Okay Kitty, I decided to just go ahead and post before you :p Gomen!! Have fun continuing!!
Nyarth~
Included in this post: Xio, Lupe, Raine
Mentioned: Estelle, Tanner, Shola, Fresia
Time: Right before Xio headed out with Kiki for the town; during the time when Estelle, Tanner, Shola, and Fresia headed to town
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was a Meowth again.
I ran, as fast as my four short legs could take me, my heart pounding like timpani in my ears. I had to get away, run away. I didn’t dare glance back behind me; the clear metallic sounds of the bounty hunters’ machines were enough to spur me on. Mama was a little to the side of me, shouting encouragements and panicky-sounding comforts. The humans already took my daddy…. I have to escape. I cannot let them take me! Who else would be there for mama?
My weak body began to give out. I wasn’t used to this much strain. I started slowly falling more and more behind mama and the machine’s whirr became louder, which only scared me MORE out of my wits. My heart raced faster and faster with anxiety and shortness of breath, and I started tripping over my own paws in my haste.
I can’t make it…
I could feel the arm of the machine lightly swipe at my tail. It was closing in on me.
I’m sorry, mama… I’m too weak…
I ran straight over a root I never saw poking out of the ground. The velocity at which I was going combined with the way my paws hit it sent me flying forward in a tumble onto the ground. I saw mama stop and come running for me, and then I looked up into the giant metal machine…
*Click*
That noise startled me from sleep, and I immediately jumped from a sleeping position to a defensive one on my bed and looked around. No one was in my room. The door was closed, though. Taking a long stretch to shake off the dream, I sighed, my ears drooping. I’m so weak… I wasn’t strong enough to outrun the machines and I wasn’t powerful enough to fight them off, either…
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep after that, I opened my door and peered down the hall. At the far end, I caught the last glimpse of a familiar Luxray tail disappearing from view around the corner. Lux! He… he could train me, and then I’ll be stronger and be able to save the people I love, rather than always having to run away. I want to fight for once!
With new resolve, I set out down the hall after him, following his scent. It led me to a room that was obviously fit for a Luxray: black, blue, and red were the color scheme. There was this huge bed that looked really comfy, and a bar near the other wall, with some bottles probably containing yummy juice! Lux had it good in here. My ears swiveled as I heard activity in the connecting bathroom, the door closed. Lux-san must be taking a shower. I suddenly got an idea. What if he doesn’t see why he should train me…? I should prove myself worthy of his time!!
I looked around the room and saw a fancy dresser. Impulsively, I went over to it, opened it, and grabbed into my arms as many shirts as I could carry. I sprinted nimbly down the hall, in search of another room like it… Xio’s room! I spotted it a ways off and threw the clothes on the bed, and then made sure the inside lock on the doorknob was locked before I exited the room. I’ll show how worthy I am by knocking the door down! Ha!
When I returned to Lux’s room, the door was closed again. I guess he got out finally! I opened it to find a surprise: Xio was in front of me, instead of Lux, and he was drinking from this bottle of odd-colored fluid. Maybe some Razz berry juice? I almost asked if I could try some, but then he looked down at me with an annoyed expression, wiped his mouth, and asked, “Need something?”
I felt even more embarrassed, with him staring so disapprovingly at me. “I thought you were Lux, but I was wrong…”
“Well you guess wrong kiddo.” He muttered as he recorked the bottle and put it away.
So this must be Xio’s room, and the other room was Lux’s. Hm… I could make this into my advantage! I brightened up and chirped, “I might be wrong, but I can tell you are just as strong as Lux. AND I need to be a strong cat too-nya.” I giggled. I looked up to Lux-san so much; I’m sure Xio is just as good to be my sensei!
He sniffed and muttered, “Strong cat?! Lux, I suppose. But if you have come to me, you have come to the right person kid.” He started looking for the shirts I took… won’t be too long now. “But I don’t do any special requests. Damn it, where are all my shirts?”
Bingo! Now to play my card. “I took them-nya!” I laughed, putting my arms behind my head and smirking slyly. “I put them in Lux’s room, to prove I am worthy to you!” I led him out of his room to Lux’s and danced in my spot. I wasn’t sure I was ready to give the REAL reason I wanted to get stronger, the subject was tender with me so I came up with some other reasons, equally true but less important. “I want to be stronger so I don’t have to listen to Lupe and stand up to her and…and….I want abs like yours-nya!” I pointed my finger at his six-pack bluntly.
That obviously got him. “HAHAHAHAHAHA!” he guffawed, “So that’s your reason? Hmm alright if you can open this door without knocking it down then sure I will train you, kid.”
No! I despaired. I was going to knock down the door to show that I have potential!! My ears and tail drooped while I pondered what to do, then I saw him flash his claws at me. I got the idea, my face turning to a grin as I used my Fury Swipes, my own claws growing long and I fiddled with the lock for a few seconds. A click, and then I swung the door open, proud of my accomplishment.
I stood back as he entered and dressed in a long-sleeved shirt. “Nice going, kid. Alright, I will train you later on.” He rubbed my head in praise. “Impressive!”
I will finally be strong like Xio and Lux! Yess!! I suddenly remembered about the upcoming festival. I still needed to get a kimono, and I was also in the mood for something sweet to eat, so I started searching for Lupe to get permission to leave for a bit. I walked in the direction of the front door, where the Tangrowth guy, Onee-chan, Shola, and another gijinka I had never met before were leaving. I heard the leader’s voice coming from an adjacent room, and entered. To get what I want, I’m sure I’ll have to play the cute card, I thought slyly. I went and latched onto her in a hug. “Hiiiii Lupe-nya!!”
Looking down, she nuggied me and said with a less-annoyed voice than usual, “Neko kid! Wassup little man?”
“Nothing much-nya, I’m sososososo excited for the festival!! I can’t wait to pick out a cool-looking kimono and find some cute stuffed animals there!”
“Pssh, I know right?” She smiled. “But we are not going anywhere until the house is completely spick and span!”
My tail drooped. “Awwww…nya…. We already cleaned up sooo much!!” I wailed.
She sighed and looked around, taking an assessment of the room. “Ehhh, I guess you’re right, neko kid. Alright, cleaning is DONE! You can get ready for the festival.”
I started sprinting back to my room to get my berry pouch along with some other items I’d need for my trip into town. I wonder what kinda kimonos they have there…? I hope there are some cooler-looking ones, I didn’t wanna have to settle for something girly-looking. Kimonos already looked girly as is.
I skidded around the next corner and almost bumped into something white and fluffy! Thankfully I’m quick on my little Meowth feet. I lithely jumped to the side before it was too late, but I still felt the touch of the fabric whisk by me. I heard a light wimper and then I turned around to apologize. I shouldn’t have been running in the house, especially with these blind corners and narrow hallways. “Gomen-nya!! I should have been more-“ Somehow, my mouth didn’t finish my sentence.
She’s… actually really adorable looking… I thought. The person I had almost collided head-on with was clearly a Ralts gijinka, with the red spikes on top of her green hair, and wearing white clothing. What I had seen as “fluffy” had been her huge white tail, which caught my interest - It looked really comfy… I accidentally started blushing before I caught myself and mentally shook my head. No, I’m sure I’m just intrigued because Ralts usually don’t have tails…
“Are you okay-nya??” I questioned her. Her arm was in a cast and sling, most likely broken. If I had run into her… Owies!!
She bowed deeply several times while spluttering. “Gomennasai!! I did not mean to be in your way! It’s me who should b-be more careful! G-Gomen!!” Then she took a moment to tilt her head a tiny bit and then asked, quieter, “I-I don’t think we’ve met though… what’s your name? Mine’s Raine…” Her cheeks started getting pink. Gah!! No wonder! I had completely forgotten about my current shirtlessness… that’s embarrassing…
I smiled at her regardless of my uneasiness and told her my name, my tail wagging just a little. I’m not sure what’s coming over me, why do I feel like this? I was beginning to get confused at my emotions. Ah, I’ll think about that later. Carefree again, I chirped, “I’m actually gonna go into town soon and see if I can find a kimono for the festival! I’m so excited for it-nya! Are you going?”
She nodded. “I was actually on my way out of the mansion to pick up some materials for Ab-kun’s kimono… and to hopefully pick up one for myself if I have enough money left. Would you like to go together, then…? If it’s alright with you. It's not really safe to go alone anywhere...”
I gave her a thumbs-up and voiced my assent. It’s gonna be more fun going with someone instead of me going by myself, anyway! I told her I’d be right back and left her there in the hallway while I sprinted to my room to find a shirt. I don’t think it would be decent if I went shirtless in public either. I opened the middle drawer of my dresser and pulled out a tan t-shirt and threw it on, grabbed my berry pouch and some coins, then returned to Raine, who was in the exact same spot I had left her. “Ready! Iku yo! Let’s go-nya!”
