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Bram Causefobrel Presents:
A Pokemon Biome Event:
Tracking through the Mud:
A Summer Solstice Celebration
Part 2

    “Oh good, you two made it.” A man stood behind the picket fence of the Heart Home orphanage. He waved to them in greeting and ran a hand through his hair, dyed red with the sides shaven. “Was afraid you’d managed to fall off the paths,” he said, his words tinged with a Spanish accent.
           It had been an innocent comment, a common joke passed between the residents of Iuthar village that someone who was late had fallen from the pathways. Even so, Rabbit and Laila both felt a pang and exchanged a look. Seeing their expressions, and the way Rabbit clutched at her shoulder, the man’s expression grew dark and concerned. He dropped the black bag of trash he’d been carrying and hurried over in long strides.
           “What happened?” he asked, stopping by the gate and opening it. “Are you two okay?”
           Behind him, the screen door to the orphanage opened and a woman leaned out, her hair straw blond and curly. The building itself had been built on the forest floor, nestled between two huge tree trunks.   Its front was wide, making room for as much extra space as could be granted for its occupants, with a second story giving even more. Eaves hung over the front porch, every bit of it worn as the rest of the house, with a railing that had been hand carved long ago, with many a new coat of paint.
           “Francisco?” The woman called, her brows knit together, emphasizing the incredible amount of freckles spattered across her skin.
           “Give a moment, Shilo, Rabbit and Laila just got here. I’ll be in to check on the roast in no time,” Francisco called back, waving her off, each of his R’s to perfection.
           “We’re fine, Franny,” Laila said, stepping past him through the gate, Rabbit in tow. “Was just a slip up on the walkways.
           “Are you trailing webbing?” Francisco asked, eyebrows raised in incredulity. He wasn’t as tall as Laila, but he held himself with a casual confidence. Even with his long, sharp features, and the scar running from the corner of his left eye across the side of his head, his sleepy lids and dopey smile tended to put people around him at ease. It was only when he focused his gaze, and revealed his attentive eyes that people realized the power of his commands.
           “W-was s-surprised by an a-ariad-dos,” Rabbit said, massaging her shoulder. Now that the relief had faded from the joint being put back in place there was an ache that had come to reside deep in the muscle.
           “We slipped, that’s all. She’s not gonna be able to help cook tonight, though. Her shoulder was dislocated and I had to pop it back in, so we’re being careful,” Laila explained, making her way up the stairs. She paused to put a hand on the carved wooden heart detailing the corner of the railing. Her fingers fell into the indent that had been worn into it by many a hand in the past. Rabbit’s hand followed after, and then Francisco’s as they all contributed to its mark.
           “Well fortunately for her the cooking is mostly done. Would have needed her to get her much earlier if she’d wanted to help,” Francisco said, just a tad resentful.
“S-sorry for f-forgetting to t-urn my ph-one off s-s-silent, sh-chef,” Rabbit said, staring down at her feet as she did.
           Francisco’s expression softened, and he let out a sigh. “I am just glad you two are safe. Things are well under way, but the food won’t be ready for a little while, so make yourselves comfortable, okay? I need to finish taking out the trash.”
           “We’ll be alright, worry wart,” Laila said, elbowing him in the ribs.
Francisco scowled and rubbed at the spot. “The day Rabbit manages to actually fall out of a tree is the day I head for the closest bomb shelter and buy myself an umbrella to protect from grumpig poop falling from the skies.”
           “I f-fall out of t-t-trees all the t-time,” Rabbit said, frowning.
           “Shhhh!” Francisco put a finger to his lips, looking intense. “Don’t let the grumpigs hear that! They’ll start looking for their wings!”
           Laila let out a snort of laughter and shoved Francisco away. “Go take care of the trash, we’re gonna head inside and find snacks to raid.”
           “Leave some for the rest of us,” Francisco said, chuckling as he hefted the black plastic bag again and started toward the side of the building.
           Inside, Laila and Rabbit turned down the front hall and found themselves in a large living room filled with people. A short, dumpy woman with graying, curly hair pulled back in a bun broke away from her conversation with a few other people long enough to give them a friendly wave before turning back.
           “Looks like Mrs. Nome is doing well,” Laila commented with a smile.
           “Mm-h-hmm,” Rabbit made a noncommittal noise, suddenly preoccupied with fussing over some invisible fluff on Korso’s fur. The little ralts shot Laila a pleading look, and she had to hold back a burst of laughter.
           “Hey, it’s just a party. No one’s going to mind if you head to a back room and spend some time on your own,” Laila said, putting a reassuring hand on Rabbit’s good shoulder, Korso escaping the perch to slip into the crowd.
           Rabbit looked up, grimacing. “J-just a l-ot of p…” She paused for a moment, furrowing her brow and biting at her lip.
Laila was hit with a sudden pang at the sight, barely able to hold back a mumble of “cute.”
           “I-individuals,” Rabbit finished. “K-kinda o-overwhelm-m-ing.”
           Clearing her thoughts with a shake of her head, Laila squeezed Rabbit’s shoulder. “You’ll be alright. You’ve been doing great lately.”
           Rabbit’s expression didn’t clear, but she nodded and gave a similarly noncommittal “Yeah.”
           A worried look began to ease into Laila’s expression, and she leaned down a little, trying to get more on Rabbit’s level. “Hey, if you want I can stick with you tonight. We can hold hands and you won’t have to deal with anything I won’t. I’ll be there every step of the way!”
           Rabbit turned her eyes to Laila, and for a moment there was a look of longing and relief. They clouded with something else, however, and she pulled away from Laila’s grip, stumbling back a few steps.
           “I-I’m f-f-fine! Y-you don’t n-need to b-baby me, o-okay?” She was clutching at her locket again, thumb running along its polished, gold surface. Her brow was furrowed, and she refused to actually look at Laila. On the railing of the staircase to the upper floors Iggs shifted from foot to foot, eyeing Laila and Rabbit.
           “If you’re sure…” Laila said. She recognized the look on Rabbit’s face, and the stubborn way she held herself. Normally the shorter girl seemed much shorter than Laila. She hunched over and held herself in close to keep from taking up space. At times like these, however, it became evident that she wasn’t actually a short person.
           “I…” Rabbit deflated once more, and let out a sigh. “Y-yeah… G-go have f-fun. I-I’m just g-onna go f-f-find s-someplace q-quieter…”
           “Alright. If you need me, send Iggs, alright?”
           “Y-yeah…”
           Laila stood still, watching Rabbit for a few moments more. She wanted to say something more, or to make more offers, but it felt that anything more would only make things worse. With a final glance back, she slipped into the crowd, and soon was completely out of sight.
           Claws dug into Rabbit’s shoulder, and she reached up to run an absent minded finger under Korso’s chin. He was already back in her mind, filtering through her thoughts and helping to sift her emotions. His touch was weak, however, and she knew he still felt exhausted from his stint with the ariados earlier. With a little trill, he rubbed against her cheek, sending comforting greens and yellows, like the sun filtering through tree leaves.
           The party wore on. Rabbit drifted through the crowd. People bustled around her, taking up the rooms of homely furnishings. They seemed to take no heed of Rabbit, or her two Pokemon, and it was only on occasion that their own companions stopped to trade introductions with Korso or Iggs. She was but a ghost among them, huddled in close to herself, trying her best to ignore the sound of their voices.
           Every once in a while she’d catch glimpses of people she knew; Shilo’s curly hair sticking out above the crowd, looking nervous as usual; Francisco bringing out food from the kitchens and cracking jokes to anyone who crossed his path; Mrs. Nome, caretaker of the Heart Home orphanage, bustling about and acting as the perfect hostess.
           Some she didn’t, either, but knew of. She’d heard of Chita before, but never actually met her. A short woman of stocky build, a few years younger than Rabbit, with dark skin and curly hair, wearing a wrestling outfit and giving out hearty chuckles every few moments, she was apparently a former Heart Home orphan herself. Surrounded by a flock of fans as she was, Rabbit avoided Chita as best she could, hoping not to get swept up into a situation too chaotic for her to handle.
           At times during her wandering Rabbit would spot the orange of Laila’s headscarf, or hear her booming laugh, and would turn on her heel. Something in Rabbit’s gut churned each time, and she’d feel a boost in Korso’s activity in her mind.
           Eventually she retired to a corner near to the buffet. Just as before people passed her by without word, but at times she would receive visitors. Francisco was the first to notice. On one of his many trips from the kitchen and back he spotted her and wove his way through the crowd. Their exchanges were brief as he expressed concern for her arm and inquired about her ability to work over the next few days. She tried her best to assure him she would be fine, but it was clear he had his doubts. It wasn’t too much to suppose he really was concerned over the idea she could have fallen from the trees, and had been somewhat rattled by it. He simply didn’t show it well.
           After that Francisco must have spread word about Rabbit, because she got a few other visitors. Mrs. Nome, fulfilling her hostess duties, stopped by and inquired over her injury as well. Rabbit knew she would have fussed over it if it weren’t for the party at hand, but as was she simply nodded over assurance, and left Rabbit to herself not long after. Shilo appeared as well, but even briefer. A plate of cookies was placed in Rabbit’s hands, as well as a pat on her good shoulder, and before Rabbit could say a word Shilo had disappeared once more.
           Even Mrs. Namsek made an appearance; her cheeks rosey, a half empty wine glass in her hand. The two talked for a while, joking about how Norah had been spooked by a spinarak among the plants in her office a week back and sharing the plate of cookies. For once Rabbit managed a real smile that night, chuckling along with Mrs. Namsek’s hiccupping laughter.
           “And I swear, escorting the silly thing out was the most difficult part. Bumble,” she said, referring to the ledyba frequently found napping in her office, “he was so upset with me. He kept buzzing around my head as I was attempting to lift this poor spinarak out and keep it from biting me at the same time. He always hates it when I give another buggy more attention than him, and he’s too stupid to realize when I’m in a panic, bless his chubby little cheeks.”
           “I-is B-bumble here t-tonight?” Rabbit asked, covering her smile with one hand.
           “Oh goodness, no, he’s at home sleeping. Or he should be. He’d better not be getting into the honey again. Anyway, I managed to calm him down and let the spinarak out the window. I think it was happy to have escaped somewhere there was something other than Bumble to eat.” She let out a titter at the last comment, as if the idea of seeing her own ledyba wrapped in spinarak silk was an amusing image.
           Mrs. Namsek’s eyes lit up as she spotted something behind Rabbit’s shoulder, and she gave a smirk. “Oh, but I think I’ll be off now. You have a good night, Rabbit dear!” She said, sinking back into the crowd and leaving Rabbit bewildered. “Ta ta!”
           “Rabbit?” A familiar, masculine voice asked. Rabbit spun to find a short man with dark skin, fluffy hair, and an inquisitive face with glasses adorning bright, brown eyes.
           “G-galahad!” Rabbit gasped, taking a step back. “I d-didn’t n-know you were in t-own!”
           “I just arrived this afternoon,” he explained. “I’m heading down to the Swamp for an ecology meeting at the reserve in two days and thought I’d head down early so I could spend the night at the Treetop. Since there was a party going on, Norah invited me to come along. Or I suppose describing it as ‘dragged along’ is not entirely inappropriate,” he said with a grin.
           On Rabbit’s shoulder, Korso bounced about, and she caught flashes of laughter bleeding through their connection. “W-where’s E-esther?” She asked, putting a hand on Korso’s head in an attempt to calm him.
           Galahad’s eyes flickered up from the ralts as well, amusement shining in them, and gave a nod up at the ceiling. “The party is a tad crowded for her liking, so she opted to roost on the roof instead.” He paused, looking off to the side, before giving a smile and turning back. “She wants me to tell you she says ‘Hello’ and also that you look absolutely lovely tonight.”
           A flush ran over Rabbit’s cheeks and she looked away, thumbing her locket. “I j-just kinda r-rushed g-getting d-dressed. I’ll b-e w-waiting the S-solstice F-festival, s-o this is the o-only opport-unity I g-get to d-dress up th-this s-summer.”
           “Solstice Festival?” Galahad asked, blinking. “Does Iuthar do one as well?”
           At that, Rabbit let out a laugh. “D-do we d-do one? G-galahad, w-e have the b-biggest S-solstice s-celebration in the b-biome. M-maybe in V-verot! Y-ou’ve never h-heard of it?”
           “I can’t say I have,” Galahad said, frowning. “Or maybe I have and never realized it?”
           “M-most l-likely the l-latter. I-it’s a w-week long s-celebration, c-culminating in the l-longest n-night of the y-year. There’s e-events and c-concerts and f-food e-everywhere. We g-et c-customers f-from all over the r-region to s-celebrate! All c-cuz M-mrs. Nams-ek’s a-ancestors s-started the t-radition.” Rabbit’s eyes had lit up with excitement. “It’s p- I th-think it’s my f-favorite t-ime of the y-ear! Th-the way the h-whole v-village l-ights up! A-and the sh-shows th-at take p- you c-an go s-see. L-ast year there w-was an act wh-where a g-group levit-tated s-spheres of w-ater a-and would l-leap between th-em! A-and the y-ear before th-that Mamos-swine and S-sons h-ad a c-concert!”
           Chuckling along with Rabbit’s enthusiasm, Galahad held out a hand. “Don’t spoil too much of what I might see! I’ll definitely be coming along this year.”
           Rabbit’s eyes widened. “O-oh! B-but you d-on’t have to! I j-just really l-ove it a l-lot, and-“
           “Rabbit, it sounds wonderful, of course I’m coming. You said you were waiting tables?”
           “Oh… Right…” Rabbit’s expression fell and she looked down. “I w-won’t be a-able to s-see most of the f-festivities this y-year. M-mrs. Namsek a-asked me to w-wait t-ables cuz we’re sh-short s-staffed.”
           “Well I’ll be sure to come see you. Maybe we can sneak off together to see some of these shows you were talking about,” he said, flashing her a grin. “If you’d like.”
           “Th-that would be a-amazing…” Rabbit smiled back, feeling the heat in her cheeks grow warmer as she brushed a few pink strands of hair out of her face. A trilling sound came from her shoulder, and she shot Korso a scathing look.
           “You two get along so brilliantly,” Galahad chuckled, shooting the ralts a smile of his own.
           “D-on’t enc-courage him, g-goodness,” Rabbit said. “H-he’ll l-ord it over me f-for the wh-whole s-ummer.” Korso let out another chiming noise, and his own flashes of yellow laughter burst in her mind, making Rabbit feel a tad giddy despite herself.
           “S-stooop, d-dork!” She said between fits of giggles. “Y-you were e-exhausted just t-en minutes ago.”
           “Is he tickling you?” Galahad asked, barely able to contain his own laughter.
           “M- ack! M-ight as w-ell be! H-he’s l-laughing a-and it’s bl-leeding th-rough!” A fresh burst of laughter made her stumble back and hit her shoulder against the wall behind her. Pain cut through the jovial feelings flooding her mind, and it popped like a pin in a balloon. Rabbit let out a his and clutched at her shoulder, massaging the tender muscle as concern colored Galahad’s expression.
           “Your shoulder! Are you okay? I heard you’d been in an accident before you got here, but I didn’t know it was this bad,” he said, leaning forward.
           Giving a grimace, Rabbit shook her head. “N-not that b-“ she tried to say, but Galahad cut her off.
           “None of that. You’re in pain. Let me have a look,” he said, motioning for her to show him.
           Sighing, she did as she’d been told and pulled away her sunset shawl that had been covering her shoulders, wincing as the movements made her muscles complain again. Galahad sucked in a sympathetic breath and turned her injury toward him with careful fingers.
           The joint had swollen some time back, and a bruise had formed. It marked her skin in ugly purples and greens, playing across the old, discolored cigarette burns she’d lived with since her childhood. For a moment panic blossomed in Rabbit’s mind as she worried Galahad would comment on them. Korso’s touch was in her mind in a moment, calming the thoughts, and Galahad stayed silent on the subject.
           Caring fingers brushed against the bruise, and Rabbit winced as they inspired flickers of pain. He seemed satisfied with the reaction and drew away.
           “Dislocated shoulder,” Galahad said, rubbing at his upper lip. His eyes turned up to catch Rabbit’s own as she stared at him, trying hard to ignore whatever pleasant cologne he’d decided to wear that day. “It’s been set back right, so we can be thankful to whoever did that.”
           “L-laila,” Rabbit clarified, and Galahad nodded.
           “She’s done this before.” It was a statement, not a question.
           “S-sometimes. Her f-folks are b-breeders and r-ranchers. F-from what I’ve h-eard, g-getting your a-arm d-dragged out of the s-socket by a t-auros th-that d-decided to r-un is n-ot p-p- fun. N-or are the r-rope b-burns.”
           Galahad nodded once more, turning Rabbit while she talked to examine the other side of her shoulder. “No, I’ve seen injuries like that, they really aren’t. How did this happen?”
           Rabbit grimaced again and explained their encounter with the ariados. After she finished, she found him looking at Korso with an impressed expression. The ralts had settled on her shoulder again, and appeared to be half dozing.
           “Considering you didn’t put ice on it, it’s not looking too bad, but it’s still something that should be incredibly painful. I’m surprised you’re still on your feet!” Galahad said, looking her up and down.
           Giving a shrug, Rabbit avoided his eye. “B-been hurt in the p-p-… Before. N-not that b-bad.”
           “And how many times have you had your shoulder dislocated?”
           Frowning, Rabbit counted on her fingers, muttering to herself. “F-four t-imes? B-between the t-two of them?” Korso opened his eyes on her shoulder and sent her an image, at which Rabbit backpedaled. “N-no, f-ive.”
           “And you still do archery?” Galahad looked shocked and slightly impressed.
           “A-and s-swinging through the tr-ees,” Rabbit said in a joking tone. “Th-at’s m-mostly where I’ve g-gotten hurt bef-ore.”
           “Well maybe hold off on that until your muscles have time to heal,” Galahad said. “Doctor’s orders.”
           “I th-ought you were a b-biologist,” Rabbit said, teasing.
           “Ethologist. And that’s still a doctorate,” Galahad said, grinning back.
           “O-oh, w-ell th-then, d-DOCTOR G-galahad Ach-arya. S-uppose it has a n-ice ring to it,” Rabbit said, chuckling.
           The grin spread further as Galahad’s face as he once again managed to bring out Rabbit’s more playful side, a practice he’d practically made a hobby out of in the months since he’d known her. “Good. I liked it, so I tried to find a ring to match.”
           Rabbit wheezed like she’d been punched in the gut, eyes bulging a little. “A-arceus, h-how old is that s-song. I f-feel like that j-oke needs to be c-arbon d-dated!”
           “When you live a life around dinosaurs like me and my dad this sort of thing becomes a fact of life,” Galahad snickered.
           “M-maybe t-ry it on M-mrs. Nams-ek, th-en, D-octor D-dinosaur. I’m s-ure she’d ap-p-p- Enj-oy it.”
           Galahad was about to open his mouth to respond, when a flutter of wings and storm of feathers rained from above, cutting him off. He spat and sputtered up down as iggs settled on Rabbit’s shoulder. Bird talons dug into bruised skin, and a heavy weight pressed against injured joints, and Rabbit gave a yelp, covering her mouth as she did.
           The burst of emotion and pain woke Korso from his slumber, and he spent a moment blinking bleary eyes. As the situation dawned on him he gave a growl and shot a few thoughts Iggs’ way. She let out a squawk and took off again, too quickly to properly gain wind under her wings. There was a crash and she slammed into the punch bowl, sending it sliding off the buffet table. Glass shattered and punch flew everywhere as the entire room turned in stunned silence, except for Galahad, still choking on feathers.
           All eyes turned to Rabbit and Galahad. The young woman held her hands over her mouth. Eyes wide with shock, she stared at Iggs as she shook sticky punch out of her feathers and set about cleaning them in annoyance. Rabbit’s eyes turned up to the crowd watching her, the silence stretching out in awkward quiet. Panic swelled in Rabbit’s mind, threatening to overflow, when she felt another mind touch her’s along with Korso’s, and the whole thing was clamped tighter than a vice, and her eyes went blank. A soft, woman’s voice spoke into her mind, but they were lost before they could be registered. All that was left was Korso’s comforting presence pressing against her thoughts the same way he pressed against her cheek.
           “Rabbit? Rabbit are you alright?” Galahad’s voice drifted into her ears like from a dream, and she found herself having trouble focusing on his face. His eyes unfocused for a moment as well, and he came back with a worried look. “I see…”
           Across the room, a woman’s voice called out. “Iggs! Bad bird! What have I told you about respecting other people’s property! That is not a bird bath!” The crowd parted, and Laila slipped through it, snatching the chatot up and brushing at her with a wet towel. “Mrs. Nome I’m so sorry. I’ll send you a check to pay for the damages at-“
           “Nonsense, dear,” Mrs. Nome had appeared on the scene as well, pushing through the crowd with stout strength. “They only looked fancy. I bought five of those bowls on sale and this is the third one that’s been broken. This is a household filled with rambunctious children and their Pokemon, we can handle a few broken dishes.” She stepped closer and whispered to Laila so no one else could hear. “Tend to Rabbit, please. It appears she’s been put under a trance.”
           Laila looked up, over to Rabbit as the party began to break out of the stunned silence, and gave a grimace. “Thanks, ma’am. I owe you one.”
           “Only as much as you always have,” Mrs. Nome said, a twinkle in her eyes, and looked pointedly away. Following her gaze, Laila spotted a smeargle with a painted blue cap and an oversized coat slip out of the crowd and begin brushing up the glass shards with its tail. “Jed will take care of the mess. He hates to see a dirty floor.”
           Nodding her thanks again, Laila pushed over to Rabbit, still cradling Iggs. She spotted Galahad and gave him a nod of greeting.
           “Galahad,” was all Rabbit could make out. Her hearing had begun to distort, everything coming out like it was heard through five layers of glass and ten yards away. She felt a brief comfort at seeing Laila before it was swept away like everything else. Their mouths were opening and closing, and she tried to frown, or squint to make out the words. Everything blurred together, however, and soon she found herself looking away.
           Motion took her as she was aware of a pain in her shoulder for a moment. Someone said goodbye to her, but she couldn’t concentrate on who it was. She was being dragged away, but nothing was lasting for more than a moment as everything around her bled into everything else, leaving stains of colors rather than shapes or sounds.
           A woman’s voice spoke in her head, gentle and kind, and Rabbit turned her head. Far away, atop the roof of a building built between the trunks of two giant trees, Rabbit could make out the shape of a bird. Green and white and red stood out against the blur of the world, imprinting on her mind the shape of feathers, and a long, yellow beak, getting smaller and smaller, lowering further beneath her.
           “You will be alright, child,” her voice spoke in Rabbit’s mind, echoing comfort like ripples in a pond. “Look, child. You must not miss this.”
           Rabbit looked down, to the side, and stared. People she didn’t recognize moved in firelight. They pulled boxes off a rhydon’s back, and lifted them into the back of a truck, glancing over their shoulders every once in a while. She couldn’t quite make any of them out, however, until she spotted one standing off to the side.
           He had his back turned, but she could see him as if she was standing right behind him. Black hair hung down over the brown leather jacket over his back, straight and full. Feathers and beads had been strung into it near his ears, pulled by the slight breeze. Metal of the frames of his glasses glinted in the orange light, and he shifted his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Something seemed to make him stand up straighter, and he began to turn, revealing tan skin. Before she could see his face, however, branches swept into Rabbit’s line of vision, and she found herself staring at a volbeat and illumise buzzing around each other, giving off flashes of light.
           The feminine voice laughed in her mind, and the spell was broken, the world fading away as Rabbit fell into unconsciousness.

To be continued

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Bram Causefobrel Presents:
A Pokemon Biome Event:
Tracking through the Mud:
A Summer Solstice Celebration
Part 2

    “Oh good, you two made it.” A man stood behind the picket fence of the Heart Home orphanage. He waved to them in greeting and ran a hand through his hair, dyed red with the sides shaven. “Was afraid you’d managed to fall off the paths,” he said, his words tinged with a Spanish accent.
           It had been an innocent comment, a common joke passed between the residents of Iuthar village that someone who was late had fallen from the pathways. Even so, Rabbit and Laila both felt a pang and exchanged a look. Seeing their expressions, and the way Rabbit clutched at her shoulder, the man’s expression grew dark and concerned. He dropped the black bag of trash he’d been carrying and hurried over in long strides.
           “What happened?” he asked, stopping by the gate and opening it. “Are you two okay?”
           Behind him, the screen door to the orphanage opened and a woman leaned out, her hair straw blond and curly. The building itself had been built on the forest floor, nestled between two huge tree trunks.   Its front was wide, making room for as much extra space as could be granted for its occupants, with a second story giving even more. Eaves hung over the front porch, every bit of it worn as the rest of the house, with a railing that had been hand carved long ago, with many a new coat of paint.
           “Francisco?” The woman called, her brows knit together, emphasizing the incredible amount of freckles spattered across her skin.
           “Give a moment, Shilo, Rabbit and Laila just got here. I’ll be in to check on the roast in no time,” Francisco called back, waving her off, each of his R’s to perfection.
           “We’re fine, Franny,” Laila said, stepping past him through the gate, Rabbit in tow. “Was just a slip up on the walkways.
           “Are you trailing webbing?” Francisco asked, eyebrows raised in incredulity. He wasn’t as tall as Laila, but he held himself with a casual confidence. Even with his long, sharp features, and the scar running from the corner of his left eye across the side of his head, his sleepy lids and dopey smile tended to put people around him at ease. It was only when he focused his gaze, and revealed his attentive eyes that people realized the power of his commands.
           “W-was s-surprised by an a-ariad-dos,” Rabbit said, massaging her shoulder. Now that the relief had faded from the joint being put back in place there was an ache that had come to reside deep in the muscle.
           “We slipped, that’s all. She’s not gonna be able to help cook tonight, though. Her shoulder was dislocated and I had to pop it back in, so we’re being careful,” Laila explained, making her way up the stairs. She paused to put a hand on the carved wooden heart detailing the corner of the railing. Her fingers fell into the indent that had been worn into it by many a hand in the past. Rabbit’s hand followed after, and then Francisco’s as they all contributed to its mark.
           “Well fortunately for her the cooking is mostly done. Would have needed her to get her much earlier if she’d wanted to help,” Francisco said, just a tad resentful.
“S-sorry for f-forgetting to t-urn my ph-one off s-s-silent, sh-chef,” Rabbit said, staring down at her feet as she did.
           Francisco’s expression softened, and he let out a sigh. “I am just glad you two are safe. Things are well under way, but the food won’t be ready for a little while, so make yourselves comfortable, okay? I need to finish taking out the trash.”
           “We’ll be alright, worry wart,” Laila said, elbowing him in the ribs.
Francisco scowled and rubbed at the spot. “The day Rabbit manages to actually fall out of a tree is the day I head for the closest bomb shelter and buy myself an umbrella to protect from grumpig poop falling from the skies.”
           “I f-fall out of t-t-trees all the t-time,” Rabbit said, frowning.
           “Shhhh!” Francisco put a finger to his lips, looking intense. “Don’t let the grumpigs hear that! They’ll start looking for their wings!”
           Laila let out a snort of laughter and shoved Francisco away. “Go take care of the trash, we’re gonna head inside and find snacks to raid.”
           “Leave some for the rest of us,” Francisco said, chuckling as he hefted the black plastic bag again and started toward the side of the building.
           Inside, Laila and Rabbit turned down the front hall and found themselves in a large living room filled with people. A short, dumpy woman with graying, curly hair pulled back in a bun broke away from her conversation with a few other people long enough to give them a friendly wave before turning back.
           “Looks like Mrs. Nome is doing well,” Laila commented with a smile.
           “Mm-h-hmm,” Rabbit made a noncommittal noise, suddenly preoccupied with fussing over some invisible fluff on Korso’s fur. The little ralts shot Laila a pleading look, and she had to hold back a burst of laughter.
           “Hey, it’s just a party. No one’s going to mind if you head to a back room and spend some time on your own,” Laila said, putting a reassuring hand on Rabbit’s good shoulder, Korso escaping the perch to slip into the crowd.
           Rabbit looked up, grimacing. “J-just a l-ot of p…” She paused for a moment, furrowing her brow and biting at her lip.
Laila was hit with a sudden pang at the sight, barely able to hold back a mumble of “cute.”
           “I-individuals,” Rabbit finished. “K-kinda o-overwhelm-m-ing.”
           Clearing her thoughts with a shake of her head, Laila squeezed Rabbit’s shoulder. “You’ll be alright. You’ve been doing great lately.”
           Rabbit’s expression didn’t clear, but she nodded and gave a similarly noncommittal “Yeah.”
           A worried look began to ease into Laila’s expression, and she leaned down a little, trying to get more on Rabbit’s level. “Hey, if you want I can stick with you tonight. We can hold hands and you won’t have to deal with anything I won’t. I’ll be there every step of the way!”
           Rabbit turned her eyes to Laila, and for a moment there was a look of longing and relief. They clouded with something else, however, and she pulled away from Laila’s grip, stumbling back a few steps.
           “I-I’m f-f-fine! Y-you don’t n-need to b-baby me, o-okay?” She was clutching at her locket again, thumb running along its polished, gold surface. Her brow was furrowed, and she refused to actually look at Laila. On the railing of the staircase to the upper floors Iggs shifted from foot to foot, eyeing Laila and Rabbit.
           “If you’re sure…” Laila said. She recognized the look on Rabbit’s face, and the stubborn way she held herself. Normally the shorter girl seemed much shorter than Laila. She hunched over and held herself in close to keep from taking up space. At times like these, however, it became evident that she wasn’t actually a short person.
           “I…” Rabbit deflated once more, and let out a sigh. “Y-yeah… G-go have f-fun. I-I’m just g-onna go f-f-find s-someplace q-quieter…”
           “Alright. If you need me, send Iggs, alright?”
           “Y-yeah…”
           Laila stood still, watching Rabbit for a few moments more. She wanted to say something more, or to make more offers, but it felt that anything more would only make things worse. With a final glance back, she slipped into the crowd, and soon was completely out of sight.
           Claws dug into Rabbit’s shoulder, and she reached up to run an absent minded finger under Korso’s chin. He was already back in her mind, filtering through her thoughts and helping to sift her emotions. His touch was weak, however, and she knew he still felt exhausted from his stint with the ariados earlier. With a little trill, he rubbed against her cheek, sending comforting greens and yellows, like the sun filtering through tree leaves.
           The party wore on. Rabbit drifted through the crowd. People bustled around her, taking up the rooms of homely furnishings. They seemed to take no heed of Rabbit, or her two Pokemon, and it was only on occasion that their own companions stopped to trade introductions with Korso or Iggs. She was but a ghost among them, huddled in close to herself, trying her best to ignore the sound of their voices.
           Every once in a while she’d catch glimpses of people she knew; Shilo’s curly hair sticking out above the crowd, looking nervous as usual; Francisco bringing out food from the kitchens and cracking jokes to anyone who crossed his path; Mrs. Nome, caretaker of the Heart Home orphanage, bustling about and acting as the perfect hostess.
           Some she didn’t, either, but knew of. She’d heard of Chita before, but never actually met her. A short woman of stocky build, a few years younger than Rabbit, with dark skin and curly hair, wearing a wrestling outfit and giving out hearty chuckles every few moments, she was apparently a former Heart Home orphan herself. Surrounded by a flock of fans as she was, Rabbit avoided Chita as best she could, hoping not to get swept up into a situation too chaotic for her to handle.
           At times during her wandering Rabbit would spot the orange of Laila’s headscarf, or hear her booming laugh, and would turn on her heel. Something in Rabbit’s gut churned each time, and she’d feel a boost in Korso’s activity in her mind.
           Eventually she retired to a corner near to the buffet. Just as before people passed her by without word, but at times she would receive visitors. Francisco was the first to notice. On one of his many trips from the kitchen and back he spotted her and wove his way through the crowd. Their exchanges were brief as he expressed concern for her arm and inquired about her ability to work over the next few days. She tried her best to assure him she would be fine, but it was clear he had his doubts. It wasn’t too much to suppose he really was concerned over the idea she could have fallen from the trees, and had been somewhat rattled by it. He simply didn’t show it well.
           After that Francisco must have spread word about Rabbit, because she got a few other visitors. Mrs. Nome, fulfilling her hostess duties, stopped by and inquired over her injury as well. Rabbit knew she would have fussed over it if it weren’t for the party at hand, but as was she simply nodded over assurance, and left Rabbit to herself not long after. Shilo appeared as well, but even briefer. A plate of cookies was placed in Rabbit’s hands, as well as a pat on her good shoulder, and before Rabbit could say a word Shilo had disappeared once more.
           Even Mrs. Namsek made an appearance; her cheeks rosey, a half empty wine glass in her hand. The two talked for a while, joking about how Norah had been spooked by a spinarak among the plants in her office a week back and sharing the plate of cookies. For once Rabbit managed a real smile that night, chuckling along with Mrs. Namsek’s hiccupping laughter.
           “And I swear, escorting the silly thing out was the most difficult part. Bumble,” she said, referring to the ledyba frequently found napping in her office, “he was so upset with me. He kept buzzing around my head as I was attempting to lift this poor spinarak out and keep it from biting me at the same time. He always hates it when I give another buggy more attention than him, and he’s too stupid to realize when I’m in a panic, bless his chubby little cheeks.”
           “I-is B-bumble here t-tonight?” Rabbit asked, covering her smile with one hand.
           “Oh goodness, no, he’s at home sleeping. Or he should be. He’d better not be getting into the honey again. Anyway, I managed to calm him down and let the spinarak out the window. I think it was happy to have escaped somewhere there was something other than Bumble to eat.” She let out a titter at the last comment, as if the idea of seeing her own ledyba wrapped in spinarak silk was an amusing image.
           Mrs. Namsek’s eyes lit up as she spotted something behind Rabbit’s shoulder, and she gave a smirk. “Oh, but I think I’ll be off now. You have a good night, Rabbit dear!” She said, sinking back into the crowd and leaving Rabbit bewildered. “Ta ta!”
           “Rabbit?” A familiar, masculine voice asked. Rabbit spun to find a short man with dark skin, fluffy hair, and an inquisitive face with glasses adorning bright, brown eyes.
           “G-galahad!” Rabbit gasped, taking a step back. “I d-didn’t n-know you were in t-own!”
           “I just arrived this afternoon,” he explained. “I’m heading down to the Swamp for an ecology meeting at the reserve in two days and thought I’d head down early so I could spend the night at the Treetop. Since there was a party going on, Norah invited me to come along. Or I suppose describing it as ‘dragged along’ is not entirely inappropriate,” he said with a grin.
           On Rabbit’s shoulder, Korso bounced about, and she caught flashes of laughter bleeding through their connection. “W-where’s E-esther?” She asked, putting a hand on Korso’s head in an attempt to calm him.
           Galahad’s eyes flickered up from the ralts as well, amusement shining in them, and gave a nod up at the ceiling. “The party is a tad crowded for her liking, so she opted to roost on the roof instead.” He paused, looking off to the side, before giving a smile and turning back. “She wants me to tell you she says ‘Hello’ and also that you look absolutely lovely tonight.”
           A flush ran over Rabbit’s cheeks and she looked away, thumbing her locket. “I j-just kinda r-rushed g-getting d-dressed. I’ll b-e w-waiting the S-solstice F-festival, s-o this is the o-only opport-unity I g-get to d-dress up th-this s-summer.”
           “Solstice Festival?” Galahad asked, blinking. “Does Iuthar do one as well?”
           At that, Rabbit let out a laugh. “D-do we d-do one? G-galahad, w-e have the b-biggest S-solstice s-celebration in the b-biome. M-maybe in V-verot! Y-ou’ve never h-heard of it?”
           “I can’t say I have,” Galahad said, frowning. “Or maybe I have and never realized it?”
           “M-most l-likely the l-latter. I-it’s a w-week long s-celebration, c-culminating in the l-longest n-night of the y-year. There’s e-events and c-concerts and f-food e-everywhere. We g-et c-customers f-from all over the r-region to s-celebrate! All c-cuz M-mrs. Nams-ek’s a-ancestors s-started the t-radition.” Rabbit’s eyes had lit up with excitement. “It’s p- I th-think it’s my f-favorite t-ime of the y-ear! Th-the way the h-whole v-village l-ights up! A-and the sh-shows th-at take p- you c-an go s-see. L-ast year there w-was an act wh-where a g-group levit-tated s-spheres of w-ater a-and would l-leap between th-em! A-and the y-ear before th-that Mamos-swine and S-sons h-ad a c-concert!”
           Chuckling along with Rabbit’s enthusiasm, Galahad held out a hand. “Don’t spoil too much of what I might see! I’ll definitely be coming along this year.”
           Rabbit’s eyes widened. “O-oh! B-but you d-on’t have to! I j-just really l-ove it a l-lot, and-“
           “Rabbit, it sounds wonderful, of course I’m coming. You said you were waiting tables?”
           “Oh… Right…” Rabbit’s expression fell and she looked down. “I w-won’t be a-able to s-see most of the f-festivities this y-year. M-mrs. Namsek a-asked me to w-wait t-ables cuz we’re sh-short s-staffed.”
           “Well I’ll be sure to come see you. Maybe we can sneak off together to see some of these shows you were talking about,” he said, flashing her a grin. “If you’d like.”
           “Th-that would be a-amazing…” Rabbit smiled back, feeling the heat in her cheeks grow warmer as she brushed a few pink strands of hair out of her face. A trilling sound came from her shoulder, and she shot Korso a scathing look.
           “You two get along so brilliantly,” Galahad chuckled, shooting the ralts a smile of his own.
           “D-on’t enc-courage him, g-goodness,” Rabbit said. “H-he’ll l-ord it over me f-for the wh-whole s-ummer.” Korso let out another chiming noise, and his own flashes of yellow laughter burst in her mind, making Rabbit feel a tad giddy despite herself.
           “S-stooop, d-dork!” She said between fits of giggles. “Y-you were e-exhausted just t-en minutes ago.”
           “Is he tickling you?” Galahad asked, barely able to contain his own laughter.
           “M- ack! M-ight as w-ell be! H-he’s l-laughing a-and it’s bl-leeding th-rough!” A fresh burst of laughter made her stumble back and hit her shoulder against the wall behind her. Pain cut through the jovial feelings flooding her mind, and it popped like a pin in a balloon. Rabbit let out a his and clutched at her shoulder, massaging the tender muscle as concern colored Galahad’s expression.
           “Your shoulder! Are you okay? I heard you’d been in an accident before you got here, but I didn’t know it was this bad,” he said, leaning forward.
           Giving a grimace, Rabbit shook her head. “N-not that b-“ she tried to say, but Galahad cut her off.
           “None of that. You’re in pain. Let me have a look,” he said, motioning for her to show him.
           Sighing, she did as she’d been told and pulled away her sunset shawl that had been covering her shoulders, wincing as the movements made her muscles complain again. Galahad sucked in a sympathetic breath and turned her injury toward him with careful fingers.
           The joint had swollen some time back, and a bruise had formed. It marked her skin in ugly purples and greens, playing across the old, discolored cigarette burns she’d lived with since her childhood. For a moment panic blossomed in Rabbit’s mind as she worried Galahad would comment on them. Korso’s touch was in her mind in a moment, calming the thoughts, and Galahad stayed silent on the subject.
           Caring fingers brushed against the bruise, and Rabbit winced as they inspired flickers of pain. He seemed satisfied with the reaction and drew away.
           “Dislocated shoulder,” Galahad said, rubbing at his upper lip. His eyes turned up to catch Rabbit’s own as she stared at him, trying hard to ignore whatever pleasant cologne he’d decided to wear that day. “It’s been set back right, so we can be thankful to whoever did that.”
           “L-laila,” Rabbit clarified, and Galahad nodded.
           “She’s done this before.” It was a statement, not a question.
           “S-sometimes. Her f-folks are b-breeders and r-ranchers. F-from what I’ve h-eard, g-getting your a-arm d-dragged out of the s-socket by a t-auros th-that d-decided to r-un is n-ot p-p- fun. N-or are the r-rope b-burns.”
           Galahad nodded once more, turning Rabbit while she talked to examine the other side of her shoulder. “No, I’ve seen injuries like that, they really aren’t. How did this happen?”
           Rabbit grimaced again and explained their encounter with the ariados. After she finished, she found him looking at Korso with an impressed expression. The ralts had settled on her shoulder again, and appeared to be half dozing.
           “Considering you didn’t put ice on it, it’s not looking too bad, but it’s still something that should be incredibly painful. I’m surprised you’re still on your feet!” Galahad said, looking her up and down.
           Giving a shrug, Rabbit avoided his eye. “B-been hurt in the p-p-… Before. N-not that b-bad.”
           “And how many times have you had your shoulder dislocated?”
           Frowning, Rabbit counted on her fingers, muttering to herself. “F-four t-imes? B-between the t-two of them?” Korso opened his eyes on her shoulder and sent her an image, at which Rabbit backpedaled. “N-no, f-ive.”
           “And you still do archery?” Galahad looked shocked and slightly impressed.
           “A-and s-swinging through the tr-ees,” Rabbit said in a joking tone. “Th-at’s m-mostly where I’ve g-gotten hurt bef-ore.”
           “Well maybe hold off on that until your muscles have time to heal,” Galahad said. “Doctor’s orders.”
           “I th-ought you were a b-biologist,” Rabbit said, teasing.
           “Ethologist. And that’s still a doctorate,” Galahad said, grinning back.
           “O-oh, w-ell th-then, d-DOCTOR G-galahad Ach-arya. S-uppose it has a n-ice ring to it,” Rabbit said, chuckling.
           The grin spread further as Galahad’s face as he once again managed to bring out Rabbit’s more playful side, a practice he’d practically made a hobby out of in the months since he’d known her. “Good. I liked it, so I tried to find a ring to match.”
           Rabbit wheezed like she’d been punched in the gut, eyes bulging a little. “A-arceus, h-how old is that s-song. I f-feel like that j-oke needs to be c-arbon d-dated!”
           “When you live a life around dinosaurs like me and my dad this sort of thing becomes a fact of life,” Galahad snickered.
           “M-maybe t-ry it on M-mrs. Nams-ek, th-en, D-octor D-dinosaur. I’m s-ure she’d ap-p-p- Enj-oy it.”
           Galahad was about to open his mouth to respond, when a flutter of wings and storm of feathers rained from above, cutting him off. He spat and sputtered up down as iggs settled on Rabbit’s shoulder. Bird talons dug into bruised skin, and a heavy weight pressed against injured joints, and Rabbit gave a yelp, covering her mouth as she did.
           The burst of emotion and pain woke Korso from his slumber, and he spent a moment blinking bleary eyes. As the situation dawned on him he gave a growl and shot a few thoughts Iggs’ way. She let out a squawk and took off again, too quickly to properly gain wind under her wings. There was a crash and she slammed into the punch bowl, sending it sliding off the buffet table. Glass shattered and punch flew everywhere as the entire room turned in stunned silence, except for Galahad, still choking on feathers.
           All eyes turned to Rabbit and Galahad. The young woman held her hands over her mouth. Eyes wide with shock, she stared at Iggs as she shook sticky punch out of her feathers and set about cleaning them in annoyance. Rabbit’s eyes turned up to the crowd watching her, the silence stretching out in awkward quiet. Panic swelled in Rabbit’s mind, threatening to overflow, when she felt another mind touch her’s along with Korso’s, and the whole thing was clamped tighter than a vice, and her eyes went blank. A soft, woman’s voice spoke into her mind, but they were lost before they could be registered. All that was left was Korso’s comforting presence pressing against her thoughts the same way he pressed against her cheek.
           “Rabbit? Rabbit are you alright?” Galahad’s voice drifted into her ears like from a dream, and she found herself having trouble focusing on his face. His eyes unfocused for a moment as well, and he came back with a worried look. “I see…”
           Across the room, a woman’s voice called out. “Iggs! Bad bird! What have I told you about respecting other people’s property! That is not a bird bath!” The crowd parted, and Laila slipped through it, snatching the chatot up and brushing at her with a wet towel. “Mrs. Nome I’m so sorry. I’ll send you a check to pay for the damages at-“
           “Nonsense, dear,” Mrs. Nome had appeared on the scene as well, pushing through the crowd with stout strength. “They only looked fancy. I bought five of those bowls on sale and this is the third one that’s been broken. This is a household filled with rambunctious children and their Pokemon, we can handle a few broken dishes.” She stepped closer and whispered to Laila so no one else could hear. “Tend to Rabbit, please. It appears she’s been put under a trance.”
           Laila looked up, over to Rabbit as the party began to break out of the stunned silence, and gave a grimace. “Thanks, ma’am. I owe you one.”
           “Only as much as you always have,” Mrs. Nome said, a twinkle in her eyes, and looked pointedly away. Following her gaze, Laila spotted a smeargle with a painted blue cap and an oversized coat slip out of the crowd and begin brushing up the glass shards with its tail. “Jed will take care of the mess. He hates to see a dirty floor.”
           Nodding her thanks again, Laila pushed over to Rabbit, still cradling Iggs. She spotted Galahad and gave him a nod of greeting.
           “Galahad,” was all Rabbit could make out. Her hearing had begun to distort, everything coming out like it was heard through five layers of glass and ten yards away. She felt a brief comfort at seeing Laila before it was swept away like everything else. Their mouths were opening and closing, and she tried to frown, or squint to make out the words. Everything blurred together, however, and soon she found herself looking away.
           Motion took her as she was aware of a pain in her shoulder for a moment. Someone said goodbye to her, but she couldn’t concentrate on who it was. She was being dragged away, but nothing was lasting for more than a moment as everything around her bled into everything else, leaving stains of colors rather than shapes or sounds.
           A woman’s voice spoke in her head, gentle and kind, and Rabbit turned her head. Far away, atop the roof of a building built between the trunks of two giant trees, Rabbit could make out the shape of a bird. Green and white and red stood out against the blur of the world, imprinting on her mind the shape of feathers, and a long, yellow beak, getting smaller and smaller, lowering further beneath her.
           “You will be alright, child,” her voice spoke in Rabbit’s mind, echoing comfort like ripples in a pond. “Look, child. You must not miss this.”
           Rabbit looked down, to the side, and stared. People she didn’t recognize moved in firelight. They pulled boxes off a rhydon’s back, and lifted them into the back of a truck, glancing over their shoulders every once in a while. She couldn’t quite make any of them out, however, until she spotted one standing off to the side.
           He had his back turned, but she could see him as if she was standing right behind him. Black hair hung down over the brown leather jacket over his back, straight and full. Feathers and beads had been strung into it near his ears, pulled by the slight breeze. Metal of the frames of his glasses glinted in the orange light, and he shifted his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Something seemed to make him stand up straighter, and he began to turn, revealing tan skin. Before she could see his face, however, branches swept into Rabbit’s line of vision, and she found herself staring at a volbeat and illumise buzzing around each other, giving off flashes of light.
           The feminine voice laughed in her mind, and the spell was broken, the world fading away as Rabbit fell into unconsciousness.

To be continued