Al shifts through an alleyway, eyes occasionally glancing behind him to make sure he wasn't being followed as he scoped out Petalburg City. Alphonse was new in town, and as with every place he visited, he thoroughly checked it out. 

In truth, he was looking for vulnerabilities--people, stores, security. Things that were easy to exploit, things that were easy to swipe. Like a stone from a stall, he picked it up without the vender evening acknowledging it. 

He could pawn it off for decent money later. 

Duck? Like a duckett? That wasn’t what Al said. He shook his head. ”No, not duck, fuck—fuuhck.”

(‘No, not duck, muck, muhck.’) Little did Alphonse know that he still had his censor on. Dee gave Al a normally expectant response when he admitted that he couldn’t read. He shook his head—barely preventing himself from rolling his eyes. No, he couldn’t read.

It wasn’t like Al hadn’t tried before, it just never clicked. The words jumbled up, sometimes they weren’t the same, sometimes the letters were weird. He knew what each of them were but combining them together…? A lot of work that Al didn’t have time for.


Fenelle Miller

A storm wages outside—the pitter patter of rain collides against the windows. Al is somewhere in his own thoughts, a rare moment where he thinks he’s alone. Safe to retreat, to think about things that normally never curse his mind.

He thinks about wants, not needs. He thinks of cakes that he sees in windows and nice boots that he could never bite the bullet to dish out the cash for. While he was a well honed and experienced thief, he never stole what he wanted, only what he needed. Al was sure that greed would be his downfall, a vice that he could find himself bathed in if he weren’t careful. The easiest way to get caught.

He wasn’t looking—he should have. He collided with another. He looks up, unapologetic.

---

@open

Wherever Al goes—his Houndoom isn’t far from his side. They’ve been inseparable for years—strays bound together by the visage of time and a myriad of shared experiences. Al secures a bungee around one of the crates, and secures it to his Houndoom’s harness. He gives it a tug, notices that the tension is tight before he secures another rope to the cord.

He takes it in his hand—and tugs, with the help of his pokemon, the crate that would have normally been unmovable starts to creek against the wooden dock. This way he didn’t have to lean upon another for support. Didn’t have to risk another dropping the crate on his toes, or not pulling their weight.

When they move their crate to the unloading zone—Al’s eyes track onto a figure who seems to deviate their attention his way. He cocks a brow.

---

Shred

Something wells up in Al's throat. Dee can't hear. 

Shit.


Al swallows, nervous, almost sheepishly. In response, his Houndoom assumes a more defensive position, body blocking his trainer from the rest as if Al's insecurity might give them reason to attack. Alphonse runs a hand through the dog's coat, scratching at its behind as they pull out their own phone. The letters on it jumbled up, traded places and positions, and if Al looked at it look enough it would start to make his head hurt. 

Still, he could identify the icons on his phone enough to pull out his notes app. He opened it and when the keyboard shot up, he pressed the microphone icon. "Fuck. Can't read, but if this works we can talk this way?" He finished and when the text finalized on the screen he took a confident step, bypassing his pokemon much to the Houndoom's dismay. 

He laid his phone down in front of dem. 

(Duck. Can't read, but if this works we can talk this way.)

Fenelle Miller

Al's not normally the type to find himself wondering without purpose, but until he got his next briefing that was exactly what he was doing. He thought it might do him some good to enter one of the labs, one of his personally interests happen to be tinkering. Anything that he could get his hands on, he'd try to take a part and put it back together better than he had found it. 

When he opens the door; Pokemon respond, and in tune, his Houndoom that was never far from his side started to growl and bar its teeth until Al gave it a gentle tug on one of his horns. 

Dee signs something at Al; but to Alphonse they look like strange, almost alien hand gestures. He cocks a brow in confusion. "Are you okay?"

Fenelle Miller , my son is an idiot...