Like A Ship into a Storm

       However, despite his desire to brush the other off a pitiful glance in Ari’s direction reminded him that he was being selfish. Her typically bright, smooth, purple fur was matted down against her slender frame and her tail was so soaked through that it did little more than wiggle on the ground when she lifted her snout to make eye contact with her master. The poor feline had certainly seen better days and the rag he had was doing more harm than good at this point. If she became sick because he refused the chance to help her out, he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself. Besides, if she assumed this strange to be a threat of any sort she would have continued hissing and snarling at him instead of relaxing on her haunches and waiting for him to give her an order. A dry Liepard was better than a drenched Rattata, he supposed.        

        “Oh, yeah, I guess it can be.” Rubbing the base of his neck, he digs his voice out of the depths of his throat and attempts to convince himself that actually conversing with another human, theoretically, won’t be the death of him. His uncertainty is written across his face in the way his brows seem to knit together and the shape of tiny wrinkles pinch at his forehead where his dripping hair isn’t plastered. And his voice is less than enthusiastic, though not unfriendly. This guy was doing him a favor, after all, he wasn’t ungrateful by any means just a bit hesitant to accept anything offered by a trainer as he didn’t want to find himself dragged into a battle somehow. Ari didn’t look weak, nor was she. She was clearly a well-trained and high-leveled Pokemon, and leaving her out of her Pokeball often got him into the very situations he was actively trying to avoid. 

         “I’m fine.” For all he cared he could catch the flu or end up in the hospital. his own well-being had never been all that important to him and he would have deserved it for not bothering to check the weather this morning. Ari was another matter entirely. “But if you could spare one for her...that would be all right, thank you.” Arceus, had he always been so awkward? Maybe he should stop ranting and raving to Ari every chance he was given and put more effort into speaking to actual human beings before he ended up like that guy who was apparently a legend in other regions who turned into a hermit on some freezing mountaintop. Well, if that was to be his fate, at least he wouldn’t be hot.  

       For all of his effort, Ari seemed largely indifferent to what was happening around her. Sat on the floor beside her master, she only licked away at her paw to clean off the dirt she had collected in their travels as he stressed over berries and flavors she didn’t quite understand. Despite her disinterest in the overall process, Touya was still determined to make something that was, at the very least, just slightly above edible in terms of taste. It wasn’t exactly a high bar, but given the fact that he’d already managed to mess up a handful of times thanks to overthinking the entire thing, he was more than happy to admit he didn’t have high expectations of himself at this point in time. Pursing his lips, he watched the machine whirl away, hoping to get the timing and flavor right. His past attempts had found their home in the trash bin nearby without ever having reached Ari’s mouth. He was fairly certain she would have humored him, but he was trying to do something nice for her, not poison her. 

       Purple ears perked up as the machine let out a high-pitched ding to signal his fifth attempt had finished cooking, and the Liepard let out a less than graceful snort as the stench reached her pink nose the moment Touya removed the lid. And, frankly, he had to agree with her. Wrinkling his own nose, he took one whiff of his burnt creation before tossing it into the trash with the others. He’d never claimed to be some culinary expert, but this was significantly more difficult than he had first believed it would be. In frustration, he lifted his hands and combed them through his messy hair. Maybe he should try a different berry? That hadn’t worked yet, so why would it work now? The issue probably wasn’t the berry, the flavoring, or the machine, but his inability to do anything right. Glancing down at Ari, he considered giving up, but he’d already committed himself to making her something special. Hadn’t he disappointed her enough already? 

        With his eyes fixed into a stern glare at the top of his Liepard’s head he failed to hear the oncoming footsteps as they approached the machine until he was knee-deep into his own self-loathing and looked like he might have seriously considered strangling the poffin machine if it were possible. And, even then, he needed a hearty shove from Ari’s nose before he even took notice of the stranger waiting for the machine behind him. Crap. He’d gotten so caught up in his own attempt to make a poffin that it hadn’t even crossed his mind that someone might come along who also needed to use the machine for one reason or another. With a sigh, he turned to face the other. Perhaps taking a break would be good for him. 

      Pressing his hand against his chest, he heaved out into the windy, dense air in a pitiful attempt to catch his breath. He had hoped, in the time he had been away, he would have faded from the region’s memory. However, he had been sorely mistaken, a chance breeze had toppled his hood over and sent him weaving through various alleyways to avoid the curious questions of onlookers and the frenzy of the press that followed. Apparently, a decent portion of the region had assumed him dead. Great, and maybe he was better off six feet under when it was all he could do to slip away in an alley tucked tightly against one of the many apartment buildings to avoid their endless onslaught of inane questions. He had tried to lie at first, but that hadn’t gotten him terribly far. Thankfully, if there was one thing he happened to be good at, it was running away. And he managed to excuse himself from the situation before they had been managed to snap a picture of more than Ari’s retreating tail. 

      Wheezing in an attempt to catch his breath he made a mental promise to himself to never set foot in this cursed city again. With what little energy and disdain he still possessed, he yanked his hood up high over his head and straightened himself out. He couldn’t imagine they would waste too much time searching for him when they could better spend it nagging someone who was far more relevant than he must be (then again, people thinking you’re dead apparently makes you very relevant when you causally show up). For now, though, he’d have to stay put until they gave up. He’d never been terribly social, and he was hardly ready to face Unova (in fact, he never planned on explaining himself anyone, let alone to his home region). Avoiding people, though, that was something he happened to be good at. 

       “Don’t they ever get bored?” He groaned, glancing over to the Liepard sat beside him. Her ears were curved forward as her rough tongue licked away at the dirt that had collected on the bottoms of her paws as a result of their temporary shelter. Leaning against the hard brick of the building behind him, he crossed his hands behind his head. Might as well relax for a second. Or, well, he had planned to until a low hiss from Ari alerted him to the sound of footsteps echoing against the walls. Fantastic. He’d never been a lucky person, but, frankly, he’d never met someone more unlucky than he just so happened to be.

        Tucking his hands behind his head, he made his way through the thicks forests that surrounded Viridian City. Ordinarily he would have avoided areas where wild Pokemon were common, but the creatures hidden away here were rather weak and low leveled and with Ari walking beside him, they had no interest in bothering him. He could hear and see them from time to time, but they never came close enough to trigger his fear, and their size kept it mostly in check. The trainers gathered about, thankfully, also left him alone. He’d really intended to walk about the forest for a short period of time, but it was easy to get swept up in the beauty of it, and he found himself still wandering through its maze-like paths as the sun began to set, and the trainers he had avoided until now began to make their way from the tall grass and unruly vines. He should probably head back to the Pokemon Center, as well, it would get crowded if he waited too long and he might miss out on the chance to get a room for the night.    

      Turning on his heels to follow Ari back towards the city, a small, pathetic cry stopped him in his tracks. Ari’s ears twitched forward at the sound, her nose dipping slightly to sniff at the air before she slowly made her way over to the edge of a nearby thicket. Touya was more hesitant to move towards the sound than the feline was, but he, begrudgingly, dragged himself along behind her. Whatever it is, it better not be big, was the thought that crossed his mind as he knelt down in the damp grass beside the Liepard. Squinting against the glare of the setting sun he could spot a brown wing hidden amongst fallen leaves and tangled branches. On little more than instinct, his heart sped up and he could feel a lump begin to form in his throat as his mouth dried out. It was small, but that didn’t matter much when it was flailing about and chirping loudly; its wing bent in a strange manner and it was clearly in pain.  

        “Ari, come on, let’s go,” he pleaded with the feline, but she only mewed softly at the wounded, frightened bird Pokemon. A nervous frown creased his features. Of course it was cruel to leave it be, something bigger would likely come along and finish the poor thing off, but he didn’t exactly want to get closer to it either. Heaving around the pit in his stomach and the uneven thump of his heart, he leaned back slightly in an attempt to gather himself. It was small; it was likely young, and it simply had no possible way of overpowering Ari if it became violent. But no matter how many times he repeated those ideas in his own head they did little to appease the lingering fear that threatened to creep up. But if he left it here, would it even live until morning - for someone else to stumble upon it? Lifting hands, he combed them through his hair in frustration. 

       With a huff, he fanned his rosy cheeks with the crinkled map he had been handed when he had stepped off the ship onto one of this regions many islands. He could safely assume he looked like a tourist given the sheer number of people who had come up to him to offer him directions or ask him about his home region, and to fawn over Ari. As someone who had never been terribly social, it was downright exhausting, thankfully Ari had far more grace than he could ever hope to possess. He didn’t have a reason for coming to Alola, or even a goal in mind; he’d only wanted to get away from Unova and he’d go just about anywhere to accomplish that, so he’d taken to wandering aimlessly about the region, which had lead him to Akala Island - or, well, at least he’s pretty sure that’s what the man at the Pokemon Center had told him it was called. He couldn’t keep the names of all of the islands straight to save his life, and he’s shocked he hadn’t managed to get himself hopelessly lost just yet (then again, could he even get lost when he wasn’t going anywhere). 

       Glancing downwards at the Liepard trotting along beside him, he offered her a fond a smile. “Hot?” Lowering the map, he fanned it at her slender face, making her nose wrinkle. Thankfully, her fur wasn’t too thick for the weather, but he imagined she was about as used to this heat as he was. “I’ll see if I can find you something cold to eat.” He had water and food in his bag, of course, but both were lukewarm by now. It would be nice if he could find a stall selling ice cream or something else cold, at least for poor Ari’s sake. But the dirt road and lush grass that stretched out for miles ahead and behind them didn’t look promising. He only hoped if they followed the road they would eventually end up back in civilization (that was his theory and he was sticking to it). But he peeled open the sticky map just to double-check. 

       With his nose buried in the crumbled page and his eyes squinting against the glare of the bright sun overhead, he failed to notice the other people around them and the awkwardly white structure coming up. He’d never been good with maps. He had the whole of Unova memorized so he had never needed one in his home region, and given that he had taken to wandering, he had never had much use for them aside from on rare occasions such as this one. So it hardly came as a surprise to him when he felt Ari’s sharp, small fangs dig into the hem of his shirt and yank him back as hard she could mange. With a yelp of surprise, he stumbled back, nearly tripping over the feline in the process. It was only when he regained his balance that he noticed she had pulled him back to stop him from ramming right into someone.      

        Thankfully, today was the final day he intended to stay before leaving. He only needed to grab a few supplies, and he could make his way back to the plane he would be taking elsewhere. And that alone was a relief that made walking through these streets just a bit more bearable, as did Ari’s presence where she padded along at his side. His choice to keep her outside of her Pokeball was just as much for her benefit as it was for him. With her around, it was a bit easier for him to remain calm and bottle up the fear that always lingered in the back of his mind when he spotted trainers mixed amongst the general public or caught a glance of a Pokemon here or there. And, given that he was back in Unova for once, she wasn’t likely to bring him the added attention that sometimes came his way as a result of her rarity in other regions. He made a mental note to buy her something special for the ride, he was certain it would be a long one, after all Unova was far from other regions.  

        Hugging the bags he hadn’t been able to shove into his backpack close to his chest, he made his way down the familiar streets. The clouds above were starting to darken as they stretched across the city, and he hoped it wouldn’t start storming. His flight would be delayed if it did and he’d rather die than linger in this region for an extra day (all right, so maybe that was a bit over-dramatic, but he’d never claim he was anything but). However, judging from the way Ari’s ears twitched forward and little mew of warning that echoed in her throat, luck wouldn’t be on his side (not that it ever was). And it wasn’t long before he felt the pin-prickle of a cool drop tap gently against his hand before it was joined by more. And more. And more until the sky was black as night and the rain was so thick he could barely make out the color of Ari’s sleek fur in front of him. The thunder that followed was louder than the train stuck at the nearby station, and the lightning brighter than the sky had been moments before. 

      "Great.” Tucking his bags closer, he darted after Ari and yanked open the first set of doors he could find and stumbled into the largely empty Gear Station. At least it was dry. Glancing around, and spotting no one, he lowered his hood in order to comb his fingers through his damp hair and his wet sleeves against his cold cheeks. Poor Ari looked worse off than he was. He could take off his jacket, but her fur had been soaked through to the bone. Setting his things down, he began to rummage through his back for a towel to dry the poor, unhappy feline off with. It wasn’t much, but he did manage to find one, even if it seemed to have little effect on the Liepard’s colorful, soaked fur. 

      Beside him, he could hear Ari’s lithe paws and sharp nails as they scrapped against the pavement; her ears pointed forward as she walked beside him. While she appeared perfectly mannered and content, it was easy enough for Touya to figure out she was about as thrilled to be back as he was. He could probably blame his own anxiety and bubbling fears for how on edge she currently was. He may have spent most of his life in Unova, but it hardly held fond memories for him, and the last thing he wanted to deal with was someone recognizing him. He’d by now he would have slipped into irrelevance, but he’s well aware that would be little more than wishful thinking on his part. Heaving an unenthusiastic sigh, he chanced a glance as Ari’s slender back. Right, just get what he needed and leave. The sooner he got out of this stuffy city the sooner he could leave Unova as a whole (and beat himself up over it again when he dragged himself back here in yet another year to make sure his mother was still well).       

        “It still stinks.” He playfully clamped his index finger and thumb around his nose as he beamed at the feline in an attempt to ease his own nerves and, hopefully, calm her down a bit. With a playful snort, she lifted her right paw to rub it against her pink nose in response earning a less than graceful, puffy laugh from her trainer (if he could even be called one anymore). Allowing his hand to fall back down to his side, his gaze shifted across the various buildings. It should be around here somewhere - the treats his mother liked, he’d pick up a bag of them and leave them outside of the door (it was stupid, he was aware, to bring her a gift when he wasn’t going to see or speak to her, but he’d like her to know he was still alive; he was an awful son, but it was the most he could manage). Admittedly, none of the stalls that line the streets look familiar to him, but he writes it off. Things change, and it’s been a while. Most of the places he had visited had probably gone out of business. 

       A high-pitched chirp from Ari snapped his attention away from the bright stalls, excited crowds, and the thick shadows of the buildings that seemed to stretch on for miles overhead. Lifting the hem of his hood ever so slightly, he followed her line of sight to the small, pastel pink building tucked tightly between bland office buildings (Thank Arceus). “Finally.”  Yanking the straps of his back, he made his way through the congested mob of warm bodies and hurried feet as he followed after the far more agile feline who easily weaved her way around rushing legs and between packed bags. Bursting through the crowd, Ari waited at the front door for Touya to pull himself from the crowd. Hands flat against his knees, he stumbled after her, nearly slamming into the customer on his way out, and swallowed around the series of curses he was half tempted to shout into the void before he looked upwards. Only to see the owner of the shop flip the sign hanging inside of the glass doors to -