- 1036
- #1
His palms tingled as he gripped the windowsill nervously. Lightning flashed, reflecting in his bright blue eyes as he watched the rain pelt down, sending ripples of energy over the force field that currently surrounded the city. He shivered a bit and stood up straight, wiping his hands on his shorts as though it could make the tingling stop. Being helpless against the rages of mother nature was not something he enjoyed. He still had dreams of being tossed around like a toy boat in the terrible waves of an angry ocean. Farren did not like storms. He knew the power they held and respected it.
However, as the day waned on, the tingling in his hands did not stop. He did everything he could think of to try and distract himself. He moved around what little furniture he had, rearranging things until finally deciding to simply put it all back where it had started. He sat down to write another letter home, but was quickly swallowed up by worry, wondering if his father had been delayed and was now trapped by the squall outside. Farren contemplated bringing out Brook, to play with her a bit, but what if the storm made her nervous too? No, she was better off inside her ball, safe and sound. With a heavy sigh, he picked up his research folder and flopped down at his desk, trying to elaborate on some previous notes he had taken. It didn't last long. With every bang of thunder, he jumped, and soon, frustrated, he pushed the work aside.
He hated the way a storm made him feel. They put him on edge, made him anxious, something the normally calm Alolan clashed with. But it was worse not being able to see it, somehow. And so, Farren found himself back at the window, white-knuckled, feeling the uncomfortable pressure behind him of a room too small. He needed to be outside, he decided. Without a second thought, he set his jaw, grabbed his backpack, and shut the door loudly behind him, leaving the tiny dorm room behind.
Normally, it was very easy for Farren to guess what time it was. But the sky was so thick with black clouds, it was like time had all but disappeared. It was so eerie. He could feel the pressure of the storm and hear the wind and the rain rattling against the golden energy field around them. But not being able to feel it. It felt... wrong. Off, somehow. It was not making him feel much better, either. He shoved his tingling hands deep into his pockets and stepped out into the street. All around him were signs of the storm. People had taped up windows and pulled down barriers over their storefronts. Displays and supplies no longer cluttered the streets, as their owners had brought them inside lest they be blown away. For a while, he wandered the near-empty streets blindly, not paying much attention to where he was headed, shrugging against the lack of wind, with the sound of wind chimes in his ears.
It took him a while to realize why that was odd. After a few blocks, still hearing the sound, he stopped and listened. Yes, there it was, a gentle tinkling. Not quite a windchime, he realized, but like a small bell. Well, that made a little more sense at least, how could a windchime chime without any wind? Curiosity got the better of him and Farren welcomed the distraction. His boots echoed off the empty streets as he followed the strange sound. It was a bit far, a block or so. If the wind hadn't been muffled by the Abras and Mr. Mimes he wasn't sure he would have caught it at all beneath the Doveport's daily din. It surprised him, how big this town had gotten in such a short period of time. He ducked down a side street and saw a flash of color out of the corner of his eye. He rounded the corner, following it into an alley.
The more he listened to the sound, the more alive it became. It was almost like it was laughing. A small tinkle of laughter, clear and bell-like. Was it a Pokemon? Maybe something new and undiscovered had sought shelter here from the storm? The alleyway ended, there was nowhere else to go now. He stepped forward cautiously.
"Hello? Is there anyone here?" He called out, peering through the gloom.
Then, he saw it. A glint of gold, blinking up at him from behind a trashcan. He heard the metallic giggle once again and smiled. Was it playing with him? He let his gaze flicker around the dark little street.
"Hmm," He said, "They must be very clever to hide so well." He shrugged and opened his arms in a look of defeat, "I give up, you win, little friend."
There was a rumble as the trashcan moved, the rustle of plastic and then the sound of a can rolling along the pavement. And then out popped... Well, Farren had no idea what it was! A Pokemon, surely. It was very small. A golden bell with pretty little ribbons that bounced as they toddled forward. It opened its wide mouth and beamed, triumphant.
"Chingling!" It put its tiny arms on its tiny hips, looking very proud of itself.
"A Chingling huh? I'll have to read up on you, never seen one before." He crouched down, getting on its level, and smiled, "Out playing in the storm, yeah? You're a brave little one, aren't you?"
The little golden orb flicked back its ribbons, as though this was an obvious question that was silly to ask. Farren chuckled, "Well if you want, we could play again? Maybe it will make me braver, too."
The little Chingling bounced happily, its bell ringing beautifully. It seemed to like that idea, so Farren stood up and went over to the far wall, leaning against it and covered his eyes.
"One, two... Three..." He counted, grinning into his hands as he listened to the little thing ring as it tried to sneak away.
He had made another friend, which made this day a whole lot better.
1036w
However, as the day waned on, the tingling in his hands did not stop. He did everything he could think of to try and distract himself. He moved around what little furniture he had, rearranging things until finally deciding to simply put it all back where it had started. He sat down to write another letter home, but was quickly swallowed up by worry, wondering if his father had been delayed and was now trapped by the squall outside. Farren contemplated bringing out Brook, to play with her a bit, but what if the storm made her nervous too? No, she was better off inside her ball, safe and sound. With a heavy sigh, he picked up his research folder and flopped down at his desk, trying to elaborate on some previous notes he had taken. It didn't last long. With every bang of thunder, he jumped, and soon, frustrated, he pushed the work aside.
He hated the way a storm made him feel. They put him on edge, made him anxious, something the normally calm Alolan clashed with. But it was worse not being able to see it, somehow. And so, Farren found himself back at the window, white-knuckled, feeling the uncomfortable pressure behind him of a room too small. He needed to be outside, he decided. Without a second thought, he set his jaw, grabbed his backpack, and shut the door loudly behind him, leaving the tiny dorm room behind.
Normally, it was very easy for Farren to guess what time it was. But the sky was so thick with black clouds, it was like time had all but disappeared. It was so eerie. He could feel the pressure of the storm and hear the wind and the rain rattling against the golden energy field around them. But not being able to feel it. It felt... wrong. Off, somehow. It was not making him feel much better, either. He shoved his tingling hands deep into his pockets and stepped out into the street. All around him were signs of the storm. People had taped up windows and pulled down barriers over their storefronts. Displays and supplies no longer cluttered the streets, as their owners had brought them inside lest they be blown away. For a while, he wandered the near-empty streets blindly, not paying much attention to where he was headed, shrugging against the lack of wind, with the sound of wind chimes in his ears.
It took him a while to realize why that was odd. After a few blocks, still hearing the sound, he stopped and listened. Yes, there it was, a gentle tinkling. Not quite a windchime, he realized, but like a small bell. Well, that made a little more sense at least, how could a windchime chime without any wind? Curiosity got the better of him and Farren welcomed the distraction. His boots echoed off the empty streets as he followed the strange sound. It was a bit far, a block or so. If the wind hadn't been muffled by the Abras and Mr. Mimes he wasn't sure he would have caught it at all beneath the Doveport's daily din. It surprised him, how big this town had gotten in such a short period of time. He ducked down a side street and saw a flash of color out of the corner of his eye. He rounded the corner, following it into an alley.
The more he listened to the sound, the more alive it became. It was almost like it was laughing. A small tinkle of laughter, clear and bell-like. Was it a Pokemon? Maybe something new and undiscovered had sought shelter here from the storm? The alleyway ended, there was nowhere else to go now. He stepped forward cautiously.
"Hello? Is there anyone here?" He called out, peering through the gloom.
Then, he saw it. A glint of gold, blinking up at him from behind a trashcan. He heard the metallic giggle once again and smiled. Was it playing with him? He let his gaze flicker around the dark little street.
"Hmm," He said, "They must be very clever to hide so well." He shrugged and opened his arms in a look of defeat, "I give up, you win, little friend."
There was a rumble as the trashcan moved, the rustle of plastic and then the sound of a can rolling along the pavement. And then out popped... Well, Farren had no idea what it was! A Pokemon, surely. It was very small. A golden bell with pretty little ribbons that bounced as they toddled forward. It opened its wide mouth and beamed, triumphant.
"Chingling!" It put its tiny arms on its tiny hips, looking very proud of itself.
"A Chingling huh? I'll have to read up on you, never seen one before." He crouched down, getting on its level, and smiled, "Out playing in the storm, yeah? You're a brave little one, aren't you?"
The little golden orb flicked back its ribbons, as though this was an obvious question that was silly to ask. Farren chuckled, "Well if you want, we could play again? Maybe it will make me braver, too."
The little Chingling bounced happily, its bell ringing beautifully. It seemed to like that idea, so Farren stood up and went over to the far wall, leaning against it and covered his eyes.
"One, two... Three..." He counted, grinning into his hands as he listened to the little thing ring as it tried to sneak away.
He had made another friend, which made this day a whole lot better.
1036w