ZZZ-ZZZZT!

“My name’s Ryan.” The trainer said. “I hail from Kalos, but I decided to take the island challenge.” He gestured to the orb-like Grass Type. “This is Quilladin, my starter Pokémon.” “Quill.” Quilladin waved at the Dex.

“It’zzzz nice to meet you, Ryan!” The Dex supplied immediately. “Not least because you’re my ticket outta thizzzz confusing forrest!”

It laughed synthetically, even going so far as to clutching its sides as humans were sometimes known to do when trying to contain their amusement. Then it hovered a little lower, so as to also greet the trainer’s pokémon with a little wave.

with   the   dex’s   pleasure   evident   red   offers   a   happy   smile   of   his   own.      as   much   of   a   loner   as   he   tended   to   be   red   really   did   love   getting   to   know   others,      whether   they   be   human,      pokemon,      or   otherwise.

he   thinks   on   the   others   words   a   little,      specifically   the   short   mention   of  envy,      and   slips   that   piece   of   information   away   for   later   as   his   attention   shifts   to   offer   an   answer.        ┕      blue,      mostly.      ┙         red   offers   honestly,      it   was   likely   he   would’ve   turned   down   the   offer   if   it   weren’t   for   him   …   …        ┕      i’ve   been   training   and   traveling   so   long   i   thought   it   was   about   time   i   tried   to   settle   down   a   bit   and   start   working.      ┙

head   of   the   battle   tree   wasn’t   his   desired   profession,      but   it   was   on   the   right   track.      hopefully   it   would   help   him   feel   more   at   peace   with   his   lingering   woes   and   worries.

“Ah-ha!” Again, Rotom Dex nodded, shaking its little casing. “That makes sense. There must be thingzzzz that you can only learn on extended travels, and thingzzzz you can only learn by staying in one place and studying people.”

While talking, it rounded Red in a slow circle in the air. It wasn’t gathering data in that exact moment, but the corresponding habits were hard to shake.

“We can help you.” Ryan stated. Quiladin nodded his agreement. Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes. “Huh?” A Pokémon popped its head out.

“Natu.” “It’s a Natu!” The trainer cried, grabbing a Pokéball from his pocket. “Pikachu, let’s do it!” He tossed the Pokéball and out popped-.

“Pika!” Pikachu cried.

“Pikachu, use Electro Ball!” the young adult cried. But Natu dodged by using Teleport. “Use Thunderbolt!” the trainer cried. The mutiple places the attack landed threw off Natu enough for it to get shocked and faint. “Huh, must be low level.” The young adult mused. “Let’s do it.” He pulled out a slightly different looking Pokéball.

“Pokéball, let’s go!” The trainer cried. The Natu got sucked in, and after a few tense moments-. DING! “Alright I got it!” The trainer ran and picked up the Pokéball. “How’s that Rotom-Dex?

The Dex had been on the verge of replying with gushing gratitude when the wild pokémon emerged from the dense foliage.

“Aha!” Rotom exclaimed, and even though the trainer it had just met didn’t seem to require much—or any—enlightenment on the new arrival, it supplied it anyway, almost by reflex: “Natu: the Tiny Bird pokémon! Although it can't fly, itzzzz jumping power is outstanding. It jumps way up into trees and plucks the budzzzz from the branches.”

Then the sentient device had to swerve out of the way to narrowly avoid the bolt of lightning which arced all the way from the Pikachu towards the hapless bird. “Phew! That was a close one-zzzzt!”

It was indeed a trainer, and a Pokémon too. “Augh, Quilladin did we have to come this way.” “Quill.” “Huh?” The trainer looked over and spotted Rotom-Dex. “Oh, hi! are you lost?”

Rotom Dex’s relief was immediately obvious by the expression which appeared on its little indicator screen.

“Oh—hello!” It beamed, “Greetingzzzz! You have no idea how glad I am to see a trainer!”

The Rotom’s words made Toma laugh gently. “You’re a proud one, aren’t you ? Well, not that there’s anything wrong with that ! I mean, you really are awesome. And for now, you’re also unique !”

“I’m glad to know that you’ve found the ideal device to live in ! Not only you’re really smart, but you’re also cute ! I mean, you even have tiny feet, and you can fly !” Toma would never run out of reasons to speak excitedly. “And you have arms, and a little spike on your head, like Rotoms usually do !”

His expression darkened a little. “I would love to have a Pokédex, but I haven’t dared ask Professor Kukui yet. I’m not actually from Alola, so I’m not sure that I’m allowed to get a Pokédex here …”

“I am not programmed for pride...” Rotom Dex responded earnestly, “But then, I am not programmed for boredom-zzzzt, or ambition, or enjoyment of television, yet I am capable of all of thozzzze!”

The little pokémon had in fact never felt more proud than it did listening to the young trainer enthusiastically list its abilities. It whirred in satisfaction—only to be just as horrified when Toma’s smile faded slightly.

Usually the little red pokémon would ensure it only left the house fully charged to guarantee the best possible performance. It tended to charge over night when its trainer was sleeping; that particular night long hours spent researching and logging much of its collected data had prevented that, so it found itself running low on charge halfway through the day. It was with some desperation that it floated up to the first electric type it spotted—a Jolteon.

“Greetingzzzz! How’s it hanging-zzzzt?” It ventured, not wanting to ask a favour without having first had some sort of conversation. Its programming would simply not allow such rudeness.

Though in theory the sentient Pokédex should possess excellent navigational capabilities, it lacked the kind of night vision that, say, a Lycanroc might have the benefit of. So it was that Rotom Dex found itself lost in a darkened forest, hoping against hope that the rustling in the foliage ahead was a sign of an approaching trainer and not a ferocious forest pokémon.

“Hello?” It called out cautiously, “Anybody there-zzzzt?”

oh   …   …      so   his   initial   thought   was   on   the   right   track,      this   gadget   was   essentially   a   pokedex   …   …      a   pokedex   that   was   simultaneously   a   pokemon   ?      that   was   …   …      really   cool.

red   seemed   amused   at   the   dex’s   character,     more   than   happy   to   entertain   any   ego   it   might   have.         (      nothing   could   outshine   a   certain   someone’s   knack   for   a   similar   attitude      )         he   gave   a   genuinely   intrigued   light   little   clap   at   its   posing.

⸻ah   ha   !      a   rotom   …   …      he’d   thought   those   eyes   looked   vaguely   familiar.        ┕      interesting   !      i   have   encountered   rotom   before,      yes.      ┙

When Red quietly clapped, Rotom looked extremely pleased. It gave off a low, drawn out noise located somewhere between a buzz and a hum. As it hovered inches from its new acquaintance’s face, it almost gave the impression of purring—albeit with a somewhat synthetic undertone. As far as the Dex was concerned, they were already friends.

“Oh, I guess that makes sense.” Charging batteries couldn’t be nearly as fun or tasty as eating malasada though, could it? Hau felt bad for Rotom.

“You think so..?” His head tilted to the side as he thought it over, and then an excited grin spread across his face.

“Well, it can’t hurt to try, right!? Let’s do it!” He’d never actually seen a Rotom outside its pokedex in person before, this could be fun! Hau tore his malasada in half and waited, holding the spicy treat out for the ghost-type Pokemon.

“Affirmative!” Rotom Dex confirmed loudly. If its circuits had the capacity for it—right now the pokémon couldn’t be 100% sure—it would have felt rather nervous about what lay ahead. After all, it hadn’t left this casing since first being introduced to it! But it was willing to try, if only for the possibility of trying Hau’s favourite sweet treat. It shut its receptors tightly, as though screwing up its eyes, and concentrated all its energy into what it was about to do. With a sudden ‘Bzzzt!’ its little screen went blank.

After a moment of silence, a much louder buzzing became audible. It was accompanied by a crackle of electricity carried on the air.

“No.”

He had to bite his tongue not wanting to take out the frustration out on someone who was innocent. Sighing deeply he combed his fingers through his hair moving aside the bang to have both eyes on the Rotom. “You honestly don’t want to read what’s in it. I couldn’t give it to you anyway, I left it behind.”  

“Left it behind-zzzzt?” Rotom questioned, fixing its ocular receptors on the blonde trainer once again. “Where?”