Partners Chapter 1 - Resolve
I barely come up to the giant, orange pokemon's knee! The sight of the beautiful creature has me breathless. I lift my arms to greet my new partner but, just as I do, he moves forward while staring up at Mitz. I don't realize what's going on and end up falling onto my back. Before I can do anything about it, I feel a great weight bear down on my stomach and chest. I exhale sharply, the pain is excruciating and out of my muzzle comes a pained, panicked yelp. The warm, powerful sole that'd stepped right on to my torso is only there for a moment, though it feels like an eternity. The weight suddenly lifts and I get a glimpse of my charmander staring down at me with a confused expression. Another warmth surrounds me and someone, it sounds like Professor Cliff, tells Mitz to call an ambulance. I noticed blood covering the right side of my rib cage, but as I stare, my vision goes fuzzy and I pass out.
'Nowra? Nowra?' I hear a familiar voice. 'Are you okay? Are you hurt?' I see my mother, wounded, but alive after the pikachu saved us. We're in the hospital.
"Nowra? Can you hear me?" My eyes flick open as Mitz's worried voice carries above me. I try to shift but an unexpected pain shoots through my chest and I stop. I look up at the looming face of the mouse giantess, lowering my ears a bit and trying to smile as her worried, brown-furred face looms in my sky. "H-hey, Mitz..."
"Oh thank god..." She sighs, rubbing over her head. "You had us worried sick I... I didn't think something like that would happen. None of us did... In retrospect we should've... been more careful."
"It's not your fault, I didn't think it'd happen either. I knew what I was getting into when I decided to try this so I... I need to think more carefully myself." I breathe a heavy sigh and try to move again. This time, since I expect the pain, I'm able to much more easily. I carefully adjust myself to sit up and look down at my body. The right side of my chest has a bandage over it.
"His toeclaw pierced you. Right side of the chest, it was a clean wound..."
"Not that I could see'em or anything. Whose s'posed to expect an illian as a trainer anyway?" I blink, looking to see my charmander walking in. I cringe a bit, but don't answer right away. Mitz just looks at him and smiles a little. "I bet he's sorry too, he just didn't expect it."
I just smile to her words. Illians can understand pokemon, but norms like Mitz can't. "Yea, I don't blame him..."
The charmander visibly frowns, but then shifts his gaze off to the side. "Sorry." He says, seeming only partially sincere.
"Look, Nowra." Mitz starts, then stops for a moment, seeming uncertain. She leans over the platform my bed is settled on, giving a serious gaze. "I know you don't want to hear this--"
I know what she's going to say and, maybe a little too quickly, I interrupt. "I'm not giving up, alright? I-it was an accident, I can do this... I'll be more careful."
"I know you will, but if he'd pressed down a little harder you might've received permanent damage."
"He won't step on me again." I reply, my mood starting to sour a bit. I'd been over this with her and so many others already.
"Nowra... Look, you've come really far. I-I'm really proud of you and so is everyone else but--"
"Good, then you can be even more proud when I make this work. Drop it, Mitz..." I look to the side, the combination of the pain in my chest and the fact that she'd bring this up -now- making me growl just a little bit. She takes the hint and gives a slow, slightly disappointed nod.
"No one will think any less of you. We jus--" She sighs, then stands, taking one more glance at me before shaking her head. "At least come talk to me before you leave, okay? I'm just worried. I just want you to be okay. You scared me today..." She declines her head a bit, then turns to walk out.
I lay there in the quiet for a while, my charmander not making a single noise. Eventually, I look at him, wanting to say something but he seems just as lost in thought as I am. I can't help but feel he's disappointed. Normally, I'd be able to deal with it but after Mitz I'm just not in the mood. I turn to look out the window next to me.
"Why're you a trainer anyway?" I hear from across the room. I don't turn to look. "It's my dream. I wanna learn more about them.. You. We're not taken seriously as trainers. Not by norms and not by pokemon."
"Because you're food to us." The charmander grumbles. "Why would you take orders from something you eat."
"I--" I growl a little bit, still sitting up despite the pain. It doesn't hurt too badly, but I don't want to make sudden movements. I turn myself to look at the charmander for a moment, disappointed that my own partner would say something like that.
"You're small, you're too weak and fragile; some of us wouldn't have even noticed you underfoot, y'know. You'd've been killed and there'd be nothing you could do about it." He turns to stare at me again. His dark eyes lock onto mine and I swear he dared me to deny any of it.
"She's right. You're safer in the city. You'd be nothin' but a liability on the field. Give up the silly dream."
"Of all people I didn't think I'd hear that from you..." I start only to have him laugh, leaving me to glare a little.
"Why? 'cause I'm your partner? You think I'm mindless? That I don't have my own opinions or dreams?" I freeze for a moment, thinking about that. What did I think? Why did I feel like he'd love me right off the bat? I recall the looks on the faces of the other pokemon when they were introduced to their trainers. They were so happy...
"You're disappointed in me." I say, eyes still locked on his. I falter, though, cringing at the thought of his disappointment and looking down at the floor to avoid his condescending stare. My heart is racing, I never thought I'd be shot down so quickly. It's one thing for Mitz or some other norm to look down on me but to have my partner doing it?
I feel the ground tremble a little as he makes his way over, soon climbing up to the platform my bed is on. He stands above me, powerful, graceful while I sit on the bed, wounded. The gaze that'd remained scolding this entire time softens slightly. "Look, this just isn't what you're meant for alright? I'm not interested in hurtin' your feelings, but I'm not gonna partner up with someone who'll just end up in some pidgey's stomach before the week's end."
"I won't." I say firmly, looking up at his eyes again, but he seems unconvinced. His gaze returns to condescension, and I can't help lower my ears and tail, on the defensive again."I'm just as good a trainer as any of those other guys that got their partner today. I've done everything they did despite my height, I've put my life on the line before already!"
"Yea, and they didn't. They didn't have to. You're -small-, things that are trivial to them.. to me, are life-threatening to you."
Again, I find myself tongue-tied. I can feel the tears coming now, but I try to hold them back. I can't seem weak now or everything I've worked for might just end here. I stand from my bed, now standing before him and staring upwards into those dark eyes. He's so much bigger than me... He probably could just end me if he wanted. A quick stomp, an easy swallow...
"Give me a chance." I say slowly. "I'll prove to you that I'm worth it. I'll show you what I can do as a trainer. I know I'm small, I know I'm not like the others, but I can do it."
"Saying you can do it doesn't mean--" He stops mid-sentence, staring at my ID badge after I reach and pull it out of my pocket, holding it out towards his face. "If we lose one battle this week then I'll quit. A-and I'll never try again. I just want a chance, and I want you as my partner..."
"One battle? You realize I could just throw a battle and it'd be over."
"I know." I shift on my feet a little.
"How d'you know I won't?"
"I trust you." My heart begins to calm again. Of course he was disappointed, it only makes sense. I didn't get into this because it'd be easy.
"After all this?" He smirks. "Why?"
"You expect something out of me. Yea, your words sting but... You're right. I have a lot to overcome. I can't pretend that I'm the same as them. I'm not."
He leans down and grins. It's an odd, amused grin. "If we lose one battle, I get to eat you." He bumps me with his muzzle, causing me to stumble a bit. I cringe, swallowing a lump down my throat before I regain composure. I stare into his eyes for a moment, trying to figure out if he's actually serious. I can't really tell.
"...Deal."
He laughs a little and sits down nearby, crossing his legs and reaching a hand out. He holds it palm up. "The name's Aster."
I look at the palm, then move to rest my hand in his. He closes his hand and shakes at my arm a bit. "Nowra.." I say, a grin starting to form on my muzzle. My ears lift and my tail sways slowly behind me. Had I done it?
"You're gonna taste good, Nowra."
I shift a little, laughing nervously just as the phone rings. I reach over and grab the smaller phone settled near my bed and answer.
"Hello?"
"Nowra? Are you okay? Your dad and I just heard what happened! Do we need to come over there? How long are you going to be in the hospital?"
"No, mom, it's fine. It's just a bruise and I'll probably be leaving today anyway."
"You're not just brushing it off are you? Don't leave before you feel better."
"I'll be fine, mom. I'll probably make my way home before I move to the first gym anyway so you'll get to see me."
"...Alright, I'll pack some things up for when you arrive. Be safe, alright? Is your partner with you? What is it?"
"A charmander. His name is Aster."
"I like the name. So when can we expect you home? Call us before you leave so we know, alright?"
"Yes, mom. I have to go, though, I think the doctor is coming in again."
"...Oh, alright. Remember, call us, Nowra. Love you."
"Love you too." I hang the phone up and sigh, moving to lay in my bed again. Aster just watches from his seated position for a while before moving to stroke over my stomach with his finger. He's fairly gentle, which is surprising considering his personality. I consider asking him if he'd really eat me, but decide against it for now.
"I guess it'll be kinda nice bein' able to communicate with a trainer." He comments, wriggling his nose.
I smile a little, thinking to myself for a few more moments before sitting up in the bed again.
"Hey, Aster? Think you could carry me to Dr. Cliff's lab? The bed stuff is boring, I want to get started. I've waited too long already." I stretch my arms and test my body, making certain nothing feels really bad. I can feel his gaze focused on me from above.
"Eager to visit my belly, eh, foxxy?"
"...You really have to make those sorts of jokes?" I mumble.
"Jokes?"
"...Can you do it or not?"
He grins and carefully picks me up, supporting my body with his arms. "I don't think he'll approve of the idea, but I'll take ya."
"Thanks." I grin back, watching as he moves towards the window to my room, pushing it open with his foot. I feel strong sense of vertigo after he jumps, only cringing a little from the force of the landing. I hold onto him and stare at the road that leads to the lab. Finally, I'd be able to start my adventure. I already felt better. I jump from Aster's arms and land next to his feet, taking a few steps before grinning.
"The way I feel now? You're going to be a hungry charmander if you're counting on us losing anything this week."
He reaches down and picks me up again, starting off towards the lab. He doesn't respond, and I can't see his face from my position near his chest. I swear he's smiling, though.