don’t you EVER do that to me again, you hear me?” Laila growled, letting go at last. “Seriously, I almost wet myself, and that is NOT cool.”
“I won’t, I w-won’t!” Rabbit conceded, holding up her hands in surrender. “I p-p-p… P-p…”
“PROMISE!” Iggs interjected, following after the two as they stepped onto the wooden, vine powered elevator.
“Y-yeah, th-that.”
Down below mechanics began to rattle and the wooden elevator was whisked away to the ground. Laila wiped away a single tear, and leaned forward to kiss Rabbit on the forehead, looking tired and relieved and covered in spider silk. A little ways away, an ariados came out of its trance. It scuttled back and forth on the wooden platform, looking around, before shaking itself off and crawling back into the treetops once more.
***************
“Oh good, you two made it.” A man stood behind the picket fence of the Heart Home orphanage. He waved to them in greeting and ran a hand through his hair, dyed red with the sides shaven. “Was afraid you’d managed to fall off the paths,” he said, his words tinged with a Spanish accent.
It had been an innocent comment, a common joke passed between the residents of Kaprawli village that someone who was late had fallen from the pathways. Even so, Rabbit and Laila both felt a pang and exchanged a look. Seeing their expressions, and the way Rabbit clutched at her shoulder, the man’s expression grew dark and concerned. He dropped the black bag of trash he’d been carrying and hurried over in long strides.
“What happened?” he asked, stopping by the gate and opening it. “Are you two okay?”
Behind him, the screen door to the orphanage opened and a woman leaned out, her hair straw blond and curly. The building itself had been built on the forest floor, nestled between two huge tree trunks. Its front was wide, making room for as much extra space as could be granted for its occupants, with a second story giving even more. Eaves hung over the front porch, every bit of it worn as the rest of the house, with a railing that had been hand carved long ago, with many a new coat of paint.
“Francisco?” The woman called, her brows knit together, emphasizing the incredible amount of freckles spattered across her skin.
“Give a moment, Shilo, Rabbit and Laila just got here. I’ll be in to check on the roast in no time,” Francisco called back, waving her off, each of his R’s to perfection.
“We’re fine, Franny,” Laila said, stepping past him through the gate, Rabbit in tow. “Was just a slip up on the walkways.
“Are you trailing webbing?” Francisco asked, eyebrows raised in incredulity. He wasn’t as tall as Laila, but he held himself with a casual confidence. Even with his long, sharp features, and the scar running from the corner of his left eye across the side of his head, his sleepy lids and dopey smile tended to put people around him at ease. It was only when he focused his gaze, and revealed his attentive eyes that people realized the power of his commands.
“W-was s-surprised by an a-ariad-dos,” Rabbit said, massaging her shoulder. Now that the relief had faded from the joint being put back in place there was an ache that had come to reside deep in the muscle.
“We slipped, that’s all. She’s not gonna be able to help cook tonight, though. Her shoulder was dislocated and I had to pop it back in, so we’re being careful,” Laila explained, making her way up the stairs. She paused to put a hand on the carved wooden heart detailing the corner of the railing. Her fingers fell into the indent that had been worn into it by many a hand in the past. Rabbit’s hand followed after, and then Francisco’s as they all contributed to its mark.
“Well fortunately for her the cooking is mostly done. Would have needed her to get her much earlier if she’d wanted to help,” Francisco said, just a tad resentful.
“S-sorry for f-forgetting to t-urn my ph-one off s-s-silent, sh-chef,” Rabbit said, staring down at her feet as she did.
Francisco’s expression softened, and he let out a sigh. “I am just glad you two are safe. Things are well under way, but the food won’t be ready for a little while, so make yourselves comfortable, okay? I need to finish taking out the trash.”
“We’ll be alright, worry wart,” Laila said, elbowing him in the ribs.
Francisco scowled and rubbed at the spot. “The day Rabbit manages to actually fall out of a tree is the day I head for the closest bomb shelter and buy myself an umbrella to protect from grumpig poop falling from the skies.”
“I f-fall out of t-t-trees all the t-time,” Rabbit said, frowning.
“Shhhh!” Francisco put a finger to his lips, looking intense. “Don’t let the grumpigs hear that! They’ll start looking for their wings!”
Laila let out a snort of laughter and shoved Francisco away. “Go take care of the trash, we’re gonna head inside and find snacks to raid.”
“Leave some for the rest of us,” Francisco said, chuckling as he hefted the black plastic bag again and started toward the side of the building.
Inside, Laila and Rabbit turned down the front hall and found themselves in a large living room filled with people. A short, dumpy woman with graying, curly hair pulled back in a bun broke away from her conversation with a few other people long enough to give them a friendly wave before turning back.
“Looks like Mrs. Nome is doing well,” Laila commented with a smile.
“Mm-h-hmm,” Rabbit made a noncommittal noise, suddenly preoccupied with fussing over some invisible fluff on Korso’s fur. The little ralts shot Laila a pleading look, and she had to hold back a burst of laughter.
“Hey, it’s just a party. No one’s going to mind if you head to a back room and spend some time on your own,” Laila said, putting a reassuring hand on Rabbit’s good shoulder, Korso escaping the perch to slip into the crowd.
Rabbit looked up, grimacing. “J-just a l-ot of p…” She paused for a moment, furrowing her brow and biting at her lip.
Laila was hit with a sudden pang at the sight, barely able to hold back a mumble of “cute.”
Clearing her thoughts with a shake of her head, Laila squeezed Rabbit’s shoulder. “You’ll be alright. You’ve been doing great lately.”
Rabbit’s expression didn’t clear, but she nodded and gave a similarly noncommittal “Yeah.”
A worried look began to ease into Laila’s expression, and she leaned down a little, trying to get more on Rabbit’s level. “Hey, if you want I can stick with you tonight. We can hold hands and you won’t have to deal with anything I won’t. I’ll be there every step of the way!”
Rabbit turned her eyes to Laila, and for a moment there was a look of longing and relief. They clouded with something else, however, and she pulled away from Laila’s grip, stumbling back a few steps.
“I-I’m f-f-fine! Y-you don’t n-need to b-baby me, o-okay?” She was clutching at her locket again, thumb running along its polished, gold surface. Her brow was furrowed, and she refused to actually look at Laila. On the railing of the staircase to the upper floors Iggs shifted from foot to foot, eyeing Laila and Rabbit.
“If you’re sure…” Laila said. She recognized the look on Rabbit’s face, and the stubborn way she held herself. Normally the shorter girl seemed much shorter than Laila. She hunched over and held herself in close to keep from taking up space. At times like these, however, it became evident that she wasn’t actually a short person.
“I…” Rabbit deflated once more, and let out a sigh. “Y-yeah… G-go have f-fun. I-I’m just g-onna go f-f-find s-someplace q-quieter…”
“Alright. If you need me, send Iggs, alright?”
“Y-yeah…”
Laila stood still, watching Rabbit for a few moments more. She wanted to say something more, or to make more offers, but it felt that anything more would only make things worse. With a final glance back, she slipped into the crowd, and soon was completely out of sight.
Claws dug into Rabbit’s shoulder, and she reached up to run an absent minded finger under Korso’s chin. He was already back in her mind, filtering through her thoughts and helping to sift her emotions. His touch was weak, however, and she knew he still felt exhausted from his stint with the ariados earlier. With a little trill, he rubbed against her cheek, sending comforting greens and yellows, like the sun filtering through tree leaves.
The party wore on. Rabbit drifted through the crowd. People bustled around her, taking up the rooms of homely furnishings. They seemed to take no heed of Rabbit, or her two Pokemon, and it was only on occasion that their own companions stopped to trade introductions with Korso or Iggs. She was but a ghost among them, huddled in close to herself, trying her best to ignore the sound of their voices.
Every once in a while she’d catch glimpses of people she knew; Shilo’s curly hair sticking out above the crowd, looking nervous as usual; Francisco bringing out food from the kitchens and cracking jokes to anyone who crossed his path; Mrs. Nome, caretaker of the Heart Home orphanage, bustling about and acting as the perfect hostess.
Some she didn’t, either, but knew of. She’d heard of Chita before, but never actually met her. A short woman of stocky build, a few years younger than Rabbit, with dark skin and curly hair, wearing a wrestling outfit and giving out hearty chuckles every few moments, she was apparently a former Heart Home orphan herself. Surrounded by a flock of fans as she was, Rabbit avoided Chita as best she could, hoping not to get swept up into a situation too chaotic for her to handle.
At times during her wandering Rabbit would spot the orange of Laila’s headscarf, or hear her booming laugh, and would turn on her heel. Something in Rabbit’s gut churned each time, and she’d feel a boost in Korso’s activity in her mind.
Eventually she retired to a corner near to the buffet. Just as before people passed her by without word, but at times she would receive visitors. Francisco was the first to notice. On one of his many trips from the kitchen and back he spotted her and wove his way through the crowd. Their exchanges were brief as he expressed concern for her arm and inquired about her ability to work over the next few days. She tried her best to assure him she would be fine, but it was clear he had his doubts. It wasn’t too much to suppose he really was concerned over the idea she could have fallen from the trees, and had been somewhat rattled by it. He simply didn’t show it well.
After that Francisco must have spread word about Rabbit, because she got a few other visitors. Mrs. Nome, fulfilling her hostess duties, stopped by and inquired over her injury as well. Rabbit knew she would have fussed over it if it weren’t for the party at hand, but as was she simply nodded over assurance, and left Rabbit to herself not long after. Shilo appeared as well, but even briefer. A plate of cookies was placed in Rabbit’s hands, as well as a pat on her good shoulder, and before Rabbit could say a word Shilo had disappeared once more.
Even Mrs. Namsek made an appearance; her cheeks rosey, a half empty wine glass in her hand. The two talked for a while, joking about how Norah had been spooked by a spinarak among the plants in her office a week back and sharing the plate of cookies. For once Rabbit managed a real smile that night, chuckling along with Mrs. Namsek’s hiccupping laughter.
“And I swear, escorting the silly thing out was the most difficult part. Bumble,” she said, referring to the ledyba frequently found napping in her office, “he was so upset with me. He kept buzzing around my head as I was attempting to lift this poor spinarak out and keep it from biting me at the same time. He always hates it when I give another buggy more attention than him, and he’s too stupid to realize when I’m in a panic, bless his chubby little cheeks.”
“I-is B-bumble here t-tonight?” Rabbit asked, covering her smile with one hand.
“Oh goodness, no, he’s at home sleeping. Or he should be. He’d better not be getting into the honey again. Anyway, I managed to calm him down and let the spinarak out the window. I think it was happy to have escaped somewhere there was something other than Bumble to eat.” She let out a titter at the last comment, as if the idea of seeing her own ledyba wrapped in spinarak silk was an amusing image.
Mrs. Namsek’s eyes lit up as she spotted something behind Rabbit’s shoulder, and she gave a smirk. “Oh, but I think I’ll be off now. You have a good night, Rabbit dear!” She said, sinking back into the crowd and leaving Rabbit bewildered. “Ta ta!”
“Rabbit?” A familiar, masculine voice asked. Rabbit spun to find a short man with dark skin, fluffy hair, and an inquisitive face with glasses adorning bright, brown eyes.
“G-galahad!” Rabbit gasped, taking a step back. “I d-didn’t n-know you were in t-own!”
“I just arrived this afternoon,” he explained. “I’m heading down to the Swamp for an ecology meeting at the reserve in two days and thought I’d head down early so I could spend the night at the Treetop. Since there was a party going on, Norah invited me to come along. Or I suppose describing it as ‘dragged along’ is not entirely inappropriate,” he said with a grin.
On Rabbit’s shoulder, Korso bounced about, and she caught flashes of laughter bleeding through their connection. “W-where’s E-esther?” She asked, putting a hand on Korso’s head in an attempt to calm him.
Galahad’s eyes flickered up from the ralts as well, amusement shining in them, and gave a nod up at the ceiling. “The party is a tad crowded for her liking, so she opted to roost on the roof instead.” He paused, looking off to the side, before giving a smile and turning back. “She wants me to tell you she says ‘Hello’ and also that you look absolutely lovely tonight.”
A flush ran over Rabbit’s cheeks and she looked away, thumbing her locket. “I j-just kinda r-rushed g-getting d-dressed. I’ll b-e w-waiting the S-solstice F-festival, s-o this is the o-only opport-unity I g-get to d-dress up th-this s-summer.”
“Solstice Festival?” Galahad asked, blinking. “Does Kaprawli do one as well?”
At that, Rabbit let out a laugh. “D-do we d-do one? G-galahad, w-e have the b-biggest S-solstice s-celebration in the b-biome. M-maybe in V-verot! Y-ou’ve never h-heard of it?”
“I can’t say I have,” Galahad said, frowning. “Or maybe I have and never realized it?”
“M-most l-likely the l-latter. I-it’s a w-week long s-celebration, c-culminating in the l-longest n-night of the y-year. There’s e-events and c-concerts and f-food e-everywhere. We g-et c-customers f-from all over the r-region to s-celebrate! All c-cuz M-mrs. Nams-ek’s a-ancestors s-started the t-radition.” Rabbit’s eyes had lit up with excitement. “It’s p- I th-think it’s my f-favorite t-ime of the y-ear! Th-the way the h-whole v-village l-ights up! A-and the sh-shows th-at take p- you c-an go s-see. L-ast year there w-was an act wh-where a g-group levit-tated s-spheres of w-ater a-and would l-leap between th-em! A-and the y-ear before th-that Mamos-swine and S-sons h-ad a c-concert!”
Chuckling along with Rabbit’s enthusiasm, Galahad held out a hand. “Don’t spoil too much of what I might see! I’ll definitely be coming along this year.”
Rabbit’s eyes widened. “O-oh! B-but you d-on’t have to! I j-just really l-ove it a l-lot, and-“
“Rabbit, it sounds wonderful, of course I’m coming. You said you were waiting tables?”
“Oh… Right…” Rabbit’s expression fell and she looked down. “I w-won’t be a-able to s-see most of the f-festivities this y-year. M-mrs. Namsek a-asked me to w-wait t-ables cuz we’re sh-short s-staffed.”
“Well I’ll be sure to come see you. Maybe we can sneak off together to see some of these shows you were talking about,” he said, flashing her a grin. “If you’d like.”
“Th-that would be a-amazing…” Rabbit smiled back, feeling the heat in her cheeks grow warmer as she brushed a few pink strands of hair out of her face. A trilling sound came from her shoulder, and she shot Korso a scathing look.
“You two get along so brilliantly,” Galahad chuckled, shooting the ralts a smile of his own.
“D-on’t enc-courage him, g-goodness,” Rabbit said. “H-he’ll l-ord it over me f-for the wh-whole s-ummer.” Korso let out another chiming noise, and his own flashes of yellow laughter burst in her mind, making Rabbit feel a tad giddy despite herself.
“S-stooop, d-dork!” She said between fits of giggles. “Y-you were e-exhausted just t-en minutes ago.”
“Is he tickling you?” Galahad asked, barely able to contain his own laughter.
“M-ack! M-ight as w-ell be! H-he’s l-laughing a-and it’s bl-leeding th-rough!” A fresh burst of laughter made her stumble back and hit her shoulder against the wall behind her. Pain cut through the jovial feelings flooding her mind, and it popped like a pin in a balloon. Rabbit let out a his and clutched at her shoulder, massaging the tender muscle as concern colored Galahad’s expression.
“Your shoulder! Are you okay? I heard you’d been in an accident before you got here, but I didn’t know it was this bad,” he said, leaning forward.
Giving a grimace, Rabbit shook her head. “N-not that b-“ she tried to say, but Galahad cut her off.
“None of that. You’re in pain. Let me have a look,” he said, motioning for her to show him.
Sighing, she did as she’d been told and pulled away her sunset shawl that had been covering her shoulders, wincing as the movements made her muscles complain again. Galahad sucked in a sympathetic breath and turned her injury toward him with careful fingers.
The joint had swollen some time back, and a bruise had formed. It marked her skin in ugly purples and greens, playing across the old, discolored cigarette burns she’d lived with since her childhood. For a moment panic blossomed in Rabbit’s mind as she worried Galahad would comment on them. Korso’s touch was in her mind in a moment, calming the thoughts, and Galahad stayed silent on the subject.
Caring fingers brushed against the bruise, and Rabbit winced as they inspired flickers of pain. He seemed satisfied with the reaction and drew away.
“Dislocated shoulder,” Galahad said, rubbing at his upper lip. His eyes turned up to catch Rabbit’s own as she stared at him, trying hard to ignore whatever pleasant cologne he’d decided to wear that day. “It’s been set back right, so we can be thankful to whoever did that.”
“L-laila,” Rabbit clarified, and Galahad nodded.
“She’s done this before.” It was a statement, not a question.
“S-sometimes. Her f-folks are b-breeders and r-ranchers. F-from what I’ve h-eard, g-getting your a-arm d-dragged out of the s-socket by a t-auros th-that d-decided to r-un is n-ot p-p- fun. N-or are the r-rope b-burns.”
Galahad nodded once more, turning Rabbit while she talked to examine the other side of her shoulder. “No, I’ve seen injuries like that, they really aren’t. How did this happen?”
Rabbit grimaced again and explained their encounter with the ariados. After she finished, she found him looking at Korso with an impressed expression. The ralts had settled on her shoulder again, and appeared to be half dozing.
“Considering you didn’t put ice on it, it’s not looking too bad, but it’s still something that should be incredibly painful. I’m surprised you’re still on your feet!” Galahad said, looking her up and down.
Giving a shrug, Rabbit avoided his eye. “B-been hurt in the p-p-… Before. N-not that b-bad.”
“And how many times have you had your shoulder dislocated?”
Frowning, Rabbit counted on her fingers, muttering to herself. “F-four t-imes? B-between the t-two of them?” Korso opened his eyes on her shoulder and sent her an image, at which Rabbit backpedaled. “N-no, f-ive.”
“And you still do archery?” Galahad looked shocked and slightly impressed.
“A-and s-swinging through the tr-ees,” Rabbit said in a joking tone. “Th-at’s m-mostly where I’ve g-gotten hurt bef-ore.”
“Well maybe hold off on that until your muscles have time to heal,” Galahad said. “Doctor’s orders.”
“I th-ought you were a b-biologist,” Rabbit said, teasing.
“Ethologist. And that’s still a doctorate,” Galahad said, grinning back.
“O-oh, w-ell th-then, d-DOCTOR G-galahad Ach-arya. S-uppose it has a n-ice ring to it,” Rabbit said, chuckling.
The grin spread further as Galahad’s face as he once again managed to bring out Rabbit’s more playful side, a practice he’d practically made a hobby out of in the months since he’d known her. “Good. I liked it, so I tried to find a ring to match.”
Rabbit wheezed like she’d been punched in the gut, eyes bulging a little. “A-arceus, h-how old is that s-song. I f-feel like that j-oke needs to be c-arbon d-dated!”
“When you live a life around dinosaurs like me and my dad this sort of thing becomes a fact of life,” Galahad snickered.
“M-maybe t-ry it on M-mrs. Nams-ek, th-en, D-octor D-dinosaur. I’m s-ure she’d ap-p-p- Enj-oy it.”
Galahad was about to open his mouth to respond, when a flutter of wings and storm of feathers rained from above, cutting him off. He spat and sputtered up down as iggs settled on Rabbit’s shoulder. Bird talons dug into bruised skin, and a heavy weight pressed against injured joints, and Rabbit gave a yelp, covering her mouth as she did.
The burst of emotion and pain woke Korso from his slumber, and he spent a moment blinking bleary eyes. As the situation dawned on him he gave a growl and shot a few thoughts Iggs’ way. She let out a squawk and took off again, too quickly to properly gain wind under her wings. There was a crash and she slammed into the punch bowl, sending it sliding off the buffet table. Glass shattered and punch flew everywhere as the entire room turned in stunned silence, except for Galahad, still choking on feathers.
All eyes turned to Rabbit and Galahad. The young woman held her hands over her mouth. Eyes wide with shock, she stared at Iggs as she shook sticky punch out of her feathers and set about cleaning them in annoyance. Rabbit’s eyes turned up to the crowd watching her, the silence stretching out in awkward quiet. Panic swelled in Rabbit’s mind, threatening to overflow, when she felt another mind touch her’s along with Korso’s, and the whole thing was clamped tighter than a vice, and her eyes went blank. A soft, woman’s voice spoke into her mind, but they were lost before they could be registered. All that was left was Korso’s comforting presence pressing against her thoughts the same way he pressed against her cheek.
“Rabbit? Rabbit are you alright?” Galahad’s voice drifted into her ears like from a dream, and she found herself having trouble focusing on his face. His eyes unfocused for a moment as well, and he came back with a worried look. “I see…”
Across the room, a woman’s voice called out. “Iggs! Bad bird! What have I told you about respecting other people’s property! That is not a bird bath!” The crowd parted, and Laila slipped through it, snatching the chatot up and brushing at her with a wet towel. “Mrs. Nome I’m so sorry. I’ll send you a check to pay for the damages at-“
“Nonsense, dear,” Mrs. Nome had appeared on the scene as well, pushing through the crowd with stout strength. “They only looked fancy. I bought five of those bowls on sale and this is the third one that’s been broken. This is a household filled with rambunctious children and their Pokemon, we can handle a few broken dishes.” She stepped closer and whispered to Laila so no one else could hear. “Tend to Rabbit, please. It appears she’s been put under a trance.”
Laila looked up, over to Rabbit as the party began to break out of the stunned silence, and gave a grimace. “Thanks, ma’am. I owe you one.”
“Only as much as you always have,” Mrs. Nome said, a twinkle in her eyes, and looked pointedly away. Following her gaze, Laila spotted a smeargle with a painted blue cap and an oversized coat slip out of the crowd and begin brushing up the glass shards with its tail. “Jed will take care of the mess. He hates to see a dirty floor.”
Nodding her thanks again, Laila pushed over to Rabbit, still cradling Iggs. She spotted Galahad and gave him a nod of greeting.
“Galahad,” was all Rabbit could make out. Her hearing had begun to distort, everything coming out like it was heard through five layers of glass and ten yards away. She felt a brief comfort at seeing Laila before it was swept away like everything else. Their mouths were opening and closing, and she tried to frown, or squint to make out the words. Everything blurred together, however, and soon she found herself looking away.
Motion took her as she was aware of a pain in her shoulder for a moment. Someone said goodbye to her, but she couldn’t concentrate on who it was. She was being dragged away, but nothing was lasting for more than a moment as everything around her bled into everything else, leaving stains of colors rather than shapes or sounds.
A woman’s voice spoke in her head, gentle and kind, and Rabbit turned her head. Far away, atop the roof of a building built between the trunks of two giant trees, Rabbit could make out the shape of a bird. Green and white and red stood out against the blur of the world, imprinting on her mind the shape of feathers, and a long, yellow beak, getting smaller and smaller, lowering further beneath her.
“You will be alright, child,” her voice spoke in Rabbit’s mind, echoing comfort like ripples in a pond. “Look, child. You must not miss this.”
Rabbit looked down, to the side, and stared. People she didn’t recognize moved in firelight. They pulled boxes off a rhydon’s back, and lifted them into the back of a truck, glancing over their shoulders every once in a while. She couldn’t quite make any of them out, however, until she spotted one standing off to the side.
He had his back turned, but she could see him as if she was standing right behind him. Black hair hung down over the brown leather jacket over his back, straight and full. Feathers and beads had been strung into it near his ears, pulled by the slight breeze. Metal of the frames of his glasses glinted in the orange light, and he shifted his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Something seemed to make him stand up straighter, and he began to turn, revealing tan skin. Before she could see his face, however, branches swept into Rabbit’s line of vision, and she found herself staring at a volbeat and illumise buzzing around each other, giving off flashes of light.
The feminine voice laughed in her mind, and the spell was broken, the world fading away as Rabbit fell into unconsciousness.
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