Keepers of Pokemon

Chapter 15- The Rabid-Chu Chase

Coda looked beyond the pond where a lonely playground sat. The brick-red jungle gym sat there in its solitude, longing for some eager company. In between parts of the jungle gym was the bridge to partake in children's fantasies from battling trolls, or patrolling the fort.

Coda then noticed a familiar face sitting on one of the swings, hunched over, her hands gripping the chains. The Bulbasaur and Flareon were at the nearby flowerbed, picking flowers.

Coda studied her as he and Luke approached cautiously. She must have heard the leaves crunching under his feet because Ice spikes suddenly shot upwards him. Luke gasped and dove out of the way, just missing them. While Coda just lifted his hands like surrender. Bulbasaur stood in front of her, using one its vines to hold up a flower towards her. When she didn't move, the Bulbasaur placed the flower on her lap and went to go collect more.

"He's not sure how to cheer you up," Coda concluded, watching the Bulbasaur go back to the flower bed. "Flowers seem to be all he knows as good."

She didn't reply.

Coda took a step towards her as Luke and Jolteon kept their distance.

"Uh...Where's your friend?"

Still she said nothing.

Coda looked at her, then to the swing next too hers. "Can I sit here?"

When she didn't respond, he sat down on the swing. "Ah, nothing says a great day, like a wet bottom from the morning due."

Bulbasaur returned with another flower, holding it up to her a few moments then setting it on her lap.

"He is determined to make you happy," Coda looked away to see Jolteon wandering over to Flareon and giving a sniff. "Did something happen when we last spoke? You seem more...depressed. I mean, since we last spoke, I was ambushed by Team Rocket and just barely got away before the flame came out so..."

"You were ambushed?" Her voice was croaked, as if she was yelling all night.

"Well, if you call strange men showing up to take you away from the place you want to be, then yes," He said calmly.

When the Bulbasaur came back and held up the third flower. She lifted her head, and finally took the flower. Coda could see the eye she had showing was red and puffy like her nose.

She took a deep breath, looking away from Coda.

Bulbasaur nodded and sat down, watching her.

"You have an interesting Bulbasaur, Usually their bulbs are green but yours is half the size and has a pink bulb."

"He...He was supposed to be for Domino," She said softly.

"Domino? Is that your friend's name?"

Wilfride didn't reply at first, just stroked the flower Bulbasaur gave her. "...She...left..."

"To where?"

"...Johto..." Wilfride whipped her eyes with her gloves. "I shouldn't be upset by this..." She seemed to talking to herself more than Coda. "....I've been hurt before..." 

"Have you been here all-night?"

"Bulbasaur," Bulbasaur said with a nod.

Wilfride looked down at Bulbasaur. "Tattle-tale,"

Coda hesitated. "Well, if you have the Thunder Badge then you can move on to the next gym....or you can do something that isn't connected to battling." Coda looked away from her, realizing how pushy he sounded.

Wilfride lowered one hand from the chain, reached into her bag and pulled out a case that had a little frost on it, thrusting it to Coda without looking at him.