SORRY I WAS TOO BUSY TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT UHHHH
Have more of that Jacq story I mentioned, been writing it in my free time. I'll be back in 2 weeks at the MOST (I hope) with the real announcement
Slight tone spoilers for the whole story under the cut
The tone? Very strange at the beginning. But trust me, the entire point of the story is about hope, love, and most of all, connections. If you wanna wait a few months to check it out, you can. I really wish I could elaborate more but hopefully it's worth the wait for the climax????? Gosh this story is ambitious, but hopefully you like it despite the kinda ominous start/tags, it really doesn't go in the direction you may think it does based on the "reveal". And, just like the last tag so far says, it does get cute later on, I just really REALLY love slow burns, plus the whole student/teacher thing needs to be dealt with
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SORRY I WAS TOO BUSY TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT UHHHH
Have more of that Jacq story I mentioned, been writing it in my free time. I'll be back in 2 weeks at the MOST (I hope) with the real announcement
Slight tone spoilers for the whole story under the cut
The tone? Very strange at the beginning. But trust me, the entire point of the story is about hope, love, and most of all, connections. If you wanna wait a few months to check it out, you can. I really wish I could elaborate more but hopefully it's worth the wait for the climax????? Gosh this story is ambitious, but hopefully you like it despite the kinda ominous start/tags, it really doesn't go in the direction you may think it does based on the "reveal". And, just like the last tag so far says, it does get cute later on, I just really REALLY love slow burns, plus the whole student/teacher thing needs to be dealt with
I have a weird tendency to untag people when I reply to their comments no matter the website... I am so sorry about that, LMAO, I'll stop doing that from now on
Also, announcement coming in like, a week?? Maybe? We'll see how things play out
I will post Chapter 1 of the continuation pretty soon! Writing it as we speak, actually
_\V/_
You place two random little figurines on the table, before hurriedly taking them both off. Is it too much? Too little? You NEED to put on the finishing touches before they arrive, but something isn't quite right...
"They'll all be here any moment... ugh, WHY isn't my artist brain being all artsy right now...?"
There needs to be a certain amount of added detail to the table, to make it look fun yet not cluttered. But...
The sound of an enthusiastic chirp interrupts your thoughts. Oh no! They're here! You put the figurines back before making a move. Rushing out the door of the mostly empty storage room, you stop them from coming right in.
"Waitwaitwait! Not yet!"
You wave to dissuade them. Cap, Mimi, Jacq, and Saguaro. You called them in for one specific reason. A reason you weren't ready for, because... well, reasons.
"Oh, that's all right. I can wait for a moment, you?"
Jacq turns to Saguaro, who looks at him before nodding.
"Yes, I have some time."
You feel bad. Saguaro was a little more busy than usual today, having agreed to help bake something special in the cafeteria, which certainly threw a wrench in things. It wasn't either of your faults, however, and you'd be quick.
"Okay! Lemme just... er..."
You run back in, pulling the little gifts you had prepared out from under the tablecloth and in front of your display.
...huh, that... that actually helps. It makes the figurines look less like clutter, too, if that even makes sense. Still, though, you brush off your uniform, take a deep breath, and walk out again.
"Hah, so... you may be wondering why I had you all come over here..."
The boys all nod, but Mimi actually shakes her head 'no'. You're immediately worried.
"Wha- Mimi, did you figure it out already??"
She shakes her head 'no' again, trilling politely. Why? You think back on what it is you said exactly. 'You may be wondering why I...'
Oh, wait. Of course she wouldn't question you wanting to see her. You're her trainer, after all. You swallow down the feeling of the little heart attack you just had before clearing your throat.
"Hehe, r-right, right... ANYWAY, yeah, uh, the uhm... I have a..."
You back away into the room again, this time not closing the door.
"-yeah, sorry, I just wanted to do something for you, to show my appreciation."
"Ooh, really?" Jacq questions, eyes full of curious wonder. Ah... hopefully it isn't underwhelming...
"Y-yeah... so, uh, come in! For a second, at least, heh..."
You turn and walk in with your head down. They follow, and you're honestly kind of terrified of what their reactions might be, but you hear your duo chirp in surprise.
Turning to them, you see them running towards the table in awe. They look at the gift bags, noticing the ones with little doodles of their faces on the tags. Mimi trills in delight, rubbing the electic sacs on her cheeks and discharging a small amount into her own fur. Cap actually squeals- a sound you've never really heard from him before, after he bumps the tag to straighten it out a little so he can see it better. They seem happy just seeing the tags, their reactions actually making you feel a lot better. Grabbing the first bag, a pink striped one, you turn to the man.
"Okay! Saguaro, I wanna give you yours first. You can, uh, take it to your room if you like, don't worry about sticking around!"
You hand it to him, pointedly looking away from him, being sure not to let your hands linger too long. He takes it and bows a little.
"Thank you, I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness. It pains me to leave so soon, but we must thoroughly prepare for today's menu. Farewell, everyone."
He nods at everyone, giving you all a small smile before making his leave. You couldn't help but wonder what it was they were making. Regardless, you clap to yourself, refusing to look at the only other human in the room despite knowing he's looking at you now.
"So! Uh... it's... all right, come here."
You walk towards the table again, picking up his purple dot-patterned bag, the negative space resembling stars. Just like everyone else, his had a little doodle of his face on the tag, but you refused to look at it.
"Here ya go. It's not much, but it's... uh, a thing."
He looks at it. You can hear the excitement in his voice as he looks over the bag.
"Oh, hey! That's me!" He says, no doubt staring at the tag.
"Hehe, yeah, I uh, wanted to prepare you for the theme of the gift..."
He looks up at you, now even more curious before looking back down at it for a moment.
"Aww, you didn't have to do all this..."
You shake your head.
"It's okay, I really wanted to. Not just as thanks, but also because you deserve it!"
"M-"
He makes a weird noise, head shooting back up to look at you before quickly looking away, obviously a bit flustered.
"I see... well, then. I'm honored," he says, finally putting a hand in the bag to start unearthing its contents.
You're honestly horrified he went for the card first, looking away as his eyes scan the cover.
"For the greatest mind in Paldea- aaaww! That's..." he looks away, feeling bashful. "...that's not true..." He sends a little hand wavy gesture your way.
"Well, to me it is..."
You finally look over to him again while saying this, only to see him avoiding eye contact.
"Hehe, thank you..."
He reads the rest, mumbling to himself now. He's smiling, and you can tell it's real, you just find it hard to believe he actually likes it. Maybe it's the self-doubt talking. Maybe you can see how bad it is now that it's been a while since you drew it. You have no clue...
He's looking through everything else in the bag, now completely silent. It's all stuff you either made/drew yourself, grabbed based on random tidbits you got, or stuff that reminded you of him as a person. It felt... personal enough. Oh no, what if it looks like a grab-bag of junk?
'Ohnoohnoohnoohno, please don't hate it, or at least, make fun of me behind my back like a decent person, maybe.'
He's still smiling, though. His upper eyelids are slightly drooped, so it's a weird mix of happy and sad. Solemn, even. He sits down on a large box behind him, bag now in his lap as he goes through the rest of it. The card, a little Arcanine figurine, a small box you painted and filled with random items related to Pokémon, some nerdy memorabilia you knew he (might) like, as well as other stuff on the bottom of the bag itself to really round it out. Just small things, but hopefully it adds up. You're honestly kinda too afraid to look at him, but you force yourself to take a peek, only to notice he's crying.
He's crying. Why? Why is he crying? Ohgodswhatiswrongwhyishecrying-
"...Jacq...?"
You bend down to see his face a little more. He's staring into the box, occasionally looking at the art you did of his team on the lid, trying to stay quiet, but he sniffles a little and makes an even tinier noise. You hesitantly place a hand on his shoulder, which causes his eyes to widen for a moment.
"Uh- sorry, sorry..."
"Nono, don't apologize, please..."
He nods, before falling mostly silent again. You decide to give him a moment, going over to sit next to him, hand placed lightly on his upper back. You take a moment to let the silence set in. It was quite nice, being able to have a quiet moment together, save for being worried about Jacq, of course.
You finally look up at your two Pokémon, before noticing them quickly look away from you. Huh, strange. Cap seems to stare at the tag again, as if trying to will it to do something, but Mimi politely puts her arms behind her back, rocking back and forth on her hind paws just a little. It was then that the fact that they haven't opened their gifts yet hit you like a sack of bricks. Wet bricks, even, if that makes a difference.
"Oh! You guys can open your-"
You don't even get to finish your sentence. Mimi starts to squeak as she excitedly rips the tissue paper out, plopping down and holding the bag as she digs into it. Cap actually jumps up with a chirp and cannonballs into the bag itself, causing it to tip over, him spilling out and back onto the floor in the process. Yikes. Good thing nothing in their bags were particularly fragile...
You watch with an effusive sense of love, just wanting this moment to last forever. You couldn't wait for the rest of your lives together! You'd celebrate their Gotcha Days, show them more of this world you share, you'd let them know you'll never let them go...
Bleh, here you go again. But y'know what? This is better than anything you ever could've asked for, all thanks to this school, as well as the man next to you, who is also watching the scene unfold with a soft smile on his face. You gently rub his back, eliciting a little nod of acknowledgement.
"...this is nice..." he simply states as your Pokémon freak out over their gifts.
Yeah. It is, isn't it?
_\V/_
"...sooo, for reasons completely unrelated to any previously mentioned, I caught a Klawf-"
"-are you kidding?" He asks with laugh. He's amused, but also mildly concerned.
"Nope! Actually, though, I uh... caught a pretty interesting fella," you say, eyes drifting off toward the side a little.
This piques his interest for sure. With a raised eyebrow, he glances over at the battle court, as if telling you to show him without words. You grin, tossing the Pokéball up.
"COME OOON OUT, OLAF!"
Bracing for impact, you hear the sound of a deep bellow, as well as a rather large creature landing nearby. You then hear a surprised gasp coming from Jacq.
"You found a SHINY Klawf?!"
You knew he'd be interested, but anticipating it doesn't stop the uncontrollable beam on your face.
"Yup! I wasn't intending on catching a shiny, but while sizing up another one I found, this guy caught my eye, and I was like, 'wow! Life out here must suck for you,' so I caught him instead!"
You were so excited, you didn't even notice yourself rambling. Pokémon just get you so jazzed, especially your own now that you're diving into the whole "trainer" thing. He doesn't mind, however, cautiously approaching the Pokémon, who was currently looking around the plaza.
"I see... you are very lucky, then! Do you know the odds of finding a shiny...?"
He bends down and observes Olaf, watching as his eyes dart around before catching a glimpse of the man, looking away without fully noticing him before doing a double-take, eyes finally settling on him. Olaf moos curiously.
"Err... one in 4,000... -ish?"
"Correct!" He says, now sitting back up and turning toward you again. "It's quite a special experience finding a shiny. And especially as your 3rd Pokémon, what?!"
You smile, face heating up again as you look away. You really didn't do anything special, but maybe there was just... something in the air today?
You walk over, grabbing Olaf's claw as you awkwardly shake it.
"See? He just kinda... lets it happen."
Jacq nods curiously, inquisitive eyes searching the Klawf's face. He isn't distressed at all, but he seems confused. Just as confused as you seem to be, actually. Nothing seems wrong to him, so he turns back to you, which catches you off-guard. Isn't he more interested in Olaf...?
"Hah, but uh, yeah! Great news, also. Cap actually listened to me!"
"Oh?" He tilts his head, looking excited.
"Yeah! I think it's time we do a little showcase again..."
You walk towards the center of the battle court, hands slowly moving towards the other two Pokéballs on your belt. You grab them, grinning, before tossing them up as well. Cap and Mimi emerge, letting out their own little battle cries before landing on the ground. They look up at you, both ready for whatever you have planned. You hold out the Pokédex app. Jacq noticeably flinches, but he then smiles.
"All right, you two! Ready to show us what you got?"
They both nod, determination burning in their eyes. A wonderful sign. Mimi runs over first.
"Okay, ready?"
Mimi squeaks before taking a deep breath. It then begins.
She makes a digging motion on the ground.
'Dig'
She hops forward, kicking and swiping furiously at the air.
'Close Combat'
She lets loose a flare of electricity.
'Discharge'
She dances with a very odd rhythm.
'Entrainment'
You clap, whooping and cheering. Cap even mimics you, whooping enthusiastically. Jacq simply claps, but he does seem proud.
"WHOOOOOO! ATTAGIRL, GREAT JOB!!"
Mimi squeaks and bows, eliciting a round of applause from the small crowd you... didn't... realize formed. Eh. Anyway...
"Okay, Cap'n! You're up next!"
Cap chirps, running over to the spot Mimi just occupied. She walks over, joining you, Jacq, and her new teammate Olaf, who she curiously looks up at. Olaf is too preoccupied watching Cap.
"Alright, buddy. Moment of truth..."
Cap lowers his head for a moment before standing up as tall as he can, crying out, and running around to charge up an attack.
"Oh! Zen Headbutt!"
He stops, nodding cheerfully before going to perform his next move. Huh...
He summons sharp leaves before launching them.
'Razor Leaf'
He jumps up, opening his mouth before forcefully biting down on a still-falling leaf, doing a little flip as he lands.
'Crunch'
He forcefully spits out a barrage of seeds into the air.
'Bullet Seed'
You're all overjoyed, loudly cheering him on as he lets out a triumphant laugh. His little underdeveloped arms even mime putting his hands on his hips, just like a Scovillain... he runs over to you, happily jumping up and chirping. You scoop him up in mid-air, squeezing him to your face in a little 'hug'.
"AHHHH, YOU DID IT!! GREAT JOB, CAP!!"
Cap chirps again, rubbing the side of his face against yours, before noticing something wet touch the top of his head. He leans back, only to chirp in surprise when he sees the tears streaming down his face.
You're crying in public. Crying tears of joy of course, but crying nonetheless. In front of people who probably came to see the funky Klawf, only to stay to see your Pokémon perform. You're crying in front of people who have no idea why this moment is so important to you, but surprisingly, you really don't care. This is it, you two are finally in-tune with each other...
You take in a shaky breath, looking him in the eyes. He seems to stare back, as if you're slowly coming to a mutual understanding on something you aren't quite sure of yet. But something deep down inside you tells you things are somehow different now.
You turn to Jacq, closing your eyes in contentment and smiling.
"AHHHH!! The day has COME!! Can you believe it?!"
His response matches your enthusiasm.
"Sure can! You really have come so far. It feels like you first came barreling through my door just yesterday..."
This comment actually makes you pause. Oh yeah, autumn is right around the corner. Something about the thought made you feel kinda cozy, officially being at the school for longer than you planned. This is sorta it, you realize, not even noticing the season's starting to change until now, those cast shadows giving the current tilt in the Earth's axis away...
This brings a look of comfort to your face, smile soft and eyes half-lidded as you stare at the ground. Cap is still in your hands, looking tired as well. It'd be nice, taking a nap or something.
...
...wait...
"Bullet Seed? I thought you were practicing Seed Bomb..."
You look down at Cap, who's face gives it away. He was waiting for you to realize it. You squint one eye, giving him a suspicious yet playful look.
"Hey, buddy? Why are you still focusing on using THAT move, huh?"
His eyes crinkle a little as he lets out a quick laugh, which basically amounts to "Ooh-hoo! Ooh-hoo!"
Jacq leans in after letting out a subdued little laugh.
"Hey, remember, that's the move that brought you two together! He could just be holding on for sentimental reasons."
You smile a little wider. He was probably right. Maybe he keeps using it because of sentimental reasons... or maybe it's just because he's little asshole. Perhaps both reasons are equally valid here? You can honestly see it going both ways at this point. Whatever the reason though, you were happy to admit: you really and truly do love him and the life you've built together.
You feel tears coming yet again, but they don't fall this time.
"Aaaaaww!"
You raise your free arm up, causing Mimi to look up, covering her mouth in anticipation as Jacq's eyes widen in surprise.
"C'mere, you!"
Mimi squeaks, jumping up and throwing herself into your side without hesitation. You take the initiative to pull Jacq into the hug, savoring the moment. Klawf is a bit too frazzled by the whole experience to join, but he observes the four of you, as if getting used to the idea of your dynamic. You give him one more tight squeeze before backing away, making sure to hang onto Mimi as you do so.
Upon seeing him, she squeals in delight. It takes you a moment before you can see his face, placing Cap in your uniform's pocket so you can hold her on your hip better, but when you do...
...hah. Calm down, brain. He's only blushing. You would too if you were hugged out of nowhere like that.
...
Is dating a former student off the table for him, or-
_\V/_
A/N
SORRY JUST HAD TO THROW IN ONE LAST CRINGEY THOUGHT, AHHH
Part two to the series (now called Nerds of a Feather unless I come up with a better name) coming soon-ish! And don't worry, the trauma plot wasn't dropped, it's just... brewing.)
Continuity: Part 3.5 is here, finale Pt. 1 of this particular story, and some lore from "May I Have A Word With You?" remains, setup for (???)
_\V/_
Sitting quietly in the back of the classroom as he tutors a duo of younger students, you stare at some algae samples under a microscope. You don't know exactly what you're looking for, but maybe there's something about their structure that is perhaps related to how grass-types evolved. Maybe.
Pulling up images of both ancient bacteria and algae, you try to find a connection between the two, but you just... aren't well versed in the microscopic side of Pokémon evolution. Still, you're here to learn. You know for sure that with his guidance, you'll become an expert on grass-type biology. But for now, your endless curiosity and fascination in all-things paleo would have to guide you for now.
You keep switching between the multiple petri dishes, hoping that at one point, everything will just... click. But it doesn't. You'll definitely need some courses that'll help you put the pieces together. You aren't exactly sure how to test your theories out in a way that won't get you laughed out of the room at a convention or something, but that's part of why you take this class.
You get rather sucked up in your work, feeling mesmerized by the funky little patterns and microorganisms swimming about. You kinda want to bring Cap out so he can see as well, but you also aren't sure if that'd be a distraction to the two kids, so you don't.
Well, that's what you thought, anyway.
"Hehe, I'd be careful if I were you. You might get eyestrain."
You clutch the microscope a little tighter before looking up. Your neck is craned at a slightly awkward angle before you remember you can sit up now, so you do, staring at Jacq. You peek around him to see that the kids are gone.
"Oh! Hey, tutoring done?"
A part of you was hoping he'd say yes so he could join you, but you also knew students would occasionally leave for a moment. Plus, again, he is your TEACHER-
"Yep! I'm done for now. More people might come by, but nobody else scheduled ahead of time."
You let out a breath, unconsciously, before looking down at the samples. You want to spend time with him of course, but you're also legitimately interested in looking at these samples some more, even if you aren't sure how to uncover their secrets. Leaning in to look at them through the microscope itself again, you speak up.
"I... do not know what I'm looking for." You say out of the blue, laughing a little to yourself as you remember how often you've just been... lost during your time here.
"Oh yeah? Why?"
You shrug, awkward as it is at this angle.
"I dunno, I've been trying to see if I could notice something about these structures, but..."
You sit up and turn your body towards him. You wouldn't get much done at this rate, but it was nice being able to use a microscope again.
"...eh, guess that's what staying enrolled is for."
He smiles.
"Yeah! You'll learn a lot here."
You smirk, before that smirks falls as you stare out into space. He takes notice of this, smile also fading just the tiniest bit.
"You all right?" he asks.
"Heh, yeah, sorry, just..." you turn away. "...got a lot on my mind."
He nods, humming in response.
"I see. Well, you can talk about it, if you like."
And that's exactly the problem. Why is he so accommodating to you specifically? He helps everyone he can, sure, but something felt personal here, for some reason. Isn't he too busy to invest so much time into one specific student...?
"Eh, it's nothing major, I'm just being weird..." you say as you jam the tips of your pointer fingers together, avoiding his gaze despite still being turned towards him. He nods, slowly, hesitantly in response, before finally replying.
"That's... okay. Everyone's a bit weird. I'm really weird, actually. Besides! Your feelings matter."
Hah. You turn away, too embarrassed to even see his eyes on you despite still sensing them.
"...I dunno, I guess I kinda wanna thank you... for being so supportive. Even though I'm kind of a mess and clueless and also kinda the worst student and-"
"-what? Slow down, huh??"
You feel a hand on your shoulder, a feeling that sends a jolt through your stomach.
"S-sorry, I said that wrong," you concede before closing your eyes, trying to think of what you were actually trying to say. He's quite patient, grip loosening as he awaits your true response.
"Okay, um... what I meant to say was, you didn't have to invest in me as much as you do, but you did, and I'm thankful for that? And I guess you still being excited that I want to stay made me think about that?"
He's... confused still.
"What do you mean 'still excited that you want to stay'? Why wouldn't I be?"
You can just barely make out his small, reassuring smile. Blech. You refuse to tell him the full extent of what you're feeling.
"I dunno, I'm just a random student, I guess. A student that had to be told what's up for the most basic things, and uh... I feel bad, taking up so much of your time."
"Hm." He looks down for a moment before looking back up at you. You can sorta tell he did this, anyway. You couldn't take your full attention off him, after all.
"You know, you..." He looks away, rubbing the back of his neck as if he wasn't sure how to say this. "...you seem very unsure of yourself..."
Huh.
"What do you mean?"
He shrugs, still not looking at you head-on, but his eyes drift towards you again. You can feel it yet again, thanks to the fact that your hyper-awareness helps you (rather accurately) sense what the people around you are doing, an ability you both loved and loathed.
"Eh, I don't know. But what I DO know is that you're better company than you think you are."
Oh. Your stomach does a weird thing at that comment, heat rising to your face as you flinch just the tiniest bit. You're honestly somewhat lost for words... but you still try finding some. Turning to him, you reply.
"Why?"
Nice one.
He chuckles a little, avoiding your gaze again.
"I don't know, you're just nice to be around."
"How come?"
'You've always been quite the wordsmith,' you think to yourself as you awkwardly prolong this conversation. Instead of being put-off by your insistence on elaboration, however, his eyes widen a little, staring out as if he were seriously thinking over his answer.
"...well, you have a lot of positive qualities," he begins, still not looking at you. Your heart skips a beat when you notice the light blush on his face. What is he going to say...?
"...that, and you sure did make an entrance. It's hard not to think about someone when they come in your room screaming your name, hehe. I guess me noticing more things about you came naturally."
'Oh yeah, I did do that...' you think to yourself, laughing a little under your breath as you finally loosen up. He continues, which you don't expect, but you force yourself to keep facing him (even if your eyes drift somewhere else. It's a start.)
"And so I noticed how determined, and kind you are. How you turned yourself around when you realized you were hard on Cap. How you took Mimi in and treated her like family without hesitation. How you try so hard for the both of them in everything you do..."
He really is going at it, a soft smile on his face, as if reminiscing about times long-gone.
"...and, your unflinching dedication to those you care about, no matter how frustrating they may be, that's very admirable."
He puts his elbow on the desk, resting his head in his hand, still not looking at you. Actually, he closes his eyes. You catch yourself almost doing the same, but you stop before you do.
"...oh yeah...?"
He lets out a small 'hm'.
"...yeah.... I think..."
You start trembling, just a little. You want to put an end to your fantastical thinking. 'Stop it, he's your teacher. Besides, would you WANT him to incriminate himself...?'
"...I think you really caught my eye when I heard how you say my name."
Oh? Oh.
...oh? That threw you for a loop. Does he mean that in the [insert cursed thoughts here] sorta way, or...?
The normal way, of course.
"The way I say your name? What do you mean?"
He laughs under his breath.
"You say my name correctly, with a little bit of a Kalosian accent. You'd be surprised how often it's said wrong," he starts, lightheartedly musing a little. "I've heard Jack, I've heard Jock- heck, I even heard an investor call me 'Jake', if you can believe that..." He finally turns to you, smiling wide, eyes crinkling with genuine amusement.
You smile in return, holding back a small laugh.
"Oh really?"
"Yep! I had no idea he was talking about me. The Director got my attention and apologized on my behalf, but he later took me aside and said he understood why I didn't assume it was me. He seemed to start saying my name a little more often around that guy... probably so he could correct himself without being called out..."
You can imagine a younger Jacq all dressed up for some event looking absolutely bewildered by the situation. You catch yourself laughing in real life, however, so you force yourself to stop.
"Sorry."
He shakes his head.
"No, no, it's okay to laugh. I find it funny, too! It was a liiittle mortifying in the moment, though." He did a little gesture with his fingers to signify the amount of terror he felt, which was WAY less than you would've felt in his shoes... sandals... whatever he had on in that moment, to be fair.
The mood is back to being jovial. He really helped the vibe go back to being tolerable despite your 'maybe obvious oh my gods what if he knows' crush on him, which you were thankful for. He just had a very easy-going aura to him, which only made him more endearing.
For now, maybe even forever, you'd have to keep your feelings under wraps. It's Ok, though. You like your dynamic, and you like him how he is. If this is all you get out of your relationship with him, you'd still be happy.
That... that's cheesy, hah.
"Blehhh..." you absent-mindedly think to yourself, sticking your tongue out. He blinks at you.
"Bleh?"
You jump a bit, not realizing you made the noise in real life.
"Hah! Yeah, just bein' weird 'ol me..."
He nods, lips pursed a little, mild confusion evident on his face. He really was adorable, without even trying.
"But, um- yeah! I can imagine. Sorry it happens so often, though..."
He tilts his head with a smile, closing his eyes again before turning away in deep thought, elbows back on the desk.
"It's fine, you get used to it with a name like mine. But in the same vein, you also tend to notice when someone says it right." He sends a little side glance your way, a look that makes you melt.
'I just felt okay with not pursuing things, brain!'
You nod absent-mindedly, wishing you could sink into your chair, but you're on a stool. You grab the seat as if anchoring yourself, however.
"But- yeah! I noticed you saying my name right, and your sense of humor caught me off-guard. Then, after a while, I got to know your plight, as well as you personally, so I- got..."
It seems like he's trying to find the right words, although he also looks panicked. Just a little, though. Hm.
"...I got invested in your journey. It's been nice, following along. You've come so far already!"
Yeah, you have, haven't you? From not even knowing Pokémon won't listen if they're too strong to figuring out Mimi loves bitter snacks the best. You've come quite a long way, and you'd love to go further! Your Pokémon were individuals, with their own little personalities. The future is yours, and you want to take this team as far as you can go.
Ok, calm down...
"Heh, yeah, you're right. I'm really happy Cap and I get along now, I can't imagine not having him around..."
You feel like being corny, so you turn away to speak.
"...just like I can't imagine getting this far without your help-"
You glance at him. He's still facing away from you, but he's smiling, your compliment painting his face a nice shade of red. Hah, he's so cute, you kinda wanna vomit. But you don't, of course. You just enjoy the moment for a while before going back to staring into the microscope, pretending to act all casual.
"Hmm..."
You stay glued to the eyepiece for a moment before sitting up and sliding it over to him.
"What do you think about these samples, Jacq?"
_\V/_
The two of you are sitting outside as your Pokémon run around. Watching Cap and Mimi playfully chase and leap over each other is making you think about life a lot more than you probably should, but it also reminds you of something. Turning to Jacq, you ask him a question.
"You know how people often have a Pokémon or two that they ride around?"
He nods, not looking up from his notebook.
"Yep, there are plenty of solid options here in Paldea, too. Why? Thinking of getting one?"
"Uh-huh! I have an idea for one I'd want, actually."
"And what would that be?"
"Klawf!"
He pauses, eyebrows furrowing a little before finally sitting up from his hunched-over position. He stares at you, perplexed.
"Really, a Klawf?"
You're (mostly) undeterred.
"Yeah! I think it'd be pretty fun, I've seen some really big ones in the desert near Mesagoza, sooo, I wouldn't need to go very far."
He seems kind of unsure. Well, very unsure.
"Are you sure Klawf is the best option? They can be pretty brash, it might be hard to train one..."
You nod.
"Oh yeah, it'd be fun, like a nice challenge."
He lets out a small hum. He knows you're pretty good at the "persistent trainer" thing, but... he doesn't want you to get hurt.
"Well, uh... I can't stop you, but please, don't do it alone."
You nod, although you aren't quite sure what he means. Find a trainer who teaches ride Pokémon, get advice along the way, teach it with someone else watching nearby? That's a hurdle you'll cross later, you still want to see if you and Cap are on the same page first.
...
"...trauma is weird, right?"
His face flashes with an expression you can't quite recognize on the spot. It's something broody and full of worry, as if thinking about something specific, before finally replying.
"Yes, very."
Your mind wanders to your therapy sessions. He was serious when he suggested you go, as he had actually gone out of his way to arrange for the academy's counselor to reach out to you sometime, with permission of course. And so, you went every Sunday for about an hour. Not gonna lie, it was a bit boring and tense, especially at first, but after you got to the main reason why you signed up, she seemed particularly worried about one part.
She said you downplay your trauma for Cap's sake. Which is weird, you aren't super bothered by what happened yet, you think. You feel absolutely terrible when you remember how scared Cap was, and you occasionally wonder if you really got him back or if you just imagined it, but that was more your imagination running wild, right?
...right...?
...
"Why is the brain so weird?"
Jacq shrugs out the corner of your eye. You didn't even realize you started pacing until then, so you turn to the man.
"I'm not sure, I wish I knew. Sometimes it just... does things."
Which is true! You've always had mild anxiety, often feeling on-edge with no provocation and in the oddest situations. Not to mention feeling pretty timid in social situations in general. It's a miracle you were so driven to understand Cap that you could actually talk to Jacq in the first place.
You turn to the man.
"I... like, I don't know. What if I'm... okay-ish?"
He raises an eyebrow.
"Okay-ish?"
You nod, hands on your hips.
"Yup! Okay-ish. Like fine, for the most part. Functional even," you cross your arms and look away. "I don't know if I'm like, traumatized-traumatized. I feel like me with a little more weirdness than usual, that's all."
"Well, people deal with trauma in different ways. It is a bit early, though. Just be sure not to ignore it if something is roused up, okay?"
You nod, letting out an affirmative little hum.
"I won't..." You look down. "It feels weird. I dunno, I feel like I'm not sad enough? Or I don't think about it enough, maybe?"
He walks up to you.
"Hey, you don't have to meet some threshold for whatever you feel to be valid, you know..."
You know he's right, you just feel bad for... some reason.
"Yeah, I know..."
You're silent for a moment before letting out a long, drawn out sigh, tilting your head back and closing your eyes.
"Feelings are so complicated!"
He lets out a laugh.
"Hah! Tell me about it."
You smile a little bit. Talking to Jacq really did make you feel better...
The fuzzy feelings inside suddenly flush out of your system when you hear a weird noise. You both turn to see Cap is currently gagging, Mimi standing next to him with one paw on his back and the other on her cheek, slowly rubbing a circle into it as if resisting the urge to send off an electric shock. She looks up at you, but he hacks up a strange orangey-red substance before you can help him. He stares at it for a few seconds before walking away like it's nothing.
You turn to Jacq, panic evident on your face, but he looks oddly unconcerned, even pulling his notebook out and writing something down instead of directly addressing it.
Huh. That's... certainly a response.
"Is he... okay?"
He nods.
"Yeah, he..."
He looks up.
"That just means he had to get rid of an excessive amount of spicy chemicals he was storing up. If anything, he probably feels better now."
Interesting. There was so much about this kid you didn't know of yet, and you're glad you're getting a chance to learn more about him.
_\V/_
[How's fieldwork going?]>
The notification comes in pretty fast.
<[Good! Very productive. How's your club been?]
You were about to answer when the guy who usually sits on the couch interrupts your thoughts.
"Woooah, you do that?"
You jump a litte before calming yourself down. Glancing down at the Arcanine you were finishing up on your phone, you respond.
"Oh, yeah! I, uh, doodle some... times..."
The last few words were barely audible over the sounds of the movie the group was watching together. He still hears you loud and clear, however.
"Oh, nice. That looks really good!"
You nervously chuckle.
"I- I dunno, I didn't really do a sketch first, just some blocking in and trying my best, heh..."
Something about the drawing was slightly off to you, but it was your first time drawing the dog in a good long while, so it was... acceptable. He doesn't seem to think the same, however.
"I think it's cool. Nice work!"
He gives you a thumbs up before turning back to the movie. Looking back on the conversation, nothing about him or his responses screamed "DO NOT ENGAGE" to you, so you felt kinda bad being so distant and dismissive. If you ever talked again, you'd be a bit more open.
Pulling up your conversation with Jacq, you respond.
[Good as well, watching a movie. I talked to another human, too]>
<[Oooh, progress. I'm happy for you 😊/gen]
You smile. You aren't sure what to say, but it was Jacq, so you wanted to continue the conversation.
[Thanks! Still terrifying, but I'm trying not to back away from interacting with people]>
You had hoped that wasn't too weird of a reveal. You came to the academy to cheat the system and get Jacq's help, but he ended up being personally invested in your growth, which includes your mental health, apparently. It was nice, having someone here that's looking out for you.
<[That's great! And if you ever need to take some time to yourself, don't be afraid to do so.]
You stare at the message, rereading it a few times over before holding your phone close to your heart, making a weird little chuckling noise without actually opening your mouth. This guy...
Mimi silently squeals in delight as Cap giggles a little. You shoot them a glare before reluctantly smiling. They see how happy Jacq makes you. You really can't hide much from them, but especially not that.
_\V/_
The next morning, you did something bold.
"WHAAAAAAAAA?"
He looked genuinely surprised as his eyes flitted over the drawing you held out to him on your phone, even readjusting those darn glasses of his. You couldn't look at him, because the little mistakes you noticed had been eating away at you, and showing a Pokémon biologist an inaccurate drawing of one of his own 'mons was... not what you wanted to do that day to be honest. But you really wanted to take the few minutes your heart allowed you to put on a brave face to just show him and get it over with.
"I-it's not the be-"
"Can I hold it?"
You look up.
"Hold my... phone?"
"Yeah!"
You nod, letting him hold it. He looks over the drawing some more, an uncontrollable grin plastered on his face. He... didn't seem to notice the mistakes you made. That, or he didn't care. Either way, he seemed to be happy.
"Can you text it to me? It's really cool!"
You felt heat flash over your face. He really liked it? No catch, no nothing? You were planning on sending it at some point anyway, so you do, pulling out your Rotom Phone. You send it over, prompting his own phone to fly up to show him.
"Haha, thanks!"
He takes a moment to do something. You aren't sure what until you get a notification.
<[Thanks! This is 🔥!/gen]
You snort before looking up at the guy.
"Jacq, I'm right here."
He simply smiles and shrugs.
"I usually reply to things if I can."
You nod, looking away from him with a smile on your face.
"But yeah! What else have you done?"
You're so freaking nervous, your entire torso is at war with itself, organs responding in different ways to get you OUT. But yet, your brain is telling you to show him. It seems... safe. So you do. Pulling up your gallery, you quietly look for and show him the Capsakid drawing you did.
"Oooooh, that one's really good, too!"
"What-?"
You swear he's just being nice.
"B-but I made the body too long, and the middle leaf isn't this long, either-" you suddenly see so many faults in it, calling them all out. "-A-and the mouth is too round even for the angle, plus I forgot to round off the sh-"
He puts a hand on your shoulder.
"Hey? It's still a nice drawing. I can see just how passionate you are about capturing the essence of your Capsakid correctly."
"But it's..."
You're actively shaking, which is something that worries him for a moment.
"...wrong!"
He tilts his head.
"Wrong?"
"Yeah, like the anatomy and... stuff."
He chuckles.
"You know I can still tell it's him, right?"
You frown, just a little.
"I... maybe? What do you-"
"I can tell, because it feels like him, even if it isn't a one-to-one copy. I can just imagine him doing something like this."
You huff.
"Oh, he does. Every morning in fact, always looking down at me and laughing..."
"See? It's him, it doesn't need to be an exact copy. You didn't change who he is as an individual, and that's the most important part in a piece like this."
You think this over and smile a little. Maybe he's right...
"Heh, thanks, Jacq... sorry, got a bit stuck in my own head there..."
He smiles, just the lightest dusting of pink rising on his face.
"Of course! Everyone needs encouragement sometimes. You're an artist, but don't worry about it being perfect!"
_\V/_
"Soooo, yeah! That's how I got into paleo stuff, I guess," you say into your phone.
Jacq nods on the other end of the video call. You're walking your Pokémon, letting them get some sunlight and exercise as you stand there talking to him.
"Do you think you still have that book?"
You grin.
"Oh yeah, for sure, it's probably in an old box of mine. In fact, I think I remember which one..."
You absent-mindedly scratch the side of your head as you think about the book. The green and blue one with a smiling Amaura on the cover. You can almost feel the dust that had collected on it when you first picked it up at that thrift store as a kid...
"Yeah... next time I'm able to go home, I might check and see if it's still there."
"Hey, sounds like a plan. I wish I still had some of my childhood stuff..."
Huh. Does that mean he doesn't have... anything from his childhood, or is he just missing specific things? You wish you felt close enough to ask.
Looking at your phone, you see him typing something out on a laptop. He has a conference coming up that he's preparing for, but he still wanted to make sure you were doing OK out in the world on your own.
"...do you have a favorite childhood memory?"
His fingers come to an abrupt halt, seemingly not expecting that question (which, fair enough.) His head lowers slightly as he stares at his keyboard, the corner of his mouth somewhat downturned.
"Hm. Do I...?"
He's actually thinking pretty hard about this, so you start walking a little as he does, paying close attention so you don't end up spacing out and missing his response. You start to wonder what his childhood was like, only to suddenly realize you aren't exactly sure how old he is, and thus can't imagine the era.
It's a strange realization, one that makes you pause again. He doesn't look that old. In fact, he looks fairly young. But now that you think about it, he's already had a very successful career, as well as found the time to develop an app 'way before he started teaching'. He could be old enough to be your dad and you wouldn't know, but you'd be far too mortified to just straight-up ask.
"-well, I don't really know if I can label any as a 'favorite', but back then, I already enjoyed the type of stuff I do today."
"Oh yeah? Like anime and Pokémon biology and whatnot?"
"Yeah! I also liked video games, but I don't play many nowadays."
You nod, letting out an affirmative little hum.
"Yeah, I bet. You're always so busy with your research and stuff..."
That sounds bad.
"N-not that that's a bad thing, it's just, I get it, y'know? Not much time to really sit down and enjoy them."
He doesn't seem bothered by your little stumble.
"Yeah, exactly! I just don't have the time to, usually. I still enjoy them when I do get to play, though."
"Oh yeah? What type of games do you play?"
This answer is a lot easier.
"I mostly play the games I grew up on, but I never really stuck to one genre, so that still leaves a pretty fun variety I think. I was a Nintendo kid growing up, actually!"
Hmm, let's see. How do we do this...?
"Really? What's your favorite console?"
He squints, deep in thought.
"That answer constantly changes, but I've been extra fond of the GameCube lately. It hits that sweet spot between nostalgia and modern flare for me."
You nod. His response doesn't exactly answer how old he is, so you'd need to change tactics just a liiittle bit.
"I see. So, like, did you ever play the older consoles? Newer ones, too?"
"Yep! I got every major console release as they came out after my first. Well- except the Gameboy Advance, I think my mom was sick of the concept of 'new Gameboys', but she let me get it like a year or so later when she saw the games coming out for it."
Ah, typical mom behavior. Being annoyed by a console that just sounds like "the thing, but you buy it again!"
Wait. Did he get the first Gameboy? That had a long lifespan...
"Did you play the original? Th- the Gameboy, I mean?"
He grins.
"Yep! But uh, I kinda had to borrow my dad's, it came out when I was a toddler."
You can't quite remember when the line actually debuted, but you know it was at LEAST out in the early 90's, considering a game you really like came out for it in '92...
Man, even though it's literally just his age (and you aren't even sure what year he was born yet, late 80's, maybe?), you feel like you're already getting forbidden knowledge... so, you back out while you still can.
"Oh, I see. Was he a big gamer, too?"
You start walking again in order to keep an eye on your duo.
"Heh, yeah. Well, technically? He seemed to start gaming less as the years went on, but... he never really stopped."
You hum, kind of wondering what his parents were like. Or, are like? He doesn't seem to shy away from talking about them for any reason, everything said of them so far was volunteered on his own terms, so-
Mimi suddenly stops running mid-sprint, standing up straight and chirping in surprise. Cap stops running, too, looking up at her before jumping back as she suddenly starts emitting light.
"WHAT!? MIMI?!"
You drop your phone, running over to make sure she was OK. Her silhouette starts morphing little by little, growing taller, fluffier, bulkier, until...
...she lets out a triumphant, warbling cry.
"Mimi! Mimi WHAT!?"
She doesn't even get to answer. You scoop her up, running over to the phone you dropped.
"Jacq, JACQ, LOOK! LOOK AT HER!! THIS IS A HUUUGE GIRL, A MEGA MOUSE! LOOK!!"
Mimi has her eyes closed in contentment, letting you freak out for a moment over her new form. She's now a Pawmot, and you wanted to show off to EVERYONE, even to people who wouldn't know you OR have any reason to care, you were just that proud of her.
A shaky voice is heard on the other end. You can't see him due to holding Mimi right above the phone, but the crack is very, VERY audible.
"Y- eah? Great, that's g-great! Congratulations!"
Both you and Mimi are confused, looking at each other for a moment. You sit down, cradling her in one arm and picking your phone up with the other dominant hand. At this point, Cap has rejoined you, getting up to stand on your knee.
Now that you can see him again, Jacq looks... not ok. He's trying to control himself, but he's trembling, face slightly pale and smile more of a tight wince than an expression of joy. What... what happened?
"Hey, Jacq, you alright?"
He seems a bit surprised you could tell something was off, but he quickly clears his throat and answers.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just got a bit worried when you yelled and dropped your phone like that, hehe..."
Oh. Oh, yikes. Oh GODS-
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to-"
"-no, it's okay, I know you were excited. As you should be, honestly!"
He seems to feel a little better.
"I'm still sorry, I'd never scare you like that on purpose!"
He chuckles.
"I know, why wouldn't I know that?"
You let out a little laugh yourself.
"Heheh, I dunno, it's just..."
You suddenly blow a small raspberry, causing Mimi to put a hand over her mouth as she stifles a giggle and Cap to stare, mouth agape before laughing. Jacq himself laughs, too.
"Ah, looks like we're both sort of freaking out right now. Let's start over, okay? Oh! And uh..." He rubs the back of his neck a little. "I didn't want to say anything before, but you don't have to hold your phone for everything anymore, remember?"
Oh yeah, you turned off the auto-float thing when it startled you and almost made you fall out of your chair once. You thought it'd be Ok since it'd still save you if you fell, but maybe it'd be more convenient keeping it on in the long run? Life with these two can be chaotic, it'd be like an extra set of hands.
"You don't have to change it, but it might be convenient."
"Oh, definitely!" You nod enthusiastically. "Gimme a sec..."
You start changing the settings. You're in the zone, almost as if on auto-pilot, when Jacq starts giggling on the other end. You assume he's doing something, but when you finally exit your settings and watch your phone hover in place, you look at him, only to see he was already looking at you.
"Hm? What happened?" You ask as you look around, seeing nothing going on around you.
"Hehe, nothing... So! Where to begin?"
You think for a moment before getting an idea.
"Ah, here!"
You pick Mimi back up with both arms.
"Wow, look! A baby!"
He puts a hand over his mouth and gasps dramatically.
"Oh my, she sure grew!"
Mimi giggles a bit as you squeeze her tight.
"Yeah, but she's still my little thunder bolt..."
You loosen your grip before picking Cap up to place him in her arms, both to accentuate how small he is, as well as show how large she is now, the two of them being on the opposite ends of the average size spectrum. Mii's a bit bigger, Cap's quite a bit smaller, but they're still your perfect bundles of joy.
"Look at them! They're so different, but they're so beauuutifuuul!"
And they really are the most beautiful beings in the world to you. You loved every little thing about them, even the parts you didn't really understand before.
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A mix of random scenarios between you, Jacq, and of course, your beloved Pokémon. They all tell a progressing story, however. A lot of it is you getting to know Jacq and growing to be a natural at raising Pokémon.
Tone/Ending: Fairly Relaxed, VERY Fluffy, A Little Sad in the middle (basically just super short scenes of how your relationship works, you can see it as me using the imagines(?) style with an overarching plot!)
Warnings (For 3.5, 4, and 5): Capsakid is teething/loses his tooth at the beginning, plus some tears of joy and a little bit of trauma talk is had in the middle. Maybe looking at algae samples, your expy thinking of v*mit and calling Cap an asshole counts, but the second two are loving and in your head. Cap coughs up some Spicy Extract at one point. Also, hope you don't mind me mentioning Nintendo products! They're canon, so I'm gonna use 'em
Continuity: Part 4/finale of this particular story, and some lore from "May I Have A Word With You?" remains, setup for (???)
Word Count: 7,000+ in all
_\V/_
"Are you ABSOLUTELY sure it has nothing to do with him using Crunch?"
The man playfully scoffs and rolls his eyes, shaking his head a little as he stares at the ceiling. He's obviously just amused by your concern, however. Not a trace of annoyance can be found on his face. He's a man of science, but your uncertainty still made sense to him. Regardless, he wanted to reassure you. He makes eye contact again as he finishes doing something on his phone.
"Yes, I'm absolutely POSITIVELY sure. He really is just teething! Here, I have a little guide on how to help him until he loses that tooth of his..."
His phone emerges, sending yours a short guidebook through your email. You glance at the notification before looking down at Cap, who was angrily biting at the popsicle stick Mimi was holding.
He had already eaten the entire thing, the little puddles of melted Cheri berry juice made him slip a few times as he basically ripped the stick apart. Mimi looks absolutely astonished in a weird way, watching as he manages to cut clean chunks out of the stick with wide, concerned eyes, holding it out at a slight distance to avoid getting accidentally bitten herself. You decide to put an end to this.
"Oookay, little guy. That's enough, you're scaring her."
You pick him up, letting him nibble on your finger for a second. He seems to calm down a bit, but he then starts whining.
"Poor little baby..." you say, looking into his frustrated eyes. "I wish I could take on this pain for you."
And you really mean it, too. Your mind wanders a bit, idly wondering if there was some magical pain-transfering method you could do until you look into his eyes again. He looks a little sleepy now, but you know he has trouble falling asleep in general, so you feel like he'll probably hop right back into action once something distracts him from his pain well enough.
"Hehe, he's very lucky to have you, you know..." Jacq says, watching the two of you interact.
You look at him, silently taking note of the way the corners of his eyes crinkle a little as he smiles at you, gray irises looking a bit darker due to his pupils being slightly enlarged. You couldn't help but obsessively read his body language just to be sure he really meant what he said, but you've come to accept the fact that Jacq is just very honest, maybe even a bit blunt at times, but genuine all the same. It's even easy to suss out the rare occasion he's deceitful or secretive, too, if the admonishments he gets from Clavell mean anything.
You noticed and thought of so much, but in reality, you respond right away, looking back down at Cap.
"You really think so? I... I still don't know what I'm doing..." you say, gently massaging Cap's gums with your thumb. He seems to find some relief from this, leaning in slightly to help you apply more pressure, eyes closing in mild acceptance.
"That's okay! Nobody will ever know everything. It's that genuine effort that matters. Even now, look at him! He looks happy even though he's uncomfortable, because you're here for him."
You look at Cap, who gurgles a little as he tilts his head to the right to give you easier access to that side of his mouth. You massage that particular spot, eliciting a quick quirk of the lips from Cap before his face falls again, focusing on getting relief. It's random moments like this that make you think the overwhelming thought of 'I love you', but you often feel too awkward to say it during said random moments, so you just hope the loving look in your eye remains when he opens his own again.
_\V/_
"New dinosaur drooopped!"
You excitedly hold your phone out, an action that elicits a rattling noise due to the artsy teething bracelet you wore, showing him the article about it. Cap is in your shirt pocket, chirping excitedly despite not really knowing what's going on, while Mimi took her usual spot on your shoulder, holding on tight to keep up with your enthusiasm. It almost looked like you didn't just run back to Mesagoza after a day trip to Artazon. Almost.
He beams at you before nodding a few times, already sitting here and focusing on the same exciting news as you on his own phone, which was hovering and angled up at him from his desk.
"Oh, I know! It's all I could focus on this morning!" His smile slowly and sharply falls as he remembers something. "Heh, got a little scolding from the Director for that one, but at least I got my work done!"
You tilt your head a little. Did he... did he really get yelled at for that...? You wanna ask more, but it'd feel weird prodding.
"Aww, I'm sorry..."
He shoots you an awkward little grin as if saying 'it's fine' without using words.
"Well, I'm here, so uh, you should talk about it! 'Cause I also wanna talk about it, and you're excited, and I'm a noob who wants to learn-"
Now it's his turn to tilt his head a bit. Was it the noob comment? It's definitely the noob comment. You get slightly closer as you try to clear things up.
"Er- w-well, I didn't mean it like that, I meant... I'm like, not a scientist, but I've always been interested in paleo stuff, and like... you're a Pokémon biologist, so you know more about this type of thing than me. So with your knowledge and my noobish energy, this could be a really fun conversation, right?"
You silently nod, a strained grin on your face as if begging him to put a stop to the situation. Cap, who had been staring up at you this entire time, chirps loudly, obviously concerned. Mimi is as well, stroking you on the head and cooing lowly to calm you down. You probably look a teensy bit out of your mind at the moment, holding your phone up like you were threatening him with it. You're for sure absolutely mortified, but you keep your eye on Jacq's response.
At first, his mouth is slightly agape, definitely caught off-guard by your abrupt outburst. But then it slowly morphs into an open-mouth smile- a genuine one at that. He huffs out a laugh, which kinda reassures you? But also worries you a bit?
"Hehe, you guys were made for each other!"
Huh. Not a response you were expecting, but certainly makes sense coming from Jacq.
"But to answer your question, yes! I'd love to. Where did you find out about it?"
The tension in your... whole body loosens as you casually walk over, as if you didn't just take three years off your life through sheer humiliation.
"Oh, I follow this duo that goes by "The Bygone Beasts", I saw their post about it first thing this morning!"
His eyes widen a bit before he fully turns to you.
"Really, now? You follow them, too?"
You're slightly stunned, not really seeing him as a social media guy. But honestly, it kinda made sense when you thought about it. He made an app after all.
"Yeah? I follow their socials and watch their videos all the time, actually..."
He grins.
"Oh, wow, that's neat! I follow them, too. I like their 'Quick Digs' the most, especially when I'm too busy to look into something right away. It's nice- seeing how easy it is to introduce this new, complicated stuff if the right person teaches."
'Like you-?'
"Yeah, true! Plus, they make it fun, which is good for like, the general public and stuff..."
You are really bad at getting the words in your head out into the world, but he seems to understand you just fine.
"Yeah! Easy to digest and a pleasure to watch overall, I believe that's what makes a great lesson."
'Like what you do-?'
You nod fervently. You totally agree with him, you're just afraid the silly words in your head might get out if you elaborate too much.
Such as how you totally didn't run back to Mesagoza just so you could nerd out about dinosaurs together.
_\V/_
You were nervous. SO nervous, actually. Jacq had actually invited you to accompany him as he did some light fieldwork, since you were already out training Mimi anyway. Cap was back at the academy with Saguaro as he made him some more teething treats specifically to his liking...
...he's been really nice to you as well, actually. You might try and get to know him more.
Jacq had his Slowbro out as backup this time around, who lazily leaned against him as he tried to take notes on some Pokémon running around. The four of you were sitting in some bushes, just watching them interact.
"Ah, hold on, I have to write something down..."
He gently pushes against him so they're both sitting up straight. He didn't take his eyes off his field journal for even a second, which you couldn't help but find endearing. He looks positively giddy being able to work outside, even though you think he works outside the academy every Saturday anyway. Saturdays just like this, except he seemed to usually go alone.
He eventually sits up and glances at you, petting Slowbro as he did so.
"Hehe, sorry. I was just interested in that Mudbray over there! I think it's sharing its mud with that Petilil..."
He turns back to them as he says this, prompting you and Mimi to do so as well. The Mudbray seems to be scraping the ground a little bit as the Petilil hops in place with excitement. Jacq whispers, probably to himself, leaning in a little bit while adjusting his glasses to see them better. You can almost feel him squinting, even though you can't see it yourself.
"Huh, I wonder what they're..."
The Mudbray finishes its work, stomping once with its front leg and proudly holding its head up, looking away from the little bulb with its eyes closed. Petilil proceeds to squeak, hopping around in the mixture. Despite the presence of Mudbray's mud, the area doesn't seem to be a mess...
"...ohhhh..."
You turn to him. He brings a hand up to his chin, gears turning in his head as he has an epiphany.
"...was that Mudbray preparing a little patch of soil for Petilil...?"
You keep watching them as well, watching as the Petilil seems to be frolicking around in the spot Mudbray dug around in. Mudbray opens one eye to catch a glimpse of the little grass-type before closing it again, holding its head up even higher. It's undeniably proud of itself.
You turn to Jacq, who is already furiously scribbling everything down, nodding and mumbling to himself as he did so. You look over at Slowbro on the other side of Jacq, who yawns, still leaning against him. You then turn to Mimi, a small, uncontrollable smile on your face. She covers her face to try and stifle a little laugh, prompting you to playfully roll your eyes and shake your head, looking away from her.
"Okay! That was a very fascinating interaction..." he starts, looking down at the notes he wrote. You look back towards him as he mulls over them, and he eventually turns to you.
"Sorry, got in the zone, hehe."
You shake your head.
"Nope! You're good, do your thing. In fact, pretend I'm not even here!"
He furrows his eyebrows, mouth slightly open, confusion evident on his face as he stares at you.
"Wha- why would I?"
You feel somewhat addled, looking at how confused he is. Isn't it obvious...?
"...this is a part of your research, right...?"
He lets out a little "pssh!" sound, looking at you with a wry smile.
"Oh, this? Don't worry, I'm just observing them, nothing major unless I see something strange..."
You nod, looking back over at the duo, but especially at Petilil. Grass-types sure were interesting, you wouldn't mind it if you stuck around to study them a little. You're especially interested in how they came to be, that topic is still shrouded in quite a bit of mystery. And since your first Pokémon just happened to be a grass-type, it was almost like it was meant to be.
"...that being said, I do wonder what benefits Mudbray gets from all this..."
He is completely engrossed in what he's watching, back to staring at the two as if he had never even turned around in the first place.
"Is it possible it does it altruistically? Are they friends? She seemed to know what it was doing already..."
He continues to scribble some notes down.
"Oh, I HAVE to talk to Mudsdale about this later. Maybe she'll know!"
You laugh a bit to yourself. This wasn't exactly what you had in mind when you agreed to join him on the field, but you didn't mind. Seeing Jacq in his element, just watching how he functions on a normal old day was great, no matter what he was doing.
_\V/_
"Oh... oh no, buddyyyyy. I'm so sorry-y-yyyyy-"
You're struggling not to laugh a little as you comfort your Pokémon. Cap's shooting you the death glare of the century, but at least that tooth finally came out! Now he won't have to live in discomfort, at least until it starts growing back in. You had it on your desk, because you weren't exactly sure what to do about a tooth that will start degrading sooner rather than later.
You give him a little pat on the head using your index and middle fingers, but when you remove them, you see that he's still absolutely incensed. You stifle a titter, trying to stare him down with a somewhat neutral expression to show him you aren't laughing AT him, even though it's technically true.
You weren't laughing at his missing tooth, however. That was for certain. You were laughing at the face he made when you tried to reassure him he'll be fine without it for a while. Which is the face he's still making. Which is why you're struggling not to laugh.
When his eyes narrow and his frown deepens even more, you can't help yourself. Pulling out your phone, you aim it at him.
"Hah- buddy, buddy, I promise you'll be fine-"
You snap a picture, face twisting into a strange slanted smile as you look at it, prompting Cap to stick his tongue out at you.
"I'm sorry... you're just so cute... plus, look!"
You turn it towards him, though you can't tell if he actually looked at it or not.
"Memories in the making... your first tooth shedding!"
You do genuinely love keeping mementos for occasions like this, even silly ones, but that also means you take plenty of photos he won't hate you for in the future. Mimi comes over, hugging Cap and mildly glaring at you. She then walks off with the little guy.
The absurdity of it all almost breaks you, coming so very close to just... cackling. But you take a deep breath and remain calm. You feel bad for laughing, so you accept the fact that you'd have to either explain just WHY you were laughing, even if they didn't believe you, or simply apologize for laughing at all without any explanation. Either way, you'd accept their reactions.
You sit down at your desk, staring at the tooth. You really don't know what to do with it. Apparently people make dishes with these? But you aren't sure how comfortable you'd feel eating the tooth of your own Capsakid. Do Capsakid in the wild who like spicy foods eat their own fallen teeth? UGH, so many questions...
You pull up your phone.
So many questions, so many excuses to message Jacq.
[Hey! Can I ask a weird question?]>
<[Of course! The weirder the better./gen]
[What should I do with Cap's tooth? I don't think I personally have the will to eat it, but I also think it's gonna start rotting or drying out eventually]>
<[Hm, there are quite a few things you could do with it. Want a little list?]
[Yes, please! I'm open to anything]>
<[*You could donate it to a friend so someone else can use it.
*You could see if he wants to keep it, some seem to hold onto them for some reason or another.
*If he doesn't want it, you could preserve it for yourself if you're the sentimental type.
*It's also fine to just let nature take care of it.
So many options! Those were just a few.]
Hm, what would a wild Capsakid do...?
[Thank you!! I'll definitely ask if he wants it, but preserving it sounds sweet if he doesn't]>
You then think of the picture, wondering if he'd find his little face as amusing as you.
[Hey, totally related, check this out]>
[He angy]>
You wait for a bit, hopefully he doesn't think you hurt him. Oh gosh, what if he does... the sight of those three torturous dots causes you to freeze and stare at your screen until...
<[Oh wow, you're lucky the Director wasn't around when I got this 😂/j]
Ok... thank ALL the gods in the world and also any other ones beyond it that he found it amusing... you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. You then start replying, feeling confident enough to continue the conversation.
You didn't know it at the time, but this weird little photo eventually reminded him of something.
_\V/_
"Do you... remember what happened that day?"
The two of you are sitting in homeroom before classes start. You're trying to rack your brain the best you can. The day you learned Cap was getting stronger just watching Mimi, Cap got mad at you. Why could that have been...?
"...hm..."
You furrow your eyebrows in deep thought, tracing your memories back from your arrival in Mesagoza to the first thing you can remember that day. Something happened between you two, what... what was...
"Oh, oh! I remember!"
You turn to him.
"Cap was already out of his Pokéball! H- he was attacking another Pokémon-- what was it...? Oh, a Chewtle!"
He slowly nods along, eyes relaying the fact that he was mulling over every detail you gave as you gave them.
"Hm... I see..."
He seems to have an idea of what was going on already, but he needs some clarification first.
"Do you remember anything about the way they were fighting?"
The... way... they were fighting? Something about this question tickles your brain a bit.
"I think... hm, that's a... an interesting question."
You remember the fact that Cap seemed mad at Chewtle. Like, genuinely furious at it, before redirecting that anger towards you. The Chewtle had some friends watching on the sidelines, but didn't run when Cap knocked the main Chewtle out. It was when they realized you noticed them that they bolted. Cap and Chewtle were crying out, trying to intimidate the other, which is why you woke up in the first place.
Ok. That's a lot to unpack.
"...the Chewtle... well, there were three of them. I woke up because Cap was yelling at one of them, the other two were watching nearby. And uh... when I asked him why he was fighting a random Pokémon, he got mad at me. He knocked the Chewtle out, too, I don't know why. I think he used... Razor Leaf...? Yeah, had to be Razor Leaf. It was close-range, though. Seemed to be a VERY personal attack."
He nods once, staring at the ground as the final piece of the story clicks into place.
"I see..." he says as he closes his eyes, face turning somber. "Capsakid was very mad at you that day."
It's been a little while since all this happened, but that still made your heart sink. He has a warm expression on his face as he sits back up to look at you, however.
"From how frantic he was in letting me know something happened to you, he seemed more worried that you didn't get why he was mad than the fact that you told him off. But since you mention him fighting a Chewtle and being out of his Pokéball before you got up--"
You think you're starting to get it.
"--well, it seems your Capsakid is a very loyal one indeed. I believe he was simply trying to protect you from the Pokémon stumbling upon your camp!"
Of course he was. What...? Of course, how did you not realize it?
"I-"
You're having trouble speaking, words failing you. He takes note of this.
"...hey..."
He puts a hand on your shoulder.
"... I think he just wanted me to tell you to be more careful, human-to-human. I'm very glad he came out and saved the day. He deserves a gold star for that one!"
Huh. You knew he was just being playful and using teacher humor, but... that doesn't sound like a bad idea. The image in your head of Cap and Mimi covered with gold stars while proudly standing next to a good behavior chart tickled you.
"Hehe, he sure does..."
You feel kind of sad, though. You want to understand them better. Of course Jacq isn't exactly fluent in Poké speak, but the fact that he could see his stress, realize it was related to you specifically, and ask the right questions to guesstimate what he wanted made you... a little jealous, not gonna lie. Not the kind that makes you resent either of them, thankfully, but the type that makes you wish you could just... be as good as him, you guess.
"...Mr. Jacq...?"
He smiles a little, although there was an almost imperceptible sense of hesitation in the way he turned to you, something you'll no doubt obsess over later.
"Yeah?"
"I... I wanna stay at the academy a bit longer."
His eyes light up.
"Really?"
You nod with determination.
"Yeah! I, uh, think it'd be fun, being able to really study here. I wanna be able to understand Cap and Mimi the way you do. Plus, I- I've always been interested in helping the world figure out the origins of grass-types, even as a kid. Maybe I could be a researcher that focuses on them?"
You panic, just a little on the inside.
"A-and if I'm not cut out for that, maybe I'll be able to offer support in another way? I can be helpful, I promise..."
You look down, all steam evaporating from your body. Your word salad of a proclamation goes out in the least confident way you can imagine.
"...eh... maybe..."
There's a small silence, which freaks you out until you glance at him. He's looking down, face neutral, but his eyes show a slowly brewing excitement. He's thinking over your proclamation. When he looks up at you, a giddy grin is plastered across his face.
"That sounds great! I know you'll do great in whatever you pursue, and hey! I'd love to see you here next semester."
Oh, thank goodness. He said he'd love to have you here. And you'd love sticking around. You were done pretending you had to leave once your situation was sorted. You adored this school, enrolling because of Cap but staying for... everything else.
You're just glad he still seems to want you around.
_\V/_
"Alright, Mimi! Use Entrainment!"
Mimi nods with a squeak before starting to dance. The wild Lechonk watches her odd movements, head swaying to keep an eye on her, only to get in the groove and start dancing as well. After a while, you strike.
"Nice, now use Discharge!"
She nods, curling in on herself before throwing her arms up, charging up a loose a flare of electricity while wildly hopping and swiping at the air before sending off one dense blast that fades out after a certain distance. The Lechonk... seems to be unaffected by it, even looking at itself and its surroundings as the electricity disperses and fizzles away. It then turns to you, oinking.
"Okay, now it has Volt Absorb. So that's how Entrainment works... nice!"
Mimi turns to you and trills before letting out a little cheep. You smile.
"That ability will certainly be helpful..." you muse, looking at the Lechonk as it stares at you both.
"Oh, thanks for being such a good sport, Lechonk!"
You toss it a treat, a Poffin from the Patisserie Soapberry. Lechonk takes a step forward and happily eats it, wagging its little tail while snorting away. When it finishes, it oinks again as a goodbye before waddling off. Maybe it will use its new ability... what do wild Pokémon do when hit by moves like that? Would it go away if it fainted or fell asleep or something? You can't help but wonder...
"Okay! We should check in on Cap and Jacq!"
It likely wasn't easy watching him while grading papers and the like. You knew your little chaos gremlin, so you tried to warn him ahead of time. You just know he's probably bored and causing mayhem, or trying to get Jacq's attention through any means necessary. But he insisted he keep him while you go out to train and see what Mimi's got going on, so you reluctantly agreed... he was the expert, after all, so if anyone could babysit a rascal like Cap, it was Jacq.
...he's done so much for you, for seemingly no benefit of his own. You'd have to thank him profusely one of these days.
[Jacq! She just entrained the HECK out of a Lechonk! Isn't that cool???]>
He opens it and responds after a few moments.
<[Yeah, very cool! When in a pinch, that move can be pretty useful. And hey! She might even be close to Cap in terms of experience now, actually!]
Huh. Does that mean...?
[Aw, finally. Progress! I need to test that theory out soon 😈 ]>
You were pretty excited to see if he was right, since you weren't totally sure how confident Cap was using Seed Bomb yet. You'd have to see if they were in the same battle experience range in-person. Plus, a part of you still wants to wait just a little bit before testing it out. You're getting ahead of yourself now, though. You wanna see your gremlin!
[Oh yeah, can I see the little baby guy?]>
He starts typing, only to pause for a few moments. He then picks it back up and responds.
<[Sure! Gimme a few seconds.]
You wait, and he sends a picture of a very happy Capsakid.
<[I think he likes lemonade]
You can't help but let out a laugh. Something about his reply was sort of amusing to you. Cap looks like he's having a grand 'ol time as well, you'd have to buy him some lemonade sometime. Maybe you can experiment with different foods and drinks now that he likes you enough to... not... ignore you.
[Haha, noted!]>
You then look down at Mimi, who is sitting in front of you grooming herself. After giving her ears a good brushing, she chirps, walking over to you and rubbing up against your leg. She's always been fond of you. You aren't sure why, but you're grateful for it. Always by your side, looking out for you, going along with your weird little plans...
You smile. You really did appreciate it, even if you couldn't always put it to words. So you pick her up and give her a little scratch behind the ears. She leans back a little to really melt into the feeling, closing her eyes and smiling wide.
"You've always been there for me... through thick and thin. Thank you for that..."
The "I love you" lingers on your tongue, but it feels like bad timing. You love her in general, you don't want to give her the impression that you only love her because she's useful in your plans. So, you decide to be less shy in showing your love and appreciation for no real reason more often.
You've always enjoyed the idea of (well-meaning) spontaneity when it comes to gestures of love, even if you'd probably explode if someone did it and you weren't even sort of aware of it. You'd just be able to do it more often now that you weren't stressed 24/7 anymore. Whenever you thought of her, you'd let her know.
_\V/_
You're sitting on the floor in your bathroom, trying to keep as quiet as you can, tears streaming down your face. You're crying, for a reason you're honestly a little embarrassed by. You were bathing Cap, because he decided running around in the mud was an amazing idea for some reason.
"C'mon, Cap. You look fresh out the ground right now..." you said, an amused smile on your face. You ran the sink, but added some bubbles to it to make it more fun. The sensitive skin kind specifically, just to be sure.
You gently wipe the dirt off with a wet cloth, using just the cloth over your thumb so you don't smother him on accident. He seemed to accept his fate rather well, allowing you to clean him up without too much of a fight. When you were done, you let the water run out, getting all the dirty water down the drain before deciding to rinse him off one more time.
You refill the sink to just a few inches this time, placing another cloth on the bottom so he doesn't slip before allowing him to splash around a bit. He seemed to enjoy it, actually, so you smile, looking down at him as he played and finished getting the last bit of residual soap off. He looked up at you, those big ol' eyes of his so full of wonder and enthusiasm...
...and then it began.
Here you are, crying your eyes out in your dorm's bathroom because of the overwhelming love you feel for your tiny pepper kid. You can't help it. You just didn't know why. Why now? All you were doing was washing your gremlin off so he didn't track dirt and mud all over the academy.
But you couldn't control the wave of adoration that came over you.
Cap chirps from the sink. You flinch, remembering how small he is, so you turn around to make sure he hasn't fallen. He hasn't, simply watching you over the sink's edge, curious. You smile. It's a real smile, but the tears in your eyes are all he really sees right now. So when you get up to walk back over, he stares up at you as he generates some leaves, almost like he was about to hit you with Razor Leaf like he did to Chewtle... but he doesn't, instead letting them gently fall.
You blink, confused, before he bites one and leans in. He then chirps again. It was slightly muffled, so the tone was hard to gauge, but you assume he wants you to take it. You... really wish you knew what he was saying.
"What, for me?" you ask as you take it from him, lifting it up to smell it like a flower. But as you do so, he chirps loudly again, before rapidly blinking. You blink back at his pace, really not getting it until he scampers up to rub his face on your shirt.
Oh... was he... was he trying to get you to...
You wipe it underneath your eye before looking down at him expectantly. He chirps, bottoms of his eyes crinkling with joy.
...huh... maybe he does pay attention during movie nights.
You chuckle a little, charmed by his attempts to make things better. His leaf was obviously not the best material to use as a replacement for tissues, but he didn't need to know that. The fact that he wanted to make things better so badly that he even thought of this warmed your heart. You nod at him, smearing the rest of your tears away before bowing slightly.
"Thanks, Cap. Really! I appreciate it."
He trills before turning around, kicking up some water and letting out a mighty cry. Back to playtime it is. You need to remember to get some bath toys for them, but he seems satisfied just splashing around like he's king of the lake or something. Must be nice meeting a body of water he can trust not to swallow him up...
Mimi was fast asleep, but you know she'd find it sweet if you told her later (maybe even squeal and give him a big Bewear hug). Jacq was... doing Jacq things of course, but he'd certainly love to know that he thought to do something like this. You even think of Saguaro, knowing he would find his gesture adorable.
But a part of you would like to keep this little moment between the two of you. You were thinking hard about it of course, but Cap had already moved on, stomping around with a smile, probably not even thinking about it anymore. It was super sweet, and you wanted him to know that in ways your awkwardly short words couldn't portray, but perhaps it should be by celebrating him as an individual?
I'll be back like, tomorrow afternoon, the storm is here I think?? This is what I get for being born in the south/j
I actually like this story, but the style is SO DIFFERENT to how I usually write, so I was scared to post it, lmao. Guess I'll write more Jacq and Hassel stuff to ✨️ sooth my nerves ✨️
Continuity: Part 2 of this story, sequel to "Descent to Reality"
--v-Vv-
"Grusha I swear to you, I saw one! It was over there!"
He looked to where you pointed. You swore up and down you saw an orange Combee in a flower patch, but it was no longer there.
"WHAT-?"
You frantically look around. Yet again, Grusha is out in public with you as you freak out over something. This time, you're in Mesagoza, since it's now close to exam season. You decided it'd be bad to continue your treasure hunt right now, but you missed seeing him in person. He eventually caved and came over to visit.
Well, "caved" is how he'd describe it, but he missed you, too.
"I believe you. You have an eye for weird things."
"Hey!"
You glare at him. He deadpans back before changing the subject.
"So, Tulip's gym is next, right? Think you're ready?"
You nod aggressively.
"Oh yeah, yep! Very ready, but..."
You look towards Falinks with sadness in your eyes.
"...this will be another matchup where these guys can't be used much. Last time, they could only use one move against Ryme's team, and this time, they'll be super weak against Tulip's."
He really does feel kind of bad for you, seeing as though they were certainly your best friends and greatest assets on your team. He closes his eyes and faces down, hands in the pockets of his lighter jacket.
"Ah, well that's too bad."
You smirk.
"Yeah, but don't worry. We'll get good, then we'll march right up that mountain and kick your butt. Right, Drum-Fum!?"
Falinks all hop into formation, letting out a battle cry.
He... found this cute, smiling at you and your little second-through-seventh in commands. Sure, it's nice seeing how in-sync you are with your formation Pokémon, but this realization was kind of different.
He was actually starting to get used to the idea of finding you cute.
"Okay, but remember, I'll be ready for you."
You smile, making a cutesy pose with your hands clasped together.
"Awww, preparing just for me??"
His smile abruptly falls, shaking his head.
"No, just in general."
You notice this, but you don't comment on it.
"I can't wait to get to you! I'll get my last gym badge, challenge La Primera, become the latest champion..."
Your eyes sparkled as you danced around him at the thought. He couldn't help but stare, even if he felt like you were a bit too much of a dreamer. You then stop.
"Oh! And, uh, I'll be sure to use my status for good."
He raises an eyebrow.
"That's a relief."
You glare back at him.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He tilts his head, hands coming up defensively and eyes closing.
"What I mean is you're the least sane person in Paldea. I'm glad you're not getting stronger for nefarious purposes."
You gawk at him, reeling back in shock (even though it really doesn't shock you in the slightest that he'd say that).
"How COULD you!?"
He just scoffs, refraining from rolling his eyes.
"Well? What can I say? You're kinda crazy."
You get in his face, although you quickly loose the plot.
"I dunno, not... that?"
He's leaning back, staring into your eyes, fighting off the urge to-
"You know what? You're right. Where are my manners?"
He walks a few steps ahead of you before stopping, turning back towards you and bowing.
"Will you PLEASE forgive me, my liege?"
He offers a hand as he peeks up at you, who's trying to suppress a laugh.
"Look who's acting weird in public now!"
And you're right. But you'd never learn why.
"Yeah, and? I'm hanging out with the most insane person in Paldea. It was bound to happen."
And with that, your eyes lit up, widening with realization. He's... unsure of what this means.
"Oh, but- but you still hang out with me, no?"
Eyebrows furrowed, he replies.
"Yeah? I guess so."
You point at him.
"You don't care that I'm weird, do you?"
He doesn't get a chance to respond. You smile at him, doing a weird little dance.
"Youuuuu like meeeeeee! Admit it!"
He looks down to the ground. Damn it.
"Well, your presence isn't as obnoxious as I thought it'd be."
"That's..."
You stare blankly at him for a moment before your entire countenance lights up.
"...so nice of you to say! By your standards, at least. Bet that hurt to admit, huh, 'Grump-a'?"
He groans. It really wasn't hard to get you to like him. In fact, he did absolutely nothing at all, but he still ended up roped up in your... he'd say friend group, but he hasn't heard of any other friends of yours yet. Point is, you just sorta claimed him in an instant despite his initial lack of interest, but then again, he went with it, so...
He looks around. Many people were sneaking glances at him, whispering about the gym leader visiting Mesagoza. Some had even turned toward you, pointing in awe, probably speculating about your relationship together.
He pointedly ignored them, being very used to it all, and decided to simply enjoy the day. He was here for you, a thought he was... slowly growing fond of. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to voice his feelings sometimes, without caveats.
--v-Vv-
"So! How's life been treatin' ya, baby?"
La Primera had invited every public figure in the league to a nice restaurant. She framed it as "team building", but everyone seemed to be gathered in their own little groups. Not that he minded or even cared past thinking 'ironic'. He just sat at the restaurant's bar with Ryme and Larry.
"It's... been." He simply answered.
She doesn't seem satisfied with this response, but she knows he has trouble speaking. He just needs more specific questions.
"Anythin' new or interesting go down?"
At this question, even Larry momentarily glances over at the two of them. Grusha huffs.
"Well, I've learned about almost every formation a Falinks employs and why they do them..." He said, taking a sip from his drink. He's not much of a drinker, but he will sip on something during a social event or meal like brunch from time to time. He was actually on his second (and final) drink of the night, nursing it at a leisurely pace.
"Ah, I wonder, where'd ya get that information from?" She asks, smirking.
"Haha, very funny. You know where."
He refused to look at her. She simply glances at Larry, who looks back at her. He speaks up this time.
"Grusha, it's fine to admit y-"
"No, whatever you're about to say, NO."
Grusha turns, staring him down. Larry's expression doesn't change, but Ryme sneers at him, speaking up again.
"Grusha, it's really alright. You don't have to be so defensive, we're all adults here."
He groans, hand shooting up to sooth his temple.
"First of all, Poppy's sitting nearby with Rika, and you know how she gets with this stuff. Second of all, there's nothing there, so stop overthinking it."
This only implicates him more.
"What did I say?"
He... doesn't remember the exact wording, but he knows she was implying some deeper feelings. Or, maybe it was Larry. Yeah, definitely him.
"I don't know, why do you wanna know so bad?"
"Know what?"
He responds in a mocking tone, "My 'fee-fees'."
She barks out a laugh, turning away from him. Even Larry lets out a snort before covering his face and glancing away.
She calms down, turning back to him.
"Come on, Grusha. I know you can say at least ONE good thing about them. Tell me how you really feel."
He stares out in front of himself for a second before sighing.
"Well, they are great at battling..."
She nods, expecting this answer. He talks about how obsessed you are with your Falinks all the time. Besides, you were able to beat her recently. What she doesn't expect, however, is what he says next.
"And I guess it's cool that they're so passionate about life. And- it's been kind of exciting, waiting for them to come and challenge my gym."
They both stare at him, never getting this much out of him before when it comes to the topic of you. They stay silent, not wanting to throw him off.
"And like, I dunno, it isn't the worst thing having them in my life. Maybe it'd be cool if they stuck around." He shook his head. "But, they're still insane, so..."
Ryme nods. She's heard of your escapades before. He once came to a meeting frustrated at the fact that you tried to climb a windmill to get something a Bombirdier stole from you the day before. He was absolutely steaming the entire time, barely paying attention, which isn't like him. Why he cared so much was a mystery to everyone but herself and Larry. He was happier being around you than he was letting on, and would be devastated if something happened to you.
Larry himself could read in between the lines, too. He knew he secretly appreciated you, even if he couldn't say it. That little extra line about you being insane (while probably true to some extent) was thrown in so he wouldn't seem too 'mushy'. Besides, he's never invested in someone for so long, at least someone not specifically linked to his everyday life in some way if he didn't like them.
Larry glanced at Ryme, who glanced at him. They interpreted what he said in two slightly different ways, but both of them were right. And Grusha knew they'd understand what he was actually saying. He hated this fact, but he felt vulnerable and slightly intoxicated. He knew he could trust these two to keep quiet. Ryme, because she valued the fact that he always felt safe confiding with her, and Larry, because he's no gossip in general. Maybe this would be a good time to practice that voicing his feelings thing?
"It's weird, having someone want to be in your life so bad even when you're being so moody and jaded. I guess I don't hate it as much as I used to."
He then turns to them, a serious look on his face.
"If you say anything, you're dead."
They nod. The threat wasn't needed for them to agree, but he needed to preserve some sense of control over his emotions.
--v-Vv-
"Soooo, yeah! That's basically how it happened."
His eyes were glued to the ground, confusion evident on his face.
"So, lemme get this straight. Your Falinks... caught itself for you? On purpose, no less?"
Your eyes light up, petting each one.
"Yup! We've been inseparable ever since. Might go back and visit the area, actually."
You were all sitting on a picnic blanket somewhere along Socarrat Trail. Your Falinks were all sitting in a circle, halfway asleep, and Cetoddle was sliding down the hill you were on, trilling and running back up to do it all over again.
"Huh, that's... honestly not the weirdest thing I've heard from you."
You abruptly turn towards him, catching him off guard.
"Heyy! I'll have you know they did it because they saw something in me."
That seemed to be true, to be totally fair. Your parents had rented a Grafaiai to help you catch your first Pokémon, only to fail miserably and run out of time. You, in your infinite wisdom, ran out into the forest on your own to try and "brute force" a catch.
He can only imagine how miserably you failed at it.
You were left devastated, ready to give up entirely on your dreams of catching your own partner. It was then that a Falinks walked up to you, pressed its head against the Pokéball you were about to pick up and throw out in frustration, and caught itself.
Grusha can only wonder why they chose to go with you. He can see it was a great decision in retrospect, but at the time? You were running around, wildly throwing Pokéballs left and right, probably losing it as time went on. Why would they (or at least the brass) see that and be moved into joining you?
He feels like he's going to be pondering this for quite a while.
You abruptly stand up, which woke Falinks up, shouting "Ooh, OH! Check this out!"
You sprint behind a hill, Falinks following (fairly) close behind you. Grusha and Cetoddle sit there, looking in your direction, only to be ever so mildly shocked to see you come back showboating and standing atop Falinks as if they were a parade float. They were marching as smoothly as they could manage to keep you from losing your footing, faces full of determination, chanting as they made their way around in a circle in front of the hill. You were able to keep your balance surprisingly well.
"Ha-HAH! SEE!? Imagine me, being carried into battle atop my loyal army!"
He COULD imagine it, which is what worried him.
"But like, not really, right?"
You stop your showboating for a moment.
"Hmm... I dunno, actually!"
He grimaced.
"...well then why would you practice something like this?"
You shrug.
"For fun?"
The two of you stare at each other, Grusha sporting a mean glare, and you constantly needing to turn your head to keep eye contact with him. It was kind of ridiculous, Cetoddle looking between the two of you, a look of confusion on her face as she chirped to herself. You finally ended the moment by clapping your hands together.
"OH! Hey- hey, Falinks! I wanna get down!"
They all stop moving before carefully kneeling, allowing you to get down. You do so, skipping over to Grusha with a smile on your face. He eyes you, not really sure what you were planning on doing. You plopped down next to him, leaning your head to the side to get a good look at him as you spoke.
"Did you know? The first modern Falinks came to be alongside an ancient civilization! Like, they would travel with them and train by watching their armies, but their battle tactics were so effective in the wild, they kept using them even when that civilization fell. It's true! They even started coming up with their own."
He stares at you, silently giving you permission to continue.
"It's been thousands of years, yet they've only gotten better at using those tactics, not dropping them. I think it's neat! Going to Galar, and Paldea, and still being able to fight the same way they did so long ago."
You gesture toward them, all posing with pride.
"Beautiful. Arceus' perfect creatures."
He snorts at that last comment, but he finds it cute how much you love Falinks. Your very best friends. They were just as proud being your Pokémon as you were having them. In fact, he wouldn't be shocked if your mild interest in history started while getting to know your new friends. It would make a lot of sense, actually.
"Huh, that's neat. Be careful about nerding out near Jacq, though. He'd totally take your interest and run a marathon with it."
You grin, suppressing a snicker before turning your entire body towards him.
"Hah! Don't worry! As long as I keep it on the topic of Falinks, we'll be good."
That... laugh... his face flushed a little, causing him to turn away.
"Yeah, probably."
'Keep it short and sweet, Gru.' Even if his affections are obvious, he can keep the extent of it under wraps.
He's staring at the ground in deep thought, eyes darting around a little. He can't deny this any longer. Even the simplest things would throw him into a frenzy. This isn't him. As much as he'd be Ok with it, then deny it, then warm up to the idea again, he was sure this time. He felt... less than convenient feelings towards you. But what does this mean for him? For you? For the future?
His thoughts are suddenly halted by the feeling of you staring at him again. The same one he got at the observatory. Slowly, cautiously, he turns to you, only to see a huge toothy smile on your face. He jumped, hiding himself again by turning his head and pulling his hair to the side over his shoulder, blocking your view of his own face.
"Wh-what's up?"
Smooth.
"Noooothiiing-"
You make a weird breathy noise as if trying not to laugh. He still refuses to look at you.
"Then why are you staring at me like that? Weirdo."
You're about to say something when you hear Falinks cry out. You both turn towards the scene, only to see them already sending a group of Murkrow running for the hills at the sight of their fainted Honchkrow leader. They look to you, eyes wide, as if asking if you're Ok. You give a little thumbs-up.
"Woah, you all really are strong..." He says out loud to himself. If they can take down powerful mons without your help, you all working together can take down tough trainers with ease. You let out a cocky little "hmph", hands on your hips in pride.
"Absolutely, you better remember this moment when I take you down."
This time, he didn't rebuke this, because you were probably right. You could take him down easily at this point.
He turns to you. The sunlight pouring through the forest leaves hit your eyes just right as you flashed a grin at him.
"Ah, I didn't mean too much with that, really! It isn't personal or anything, Iiiii just mean you're my final obstacle before the Pokémon League and I'll absolutely take you down to get there."
You grin again, this time a little more deviously, waiting for his snappy response.
But it never comes.
He's quiet, taking in every little detail he can. Natural light really does wonders...
"..."
"Gru?"
He still doesn't respond, choosing to turn away and let the moment quiet down. To let his heart quiet down. You take the hint, idly nodding and turning away to look out into the distance yourself. He takes a peek at you, too afraid to attract your attention by fully turning his head.
He's fine with this moment, as it is, even if his heart is screaming for more.
Maybe Ryme was right about that symphony thing.
--v-Vv-
"Am I normal?"
You're both standing underneath an awning. It's raining pretty heavily, the two of you obviously caught off-guard while out and about. You even sent Cetoddle and Falinks back into their Pokéballs to keep them dry.
"I mean... what is your definition of 'normal'?"
"C'mon, Gru..." You seem frustrated. "You're always brutally honest, so just tell me. Am I normal? Do I come off differently than other people? Do I... go too far with my weirdness?"
He cringes. Yes, you do stand out, he noticed you before you noticed him, after all. But he didn't see it as a negative. Not really.
"Well, yes. You're right, you would stick out in a crowd if I compared you to most other people."
"I KNEW it!" You said, furrowing your eyebrows and gritting your teeth.
He looked to you, not sure what to say.
"I- hey. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
You shake your head, refusing to look at him.
"I dunno, I've always felt different, but I never knew why. I still don't! I don't make a good permanent friend, and nobody understands how I think... it's weird!"
You slink down against the building to sit on the ground, defeated.
"I'm weird."
Grusha takes a moment to take in what you just said. He then does the same, sitting on the ground and looking at you, hand on your shoulder.
"Ok, slow down. Did something happen to make you feel this way? Even if it's unrelated?"
You sigh.
"No... people always think I wanna be in a bad mood, but it isn't true! My brain just won't stop- doing things?? I dunno! Like, I'm fine, then I remember baggage from when I was like, 12, and it's like 'that's how it is, that's how it'll always be', I'm not normal! Why... aren't I normal...?"
He's stumped. He knows he can't help, especially since you don't even know where this is coming from, but he wants you to feel welcome with him.
"Well, yeah, you're weird. Probably one of the weirdest people I know, but-" he looks at you to make sure you're paying attention. Your expression hasn't changed, simply staring blankly in front of you, posture slumped a little.
He continues.
"Weird isn't really a bad thing. Not on its own at least. And, I know what it's like, being stuck in your own head. I know you can't just change it. That- that's fine."
He's really bad at communicating what he wants to say, cursing at himself for not being able to just put his emotions out into the world. Words of affirmation will have to be worked on.
"You. The way you are. Don't change that, Ok? Look at me, out in the rain because you're so fun to be around, even when I question your sanity sometimes. That... you... mean a lot, to me."
He turns away. Of all the times to not be able to be brutally honest.
He hears you sigh.
"Thanks, Usha. Sorry, didn't mean to bring the mood down."
He waves one hand up a little, both to dissuade your line of thinking, and to hide the fact that this new nickname made him blush a little.
"Hey, no worries. You didn't bring anything down. Talk to me, when you want to, Ok?"
You take a moment before nodding, still not looking at him.
--v-Vv-
"...why would you keep this to yourself...?"
You turn away from him, tears threatening to spill out once again. The two of you are in Grusha's office at the Glaseado Gym. The weird way you hold your wrist is evidence of something being terribly, horribly wrong.
"I- I didn't- I didn't want to-"
"Dude." He stops you. "Whatever you're about to say? Yeah, don't even bother. Why wouldn't you let me know? Are you actually insane?"
Falinks stand by marching in place, worried out of their minds as Cetoddle watches from her favorite spot next to the window, visibly uncertain about the situation.
"I thought I was better! I thought I-"
"How about instead of assuming things are OK, you reach out to someone? To me, to the academy nurse, anybody!"
You had tried to help him with something, only to reinjure your wrist again, which had apparently gotten twisted in an incident already.
He fixes the strap of a compression brace he put on you, sighing heavily.
"Injuries like these are no joke. Don't let 'em properly heal, and even a treatable one like this can cause permanent damage."
He steps back to look at you better.
"Whatever ego you had in not telling me? Throw it out, now. I'm the wrong person to pull that with."
You're still turned away from him, but you gulp, taking a small peek before responding, voice trembling.
"It wasn't my ego, I swear..."
He looks up at you, looking you straight in the eye the best he can despite your avoidance, eyebrow raised.
"Oh really? Then what was it?"
"... I don't know..."
He groans before turning away and walking toward the door. He stops and points toward the coat rack.
"Grab your coat and come with me."
--v-Vv-
He thought things were getting better.
He told you to a further extent what he went through, how he felt unstoppable, but then he got into the accident, and now he has to live with physical and mental reminders that will never go away.
But of course, things don't really work that way. It would take more than just an impassioned speech to spark real change.
He sighs, picking the Tera Shards up off the ground. Thoughts of "what am I doing..." would frequently flash through his mind, but now that he actually had enough to change his ace's Tera Type, he felt quite sad, as if he didn't want to have so many.
He stared at the glistening crystal in his hand.
'It's only for if things get too far' he thought to himself.
'They made it to adulthood, they wouldn't put their life at risk.'
'I can call it quits on them anytime.'
He didn't notice how bad things were until recently, but surely, it wasn't really escalating, right? You weren't getting worse or anything, he just actually started to give a damn.
But then, it happened. Something he couldn't forgive.
He watched helplessly as you slid down the mountainside, disappearing from view. He ran as fast as he could, falling to his knees and shuffling the rest of the way, only to see you land and start sizing up a Snom. A SNOM. You looked so tiny from so high up. Even Falinks came out without you calling for them to make sure you were OK, their metallic noises sounding so distant.
As Cetoddle helped him up, Falinks made eye contact with him for a brief second. It was just long enough to really see the two of them, not enough to alert you to the fact that they were looking at something, or someone in particular. They then kept their eyes on you as he made his way down the path, softly warbling and keeping your attention away from the approaching young man.
The rest of the day was basically a blur. He went to bed contemplating his next course of action. He wanted the feeling in his stomach to stop.
But it didn't.
So the next day, he went to Medali, slamming the bag of Terra Shards down on the counter of the Treasure Eatery. When the sound of what he just did rang out in his ears, he suddenly felt... empty. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
The chef grew concerned at the man's demeanor. Before seeing what type the crystals had, she asked if these were for Cetoddle. He slowly shook his head, shoulders now shuddering as he hunched over slightly. He pulled out Altaria's Pokéball and slid it on the counter next to the bag.
She couldn't refuse him service even though he was a member of the league. He could technically do whatever he wanted, unregulated or not. She couldn't even confirm if it was for official gym duties or not.
But, in a bid to change his mind, she called for Larry to show up and talk to him.
"You. Are you alright?"
He walked up to the man sitting on the ground, hugging his legs to his chest underneath the counter. He was crying at this point, shivering as he slowly looked up at Larry. He didn't even need to answer.
Larry glanced at the bag, noticing some flying type Terra Shards peeking out.
'...ah...'
He kneels to his level, looking him straight in the eye.
"Tell me why you're doing this."
He took a deep breath before spilling everything, as well as describing the things that prompted him to plan this fail-safe of his. From the little things you did that would make him worry to sliding down Glaseado Mountain without a second thought. All he saw that day was your descent, and then standing down there as if everything was right in the world.
But it wasn't.
He saw you going down. That's it. He didn't see that you were alright, or that you did it in a relatively stable place where you didn't just immediately tumble down, or that you probably felt safe. All he saw, was you putting your life at risk, just to catch a Pokémon.
And he also saw all the little red flags leading up to this moment. A moment where a big risk seemed small, trivial to you.
You don't always do life-threatening or pointlessly dangerous stunts... hell, usually, it's just smaller, but still obviously wrong choices. It's the fact that it seems to be so normal to you, that you never seem to think about the possibility of things ending terribly, no matter how big or small your actions are.
"I... see." Is all Larry could say to this.
He was always a bit more than moderately invested whenever you were brought up, so for him to see you two going through something so... big, worried him. Especially since his solution involved spiting the league in a way.
"I can't encourage this behavior. I can understand it, but in the eyes of the league, this is basically spitting in the face of La Primera, as well as all of your peers."
He groans.
"I know, that's why I'm doing it."
Larry looks around before asking him a question, mind slipping out of business mode for a second.
"Couldn't you just challenge them to a normal battle? They're brash, sure, but they don't seem too unreasonable. You could make your point without La Primera seeing."
Grusha shook his head.
"No way. I gotta make a bigger statement than that. Stay in their mind, remind them that their actions have consequences every time they try and pull some pointless bull."
Larry's eyes softened.
"Well, you're an adult. I can't stop you from doing this. I'm sorry you feel this is your only course of action."
Grusha shakes his head again.
"I've been considering this for so long, so..."
He trailed off, tilting his head and staring right over Larry's shoulder. After a few moments, Larry turns to see what it is, but it's seemingly nothing. He then looks back at Grusha, who seems tired.
"I- won't say anything to La Primera. I'll pretend I don't know what you're doing. Do what's best for you, okay?"
Grusha doesn't move.
He could see why he'd choose this path, in a weird way. His warnings didn't work, you didn't seem too worried about even the immediate future. And as much as he knows Grusha, he knows for him to consider this, he'd need to be pushed pretty far.
But he also knows he's different now.
He's still the same guy he's always been. Snarky, no-nonsense, dramatic at times. But he's also seen him slowly grow to consider your needs as well as his own. How he'd hesitate ever so slightly before answering simple questions about you. He'd hide the gentlest of smiles or look away so he wouldn't see the softening of his icy-cold glare whenever someone insinuates he likes you a little more than as just 'that weirdo'. Larry even remembered first hearing about a potential new friend of his, and the mentions only grew more frequent from there. You're something special to him.
And you're worth the risk to him. He wants to make a big show of it. He wants people to see. He wants you to remember how hard he tried to stop you, to make you more aware of how reckless you are.
To remember how far he's willing to go if it means he doesn't lose you.
Larry stands up, sighing.
"You two are certainly strange." He concedes, adjusting his tie.
Grusha just snorts.
"Yeah. I guess we are. Them because they're them, and me..."
His eyelids momentarily quiver as he continues to stare out in front of him.
"...because..."
He doesn't finish his sentence, but he doesn't need to. Larry simply nods. Grusha groans, running his hand down his face.
"I hope this works."
"As do I." The businessman says.
--v-Vv-
He's sitting on a chair in Ryme's house. His Cetoddle sits on the ottoman in front of him, cooing at him as he grips the arm rests with an intensity reserved for his angriest of moments. But right now, he wasn't angry at all. He felt empty.
The memories of that battle come back to him yet again.
["Grusha... but... is this allowed? ...don't lose your job over this, it's all you have left!"]
He lets out a huff. How could you say that? How could you not see how much you mean to him? What would he do if you still charge so carelessly head-first at life even after all this? He would've lost everything if that were the case. And he didn't want that.
Looking back, he felt ridiculous. His whole job? Did you even know the half of it?
You weren't there to see his career-ending injury. You aren't around to see him agonizing over his position whenever the champion comes along to test every gym leader. You don't know how little he had to claim as his own in his personal life. He didn't have to risk it all.
But he knew himself, and he knew you somehow crept up and became more important to him than his job. He knew, that even though he didn't need to, he wanted to do this. To show you that people can value you, even if you feel like background fodder, going about your life without a single eye on you other than those of your Falinks. That he knew his options were give up on trying to help you and keeping his job, or putting it all on the line to even attempt to get you to see reason.
But, despite how unhealthy it is, he felt as though in showing you you're worth the risk, maybe you'd see yourself as more important than his job, too. That you'd realize, putting yourself at risk meant risking someone he thought the world of. He knew the pressure would come crashing down on him eventually, but he didn't care. He had a reason to put it all out there.
If he could change your mind and stop your more dangerous behavior for long enough to start getting professional help, he'd consider it a win.
Ryme finally made her way back to the living room, silently holding a drink out for him. He takes it, ignoring her worried expression. She then leaves the room again, giving him his own space. He knows what she's thinking, but she doesn't say it. He's thankful for that.
She, despite teasing him regularly, really did love the kid. She knew when to back down, and this is one of those times. Sure, she saw this as somewhat ridiculous. But he's just a dude in his twenties trying to get through life despite everything he's gone through. She has about 40 years of experience he doesn't yet. She won't fault him for that. She only wishes he knew he could come to someone instead of jumping the shark on his own.
But she knows how long he must've been wrestling with this. How many nights he went to bed questioning his insistence on staying in your life despite your poor choices. How he'd always rationalize it as the one thing, even if that one thing might get you hurt someday.
Still, she had hope for you two. You could still have a fairly healthy relationship. You weren't being malicious, you were just... well, from his descriptions and the brief encounters she's had with you, she could tell something was "off". But she knew you were a good person, that you wanted to be the person he saw you as. You just thought differently. Your idea of "low risk" was skewed. And even if you saw the risk, you wouldn't really be deterred by it.
You and your dynamic with Grusha were endlessly fascinating to her. She knows how happy you make him, deep down. She hopes it continues past all this.
--v-Vv-
So much suddenly made sense.
The two of you leave the restaurant and start walking in separate directions. He stops, however, not exactly sure what to do next. Turning around, he sees you stopped as well.
"...so."
You tense up hearing his voice, but you respond, not turning around.
"...so..."
It's insanely awkward, yes, but something needs to be said.
"I know things are weird right now, but it doesn't need to be that way. I'm here for you, you know."
You suck in a breath.
"But, what about you? I wanna be there for you, too!"
He scoffs. He knew he had people, but did you?
"Look, how about we just be there for each other? Full-stop, like friends would."
It pained him to word it that way. Both because he knows you struggle with keeping friendships, and because he still held out hope of being more one day despite everything.
"But... what do friends... do?"
He smirks briefly, letting out a small breath.
"They're there for each other, but they also hold each other accountable when they need to."
"Like what you did?" You say, delivery full of self-loathing.
He grunts.
"Well, I guess. But people usually don't do things like that. Trust me, that's as crazy as I'm going to get."
You don't respond right away, but he can tell you're not thinking anything good, what with Falinks looking up at you with faces full of some sort of rising panic. When you do, you start shaking.
"I know... you should've given up on me already."
His heart drops.
"No." He said without really thinking, his eyes glued to you.
It's only then that you finally turn towards him.
"But... everything-"
He holds a hand up.
"Again, not everything. Besides, La Primera is giving me the chance to prove myself. I don't know if she's just doing it for ethical reasons, but I'll manage. Job or not, I- feel..."
He's suddenly blinking away tears, but he managed to keep any from falling by tilting his head back. He closes his eyes and continues, one deep breath later.
"I'll be fine. Really."
You point at him incredulously.
"Will you be? If you're fired, what will you do?"
He shrugs.
"We all have to make do with what we have."
"But not because someone screwed up so bad you almost threw your whole life away!"
You're trembling. Falinks starts nudging the back of your leg, prompting you to sit down. He waits a moment before walking over, sitting down beside you.
"Hey. We're gonna be okay, you hear?"
You simply splutter a little, a sob escaping you as you hiccup. He holds onto your shoulder, rubbing it a little.
"We- are good. You're good. I don't waste my time on people I don't like if I don't have to."
You nod.
"I know, but..."
You sniffle, wiping your face. He takes a moment to think of something to say, but he really can't. So he makes an offer.
"Hey... I'm currently staying at Ryme's. Feels weird being at home right now. Wanna come over? She's got this sweet game room, we could have a session IRL for once."
A smile flashes over your face for a brief moment, but you don't look up yet, face falling as fast as it lit up.
"Would she want me in her house? Does she even want me around you?"
He nods.
"Oh yeah. It's actually kinda crazy how happy she gets when I bring you up."
You furrow your eyebrows for a second before finally holding your head up a little higher, eyes wide.
"Wait, really?"
He grins. For the first time since all this went down, he feels an uncontrollable smile form on his lips.
"Absolutely."
You consider this offer, looking down again. He waits, patient, yet anxious for some reason. You sit up, finally looking him straight in the eye. His heart skips a beat.
"Ok. Let's do this."
--v-Vv-
Here he was, silently holding your hand on the couch. It's been over a month since you hashed it out at the restaurant. Grusha still technically had his job, but La Primera never formally let him off the hook. He was eager to prove himself, but he's also accepted that maybe things won't go the way he wishes them to, as she hasn't voiced an opinion one way or the other yet. Neutrality was always the most terrifying thing coming from her.
That's what he signed up for, but it still obviously hurt. What didn't hurt, however, was being there after your first therapy session.
He had picked you up earlier, asking you how it went, only for you to awkwardly shrug. Of course, this was the "getting to know you" phase, so it'd take a while before things got super deep. He hopes you won't close yourself off to your therapist or feel pressured to continue if anything feels off.
Sighing, he decided they already accomplished enough that day. He had to do some extra paperwork for Geeta, and you just started your therapy journey. Some rest would be nice. Not wanting to let go, yet knowing you two would need food eventually, he sat up, but not before giving your hand a little rub with his thumb.
He clasped his hands together. "Ok! Nourishment. You need it, I need it, what form would you like?"
You snort, but you do respond.
"I dunno! Maybe we can see where our tastebuds lead us."
He nods, looking out to the side for a second before responding.
"Bringing your Falinks?"
You stand up, laughing a little.
"You best assume I've been replaced with a doppelgänger if I ever say no to that."
He smiles. Of course, sounds reasonable to him.
You call for your partners, who run out from another room. Cetoddle is already headed for the door. He raises an eyebrow at you.
"Ok, ya ready?"
You walk over and grab his hand to hold it again, something that catches him off-guard. His eyes widen.
"More than ever!"
He grins, eyes full of nothing but adoration towards you. Maybe everything will be... a bit more than Ok.
--v-Vv-
A/N
Ended up making the prequel where Grusha gradually comes to like you/notice how dangerous you are to yourself
I like to imagine your relationship gradually becomes one of those "basically dating but nobody put a label on it or progressed passed aggressive cuddling/sleeping in the same space" type deals, might write for it eventually. This is not that yet, you're just at the "openly best friends"/"casually being at each other's houses" phase now. Also, you're still improving in the future, so it'd be fun writing how he deals with that. It'd be pretty wholesome on both sides. The main source of angst has been addressed and is now being tended to
(Feels weird calling it angst when it's a mental health thing, but it's what it'd be called in fanfic terms)
I like to imagine the reader had an apartment in Medali before going to the dorms. Feels right. The other option I gave myself was Cascarrafa, but I made Jacq's expy come from there while putting off posting this, so I put this one in the most normal town in Paldea cause lmao
A story where you insist on being friends with Grusha, and it actually works. However, he grows worried about you when he realizes just how wild you are
Takes place over the course of half a year/a year or so, so a slow burn. More of an overview of key moments where Grusha's opinion of you shifted in different directions. Therefore, the vibes are different to what I usually write. Hope you enjoy!
Tone/Ending: Sweet, Angsty at parts, Open-Ended
Warnings: A bit cringy on purpose at some parts. You injure your wrist in part 2, but it isn't shown how. Also, like before, Grusha notices you're probably an oddball for a reason. He puts a lot on the line cause you're weird and he loves you
Continuity?: The prequel/sorta sequel to "Descent to Reality"
Word Count: Over 7,000 (Overall)
--v-Vv-
The man looked out onto the horizon. He had decided to take the rest of the day a bit slower than usual, sitting down next to his Cetoddle near the boat docks at Porto Marinada. Cetoddle was there to support him, both physically and mentally, but he really did love her the same as all his other Pokémon. And she feels the exact same way towards him.
She wasn't always meant to be his therapy Pokémon.
Before, she would just follow him around whenever he came outside until one day, she helped him get back on his feet when his injury started acting up. Nobody else was around. He then started passively teaching her to be by his side when he left the house, to help with getting around. She even started learning how to ground him when he mentally shuts down, adjusting her methods whenever he's triggered by different things. She, of course, took a bit of time to train, what with her wandering off from time to time at first. But they managed, and now, she never leaves his side, despite him telling her it's Ok to from time to time.
He gave her a little pat, causing her to happily trill to herself. He smiled a bit at this, eyes not leaving where the beautiful blue sky met the rolling ocean as he felt a certain peace wash over him.
This peace was, however, broken when he heard the sound of a Falinks.
Fighting types. They've got quite the advantage over ice types such as Cetoddle, so he was always on-edge whenever he was near one.
Turning around, he saw someone commanding them.
Or, well, trying to.
"Yeah, I mean it! If we all hit a stall, we can save time on auctions! What sounds better, getting them all out the way now, or wasting time if we lose some by going one-by-one?"
The Falinks were all in a V-shaped formation, silently staring up at their trainer, who held determined fists up awaiting their answer. He huffed, trying not to laugh at the sight, although he was still slightly annoyed by the disturbance.
'This is bizarre...' he thought to himself, shaking his head as he turned back toward the view.
The Falinks eventually cried out again, their weird chattering making their trainer upset.
"But... WHY NOT!? You don't have to worry about the cash! You can, like, let me pay when you're done if you know I have enough. See? Don't even have to have the money on you!"
He heard another cry, followed by a groan and a "Fiiiiine." It was only then that he realized he was smirking. He didn't mind it, however, seeing it as just a weird little occurrence during his down time.
He didn't know just how important that trainer with their Falinks would be to him later down the line.
--v-Vv-
He was in Zapapico, getting out of a flying taxi with Cetoddle now out of her travel Pokéball. She was helping him get down, handing him his walking stick as she did so.
"Thanks" He nodded toward the driver, giving him a tip as he nodded back.
"And you-" He softly said to his Cetoddle, dragging the 'you' out a bit. "I hear those imported Poké Puffs are back in stock here, think we should get some?"
Cetoddle's eyes visibly shone, jumping around a little in excitement. He chuckled before making his way toward the store, her following closely behind him with a smile.
They grabbed the variety package, two Deluxe Puffs of each flavor, as well as a case of Pokéblocks for her to have later. It was shaping up to be a pretty uneventful day when he suddenly heard a Falinks.
"What?"
He turned toward the sound, only to see a trainer. The same trainer he saw a month or so back, in fact.
You spot him, eyes going wide and waving.
"Oh, hey there!"
Oh brother.
"Hello."
You sprint toward him, Falinks trailing slightly behind you. His Cetoddle greeted them, and they respectfully greeted her back as their trainers conversed.
"Are you Grusha? That super tough gym leader?"
His face briefly flashed with heat at that casual compliment, but he responded without hesitation.
"Well, I suppose? It's really about strategy once you get good enough."
He takes a moment to tilt his head to the side and eye your uniform. An academy goer. He doesn't remember you having that on when you were at the marketplace, but you were probably just wearing a lighter one. You came here bundled up, after all. Besides, he was too distracted by your... peculiarities.
"But trust me when I say... I don't hold back."
You gulp, taking this comment seriously.
"Oh, yeah, I believe it. For now though, I'm just chilling, taking it easy."
You look at what's in his hands.
"Oooh, Deluxe Poké Puffs! Fancy. My Falinks are fans of Poffins themselves, ain't that right!?"
You had turned to them, prompting an enthusiastic response. His head is still tilted to the side, eyeing them before sitting back up, looking at the person in front of him.
"Rather weird to comment on what someone brought."
You freeze.
"Oh, sorry! I-I just- I dunno, yeah."
He scoffs.
"Interesting."
Your eyes widen. He feels like he was a bit too aggressive.
"Sorry, just... not a good day."
That was a lie. His day was fine, he just suddenly didn't want to deal with anyone. Maybe it just wasn't a good day mentally.
"Huh. No, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were-"
He raises an eyebrow.
"Moody? Sarcastic? Yeah. That's me. Mean 'ol Grusha."
He felt like getting that out of the way so you don't get your hopes up. Everyone always does. Even now, when he tries to be sociable, his old habits come back to the point where he stopped calling them old. It's just how he is.
You look back up at him, shaking your head.
"Doesn't bother me in the slightest!"
He, for the first time since they met, pauses.
"...oh really?"
"Yeah! You seem chill, just a little rough around the edges. Nothin' wrong with that!"
He... doesn't know how to respond to that.
"Ah, I... see."
The two of you stand in silence for a moment before Falinks cries out, snapping you out of it.
"Oh, sorry! We were actually about to settle down at the Zapapico Inn. But we gotta get some grub first, it ain't easy feeding an army..."
You glance at Falinks while delivering your punchline before smirking at Grusha, who struggles to seem unamused when your super obvious joke not only didn't land, but also somehow sounded so dumb, he almost laughed. Almost. But he succeeded in stifling it. With a tinge of amusement in his voice, he carried on.
"Uh-huh."
"So yeah! Gonna get some foods now. I'll be seein' ya! Probably! Ok, bye!"
And with that, you waved at him, walking off toward a quaint little (literal) hole-in-the-wall restaurant nearby. He hears you tell your Falinks you'll pick up some Poffins on the way back to your room, and Falinks responding with excitement.
You seem nice enough.
--v-Vv-
Grusha is standing in front of a café in Montenevera. Hot chocolate in-hand, he walks back down the hill and toward another part of town. Cetoddle was right there with him, making sure he was alright going down the slippery stairs when she cried out, grabbing him by the waist protectively.
"Huh? What's wro-"
He spots you, frozen in place, Falinks marching over to catch up with you. You had stopped in the middle of a sprint, so you looked like a cartoon character. He scoffs.
"Where you about to come barreling through here?"
You give no answer.
"Uncool, that isn't safe for you, or the people around you."
You stare at him, before standing straight up, now glaring.
"For your information, I have these trekking boots on. Besides, I wouldn't just run into people. That's weird."
He isn't swayed by this response.
"Those aren't fool-proof. Trust me, even professional equipment can't stop nature from being dangerous."
You groan.
"I know, but like, a village? If it's so unsafe, why live here?"
Now he's feeling heated. His response is slightly strained, but his volume is low and even.
"You don't get it, it's still-"
Cetoddle pulls at his sleeve, blankly staring at you as she does so.
"...you know what? Whatever."
He starts walking away back up the hill, anything to get away from you. You feel incensed at his audacity.
"What do you MEAN 'whatever'? You started this!"
Grusha tunes you out, choosing to ignore the conversation entirely.
--v-Vv-
Later that afternoon, after a leisurely day of not being called to any duties, he starts to make his way back up the mountain when he hears your voice right outside of town.
"No waaay, that's not a 'last resort', that's a 'bored on a Tuesday'!"
He has a feeling you aren't talking to a person.
He turns to you, seeing you surrounded by nothing but Pokémon. He was right.
You're having a heated debate with your Falinks, who already seem somewhat worried about the things you're implying. There are also a few Cetoddle, a Snover, and a Cubchoo crowding around you, all looking fascinated by the conversation.
Interesting. For real this time.
"I mean, think about it! The hardest part is sticking the landing, and that's IF conditions aren't optimal. You can't tell me you wouldn't be able to do it without a second thought if you were, say, saving a life, right?"
They seem to consider this before giving out a noncommittal cry. You grin deviously at this "maybe".
"Ah-hah! See!?"
You gesture toward them, causing the wild Pokémon to all react in awe at this conclusion.
'What a weirdo.'
Grusha didn't even notice he was staring at you until he saw you turn towards him. You put a hand up to your mouth in faux shock.
"Oh! Well if it isn't sir grumps-a-lot."
"Lame." He simply responded.
You tut.
"I don't care, because I'm RIGHT! See??"
You gesture toward your boots. You were, in fact, still standing.
"I'm FINE!"
"Yup." He nods before shaking his head and responds. "But that isn't what I meant. The stairs are still slippery in this climate. Civilization won't stop a force of nature from doing its job."
You tut again.
"Um, heated stairs?? Wham! Problem solved."
He... actually considers this. But only because it's technically a solution that would work, not because they'd spontaneously do it. The costs, the closing off that part of the mountain, the coordinating the best days to do it, working against the weather... but he wasn't here to argue the logistics of your rebuttal.
"...I suppose you have a point there." He concedes. "But that doesn't solve every problem, you know."
Your eyes light up as you wildly nod.
"I know! Isn't it great?"
He isn't sure how to respond to this.
"This conversation is going in weird places, but I guess that's what I get for engaging with you even after the marketplace incident."
"Hah! Yeah, I- wait, what?"
He feels weird, remembering something you don't seem to, but he continues.
"Yeah, I remember you and your Falinks, trying to get them to go to auctions for you. Hard to forget someone so... peculiar."
You don't respond to this directly, instead asking him something.
"Wait, were you that long haired person? With the Cetoddle? I think I saw you at the docks!"
"Yeah, I was. You're telling me you saw someone with my exact hair, and a Pokémon I'm always with, but didn't know for sure if it was me?"
You shrug.
"I don't like assuming things. Besides! I had to go catch a Kilowattrel, so I decided not to ask."
"Mm-hm." He says, eyeing you.
Talking to you is oddly easy, despite how unpredictable you are. He can't quite place why yet, but he probably isn't going to be thinking about it too much. At least for now.
"Oh yeah, forgot to mention! I finally started making my way through the gym circuit again, so uh, you better watch out. I'm gettin' pretty good."
He wasn't at all worried, but he was somewhat curious.
"Oh really? How many badges you have so far?"
"Five! All I gotta do is beat Ryme, Tulip, and then-"
You aggressively point at him, saying a drawn-out 'you' in a deeper voice. Obviously as a joke.
Grusha doesn't react. He doesn't even flinch, simply staring at you.
"I see."
'This is a strange person.' he thinks to himself.
"Alright. This entire conversation has been a mess. Let's try this again, shall we?"
And yet, he prolongs things.
"Sure?" You shrug.
"Okay."
And then it hit him. He doesn't even know your name.
"Oh, um, what's your name, by the way?"
You introduce yourself. He repeats the name you gave, commenting on it before offering his hand. You take it, shaking it firmly.
"Brrrrr... cold..." You say. He smirks under his scarf.
"See? Nature's gonna nature."
You start walking toward him.
"PSSHT! Whate- WUH-"
And with that, you abruptly sink down, having stepped on a loose patch of snow. Falinks jump up in unison, crying out in a panic and anxiously jogging in place, looking toward Grusha, who was already planning on aiding you.
He rolls his eyes before gesturing for Cetoddle to help you out. She does so, picking you up and placing you down on solid ground. You're trembling now.
"Lesson learned." He shrugs.
"Shh-sh-shut i-t-t." You reply, teeth chattering.
Good thing he knows of the best places to warm up around here.
--v-Vv-
The two of you seemed to be forming a casual sort of acquaintanceship, but the place where you first met face-to-face seems to be turning into a recurring spot for you to see each other.
Here he was at Zapapico again. He came here quite often, usually to get imported goods without needing to travel too far. But this time, he stood in place when he noticed you staring intently at a wall. Cetoddle looked at you, then up to him to see what he'd like to do. He looks at her, before looking back to you, completely quiet. The two of them silently decide to head over to you and your little army.
"Funny how we keep running into each other here, eh?"
You jolt, turning around to look at him, eyes lighting up once you realize it's him.
"Oh, hey! It's you!"
His face heats up underneath his scarf upon seeing your excitement. He instinctively pulls it up to hide this.
"Actually, why do we keep running into each other here? Weren't you going to challenge Ryme or Tulip or something?"
"Oh! I dunno, I just like this place. It's neat! The buildings remind me of ancient cities."
You turn back in order to stare up at the trim on the wall again. He smiles a little.
"And that's why you... stare at them so hard?"
"Huh? Oh, no- hah! Actually, I was just imagining this place with some nice wall art. It'd look really pretty I think!"
He thought about this before remembering; "Hm, sounds like Alfornada."
You freeze before turning to him.
"Tulip's town?"
"Yup."
You seem to think this over.
"Okay! I'll head over, then!"
"What, like, right now?"
"Yeah! For sure!"
He thought about it for a second.
"Okay. How are you planning on getting there?"
You look around.
"Taxi, probably? Or maybe I can walk there from Cortondo?"
The way you just randomly decided to take a trip based on a vague "suggestion" got to him. Did you always throw yourself into things like this?
"Wow, Ok."
He wanted to fight the urge to say too much, but he couldn't help but ask.
"What about your Pokémon? If you went in the suggested order, you still aren't strong enough to face Tulip, so you're probably not strong enough for the wild Pokémon there, either."
He felt an intense urge to make sure you didn't die. For some reason.
"I'll be fiiiiine, I got a... OOH! I got a few bug types in boxes! I can bring some out if I need to."
"I... doubt they'd be strong enough. Type advantages aren't everything, you know. It's strength, typings, and strategy working together that carries a team."
You frown.
"Ok, so I shouldn't go?"
"I'm not saying that, I just mean not right now."
"Hah! But- but, what if, what if the wild Pokémon aren't that strong? What if I can-"
"Look, if you really want to go, I'll go with you. Just to show you how in over your head you're being right now."
You actually look very excited at this prospect, something he wasn't prepared for. A part of him was hoping you'd get offended at the offer and turn it down, but going with you isn't... the most terrible thing in the world.
But he's thinking ahead now. You didn't even give your-
"Yeah! That'd be great, actually! If you're really fine with coming on such short notice, of course."
--v-Vv-
The two of you land in Alfornada. He almost can't believe he actually went through with it, taking his jacket off and loosening his scarf as you get out. He doesn't know where you've gone, but he has to bring Cetoddle out.
As he readies her Pokéball, he sees a hand reach out to him.
It's you, offering to help him down.
His mind blanks out for a second, not expecting you to come around and offer help (especially considering you were so excited to land you had to be held back for your own safety), but he accepts it, albeit hesitantly.
"...thanks..."
As usual, he tips the pilot, although it's usually not before summoning Cetoddle.
Cetoddle herself seems to notice this, excitedly popping out with a little chirping bellow, only to look confused seeing him out of the taxi already. He motions toward you. You're turned away, summoning Falinks.
Cetoddle looks at you, then back at him before smiling wide.
To most, it looks like a normal Cetoddle smile.
But he knows there's a devious undercurrent to it.
She's thinking about him, plus you, and the fact that he's softening up towards you.
"No." He says forcefully as she lowly coos in amusement, eyes searching his now blushing face.
He always gets defensive over you, always insisting you're just a weirdo he keeps bumping into.
But a weird part of himself actually wants to get to know you more, despite the fact that you argued during your third meeting. Despite the fact that you were oddly intrusive during the second. Despite the fact that he thought you were basically insane when he first laid eyes on you, trying to get your Pokémon to bid on your behalf. He'd have to ask you how that'd even work later on, if you were still in his life, that is.
Yes, you get into trouble a lot, and you're kind of- well, very weird. But he still tries to be around you. Because he could sense an earnestness to you. You were a bit sarcastic and defensive around him, but so is he, around everyone, and he can tell you're not being malicious with it, just like him. Besides, you being a bit crazy makes him feel more sane. At least, that's what he's telling himself, because deep down, he finds your weird insistence to be around him despite his hesitance and your crazy way of being sort of... comforting. As if your strangeness made him feel at-ease quicker.
He shakes his head, blush now faded.
"Alright. What do we do first? See the sights or crush your whole world?"
--v-Vv-
"WHAAAAAAA!?"
You dramatically point to a wall with colorful hanging plates, turning to Grusha with wide eyes. You look positively crazy, but he can't help but suppress a smirk.
"Told ya this place has some good art. Surprised you didn't already know about it."
"I didn't! I was sorta going through the treasure hunt surprised by all the things I'd see, but this!? This scratches that itch I felt in Zapapico, for sure!"
You tilt your head at him, eyes bright and full of sincerity.
"Thanks for bringing me here."
This time, he has no way to hide the light shade of red forming on his face. He looks away, but it's certainly too late. You had to have seen that, right...?
But yet, when he calms down and looks back at you, you show no signs of being ready to pick on him for it. You noticed, face giving it away as if suppressing an intrusive question, but you kept your thoughts to yourself.
He coughed.
"It's nothing, really."
You smile.
"Well, it means a lot. I think I wanna see one last thing, then you can crush my dreams, okay?"
He shook his head.
"No, it's... it's alright. There's no need to crush your dreams anymore, just..."
He doesn't continue, but you seem to understand him. He's relieved. He'd really rather not spell it out for you.
"Yeah, don't worry, I'll keep training my team. I'll be able to breeze right through next time I come here, just you wait."
He nods.
"Good."
And with that, the two of you made your way up to the top of the observatory. He had to convince you not to walk up the sides, but he managed to (literally) talk you down. Do you ever feel tired?? He hasn't seen it yet. Grusha takes a few moments to sit down on a ledge at the very top, letting you run around and... hold your arms out in the middle of the battle court.
He watched as you stood there, head up, still as a Sunflora statue, looking like you're praying to the sky. It was certainly odd, but he's already decided odd was simply your default. But he had to speak up when you finally did move, only to get down and lie on the ground, Falinks immediately swarming to protect you from the world on all sides.
"Um. What?"
"Huh?" You call back out to him.
The observatory is massive, so you basically had to shout at each other.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh! Lookin'."
He looks around, thankful you're both alone, waiting for you to elaborate. You don't.
"...good answer."
"It's comfy! Come down here!" You offer as you raise an arm up.
"Mmm, how about I don't?"
"LAAAME!"
He shakes his head in mild amusement.
"Well, one of us has to be sane here."
You lower your arm at once.
"Sane? More like... like... lame!"
"Good enough."
You sit up, having gotten your fill of admiring the architecture, Falinks getting back into formation next to you. You turn, still seated, about to say something, when you realize he's sitting down, too.
You decide to wait, not wanting to rush him.
He notices. He saw the way your face went from excited, to calm in an instant, mouth ready to form the words that would send you both on your way, only to just... not.
How considerate...
If he knows you even a little (and he thinks he's starting to), he knows you're probably somewhat bored, having taken in everything you wanted to up here. But no, you slow down, for him. And you act distracted as to not give away your intentions.
But he can tell.
He closes his eyes for a bit, taking in a breeze blowing through.
'What even is this relationship?' He ponders to himself.
He considers maybe labeling it as something more than just an acquaintanceship. But he felt that openly calling you a friend at this point was a few steps too far.
What's holding him back?
He thinks for a bit, face scrunching up in deep thought when he feels someone's presence looming over him.
He takes a peek next to himself, only to see you staring at him with a blank expression. Despite expecting this, he jumps a little, gripping his chest.
"Good-ness! Do you do that often??"
"No?"
You continue staring, so he stares right back. You're... oddly good at this. He feels a huff of laughter coming on, but he doesn't let it out. He keeps his cool.
"Okay! I think this has gone on long enough! I'm backing out."
He turns away.
"There, see? You win. Now what do you want?"
"I waaaaant... mmmmmmm... nothing."
You quickly sit up and look away, eyes closed. You're smiling as if you did something.
"Wha-? Okay, then."
The two of you sit in silence yet again. It seemed like peaceful moments with you were possible, you just happened to get bored easily, and also be really, really weird.
He smiled, a small exhale escaping his nose.
Weird didn't necessarily mean bad. In fact, he actually couldn't help but find your presence sort of... nice. You did crazy stuff, but you got the job done, which he could respect. He wishes you wouldn't try and rush things, but you're determined, headstrong.
Just like him.
"I'll break down your walls, Grusha Lastname."
This time, he couldn't help but let out a quick laugh, being caught off-guard by the weird comment. He responds in an even yet slightly elevated tone, however.
"Oh really? How so?"
"I'll keep bugging ya. Uh-huh!"
You nod, eyes getting wider as you got in his face. An amused quirk of the lips as he leaned back is all he did in response.
"I'll bug ya so much, you'll grow to love me, so you'll HAVE to consider me a friend then!"
His heart felt an odd pang of... guilt?
"Ok, then. I'll let you try. But trust me, it takes a while for me to even tolerate people."
This was true. A genuine warning even, at least in his mind.
"Okay! That's cool with me."
He clears his throat, looking away from you.
There you go again, with your weird tolerance for his self-enforced social isolation.
You didn't know how deep his wounds went.
And you also didn't know, that deep down inside, despite the physical and mental scars reminding him why he's so closed-off, the man was already charmed by you.
He'll catalog you in the "friend" category in his mind and refer to you as such someday, but only when he's ready.
--v-Vv-
"I'm telling you, we aren't friends."
Ryme's face betrays her, as she isn't convinced in the slightest.
She's right, but he keeps insisting.
"Alright, if you say so. But don't be shocked when you find yourself doin' stupid stuff in the name of looove, baby."
His eyes widen in shock, hands shooting to his hips in indignation.
"Oh, so now we're jumping to love?"
"I know you. You'd have brushed 'em off by now. But no! Here you go, meetin' them in Zapapico and going on a random little day trip to Alfornada like a happy little Greavard..."
G-Rave barks from somewhere nearby as if confirming her assessment. Grusha simply growls at the both of them.
"Whatever, don't make it seem so lame. It's just because I need to go there anyway. Not my fault we keep bumping into each down there."
He purposefully left out the fact that he was the one to approach you this time, but he felt like it didn't matter. Or, maybe he told himself it didn't?
She scoffs, a smile on her face. She saw right through him, details or not.
"And the trip?"
"...well, I just... it was a suggestion, to be nice! People want me to be nicer. I do it, and now you mock me? Uncool."
He turns away, stubborn as ever.
She shakes her head.
"One day, you'll face the music. The symphony of your heart can't be silenced forever! Trust me. Apparently, my mama couldn't STAND my dad when they first met. But with him, she had the best years of her life, you could just feel the love emanating off of them..."
His stomach drops at this, but he can't quite place why. She can tell. Hand on his shoulder, she comforts him a bit.
"Awww, don't worry about it, baby. You just have to go with the flow sometimes."
He doesn't respond, but he listens, taking in her advice.
--v-Vv-
Grusha decides to stay in today. No particular reason, he just wanted to spend time by himself and rest his injury for a bit. Cetoddle sat nearby, getting some well-earned rest as he decided on what to do that day. He quickly realized he was bored, however.
Grumbling, he pulls out his phone. He really didn't want to leave his house (he had to convince himself to even leave the bedroom for any reason), but he needed some form of entertainment.
He'd be ashamed to say he immediately thought of you. At least, at this point he would.
He looked at your name in his recent contacts. You two have never done a call before, but you've texted sporadically, mostly just to update each other on what you've been doing and letting the other know when they're in the area. You once offered to do a video call during Ryme's gym battle against you, but he refused, feeling like it was disrespectful somehow. But he did sort of wish he said yes, just to get the chance to, weird situation or not...
Now's not the time for that, though. He shoots you a quick message;
[Going online, join me if u want]>
He's not too much of a gamer, but he'll play if he's bored at home. And he knew you'd be in your dorm today, because... well, you told him you would be a week ago, after doing some hardcore studying for a few days. Midterms had just passed and you were NOT happy with your scores. Not terrible, but could definitely use improvement.
'Now they'll think I took time off today just for them...' he thinks to himself, suddenly realizing what it looked like.
It wasn't long before he got a response;
<[Bring it, dortbag >:)]
<[*dirtbag]
<[Dang it]
He chuckles a bit at this as he slips his headphones on before logging onto some online game. It was a fantasy game where you live a life in dying lands while slowly working your way out from said settlement to find a better home, fighting tough Pokémon along the way. You could also have your own Pokémon as pets and battle companions, but since Falinks still wasn't (and might not ever be) an option, you just... became one, as you put it. He wasn't invested enough to get a pet, so he didn't even know what options were there.
He only plays it because you suggested doing something together a few months back, and this was your solution. You even started a new save so you two could play at the same pace.
Sub_z3r0
u in?
Waiting4Falinx
Yea
I am
Wait
Sub_z3r0
??
Waiting4Falinx
Hold on i chose tje wrong server
He groaned, head in his hands, waiting for you to change servers. It takes you a moment.
Sub_z3r0
dingus
Waiting4Falinx
DON'Y "DINGUS" ME 😢
U thought what we had was special
*I
In real life, he huffed in amusement at your antics, but in the chat, he refused to encourage you.
Sub_z3r0
please just join
Waiting4Falinx
I did!!
And just like that, you were at his base.
Waiting4Falinx
Sup
?
You dressed your character in armor to look like a Falinks. He always found that funny for some reason. Well, maybe funny isn't the right word, but he refused to acknowledge the one he was really thinking.
Sub_z3r0
waiting for u?
what else?
Waiting4Falinx
I dunno
Enjoying the game??
Sub_z3r0
i only play it because u told me 2
Waiting4Falinx
Dawwwwq 🥰
That's sweet
Ignore the 'q' btw
This really wasn't what he wanted to do when logging in, but he couldn't help but smirk at how abysmally you type while rushing.
Sub_z3r0
can we play now?
Waiting4Falinx
Sure thing weather boy
He was so close to just logging off, but he didn't, so the two of you played for a while, doing the things you'd usually do to progress when you randomly get side-tracked.
Sub_z3r0
y r u doing this
You were trying to glitch up a waterfall.
Waiting4Falinx
You never know!!
Sub_z3r0
never know what?
Waiting4Falinx
I dunno!!!
THat's why I'm trying!!
You actually manage to clip through for just a second before being pushed back out. But instead of taking the hint, you change tactics.
Waiting4Falinx
WHAT IF!!!
INSTEAD OF GOING UP!!!!
I GO THRU!!?
Sub_z3r0
no
But it was too late. You were already trying to clip through in just the right spot. This would be far more amusing if it didn't mean he had to stand there doing nothing while he waited for you to lose interest. Playing this game on his own wasn't as fun as playing with you.
Sub_z3r0
i am begging u, please stop
Your character stops for a few seconds, being absolutely torn asunder by the rushing water above you, but you reply before going back to it.
Waiting4Falinx
But what if I find something cool? Other players find cool stuff, I want a discovery, too!
He pauses. Is that really it? You want to find something nobody's found before?
Sub_z3r0
ok, but y here?
Waiting4Falinx
I dunno, it has promise
And you continue. He starts wandering around without you, looking for something to do. He's... disappointed.
Sub_z3r0
yo
You stop moving in the distance for a second.
Waiting4Falinx
Yo!!
You go right back to your weird attempt at mildly breaking the game.
Sub_z3r0
im going 2 Wintide's Peak
whether u go or not
You stop again to respond.
Waiting4Falinx
Meet you there!!@
*! not @
He sighs, not shocked at all by this outcome.
He makes his way over, standing at the summit for a few lonely minutes. Other players are whizzing by, snowboarding down the mountainside. That was the place's intended purpose, but he wasn't joining in. Instead, he looked out onto the landscape, just sort of letting it act as a backdrop for now as he thought about what to do next.
He doesn't know why he does this. He doesn't know what leads him to digital summits or those feelings he's afraid to confront. He doesn't know why he hasn't logged out or told you off for wasting his time. He doesn't know why he's currently contemplating life while playing a random online game with graphics that haven't changed since 2007.
He takes a moment to label himself as 'AFK' before going off to check on Cetoddle. It didn't take long, maybe a minute or two, but when he came back, he saw-
Waiting4Falinx
YO
I RETURN
Oh shoot
You're afk
lMAO, I'm sorry
But like, be back?
He scoffed.
Sub_z3r0
i was checking on Cetoddle u absolute hypocrite
Waiting4Falinx
ME!? A HYPOCRITE!?!
Sub_z3r0
who ignored me when i wanted to do stuff?
Waiting4Falinx
Lmao
I was on a mission
Sub_z3r0
did u succeed?
Waiting4Falinx
No 😢
Of course. He smiled, but he was slightly annoyed.
Waiting4Falinx
Can I see Cetoddle?
He froze for a moment, eyebrows furrowed.
Sub_z3r0
like txting u a pic of her?
Waiting4Falinx
No, like a video call!
His stomach did a flip. He didn't expect you to ask him that. He's seen you a lot in-person, though, so why does this feel so... intimate?
It's probably because you haven't seen each other's places outside of like, pictures or whatever. Yeah. That's certainly it, for sure.
He takes a deep breath.
Sub_z3r0
ok
And just like that, the two of you arranged for a video call. He wasn't sure if he should press call or you.
[When ur ready]>
<[I am, let's do this >:)]
[Alright]>
He cleared his throat before calling you. You picked up basically right away, hand already up in a wave.
"Hey there!"
He isn't wearing his scarf, but he has a jacket with a turtleneck collar, so he looks down to hide his face when he blushes.
"Hey."
"How are ya?"
"I'm- good."
"Saaame."
This is a totally new thing for you two. You decide to take the lead a little.
"We can still text if you want, but, this could be fun, too!"
"Yeah, it could."
You suddenly remember something.
"Oh yeah! The baby!"
His face contorted into one of sheer confusion until he remembered.
"Oh, hold on."
He walks off-camera for a second to get her. Kneeling down to the mon, he gives her a little head rub.
"Cetoddle, someone wants to see you." He gently said.
She seemed interested, trilling and getting up to follow him.
When she sees you, she lights up, jumping around.
"Hi hi, Cetoddle!"
He watched you two interact, you asking questions and her responding in her own Cetoddle ways. He secretly liked this development. Cetoddle was unsure about you after your (first) little stunt in Montenevera. But you grew on her, just like you grew on him.
"Oh yeah, check this out!"
You moved away from the camera slightly, revealing your Falinks lying in bed. They were all fast asleep. You smile deviously, rubbing your stomach dramatically.
"Mmm-mmm-mm, yum!"
And just like that, they woke up at once. Drowsy, yet interested, they turn to you. You laugh.
"Hah! I-I'm sorry, I don't actually have anything-"
That laugh- Did you always laugh like that? That weird, abrupt... honk?? It was so awful, he actually spaced out trying to remember if he'd heard it before. You noticed after apologizing to Falinks (and promising them a snack next time you go AFK).
"Gru! Grushyyyyy! Grushy Boo-"
"-what? Stop that! Huh-"
He wasn't aware you were trying to get his attention, but you loudly calling his name immediately grated on him.
"Ugh, whatever, what do you want?"
"Play the game, maybe? You looked horrified by something, you good?"
He was, he just didn't know how he felt about that sudden realization.
"Yeah, I'm good. Let's finally do something, though."
The entire game, however, he kept thinking about your laugh, especially hearing it come out more. It was so strange, like a coping mechanism. It didn't feel like your natural laugh, but it also didn't feel forced.
He didn't really know why he analyzed it so much. He also didn't know why he came to find it oddly pleasant by the end of the night. A weird part of him wanted to hear it more often, now that he noticed it.
--v-Vv-
A/N
Crying/j, just realized the initials for this story would be like "TFTF" if written one-to-one
ANYWAY, have a little note about the end of this part!
At this part:
Sub_z3r0
dingus
Waiting4Falinx
DON'Y "DINGUS" ME 😢
He was meant to say "bruh", and you were gonna say not to bruh you back, but I didn't know if that'd be too much since I already went over my "intentional cringe" quota?? I love "cringe", but not everyone does, which is perfectly fine! I kinda imagine he's a bruh type of dude when comfortable with someone, but not like saying it every day. I dunno! Like a few "bruh"s a month, as a treat. I also imagine him being too serious to bruh anyone, but you kinda throw his brain into a tizzy, so who knows! Maybe you're the exception?
The expy is definitely the bruh type though, lmao, the 'don't bruh me' thing was also gonna have a 'bruhzone' joke he'd immediately steer the conversation away from cause he luuuuvs you, but he didn't love you like that yet, but the idea of you not seeing him as an option scared him for a moment. He wasn't really thinking that way yet though, so to him it was just a momentary panic he didn't understand but absolutely H A T E D
I think bruh is pretty funny, but I didn't want the story to stray from being the sorta "general audience/anyone can latch on" type thing I usually do (the reader has an undiagnosed disorder, so it's niche in a sense?? I mean personality/speech-wise), so I kept it to cringy insults/internet/texting antics. I cannot WAIT to open requests to really personalize these things, oh my gosh
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For some reason, I've been debating whether or not to post the story I mentioned because the vibes are SO different to my usual fanfics?? But screw it! It's gonna be posted...
...in parts. Yeah, it's too long, lmao, gimme a sec to reformat it a little
I might post a sequel (prequel?) I promised in the past cause my schedule prevented me from writing like I wanted to, but I have I D E A S, so more content will be coming soon either way. Expect it maybe tonight??
Uhhhhh, have a teaser of this picture that's gonna be in the next/final part of LtL! This is taking longer than intended because I decided to rewrite it a bit, but I'm happy with it so far! Very happy, lmao
Part 4 coming soon, have a fanart! This next chapter is completely new/was not planned ahead at all other than a few moments so uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, gonna take a bit of extra time to do it right 😤
It's basically a bunch of small scenes where you get closer but it also sets up the next installment
I did not mean to become a Jacq simp I'm so sorry-/j
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Jacq orders you to stay in Mesagoza to take a break from training for a while after your accident, which you agree to. He keeps an eye on you and Cap during this period, so you decide to take this chance to get to know Jacq personally.
Tone/Ending: Fairly Relaxed, Jacq is an awkward dork, you're a shy dork
Warnings: I am NOT good at Spanish, I'm so sorry
Continuity: Part 3 of this story, and some lore from "May I Have A Word With You?" returns
Word Count: Slightly more than 7,000
_\V/_
"Hello, hello! How're you feeling today?"
He told you to come join him in the biology classroom while you got breakfast. Saguaro was kind enough to carry your tray for you since it seemed like you could barely stand. You had slept for about 16 hours, but you were mentally exhausted. Not to mention, you somehow got more tired sleeping for so long. But still, you respond.
"Eh, feeling...? At least?"
He smiles, eyes closing in contentment, seemingly satisfied with this response. Cap and Mimi had their own tray, which Saguaro put down first. The two jumped off his shoulder, Mimi excited to hand-feed Cap (who surprisingly didn't seem to mind much). He was certainly lively as usual, but it seemed like something was... off. Like he had mellowed out, having a lot on his mind, operating at a slower pace than usual despite his usual personality burning as bright as ever.
As Saguaro got you settled (he couldn't help but arrange everything on the table for you), you sat down, thanking him with a yawn. He left the two of you alone, Jacq signing some stuff you didn't know as you munched on some toast, half-asleep. It was nice, the only sounds being the children doing who-knows-what outside, the occasional trill of joy from Mimi as her brother ate, and Jacq's pen gliding across those papers of his as he went through them.
You sniff, reaching over to drink from your cup of... whatever you got yourself, you assume you poured something you like. You look up at him as you do so. He's occupied of course, but the moment actually gives you enough willpower to sit back and... observe him. He's concentrating so hard, but there's a softness to his features that tells you he's genuinely engrossed in his work and not simply filling out whatever. It might be some data collected from his students or... something? He doesn't talk about his work all too much aside from Pokémon research or occasionally mentioning the terastal phenomenon.
Watching him purse his lips in contemplation, head tilting back a little as he looks out into space gives you a warm feeling in your core, somewhere between your stomach and chest...
You absent-mindedly point to yourself at said area.
"Hey, Jacq?"
He looks over to you, smiling.
"Yeah?"
"...this is the liver, right?"
He cocks an eyebrow before responding.
"Yes, I believe it is."
"Ah, neat, thanks."
You go back to eating your toast, now a bit more lively than before, as you'd gained the strength to sit up. You start looking out the window, but he notably continues to stare at you, eyebrows now furrowed at your strange question. The soft smile from before still remained, however. He just found the whole interaction vaguely peculiar. When he realized that was really it, he simply shrugged and went back to work.
After finishing the toast, you turn to look at your Pokémon. Mimi was feeding Cap a bit of yogurt, which he seemed neutral towards, but Mimi was simply thrilled he was eating at all. Was he... eating it for her sake...? Huh.
Well, back to your own breakfast you guess. You aren't quite sure why you're here, but he's busy at the moment, and you'd feel bad asking him another question. So, you take out your phone in order to doodle a little while eating. Your current home screen was the generic one, as you only had the time to do a full-on drawing for the lock screen (the image of Mimi blepping would not leave your mind until you did), but you saw no reason that shouldn't change. This time, it'll be of Capsakid, because you wanted to. It was about time you did more than doodles and sketches of him.
This little distraction actually occupies your mind quite well, getting really into it by the time you laid his pose out, which was the hard part. Your first idea... didn't really work out, but your new one was a bit more visually interesting anyway. It wasn't perfect, but you got the idea out there, which was far more important for a piece like this where you were simply doodling your Pokémon in its element. You paint in the sky and decide to make that your stopping point, as once you start adding in the details, you can't stop until you're absolutely satisfied (or give up).
Looking up, you saw Jacq was already looking in your direction, although he wasn't turned to you, just glancing. You wondered if you did anything, but the look was thoughtful, as if he were in the process of having a revelation. You look back down, staring at your drawing before mustering up the courage to say something.
"Hey, sir?"
He seemingly snaps out of it, blinking a few times, shaking his head a little before properly responding.
"Yes? How may I... uh... how may I help you?"
You look up at him, a bit nervously.
"I... I'm almost done, if you had any plans for the day."
He blinks.
"Oh. A-actually, I didn't really have any... specific plans..."
"Really?" You ask, tilting your head.
"Yeah! Honestly, I just wanted to keep an eye on you."
You gasp. You can't help it, but you gasp. He timidly smiles, biting his bottom lip just a little before responding.
"Heh, sorry. I was just really worried last night. I was off today anyway, so I thought, 'Why not!'" He shrugs as he says this. "G-guess I should have- asked first, though..."
You weren't really upset at the action, but something about him deciding to watch you made you feel kinda... small? Young? It was hard to put into words, but you really weren't as upset as he seems to think you are. Plus, any excuse to hang out with him wa- well, scratch that. Most any excuse, some would probably be less welcome. But today, you could finally talk to him for normal, non Capsakid-related reasons.
"Hey, whatever you want, we can do it, sound good?"
You open your mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a short: "AHH-H-"
Your hands immediately shoot up and cover your mouth, mortified. Your Pokémon both chirp to each other in surprise, turning to look at you. Jacq himself actually jumps in his seat a little before raising an eyebrow.
"Woah! You okay there?"
You feverishly nod your head.
"Yeah, just-" you put your head down and whimper.
'What. In the FUCK. Was that?'
You feel the gentle pats of a Pawmo on your head, similar to the first day you got her. She chatters questioningly, basically asking if you're alright. You mumble a little before finally looking up... only to see a baggy stripped shirt in front of you.
"Eee-!"
"Oh! Sorry, just making sure you're all right."
You look up beyond the purple shirt- oh my gods, his shirt collar is so stretched out, does anything he's wearing fit? For some reason, the idea that nothing does is... kinda cute? You cry out a little, overwhelmed by your... overwhelming attraction to him. Why does he have to be a genuinely good guy as well? That doesn't really help in ignoring it.
At this point, he's backed up a bit.
"Ah, I really should have talked to you about this idea beforehand."
'Stop overthinking it and respond...' you say to yourself before clearing your throat, looking back down.
"Yeah, that sounds nice, thank you."
He seems relieved all at once.
"Oh, good! I won't do anything like that again, promise!"
You nod, still not looking up at him. This catches his attention. You don't see his face, but his tone is soft.
"Eh, you don't have to say yes, rea-"
"Nono, please, I do wanna... say yes."
Gods, this was a mess. You sit up, swallowing hard, but you still don't meet his eyes.
"I... don't mind you looking out for me. And yeah, it'd be nice, just... hanging out."
He grins.
"Ah, good! Whatever you want, okay?"
_\V/_
You pull down a book. You had decided to take it easy that day, so Jacq had given you access to the little private area of the entrance hall behind the front desk. You're very interested in a book on prehistoric Pokémon. Jacq himself is looking through a book on terastal energy.
"Hey, I have a weird observation, can you confirm or deny it for me?"
"Oh, sure! I'm all ears."
You turn to a specific page, looking at it instead of him.
"I've noticed, that... Grafaiai's 'prevo' Shroodle is kinda like a basal primate, right? Like instead of fully branching off like other primate Pokémon, it keeps hold of its roots."
"Correct."
"And like, Girafarig usually doesn't evolve in other regions because it's too cumbersome, but it still evolves into Farigiraf here."
"Also true."
"So like..."
You hold the book up a little more, as if studying a specific note.
"I've always kinda wondered, is there something about the environment here that makes it like, a safe haven for Pokémon that go extinct elsewhere?"
He thinks for a moment.
"Huh, that's a very interesting observation, actually. I, uh, I believe they may have never died out because they get all their needs met as-is. It IS a bit of a mystery how Shroodle's been able to hang in there for so long, given their place on the evolutionary family tree, but I believe us having plenty of resources and wide-open spaces kept Farigiraf going strong, and I'm glad it did!"
You nod, trying to think of more examples as you flip through the pages.
"I see, hm..."
Jacq seems a bit antsy, but in an excited sorta way.
"Hey, I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff..."
You momentarily look up from staring at a page about Cetoddle.
"Oh, yeah, heh, I am. Paleontology is neat, and it's double neat how this region seems to be, uh, holding onto these prehistoric Pokémon. Makes me wonder what other ones are out there, y'know? How they... adapt to modern times and all that jazz."
He chuckles, thinking your response over as he leans on the table, propping his head up using his arm.
"Ah, so you were always into Pokémon, eh?" His voice is very charmed, finding this side of you endearing.
"Yeah, they're really interesting to learn about. I dunno why I never caught or trained one before now, though."
He smiles a little.
"Well, you don't need to own any Pokémon... but I'm glad you took a chance on Cap and Mimi."
You can't help but uncontrollably smile. Those two really changed your life, eh? You take a moment to enjoy those fuzzy feelings when suddenly, you recall something else you had sat up at night pondering.
"Oh! I just remembered something!"
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Do you think you could find any interesting fossils in the crater?"
Silence. You continue, completely focused on wording it right.
"Like, I know there's a chance any surrounding fossils may have been obliterated on impact, but if you went down and dug in any direction, surely you'd find SOMETHING eventually, right?"
Turning to him, he looks slightly pale as he stares at you, frozen in place.
"Oh! D-did I say something wrong-?"
He shakes his head.
"No, I just... sorry, I was..." he clears his throat. "The crater may be a bit unstable, but it's an interesting thought."
You stare at him. This time, it's him avoiding eye contact, eyes darting away with a worried look on his face. You change topics.
"Well, uh, y'know, that's not ALL I'm interested in. I- actually find speculative evolution to be fascinating, too. I'm no biologist, though. Do you ever wonder how Pokémon will look in the future?"
He still isn't looking at you, but his face becomes somber.
"I... don't know... the future is... unpredictable."
Darn. You feel like the second you mentioned fossils, he checked out of the conversation, and you haven't said anything right since...
"Ah, understandable."
You turn away, putting the book back on the shelf. You hear him shuffle in his seat before saying something.
"Mmm, but uh, we do know about someone who helped us in expanding our Pokémon knowledge over in Sinnoh!"
"Oh?" You perk up a little, turning to him.
"Yeah! I-I don't know if you've ever heard of a Professor Laventon?"
You think for a moment.
"Oh! Oh, wait, didn't he document all those evolutions and regional variants that are basically all extinct? Like Ursaluna or Hisuian Goodra?"
"Yes, him! We uh, were lucky enough to have... found- a really well preserved photograph of him. I scanned it for Raifort to use during her classes, but the actual physical photo is still with me..."
He looks away, then back up to you.
"...you wanna..." His hand flies up to rub the back of his head. "...wanna see?"
He looks at you. His eyes were calm, but you could sense a bit of hope behind them. It would be cool seeing a photograph of THE Professor Laventon, taken when the likes of Basculegion existed...
"Sure!" You smile, emitting a little laugh.
He perks up as well.
"Nice, can't wait to show you!"
_\V/_
The two of you split up, you going back to the classroom as he went somewhere else, as he had to retrieve it first. You do as you're told, humming and drumming on the desk a little as you look around the room. Your mind wanders back to your Pokémon, who were in their Pokéballs strapped to your hip.
A part of you wanted to let them out, but he had already been so accommodating in never telling you to recall them while indoors during this whole process. You knew he didn't really mind all too much, but you still wanted to be considerate of his wishes.
You hear him make his way back from down the hall. He's panting, not that hard, but enough to let you know he had sprinted at some point in his journey. How he managed to do so in sandals would forever elude you. He finally rounded the door, excitement evident on his face as he smiled widely.
"Sorry! I- I keep this book back in my dorm! I didn't want to misplace it while at the library, that's why I sent you back here. Hope you don't mind."
You can't help but chuckle.
"Hey, no worries! Keep that thing safe."
He comes over, pulling up a stool. He's so giddy he kind of fumbles around trying to get to the right page, but when he does...
"Hah, here it is!"
He holds the book up to you. It has a picture of Professor Laventon on one page, along with some notes and a pressed flower on the other. A part of you is wondering what kind of significance the flower holds, but another part of you is too busy just staring at the picture of the professor. For some reason, seeing him sparked some questions in you, questions you were unprepared to untangle. It was lightly existential, but it would be kind of nice to just sit there for a while to think and put things into perspective.
"Hm, anything else in this book?"
His eyes light up.
"Oh! Yeah, lots of stuff. Lemme juuust..."
He turns a page, showing off some pictures of what is labeled "Jubilife Village", as well as a few other pictures and sketches of some old style Pokéballs. After showing you the rest of the pictures, diagrams and notes related to Hisui, he turns it back to himself to flip through the pages, face scrunched up in deep concentration before growing slightly more concerned. He then carefully closes the book, a blank look on his face.
"Huh, thought I had more stuff in this book. Guess not."
You tilt your head. The page dedicated to Laventon seemed to only be about an eighth of the ways in, give or take, and the rest that he showed you barely made a dent. But he did say they 'found' it, maybe the rest was work related.
"Hey, it's okay. We should probably take our Pokémon out for some exercise anyway." You say, eagerly grabbing the Pokéballs from off your belt. He watches this action before looking up at you, breaking out into a grin.
"Sounds good! I have to put this book away, but you can head outside ahead of me if you like."
_\V/_
Jacq had finally come outside, where you were waiting with your two Pokémon. You turn when you hear the large doors open, before shyly looking away.
"Hey!"
"Hello, hello! I'm ready now, have anywhere in mind?"
You think about it. You don't want to leave Mesagoza, but you also want his Pokémon to have enough room to stretch their legs. Turning around to try and jog your memory, you remember a place.
"Eh, um... OH! Maybe that empty area over there?" You ask, pointing slightly east.
"Oh, I know where you're talking about, that little hill next to a tree?"
You nod, hands on your hips.
"Yup! That way, all our Pokémon can run around."
You turn back to him, only to notice he seems to be watching something, lips pursed and nodding in approval as his eyes dart from side to side, head moving ever so slightly. Looking down, you see a tiny Capsakid running past you. Raising your arms up, you balk.
"Cap!? What are y-"
He runs by again. You then realize he's running circles around you. You look up at Jacq, one eyebrow raised as if asking 'w h a t'. He's looking at you with an amused expression on his face.
"Ah, don't worry, Pokémon that are waiting for walks tend to do that. They just kinda... get excited like that."
Huh. Feeling excited for your walk. Noted. It's weird, considering he always ran away from you before.
"It's quite cute seeing him with such a pep in his step, eh?"
You keep watching him. He's chirping, running around with his tongue out and a smile on his face. Mimi is watching, too, tracking his movements with a wide, open-mouth smile. You can't help but chortle.
"Yeah, it is pretty cute."
_\V/_
Cap eventually stopped running circles around you, only to yawn and plop down right where he stood. You picked him up and carried him to your destination. The second you placed him on the grass, however, he stood up and started running around.
"Uhp-"
You watch as he runs off to bother Jacq's Mudsdale, who seemed to take extra care not to squash the little guy, backing up and tilting her head to get a better look at him. He jumps up and chirps, which causes her to snort a little and whip her head around before looking at him again, leaning in slightly more this time. This repeats a few times, each time their delivery changing just a tad bit until Mudsdale huffs in defeat. This prompts Cap to chirp and bite onto one of her dreadlocks, with her allowing him to shimmy his way up and stand on her head, crying out in victory.
You and Jacq had been sitting on the ground, watching the entire interaction. You were sitting up, leaning in to keep an eye on Cap, with him leaning back, balancing on the palms of his hands. You want to say something, but you can't find the words. This doesn't stop you from trying, however.
"...huh..."
You turn to Jacq, who then turns to look at you a second or so later. You give him a playful glare.
"Explain that, professor."
He stares at you before actually starting to laugh a bit, thankfully understanding the joke. Turning his torso and leaning in a bit closer to you, he points toward them using his thumb.
"Hahah, y- you know I can't explain THAT! What!?"
You try to keep the same playful expression, but seeing him like this makes you snort, and then break out into laughter as well. The two of you have a laugh over the bizarre scenario as the Pokémon around you get some well-needed outdoor time. Mimi is even invited over to stand on her head with him, and she reluctantly does, most likely to keep Cap safe, as she holds onto him while Mudsdale carefully sits back up.
You feel confident Mudsdale won't do anything to hurt them, but you still stay alert just in case. You were their trainer, after all. Plus, you weren't exactly over almost...
Huh. You almost lost Cap. That's weird.
You don't want to think about it, this is your day to relax your mind. So, you grab Jacq's hand.
"Huh?"
His head whips down to look at your hand in his, before looking up at you.
"Something up?"
You immediately lose steam, whatever spontaneous idea you had... spontaneously fizzling away. Still, you didn't want to seem like you lost your mind (your plan's the only thing lost here), so you keep holding it. He seems unsure about what you're doing, eyes darting away, then back at your hands. The both of you then abruptly turn to Mudsdale when you hear a loud squeal.
It's Mimi, paws on her cheeks as she stares at you two. Her eyes could perfectly reflect the entire galaxy with how excited she is. Even Cap stares wide-eyed before laughing. It's that same darn mischievous laugh of his.
You could be pondering why Mimi reacted like this. You could also be questioning why Cap's now seemingly on the same page of whatever she's reading here.
But man, it just hit you how much you adore that laugh. How long had it been since you last heard it? Maybe it was just so normal to you that at this point, you stopped noticing it. Either way, it brought a warm smile to your face.
"Ah, he laughs like a Scovillain," Jacq idly said, snapping you out of your thoughts. Turning to him with questioning eyes, he turns to you and takes it as a cue to continue.
"It's pretty normal for evolutions to sound like each other, so no worries there."
He pauses.
"It reminds me, though. Have you considered evolving him soon?"
You frown, furrowing your eyebrows and looking up at Cap.
"Hm, I guess I haven't thought about it lately. Why? Should I?"
Jacq turns to him, too.
"Well, at some point, a Pokémon will become too strong to evolve. Their body will start storing too much energy to safely do it, so you should evolve him before he gets to that point. He... he's getting there, Seed Bomb is a pretty advanced move for a Capsakid. Plus, he'd be able to try some pretty neat ones he can only perform as a Scovillain."
"Hm, I see..." you say, looking down as you think. You want him to live life to the fullest, but you weren't sure just yet. Turning to him, you hesitantly ask something.
"Would... it reset our progress?"
He smiles.
"No, don't worry, he can actually evolve whenever he likes. He'd need a fire stone, but he wouldn't gain any experience from it."
Alright, that sounds good. You make a mental note of that. You remembered the method, but you were worried he'd be extra defiant afterwards. Now, how does one find a fire stone...? You'd look it up later.
"Okay, I think I will when we're done with this whole obedience thing. I dunno, I want a little more time, I guess..."
Despite what happened the day before, you want to be totally in-sync with him. You didn't need to battle a lot like the other students, but when in a pinch, you two had to be on the same page. Mostly for his sake though, you didn't really get into trouble like this before you two met.
He flashes you a toothy smile.
"Sounds good!"
You nod, looking at Cap, who is now trying to get Farigiraf to bend down to his level, probably so he can get up even higher. Mudsdale looks unamused, but Mimi looks terrified, furiously shaking her head 'no' at Farigiraf whenever Cap can't see her. Farigiraf herself seems conflicted.
"Ah. Of course," is all you say to this.
Jacq lets out a breathy laugh, rubbing your hand with his thumb a little without thinking about it. Oh, right, you're still holding hands. It feels kinda nice, though, so you don't bring attention to it, simply looking away to hide your bashful expression.
_\V/_
The two of you parted ways after coming inside, as Jacq had some stuff he needed to tend to. Thankfully, Cap came back unscathed, but he was exhausted. Even Mimi was starting to let out tired little warbles, stretching and yawning as you wrapped up outside time. You decide to let him take a little nap, carrying him inside as Mimi took her usual place on your shoulder, determined to stay awake for whatever reason.
Placing him inside a beanie once you got back to your dorm as a joke, you can't help but find it funny just how tiny he really is. He barely even weighs the thing down, and he fits so comfortably in it. You could easily carry him around in it, but you decide to let him rest in your room, putting the hat on your pillow and letting him basically use it as an oversized sleeping bag. Mimi sits on the bed nearby, watching over him so you can go to the school store for a little supply run.
Coming back, you see Mimi has fallen asleep, too, laying on her stomach as if she just passed out and fell forward on the spot. You huff in amusement, rolling your eyes lovingly at her as you shake your head. She tried her absolute best (even though you really didn't need her to do anything at all), and that's all that mattered. You put your newly acquired items away before making your way to your desk to finish off that drawing from earlier.
You get in the zone, adding some little foreground details before you even know it. You take a second to look at it, before deciding to just let it be, making a mental note to look at it again later with fresher eyes.
It's a nice Sunday evening, sure, but you didn't really have any more ideas on how to pass the time, especially considering your mental exhaustion. You still want to feel productive, however, as you sorta... lost a bit of yourself after catching Cap. It's like you've been so consumed in this stuff, you kinda forgot who you were in the process. Weird, as it's only been a few months. The mind can get stuck in the swing of things pretty quickly, you suppose.
You turn to your Pokémon, who are still fast asleep. You then look around your room, looking over all the little things you put up around the place. So much has changed, and quickly at that. You almost want to cry at how different your life is now.
You now have two Pokémon. You left your home to attend an academy specifically because a little green pepper kept messing with you. You don't know anyone, and you only really talk to your teacher because Capsakid makes it easy. And now... of course you become infatuated with the only person you consistently interact with outside of class. He's cute and he doesn't judge you. That's all it really takes for you sometimes...
Blech. Stuck in your own head again. You need a distraction, and FAST. But you don't want to leave your Pokémon here alone, so you resign yourself to scrolling endlessly through your phone, at least for a little while.
_\V/_
Clubs...?
You honestly, legitimately forgot there were clubs. You were here to do one thing, so any deviation wasn't considered when enrolling. You (usually) preferred alone time anyway, but checking it out didn't seem too bad. You see one that was "come as you please" by default, as in, no members, just getting together as a group if you want to do... whatever. You decide to go to that one, loosely grabbing the beanie's brim and holding Mimi in the crook of your arm where she curls up, unconsciously getting ready for the ride.
When you get there, there's a group of people of different ages around the room. Some were in front of the TV on the opposite side of room, speculating amongst themselves about the show that was on. Some others were drawing and writing together at a high table next to the door, seemingly working on a project despite how dark it was. You couldn't tell what else was going on before the group leader approached you. Speaking in a hushed tone, they warmly greet you.
"Ah, welcome! First time around these parts?"
You nod somewhat shyly, looking down and to the side after your eyes dart away from theirs. They nod back.
"Ah, I see. Well, make yourself comfortable. You came in on a great day, tonight's theme is "Chill Hangout at Home." So uh, pretend you're at a friend's house!"
You nod, although you're not sure what would be appropriate. Looking around, you see more people. Some were playing boardgames. Some were sitting around a small play tent as their friend told stories inside, holding a flashlight and laughing maniacally. Some were seemingly sharing music with each other... it looks like everyone's grouped-up. Man, it's already sorta awkward-
"'Scuse me, comin' through!"
You jump, moving to the side as a kid riding a Skiddo comes in, holding a bag of some sort.
"We got more snacks!"
The group leader beams at them.
"Geráneo, Glade, welcome back! Let's go see your haul!"
The three of them make their way further into the classroom, leaving you alone with just yourself and your Pokémon. Looking down, you notice Mimi is starting to wake up. Conscious, but not making a move yet. Cap is still snoozing soundly, however. You walk towards the TV, only to spot an empty pet bed in front of the couch. You decide to set them both down in it, but you're unsure if that means you should sit with the anime kids or not. It makes sense, sticking next to your Pokémon, but you're not sure what it is they're watching. They seem to be talking about the very specific arc currently going on as well, which means you might make a fool of yourself commenting on anything and being wrong.
You sigh. Only one of them is physically on the couch. The rest were sitting around it, so you carefully make your way over to sit down, awkwardly shuffling between some of them to get there.
"Eh, sorry... just gonna... sit. Apologies..."
You do as you said you would. The guy on the couch glances at you before going back to watching the show, but otherwise, nothing embarrassing happened. You put Cap in the bed before looking down at Mimi, who simply stretches in your arms. Smiling, you stroke her back before looking up to try and figure out at least the loose plot of the show.
_\V/_
...you... have never been so confused. You can't help but whisper under your breath when you struggle to remember a character that was mentioned.
"...Melanie...?"
The guy leans in.
"Maroon hair, bob haircut, owns a female Hippopotas and a Pawniard."
He then casually sits back up. He didn't even take his eyes off the screen while he told you, and you can't help but smile a little at that. Maroon-haired Melanie, got it. The show seemed interesting so far, you think you last saw Melanie in a dark, grungy city making a deal with someone, but you weren't sure what the context was. Her Hippopotas didn't seem to trust the guy, seemingly ready to fight, but Melanie herself looked confident. Both her and the guy did, actually, as if this were just a regular occurrence for them.
Were you... actually kinda into the show already? You didn't remember the exact name, something about order? And you don't even really know who the main character is, but you'd like to pick the show up sometime. It's got you hooked! You can't help but wonder, though. Would Jacq know what this show is...?
You lift up your phone, opening the camera, waiting for the right moment. The scene is on three members of the main group (according to the intro, you think) in a sunny field, obviously far away from the deal makers. The shot settles on one of the group members. It's of them holding a finger up as they say something with a stern yet reassuring tone, occasionally wagging said finger. The tiny Ekans draped over their shoulders is looking somewhat sad as it listens to them. Perfect.
After snapping the picture, you shoot him a text.
[Hey, can I ask you something?]>
You look back up. It seems like this character is trying to keep the boys calm as the deal is going down, but the two are kind of losing it. You still can't tell what the context is (who is Warden? You have a feeling that answer would require a MASSIVE rewind.) It didn't really matter, though. You were here to pass the time and maybe find some stuff to do outside of class.
Your phone vibrates. That was faster than you expected, but you're grateful nonetheless.
<[Sure thing! Ask away.]
You attach the image and start typing.
[Watching this show in a club, the last episode was halfway through when I got here. You know what it's called?]>
He reads it right away before starting to reply just as quickly.
<[Oh, yeah, that's "Ode to Order"! It's, well, complicated. But it's pretty fun!]
Vague description, but helpful answer.
[Thanks! I might actually watch it in my freetime, seems cool]>
For some reason, the fact that he responds again catches you off-guard.
<[I recommend it! Fun fact, I have the entire series on VHS, it came as a box set 📼]
Hm. He uses emojis? That tickles you for some reason. You respond with one yourself to mirror his tone.
[Oh really? Interesting, you do seem like the VHS type... 🤔]>
Fuck, was that too much?? Apparently, it wasn't to him.
<[Hah! Yeah, I used to collect them all the time. My most recent addition was sometime last month, actually!]
Your stomach does a flip in your... stomach... cavity? Wherever it is, you felt all those Vivillon flapping their wings, getting some exercise. He's actually so cool?? Why didn't you talk to him like this before? Now you feel like "panicked trainer" you missed out...
[That's neat! Collectors and the like have always fascinated me, how many do you have?]>
He responds again.
<[Oh boy, that sure is hard to gauge. Come back to me in like, a month for an accurate answer 😅/j]
Oh! Tone tags, too? You feel like you're starting to really know him, which is a thought you immediately brush off because he is your TEACHER-
[Understandable 😂]>
You get an idea. Feeling bold, you shoot him a double text.
[Oh! Weird question, got any drawing ideas for me?]>
It takes him a moment, but he replies.
<[Like for you to draw?]
[Yup!]>
<[Oh!]
You assume he sent that last text to let you know he wasn't ignoring you, because he didn't respond right away. He did after a brief pause in responses, however.
<[Not sure, maybe an Arcanine? Low on ideas at the moment, sorry.]
You see he starts to respond, but then he stops typing and doesn't continue for whatever reason. You decide to let the conversation end, but not before reassuring him one last time.
[I'll probably do that next, so get ready 😈]>
He seems confused by your response, as he replies with:
<[Is that a bad thing?]
Hah.
[Oh, no worries, just hyping it up]>
<[I see. Well, then! Looking forward to it? 😯]
You laugh to yourself at his bewilderment, before sending a simple "good". This honestly felt like you were being shown his intricacies up-close. It was nice, like seeing him in more detail.
Oh Gods, don't say it like that, brain...
Looking back up at the show, the trio in the field are all yelling at some people who are also featured in the intro, who you assume are some more antagonists other than Warden. You use this absolute lack of context as your chance to take a restroom break, leaving Mimi and Cap in the pet bed after telling her you'd be right back.
It wasn't long, but it wasn't super quick either due to how far away it is. When you get back, the group leader was at the door.
"Oh, hello there! Um, your Pokémon, I think they went looking for you!"
What?
"Why?"
"Your Capsakid woke up and started crying, I guess he thought you left them. I tried to comfort him, but after I thought they calmed down, I got a bit too occupied with something. I didn't notice they left until they were already gone, I'm sorry!"
...crying...?
Your heart dropped at this, but outwardly, you simply nod.
"No, I'm sorry. I, uh, might've forgotten to tell her where I... actually went... she must've gotten up to help him try to find me. Sometimes she leads him to me when he's up to something."
The kid from earlier approaches. Geráneo- you believe?
"No worries, I can help you look, Glade is GREAT at finding grass types."
You nod before turning around.
"Okay, thank you! They probably went back to my dorm, but I don't think they know this area of the school very well."
Geráneo nods before mounting the Skiddo.
"¡Arre, chico! Find that pepper!"
The Skiddo happily levades, bleating before taking off with Geráneo in tow. The group leader calls out to them.
"Don't go nuts, ya hear me!?"
You're very much caught off-guard, but you go with it.
"Wha- wait!"
You follow the best you can as Skiddo gallops and jumps around, seemingly following Cap's path. His movements are coordinated, yet jerky, as if Cap was wildly running throughout the school. Sounds about right.
At one point, he goes down a random hallway for a few feet before turning and running back out to the main hallway. He then bleats and hops up before booking it down the main hallway for a bit. You follow, bewildered, before the goat skids to an abrupt stop, almost drifting like a motorbike.
"Woooah, hey, careful there! You can't ride Skiddo indoors!"
Jacq?
Geráneo seemingly ignores this in favor of completing the task. Hopping off, he bows.
"I believe you'll find your buddies in there."
Geráneo holds an arm out to the side toward the biology room, where you didn't even realize you ended up. Skiddo proudly sits next to him with his head held high. You thank the two, bowing in return as they walked right back from where you came from towards their club. You then poke your head in, only to see Cap standing on Jacq's desk, obviously distraught over something when he spots you.
He chirps loudly, hopping down and running to you, immediately rubbing his head on your leg before looking up, crying out. You're honestly stunned, unsure of what to do other than pick the little guy up. Jacq walks over towards the two of you, smiling wide.
"I'm so glad you found them, your Pokémon came running in here like they were lost!"
You nod, staring at the little pepper, who just seemed relieved to be seeing you again. Pawmo had since come over, tenderly hugging your leg. She knew you were ok, but it was probably stressful for her, too.
"Wha- what happened, guy?" you ask the kid as he stares into your eyes. He quietly chatters before falling silent again. His eyes seem... soft, almost. Isn't this how a Pokémon looks at an owner they...?
"...I don't know what I'm doing," you abruptly say, holding Cap close to your heart.
Jacq raises an eyebrow, confused.
"In what regard?"
You shrug, chuckling just a little.
"I dunno... I don't even know what I don't know, honestly..."
You had finally realized why this journey was so frustrating. It wasn't Cap (a revelation that relieved you), it was not knowing what obstacles would be in your way before you got to them. You had to basically jump into every situation blind. You certainly had a lot more progress since joining the academy, however.
You sigh. Then you lower Cap a little bit, getting another look at him. He looked so sweet, so innocent, so full of joy. You then looked a bit further down at Mimi, who responded by chirping at you. You bend down, careful not to drop Cap as you lift Mimi up to hold them both. Your babies. Your pride and joys.
"...I'll do the best I can, for the two of you. Well, for us, really."
The two of them chirp in unison, Cap letting out some quick little chatters as Mimi warbles out a happy little squeak. Basking in the glow of the moment, you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. However, the moment ends when you suddenly remember Jacq was there. Looking up, he appeared to be looking through some papers in his hands, expression somewhat thoughtful. He glances at you before sitting straight up and smiling. It seemed like he was giving you your space.
How sweet...
"Thank you, Jacq. Really. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you!"
His smile turns wobbly, face turning a shade of pink as his eyes dart away from you. His hand shoots up to rub the back of his neck as he folds his other arm behind his back, still holding the papers.
"Hehe, don't worry! I'm more than happy to h-help!"
He had to force the last word out, you saw him physically hesitate and jerk a bit to finish as if the word got caught in his throat. Interesting. You pretend you didn't notice, instead walking a little closer, avoiding eye contact as well.
"I, uh, think I'm gonna... um... I- I had a point, I swear-"
He chuckles a little.
"Oh yeah, happens to the best of us. Don't sweat it!"
You smile. Things being so different could offer a newer, better normal for you. You can tell just being with these three that you were happier than you'd ever been before.
_\V/_
A/N
I already warned you, but I think I need to apologize for if the Spanish Geráneo spoke was bad... in my Kofu fanfic, I used Portuguese for that expy, and since my best friend is Portuguese, I was able to ask him to translate for me. But since Geráneo is Spanish, I wanted to translate it myself since I know that despite their similarities, about 10% of their language is different, so I specifically translated the words "giddy up" and "boy". I uh... don't know if the sentence structure was correct, so PLEASE let me know if I was wrong!! I promise I'll learn more and find someone to translate in the future!
This is probably the chapter that was the least planned ahead, but that's because I massively changed one particular scene. The one where you find Cap after he runs off to be comforted by Jacq after his nightmare was supposed to have you think "if you can't even come to me when you have a nightmare, then why are you even my Pokémon?" or something like that. It made sense to me. You're still shaken up about the whole ordeal (which I tackle in the next part), and one scary moment won't radically change your dynamic like that. I wanted to add more turmoil, and him STILL not looking up to you would trigger something in you, even if you later admit it was the exact wrong way to think about it. He went through something traumatic, you can't control what he needs to cope, and you can't force him to come to you! But like... I couldn't do it, at least not like that. I changed it at the very last second to be you realizing he really wants you around instead of taking it as him prefering Jacq (he was always going to be relieved you came back, it was him seemingly turning to someone else first that made you upset. The scene was going to be longer as a result). Now you have a calm moment of reflection with them for really the first time in the story. You're more aware of what's bothering you inside, and you're able to articulate it in a way that kickstarts the final stretch of you gaining Cap's respect on the battlefield
Also, that club scene is connected to my Clavell fanfic. Baby Wrangler Expy, Geráneo, and Skiddo return! Hooray! Those scenes actually came out better than I thought because I like the vibes going on, lmao. It isn't perfect, but the "awkward vibes where you slowly grow used to it and also Geráneo is shown to be improving/enjoying life with Skiddo" vibes are N O I C E. Would I rewrite it if given a chance? Yes, but mostly because I didn't really plan the meat of the club scene before jumping in. But all the story beats are OK other than maybe the group leader not handling Cap and Mimi leaving in the best way, lmao. I imagine Mimi acting like the big sister she is, but still. The scene played out SO DIFFERENTLY when it was you almost giving up on him that a chill "they left to go find you" is really all I could think of when improvising
Also, YES, this takes place long enough down the timeline that Geráneo is a student, so uhhh... 4 years after the events of the game? Which I imagine takes place in mid-late 2022? Since the Clavell fic is 3 years post-game. So this story takes place in like summer/autumn of 2026. Keep that year in mind 😉
The cutest part/finale for this story coming next, gamers. Then I can finally start a SEQUEL, BAY-BEEEE, YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS OVER, BUT IT AIN'T
That's why I'm opening requests, lmao. I can write my weird grand narrative with lore and Jacq fluff/angst and you get the content you want in-between chapters
You start your quest towards getting your Capsakid to respect you more. Training your Pawmi and getting him to watch is simple enough, but as you soon learn, it might not be as easy as it seems...
Tone/Ending: Frustrating, but Things Start Changing
Warnings: This is the part where you risk your life, but it's over pretty quickly. Also, the tonal whiplash at the end is intense (but intentional)
Continuity: Part 2 of this story
Word Count: A bit over 5,000
_\V/_
It was nighttime. You had spent the day fighting random wild Pokémon near Los Platos. Pawmi takes down a Bounsweet with ease, turning to you with pride. You cheer her on.
"Go, Pawmi! You did it! You're a natural!"
And she really was, she even showed you a move she thought of trying out where she rubs up against the opponent and paralyzes it. Thankfully, the Pokédex could identify the move as 'Nuzzle'. You were in awe of how it could be identified so fast just by analyzing her movements. There could've been a mix-up, but there wasn't upon further research.
You decide to call it a day, ready to find somewhere to sleep.
"Ok, Mii! You did amazing out there, let's go settle in for the night!"
She relaxes as you recall her, contentment obvious on her face, happy to be getting some rest after a long day.
Bringing your mons to the nearest Poké Center, you get her healed up. You then call them both out, a smirk on your face, wanting to see Kid again.
Mimi jumps out, feeling refreshed and recharged. Kid also makes quite the entrance, but when it lands, it blinks a few times and stares up at you, taking the wind out of your sails.
"Hhhh-hi, Kid! Here we are in Los Platos again, how was it watching Mimi from your Pokéball?"
Capsakid turns to the Pawmi, who curiously tilts her head, ready to hear how it felt. It looks down for a second before looking back up to you, making you nervous. So you change the topic.
"Uhhh, HEY! We should eat, yeah?"
Pawmi jumps around happily, having worked up quite an appetite since lunch. Capsakid watches her response before looking up at you. The stare isn't as intense as before, so you assume it's simply saying it would like food, too. You clasp your hands together.
"Allllll righty, then! Let's grab some grub!"
_\V/_
Every day went something like that. You'd wander around to train Mimi up, letting Capsakid out to run around and play with her sometimes before settling in for the night. Five more days had passed just like that, with Pawmi even evolving into Pawmo! Watching her transform was an experience, and you still get chills thinking about it, endlessly proud of your little mouse girl. Jacq got like, eight pictures of her before you forced yourself to stop, but he took the time to comment on them all. Apparently, she was now half fighting-type, too, which intrigued you.
That night, you decided to have a picnic for dinner, watching your Pokémon run around and play fight each other while occasionally coming back to the blanket for a few bites of food. As you were spacing out, contemplating your next course of action, your phone vibrates.
"Eh?"
You remembered other people's Rotom Phones saying what the notification was, but you kinda preferred it this way, simply vibrating instead of making more noise all the time. Placing your sandwich down on your plate, your phone flies up to eye-level (which makes you jump), and you see it's a text message.
Going to investigate it more, you see it's...
"Jacq?"
You read it.
"Hello, hello, there! Just checking in, hope all is going well. At this rate, I can only imagine how strong Pawmo is! Be sure to stay safe out there, alright?"
He's right, Pawmo's now strong enough to use Thunder Wave, although you were slightly confused on how it only paralyzes the foe. Capsakid must've been learning and getting ideas while watching her, as it recently tried out a move the Pokédex called 'Crunch', which... not gonna lie, did not excite you. But mostly because you can only imagine the stuff it'd absolutely wreck back at the academy once it got better. How was the place so pristine with all those Pokémon roaming around...?
Shaking your head, you respond.
"Oh! Sorry for going MIA, been really excited training with them. Tomorrow's our last day away, I'll let ya know how it goes!"
You furrow your eyebrows, deciding to quickly shoot a text adding onto the conversation.
"And yeah! You're right, thank you! Pawmo and Capsakid have been doing great! Uhhh, totally unrelated, how should I Crunch-proof a home? Asking for a friend 😇"
You hoped your message came off as jokingly as you wanted it to, as you suddenly felt guilty only talking to him about Capsakid-related stuff. You'd have to have an actual conversation where you don't run away the second it isn't focused on the little green gremlin sometime soon, no matter how hard it is to think of something.
You look down when you see some movement. Speak of the little devil...
"Wha- HEY!"
Capsakid runs off, having successfully stolen some noodles from your weird hodgepodge of a sandwhich. It laughs maniacally as it does so (well, to the best of its ability with noodles in its beak), its tiny form whizzing past Pawmo, who watches in confusion before turning to you, chattering lowly. You sigh, shrugging, before picking it back up and taking a big, noodle-less bite.
_\V/_
Later that evening, you decide to sleep outside instead of trudging to the nearest city or calling for a flying taxi. You put together a makeshift campsite, debating on whether or not you wanted your Pokémon out with you before deciding to call them back into their Pokéballs. Better safe than sorry.
Lying down on top of your picnic blanket, backpack acting as a pillow, you sigh. The air was chilly, so you were thankful for the forethought to bring an extra blanket just in case any inns or hostels had underwhelming bedding.
You close your eyes after getting one last look at the moon. Everything was so clear out here. No city lights, no sandstorms, just moonlight and the sky. It was great! And you idly hoped you'd dream of yourself and your tiny team exploring more of this big beautiful world as you finally drifted off.
_\V/_
The next morning, you open your eyes, adjusting to the rising sunlight. You vaguely catch a glimpse of some Pokémon fighting nearby. Shooting up, you see it's a Chewtle and... Capsakid!?
"Cap! What!? WHY are you intimidating random Pokémon!?"
Capsakid actually turns to you, looking rather angry, before crying out. You aren't sure what that cry meant, but it seemed specifically angry at you...
"What did I do??"
Capsakid knocks the snapping Pokémon out before toddling over to you, crying out even louder, frustrated that you don't get it. And you really don't. All you know is that you woke up to Capsakid out of its Pokéball, attacking a Pokémon with no prior context. It seemed to be mad at the Pokémon at first, but after you woke up and admonished it, Capsakid seemed genuinely, personally mad at you. You're very close to realizing why they were fighting, but something just isn't clicking in your tired, tired mind.
You look around. A pair of Chewtle were watching from the sidelines before running off when they notice you looking at them. Strange.
You sigh before sitting up more and letting Pawmo out, rubbing an eye as she chatters a little. The picnic blanket is already out, might as well make breakfast for the three of you.
"Well, I'm up now. Final day, let's do this!"
_\V/_
You basically forgot about your anger that morning, taking it easy and just letting them passively train through casual play on your way back. They both seemed to enjoy your walk. You're returning to the academy, but before that, you decide to do a little check-in on your duo.
"Okay, guys! Show me your moves! Who's going first?"
Mimi waves a paw, more than eager to show you what she's learned. You smirk at this action before pulling the Pokédex app up.
"Okay! Show us what ya got, Mii!"
She gives you a confident nod before going somewhere a little ways away from you two. She then starts the show.
She jumps up and does a front-flip, using her tail to slam into the ground.
'Slam'
She runs into a small bush and sparks fly.
'Spark'
She raises her paws up, a few thin veils of electricity coming off her in waves.
'Thunder Wave'
She burrows into the ground.
'Dig'
You whoop and cheer, clapping.
"WHOOOOOOO, HECK YEAH!!"
She casually comes back up, grinning from ear-to-ear before running over and rubbing against your leg. You pick her up and pet her puffy head tuft, turning to Capsakid.
"Okay, buddy! Your turn!"
Capsakid... stares at you. You wait, ready to see what all he learned, when you realize...
"...oh no..."
_\V/_
"Okay calm down"
Your frantic text was answered right away.
You were running toward Mesagoza, something that seemed to be becoming a regular occurrence for you. Pokéballs in-hand, you manage to burst through the front entrance, causing the man who had been waiting for you to jump.
"H-hey?" He waves timidly.
"He STILL won't listen!"
He does a little hand motion to get you to settle down.
"Okay, okay, let me see... bring 'em over there?"
You do so. Standing out on the battle court, tears of frustration threatening to spill out. But you don't let them, assuming it's some misunderstanding. Jacq kneels down to talk to Cap better.
"Capsakid... what's going on, bud?"
Capsakid cries out a little, seemingly irked by something in particular while gesturing towards you. Jacq nods, glancing at you when it does, asking "And this happened today, right?" Capsakid nods, chirping affirmatively, and Jacq says something else to it. You caught the end, where he promised to talk to you, however. Talk to you about what? You wish you could understand your Pokémon more, guess that'll take time, too...
It chirps a little. Jacq nods before a strange expression flashes over his face. He looks it in the eye, asking something that made you worry.
"What's the last move you thought of trying out? Can you stand over there and show us?"
You freeze as you watch the little pepper run off to use a move you'd never seen before. It jumps up, and a barage of seeds, larger than when it uses Bullet Seed rain down. Jacq freezes upon realization.
"Seed Bomb..." He looks to the side.
"What?" You turn to him, frantic. He mutters under his breath, although you can't hear what it is for a moment.
"... why didn't I consider this..." he hissed to himself. "Of course this would happen, why... why didn't I..."
"Wh-what?"
He looks up at you, eyes already pleading for you to forgive him.
"I... may have forgotten how potent their ability to learn from each other can be... these two species usually get stronger at about the same rate, too... I'm... sorry... for not thinking of this..."
You... aren't sure what to do with that information, staring out with a look of utter bewilderment on your face. You can barely feel his hand slipping into yours, thumb gently rubbing yours as he holds it.
"I'm sorry... please don't blame him. You're a wonderful trainer, a natural, even. I know he'll listen to you soon, I can feel it..."
You whine a little, refusing to look at either of them. Refusing to look at anyone, actually. He has an offer for you.
"If you like, I can keep Capsakid while you train Pawmo more. Maybe if it sees you raising her, it'll trust you and want in."
You let out a sad little huff.
"...he... would..."
He raises an eyebrow.
"Eh?"
You clarify.
"I think it's a boy. I think so, based on the tail..."
Jacq looks down at Capsakid, who had come over to check on you. You continue.
"I'm not that good at identifying the anatomy of plant types, which is why I hesitated, but the way the tail curves into the back... it might be a guy. Correct me if I'm wrong, though."
Jacq picks the Capsakid up, gently holding it under the stomach to examine the tail... and you're right. Capsakid is a male.
He slowly starts to smile, before that smile turns into a beam, face turning a light shade of pink as he looks up at you.
"Wow, good eye, you're right! You really DO know your Pokémon..."
You groan. You don't feel like you deserve any credit, but you won't put him down for giving it.
"If I said yes, could I still get him at night? And take him to breakfast in the morning?"
He squints, trying to remember what was said before nodding.
"Oh! Yes, of course. You can take him back any time you want."
You look absolutely gutted... but you agree.
"Okay. How about next week?"
_\V/_
You weren't nearly as enthusiastic as before, and Mimi could tell.
You sat underneath a tree in South Province Area whatever when she came over, berry in-hand. She lifted it up to you, a small smile on her face. You look over at her, taking it.
"...thanks, Mii..."
She grinned, head held high before looking back at you. You hadn't put it in your bag yet, so she took it and put it in your berry pouch for you. You nod in appreciation.
"Thanks again."
You groan, stretching a little before letting out a stream of air.
"Ugh, sorry, guess I need a pick-me-up."
Mimi chirped as if agreeing with you. You huff, feeling mildly better, letting her climb up on your shoulder before forcing yourself to your feet. You then make your way to an empty field so you could summon a flying taxi.
Something was very, VERY off.
_\V/_
It's nighttime in Mesagoza.
Making your way back inside the academy, churros in-hand, you pick Capsakid up, who was running around, happy as can be in the empty hallway as Jacq watched from the biology room's doorway.
The moment Cap sees you, he chirps and runs up to you. You smile a little bit, holding your leg out. He grabs onto your pant leg with his beak and shimmies up a little as you lift it up, Mimi reaching down to grab and place him on her head, chirping out a little welcome. He returns it, nestling into her head tuft. He may not listen in battle, but he seems to not even need direction in other areas of your life together.
You look up at Jacq, who smiles warmly at you all, offering a warm greeting.
"Welcome back, how'd it go today?"
You try to smile, but you can't.
"Eh, I uh, I dunno. Guess I didn't sleep too well last night. Couldn't get much done. I think I'm gonna take a break tomorrow, it's the weekend after all. No classes, and I don't need tutoring."
He frowns, but not for the reason you initially expected.
"Please take it easy, you're pushing yourself too hard. I think a longer break where you bond in other ways is in order."
You shake your head.
"Nah, just gotta rest and mentally prepare better. I know I'll be okay soon..."
You notice the pitiful look on his face. Even Mimi is turned to you, worried, which doesn't reassure him.
"...thanks for the concern, though. I promise I won't force myself to do anything."
He hums a little, lips pursed slightly, eyes darting off to the side as he nods in deep thought. You walk over to him, shoving a chocolate covered churro in his hands, snapping him out of it as he looks down at the treat, then back up at you in confusion.
"Also, thank you for watching Kid. You like these, right?"
He nods furiously, mouth slightly agape, a light blush creeping on his face. You yawn, arm covering your mouth as he blinks at you.
"Okay... gonna get some rest now- enjoy! I'm sharing mine with these two back in my dorm room."
You give him two firm pats on the shoulder before walking back down the hall towards your room, Mimi squealing excitedly as he watches you head off.
_\V/_
You had slept in quite a bit, but it was still light out. Cap was already staring down at you and laughing, as usual, while Mimi was lying on her back, tongue out and limbs tucked in at the foot of the bed. She looked awkward like this, sure, but she just found this position comfortable... for some reason.
Sitting up, you get ready for the rest of the day, putting on your uniform and trying to come up with ideas on what to do. You're still drowsy, but you need to feed your critters. Bringing Cap and Mimi down to the cafeteria for some food, you stare at your Rotom Phone. There was quite a bit going on in Mesagoza that you didn't even realize were going on. If you're done with this whole obedience thing by the end of the semester, you'd actually like to slow down and enjoy the area before going back to Cascarrafa.
You can't help but wonder how much Mimi would enjoy your hometown. Looking down at her as she enjoyed her fruit salad, you come up with a plan to visit a few times to get her used to the... quirks of the area before going back permanently.
...
Darn. You actually feel kinda sad. You sorta enjoy the school. You'd miss it, even though you're only here for the one thing. The fact that you were basically using the academy as a whole to get access to Jacq didn't ease your guilt, either. Does he realize your ploy...?
Ah well, no use dwelling on that. Your duo had finished eating, and you still didn't know what to do before getting back to work tomorrow.
"You two wanna walk around the city?"
The two of them chirp happily, so you stand up, letting Mimi crawl up on your shoulder as you grab Cap, taking them toward the entrance hall.
It's vaguely humid out, but Mimi's fur is strangely unaffected. She jumps down, spinning and dancing in the afternoon air, prompting Cap to hop down out of your hand. You watch as the two dance and play. They really do get along despite their differences. Capsakid is a natural troublemaker, while Pawmo is very mild-mannered. And yet, they didn't let that get in the way of their weird little siblinghood. It was even evident that Mimi is older than Cap. Not by much, but enough to where she acted as a second caregiver at times without thinking about it, even before she evolved. You can't help but chuckle a little at the thought, but something about the idea gave you hope...
You pull out your phone, walking towards the steps before deciding to sit at the top. Watching the two of them effortlessly run up and down the stairs made you wish you could just climb up the sides or something. Whoever made the elevators in Cascarrafa should be handed this project, just saying... but nevermind that! Nevermind the fire in your calves just thinking about it! You're off, letting them lead the way, simply happy that you were able to just run downstairs this time. You could dread the walk back up later.
They wander around Mesagoza, exploring the city streets with wonder in their eyes. You watch, a small smile on your face. You're starting to like your life with them as-is, even if Cap won't listen sometimes. You don't necessarily NEED to battle to own a Pokémon, and with his mischievous nature, perhaps he'd just always be this way. You can still have good moments together regardless.
The two had started playing some weird kind of leapfrog. Chirping and giggling together as they got closer to-- the edge of Mesagoza?
"Wait, guys!"
Cap, now on Mimi's head, jumps up onto the short wall connected to the gate leading out of the city, wagging his tail and taunting Mimi, who giggles at the attempt to rile her up. He starts to dance, but he looses his footing.
"NONONONONONONONOOO!!"
He cries out in terror, knowing his fate as he falls over the edge. Mimi is frozen in fear, but you start running on pure adrenaline, almost dropping his Pokéball in your haste to unequipt it. Launching yourself over the small barrier, just barely holding yourself up due to your feet hooking onto the wall's edge, you hold his Pokéball out like a ring's box, hoping, praying, BEGGING to Arceus he's close enough to recall...
...it snaps shut, almost pinching your fingers as you struggle to keep your grip on it. You're too afraid to look anywhere, eyes squeezed shut and hands holding the ball in a death-grip. You hold it closer to your face and finally, fearfully, give it a look...
...and you see it. The blurry green blob inside the translucent shell of the Pokéball. He's safe! Sighing in relief, a hysterical laugh escaping your lips. This Pokémon would be the death of you and you knew it, but right now, you were the happiest you'd been... ever, really. The pain of the tears escaping your eyes as the situation dawned on you hit hard, but you didn't care. Cap is safe. Cap is SAFE. You'll make sure he's safe from here on out. Mimi, too, who you had just realized was holding onto your leg for dear life on the other side of the barrier, crying out as her little fighting arms tried to keep you from tipping over any more.
...
Crap, there's no ground below you. He really chose the absolute worst place to be a menace, didn't he? Even the surrounding area had places to push yourself back up, but here... you stare down below, as if keeping a firm eye on the water will keep it from getting any closer to you.
Mimi, who is still trying to pull you in the right direction shrieks in horror, and suddenly, you feel something grab your shirt. You're then lifted several feet into the air.
'No, NO! Why did I wake up this morning? I just wanna go home!' you think, breath caught up in your throat as whatever it was that grabbed you brought you somewhere. You didn't know where, or why, holding Cap's Pokéball close to your chest and curling up into the fetal position, Mimi hanging onto your calf. It must've been quite the sight...
The creature slows down at the steps leading up to the rest of the city.
"Thank you, Farigiraf..." you hear a man say as the creature, apparently a Farigiraf, gently places you down, snorting as it backs away.
You feel a hand touch your back, hesitantly, before it starts to rub it.
"You... I saw that, that was insane..." he mutters, almost to himself.
You're too scared to open your eyes, still curled up in a ball to the best of your abilities, although Mimi climbed onto you to hug you like a Komala, covering as much of you as she could. The man had stopped rubbing your back as a result, but he stayed close, telling a group of curious passersby that you were alright, just shaken up.
You open one eye, turning your head to see the wild-haired scientist kneeling down next to you. He had a very pensive, if not concerned expression on his face. You can't take it, the adrenaline, the fact that you almost flipped yourself into the waters below, the fear Cap must've felt when gravity took over-
-his cry of terror-
Your face wobbles as you tremble, staring the man in the eyes with clenched teeth. His expression went from firm, steady, to one of pity as your shock turned to sorrow. You open your mouth to speak, but a hiccup, followed by a choked sob rips from your throat. He pulls you close, Mimi still holding you with all her might, nuzzling you as he calms you down in his own way. He seems somewhat unsure of what to do, but he tries.
"There, there... I'm sorry this happened."
You cry uncontrollably into his shoulder as he rubs your back, Mimi on your side, and Cap's Pokéball in your hand, pressed into Jacq's back-
"W-wait-"
Jacq allows you to sit up, pulling his Pokéball closer to you.
"I-I gotta see if he's really there-!"
Before he can even respond, you open the Pokéball to release Capsakid. And he does indeed emerge, a blank expression on his face as he sits there, slightly hunched over. Mimi squeals in delight as she lets go, running over, scooping the Pokémon up and twirling him around in the air, lowering him to give him a few aggressive beak nuzzles before spinning some more, now holding him out in front of her.
"...Kid?"
The Capsakid turns to you as Mimi continues her celebration. Relief washes over you, and you cry some more, a wobbly smile on your face. Jacq, who is now behind you, pulls you closer to keep you from lying on the ground.
"...he should go to a Pokécenter. Then we should head inside. You definitely need a minute," he softly says as he perches his chin on your shoulder to observe the scene as well.
You can barely sit up from how much adrenaline just entered and exited your body, so you don't fight it.
"R-right."
_\V/_
He somehow managed to lead you all inside, him supporting you as Mimi carried Cap, holding him close and cooing at him the whole way, although he didn't respond. Jacq was off that day, so he lead you up to your dorm, reassuring Tyme and Hassel along the way that nothing inappropriate happened. He makes sure to keep your door slightly open to quell any suspicions of misconduct.
Hauling you onto your bed, he lets out a small sigh.
"Okay... now you REALLY need to relax, and I mean it this time." He mumbles the next part to himself, looking off the to side, but you can just barely make out "Maybe even get signed up for some counseling..."
You're exhausted, on the brink of collapse. Mimi is already curled up, acting as a pillow for Cap at the foot of the bed, protecting him from the world as he nods off to sleep. You feel the need to say something, but you can't, draping your arm over your eyes, mouth forming the start of words that are never spoken, as they were never there to begin with.
He grunts.
"Look. You need to put a long pause on training, otherwise you'll get even more burnt-out."
"...burnt... out?"
He crouches next to your bed, tilting his head a bit.
"Yeah, you're pushing yourself beyond your limits. Working off all that passion of yours at once may have left you exhausted, which includes mentally. Remember, patience is key, even on your end."
"But I-" you take a moment to swallow. "I'm not even the one fighting..."
"True," he nods. "But that doesn't mean you aren't putting your all in as well, it's just in another department. They're good at fighting, and you're good at being a leader."
You let out a stream of air, signaling that you don't believe him.
"Me? A good leader?"
He lets out a soft chuckle.
"Well, yeah. Some people have the power, but refuse to further understand those they lead. You're so... patient... understanding Cap was your driving force in even coming here! You're doing great already, even if you don't feel like it."
Something felt personal there, especially how his tone softened as he said the word 'patient'.
You finally turn around to look him, but in a different way than before. You look at the man, Jacq, not the teacher or living biology textbook. You hazard a glance at his eyes, before almost immediately looking away because you've never really studied his face before and oh my GODS is it terrifying.
They're... gray? How did you never notice that? You assumed they were blue, and a more vivid blue at that, but they were... like, straight-up gray. You want to curl up in a ball and scream for not realizing this and also for looking at him at all an-
"You alright?"
You can't see his face, but you can feel your chest pounding at the memory of it. He's... very pretty. In a way you didn't realize before. Or at least, you didn't take a moment to think about it. Actually, scratch that, you can say big words in your head, it's just you after all. The man is VERY attractive and you literally want to evaporate at the thought. Of course it has to be the one you're personally learning from, too. Why did your brain decide NOW was the best time to let your imagination run wild?
"Uh, yeah! Sorry, just... thinking... a lot."
That's an understatement.
"I see... well, do you need anything?"
Your face scrunches up in confusion.
"Eh, no? I think?"
You honestly can't remember what he even asked at this point. How is Cap the only thing keeping you from unraveling around this man? This is a TERRIBLE time to realize your teacher is ho-
"Oh, you sure? I have to go tend to something, but I can do you a favor before I leave."
Wait. Why was he outside already when he saved you? You sit up before you could even fully process the thought, eyes wide with realization.
"Did- did I... distract you? From something?"
"Uh- well, your situation was far more important, so please don't worry about it. It's just some routine fieldwork."
You groan, placing a hand over your face.
"...sorry I've been- a bit much this semester."
"Uhp!"
He leans over to the side slightly to see your face better.
"Nono, please don't think that way! I really do enjoy, uh, seeing you bond with Cap so well! It's a beautiful process, don't you think?"
You shrug, hand still on your face.
Jacq seems to look behind himself, the slight vibrations pointing toward that, before carefully pulling your hand down.
"Hey now... no worries, really..."
Your shoulders shake a little. You don't know why the tears are coming back, but they are. Eyes squeezed shut, you groan a little bit in defeat. He gives you a gentle back rub.
"Ah... stay here, alright? I might not be back in time to check on you tonight, but I will in the morning. I really don't want you leaving Mesagoza for a while..."
You nod, arm still up before flopping back in bed, tossing and turning a little as you try to get comfortable. He gets up, stretching a little.
"...you have my number, I'll catch Director Clavell up on what happened on my way out. Just focus on getting some R&R today, okay?"
"Mmm... okay."
"Good."
You hear him make his way toward your door.
"I'll have someone lock this for you. See you tomorrow?"
You huff.
"Yeah, tomorrow, at some point..."
He lets out a chuckle before closing the door.
Hopefully he doesn't worry about checking in, because the moment you're alone, you fall into a dreamless slumber.
_\V/_
A/N
Sobbing/j, this Jacq story is gonna be SO long, and we didn't even get to the cute part yet. But don't worry, this part sets it up a little! Hope you like slow burns I guess, oof. The next chapter will be pretty cute, and I'm currently working on the last chapter, which I will make as fluffy as I can. Also, I already posted part 2 to Ao3 as a test yesterday, I don't know how I feel about the mobile version, but the layout is top-notch, so *shrugs*
I like to imagine Pokémon will practice/come up with the idea for a move before getting good and actually consistently using it at certain "levels", which is why Jacq wasn't really worried when Cap started using "Crunch" (he is a tiny terror that needs practice), and also why they can "forget" and remember moves at different times (they have to specialize in using/focus on mastering different moves instead of straight-up forgetting. They can get rusty, too!)
If you feel like I speedran through the "almost falling into the river" part, it's because I did! I feel like the "written in one go" feel kinda suits the mood better than what I had in mind, but then again, I have no idea what my brain was trying to say there in the first place. Fun fact! You were originally going to run into a vendor's cart that was about to run him over (since he's so hard to see) and end up knocking it down, getting hurt in the process of saving him instead of almost falling, but damaging public property was NOT something I wanted to deal with, good intentioned or not, so I changed it
Also, uhhh, I wanted this story to have one drawing for each part, but this one's was accidentally absorbed into Part 3, so have this! I think Jacq is the cursive type (at least while grading papers) just because he's a fairly professional guy. I also imagine his handwriting is looser when writing more than a word or two. Trust me, this is him when he takes his time to write something really neat. He'd be the type to comment on his student's doodles, especially biology related ones (and a powerful Capsakid accidentally catching grass on fire just by existing certainly counts, even as a joke)
