Darrik's wings flapped until he was high enough then he began to glide on the unseen air currents. His instincts seeming to automatically know where they were even as he stared at the ground.

It was a nice looking town. He had to wonder if this was where his trainer lived. He certainly hoped so. There are so many trees went meant a lot of other bird types like him which meant ladies to protect and earn their love.

The rustling of leaves caught his attention. It was in a small park and he couldn't help but to cock his head. Something was there and the pile was too small for it to be a human child. He swooped in perching on a metal bar.

Gah, she was so bored. All she could do here is lay in the leaves and mess them up a bit.  It had been fun at first but now she wanted something else to do. She sat up quickly the leaves falling off her.

Darrik was surprised at first as a Pokemon suddenly appeared from the leaves. He knew she was there but the sudden movement caught him off guard. He reprimanded himself for being so easily startled.

She looked around for something else to do when she spotted the taillow. She grinned ear to ear at this fortunate turn of events.

"Come down here and join me," she said motioning to the taillow. Darrik complied unafraid of a bug type.

"Play with me," she said walking out of the leaves towards him. 

Darrik sighed, first the dancing oddish now this. Why are all the females he meets so cheery and maybe a nut or two loose in the head?

"No thanks, I won't be sticking around long. My trainer is just buying stuff," Darrik said a bit proud to say he has a trainer. The kricketot frowned and then jumped on him preventing him from flying even as she held in a big hug. He chirped in protest trying to get away.

"I said play with me," she complained.

"No I gotta return to my trainer. I got duties as his partner," Darrik said continuing his struggle.

"Duties are lame," she said not letting go.

Darrik eventually stopped struggling. He let out a grumble of protest. He'd hate to trick her but he was going to have to if he wanted to get away.

"Alright already, one game," Darrik said with a sigh. Curiousity killed the bird. He should have just continued flying.

"Yay," she said letting him go. In that instant he took off. Two could play the tricking game. She let out a sob then sat down her antenna coming down to cover her eyes as her body shook.

Darrik looked back to see her crying form. Gah, what kind of guy was he to make a girl cry. He sighed unable to take it. He wouldn't be a gentleman if he made girls cry. So, he turned around and went back reaching out a wing to pat her on the head.

"I was just teasing," Darrik said trying to calm her. The kricketot peeked out sniffling. "I'll play with you."

"Yay," she said jumping on him and knocking him back.

"Were you pretending," Darrik said at her sudden change.

"Two can tease," she said grinning. Shit he had fallen for it. Darrik let his head hit the ground and again reprimanded himself for falling for it.

"Help," he whispered for his trainer.

"Let's play," she said grabbing his talon and dragging him along.

Trent let out a sneeze into his armpit. Who was talking about him? He shrugged and grabbed the last of what he deemed he needed. It was time to check out.


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Darrik let out a sigh of relief. He really needed to get back to his trainer so he took to the skies. His one leg rubbing the other where the kricketot had tied a string to it and had him pretend he was a balloon.

Crazy females why couldn't he meet at least one decent girl. Someone soft, gentle, a little shy and really loving. Maybe fluffy too like a swablu. He could definitely imagine cuddling that.

He swooped in back onto the stores sign and waited. It took awhile but his trainer finally emerged with two handfuls of groceries. Darrik smiled and swooped in landing on his shoulder.

Food was something he could get behind. He wondered what would be for dinner. His head cocked as he tried to peek in the bags.

Trent had talked with a friendly cashier who pointed him to the only inn in this small town. This whole thing was taking a toll on what money had withdrawn. He would have to withdraw some more before they left. He'll need it for the next town.

His pace was a calm one even with the sun setting. He didn't mind the dark. Though it would be troublesome if the inn keep refused people after a certain time. He looked to his watch it was only seven twenty-eight so he should be alright. It couldn't take more than ten, twenty minutes to get to it in such a small town.


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Mass, velocity, contact time these were all important in trying to break something open. So why the hell couldn't she get this damn pumpkin open. She had done all the math and her own bodies density should allow her to break through if she bided long enough. She still couldn't though.

It was obvious she wouldn't be able to break through with sheer force. However, it was much too large to move on her own. She would have to use something sharp but she had no hands. Her dilemma grew with each passing second. All she wanted was some pumpkin to eat she craved it since fall was coming and all those pumpkin-flavored drinks and foods was just on the horizon.

"You there sir," a woman called out to Trent. He looked up at the woman in an apron. She stood in front of a fence and looked fit to be tied.

"Can you get rid of this pest for me? It'll bruise my pumpkins if it keeps this up," she said motioning to the field.

Trent looked over the fence to the seedot. The small Pokemon seeming to hop violently on the pumpkins as though trying to break them. He raised a brow but this really wasn't his problem.

Gah, that old woman was annoying. Was she really trying to get some guy to help her? The seedot turned around to see the pair. The old woman continuing to ask for the man's help and even chastising him for refusing. It was the bird that caught the seedot's interest, however.

"Oi, bird for brains," she called out to Darrik. He turned glaring at her.

"I'm as smart as I am strong I'll have you know," Darrik responded with a huff.

"Sure, sure, lend me your beak would ya," she scoffed.

"Not a chance," Darrik glared. What was she up to?

"I'll share the haul. No way I can eat an entire pumpkin by myself," she offered.

"You're stealing you know," Darrik pointed out.

"I don't see a name on it. Not to mention she's a stingy old hag anyway. She just takes and cans all these nice pumpkins for herself to use as she pleases," the seedot waved off his concern.

"My hands are full as is ma'am," Trent said. His demeanor didn't break but he was slowly getting more and more annoyed. He made a move to walk around but she blocked him. 

"What sort of man are you," she said glaring hands on hips. "There isn't a chivalrous bone in your body is there. You know my mother and father raised us kids right. When you were asked to do something you did it and without complaint. My brothers were taught how to treat a woman good."

Oh gods, would she please shut up. Trent felt a headache setting in from this woman's insistent nagging. She reminded him of Aunt Ginger. That woman would walk in and talk like no tomorrow. She also had a bad habit of being extremely pushy.

"Hag may fit," Darrik said after listening to her a moment.

"Tell me about it. So you helping or not," the seedot said getting tired of this scene.

"I'll help my trainer," Darrik responded. The seedot cocked her head in response as the taillow took flight. It then swooped in on her.

"Damned birds," she muttered hopping off the pumpkin making him miss. It gave her an idea.

She continued dodging his attempts to attack her all the while setting herself up. Finally unable to get to her from above due to a tree he swooped in low racing at her. She dodged last second and he went beak-first into a pumpkin. An oomph escaped him and he looked unamused at the orange wall in front of him.

"Dumb ass," the seedot smirked and ducked beneath him. She rolled onto her back and put her feet to his chest and pushed. Darrik flapped his wings also pulling until he finally popped free with a sore beak.

"Jerk," he muttered rubbing his beak in response.

The seedot said nothing but began working the hole. Figuring she was satisfied he returned to his owner's shoulder. He didn't feel like playing the hero anymore.

"You done," Trent asked and Darrik buried his sore beak into his neck in response. Defeated by a grass type it had to be a hard blow. "There we tried," Trent said and walked around the woman watching the seedot. Fit to be tied wasn't even close anymore as she went in herself yelling at the seedot.

Trent let out a sigh as he walked. Darrik also let out a sigh of relief. The pair finding the whole experience tiring. Trent stumbled as something hard hit his back. If his hand wasn't full he would be rubbing it pretty sure it was bruised. He turned looking down at what hit him.

"Take that thing with you too," the woman yelled then stormed back in the house. She had thrown the seedot at him.

"That was an unexpected outcome," she sighed where she lay on the pavement.

"Told you not to steal," Darrik said then covered his beak.

"Yeah, yeah, she mostly just yells though. Never seen her get physical. She was really pissed," the seedot responded.

"Just get a human. They'll feed ya," Darrik said shooing her with his wing.

"A human huh," she contemplated his words. It was true, to say the least. Humans had hands so they could do a lot more. Having one could be useful. She looked to Darrik's trainer as he turned away to leave. Maybe someone like him could do the trick. The guy at least didn't have a temper.


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Trent finally spotted the small inn. A relieved sigh escaped his lips earning a look from Darrik. His human probably was pretty tired. Darrik didn't have to walk all day but he had too.

Trent walked into the reception area ordering a room. After signing in and paying for the night he was handed a key and was told he had to be out by noon tomorrow.

They found the dark room and turned on the switch. The light was bright but it's position cast shadows in the corners. It didn't bother Trent though as he sat at the foot of a cheap bed.

He placed the bags down and headed for the bathroom eager to take a shower. This left Darrik to nose around the simple room. It was definitely cheap. He was pretty sure the wooden dressers were a fake wood and even the TV looked last century.

Trent relaxed himself as he left warm water run over his shoulders. Today was eventful to say the least and his distrust in humanity had only grown. Lab rats that hated him, an old woman that hated him. Only two Pokemon that weren't really that wild just hungry and playful.

He ran his hand over his shoulder where the seedot had hit. It ached a bit just confirming a bruise. His blond hair looked scraggly as it dropped down past his shoulder blades when wet. He contemplated getting it cut many times but in the end he couldn't bring himself to interact with another human. He would have to do it himself again.

The sound of wings had Trent looking up. Darrik sat perched on the shower curtain looking at him curiously. He flicked water at the bird earning a chirp of protest before he flew away. It oddly enough put the smallest of smiles on his face.

Trent finished his shower and walked out wrapped in a towel. He didn't bother getting dressed and simply sat down on the floor to begin organizing what he had bought into a large rolling suitcase. 

A chirp brought his attention to a bag of seeds. He reluctantly opened it and dumped a handful onto the bed. Darrik began eating his beak easily picking up the small seeds. Thinking of his oddish Trent reached out to his clothes and grabbed her ball releasing her as well.

He offered the oddish her food as well and she sat down enjoying it. Unfazed by the fact he was by all accounts naked in front of her. It was Darrik who minded it the most but figured it was pointless to point out since it didn't bother either of them.

After putting everything away Trent was the last to eat. He opened a jar of pickled peaches and sat there enjoying the sweetness of the juice first and foremost before taking one into his fingers. He'd have to wash his hands afterwards but he didn't mind.

The trio simply relaxed as their day began to wind down. Darrik being the first to fall into slumber curled up on the pillow. Seed crumbs remaining at the foot of the bed.

Trent brushed them off and went to wash his hands. The jar being washed off and placed in the bag. He then removed his towel and got dressed the oddish watching him a moment before trying to climb onto the bed.

Trent turned around and picked her up sitting her on the bed before turning off the light. He got in bed feeling her shift with him to get a comfortable spot and not be crushed. He shoved Darrik over earning a protest as he took part of the pillow. The bird settled down quickly though and fell back into slumber. Along with the tired other two.


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Okay so maybe tricking a noctowl was not the best idea. It had started off swell but as he went to make her escape with her prize the noctowl caught on. She had been too quick to celebrate and now a silent flyer was chasing her around the human city.

She looked both ways from her hiding spot then ran. She just had to keep moving. A shadow passed overhead and she jumped dropping a seed. Her hard won food being lost in a slight panic.

She jumped onto a windowsill under a small over hang hoping it didn't see her. She couldn't see or hear it which made her even more anxious. Only the occasional lack of starlight or street light had alerted her to the noctowl.

It took only a moment. Without warning from beyond the overhang the noctowl appeared swooping in with talons extended. She yelped curling into the fuzzy ball she is as she and the noctowl pushed through the glass with a crash.

She opened her eyes to see the noctowl make a hasty retreat. She'd done it. Now all she had to do was collect her prize again and hope she wouldn't get a mouthful of glass too. She began collecting the seeds when she heard the bed creak.

The crash had woken all three up. Trent had shot out of bed and glared at the noctowl. The bird seemed genuinely as surprised as them as it bolted away. Trent rubbed his face thinking about why he couldn't get a decent nights sleep. He then heard something shift in the glass and moved to look down.

Their eyes met and Trent glared unamused by the bug. This was why his night had been disturbed. He got up and reached out grabbing the venonat by the antennae earning a great protest from the small insect. He didn't want to hear it.

Instead he brought his arm back and flung the bug outside. It got up and eyed the window but a silent glare from Trent had her second guessing. She could try getting her seeds now but something told her having woke this human up it would be a bad idea. She waddled off figuring she could come back in the morning to claim her prize. Or just pretend to and come back tonight.

Trent watched the bug leave then lay back in bed covering himself up. Tina now exposed to the cool night air came up beside him and nuzzled her way under the covers to sleep against his chest.

Darrik was a bit more wound up now having taken a perch on the headboard. Seriously what were the odds of that? Was fate against this guy or something? Someone would have to stay up and keep watch from now on to protect the others.

About half an hour later he was nodding off when he heard the glass shift. He looked down to see the ball of fluff had returned and was collecting stuff off the floor.

His trainer had already thrown the disruptive bug out once now it was Darrik's turn. He rushed down pecking at the venonat earning a yelp from the bug.

"Wait just a minute I was just collecting my seeds. I got a family to feed," she whimpered hoping to stop the bird. She didn't really have a family but others fell for that line regularly when it was said by a woman.

"You should be home with them right about now then. You nearly died after all," Darrik paused. He had already had a run in with a poochyena that like ripping people off. He didn't think much of what she said either.

"But they are starving," she whined. "The noctowl had laid a trap with the seeds to lure in a desperate lady like me."

"Take what you got and go," Darrik sighed unable to deny her. He didn't know wither she had family or not but if she did he didn't want to be the reason they starved.

"Thank you," she said happily picking up a few more before rushing back outside through the broken window.

Darrik returned to his perch on the headboard. He sat like that for about an hour before dozing off. His head resting against his shoulder. His body using the headboard and wall to stay upright.


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The next morning Trent got up and prepared to leave. He slung his pack over his shoulder and returned Tina who was still yawning. If she was too tired to walk there was no point in keeping her out.

Darrik rested on his shoulder and they headed outside. His first stop was the office to mention the broken window. Needless to say, the owner was less than understanding.

Trent refused to pay for something he did not break. Instead, cops were called and they were told to check cam footage from across the street. Only to be told there were no cameras. With a sigh, he reluctantly agreed to pay. he had no choice since he could not prove it wasn't him.

Trent took to walking away from the two places trouble had arisen from. Trent was having nothing but bad karma since he started this journey. Made him wonder if a ghost had used curse on him.

"How troublesome," Trent said as he walked.

Darrik said nothing in response realizing it all troubled Trent. He had to admit though they were lucky the police didn't arrest them outright just for being outsiders. He supposed Trent agreeing to pay the damages did the trick.


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