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Ok, I guess it's time for an update. Halloween is coming up soon, guess that can be a reason. Did like the season not so much for the scares, but the idea of being 'weird' or 'anything' and maybe getting a bit more acceptance for it...though that probably isn't as good as it used to be, or if it ever was...
Anyway...in this chapter, Purple and Sol encounter some associates at a particularly grain-y establishment, and we get a first look at how 'normal' people think of things...
Chapter 5 Crackle and Pop
"Pffftttt....tahahahaha! Oh my gawd! Are you ser---tahahahaha! Oh my---oh my...I can't...W-Wily! I m-may have to borrow one of your diapers buddy! This is TOO funny!"
Me and Sol both gave dull looks in the same direction. It couldn't be THAT funny could it? I mean, really?
Seeing how it was still early, and I felt pretty drained from both Wyatt's proposal, and Lil's, I took Sol to a MMB...oh, right, should clarify. I mean a MooMooBar. They probably didn't have these on the mainland, but it was kinda a franchise that dotted the town like the Poof Places. It's mostly popular as a breakfast hotspot, mainly because of what they served, and was noted to be a smart option for many on-the-go people or just your morning meal in general.
Essentially, the places are modeled like one big old-timey bar, with several booths, and a BIG oval counter in the middle with bar stools in front of it. In the opening of the oval was this huge array of cylinders full of cereal grains and flakes. You heard that right, this place catered to the crowd with good-ole cereal. Not exactly from-the-box like in stores, these places got their stock fresh off the line...like how you get the freshest ice-cream from a VanilaWorld creamery---but that's a different place heh.
Yeah, essentially you come in and order cereal from all the brands in town, many having been locally grown, or with berry-added flavor, accompanied with fresh MooMoo Milk from Miltank Pokemon in the back. The prices were cheap too, so even on a budget, coming here didn't make a dent. I think kids and Pokemon below a certain age could actually eat here free, given the excess in production the town makes.
I didn't used to come to these places, as MMBs kinda promoted themselves as like 'the family breakfast table of your community'...but ever since Sol, I felt coming here would help him physically, since grains were good for you, and milk helped your bones grow strong, apparently. I know, some may see the milk as a bit much, given all the diapered Pokemon around, but honestly, another stereotype to just drop along with others. The point was, the prices were great, the food is fresh, good, and healthy, and for some people, good place for meet ups or gossip.
The former was unintentional, and the later was my fault...
Me and Sol sat at the counter, with him, yes, sitting his pampered bottom on the red padded seat. He finally started to do this this past year, not begrudgingly sitting in my lap, and I'm so glad he did. I ordered my Bluk-Berry-Flakes, a standard sweet cereal, and Sol got Shuka-Berry-Flakes. He liked a little tingle with his version, which is certainly fine with me. There were hotter varieties...though I don't know who likes hot cereal to be honest.
We selected medium-sized bowls---you can pick sizes---and waited for our order, which didn't take long at all, just maybe a minute or two---the turnaround service is awesome. Soon, a perky Chikorita who practically pranced down the counter, like her own personal racetrack in a way, started coming around. In her vines were our bowls, which, as they all do, came with lids that prevented spilling.
With a happy expression, she looked to us and, without breaking stride, lowered her vine whips to deposit our cereals at our designated positions---that being small numbered circles on the counter that showed what seat number we were in. I smiled a bit, noting the back of the Pokemon's diaper had a rectangular sticker applied to it that said "Thank You For Your Order! Have a Mooific Day!"
Popping our lids, and using provided spoons, we dug in. While cereal alone didn't 'make a meal', I just wanted something in my stomach, and something that would give me energy to get through to the next one; that being whatever ELSE was going to happen today. We finished our first bowls in quick time, and ordered a second round. Already, I was feeling a little better with the sugary, sweet flakes...
...and then I made dumb by telling someone about what Lillian asked of us.
"Hahaha...haha...ha...haaaaaa..."
"...done yet? Do you need this?" I asked with a dullard expression, having pulled one of Sol's diapers from my pack and holding it up in sarcastic offering.
"Ooooh, close call," Monte told me, wiping a tear from his eye. Beside him, Wily was lifting his large cereal bowl in the air and shaking grains and cereal stuck to the bottom to fall forth into his mouth.
I placed the spare back, turning to my half-full cereal round. Beside me, Sol had leaned on the counter, an elbow to it, hand to the side of his head as he side-ways ate, making sure to keep his deadpanned expression in Monte's direction.
Thinking on it, I guess it made sense that these two came to an MMB, given that this was a prime start to the day for bikers, joggers, and other athletic-types. I guess I just didn't expect them at THIS ONE. And, of course, if one sees a Salandit with a slightly damp diaper finishing off his third bowl of slightly spicy flakes, you pretty much know I'm right near him.
So it goes that Monte and Wily showed up and decided to say 'hi' and take seats near us. I don't know if it was the soothing feeling of MooMoo Milk or that I was finally getting to a moment of getting my breath, but I...told him about Lil.
"Y-you two are SERIOUSLY going to do one of those CONTESTS!?" Monte bellowed, laughing and holding his stomach again.
"Dit," Sol mumbled in annoyance, wagging his spoon up and down in Monte's direction, a splash of milk ending up on the counter. A passing Cottonee rolling along the counter 'track' soaked it up in short order, dragging along a 'tip jar' on a coaster of some sort. Not odd, it was standard. And I popped a coin in.
"It's a not a Contest," I clarified, moving some cereal with my spoon. "It's like...one of those mini-performances at the Mew celebration."
"Will there be dancing?"
"I...maybe?"
"Acting?"
"I...think?"
"Then it's a Contest heh," Monte chuckled, raising his cap.
"It's not for Judges or Ribbons or stuff like that," I clarified again, rolling my eyes. "And me and Sol made sure we AREN'T doing any of that...stuff they do in those things, that's just not like us."
"I'm sure Lil took that easy?" Monte asked, with a bit of a chortle.
I glanced to Sol, and he glanced to me, giving a dirty grin. Uh...no, I'm NOT going to mention THAT.
"We worked it out," I said back to Monte. "And I told her if things look like it's not gonna work out, then we fly like a Dragonite."
Monte gave me a rather wary glance at first, and then slowly smiled. "Hmm...I don't think you'll leave a lady in distress."
I looked to him, a bit surprised, though Sol got ahead of me and commented. "Sal-annnd," he grunted over.
"Whoa, little buddy, sure you might," Monte chuckled, holding up a hand. "But I mean, come on Purp, why'd you even help her in the first place?"
"I...dunno," I admitted, looking into the milk of my bowl. "Guess...it was just nice to see her acting something other than crabby to me."
"Yeeeeeaaah," Monte muttered, scratching under his chin. "Ever since we left our school days behind, she's been testy with the rest of us. Well, the boys I guess. Not sure how she is with the girls in the Contests."
"Well, guys do it too," I remarked, noticing Sol pointing with his spoon and running two claws across his mouth, an indication to Monte to 'zip it' in response to that comment.
"Uh...right," Monte wisely replied, moving cereal rapidly in his bowl for a few seconds. "I remember she used to be so shy before she got Pearl."
I blinked, looking up at the cylinders full of cereal. "Was she?"
"Yeah, I remember because---" Monte started, looking over at the Zangoose beside him, who was plucking a fresh bowl out of the passing Chikorita's vine as she passed by with the next round. "---a bit after she did, get Pearl I mean, she was getting bullied by some kids I guess were...I guess they had parents from the mainland or something..."
My head was fully looking at Monte now, and even Sol was seeming interested in the story he was telling.
"Anyway," Monte continued, stirring his bowl, his face in concentration. "Me and Wily happen to be passing by, and they were making fun of her and Pearl. Saying why she babied a Pokemon and all that...and well..."
He paused, looking Wily's way. The Zangoose was in the process of, once again, having his bowl in the air and downing the grains. He stopped in mid-pat to the bowl, left eye wide as he looked out direction, then down to Monte, clearly more focused on a meal than the conversation at the moment...but realizing he was somehow part of it.
"Heh," Monte chuckled, looking back to us. "Well, lets just say that was our first little fight we got into."
"You...didn't," I said, blinking, wondering if he really.
"No no no," Monte assured, lowering his head and flicking his spoon. Oh look, there goes the Cottonee again...roll along you little ball of fluff. "We didn't actually FIGHT, but it could have gone that way. Needless to say, Wily scared'em off," he told us, nudging the Zangoose in the stomach with his elbow a little.
Wily placed down his bowl, giving us a wide smirk, as if he caught the tail end of him being described in heroic circumstances. Then, immediately, he let loose a belch that caused Monte's cap to shift a little, and make me and Sol both cover our bowls with our arms.
"Yep...you're a hero," Monte half-heartily chuckled.
"Goose," Wily grunted, covering his mouth.
"So you actually stood up for her?" I decided to say, still interested in this tale.
"I guess," Monte said, blinking. "I didn't really think much of it at the time, it just...felt like the right thing to do I guess," he added, shrugging. "Me and Wily walked her and Pearl home, and I told her not to worry, since she was in class with us and we'd look out for her."
"Us?"
"Yeah, you and...ugh, Jean," Monte mumbled, looking up, shoulders slacking. "Right, we weren't exactly rivals then."
"Me?" I questioned, focusing when I was put in this story.
"Well yeah," Monte said, looking to me. "I mean, you were...I dunno...kinda the loner type? You got along with Pokemon I think...and they can tell good people."
"I...guess?"
"Yeah, but I guess ever since she got into Contests and stuff, Lil just got snooty and stuck-up," Monte continued, shrugging. I honestly wanted to ask more about how I seemed back then...but I stopped myself, looking over to Sol. He was polishing off his bowl, flicking his tongue to lap up the rest of the milk.
...no...I don't need to look back at myself.
"I don't know, maybe it was the whole Contest thing in general," Monte went on, shrugging as he took a moment to polish off the milk from his bowl from the rim. "Ahhh...awesome! 'nother round over here!"
"I guess," I repeated, shaking my head.
"So you're really gonna help her out then?" he asked me, swiveling around so that he could rest his shoulders and arms against the counter.
"Well, she WILL owe us...something," I made sure to say. I didn't say WHAT...but I figured if you got a wild card for something, don't think too quickly on it.
"Not what I asked," Monte replied, smiling under his cap.
I didn't answer for a moment, still trying to get the reason myself. Pity? Compassion? Sometimes I feel like I don't know what to do in a moment, and other times, it feels like I'm drifting along with some other force that kind of leans me in a direction, whatever it may be...was kind of feeling that now.
"Just...felt like the right thing to do I guess," I replied. I didn't realize I had said that, and how ironic it was...that Monte had just said it himself a minute ago.
"Ha! Thought so," Monte said, spinning around as the padded Chikorita lowered his next cereal round to the counter. He popped the lid, and held his spoon above it for a moment, looking back to me. "Kinda figured you were that type of person."
"What?"
"Na, really," Monte said off-handidly. "Ever since you got your own partner, and actually hanging out with us on the off-chance, I've gotten the vibe you're not the type of person to leave a lady in distress heh."
I...felt like he...wanted to answer that differently. I mean the whole 'lady in distress' thing seemed a bit...fantasy-esque to me. I mean, granted, me and Sol like playing RPGs and being the hero---albeit one that loots like a klepto---but then I remind myself that my partner didn't exactly treat Lil or Pearl in a stereotypical 'like ladies' way...
...then again, it's a mainland stereotype that girls get treated differently, like, just off the top of my head here, they 'change diapers more than boys' right? Know there are other things, but that the first go to. Guess I should remind myself we're not all 'conventional' here.
The chime of the entryway bell rung, which normally wouldn't have gotten our attention...but the people coming through were vocal enough that some of it diverted to them.
"This town is SO weird..."
"I counted so many wearing them, I can't imagine why it doesn't smell so..."
"And WHY is it that I can't have my Machop out without a DIAPER on?"
"I don't know dear, it's a very du---peculiar...thing, for sure."
Sol was busy on his next bowl, and Wily was trying to get a third, but both me and Monte lowered our heads a little bit, set to put on our 'happy faces' for the people who show up around this time. Even though we had our backs to the ones speaking, we have experienced such tone before. Travelers, explorers, tourists...and people wanting to see the rumored town of diaper-wearing Pokemon.
I had spotted out of the corner of my eye that it was a mother, father, and their son, I assume, taking one of the booths. They looked around...not so much disapprovingly as they were confused about the stuff they saw. Granted, from their sight point, they would see Sol, Wily, and the Chikorita making another round, all padded up of course. One of the employees came around to them and, with obvious courtesy, asked what they would like, and making recommendations.
"Oh yes, we were...suggested one of these places for breakfast," the mother said matter-a-factly, the 'waiter' expressing gratitude for the choice.
"Not really a cereal person," the father grunted, till he looked at the laminated menu. "But it's...really cheap, wow."
"It comes with milk? Isn't that for babies?" the kid remarked, face squinting.
"Pfft." I heard Monte block a bout of laughter with his lips, looking over to Wily, the Zangoose giving him a roll of the eyes. I slowly put my arm around Sol, who didn't seem to mind it as he started on the second half of his bowl, smiling at his resilience. Yep. Stereotypes are fun aren't they?
Yeah, they were definitely here temporarily, hopefully anyway. Stuff like this, better and worse, always happened with visitors. They found some of the 'culture', I guess you could say, weird...not to mention the stipulations in place that made this town what is. I imagine it's a bit divisive, being somewhat final on a few things for those coming here, but it's not like such divisiveness would go away if someone from here took their diapered Pokemon out into the wider world---something I never imagined doing. It's how things were here...and if you got use to it, maybe you'd see why we do them.
"What kind of Pokemon is THAT?"
I closed my eyes. No...of course. I could feel without seeing, that Sol was making a display of holding his bowl sideways in front of himself, his tongue flicking out flakes. Since Wily had been taking Monte's lead of not drawing too much attention...my lizard was, in his blissful ignorance, doing quite the opposite.
"It's some kind of...lizard."
"Oh my gosh, it's a wearing of those things too."
"A messy eater..."
I rolled my eyes at that one, but said nothing. Sol just finished up, setting his bowl down, keeping his claws on the rim for a moment...before letting out a wide-mouth belch himself, his neck spines tingling as he made a brief, yet loud one. His eyes lowered back to slits as he got a self-satisfied look on his face, while I heard some groans and cringing noises in the direction of the booth. Monte, hand to mouth, was trying not to laugh, managing to get out a 'nice one little dude' in whisper to us, with Wily nodding with a grin from behind him.
"And here we are, hope you all enjoy your meal, and if you want a refill, just call your table and selection, or ask for me," the 'waiter' said, eventually returning to the tourist trio, waiting to the side as the diapered Chikorita pranced it's way over to the table.
Seeing they were distracted, me and Monte glanced over to see their faces squinting a bit and their bodies slightly swaying away from the padded Pokemon as she came over and started to deposit their bowls. We noticed it before they said it, but a little smile appeared on our faces at how they would---
"Ew!" the boy jerked out, pushing against his mother's side.
"E-excuse me! I-is the Pokemon SERVING us wearing a DIAPER?" the father asked, eyes wide, pointing at it.
"Uh...yes sir, that's kind of common around here," was the response.
"A-and you let food be served by someone wearing that?" the mother questioned.
"That's gross! Who brings food in dirty baby pants!?" the boy exclaimed.
The waiter blinked, leaning a bit to the side at the waiting Chikorita, noticing the slight drag of it's diaper. "Oh no, it's quite alright, I assure you, she's only a little wet and---"
"A little---!?"
"You put FOOD near that!?"
"Let's get out of here, this just---"
The trio shuffled out like a horde of Beedrill was about to descend upon them if they remained in the building. It left the waiter and the Chikorita looking at their departure for a few seconds, before looking at each other. The former gave a shrug and a squashed grin, while the Chikorita gave something similar, moving further into the room, still with a prance to her step, and a slight sway to her diaper.
"Teh..."
"Tahaha."
Me and Monte started laughing, the waiter passing us by and giving us a slight 'yeah, I know right?' look before doing his rounds again. He didn't make a fuss about the un-taken orders or payment, as this was not an overwhelming occurrence. Tourists can be so sensitive about things, no wonder they're so high-strung out there. It's not like the food was prepared next to a diaper-pail or something, esssh, and the Chikorita keeps those hold vines from the diaper---not like we don't have health inspectors ya know. Still, it gave us natives something to make fun of the 'mainland folk' for...I mean, if they were trying to demean or belittle us first.
As the Cottonee went by wiping excess again, I stuck a few Poke' in the tip jar for them and the Chikorita. That's for being a good sport.
"Oh man, certainly is that time ain't it?" Monte remarked, his shoulders slack now that the layer of courtesy didn't have to be maintained.
"Yeah, everybody coming for the Mew celebration," I replied, nodding, then pausing a moment to remember what I was suppose to do for it now, if I truly decided to.
"Right, just to see the big 'mon 'emself. Er, well, I guess he's actually...small right? Mew's small?" Monte wondered, shrugging at me. Me and Sol glanced to each other, I glanced back to Monte. No comment. "Wonder how big the wave'll be this year. Eh, but that would mean asking Jean,” Monte went on, sighing.
“Jean?" I asked around a mouthful of soggy-flakes. I didn't mind flakes when soggy, as long as they weren't saturated. Teh, glancing over at my lizard, who was getting his next bowl, I figured the same applied to him. Both for flakes, and his diaper tahaha.
"Oph yeap," Monte said, a mouthful of his own before he swallowed. "Ah. Yeah, said him and Rattler were going up to the Jaboca Gate and 'scout out the swam', I think is how he put it."
"Jaboca?" I questioned, more to myself. That was the gate nearest in the direction of the harbor on the western edge of the island Berryton was on. Generally, that's where foreigners arrive from so I guess it made sense. Don't think I've BEEN there myself but...
"Don't know if it's about that 'police stuff' he was talking about yesterday or what, but just seems like snooping to me really," Monte reasoned, tapping his spoon against his bowl.
I looked over at Sol, who was polishing off his...third, fourth bowl? Whatever it was, it seemed like his last, given the satisfied sigh he made putting it down. He looked up at me sideways, wondering what I was looking at him for.
"Snooping huh?" I repeated, getting a slight grin. Sol raised his brow at me...then his mouth twitched, slowly hooking up into a smile. We had some time to kill, and this may be interesting. Besides, people have been surprising US for awhile, 'bout time we did it to someone ELSE heh.
Ok, I guess it's time for an update. Halloween is coming up soon, guess that can be a reason. Did like the season not so much for the scares, but the idea of being 'weird' or 'anything' and maybe getting a bit more acceptance for it...though that probably isn't as good as it used to be, or if it ever was...
Anyway...in this chapter, Purple and Sol encounter some associates at a particularly grain-y establishment, and we get a first look at how 'normal' people think of things...
Chapter 5 Crackle and Pop
"Pffftttt....tahahahaha! Oh my gawd! Are you ser---tahahahaha! Oh my---oh my...I can't...W-Wily! I m-may have to borrow one of your diapers buddy! This is TOO funny!"
Me and Sol both gave dull looks in the same direction. It couldn't be THAT funny could it? I mean, really?
Seeing how it was still early, and I felt pretty drained from both Wyatt's proposal, and Lil's, I took Sol to a MMB...oh, right, should clarify. I mean a MooMooBar. They probably didn't have these on the mainland, but it was kinda a franchise that dotted the town like the Poof Places. It's mostly popular as a breakfast hotspot, mainly because of what they served, and was noted to be a smart option for many on-the-go people or just your morning meal in general.
Essentially, the places are modeled like one big old-timey bar, with several booths, and a BIG oval counter in the middle with bar stools in front of it. In the opening of the oval was this huge array of cylinders full of cereal grains and flakes. You heard that right, this place catered to the crowd with good-ole cereal. Not exactly from-the-box like in stores, these places got their stock fresh off the line...like how you get the freshest ice-cream from a VanilaWorld creamery---but that's a different place heh.
Yeah, essentially you come in and order cereal from all the brands in town, many having been locally grown, or with berry-added flavor, accompanied with fresh MooMoo Milk from Miltank Pokemon in the back. The prices were cheap too, so even on a budget, coming here didn't make a dent. I think kids and Pokemon below a certain age could actually eat here free, given the excess in production the town makes.
I didn't used to come to these places, as MMBs kinda promoted themselves as like 'the family breakfast table of your community'...but ever since Sol, I felt coming here would help him physically, since grains were good for you, and milk helped your bones grow strong, apparently. I know, some may see the milk as a bit much, given all the diapered Pokemon around, but honestly, another stereotype to just drop along with others. The point was, the prices were great, the food is fresh, good, and healthy, and for some people, good place for meet ups or gossip.
The former was unintentional, and the later was my fault...
Me and Sol sat at the counter, with him, yes, sitting his pampered bottom on the red padded seat. He finally started to do this this past year, not begrudgingly sitting in my lap, and I'm so glad he did. I ordered my Bluk-Berry-Flakes, a standard sweet cereal, and Sol got Shuka-Berry-Flakes. He liked a little tingle with his version, which is certainly fine with me. There were hotter varieties...though I don't know who likes hot cereal to be honest.
We selected medium-sized bowls---you can pick sizes---and waited for our order, which didn't take long at all, just maybe a minute or two---the turnaround service is awesome. Soon, a perky Chikorita who practically pranced down the counter, like her own personal racetrack in a way, started coming around. In her vines were our bowls, which, as they all do, came with lids that prevented spilling.
With a happy expression, she looked to us and, without breaking stride, lowered her vine whips to deposit our cereals at our designated positions---that being small numbered circles on the counter that showed what seat number we were in. I smiled a bit, noting the back of the Pokemon's diaper had a rectangular sticker applied to it that said "Thank You For Your Order! Have a Mooific Day!"
Popping our lids, and using provided spoons, we dug in. While cereal alone didn't 'make a meal', I just wanted something in my stomach, and something that would give me energy to get through to the next one; that being whatever ELSE was going to happen today. We finished our first bowls in quick time, and ordered a second round. Already, I was feeling a little better with the sugary, sweet flakes...
...and then I made dumb by telling someone about what Lillian asked of us.
"Hahaha...haha...ha...haaaaaa..."
"...done yet? Do you need this?" I asked with a dullard expression, having pulled one of Sol's diapers from my pack and holding it up in sarcastic offering.
"Ooooh, close call," Monte told me, wiping a tear from his eye. Beside him, Wily was lifting his large cereal bowl in the air and shaking grains and cereal stuck to the bottom to fall forth into his mouth.
I placed the spare back, turning to my half-full cereal round. Beside me, Sol had leaned on the counter, an elbow to it, hand to the side of his head as he side-ways ate, making sure to keep his deadpanned expression in Monte's direction.
Thinking on it, I guess it made sense that these two came to an MMB, given that this was a prime start to the day for bikers, joggers, and other athletic-types. I guess I just didn't expect them at THIS ONE. And, of course, if one sees a Salandit with a slightly damp diaper finishing off his third bowl of slightly spicy flakes, you pretty much know I'm right near him.
So it goes that Monte and Wily showed up and decided to say 'hi' and take seats near us. I don't know if it was the soothing feeling of MooMoo Milk or that I was finally getting to a moment of getting my breath, but I...told him about Lil.
"Y-you two are SERIOUSLY going to do one of those CONTESTS!?" Monte bellowed, laughing and holding his stomach again.
"Dit," Sol mumbled in annoyance, wagging his spoon up and down in Monte's direction, a splash of milk ending up on the counter. A passing Cottonee rolling along the counter 'track' soaked it up in short order, dragging along a 'tip jar' on a coaster of some sort. Not odd, it was standard. And I popped a coin in.
"It's a not a Contest," I clarified, moving some cereal with my spoon. "It's like...one of those mini-performances at the Mew celebration."
"Will there be dancing?"
"I...maybe?"
"Acting?"
"I...think?"
"Then it's a Contest heh," Monte chuckled, raising his cap.
"It's not for Judges or Ribbons or stuff like that," I clarified again, rolling my eyes. "And me and Sol made sure we AREN'T doing any of that...stuff they do in those things, that's just not like us."
"I'm sure Lil took that easy?" Monte asked, with a bit of a chortle.
I glanced to Sol, and he glanced to me, giving a dirty grin. Uh...no, I'm NOT going to mention THAT.
"We worked it out," I said back to Monte. "And I told her if things look like it's not gonna work out, then we fly like a Dragonite."
Monte gave me a rather wary glance at first, and then slowly smiled. "Hmm...I don't think you'll leave a lady in distress."
I looked to him, a bit surprised, though Sol got ahead of me and commented. "Sal-annnd," he grunted over.
"Whoa, little buddy, sure you might," Monte chuckled, holding up a hand. "But I mean, come on Purp, why'd you even help her in the first place?"
"I...dunno," I admitted, looking into the milk of my bowl. "Guess...it was just nice to see her acting something other than crabby to me."
"Yeeeeeaaah," Monte muttered, scratching under his chin. "Ever since we left our school days behind, she's been testy with the rest of us. Well, the boys I guess. Not sure how she is with the girls in the Contests."
"Well, guys do it too," I remarked, noticing Sol pointing with his spoon and running two claws across his mouth, an indication to Monte to 'zip it' in response to that comment.
"Uh...right," Monte wisely replied, moving cereal rapidly in his bowl for a few seconds. "I remember she used to be so shy before she got Pearl."
I blinked, looking up at the cylinders full of cereal. "Was she?"
"Yeah, I remember because---" Monte started, looking over at the Zangoose beside him, who was plucking a fresh bowl out of the passing Chikorita's vine as she passed by with the next round. "---a bit after she did, get Pearl I mean, she was getting bullied by some kids I guess were...I guess they had parents from the mainland or something..."
My head was fully looking at Monte now, and even Sol was seeming interested in the story he was telling.
"Anyway," Monte continued, stirring his bowl, his face in concentration. "Me and Wily happen to be passing by, and they were making fun of her and Pearl. Saying why she babied a Pokemon and all that...and well..."
He paused, looking Wily's way. The Zangoose was in the process of, once again, having his bowl in the air and downing the grains. He stopped in mid-pat to the bowl, left eye wide as he looked out direction, then down to Monte, clearly more focused on a meal than the conversation at the moment...but realizing he was somehow part of it.
"Heh," Monte chuckled, looking back to us. "Well, lets just say that was our first little fight we got into."
"You...didn't," I said, blinking, wondering if he really.
"No no no," Monte assured, lowering his head and flicking his spoon. Oh look, there goes the Cottonee again...roll along you little ball of fluff. "We didn't actually FIGHT, but it could have gone that way. Needless to say, Wily scared'em off," he told us, nudging the Zangoose in the stomach with his elbow a little.
Wily placed down his bowl, giving us a wide smirk, as if he caught the tail end of him being described in heroic circumstances. Then, immediately, he let loose a belch that caused Monte's cap to shift a little, and make me and Sol both cover our bowls with our arms.
"Yep...you're a hero," Monte half-heartily chuckled.
"Goose," Wily grunted, covering his mouth.
"So you actually stood up for her?" I decided to say, still interested in this tale.
"I guess," Monte said, blinking. "I didn't really think much of it at the time, it just...felt like the right thing to do I guess," he added, shrugging. "Me and Wily walked her and Pearl home, and I told her not to worry, since she was in class with us and we'd look out for her."
"Us?"
"Yeah, you and...ugh, Jean," Monte mumbled, looking up, shoulders slacking. "Right, we weren't exactly rivals then."
"Me?" I questioned, focusing when I was put in this story.
"Well yeah," Monte said, looking to me. "I mean, you were...I dunno...kinda the loner type? You got along with Pokemon I think...and they can tell good people."
"I...guess?"
"Yeah, but I guess ever since she got into Contests and stuff, Lil just got snooty and stuck-up," Monte continued, shrugging. I honestly wanted to ask more about how I seemed back then...but I stopped myself, looking over to Sol. He was polishing off his bowl, flicking his tongue to lap up the rest of the milk.
...no...I don't need to look back at myself.
"I don't know, maybe it was the whole Contest thing in general," Monte went on, shrugging as he took a moment to polish off the milk from his bowl from the rim. "Ahhh...awesome! 'nother round over here!"
"I guess," I repeated, shaking my head.
"So you're really gonna help her out then?" he asked me, swiveling around so that he could rest his shoulders and arms against the counter.
"Well, she WILL owe us...something," I made sure to say. I didn't say WHAT...but I figured if you got a wild card for something, don't think too quickly on it.
"Not what I asked," Monte replied, smiling under his cap.
I didn't answer for a moment, still trying to get the reason myself. Pity? Compassion? Sometimes I feel like I don't know what to do in a moment, and other times, it feels like I'm drifting along with some other force that kind of leans me in a direction, whatever it may be...was kind of feeling that now.
"Just...felt like the right thing to do I guess," I replied. I didn't realize I had said that, and how ironic it was...that Monte had just said it himself a minute ago.
"Ha! Thought so," Monte said, spinning around as the padded Chikorita lowered his next cereal round to the counter. He popped the lid, and held his spoon above it for a moment, looking back to me. "Kinda figured you were that type of person."
"What?"
"Na, really," Monte said off-handidly. "Ever since you got your own partner, and actually hanging out with us on the off-chance, I've gotten the vibe you're not the type of person to leave a lady in distress heh."
I...felt like he...wanted to answer that differently. I mean the whole 'lady in distress' thing seemed a bit...fantasy-esque to me. I mean, granted, me and Sol like playing RPGs and being the hero---albeit one that loots like a klepto---but then I remind myself that my partner didn't exactly treat Lil or Pearl in a stereotypical 'like ladies' way...
...then again, it's a mainland stereotype that girls get treated differently, like, just off the top of my head here, they 'change diapers more than boys' right? Know there are other things, but that the first go to. Guess I should remind myself we're not all 'conventional' here.
The chime of the entryway bell rung, which normally wouldn't have gotten our attention...but the people coming through were vocal enough that some of it diverted to them.
"This town is SO weird..."
"I counted so many wearing them, I can't imagine why it doesn't smell so..."
"And WHY is it that I can't have my Machop out without a DIAPER on?"
"I don't know dear, it's a very du---peculiar...thing, for sure."
Sol was busy on his next bowl, and Wily was trying to get a third, but both me and Monte lowered our heads a little bit, set to put on our 'happy faces' for the people who show up around this time. Even though we had our backs to the ones speaking, we have experienced such tone before. Travelers, explorers, tourists...and people wanting to see the rumored town of diaper-wearing Pokemon.
I had spotted out of the corner of my eye that it was a mother, father, and their son, I assume, taking one of the booths. They looked around...not so much disapprovingly as they were confused about the stuff they saw. Granted, from their sight point, they would see Sol, Wily, and the Chikorita making another round, all padded up of course. One of the employees came around to them and, with obvious courtesy, asked what they would like, and making recommendations.
"Oh yes, we were...suggested one of these places for breakfast," the mother said matter-a-factly, the 'waiter' expressing gratitude for the choice.
"Not really a cereal person," the father grunted, till he looked at the laminated menu. "But it's...really cheap, wow."
"It comes with milk? Isn't that for babies?" the kid remarked, face squinting.
"Pfft." I heard Monte block a bout of laughter with his lips, looking over to Wily, the Zangoose giving him a roll of the eyes. I slowly put my arm around Sol, who didn't seem to mind it as he started on the second half of his bowl, smiling at his resilience. Yep. Stereotypes are fun aren't they?
Yeah, they were definitely here temporarily, hopefully anyway. Stuff like this, better and worse, always happened with visitors. They found some of the 'culture', I guess you could say, weird...not to mention the stipulations in place that made this town what is. I imagine it's a bit divisive, being somewhat final on a few things for those coming here, but it's not like such divisiveness would go away if someone from here took their diapered Pokemon out into the wider world---something I never imagined doing. It's how things were here...and if you got use to it, maybe you'd see why we do them.
"What kind of Pokemon is THAT?"
I closed my eyes. No...of course. I could feel without seeing, that Sol was making a display of holding his bowl sideways in front of himself, his tongue flicking out flakes. Since Wily had been taking Monte's lead of not drawing too much attention...my lizard was, in his blissful ignorance, doing quite the opposite.
"It's some kind of...lizard."
"Oh my gosh, it's a wearing of those things too."
"A messy eater..."
I rolled my eyes at that one, but said nothing. Sol just finished up, setting his bowl down, keeping his claws on the rim for a moment...before letting out a wide-mouth belch himself, his neck spines tingling as he made a brief, yet loud one. His eyes lowered back to slits as he got a self-satisfied look on his face, while I heard some groans and cringing noises in the direction of the booth. Monte, hand to mouth, was trying not to laugh, managing to get out a 'nice one little dude' in whisper to us, with Wily nodding with a grin from behind him.
"And here we are, hope you all enjoy your meal, and if you want a refill, just call your table and selection, or ask for me," the 'waiter' said, eventually returning to the tourist trio, waiting to the side as the diapered Chikorita pranced it's way over to the table.
Seeing they were distracted, me and Monte glanced over to see their faces squinting a bit and their bodies slightly swaying away from the padded Pokemon as she came over and started to deposit their bowls. We noticed it before they said it, but a little smile appeared on our faces at how they would---
"Ew!" the boy jerked out, pushing against his mother's side.
"E-excuse me! I-is the Pokemon SERVING us wearing a DIAPER?" the father asked, eyes wide, pointing at it.
"Uh...yes sir, that's kind of common around here," was the response.
"A-and you let food be served by someone wearing that?" the mother questioned.
"That's gross! Who brings food in dirty baby pants!?" the boy exclaimed.
The waiter blinked, leaning a bit to the side at the waiting Chikorita, noticing the slight drag of it's diaper. "Oh no, it's quite alright, I assure you, she's only a little wet and---"
"A little---!?"
"You put FOOD near that!?"
"Let's get out of here, this just---"
The trio shuffled out like a horde of Beedrill was about to descend upon them if they remained in the building. It left the waiter and the Chikorita looking at their departure for a few seconds, before looking at each other. The former gave a shrug and a squashed grin, while the Chikorita gave something similar, moving further into the room, still with a prance to her step, and a slight sway to her diaper.
"Teh..."
"Tahaha."
Me and Monte started laughing, the waiter passing us by and giving us a slight 'yeah, I know right?' look before doing his rounds again. He didn't make a fuss about the un-taken orders or payment, as this was not an overwhelming occurrence. Tourists can be so sensitive about things, no wonder they're so high-strung out there. It's not like the food was prepared next to a diaper-pail or something, esssh, and the Chikorita keeps those hold vines from the diaper---not like we don't have health inspectors ya know. Still, it gave us natives something to make fun of the 'mainland folk' for...I mean, if they were trying to demean or belittle us first.
As the Cottonee went by wiping excess again, I stuck a few Poke' in the tip jar for them and the Chikorita. That's for being a good sport.
"Oh man, certainly is that time ain't it?" Monte remarked, his shoulders slack now that the layer of courtesy didn't have to be maintained.
"Yeah, everybody coming for the Mew celebration," I replied, nodding, then pausing a moment to remember what I was suppose to do for it now, if I truly decided to.
"Right, just to see the big 'mon 'emself. Er, well, I guess he's actually...small right? Mew's small?" Monte wondered, shrugging at me. Me and Sol glanced to each other, I glanced back to Monte. No comment. "Wonder how big the wave'll be this year. Eh, but that would mean asking Jean,” Monte went on, sighing.
“Jean?" I asked around a mouthful of soggy-flakes. I didn't mind flakes when soggy, as long as they weren't saturated. Teh, glancing over at my lizard, who was getting his next bowl, I figured the same applied to him. Both for flakes, and his diaper tahaha.
"Oph yeap," Monte said, a mouthful of his own before he swallowed. "Ah. Yeah, said him and Rattler were going up to the Jaboca Gate and 'scout out the swam', I think is how he put it."
"Jaboca?" I questioned, more to myself. That was the gate nearest in the direction of the harbor on the western edge of the island Berryton was on. Generally, that's where foreigners arrive from so I guess it made sense. Don't think I've BEEN there myself but...
"Don't know if it's about that 'police stuff' he was talking about yesterday or what, but just seems like snooping to me really," Monte reasoned, tapping his spoon against his bowl.
I looked over at Sol, who was polishing off his...third, fourth bowl? Whatever it was, it seemed like his last, given the satisfied sigh he made putting it down. He looked up at me sideways, wondering what I was looking at him for.
"Snooping huh?" I repeated, getting a slight grin. Sol raised his brow at me...then his mouth twitched, slowly hooking up into a smile. We had some time to kill, and this may be interesting. Besides, people have been surprising US for awhile, 'bout time we did it to someone ELSE heh.
Category Story / Pokemon
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 404 x 452px
Very interesting.
I was wondering if we'd see people opposed/disgusted by the town of diapered pokémon.
I was wondering if we'd see people opposed/disgusted by the town of diapered pokémon.
Well, as a species, humans tend to find fault with everything, so naturally there will be people like that. Anything weird or 'outside the norm' is always questioned and, at best, tolerated, with limited perspective shift if any. The fact this story focuses on the perspective from this town---wherein padded Pokemon is 'normal'---instead of 'new people come to this strange place'...the 'weird thing' is the norm, and we see that it's not as bad as people's ingrained perspective of it is.
So yeah, there will be people like this. And we'll get even more of a look into that in the next chapter with Jean and Rattler, who have been...ahem...'observing' the flow of tourists and visitors coming for the Mew Celebration.
So yeah, there will be people like this. And we'll get even more of a look into that in the next chapter with Jean and Rattler, who have been...ahem...'observing' the flow of tourists and visitors coming for the Mew Celebration.
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