Chapter 2 -
I glanced at the roof of the lab. This was boring. Kumo was sleeping in my hands, his little flame small and dull. No one else was here yet. The Professor sat awkwardly, checking her watch and glancing over at me apologetically. I heard a slam somewhere in the building, and pounding shoes that ran down the hard vinyl floor outside.
A young boy with golden hair burst through the door, panting. His eyes were a violet colour, which surprised me. Maybe he just wears contacts, I thought, watching as he sat down, still out of breath.
“Sorry, Professor,” he gasped. “I got held up.” His hand flew to his shoulder, and I noticed a small Torchic shyly hiding behind his spiked hair. It noticed me looking at it and cooed softly. I looked at Kumo, who was starting to wake up. He blinked at me sleepily.
Professor stood and began to pace, watching the wall clock. I heard her mutter, “Ten minutes late… who do they think they are? Those little…” I covered my mouth to stop from laughing at the word that slipped from her mouth.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, until Kumo wriggled out of my hands and lept to the floor. The boy watched him intently. “So,” I said hurriedly. “What’s your name?”
His purple eyes lifted to meet mine as he replied, “I’m Clyde. And you are?” He seemed polite and quiet. I shrugged.
“I’m Wolfe. Just don’t even ask. I think my mum hit her head before she named me.” Clyde chuckled and returned to watching Kumo, who was having a heated discussion with the Torchic on Clyde’s shoulder. They looked like they were arguing. With a huff, Kumo turned and raised his tiny arms toward me - his signal for when he wanted to be picked up. I scooped him to my shoulder, where he childishly turned his face away from the orange bird.
I giggled, and Kumo looked at me with big, hurt eyes. I couldn’t stop myself. I burst out laughing, while Clyde, Kumo, and the Torchic watched me as though I was insane. Once I stopped laughing, I was aware of the footsteps in the hallway. I held my breath and watched the door, which creaked open slowly.
A pretty girl with shiny black hair pulled into a pony - tail stood in the doorway. She was rather tall, and she looked like she was a descendant from Asian culture. She flipped her hair, nodded stiffly at the Professor, then flounced to a chair and sat down. A Meowth followed in her wake, glaring at Kumo and the Torchic. Kumo cowered on my shoulder and dug his face into my hair. I patted him gently.
The Meowth lept into the new girl’s lap, and she stroked it lovingly. I couldn’t read the expression on her face. She looked up as though she could feel my eyes on her back, and I flinched. Her eyes were light brown and piercing. “Hey,” she muttered unwillingly. “I’m Tsubaki.” I nodded awkwardly.
“I’m Wolfe,” I murmured, looking down at my feet. It was tense for an infinite moment.
“And I’m Clyde, but I guess you didn’t need to know that,” Clyde joked quietly. Tsubaki nodded again, and I grimaced. The Meowth in Tsubaki’s arms hissed.
I suddenly remembered Kumo, hiding in a lock of my hair, and I softly wrapped my fingers around him and pulled him to my lap. “This is Kumo,” I said, playing with the indigo - coloured flame that danced on his little head. Kumo had control over the fire, and it never burned me, although it did tickle.
Clyde seemed to remember the bird sitting on his shoulder, and he held out his arm. It hopped instantly onto his navy blue sleeves. “This,” he said proudly, “is Charlotte.” The Torchic puffed out her chest importantly. I smiled at the name.
Tsubaki sucked in a breath. “Well, this is Euro. Don’t touch him - he’ll probably bite you. He’s sensitive to strangers.” Clyde withdrew his reaching hand. The Meowth smiled toothily at him.
Professor suddenly clapped her hands. “Guys, I just got a message from the Poke Center in Green Town - they got held up. They’re going to be waiting for you there.” I nodded and stood up, Clyde following immediately. Tsubaki stood gracefully and swept to the door, where it banged shut behind her. I looked over at Clyde, who shrugged and followed her. I snorted under my breath and trudged after Clyde.
I hoped the strangers at the Poke Center would be more welcoming than silent Clyde and rude Tsubaki.
I glanced at the roof of the lab. This was boring. Kumo was sleeping in my hands, his little flame small and dull. No one else was here yet. The Professor sat awkwardly, checking her watch and glancing over at me apologetically. I heard a slam somewhere in the building, and pounding shoes that ran down the hard vinyl floor outside.
A young boy with golden hair burst through the door, panting. His eyes were a violet colour, which surprised me. Maybe he just wears contacts, I thought, watching as he sat down, still out of breath.
“Sorry, Professor,” he gasped. “I got held up.” His hand flew to his shoulder, and I noticed a small Torchic shyly hiding behind his spiked hair. It noticed me looking at it and cooed softly. I looked at Kumo, who was starting to wake up. He blinked at me sleepily.
Professor stood and began to pace, watching the wall clock. I heard her mutter, “Ten minutes late… who do they think they are? Those little…” I covered my mouth to stop from laughing at the word that slipped from her mouth.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, until Kumo wriggled out of my hands and lept to the floor. The boy watched him intently. “So,” I said hurriedly. “What’s your name?”
His purple eyes lifted to meet mine as he replied, “I’m Clyde. And you are?” He seemed polite and quiet. I shrugged.
“I’m Wolfe. Just don’t even ask. I think my mum hit her head before she named me.” Clyde chuckled and returned to watching Kumo, who was having a heated discussion with the Torchic on Clyde’s shoulder. They looked like they were arguing. With a huff, Kumo turned and raised his tiny arms toward me - his signal for when he wanted to be picked up. I scooped him to my shoulder, where he childishly turned his face away from the orange bird.
I giggled, and Kumo looked at me with big, hurt eyes. I couldn’t stop myself. I burst out laughing, while Clyde, Kumo, and the Torchic watched me as though I was insane. Once I stopped laughing, I was aware of the footsteps in the hallway. I held my breath and watched the door, which creaked open slowly.
A pretty girl with shiny black hair pulled into a pony - tail stood in the doorway. She was rather tall, and she looked like she was a descendant from Asian culture. She flipped her hair, nodded stiffly at the Professor, then flounced to a chair and sat down. A Meowth followed in her wake, glaring at Kumo and the Torchic. Kumo cowered on my shoulder and dug his face into my hair. I patted him gently.
The Meowth lept into the new girl’s lap, and she stroked it lovingly. I couldn’t read the expression on her face. She looked up as though she could feel my eyes on her back, and I flinched. Her eyes were light brown and piercing. “Hey,” she muttered unwillingly. “I’m Tsubaki.” I nodded awkwardly.
“I’m Wolfe,” I murmured, looking down at my feet. It was tense for an infinite moment.
“And I’m Clyde, but I guess you didn’t need to know that,” Clyde joked quietly. Tsubaki nodded again, and I grimaced. The Meowth in Tsubaki’s arms hissed.
I suddenly remembered Kumo, hiding in a lock of my hair, and I softly wrapped my fingers around him and pulled him to my lap. “This is Kumo,” I said, playing with the indigo - coloured flame that danced on his little head. Kumo had control over the fire, and it never burned me, although it did tickle.
Clyde seemed to remember the bird sitting on his shoulder, and he held out his arm. It hopped instantly onto his navy blue sleeves. “This,” he said proudly, “is Charlotte.” The Torchic puffed out her chest importantly. I smiled at the name.
Tsubaki sucked in a breath. “Well, this is Euro. Don’t touch him - he’ll probably bite you. He’s sensitive to strangers.” Clyde withdrew his reaching hand. The Meowth smiled toothily at him.
Professor suddenly clapped her hands. “Guys, I just got a message from the Poke Center in Green Town - they got held up. They’re going to be waiting for you there.” I nodded and stood up, Clyde following immediately. Tsubaki stood gracefully and swept to the door, where it banged shut behind her. I looked over at Clyde, who shrugged and followed her. I snorted under my breath and trudged after Clyde.
I hoped the strangers at the Poke Center would be more welcoming than silent Clyde and rude Tsubaki.
