Chapter 10 Padded Quiescence
Eventually, sad as it was, moments passed, and I realized I was waiting for nothing right now. I patted Sol on the back and scooped him up into my arms, as wobbly getting to my feet as his sagging diaper was. Eventually though, managed to start a slow walk to the door, flinching as I remember the light being on.
"Oh! Cr...mom's home, right," I mumbled, Sol whipping his head forward to see if I was right. I quickened my pace, shifting my Salandit in my hold to open up the door. I had to pause for a second or two, suddenly finding it weird to enter a place I knew so well. Just outside the house didn't feel familiar anymore with who we had met...it was just...strange. But, eventually, I did walk through the threshold, returning to my life again...
"M...mom we're back!" I called, catching myself at the start for more than one reason, crouching down to put Sol back on his feet. He leaned sideways against my leg, a little annoyed I just carried him a few feet. Still, I wanted my arms free for the moment. "Mom...?"
"Liep..."
I felt the ocular movement on my leg of Sol rolling his eyes, as I looked up at the figure descending the staircase. I can understand Sol's disapproval, as he didn't have the best track record with mom's Pokemon. I could agree to that, in my younger years, but couldn't deny she had helped me a bit with acclimating Sol to life with me heh.
Coming down somehow so carefully that even her diaper, complete with black, exaggerated crescent moon orbs dotting it, didn't crinkle, was Devana, my mom's Liepard. I've known her since I was a kid, back when she was Purrloin. Probably the Pokemon I had most spent my time around back then, making me more of a cat person to a dog person, despite always being a lizard person. Funny life. Anyway, I can't exactly remember when she evolved, but she was definitely a Liepard during the time I was nearing the double digits, and definitely with Sol...boy...she got overly assertive at those times heh...probably for our own good I guess...
"Oh hey Dev...if you're here that must mean...?" I started to ask, pointing upstairs cautiously. The Liepard waited till she came to the first floor proper, setting on her padded rump, with the barest of crinkles, in that weird way cats do it. She seemed to take her time considering the question, way longer than she needed to. I heard Sol grunt a bit at her tactic, which I recognized as her being aloof considering how late we must have gotten back. Interesting, though, means she didn't know WHY we got back so late...
"...epard," she eventually told me, gesturing lightly with the tip of her head.
"Ok, I get it," I mumbled, moving past her and taking a few steps up the stairs before turning back, noticing Sol catch himself on the floor with an outstretched hand. Oops, he had been leaning on me. "Sorry buddy, I'll be right back ok?" I told him, his grumbling being lost on me as I climbed the stairs quickly and looked down the opposite hallway to where Mom's room was. I cautiously made my way over at first, but then remembering the experience I just had, I quickened my pace, opening the slightly ajar door, noticing the light in there was on, and the sounds of the television.
"Mom! You actually got back home early? You won't believe what just---"
I paused, letting the slight smile on my face fade. Mom was out on the bed, sleeping on her side, the colors of the low volume television screen casting color glows on her. She must be quite out of it, given she didn't hear me call earlier, or me running up the stairs. I stayed at the door for a moment, wondering on what I should do. I really wanted to tell her what had just happened, maybe even apologize if 'I' was the one who had been late this time...but she seemed so out of it she didn't even turn off the bedroom light. I really did want to tell her...
...I came over and shut off the television, then back to mom's bed, pulling the covers over her, another thing she forgot to do. I waited there a moment beside her bed as she rested, probably exhausted from another day of work. She always kept picking up days, earning Poke to pay for the things we needed. I helped out where I could, and having Sol around helped a little with that, but I figured to do more than I can. I was still working on what it was I wanted to do with my life in the coming years. I would love it to be something me and Sol could do together...some things were obvious by that standard, but...I still don't know.
I turned off the light and closed the door carefully, returning to the stairs, leaving mom to get the rest she needs. She'll have a day off soon, I can wait till then. She doesn't need me bugging her with things...
"...Lie."
"SAL...DIT."
"...Lieee."
"Salandit!"
I descended the stairs, and collected my lizard before he got into a scratch-fight with Dev over his deluge of a diaper. Guessed that Dev wasn't believing Sol's claims that the sagginess of his diaper wasn't something of his own making. Sol continued to defend himself over my shoulder as I carried him up to my room, not seeing Dev licking her paws as if to say 'I'm not listening', which just set Sol off even more. Thankfully he took it down to Defcon-Grumble by the time we passed the corner. I couldn't help but feel a little better at their exchange. Heh...Pokemon...somehow easier than people for me...
"Sal sal...sa...salan..."
My little lizard was still arguing his own defense, arms folded and tail flicking, even as we came to our four-walled place of refuge. He didn't even stop when I set his set his squishy rump on my desk, still wtih the changing mat on it, before I straightened up and let a tired breath out my mouth. Boy...it wasn't a full day by most standards, but all the experiences had certainly tired me out. Monte, Jean, and Lil were one thing...Mew was a whole other can of Caterpie. I just wanted to eat, lay down, and try to sort out all the stuff that happened today. Granted, there were a few things to do first. And one of them, my Salandit was muttering to defend about.
I reached over for my swivel chair, after taking off the plastic tub or two occupy it, and moved it in front of the desk and my soggy Salandit. I adjusted the height a bit, getting his attention, as I would need a bit more for the task ahead. I didn't recover strength in my legs completely, so I was going to do it this way. I settled in, leaning back in my chair for a moment as Sol raised a brow at me. I ran my hands through my purple hair, looking up at the ceiling fan.
"Jeez buddy...what a day right?"
"Sal an a dit," he told me, as if saying 'you're tellin' me'.
I rubbed my eyes, careful to not remove traces of what I had seen from my retinas, if that ever was a thing. "I mean...I guess it was...ok hanging out with Jean and Monte right? What'd you think?" I asked, looking to him for a second opinion. He shrugged back nonchalantly.
"Salan."
"I mean not like it's not going to be just us again," I told him.
"An dit," he told me, shaking his head in agreement.
"Good good. Still working on that stuff you know heh," I remarked, letting my arms rest on the desk beside Sol's hips, smiling at my own inabilities. He looked at me with a slight smirk, but his eyes were twisted in sympathy. Yeah, he knew me well.
"So...Mew huh?" I brought up, as if it were the most casual thing ever.
"S...sal," he replied, dropping his folded arms and scratching the back of his neck. I could see the blushing on his cheek already. Tah! Apparently Mew playing with his diaper was still a little disconcerting. Then again, I saw his smiles heh heh, he must be embarrassed at the possibility of a myth like Mew knowing he liked his padding heh. Which was ridiculous and cute at the same time, after all, Mew had been wearing one too.
I decided to forgo teasing him for the moment, glancing past his hip at my hand, the one Mew touched. "...why'd you think he showed himself to us?" I wondered out loud. Sol's snapped out of his blush, looking back to me. He opened his mouth, held it for a second or two, then shook his head, shrugging. He didn't know either.
"Ugh, hurts my head not to know," I said, switching to use a hand to hold said-head in. "You right? Yeah? When you get a question you really care about but can't figure it out? It's that. I think it was something about US I think, but we're really not that special you know. At least not me, not really..."
I didn't mean to ramble a bit, and didn't see Sol's disarming look at what I was saying, but I did know what he did next. My Salandit leaned over and placed the bottom of his head on top of mine, much to my confusion at first, and placed his hands against the back of my neck. I guess to any ghostly viewers, it looked like he was hugging my head. I felt him nuzzle against my purple hair a little, something he didn't do very often actually...
"Saaaal..."
Jeez. Guess when you're close to myths and legends, some people tend to think less of themselves when the experience is over. Maybe in the grand scheme of the world, I didn't matter like Mew did. But I mattered the world to Sol, and me to him. We were both kind of lost years ago, and when we finally connected things kind of...fell into place. It didn't matter much for anything else, as long as we...huh...was that what Mew...? Heh, what do you know...
"...teh...thanks buddy," I said, looking up, though it was kind of hard to see him from this angle. I meant it in more than one way, hopefully he understood that.
"Dit," he scoffed, as if to scold me a bit for thinking little of myself.
"Yeah ok," I told him, taking him by the shoulders as he moved off of me, his crescent eyes regarding me fondly. "Sometimes ya have to remind me that I'm worth something huh?"
"Sal," he remarked, nodding and raising his pupils as if it was something he did often. I knew he was kidding, but I was going to pounce him with my next words anyway.
"And sometimes I have to remind YOU---" I started, leaning over my lizard rather mischievously. Though, he mistook it as threatening, which surprised him enough that he leaned back and was nearly flat against the desk. "---that you're a soggy little lizard who loves his diapers!"
Sol, wide-eyed and fumbling onto his back, was mid-way in the point of opening his mouth to retort my statement, till I attacked his sides with my fingers. His retorting growl became gasp-inducing laughter as I started tickling him. He batted at my hands with his claws, but with the utmost lack of strength that he couldn't hurt me. I was more worried about his legs, and had pulled my head away to prevent an unintentional knock out. Kick he did, in little jerks that made his immensely poofed diaper to crinkle and crackle. His tail flicked against my legs and the space underneath the desk, and thankfully what I was doing was not enough to get him flaming up.
"Yeah! There's my little guy! Kicking up a crinkle storm in his Poke-Poofs," I teased him as he cackled in sporadic fits as I continued my assault. Of course, the teasing was just part of the whole thing. Another part was that I was working to get him to wet. If I was going to get him changed, I might as well make sure he's 'empty', and if his diaper was going to leak, better on the mat then, well, anything else.
After a full minute, with short second breaks to make sure Sol caught his breath, I placed a palm on the front of his diaper. Wet, but not warm wet, and there was no hissing noise. I guess he really HAD let everything go back when we finished eating, but had to make sure with the whole Mew escapade and all.
I decided to switch gears, letting up on my tickle assault so Sol could get his breath completely back. He still chuckled a bit as I grabbed his legs and hoisted them up a little, smiling as the wet diaper drooped over his tail. I grabbed the squishy padding and gave him several good pats on the rump.
"Yep, heh heh, that's my leaky lizard," I teased again.
"S...sal!" he complained through laughter fits as he tried to get himself back to normal.
"Oh yeah? I saw you smiling with Mew. You like it heh heh."
"Sal!"
"Ok then heheh, so lets get you changed then," I told him, letting go of his legs and patting the front of his diaper. I was already reaching for the powder and wipes I had on the table when Sol leaned up and placed his hands over his padding.
"S-saland!" he barked at me, jagged mouth gritted, though I could easily see his blush.
I smiled at his reluctance. "Oh? So you DON'T want to be changed out of a wet diaper?" I slyly asked him.
"Sal...! An...dit," he said, as if denying at first, then accepting, and then 'maybe-ing'.
I rose a brow and accompanied it with a smirk. He was usually so resistant, but I guess the fact that the diaper was just filled with water rather than by himself. I'll have to keep note of that for the future heh heh. Still, it's so funny how much he doesn't want to show it...yet does without noticing.
"Ok buddy," I started, finding him so adorable holding onto his diaper like it was a toy somebody threatened to take away from him. That probably was too close a comparison heh!
"I really SHOULD get you changed though. That thing is filled to the brim," I continued, leaning over and stretching my hand toward the cabinet where I kept his immediate spares, groaning when I couldn't reach it without getting up. Then I reminded myself of my travel bag. Where was that...? Oh right, dropped it on the floor when I came in, didn't realize. I quickly reached over and dragged it over, rustling up a freshly folded diaper from a compartment.
I returned my attention to my soggy Salandit, seeing him still holding onto the his own diaper and glaring at me. "Buddy...if you use it, it's gonna leak," I told him, being more serious this time. "Besides...you should probably get a bath," I added, just realizing the dirt bits from the ground-appreciating angel he had made in the road outside.
"Dit," Sol scoffed, looking off to the side.
"Come on Sol, lets get you in a fresh diaper, get something to eat, and power down huh? You really don't have the power to fight me on this for the next few hours do you?" I asked, really hoping the answer to the question wasn't a 'yes'. "I mean, if you want to keep wearing THAT, then you're not sleeping in my bed tonight."
Sol continued his glare at me for a few more seconds, and without breaking it, lifted his hands away from his diaper. "Sal," he grunted, falling onto his back, cupping the rear of his head with a hand as he did, waving me off with the other.
"That's my boy," I chuckled, getting on with the process. Thankfully, it was far simpler than the other times, I didn't even have to worry about the gloves. I sat up in the chair, looking over the drooping garment between my Salandit's legs, smirking at the sight of the thing. Boy, don't think Sol ever had enough in him to fill a diaper this much ta ha!
I peeled back the tapes carefully, a little surprised they were still pretty firm despite what they had managed to hold up to, and placed a hand on the front of the diaper. Good thing too, as soon as the second tape was undone, it drooped a bit and would have slid off in front of me.
Adjusting the front over Sol with one hand, I used the other to hoist my lizard's legs in the air so I could pull the back out from under him. I was reminded half-way through untaping Sol that I forgot about the tail tape. Oh well, I could forget that, it was just water. Slowly, carefully, I tugged it out from under him and slid it down his tail.
"Phew, that's heavy," I remarked out loud, though I had felt that since the start. This thing must weigh three pounds! No wonder Sol didn't move away from Mew, he was rooted by diaper-weight tah!
I placed the massively filled padding on the desk carefully in it's hourglass shape. Both me and Sol stared at the thing, though I quickly shifted my focus to Sol for his reaction. He was wide-eyed at the thing now that he could see it from a different perspective. But then he huffed in his mouth and gave a little smile, as if admiring the thing. Then Sol noticed me smirking at his reaction, and he quickly grunted and looked the other direction.
"Ok buddy," I remarked, the process done. "I think before we get you padded up though, you need a bath."
"S-sal..." Sol begrudgingly remarked as I reached over for the three-pound wet diaper by it's waistband.
I had to use both hands to hold the heavy thing as I moved it over to a waste bin nearby. The diaper was technically just wet with water, so it wouldn't stink anything up, and I just toss it out with the regular tra---
"S-salandit!"
With complete contrary to Sol's claims that he DIDN'T like a wet diaper, my Salandit sure was fast on the gun to flip onto his front, and grab hold of my arm with one hand, and the waistband top of the diaper with the other.
"Whoa! Sol!" I exclaimed, a bit surprised by the action, even for him.
"Sal al and!" he told me rather firmly, eyes narrowed.
"What? What am I doin' wrong?" I asked. "It's not actually wet or dirty so---"
"Sal al and!" Sol repeated, not letting go of either my arm or the diaper.
"Dude...you're flipping out over a wet diaper."
Sol rolled his thin pupils, switching hands, one still on the diaper, and pointing OUT the window. I followed his claw, seeing, from my position, the night sky, complete with the stars coming out.
"Ok, it's night, got that bit. What does that have to do with...oh."
Sol cocked his head to the side when he looked at me again, an 'duh' expression if there ever were one.
"You don't want me getting rid of this?" I asked cautiously, testing what I presumed he was getting at.
"Sal," Sol told me, nodding once.
"You SERIOUSLY want to keep this thing?" I asked again, nodding to it.
"Sal."
"Why?" I asked needlessly, as I think I knew the reason.
Sol grimaced, letting his star-pointing arm to scratch the back of his neck. It was a little funny to see him hesitate on explaining the reason WHY he wanted me to save it, and I guess he was having difficulty thinking of how to get it across to me. For his benefit, I decided to alleviate his uncertainty.
"It's because Mew touched it isn't it?" I asked him, knowing I was right. Sol flexed his neck side to side in a 'maybe' way that I knew was just his way of saying 'yes' un-commitidly. I sighed, but it was one of acceptance. Honestly, if the diaper was wet or dirty, it would stink up the place, and I would say no. But it was just water really, and I couldn't exactly blame Sol for wanting a souvenir.
"Ooook Sol," I told him, getting a rather surprised look from him. "Seriously. I'll just put in a tub or...something," I added, glancing around the room. I had tupperware for a lot of things, mostly console wires and the like to help keep things together.
"As for you," I started up again, eyeing him to let go of the diaper, which I placed on the other side of the desk. "The rest of you should get wet heh," I remarked, picking him up and setting him on his feet. He rolled his head at the remark, but started marching off to the bathroom with me in tow.
After turning the water on and letting the tub fill about half-way, and assisting Sol in getting in it, I graciously stepped out on his behalf. As I searched for a container for Sol's weird souvenir, I started to remind myself how easier the whole bath thing had gotten. It actually wasn't always this easy, believe me, Sol use to be quite a terror trying to get clean. Especially in the early times, when I had assisted him with the process, he always tried to avoid it. But, eventually he did accept it on occasion, and had even requested, in his own way, to clean himself. Surprisingly, he does a decent enough job on his own. Guess the Fire part of him didn't mind hot water...
Eventually I did find a spare box tub that fell between my shelves. I decided it seemed big enough, bringing it over to my desk as I lifted the very heavy wet diaper and placed it in the thing, covering it up. Chagrining, I wondered where to put it, kind of feeling awkward of somebody spotting a stored diaper in my room...despite the fact only me and Sol should be the ones who ever entered. I eventually placed it on the top of one of my shelves, obscured by a few Pokemon statues of the Legendary Birds when I had tried being a collector years ago. Boy, it felt weird using a whole container for water-logged padding. Still, I suppose it could have been worse. In fact, maybe things would have, down the line, if I DIDN'T keep the weird souvenir at Sol's behest...
After checking the fridge again, pleased to see it restocked with palatable foodstuffs, and bottles of apple and Razz cider (yay!), I started planning for a late dinner meal for me and Sol. Figured it was best for us to take a few minutes more from our...flight...before our stomachs settled. Heading back up, I went in to check on my lizard.
"Sol? Buddy, you decent?" I asked needlessly, tapping on the bathroom door. I chuckled, knowing without his diaper he technically wasn't, but I gave him the courtesy anyway before entering.
Sol had apparently finished with the soap and scrubber, if their damp appearances were anything to go by, and I easily spotted my clearer Salandit floating on top of the water. He was floating back-up, with his legs and hands dangling under him in the water, the surface waves lapping against his closed mouth. Apparently, this sort of thing was kind of a throwback to some kind of predatory behavior...though now it just seemed limited to just lazily floating on water surfaces. Believe me, the first time he did something like this, eyes closed, not really moving much, I thought Sol had drowned in the water or something! Boy, he scratched me up good when I panicked and picked him up...
My Salandit was a bit more helpful in making sure I didn't think that this time, as he popped open a single eye to stare at me as I entered the bathroom, though the rest of him remained dead still. I sat on the closed toilet nearby, looking down at him as I took the towel nearby to prepare it. "Bet you feel much better now huh?"
"...bblllm..."
My Salandit cringed a bit as he felt a little bathwater enter his mouth, causing him to fumble upward out of his floating state. It was kind of funny watching bubbles float up to the surface when he mistakenly tried to answer my question. But, nearly swallowing bathwater after you JUST got cleaned up? He had my sympathy.
"Sorry buddy heh. Can wash that out with clean water, and any after taste with some cider heh," I remarked.
"S-sal?"
"Yeah, mom picked some up heh."
I watched Sol tap his claws together in delight at the mention. We both had an appreciation to cider drinks. A combination of sweet and tart that just tingled the tongue. It was a little treat we both liked to share...have to thank mom for it later...
After an initial cup-and-pour to get any lingering water-grim off, I picked up my Salandit in a towel and started helping him dry off. He assisted, thankfully with warning, by igniting his lower back and tail with Ember fire. This was a learned thing, as there was at least one incident when he set a towel on fire...which set the rug on fire...lets just say, good thing Devana knew Rain Dance. Though, it was weird watching the water molecules in the room suddenly combine and fall on the little accident. We both got chewed out for that by the Liepard...
My lizard dried, we returned to the room and I swiftly got him into some new padding. I'm sure he would have been wiggling up another storm of crinkles when I was getting his diaper on, but exhaustion from things seemed to have taken him and he calmly let me do my job heh. After a few minutes of just sitting and laying to catch our breath, we then adjourned to the kitchen and, with him sitting his padded rump on the counter, I made us up an evening meal. There was a whole bag of Figy Poffins for Sol, so that covered him. Though, he was taking great pains, and failing every minute or so, to resist the urge to eat a few before I got my own meal done. He was being rather dramatic about it, trying not to look at the bowel and agonizingly reaching for the next Poffin as if he couldn't control himself. Suddenly the thought of Pokemon Contests entered my head for a brief second before I realized the underside of my chicken patties were burning...
"Crap crap crap..."
Eventually, I saved the things, topping them with some tomato sauce and mozzarella. Simple dish, but oh is it good, as long as you get the right stuff for your taste buds. Besides, I didn't want to go too big after everything that happened today. Me and Sol returned to the room, noticing that Devanna must have gone into mom's to get some sleep, before settling in my bed and turning on the television.
We kind of mellowed out at that point, sitting and watching something I honestly couldn't remember. Both of us stared at the screen across from my bed, and to observers, it seemed like we were concentrating on it. But really, it was like an automotive thing. We watched the scenes, the differences in colors of new camera shots, but we weren't really processing it. We were eating, but didn't rely on it's sensations after the first few minutes.
Most of our brain power was occupied by the events of the day. I was working on my encounter with Monte and Jean, of them having their futures figured out for the most part. Lillian, for as pushy as that encounter was, was pretty passionate about her own Contest work. All of them had me questioning, again, what I wanted to do for the future.
And Mew, jeez. I guess things can go back to normal again, eventually, but it still freaks me out. I was shocked, then terrified but...it was balanced out by the experience of just being near him and trusting in his playful nature. He DID seem to indicate he was coming back, so maybe he really WILL be there at the celebration. Wow, I had thought Sol's first time seeing Mew would be from a distance. But he got a much closer audience than that, we both did!
In reality, I glanced to the side at Sol. He was near me on his side, holding up his head with one hand and tossing a Poffin in every few seconds, chewing softly. On occasion, he'd slurp some cider, making him giggle a bit in his mouth at the pleasant taste. I did the same thing, which made me smile. While I have seen people, mostly kids, give their Pokemon sippy-cups...my lizard could handle a straw just fine.
But, I did wonder how things had been for him. Him, Rattler, and Wily seemed to get along well enough. Wonder if he considered them acquaintances, or friends. I'd have to remember to take his feelings into account too.
And what about Mew? I still didn't know how that might have been for Sol. At the very least, Mew just played around with him, and inadvertently scared him with the flying thing. Then again, it did to me too. But given how thoughtful he was being, just like I was, there were a few things going through his mind too at what we had gone through.
Guess we'll see in the next two days how that will go...
We decided to cut it an early night, Sol yawning on my bed as I exchanged pants for shorts and got myself a new shirt before laying down. My Salandit settled laying on his stomach beside me, letting me wrap an arm around his neck, the connected hand resting on the back of his freshly diapered bottom.
I placed my other hand behind my head, looking up at the ceiling as I gave him some pats to his padding, which he murmured comfortably to. The light from the low-volume television was dancing on us more thoroughly now that the lights were off. It was a white-noise thing, I found it hard sometimes to get to sleep. Sol did too, ironically.
When I felt the weight of exhaustion slowly grasping us, I turned it off with the remote, setting it on my desk. The world fell almost silent, with the occasional sound of a Hoot-Hoot somewhere outside, as I sunk a little more into my bed and held my Salandit a little closer. I glanced down to see him having progressed further than I had, he was already resting comfortably, good for him.
Friends, myths, legends, future...past. A lot of things were going on in my head, which was what made sleep difficult, I guess. You want your brain to shut down. Sure, people use medicine or a glass of warm Miltank milk, but not sure that works all the time. Even my own method, of just thinking of familiar or boring things, wasn't a 100% effective. Still, I tried it anyway...on a guess of what Mew may have been trying to tell me.
I looked to my sleeping lizard, my eyes already starting to drift...
Yeah. I guess to Sol, I was special...but back then I was just some depressed kid with parental issues and difficulty antisocial-ness that I'm still working on. I did what I did because it felt right. I discarded my own intentions and did something I felt I had to do.
No...I wanted to do it. But how could a person not? Still...I was the one who did it, who was there at the right time. And to think...I wouldn't have been there, years ago, if I didn't make the stupid choice of running away...
Eventually, sad as it was, moments passed, and I realized I was waiting for nothing right now. I patted Sol on the back and scooped him up into my arms, as wobbly getting to my feet as his sagging diaper was. Eventually though, managed to start a slow walk to the door, flinching as I remember the light being on.
"Oh! Cr...mom's home, right," I mumbled, Sol whipping his head forward to see if I was right. I quickened my pace, shifting my Salandit in my hold to open up the door. I had to pause for a second or two, suddenly finding it weird to enter a place I knew so well. Just outside the house didn't feel familiar anymore with who we had met...it was just...strange. But, eventually, I did walk through the threshold, returning to my life again...
"M...mom we're back!" I called, catching myself at the start for more than one reason, crouching down to put Sol back on his feet. He leaned sideways against my leg, a little annoyed I just carried him a few feet. Still, I wanted my arms free for the moment. "Mom...?"
"Liep..."
I felt the ocular movement on my leg of Sol rolling his eyes, as I looked up at the figure descending the staircase. I can understand Sol's disapproval, as he didn't have the best track record with mom's Pokemon. I could agree to that, in my younger years, but couldn't deny she had helped me a bit with acclimating Sol to life with me heh.
Coming down somehow so carefully that even her diaper, complete with black, exaggerated crescent moon orbs dotting it, didn't crinkle, was Devana, my mom's Liepard. I've known her since I was a kid, back when she was Purrloin. Probably the Pokemon I had most spent my time around back then, making me more of a cat person to a dog person, despite always being a lizard person. Funny life. Anyway, I can't exactly remember when she evolved, but she was definitely a Liepard during the time I was nearing the double digits, and definitely with Sol...boy...she got overly assertive at those times heh...probably for our own good I guess...
"Oh hey Dev...if you're here that must mean...?" I started to ask, pointing upstairs cautiously. The Liepard waited till she came to the first floor proper, setting on her padded rump, with the barest of crinkles, in that weird way cats do it. She seemed to take her time considering the question, way longer than she needed to. I heard Sol grunt a bit at her tactic, which I recognized as her being aloof considering how late we must have gotten back. Interesting, though, means she didn't know WHY we got back so late...
"...epard," she eventually told me, gesturing lightly with the tip of her head.
"Ok, I get it," I mumbled, moving past her and taking a few steps up the stairs before turning back, noticing Sol catch himself on the floor with an outstretched hand. Oops, he had been leaning on me. "Sorry buddy, I'll be right back ok?" I told him, his grumbling being lost on me as I climbed the stairs quickly and looked down the opposite hallway to where Mom's room was. I cautiously made my way over at first, but then remembering the experience I just had, I quickened my pace, opening the slightly ajar door, noticing the light in there was on, and the sounds of the television.
"Mom! You actually got back home early? You won't believe what just---"
I paused, letting the slight smile on my face fade. Mom was out on the bed, sleeping on her side, the colors of the low volume television screen casting color glows on her. She must be quite out of it, given she didn't hear me call earlier, or me running up the stairs. I stayed at the door for a moment, wondering on what I should do. I really wanted to tell her what had just happened, maybe even apologize if 'I' was the one who had been late this time...but she seemed so out of it she didn't even turn off the bedroom light. I really did want to tell her...
...I came over and shut off the television, then back to mom's bed, pulling the covers over her, another thing she forgot to do. I waited there a moment beside her bed as she rested, probably exhausted from another day of work. She always kept picking up days, earning Poke to pay for the things we needed. I helped out where I could, and having Sol around helped a little with that, but I figured to do more than I can. I was still working on what it was I wanted to do with my life in the coming years. I would love it to be something me and Sol could do together...some things were obvious by that standard, but...I still don't know.
I turned off the light and closed the door carefully, returning to the stairs, leaving mom to get the rest she needs. She'll have a day off soon, I can wait till then. She doesn't need me bugging her with things...
"...Lie."
"SAL...DIT."
"...Lieee."
"Salandit!"
I descended the stairs, and collected my lizard before he got into a scratch-fight with Dev over his deluge of a diaper. Guessed that Dev wasn't believing Sol's claims that the sagginess of his diaper wasn't something of his own making. Sol continued to defend himself over my shoulder as I carried him up to my room, not seeing Dev licking her paws as if to say 'I'm not listening', which just set Sol off even more. Thankfully he took it down to Defcon-Grumble by the time we passed the corner. I couldn't help but feel a little better at their exchange. Heh...Pokemon...somehow easier than people for me...
"Sal sal...sa...salan..."
My little lizard was still arguing his own defense, arms folded and tail flicking, even as we came to our four-walled place of refuge. He didn't even stop when I set his set his squishy rump on my desk, still wtih the changing mat on it, before I straightened up and let a tired breath out my mouth. Boy...it wasn't a full day by most standards, but all the experiences had certainly tired me out. Monte, Jean, and Lil were one thing...Mew was a whole other can of Caterpie. I just wanted to eat, lay down, and try to sort out all the stuff that happened today. Granted, there were a few things to do first. And one of them, my Salandit was muttering to defend about.
I reached over for my swivel chair, after taking off the plastic tub or two occupy it, and moved it in front of the desk and my soggy Salandit. I adjusted the height a bit, getting his attention, as I would need a bit more for the task ahead. I didn't recover strength in my legs completely, so I was going to do it this way. I settled in, leaning back in my chair for a moment as Sol raised a brow at me. I ran my hands through my purple hair, looking up at the ceiling fan.
"Jeez buddy...what a day right?"
"Sal an a dit," he told me, as if saying 'you're tellin' me'.
I rubbed my eyes, careful to not remove traces of what I had seen from my retinas, if that ever was a thing. "I mean...I guess it was...ok hanging out with Jean and Monte right? What'd you think?" I asked, looking to him for a second opinion. He shrugged back nonchalantly.
"Salan."
"I mean not like it's not going to be just us again," I told him.
"An dit," he told me, shaking his head in agreement.
"Good good. Still working on that stuff you know heh," I remarked, letting my arms rest on the desk beside Sol's hips, smiling at my own inabilities. He looked at me with a slight smirk, but his eyes were twisted in sympathy. Yeah, he knew me well.
"So...Mew huh?" I brought up, as if it were the most casual thing ever.
"S...sal," he replied, dropping his folded arms and scratching the back of his neck. I could see the blushing on his cheek already. Tah! Apparently Mew playing with his diaper was still a little disconcerting. Then again, I saw his smiles heh heh, he must be embarrassed at the possibility of a myth like Mew knowing he liked his padding heh. Which was ridiculous and cute at the same time, after all, Mew had been wearing one too.
I decided to forgo teasing him for the moment, glancing past his hip at my hand, the one Mew touched. "...why'd you think he showed himself to us?" I wondered out loud. Sol's snapped out of his blush, looking back to me. He opened his mouth, held it for a second or two, then shook his head, shrugging. He didn't know either.
"Ugh, hurts my head not to know," I said, switching to use a hand to hold said-head in. "You right? Yeah? When you get a question you really care about but can't figure it out? It's that. I think it was something about US I think, but we're really not that special you know. At least not me, not really..."
I didn't mean to ramble a bit, and didn't see Sol's disarming look at what I was saying, but I did know what he did next. My Salandit leaned over and placed the bottom of his head on top of mine, much to my confusion at first, and placed his hands against the back of my neck. I guess to any ghostly viewers, it looked like he was hugging my head. I felt him nuzzle against my purple hair a little, something he didn't do very often actually...
"Saaaal..."
Jeez. Guess when you're close to myths and legends, some people tend to think less of themselves when the experience is over. Maybe in the grand scheme of the world, I didn't matter like Mew did. But I mattered the world to Sol, and me to him. We were both kind of lost years ago, and when we finally connected things kind of...fell into place. It didn't matter much for anything else, as long as we...huh...was that what Mew...? Heh, what do you know...
"...teh...thanks buddy," I said, looking up, though it was kind of hard to see him from this angle. I meant it in more than one way, hopefully he understood that.
"Dit," he scoffed, as if to scold me a bit for thinking little of myself.
"Yeah ok," I told him, taking him by the shoulders as he moved off of me, his crescent eyes regarding me fondly. "Sometimes ya have to remind me that I'm worth something huh?"
"Sal," he remarked, nodding and raising his pupils as if it was something he did often. I knew he was kidding, but I was going to pounce him with my next words anyway.
"And sometimes I have to remind YOU---" I started, leaning over my lizard rather mischievously. Though, he mistook it as threatening, which surprised him enough that he leaned back and was nearly flat against the desk. "---that you're a soggy little lizard who loves his diapers!"
Sol, wide-eyed and fumbling onto his back, was mid-way in the point of opening his mouth to retort my statement, till I attacked his sides with my fingers. His retorting growl became gasp-inducing laughter as I started tickling him. He batted at my hands with his claws, but with the utmost lack of strength that he couldn't hurt me. I was more worried about his legs, and had pulled my head away to prevent an unintentional knock out. Kick he did, in little jerks that made his immensely poofed diaper to crinkle and crackle. His tail flicked against my legs and the space underneath the desk, and thankfully what I was doing was not enough to get him flaming up.
"Yeah! There's my little guy! Kicking up a crinkle storm in his Poke-Poofs," I teased him as he cackled in sporadic fits as I continued my assault. Of course, the teasing was just part of the whole thing. Another part was that I was working to get him to wet. If I was going to get him changed, I might as well make sure he's 'empty', and if his diaper was going to leak, better on the mat then, well, anything else.
After a full minute, with short second breaks to make sure Sol caught his breath, I placed a palm on the front of his diaper. Wet, but not warm wet, and there was no hissing noise. I guess he really HAD let everything go back when we finished eating, but had to make sure with the whole Mew escapade and all.
I decided to switch gears, letting up on my tickle assault so Sol could get his breath completely back. He still chuckled a bit as I grabbed his legs and hoisted them up a little, smiling as the wet diaper drooped over his tail. I grabbed the squishy padding and gave him several good pats on the rump.
"Yep, heh heh, that's my leaky lizard," I teased again.
"S...sal!" he complained through laughter fits as he tried to get himself back to normal.
"Oh yeah? I saw you smiling with Mew. You like it heh heh."
"Sal!"
"Ok then heheh, so lets get you changed then," I told him, letting go of his legs and patting the front of his diaper. I was already reaching for the powder and wipes I had on the table when Sol leaned up and placed his hands over his padding.
"S-saland!" he barked at me, jagged mouth gritted, though I could easily see his blush.
I smiled at his reluctance. "Oh? So you DON'T want to be changed out of a wet diaper?" I slyly asked him.
"Sal...! An...dit," he said, as if denying at first, then accepting, and then 'maybe-ing'.
I rose a brow and accompanied it with a smirk. He was usually so resistant, but I guess the fact that the diaper was just filled with water rather than by himself. I'll have to keep note of that for the future heh heh. Still, it's so funny how much he doesn't want to show it...yet does without noticing.
"Ok buddy," I started, finding him so adorable holding onto his diaper like it was a toy somebody threatened to take away from him. That probably was too close a comparison heh!
"I really SHOULD get you changed though. That thing is filled to the brim," I continued, leaning over and stretching my hand toward the cabinet where I kept his immediate spares, groaning when I couldn't reach it without getting up. Then I reminded myself of my travel bag. Where was that...? Oh right, dropped it on the floor when I came in, didn't realize. I quickly reached over and dragged it over, rustling up a freshly folded diaper from a compartment.
I returned my attention to my soggy Salandit, seeing him still holding onto the his own diaper and glaring at me. "Buddy...if you use it, it's gonna leak," I told him, being more serious this time. "Besides...you should probably get a bath," I added, just realizing the dirt bits from the ground-appreciating angel he had made in the road outside.
"Dit," Sol scoffed, looking off to the side.
"Come on Sol, lets get you in a fresh diaper, get something to eat, and power down huh? You really don't have the power to fight me on this for the next few hours do you?" I asked, really hoping the answer to the question wasn't a 'yes'. "I mean, if you want to keep wearing THAT, then you're not sleeping in my bed tonight."
Sol continued his glare at me for a few more seconds, and without breaking it, lifted his hands away from his diaper. "Sal," he grunted, falling onto his back, cupping the rear of his head with a hand as he did, waving me off with the other.
"That's my boy," I chuckled, getting on with the process. Thankfully, it was far simpler than the other times, I didn't even have to worry about the gloves. I sat up in the chair, looking over the drooping garment between my Salandit's legs, smirking at the sight of the thing. Boy, don't think Sol ever had enough in him to fill a diaper this much ta ha!
I peeled back the tapes carefully, a little surprised they were still pretty firm despite what they had managed to hold up to, and placed a hand on the front of the diaper. Good thing too, as soon as the second tape was undone, it drooped a bit and would have slid off in front of me.
Adjusting the front over Sol with one hand, I used the other to hoist my lizard's legs in the air so I could pull the back out from under him. I was reminded half-way through untaping Sol that I forgot about the tail tape. Oh well, I could forget that, it was just water. Slowly, carefully, I tugged it out from under him and slid it down his tail.
"Phew, that's heavy," I remarked out loud, though I had felt that since the start. This thing must weigh three pounds! No wonder Sol didn't move away from Mew, he was rooted by diaper-weight tah!
I placed the massively filled padding on the desk carefully in it's hourglass shape. Both me and Sol stared at the thing, though I quickly shifted my focus to Sol for his reaction. He was wide-eyed at the thing now that he could see it from a different perspective. But then he huffed in his mouth and gave a little smile, as if admiring the thing. Then Sol noticed me smirking at his reaction, and he quickly grunted and looked the other direction.
"Ok buddy," I remarked, the process done. "I think before we get you padded up though, you need a bath."
"S-sal..." Sol begrudgingly remarked as I reached over for the three-pound wet diaper by it's waistband.
I had to use both hands to hold the heavy thing as I moved it over to a waste bin nearby. The diaper was technically just wet with water, so it wouldn't stink anything up, and I just toss it out with the regular tra---
"S-salandit!"
With complete contrary to Sol's claims that he DIDN'T like a wet diaper, my Salandit sure was fast on the gun to flip onto his front, and grab hold of my arm with one hand, and the waistband top of the diaper with the other.
"Whoa! Sol!" I exclaimed, a bit surprised by the action, even for him.
"Sal al and!" he told me rather firmly, eyes narrowed.
"What? What am I doin' wrong?" I asked. "It's not actually wet or dirty so---"
"Sal al and!" Sol repeated, not letting go of either my arm or the diaper.
"Dude...you're flipping out over a wet diaper."
Sol rolled his thin pupils, switching hands, one still on the diaper, and pointing OUT the window. I followed his claw, seeing, from my position, the night sky, complete with the stars coming out.
"Ok, it's night, got that bit. What does that have to do with...oh."
Sol cocked his head to the side when he looked at me again, an 'duh' expression if there ever were one.
"You don't want me getting rid of this?" I asked cautiously, testing what I presumed he was getting at.
"Sal," Sol told me, nodding once.
"You SERIOUSLY want to keep this thing?" I asked again, nodding to it.
"Sal."
"Why?" I asked needlessly, as I think I knew the reason.
Sol grimaced, letting his star-pointing arm to scratch the back of his neck. It was a little funny to see him hesitate on explaining the reason WHY he wanted me to save it, and I guess he was having difficulty thinking of how to get it across to me. For his benefit, I decided to alleviate his uncertainty.
"It's because Mew touched it isn't it?" I asked him, knowing I was right. Sol flexed his neck side to side in a 'maybe' way that I knew was just his way of saying 'yes' un-commitidly. I sighed, but it was one of acceptance. Honestly, if the diaper was wet or dirty, it would stink up the place, and I would say no. But it was just water really, and I couldn't exactly blame Sol for wanting a souvenir.
"Ooook Sol," I told him, getting a rather surprised look from him. "Seriously. I'll just put in a tub or...something," I added, glancing around the room. I had tupperware for a lot of things, mostly console wires and the like to help keep things together.
"As for you," I started up again, eyeing him to let go of the diaper, which I placed on the other side of the desk. "The rest of you should get wet heh," I remarked, picking him up and setting him on his feet. He rolled his head at the remark, but started marching off to the bathroom with me in tow.
After turning the water on and letting the tub fill about half-way, and assisting Sol in getting in it, I graciously stepped out on his behalf. As I searched for a container for Sol's weird souvenir, I started to remind myself how easier the whole bath thing had gotten. It actually wasn't always this easy, believe me, Sol use to be quite a terror trying to get clean. Especially in the early times, when I had assisted him with the process, he always tried to avoid it. But, eventually he did accept it on occasion, and had even requested, in his own way, to clean himself. Surprisingly, he does a decent enough job on his own. Guess the Fire part of him didn't mind hot water...
Eventually I did find a spare box tub that fell between my shelves. I decided it seemed big enough, bringing it over to my desk as I lifted the very heavy wet diaper and placed it in the thing, covering it up. Chagrining, I wondered where to put it, kind of feeling awkward of somebody spotting a stored diaper in my room...despite the fact only me and Sol should be the ones who ever entered. I eventually placed it on the top of one of my shelves, obscured by a few Pokemon statues of the Legendary Birds when I had tried being a collector years ago. Boy, it felt weird using a whole container for water-logged padding. Still, I suppose it could have been worse. In fact, maybe things would have, down the line, if I DIDN'T keep the weird souvenir at Sol's behest...
After checking the fridge again, pleased to see it restocked with palatable foodstuffs, and bottles of apple and Razz cider (yay!), I started planning for a late dinner meal for me and Sol. Figured it was best for us to take a few minutes more from our...flight...before our stomachs settled. Heading back up, I went in to check on my lizard.
"Sol? Buddy, you decent?" I asked needlessly, tapping on the bathroom door. I chuckled, knowing without his diaper he technically wasn't, but I gave him the courtesy anyway before entering.
Sol had apparently finished with the soap and scrubber, if their damp appearances were anything to go by, and I easily spotted my clearer Salandit floating on top of the water. He was floating back-up, with his legs and hands dangling under him in the water, the surface waves lapping against his closed mouth. Apparently, this sort of thing was kind of a throwback to some kind of predatory behavior...though now it just seemed limited to just lazily floating on water surfaces. Believe me, the first time he did something like this, eyes closed, not really moving much, I thought Sol had drowned in the water or something! Boy, he scratched me up good when I panicked and picked him up...
My Salandit was a bit more helpful in making sure I didn't think that this time, as he popped open a single eye to stare at me as I entered the bathroom, though the rest of him remained dead still. I sat on the closed toilet nearby, looking down at him as I took the towel nearby to prepare it. "Bet you feel much better now huh?"
"...bblllm..."
My Salandit cringed a bit as he felt a little bathwater enter his mouth, causing him to fumble upward out of his floating state. It was kind of funny watching bubbles float up to the surface when he mistakenly tried to answer my question. But, nearly swallowing bathwater after you JUST got cleaned up? He had my sympathy.
"Sorry buddy heh. Can wash that out with clean water, and any after taste with some cider heh," I remarked.
"S-sal?"
"Yeah, mom picked some up heh."
I watched Sol tap his claws together in delight at the mention. We both had an appreciation to cider drinks. A combination of sweet and tart that just tingled the tongue. It was a little treat we both liked to share...have to thank mom for it later...
After an initial cup-and-pour to get any lingering water-grim off, I picked up my Salandit in a towel and started helping him dry off. He assisted, thankfully with warning, by igniting his lower back and tail with Ember fire. This was a learned thing, as there was at least one incident when he set a towel on fire...which set the rug on fire...lets just say, good thing Devana knew Rain Dance. Though, it was weird watching the water molecules in the room suddenly combine and fall on the little accident. We both got chewed out for that by the Liepard...
My lizard dried, we returned to the room and I swiftly got him into some new padding. I'm sure he would have been wiggling up another storm of crinkles when I was getting his diaper on, but exhaustion from things seemed to have taken him and he calmly let me do my job heh. After a few minutes of just sitting and laying to catch our breath, we then adjourned to the kitchen and, with him sitting his padded rump on the counter, I made us up an evening meal. There was a whole bag of Figy Poffins for Sol, so that covered him. Though, he was taking great pains, and failing every minute or so, to resist the urge to eat a few before I got my own meal done. He was being rather dramatic about it, trying not to look at the bowel and agonizingly reaching for the next Poffin as if he couldn't control himself. Suddenly the thought of Pokemon Contests entered my head for a brief second before I realized the underside of my chicken patties were burning...
"Crap crap crap..."
Eventually, I saved the things, topping them with some tomato sauce and mozzarella. Simple dish, but oh is it good, as long as you get the right stuff for your taste buds. Besides, I didn't want to go too big after everything that happened today. Me and Sol returned to the room, noticing that Devanna must have gone into mom's to get some sleep, before settling in my bed and turning on the television.
We kind of mellowed out at that point, sitting and watching something I honestly couldn't remember. Both of us stared at the screen across from my bed, and to observers, it seemed like we were concentrating on it. But really, it was like an automotive thing. We watched the scenes, the differences in colors of new camera shots, but we weren't really processing it. We were eating, but didn't rely on it's sensations after the first few minutes.
Most of our brain power was occupied by the events of the day. I was working on my encounter with Monte and Jean, of them having their futures figured out for the most part. Lillian, for as pushy as that encounter was, was pretty passionate about her own Contest work. All of them had me questioning, again, what I wanted to do for the future.
And Mew, jeez. I guess things can go back to normal again, eventually, but it still freaks me out. I was shocked, then terrified but...it was balanced out by the experience of just being near him and trusting in his playful nature. He DID seem to indicate he was coming back, so maybe he really WILL be there at the celebration. Wow, I had thought Sol's first time seeing Mew would be from a distance. But he got a much closer audience than that, we both did!
In reality, I glanced to the side at Sol. He was near me on his side, holding up his head with one hand and tossing a Poffin in every few seconds, chewing softly. On occasion, he'd slurp some cider, making him giggle a bit in his mouth at the pleasant taste. I did the same thing, which made me smile. While I have seen people, mostly kids, give their Pokemon sippy-cups...my lizard could handle a straw just fine.
But, I did wonder how things had been for him. Him, Rattler, and Wily seemed to get along well enough. Wonder if he considered them acquaintances, or friends. I'd have to remember to take his feelings into account too.
And what about Mew? I still didn't know how that might have been for Sol. At the very least, Mew just played around with him, and inadvertently scared him with the flying thing. Then again, it did to me too. But given how thoughtful he was being, just like I was, there were a few things going through his mind too at what we had gone through.
Guess we'll see in the next two days how that will go...
We decided to cut it an early night, Sol yawning on my bed as I exchanged pants for shorts and got myself a new shirt before laying down. My Salandit settled laying on his stomach beside me, letting me wrap an arm around his neck, the connected hand resting on the back of his freshly diapered bottom.
I placed my other hand behind my head, looking up at the ceiling as I gave him some pats to his padding, which he murmured comfortably to. The light from the low-volume television was dancing on us more thoroughly now that the lights were off. It was a white-noise thing, I found it hard sometimes to get to sleep. Sol did too, ironically.
When I felt the weight of exhaustion slowly grasping us, I turned it off with the remote, setting it on my desk. The world fell almost silent, with the occasional sound of a Hoot-Hoot somewhere outside, as I sunk a little more into my bed and held my Salandit a little closer. I glanced down to see him having progressed further than I had, he was already resting comfortably, good for him.
Friends, myths, legends, future...past. A lot of things were going on in my head, which was what made sleep difficult, I guess. You want your brain to shut down. Sure, people use medicine or a glass of warm Miltank milk, but not sure that works all the time. Even my own method, of just thinking of familiar or boring things, wasn't a 100% effective. Still, I tried it anyway...on a guess of what Mew may have been trying to tell me.
I looked to my sleeping lizard, my eyes already starting to drift...
Yeah. I guess to Sol, I was special...but back then I was just some depressed kid with parental issues and difficulty antisocial-ness that I'm still working on. I did what I did because it felt right. I discarded my own intentions and did something I felt I had to do.
No...I wanted to do it. But how could a person not? Still...I was the one who did it, who was there at the right time. And to think...I wouldn't have been there, years ago, if I didn't make the stupid choice of running away...
Category Story / All
Species Pokemon
Gender Any
Size 200 x 370px
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