Faces of Capim Town

by Skorupi-anon

As soon as I wake up, I jump to my feet without hesitation, and begin to warm up with some stretches in preparation for a busy day. The sun is already shining brightly up above as I rise, telling me that I must have woken up later than usual. I guess I slept pretty well after yesterday's victory inside of the mystery dungeon. Thinking about it reminds me of the treasure that I had obtained, and I quickly begin to excavate the dirt below to make sure it hasn't been stolen. To my relief, all of the shiny Poke is right where I left it the previous night. I rebury my reward, thankful that it's all still there. Now that that's taken care of, I can shrug off the last bit of grogginess in my system and start plotting my course for the day.

There's little reason not to get a better look around Capim Town, now that I have some money. But, before I can do that, I still have to figure out how to bathe myself, seeing as I'm covered in dirt and some dried blood that has accumulated over the past week or so. I've been dreading this.

I've heard that there is a bay area with a beach nearby, so I set off from my training grounds, and step onto a path leading out of the town. The beaten dirt road leads to a wide, shady passage through the forest, between the trees. I'm a bit anxious, recalling how I stumbled into a dungeon the last time I went walking through the woods, but the path here is far more open, and so short in length that I can see light clearly up ahead, accompanied by the faint sound of rolling waves hitting the shore.

~The Bay~

The passage opens up, and my sudden plunge back into the sunlight forces me to squint as I readjust to the brightness. Once I can open my eyes more fully, I observe the pale coastline, bordering the ocean's waters. My feet are burning from the scorching hot sands underfoot, but in a bizarre way, it feels pleasant, somehow. I can only think to attribute that to my new, scorpion-esque body. Waves continually creep onto the shore, before receding back into the sea, in an endless cycle. The shade from under the canopy was refreshing, but it can't compare to how good the sun's heat feels hitting my back, along with the pleasant breeze in the air. I'm almost ready to lay down on the sand and lounge around for hours, but I catch myself daydreaming, and snap out of it. Sunbathing can wait; it's time to focus on what I actually came here for.

It doesn't appear that anyone else is here other than me, and I let out a sigh of relief. I don't know how I would cope with the embarrassment of anybody witnessing my attempt at swimming. Walking closer to the edge of the water, the sand transitions into mud, and the comfortably warm water tickles my feet and chest as I go further. As I'm submerged more and more, I subconsciously start taking deeper breaths, with longer pauses in between. The ground beneath me begins to decline at a sharper angle starting from where I'm standing, giving me little room to stand with my head above water. Any deeper now and my mouth will go under. I compose myself, take a few steps back, and fill my lungs with as much air as they can possibly hold, before dashing towards the ocean and jumping as far as my body will take me. I slam my eyes shut, and I feel my body impact the water's surface.

Expecting to float at least a little bit, I'm caught off guard when I open my eyes and realize I'm sinking. Even after the decline, the ground is still only a few feet away from the surface, but that doesn't do much to quell my fear at the moment. Panic starts to set in, and my heartbeat speeds up... except... it doesn't? In fact, now that I'm fully under the water, my heartbeat has slowed dramatically. As a human, I could barely hold my breath for longer than a few seconds without my chest tightening in panic, but right now, it's as if my brain has involuntarily slowed down all of my bodily processes, purely by instinct, to focus solely on keeping me alive underwater. Is this some sort of defense mechanism, now that I have a body like a scorpion's? Whatever the answer is, I'll take it, and think about it some more later. Right now, I just need to get back on land.

I badly want to panic, but my instincts don't allow it. My body moves like it's in slow motion, thanks to the water surrounding me, and my decreased output of energy. Slowly, I make my way back up the slope, and after a long climb, the top of my head emerges from the deep blue, followed by the rest of my body. Normally, if I were a human, I would be desperately gasping for air after holding my breath for so long, but I hardly need to now, as I have plenty of oxygen to spare. I crawl away from the mud, and collapse lazily onto the blazing sands. The sun's rays soak into my skin, warming me to my core in tandem with the sands, as I let my heart rate start to pick up again.

I don't know how efficient the seawater was at cleaning me, but it'll have to be good enough for now, seeing as how my undersea experience was not enjoyable at all, and I don't look forward to ever doing it again unless absolutely necessary. The sensation of my entire body slowing down from the inside out made my skin crawl. My red bow tie is feeling pretty soaked after my swim, so I roll over onto my back, letting the daylight dry off my chest region, and the bow tie. Hopefully it isn't ruined. Even though the worst is over, I'm still stressed, so I figure it can't hurt to sunbathe for a while.

…

Having lost track of time, I pry myself off of the beach, some small sand particles sticking to the few wet spots on my body. My bow tie is still a little soggy, but I think it's good to go. After being so relaxed, I can't really tell if I fell asleep or not, but either way, I feel fantastic, and with energy to spare. The sun remains high in the sky, directly overhead, so I guess it's probably around noon. Not wanting to waste too much sunlight, I leave the bay, running back through the forest passage, and returning to my usual training grounds. Double checking that the money still hasn't been found, I set aside one hundred golden coins, before burying the rest once more. I don't have any idea what I can buy with just this much money, but I hold that thought, and awkwardly begin hauling it on my back as I head off towards Capim Town.

~Capim Town~

(music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QOv9MuQeEA)

The town's architecture never fails to amaze me, especially now that I can see it up close, rather than from my training grounds. The buildings established within hollowed out trees, and the suspended rope bridges that connect them, are so far removed from anything I had ever seen in person as a human, that I have trouble believing that it's even real, and yet, it's all right here, before my eyes. All corners of the town are positively brimming with life and activity, the townsfolk going about their days, and the air filled with chatter and commotion from the small crowds formed near the different stores. Dozens upon dozens of unique Pokemon species populate the streets. Caught up in the spectacle, I'm forced back into reality when a Linoone wearing a brown satchel zips past me at full speed, giving me barely enough time to sidestep out of the way, so as to avoid getting trampled. I don't know if the town is always this hectic, not that I really mind it, but it wouldn't be so bad if it was calmer, either.

Seeing the bag that Linoone was wearing gives me a good idea of where to begin today's trip: I'll buy a bag, so I can more conveniently carry stuff around with me.

I head down the street, continuing to admire the various structures and settlements. The road is lined mainly with what seem to be houses, and the occasional shop in between residences. Ahead, I can see a sort of booth, manned by a Kecleon, and thinking of the Mystery Dungeon games, I come to the conclusion that it's probably a general store. Two Pokemon step away from the stall, and I take the opportunity to slip in before someone else can get there first. Approaching the booth, the shifty chameleon dons a grin, and greets me with an expected, "Hello, welcome to the Kecleon Mart, how can I serve you today?"

I struggle to place all of my money onto the counter, and I ask, "What's the biggest bag I can buy with this?"

The Kecleon seems annoyed when I fail to return his greeting, but he keeps a mostly consistent, if a bit tacked on, "customer service" smile. Examining the stack of coins, his expression drops slightly, and his gaze meets mine for a moment. "Let's see..."

He ducks down, fumbling with something behind his booth, before standing back up and replacing the money with a tiny leather pouch. The mouth of the bag is closed, fastened by a drawstring. It's so small that I almost feel insulted, not sure if I'm getting ripped off, or if it's just that one hundred Poke isn't worth a lot here. After some short deliberation, I resign myself, and accept his offer. As soon as the words "I'll take it" leave my mouth, his not-entirely-genuine smile multiplies in size, and the shifty chameleon exclaims, "Thank you for your business, my friend!"

I wish that I had brought more money, not expecting to spend it all at the first store I visited. I didn't even have any coins left over to put inside of my newly acquired pouch, to test if I could actually fit supplies inside of it. Judging based off of just looking at it, I could probably fit a few seeds and berries, and maybe some money, but I'd be pretty pressed for inventory space. Well, I've already spent the money, so I suppose there's not much point in worrying about it anymore. I grab the bag with my tail claws, careful to not pierce it with their sharp points, and continue on my way through town. While I'm still here, I figure that I might as well take a look at the other shops...

I only make it a few feet down the road before I stop dead in my tracks, in response to a distinctly familiar voice, calling out from behind.

"Heyyyy, it's you again!"

Whipping around in the opposite direction, I see her, running down the middle of the street, wholly unbothered by the other Pokemon walking around her as she weaves through them, heading towards me. It's that Furret, from the other night!

Involuntarily, my face begins beaming with joy, but I manage to subdue myself somewhat, only allowing a reserved smile to remain. Skidding to a halt in front of me, she quickly skims through her bag, ensuring all of her items are in their rightful places. Before I can get the chance to say hello, I'm assaulted with a dozen different statements and questions. "Ohhh, I'm so glad to see you again! How's it been? Have you been doing okay on your own? That bow tie is still super cute! It's nice out today, isn't it? Have you seen any cool things recently? There's some great sights out here!" ...Yeah, this is definitely the same Furret that I'd met before. I know that level of energy from anywhere.

Several eyes are on us by now due to her loud chatter. The unwanted attention is making me feel flustered, so I raise my voice, opting to cut her off before she accidentally runs out of oxygen and suffocates. "Uh, yeah, it's really nice to see you again, too. Here, walk with me."

In stark contrast to my more subtle demeanor, she doesn't even try to hold back her overflowing excitement. "Of course, let's get going! There's still tons of things I wanna talk to you about!" Together, we make our way down the streets of Capim Town.

Surprised to see her back in town so soon, I pose a question of my own to her. "What are you doing back here? I thought you went out exploring."

Sheepishly, she begins to explain. "Aha, about that, you see, um... I was so excited to go out on an adventure, I didn't even notice that I didn't have enough supplies to last for more than a few days! So, I guess I won't be going very far until I can get some more money! Ha ha ha..."

Her ordeal sounds unfortunate, even though she brought it upon herself by being an airhead.

"So, will you be staying in Capim Town for now?"

"I guess I'll have to! But, it'll be okay, if it means spending more time with you, uh..."

She pauses, taking the time to ponder something. "You know," she asks, "I never did catch your name before, little buddy. You have one, right? Haha~"

"I'm Smith," I inform her. "What about you?"

"Oh, that's such a cool name, 'Smith'... I think it fits a tough guy you! Anyway, you can just call me Furret!"

I'm not sure if I agree with her little analysis of my name, and I'm definitely not going to question the logistics of this world's Pokemon referring to themselves by their species name, rather than a given one, but either way, I keep those thoughts to myself, and move on with the conversation.

"Right. I'm glad that we can properly greet each other, Furret."

"Right back at ya, Smith! But, I hope you don't mind if I keep calling you my little buddy~"

I grin in approval, and she returns the gesture. Of all of the Pokemon to have encountered and befriended in this strange new world, I feel blessed that it ended up being Furret. Yet, having someone be so genuinely nice and understanding with me feels alien, and internally, my emotions are mixed. Throughout my whole life, I would always be cautious around someone who acts so selfless, expecting them to have ulterior motives, or for them to turn on me at a moment's notice, for reasons I couldn't comprehend. Something deep within me wants nothing but to trust the ferret that has shown me so much kindness throughout our limited interactions, but it's as if I feel... restrained, somehow. Maybe before I was just being irrational, or stupid.

I don't have time to dwell on it for much longer, as I'm pulled out of my thoughts by Furret's voice. "So, where do you think we should go first? There's lot's to see and do here in Capim Town, you know!" There's no point in thinking so hard about serious and gloomy things, especially in the presence of her overwhelming enthusiasm, so I let myself unwind a little for now.

"Actually, I've never been to most of the shops around here."

"Really? Then I don't mind showing you around! I know the perfect place, let's go!"

She dashes ahead, and I'm forced to awkwardly speed walk after her to keep up. It's as if she's too carefree to remember that not everyone is as energetic as her. If I had to live my life at the pace that she does for just one day, I think I would die of a heart attack in an hour, tops. Though, at the same time, I find her hyperactive mannerisms to be oddly endearing. Noticing my struggle to match her pace, she stops until I'm by her side again. "What's the matter, am I too fast for you? Hahaha, I'm just kidding! I don't mind slowing down just a little, if you'd like that~"

Catching my breath after the short chase, I say, "Y-yeah, that would be nice. This way, it's easier to talk to each other, too."

"Oh my gosh, you're so right! Say, do you have any more cool stories since we last met? It'll take a bit of walking to reach the place I have in mind, so I'd love to hear about your adventures on the way there!"

Memories of my journey through the forest mystery dungeon are still fresh in my head, so I tell her about yesterday's outing, the battles I faced, how I nearly starved, and the treasure I found in the dungeon's depths. Her reactions to my story make it seem as if she's riding an emotional rollercoaster from merely hearing about it, from gasping with happiness when I find a Gummi, to holding her breath in anticipation as I tell of my decisive battle against the powerful Breloom. I've never seen someone's expressions vary so wildly before... is this kind of behavior normal here, or is she an exception?

"Wow... that's amazing! Are you sure you didn't get hurt too badly? Those ferals sounded like they were really strong-"

I interject before she has time to get too worried about my safety. "Ah, trust me, I'm alright. I had a few bruises, but they healed quickly."

Her fears alleviated, she calms down, apparently deciding to put her faith in me. "Well, that's a relief, then. I was so heartbroken seeing you hurt and alone the other night, oh, I just don't know what I would do if I had to see you like that again..." Her lower lip quivers slightly, but she shakes it off, and before long, she's back to her typical, happy self. "I'm sorry if I worried you just now, but, anyway! That story was awesome! The way you beat up that mean Breloom was totally badass!", she says, playfully throwing weak punches through the air. There she goes again, hyping me up. I consider myself to be above average in terms of strength, but I think "badass" is pushing it... still, it feels nice to be praised, so I roll with it.

As we walk, we spend some more time sharing stories of our adventures back and forth with each other, and before long, we come to an abrupt stop. Our attentions are drawn to a large building off the side of the road. Proudly, she announces, "This is it! You'll love it here. I visited this shop on my first day in town, and believe me, it was fantastic!" I can't tell what sort of establishment this is meant to be from the outside, but peering through a window, I make out rows of towering shelves, stocked with hundreds of diversely colored fabrics, yarns, and bits of wool. I also see several wooden mannequins of multiple shapes and builds, presumably to accommodate for the vast variety of different Pokemon that occupy the town. The dolls are dressed in scarves and bandanas, a few of them wearing specially crafted jackets, designed for cold weather. This must be a tailor. It never occurred to me that something like this would exist in this world.

~The Tailor's Shop~

Entering the tailor's place, the inside is even bigger than I expected from the outside. I crane my neck as far upward as I can, and even then, I can barely see the ceiling from so far away. The shelves extend to the room's highest point. What appear to be loose strings and webs dangle from above, which I find offputting, but the rest of the store is neat and clean. Surely those are just cobwebs or something? I imagine it's difficult to reach so high up... weird. Anyway, Furret and I start browsing the numerous aisles, admiring the top-of-the-line craftsmanship of the clothier's goods.

Eventually, we find ourselves looking through a selection of pre-made accessories. Head and wristbands, bows, ribbons, ties... if you can think of it, you can probably find it somewhere among these shelves, in a wide assortment of patterns and solid colors. I'm impressed by their quality, but Furret looks like she's over the moon, in total awe at the selection. So many are tickling her fancy that her eyes dart around wildly, studying each and every one in rapid succession. Finally, she settles on one in the front row, and grabs it, observing it from all angles. Upon closer inspection, I recognize the garment as a charming pink ribbon, tied into an ornate knot, forming a bow. No longer able to contain her excitement, she fidgets in place, and exclaims, "Oh my gosh, this is just perfect! I love it! Come on, let's go see how it looks!"

Concerned for her financial wellbeing, I protest, "I thought you didn't have enough money for supplies. Are you sure it's a good idea to spend it all here? These look expensive."

She seems offended, but in a joking manner. "Of course it's a good idea! I always set aside some Poke, just in case I find something real cute, like this! Besides, you should never be stingy when you're buying a gift."

I don't get the opportunity to ask who the gift is for before Furret drags me to the store's front counter against my will. When we get there, nobody is behind it. Confused, she looks around, before asking out loud, "Hello? Is anyone here today?" Lowering her voice, she follows up by whispering to me, "The door WAS unlocked, right? I'm pretty sure the tailor's was open today..."

I open my mouth to respond, but before I can say anything, a voice with no apparent owner calls out. "I apologize, I didn't hear the two of you walk in."

The suddenness of the voice makes both of us jump in surprise, still unable to locate its origin. We look to a doorway behind the counter, presumably leading to another room, but nobody passes through. Instead, above the counter, an Ariados descends from a silky, glistening thread that hangs from the ceiling. The spider then hits the ground and settles behind the counter. That would explain all of the webs, I guess. Furret shrugs off the prior shock, presents the ribbon to Ariados, and asks, "Yes, hi, hello! Are we allowed to try this on?"

"Yes, of course, dear. There are fitting rooms over that way," she responds, pointing one of her legs towards the end of the building opposite the entrance. Sure enough, there are several rooms of varying sizes, probably to accommodate for small and large Pokemon alike. Furret resumes dragging me along without my consent. Why is she... oh shit. I think I see where she was going with that "gift" comment earlier.

My fate is no longer within my own hands (that is to say, if I had hands anymore). Now, it resides within Furret's soft paws. We arrive inside of one of the small fitting rooms. It's not much different from the ones I'm familiar with: a cramped, enclosed box, with a tall mirror that stretches from the floor up to the top of the fitting room's wall. I'm still not used to seeing my own reflection, only to be greeted by anything other than a human being. Melancholy washes over me, but I'm distracted when Furret removes my slightly worn red bow tie, putting it into her bag. I'm a bit sad to have it taken off, but I was able to protect it up until now, and satisfaction mixes together with my pensiveness, generating a strange sensation of peace and acceptance. I still don't know if it meant anything to her, but for me, it symbolized my will to survive, long enough to reunite with her. I guess now that I'm right here next to her again, I don't need to wear it anymore. It certainly served me well these past few days.

As she fastens the pink ribbon around my neck, she reassures me, saying, "Trust me, little buddy, you're gonna look incredible with this." I wake from my daydream, and my melancholy is replaced with anticipation.

"Aaaaand... there you go! Take a look," she requests. I follow her advice, and look into the mirror once more.

The band of the ribbon is tied around my neck, in similar fashion to my prior gear, while the almost comically oversized bow itself now rests atop my head, rather than under my chin. The small banners flow down my forehead in between my eyes, though they don't obstruct my vision at all. It's quite comfortable, surprisingly. But despite that, I feel absolutely mortified by my appearance. I now resemble a tiny dog that would sit inside of a purse, with a spoiled owner. Sure, I was embarrassed the first time, too, but this is just too much. My entire face turns bright red, and I fail to accurately describe my emotions as I'm left stumbling over my own words like a retard. What confuses me most of all is how, deep, deep within my heart, despite how flamboyant it looks, a part of me likes it... a lot. It's ridiculously fucking cute. I just wish it didn't make me stand out so sorely, like there's a giant, neon sign on my head that says "LOOK AT ME". I'm putting a herculean level of effort into keeping a straight face for a multitude of reasons.

On the other hand, Furret is absolutely ecstatic, seemingly oblivious to my plight. "See, what did I tell you? You look ADORABLE!"

"Y-... yeah... do... do I really have to wear this in public?"

She frowns slightly. "You don't like it?"

"No, no no, it's, uh, awesome. I think it just... collides with my image a little."

"Whaddya mean? The pink goes pretty well with your colors, if you ask me!"

"That's not... nevermind. It looks good. Just, give me a second to, um, admire myself?"

"That's the spirit, I knew you'd love it, too!"

I think "love" might be a strong word to describe my feelings, but it wouldn't be totally off the mark, either. I take a moment to breathe, before swallowing my embarrassment as best I can, and exiting the fitting room, with Furret taking the lead. She approaches the counter one last time, and Ariados turns to face us. When the spider notices my new accessory, she remarks, "My, that looks wonderful on you." I remain silent and avoid eye contact. "Will you two be taking that with you, or will you be looking around some more?"

"We'll buy it!" Furret takes the appropriate amount of coins from her bag and drops them on the counter, before hastily dashing towards the door. I mutter a brief "thanks" under my breath, and follow her outside.

~Capim Town~

My feelings of humiliation desperately want to resurface, now that we are in full view of so many Pokemon, but I repress them, and maintain a straight face, besides my blushing. Furret is still all over me, rambling on and on about how good my new head ornament looks on me. I feel selfish to not be paying attention to her, especially when she's so enthusiastic, but I'm still concerned about how I look like a total goober in public. I consider acting tough, but I have a feeling it's just gonna make me look even sillier, so I give in, and try to act natural in the hopes that nobody will notice.

And notice, somebody does, to my dismay: Furret ceases her chattering as a Sandshrew, wearing a light blue scarf and a brown sack around her shoulder, walks right up to us, with an enchanted twinkle in their eyes. On their shoulder rests a tiny Fletchling, equipped with an equally small red ribbon. Furret analyzes the duo curiously, and I quietly contemplate killing myself over the idea of being seen. The pangolin ogles me with adoration, and speaks up with a soft voice that defies her rough exterior. "Has anyone ever told you how cute that ribbon you're wearing is? You look like such a little angel!"

The way that she's swooning over me only works to solidify the mental image I have of myself as someone's pet, and my face contorts into a perturbed grimace. Her Fletchling companion has a blank expression, but looking into their eyes, I sense the faintest hint of empathy, suggesting that the bird is used to these kinds of shenanigans at the hands of their partner. As the Sandshrew continues praising me (or patronizing me, it's hard to tell) from all sides, her antics are brought to an abrupt end when another unknown face trots up to the four of us.

"Damn it, Cassie, can you quit fawning over random strangers for five minutes?"

A white Vulpix accosts the Ground type. He's wearing a beige shirt, and a matching, old-timey newsboy cap to go with it. Inversely to his companion, his masculine voice heavily contrasts his more delicate appearance.

"Oh, come on, Kiyo, there's no need for you to be such a killjoy all the time," Cassie protests, gesturing towards me. "You just look at him and tell me he isn't the most adorable thing you've ever seen!"

"No, he isn't the most adorable thing I've ever seen, and neither were the last twenty people. Now, leave him alone, and let's move."

"Oh, quit exaggerating, it wasn't twenty people! I'd say it was closer to, I don't know, five, or maybe ten."

The Fletchling leans into Cassie's ear and whispers something, causing the passionate fire in her eyes to be reignited. "See? Even Bean agrees with me! About the 'killjoy' thing, I mean. There's nothing wrong with us goofing off just a little!"

Furret interrupts, apparently also taking Cassie's side. "I don't know you guys, but I think your friend here is right. Surely whatever it is you guys are up to can wait! It's such a nice day, why not just relax?"

Cassie's smile beams even more brightly, before transforming into a smug sneer. "Aha! Now it's three against one! I knew I was right!" Bean stretches his wings, and performs the avian equivalent of a shrug, unable to find a flaw in her bulletproof argument.

Kiyo facepalms, droops to the ground, and grumbles, "You can be such a child sometimes, you know that?"

The two girls laugh with each other, and they further discuss their mutual love for cute bows and ribbons. For a second, I overhear Furret bragging about how she picked the one I'm wearing out all by herself, but I tune her out and turn to Kiyo, suddenly feeling more perplexed than I am flustered. I ask him, "Is she always like this?"

"Sadly, yes," he groans, rolling his eyes.

We both sigh, and the similarity of our predicaments makes me feel a strange kinship with the fox. That Sandshrew's behavior reminds me a lot of Furret, both of their outgoing personalities acting as the foil to our more reserved ones, compounded by their shared appreciation of fashion. I can easily see myself in his shoes... paws? Anyway, the odd humor of our circumstances causes me to loosen up a little. "Your friend acts a lot like mine. It's kind of endearing," I joke.

The Vulpix doesn't seem to share my sentiment. "Is that what you call it?"

"Come on, it's not that bad, seriously."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm not interested in any of that dress-up crap."

"Really? Did your friend make you wear all that, then? I think the 'paper boy' look is kinda cute."

"I'm not cute! I'm terrifying," he snarls. I meant well, but I'm not sure he appreciates the compliment.

"You don't look very threatening to me."

With a scoff, he retorts, "That's rich coming from you, Ribbons."

That bastard. I had nearly forgotten how embarrassed I was feeling, but his insult served as a reminder. In retaliation, I take a shot back at him.

"Watch it, girly boy."

If he wasn't already upset, then surely he's pissed off now. "What the hell did you just call me?!" he yells.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" I grit my teeth, and we glare at each other. Sparks nearly explode spontaneously in the air between us. The girls shift their focus back to us, dropping their prior conversation and running over to try and break up the upcoming brawl, Furret blocking my body, and Cassie blocking Kiyo's. A small crowd has formed around us, some curious about the debate, while the rowdier ones immediately start placing bets among themselves on who's getting knocked out. Meanwhile, Kiyo and Cassie are barking at each other in disagreement, with poor Bean caught in the crossfire. I'm ready to fight, but Furret pleads for me to not make the scene any uglier. "Come on, please don't do something like this in public! There's no need to fight..."

I almost protest her cries, but as soon as the image of her saddened face enters my thoughts, my resolve immediately wavers. There's no way I'm going to allow myself to get all worked up because someone insulted me, at least, if it upsets Furret, I won't. I should seriously put less emotional stock into accessories from now on. I collect myself, and apologize to her. "I'm sorry. I got carried away. There's no excuse for it."

Like a mother scolding her child, she demands, "Good, now go make up with that fox boy over there, surely he can't be that bad."

I nod, and walk past her, putting myself between the two strangers, forcing my way into their bickering. They pause to look at me, and I peek at him from the corner of my eye, saying, "Sorry. For insulting you, I mean." It's pretty immature of me to put significantly less effort into making amends with Kiyo than I did with Furret, but I'm still not over the insult.

"See, it's not a big deal. He apologized, so let it go for now, alright?" Cassie adds.

Our combined appeals reach him, and he suppresses his temper, though an annoyed expression remains on his face, obviously bothered by my jab at his appearance. "Whatever. It's fine."

Our eyes don't meet. I can't tell if my apology got through to him at all, but at least the crisis has been averted for now. The crowd groans with disappointment when our argument ends, and it disperses as soon as it had formed. The tension in the air follows suit, and all of us relax our nerves.

No one speaks, and in the meantime, I notice something. Now that I've gotten the chance to get a good look at Kiyo, Cassie, and Bean, all right next to each other, the gears in my brain start to turn. For some reason, I feel like I recognize them... I guess it won't hurt to ask.

"Hey, you three look familiar. Have we met?"

The group flashes cautious glances amongst themselves, unsure of what I'm talking about, and Cassie pipes up, informing me, "No, I don't believe any of us know who either of you are." Kiyo and Bean nod in agreement.

Furret turns to me in confusion, not recognizing them, either. I scan them from head to toe, wracking my brain, trying to recall... I think back to the very first time I woke up as a Pokemon, and a light bulb in my head turns on at last. Yeah, that's it! These three were the first Pokemon that I saw when I woke up on the side of the road! Satisfied that I could remember, I confirm, "Yeah, I've definitely seen you guys before."

What was at first a subtle mood of anxiety shared amidst the trio has evolved into full blown panic. Their pupils all narrow, with eyelids rising, like a deer caught in a car's headlights, and they all stare off in random directions. Kiyo clears his throat and mutters, "R-really? Are you sure?"

Now I'm intrigued about what has them so shocked. Was I not supposed to recognize them? Or do they know me, somehow, and they wish they didn't? Could they have ulterior motives? I want to elaborate on where I've seen them, but it occurs to me how creepy I would seem for recognizing a random group of strangers that I had nothing to do with, from two weeks ago. Their distress only further dissuades me from pushing the subject, so I try to backpedal. "Uh, actually, I've mistaken you for some other guys, haha..."

They turn their backs to Furret and I, and huddle together, whispering to each other quietly enough that I can't tell what they're talking about. Several peeks back at us over their shoulders later, Kiyo steps forward, and hurriedly says, "Well, it was great meeting you two, but we have important business that we need to take care of. Like, right now. Sorry about the misunderstanding, gotta go, bye." He can hardly finish his sentence before he and Cassie promptly break into a sprint in the opposite direction, Bean holding onto the Sandshrew's shoulder for deal life as they barrel down the road. Both of us are at a loss for words by their sudden shift in behavior. I'd feel like a bit of a dick if it turned out I upset Kiyo that badly. I exchange bewildered looks with Furret, and she suggests, "Um... should we keep walking?"

"Good idea," I concur.

…

(music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL4W4g0mAfc)

The sky has gradually shifted from blue, to a rich orange. After our encounter with the three from earlier, we spent the rest of the afternoon visiting bookstores, cafes, antique shops... I had no idea that so many facilities existed in this world, but it makes sense when I think about it. The shopkeepers seemed frustrated that we would simply browse, rather than actually buy anything, but I couldn't tell exactly. Much of the hubbub in the town has diminished by this hour, the atmosphere now far calmer, though the occasional Pokemon continues to roam the streets. The tranquility of the once bustling town almost makes it feel like I'm in a dream. Furret nudges me energetically, begging, "Come on, there's still one more place I wanna show you!"

She guides me up a flight of stairs jutting out of the side of a building, leading onto the flat, circular rooftops. From there, we cross several rope bridges before stopping in front of a small body of water atop one of the trees. I can nearly see the entire town from all directions at this height. The water's surface glistened under the setting sun, beautifully reflecting its light. The ocean stretches as far as the eye can see, shimmering in similar fashion to the nearby pond. I can even spot my training grounds, by the edge of the forest on the area's perimeter. I'm pretty short in this body, so seeing things from above for once feels incredibly foreign. Yet, the view is absolutely breathtaking. I had never had the privilege of witnessing anything like this in the human world. I'm so caught up in looking out over the town, that I almost forget that I'm not alone, and Furret surprises me when she says, "What do you think? Pretty great view, right?"

I briefly turn to face her, and I reply, "Ah, yeah, it's... amazing," before trailing off, my eyes fixed on the horizon once more, captivated by the spectacle. Wordlessly, we gaze across the land, over the trees, and into the skies, for what feels like forever, as if time was stopped. At first, my mind is clear, but in the silence, the negative thoughts that I had been suppressing throughout the day have finally begun to rear their ugly heads once more. Even now, I still haven't been able to find an explanation for why she's being so charitable with me, someone who she had never even met before, up until a few days ago. Furret takes note of my now troubled expression, and adopts a worried look of her own, while asking me, "Is everything okay?"

I hesitate, and with a guilty conscience, respond with, "...Why are you being so nice to me?"

My words shock her to her core. "Wh-why wouldn't I be nice to you?! Don't tell me that I'm bothering you, or something like that?"

Her pained reaction only serves to amplify my feelings of remorse. Wincing, I clarify, "No, it doesn't bother me. It's just, well..."

I struggle to find the correct words for what I want to say. I should have no reason not to trust her at this point, after all she's done for me, from giving me her little gifts, and showing me around town, to saving me from the brink of starvation and exhaustion. But something's still nagging at me, from deep within. Was I always so averse to the idea of receiving goodwill from others, who ask nothing in return? Have my instincts changed, somehow, after being forced to fend for myself against the world? So many questions have resided in my head ever since I woke up for the first time, the pressure weighing on me more and more as time passes. After much consideration and self-reflection, the only way I can think to explain myself is by saying, "...How do you know you can trust me? What if I'm a criminal?"

A stern, serious look appears on Furret's face, unlike anything I've ever seen from her. I can't tell if she's angry, or disappointed, or sad, but whatever she's experiencing right now, it's a complete reversal of her usual upbeat persona. She stares into my soul, and claims, "You can't be a criminal."

Her new attitude has me astonished. The only word that I manage to stammer out in response is, "H-how?"

"Because, I trust you. I know that you aren't a bad person, so... you can't be one."

I'm speechless. From her dramatic shift in tone, to her puzzling logic, I feel truly confused. Unable to articulate a response to her assertion, I turn away from her in shame, my inner thoughts whirling chaotically into a typhoon of guilt and uncertainty. A crushing, awkward silence hangs in the air above us, so thick that you can just about feel its touch on your skin. Furret steps towards me, taking a seat beside me as we overlook the town once more, the sun's light giving way to the darkness of night. Without facing me, she speaks, her words cutting through the silence.

"Let me tell you another story, Smith. You remind me of somebody... let's just say, I used to know her."

There's a pause between us, and I ask, "I do?"

She continues. "Yes, that's right. When I met you for the first time, the other night... when I saw how scared, and lonely, and defensive you were... in my eyes, you resembled a certain Pokemon."

"...Who is it?"

"That's not important, not right now, at least. The important part is that seeing you like that made me think a lot about this certain Pokemon. In that moment, you two had a lot in common, actually. Just like you, she was alone, and afraid, and she had a hard time trusting anyone. She was bitter about her circumstances. But, after all of the troubles that she faced, after seeing the worst that the world had to offer, after seeing how nasty other people could be to each other... and, after fighting so hard, all by herself for so long... a stranger showed her kindness when she was at her lowest. Thanks to that Pokemon, in time, she learned to open up to other people, and have faith in them. She learned to trust. Do you see what I'm trying to say?

"When I look at you, Smith, I don't just see you, I can also see that Pokemon that I knew a long time ago. And I definitely don't see a bad person, or a criminal. My point is... I don't want to see you become bitter, or angry at the world, like she once was. I don't ever want to see anyone go through something so difficult and sad ever again. I hope that answers your question from before."

She casts a thousand-yard stare over Capim Town. Her eyes seem sorrowful, yet at the same time, content and compassionate, or perhaps hopeful.

I had no idea that something so personal and impactful could come from someone as optimistic and sometimes ditzy as her. This girl's a lot more complex than I had given her credit for, but after exploring the town, and meeting so many colorful people today, I should know better than to judge things too hastily by now. In the aftermath of her story, I'm left to speculate about the message she wanted to send by telling it. She was pretty accurate in her assessment of my feelings, and she was also right about how much I resembled the girl from her story. In fact, the story closely paralleled many of my experiences, and on top of that, she seemed to know quite a lot about this so-called "stranger". Could she...?

My mind begins to wander, but instead of mulling over my dark thoughts, I decide to take some advice from her tale, and I snuff the paranoia and guilt from my consciousness. I'll try to accept her kindness from now on. My lips can't help but curve into a subtle grin as I tell her, "I'm sorry I doubted you. Thanks for doing so much for me."

Life springs forth from her once severe expression, her ordinary positivity returning. A great smile beams across her face, and our eyes meet once again. "See, I knew you had it in ya! Remember, you can relax around me. Trust me!"

"Of course. ...I'll trust you."

…

Any trace of the sinking sun had vanished, the moon taking its place in the sky above. The town's inhabitants had all settled into their homes by now, with most shops closing for the night. Our visibility is restricted in the absence of the sun's light, but in the distance, I can spot many small glows throughout the town, presumably some sort of archaic street lamps. At this hour, the denizens of the woods have risen from their slumbers, and I start to hear the melodic hoots and chirps of the nocturnal Pokemon.

Furret rises to her feet, and announces to me, "We stayed up late again, didn't we? You can come stay at the inn with me tonight if you want, little buddy."

I almost turn her down again out of habit, but I realize that she just went through the trouble of trying to teach me to not look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides that, I have a feeling that she isn't going to let me refuse her offer this time. I stop worrying, and take her up on it.

"...Yeah. That sounds nice."

Furret shoots a tender smile my way, and together, we set off for the Blue Claw Inn.