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a present thereafter

Published: Jan 1, 2012

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Description

The snow was freshly fallen and dazzling to the eyes. All the buildings and all the trees were sparkling white, the sun above making it look likes diamonds were imbedded in the drifts. It was beautiful, yet chilling; it wasn’t natural snow, as all the members of Tao Village knew. Snow shouldn’t be here; if you walked a few miles away from town, the snow would be gone. Like it had never been there in the first place.

It was still a happy time for the guilds, though. Especially since the dragon Sorbet was holding a party for the Pokemon of the village. There was a buzz of excitement in ever house, no matter whom it belonged too: rescuer, merchant, or rogue. It was hard to be in a bad mood with such cheer in the air.

With the exception of one little cyndaquil.

“I don’t want go outside,” Chase whimpered, his large red eyes staring out across the snowy landscape. Yes, he was a fire-type, and powerful against ice-types, but the snow chilled his small body to the bone. He shivered, wishing he had a coat. His fluffy fur would have to do.

“Don’t be so . . . . oh, I dunno. Just come on! We have to go get presents for Cheeralee and Alfred!” Neci chirped from behind him, resting a paw on her friend’s shoulder. Chase looked up, unconvinced. Neci smiled reassuringly, and took his paw, slowly leading him down the steps of their home. The small fire-type shivered and cowered against Neci’s fuchsia fur.

The pair sank into the snow with every step; it came up to Neci’s ankles, but it came up to Chase’s knees. Chase whimpered again, and Neci squeezed his paw. The cyndaquil swallowed his ‘fear’, if you could even call it that. He was just extremely uncomfortable with the cold snow melting and soaking into his cream-and-red fur.

Chase sighed, knowing just where Neci was dragging him off to. PK had been going crazy with her advertising lately; the merchants were hosting the party, and therefore PK was desperate to get her claws on all the money the teams had. The kecleon had been going around saying they had EVERYTHING anyone would ever want, no matter who it was for.

Truth to be told, the head merchant scared Chase. Just thinking about her made the cyndaquil shiver.

“Good afternoon, Mister Sorbet!” Neci called up to the ice-dragon as they walked past the platform dedicated to him in the center of town. Chase peeked up from behind the skunk, gazing up at the broken form of Sorbet. He swallowed, and looked away quickly.

“Good afternoon,” Sorbet grumbled back, his yellow eyes locking onto the pair. A rumbling sounded in his throat, and Chase squeaked, cowering behind Neci.

The dragon chuckled at the frightened cyndaquil; he knew that it was that Pokemon’s nature to be timid and shy. “Don’t worry, young one; I won’t hurt you. PK awoke me so I could help. I wish for everyone to happy for my party, and nothing more. You two are coming, right?” he rumbled, leaning down to look at the two ‘mon.

“Of course we are!” Neci replied, clasping her paws together. She smiled sweetly up at the dragon. “We’re out to buy presents from PK right now! Are you going to be at the party, Mister Sorbet?”

“Oh, no, young one, I’m much too large to fit in any building around here,” the dragon chuckled. “I believe on of the sneasels, Rhodes, is making an ice sculpture of me, so that I may be able to enjoy the party with all of you.”

Chase blinked, not really understanding what Sorbet was saying. He looked worriedly at Neci, and tugged on her paw, signalling that she should move on. Chase knew that she would be dying to ask the dragon questions.

Neci glanced down at Chase, getting the message. “We’ll see your . . . sculpture there, then, Mister Sorbet! Bye now!” The dragon waved good-bye with one small clawed-hand as the team walked on through the snow, towards the stand where a large crowd of pokemon were gathering.

Chase looked fearfully at the large crowd of Pokemon. He loathed crowds. He was afraid that he would get stepped on, or crushed. But he knew that Neci would protect him. Neci had saved him before. A long, long time ago. He gripped the Stunky’s hand more tightly.

“Excuse me!” Neci called, using her cute, child-like charm to push past the line. She smiled adoringly at all the annoyed glares, and they soon softened. Chuckles were heard as Neci batted her eyelashes and giggled, dragging Chase along behind her. Chase wished that he could be as sure as Neci was; she wanted to be fearless as his partner, as daring, as charming. The cyndaquil frowned, wishing that he wasn’t a cyndaquil.

“Miss PK! Miss PK!” Chase blinked. They had made it to the beginning of the line already? He looked behind, and saw older Pokemon smiling and chuckling as they gazed at Neci. Yes, they all saw her as a child. At heart, she was one, and she used that to get her way. Chase glared at them, something akin to courage building in his chest. How could they stare at her like that?! But just as quickly as it came, it died out. Chase sighed, shaking his head.

“Yeees?” the purple kecleon answered, looking over at the counter. She had a slightly sly smile on her lips, yet she looked positively delighted. Probably because she was making all this money, Chase thought, not meeting PK’s gaze.

“We have presents for everyone, be it for Chill, boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever!” the kecleon continued, smiling. Chase thought she looked like a meowth about to pounce on a pidgey.

Neci took out her wallet, knowing that she would be the one to do the talking. “May I please have a small pink pillow, and . . . hmm . . . some oran berries?” she asked sweetly.

PK nodded and grumbled to herself, taking out the items and laying them on the counter. “That will be 1,200 Poke, please,” she said, laying out a hand. She smiled at the pair, and Chase swallowed.

The shiny Stunky looked in her wallet, and her smile faltered somewhat. Chase trembled; they didn’t have that much money. They only had 1,000 Poke. His red eyes looked up at PK fearfully, and he wasn’t sure what they were going to do.

A ruckus broke out behind PK. “What the heck!” she spat, turning around at the noise. Neci smiled, threw her wallet on the counter, smoothed her fur, and turned around fluidly. Chase rolled his eyes, sighing. This couldn’t be good.

Neci’s blue eyes shone slyly. She wasn’t a rogue for nothing. Coming up behind a gentleman with his back turned, she expertly plucked his wallet from him, turning around as if she had never been facing that way. She opened the pouch and took 200 Poke from in, then winked at Chase.

Turning around, she leaned over, pretending to pick up the wallet. “Excuse me, sir, but I think you dropped this!” she chirped, looking up at him with big blue eyes. She smiled cutely, and the older Pokemon chuckled. “Why thank you, young lady,” he told her, patting her on the head as he took the wallet from her claws. The paw that was holding the 200 Poke was behind her back, hiding the money.

As he turned around, Neci scampered back to Chase, who was grumbling to himself as she watched her partner. It was a good thing she was so cute.

When PK returned to the stall, Neci already had all the money laid out on the table, and she beamed up at the kecleon, while Chase shivered behind her. “Thank you, thank you,” PK said, scooping up the money like it was going to save her life. Neci picked up her items and scurried away, Chase hot on her heels.

They were rogues; they did what was necessary.

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The party was over; the moon was high in the sky. Neci skipped through the snow, laughing; she had had a great time at the party, and she refused to take into the account the time of night it was. Chase trudged after her, grumbling to himself, wishing for nothing more than the warm fire back at their house. He hated the feeling of wet snow on his fur. It made his skin itchy. Plus, he had had a terrible night, watching all the guys drool whenever they saw Neci walk by.

He wished he was stronger, so he could beat up whoever looked at her like that. It . . . it wasn’t right. But he didn’t know why.

He smiled for Neci, though, whenever the Stunky looked back at him. He had to appear happy for his friend.

The fire-type was so happy when they finally made it back to the house. He sighed with relief as his feet touched solid flooring, and not the yucky snow. Shaking out his pelt, she walked into the living room, breathing in the familiar scents of home.

Neci looked back at Chase, and smiled gently. “Come on, Chase,” she said gently. Chase knew that Neci wasn’t always so happy-go-lucky. She had her good days . . . and she had her bad. Like they all did.

Chase took Neci’s hand, and the Stunky led him to the fireplace. The cyndaquil blew fire on the logs stacked there, and warmth bathed over her as the wood caught. Neci looked at the flames, before seeming to remember why she had led her friend there. “Sit down, sit down,” she told Chase. “I’ll be right back.”

The small fire-type complied, settling down in front of the fireplace, and watched Neci run up the stairs to her room. Sighing, he turned her crimson eyes to the flames, watching it with a slightly saddened expression. Why couldn’t he be as happy as Neci was all the time? Though, he knew that Neci was hiding her true feelings beneath a happy outer shell. But even Chase couldn’t conjure up a shield like that.

“Here! Here!” Neci’s excited voice cut into Chase’s thoughts, and the cyndaquil turned towards his friend; who was now holding a purple box tied with pink ribbon. Chase blinked, not sure what was happening.

Neci flopped down across from Chase, a genuine smile on her pretty face. “I . . . I got you a present, Chase. Don’t worry; I don’t expect you to get anything for me. Just . . . just being my friend is enough of a gift.” The Stunky pushes the box towards Chase, who was beginning to blush.

“Oh . . . . um . . . “ Chase didn’t know what to say. Did he really mean that much to Neci?

Swallowing, Chase pulled the present towards him, and set to untying the ribbon, and then tearing off the wrapping. He was nervous; what would it be? But he knew that Neci would only get something that Chase would like, and suddenly, he was excited, almost eager to finish opening the present.

Finally, all the wrapping and ribbon was off, and all that was left was a brown box. Chase glanced up at Neci, and pulled the top open. He gasped.

Inside was a beautiful silk scarf, the color of emeralds. Chase picked it up and ran it over his paws. A tear ran down his cheek as he threw his arms around Neci. The Stunky giggled, and hugged her friend back.

“I’m guessing you like it?” she asked Chase.

And for the first time that day, Chase was really happy.

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I was bored . . . and after that depressing Happy New Years picture I drew, I decided to distract myself by writing a story :3

So, here's my entry for Snowflake Gifts, though I may have another (I'm nit telling what |D)

The picture isn't the best . . . but I was more concerned about the story ~ ! The picture still took me, like, 2 hours to do, though. Hope you enjoy the story!

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Neci & Chase (c)