The late morning sun shines bright and true, illuminating Bark Village and its people in a blanket of gold. As children run, parents chase, and today's work begins- Tassler is sound asleep in her cot. Late nights are a common happening for her, science waits for no one after all! But that doesn't stop a certain bright mind from trying. She tosses and turns for a moment, just enough that a single ray of sunlight can pass through the thin cloth veil over her window.
"Ghuuhhh..." Tassler groans loudly, trying to block the assault on her vision. But it's no use. At this point, she's already awake. Almost on queue, firm steps can be heard making their way closer and closer- much to her dismay.
"You're awake. Good," a familiar but startling voice says aloud. "It's time to get up, Tass. Elder Olive shouldn't be kept waiting. I can't believe I have to tell you that..."
Hearing the footsteps disappear into distant sounds of dirt mixed with dead leaves, and with an exaggerated sigh, Tassler pulls herself from her bed and sits up slowly. "What if I just went back to bed?" she thinks to herself as she scowls. "What really would happen?"
Evidently not wanting to find out- Tass stands up, stretches, throws her robes on, and steps out of her tent. She hisses aloud and takes swipes at the sun for blinding her instantly.
"Damn yellow ball of fire in the sky, why do you HAVE to be this bright?" Tass groans, letting her eyes adjust.
"It really is like a declaration of some one-sided war every time you wake up, huh? Have you, I dunno, thought of waking up any earlier than NOON?!" a booming voice yells out from her left, towards the exit of the village.
Tass lowers her eyes and frowns, slowly and dramatically turning towards the source of such a horrid noise. Standing roughly 20 feet away, at the steps of the village Shrine, is a stocky teenage boy with messy, upturned brown hair and a face covered in splotches of dirt.
"Don't even start, Hust. The last thing I need today is your antics causing me more issues. If I have to RUN to catch another Miltank because of you, I will strangle you." Tassler grumbles as she stomps towards the chubby boy.
"Whooooaaa Tass, calm dooowwnnn~" Hust laughs nervously, holding his hands up. "Don't get your pants in a bunch. I'm going out to pick berries, the 'tanks need a couple more baskets of Oran's before the rain tomorrow. You know how the Caterpie are after a storm," he shrugs with a little smile.
Hust is a longtime friend of Tassler. After her parents' passing, her neighbors urged their young boy to make friends. It didn't take long either. Hust quickly got himself into trouble with a group of Spearow, making Tass cleverly tossed a few berries around, and they both made it out free with 2 overflowing arms full of eggs.
Since that fateful moment, Hust has been attached to Tass at the hip. An overbearing older sister who saves him when he inevitably gets into trouble. As much as she complains, Tass wouldn't have it any other way. He may be a nuisance, but Hust gives her something precious that she can't get anywhere else- Laughter.
Tassler rolls her eyes and bumps Hust with her shoulder as she walks past. "I'm not coming to save you if you get into trouble again. You know I'm busy."
Suddenly, right before she knocks on the wooden door of Elder Olive's door, Tass is suddenly taken aback by a cloud of brown dust around her head. She turns and glares just in time to see Hust, hands covered in loose dirt, running towards the forest's edge with a woven basket in-hand.
With a loud groan and shaking her hair out, Tass knocks on the door and enters slowly, announcing her presence.
"Hello? Elder Olive? I have answered your summons; how can I assist you?"
In front of her, Tass is greeted by an above average height, muscular, dark haired older woman in her mid 50's. She's laying atop a very large Stantler as it sleeps, curled on the floor.
"Don't worry, I'll make this quick. You aren't in trouble, but I need your help with something urgently." Olive yawns.
"Uhhh...okay, I'd be glad to. What is it?"
Elder Olive sits up, meeting Tass eye-to-eye, and reveals an excited grin.
"I'm sending you to Ecruteak to investigate a certain person, and the Pokemon of the area!"
Oh okay.
Oh okay.
"Wait huh? Me? When? Why? How am I-" Tass stutters, trying to reason with the Elder
Olive holds up a hand, shaking her head.
"You have been selected for a reason. Your knowledge of local creatures and habitat are invaluable to the village, but this mission is of the utmost importance. Now please..." Olive turns her body and waves an arm in a welcoming motion, "Please, have a pick of your NEW FRIEND!"
Tass looks at Olive in confusion, with an expression that says "You're making me bring Hust?" before she realizes what the Elder meant by "new friend".
Behind her, sitting in cute baskets, are 3 distinct Pokemon. Phanpy, Yanma, and Mareep. Tass initially freezes before snapping her head to Elder Olive.
"What's going to happen to the other Pokemon? The ones I don't pick?" she says, pulling out the best puppy eyes she can muster.
"Oh come on, Tass. I'm not a monster, despite the stories. You may not remember, but kids coming of age are offered a partner. Some take, some don't. The other 2 will be given to children that can't wait for their new friend, no matter who it is. Trust me, happens every year," Elder Olive gives a wink and a smile.
"But what if some little girl gets the Yanma!" Tass retorts
Olive lifts her head a bit and tilts it to the side
"Uhhhh...What about it?"
".......I want it"
"I can tell. You know damn well how popular Yanma are with the girls. Anything that fast, colorful, and cute? Cmon Tass, let's not be silly."
Tass' face grew hot pink, and she quickly grabbed the Yanma before practically running out of the Elder's home.
"Ask around Ecruteak for a man named Dunnich! And be sure to take plenty of supplies!" Elder Olive yells out, smiling and waving to Tassler as she flees as fast as possible
Making it back outside, Tassler looks around the village. Shops aren't too busy, not too many people around.
No kids around. Perfect.
Tassler runs into her home and jumps into her cot. Sitting with her legs crossed, she finally places the Yanma in her lap and looks down at it. Its big eyes stare back up for a few seconds before it buzzes wildly, leaping from Tass' arms in the blink of eye, and zooms around the room erratically.
As she reaches her arms up to calm it down, Tass is surprised as the Yanma slams into her chest and rubs its face all over. She tears up a bit, hugging it close and tight while the Yanma softly hums.
"We need to find a name for you. I'll think of one soon, don't worry. I'll be relying on you from now on too. I hope you can trust me back. I'll try my best, as long as you try your best too. Deal?" Tass whispers softly as she rubs the top of Yanma's head with her thumb.
A few minutes pass before Tass clears her throat, standing up and bouncing her arms up and down carefully. "Come now, we need supplies. I'm due for some soap or something to get..." Tassler looks at her hair and her hands, both covered in a light dusting of pale brown dirt, "...THIS off of me."
Tass leaves her house, new buddy in hand, and walks the few hundred steps it takes to get to the shops. While they're little more than wooden stands with paint on them, appearance matter too much to people like these. Simplicity and comfort are what matter most. Work for the first few hours of the day, then relax for the rest.
Before she could say anything, Tass is greeted by a young man as he pops out from under the stand. He leans on the counter and shoots a finger gun Tass' way.
"Lemme guess...You're on a dangerous quest for the village, potentially never to return. Horrors lurk around every corner; wild beasts trudge through the forest with a taste for blood!"
Tass stares at the young man, slowly and deliberately blinking one eye at a time
"Yeah, I didn't think so," he laughs and waves a hand, "Elder Olive told me about what's going on. She saw you run into your house and figured that she'd just put in the order instead. Makes it faster anyhow."
As he finishes teasing, a box is placed on the counter of the stand with a muted thud. The flimsy wooden box is filled about half-way with Berry Juice, Healing Powder, and assorted Berries. At the bottom is a burlap sack, big enough to fit the given supplies and at least another 10kg
Tass looks down in amazement, eyes shining as she smiles from ear-to-ear. "I'll pay this back as soon as I can! Thank you so much! Please tell Elder Olive I said thank you, too!"
The young man waves gleefully and chuckles to himself as Tass sprints towards the forest's edge. A few tears fall from her cheeks as she runs, a giant toothy grin on her face while Yanma flies excitedly around her.
There's only one thought in her mind. One hope she's been holding onto for a long, long time, praying it would become true. At long last, her patience had paid off. She breaks through the tall bushes and takes a full deep breath.
Finally, my chance.