littlesilver-platinumā:
-Venturing past the city of gold was a task offered by her grandmother. A simple such thing, low effort yet an activity to take on-
Actually, no. Her errand had not been to travel south of Goldenrod, but to stay within it to pick up books her aged relative had entrusted to a dear friend (ones she heard often came by on weekends, though she had yet to come to know that as a truth) and then return back home in a heartbeat. No buts, no ifs. A straight task for a young girl such as herself to manage without a hitch.
⦠Sometimes she wondered if the old pair actually listened when she spoke of her wandering habits back in Sinnoh. Up cold, snowy mountains at the peak of December ā or into bogs that stunk of tar and moss. She had traversed the regions diverse landscape many times in just a few years.
āThere werenāt many places Hikari hadnāt been.-
-There were also places she never would go back to.-
-But⦠Johto was still foreign to her. New. That was a simple truth, and so she could understand why Masae was hesitant in letting her only granddaughter wander off on her own.
That Hikari had come to feel that spark of⦠something, within herself once more at the idea of adventure? Of independence in a new light, clad in rainy springs that clogged her shoes to her ankles. Of independence, to choose her own path, rather than following the beat of somebody elseās drum.
With a kit in her arms ā ever so lovingly nicknamed Grace, as the laid streets of a developing city changed into that of dirt roads most traveled ā Hikari found herself remembering her adventures back home.
āHer choices, once persuaded by the better judgement (supposed such) of the woman who was the beating heart of Sinnoh.-
-She could allow herself the distain for the champion. At the very least, in private ā where no one but herself could judge her thoughts on the matters that sat so dear against her chest. That traveled like thorns within her throat until she could no longer breathe.
āA coddled childhood toy impossible to throw away or forget, for it was as much a gift as it had been a curse.-
-Graces leafy fur brushed against her chin, large brown eyes meeting ocean blue and it was enough for Hikari to feel grounded. Like she was herself once more.
That she was safe, and things were different.-
ā⦠Want to stretch your legs for a bit?ā
-Something akin to a whimper, a whine ā a soft such sound, ever a show of the Leafeonās timid nature, left the small kit. It was enough for her and, in a bend (one at her back, rather than her knees ā for she dare not kneel in a skirt that didnāt go past them) Hikari let her PokĆ©mon go.
Grace fell on his frontal paws, in a manner befitting his namesake, and there was only a single moment of hesitancy before he took the lead in their travels. Now and again touching his muzzle to the ground, mimicking a canine rather than its counterpart ā something she had always found to be humorous, before his leafy ears twitched and turned at sound he was better built to catch.
A pause. Hikariās eyes following his.-
-When he bolted past a fence, Hikari could barely register the act until it was too late. For to trespass, or to make himself known, were not something within the Leafeonās nature to do. He was simply too shy ā something shown in how he often would rather be carried within her arms, than to walk on his own.
āFor with her, just as she felt with him, he was safe.-
-Not this time, it seemed.-
-Hikari was quick after a moment of pause to follow him, being blocked by a fence that he so easily went through ā only to mingle along with PokĆ©mon sat on a row.
āAnd if Hikari knew anything of daycares, and this seemed to be such a place ā it must, then it was that feeding often happened in groups.
(The scent of food must have attracted him enough to forgo his shyness, although he seemed to almost regret it just as quickly.)
Still, with eyes that could be described as manic ā yet with cheeks that sat flustered, Hikari would try and grab his attention. Smacking her lips ever so lightly, a whistle that turned his ears this way and that ā and brought herself the attention of more creatures than she would ever wish to know ā only resulted on one thing.-
-The girl caught sight of her.-
āI-ā-Lost for words for but a moment, blunt fingernail dug into the wood that enclosed the yard ā Hikari tried to gather herself. Move past embarrassment, as best she could. Leaning in, almost keeping half her body past the fence (and she would fall, if she wasnāt careful enough), words would spill past her lips in a jumbled mess.-
āHe is mine, the-⦠Iām sorry, my Leafeon ran and I canāt get him, I- I uhmā¦ā āDeflating, her eyes would divert. A last attempt to speak properly.ā
ā⦠Can you bring him to me?ā
Afternoons were easily Lyraās favorite time of day. The bright sun, warmest then in such a usually chilly place, high overhead and the distant sparkle of the blossoming city to the north, all coupled with the hustle and bustle of Pokemon at their most energetic always made noontime feel like the world was most alive. And Lyra was nothing if not a conduit for such lively, bounding energy. It was obvious in the way she walked, as if moving to a song only she could hear, the sway of her hips and the undefeatable smile on her face. For one who lived her entire life in a region most like autumn, she was the very image of Summer.
Another easy analogy, surrounded as she was in eager Pokemon jumping at her heels and thighs, was that of a fairytale princess weaving her way through forest animals all looking on in awe. It might have been a more concrete image, too, if not for the way she tripped and nearly toppled over the gaggle of Pokemon at her feet. Let it not be said Lyra wasnāt especially adept at subverting expectations! Thankfully, she was so used to tripping and landing that sheād long since learned how to bounce back as though nothing had happened. She just grabbed onto a nearby fence post, righted herself, and continued hauling a fairly heavy bucket full of Pokemon feed over toward the row of bowls sheād set up earlier!
Although it was difficult to hear over the cacophony of yips and whines of excitement, she hummed to herself as she poured out cupful after cupful of feed, careful not to shower eager muzzles as they nosed their way into the bowls as they were filled. She seemed lost in her own little world as she worked, quick and surprisingly efficient for someone so clumsy, proof of the years sheād spent doing this exact thing. Hikari and her Leafeon might have gone completely unnoticed if it wasnāt for the fact that she found herself short one bowl. A frown creased her features and she righted herself, tapping her finger in the air as she counted down the row of Pokemon busily munching away at their lunch.
Grace, she realized somewhat belatedly, was standing just off to the side, looking as out of place as can be and it took Lyra several more seconds than it probably should have to figure out what happened. Who was this stranger come to visit and where was his trainer? As if on queue, her attention caught the voice of an unfamiliar brunette approaching from the other side of the fence.
āTheā¦? Oh!!ā Catching up and shaking herself free of the trance-like state now that the mystery was solved, Lyra nearly jumped out of her skin. āS-sorry! Yeah, yeah, of course!ā With a turn of her heel, approached the out-of-place Eeveelution, bending a foot or so away and stretching her hand out, palm up, toward him. āHey buddy.ā Her voice had dropped considerably, gaining a sweet, almost motherly tone as she spoke to the Pokemon. āItās okay. Got lost, huh? Well, hey, your trainerās here. Why donāt we go see her? I can bring her to you if you want. These guys wonāt bother ya. Theyāre really friendly!ā
Tilting her head toward Hikari a bit without actually looking away from Grace, she offered a closed-lipped smile. āHe sure is cute! Whatās his name? If heās hungry, Iāve got an extra couple bowls in the Daycare I can bring out. Thereās more than enough. Will he run off if I try to pick him up? I donāt wanna scare him any more. Poor guy looks kinda nervous already, yāknow? You can cāmon over, too, if⦠like, you think heāll respond to you better?ā