Earning her keep

[arceusstansme]

Who: Akari and any poor sod who crosses her path.
What: Akari is here to prove her worth to Bottlecap Bay. Whether you like it or not.
Where: Bottlecap Bay
When: Sometime during April (all of it)
Warnings: Swearing, the traumas:tm:



Some people (or, well, Pokémon) would take a day or two to adjust to having their bodies shaped into something new and thrown into a new location. Maybe take a moment to adjust to any weird dysmorphia about suddenly having no fingers or being a sentient bag of garbage (which, let's be real, isn't a change for some people.)

Akari on the other hand started to work. Someone needed a berry delivered from point A to point B without being eaten somewhere in the middle? Akari was on it. Needed someone to go tell their kid who was playing dangerously close to a ledge to stop it? Akari was already there. It didn't matter; it seemed like the moment someone looked mildly uncomfortable, the Cyndaquil was already there trying to fix an ill or find something.

It would be impressive if it seemed like she took a break. Or if she didn't seem like she was just sitting in traffic waiting for a light to turn as she listened to whatever someone needed. It was also obvious she was also trying to make sure the task was done 100 percent, even if she checked back in with the person like she was throwing a cigarette butt at them when she was done.

That was just the nature of her. Sometimes you might see her resting her feet for a second or two; other times you might see her waiting for someone or something to appear to give a message or deliver something. Or sometimes, she might stop and stare at you for a moment before asking if you needed help.

Comments

[truthdecided]

Paras.

[His voice drips with skepticism.]

Grass and bug hybrid Pokémon that are easily dispatched with fire or flying type moves, and they're the ones that scare you?

[arceusstansme]

You haven't known fear until you're sitting in a bush, trying to draw a Pokémon, then all of a sudden they descend on you.

And chase you. And keep chasing you longer than any Alpha ever has.

[truthdecided]

Alphas being... powerful, I take it?

[You'll have to forgive him, Akari. There's some jargon he doesn't get yet.]

[arceusstansme]

Oh yeah, they are the big boys and girls. Stronger and much bigger. Like, an Alpha Raichu was taller than me when I was a human.

[truthdecided]

So what you're saying is I could have been larger than this.

[He gestures with his wings, feathers slightly ruffled.]

But instead, I'm stuck at the size of a volleyball.

[arceusstansme]

Could've been basketball size.

[truthdecided]

[...You know what? Fine. He breathes a small sigh.]

Anything larger is an improvement at this rate.

[arceusstansme]

Wait until you evolve. You might prefer being orb-shape.

[truthdecided]

Please. Growing into a larger and more imposing bird is a net positive in my eyes.

[He even tries tipping his chin up and puffing out his chest to look bigger. Standard bird things.]

[arceusstansme]

I like the bird-orb shape better. More cute.

[Your opinion on Akechi's shape means nothing.]

Like, I could make a mascot animal off you.