Annie had spent so long as a trainer, one would think that she’d be used to watching. When she gave her commands, observing the results was all she could do. And yet, as her friends charged the beast, it took all that she had left to keep herself from chasing after them, helping them somehow. How? She hadn’t figured that out yet; maybe she hoped to find an answer after a tentacle had crushed her spine.
Thankfully, logic won out in her head. Buzz kept out of harm’s way, but his trainer felt her heart skip a beat as Frankie collapsed. It found its feet soon enough, for it was a beast in more ways than one, and perhaps the strike had been a small blessing. A dozen more attacks proved to be too chaotic, even for the Type: Null; it couldn’t find the opening it needed to strike again, until the Nihilego was sent back home.
And just like that, it was over. Adrenaline kept the girl on edge, her eyes darting around for another danger that wouldn’t come. Her Pokemon returned to her side just as the realisation hit her. She was safe. They were safe. Lives had been lost, and the market was devastated. Her ears were ringing, and she was down one trainer, but her and her family were safe.
Her gaze settled on Frankie, who had already set his ever-intense eyes on her. The sight of a determined blaze in Annie’s eyes was nothing new to it, since it didn’t take much to fire her up. It was the wavering, and then the dilating in them, that rattled it. Her shaking, her whimpering, all of the terror that she’d forced aside rushing back to her, now that she could afford to be afraid.
“Don’t you ever run off like that again!“ She’d tried to sound angry. She really had, but she hated giving her family that tone at the best of times. With every other emotion flooding her system, relieved tears, or frustrated tears, or worried tears, were the first to show. A pointed finger made it halfway to Frankie’s face, before she gave in and leapt to embrace her chimera, wrapping her arms around its neck.
The sudden show of emotion confused it, but the girl’s wails and hug had it stumbling back, dragging the smaller girl along with him. Not that she cared. A few moments to let it all out would do her good, even if it was at the cost of a bewildered Null. Its wide eyes looked to the Yanmega for support, but he was no better a comforter than it, and had opted to simply rest.
“What the hell would I do if you ran off and got yourself killed?”It tried to remember its training – not just as a fighter, but as a Pokemon. Annie had spent too much time showing it decency for it to do nothing as she cried… And eventually, it realised that. It lowered its neck, slowly pushing his head against the girl’s. A battle-scarred helmet stopped it short of nuzzling her, but for those moments, it was very aware that it wanted her to stop. Not because the crying unnerved it, but because Annie looked much better with a grin on her face.
Caring was a foreign concept for an artificial Pokemon, but it decided that it could get used to it.
It took her a minute to let it all out, but her partners were content for her to take as long as she needed. Frankie’s muffled but calming whispers helped a lot, especially since half an hour before, she’d never heard a peep out of it. She let it go, rubbed at her eyes, and showed the two a small smile.
“You guys… were awesome. Buzz, you just saved my life, and where did those moves come from, Frankie?” She was still crying, and her eyes were red from it, but the laughter and grin that followed seemed genuine.
“I know you guys are tired, but… could you stay with me for a little longer?” Annie was no stranger to terror – most immigrants from Kanto had seen their fair share of danger – but the night’s events were on another level. She’d recover in time, as she always did, but she wouldn’t be sleeping alone that night.
Since her idea of normal was already fairly loud, anybody could tune in on a one-sided conversation. As she walked, she took slow steps across the market; with one shoe melted off by the acid attacks, she had to take extra care not to step into any debris.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you guys weren’t here, but… Do you think you could take it a bit easier next time, Frankie? Like, go nuts beating up weird tentacle monsters, but only when I give the green light. Last thing I needed tonight was a heart attack from you going full Tauros on me.” A confused grunt barely permeated its helmet.
“What I’m saying is listen up next time. But good job on the whole talking thing! I want to hear more of it.” Even if she’d barely heard Frankie’s voice, she understood that its slow grumble was a hesitant acceptance.
Buzzinga had been happy to act as a tired third wheel to the group, which meant that his sudden call earned both of their attention. He bobbed his head towards a treasure on the field.
“Oh, well spotted. I’m gonna need that.” The trio redirected themselves towards what was likely a forming crowd. Should she go interrupted, Annie slotted her foot, covered only by a torn, wet and dirtied sock, into Mateo’s shoe. It was much too big for her, but when the alternative was walking across the battlefield exposed, she’d make the best of what she’d found. That was what she did best, after all.
‘…Who’s shoe is this, anyway?’ She didn't let herself dwell on the thought for too long.
TL;DR: Type: Null learns how to care. A crying Annie walks over and claims
mateo martinez's shoe, but at least they seem to be tears of relief!
