Senki's adventures in Hisui

Chapter 8: Adaman's Gifts

Her lungs were working to bring in the much-needed oxygen, though it still felt as if she was suffocating. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Pixie...What have I told you...." Senki groaned at her Vulpix, who swiftly jumped off her chest. Senki rubbed her eyes with her knuckles. She took in a deep breath, inhaling the woody and musty air of her small quarters. A sense of relief rose within her. Her nose wasn't stuffy anymore, and nor was her head pounding as if an Oshawott was hitting her with its scalchop. She could finally go back to work. She can't help but feel guilty knowing Rei is being left all alone working on the Pokedex with Laventon insisting on taking care of her.

She sat up and looked around. Eevee was chasing its big brothers, Samurott and Luxray around. She can't help but beamed, though her attention to the empty corner of her room. Kadabra was missing. She supposed it had wandered somewhere else.

She went ahead and get ready for the day. She tucked Samurott and Luxray into their Pokeballs as Eevee and Vulpix clung to her ankles. She slid open the door, catching sight of a familiar tall blue figure. Excitement fluttered in her chest like a Beautifly. She wondered what brought the diamond clan leader to her village today?

Before she knew it, the man vanished in the blink of an eye.

She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles. Was she imagining it?

She opened her eyes again only to see Kadabra standing near her.

"Kadabra?"

The Kadabra turned its head towards its' trainer. Its' eyes widened as if it had been just caught red-handed.

Senki heard loud panting in the distance.

The Diamond Clan Leader's distinctive figure ran towards her quarter, though he looked visibly weathered out and torn out. In his hand was a paper bag.

"Adaman? What happened?" Senki asked the exhausted man. His sapphire hair was dripping with sweat. As Adaman knelt over panting, Senki noticed Adaman shooting daggers at her partner Pokemon.

Realization washed over her.

"Kadabra? Did you teleport Adaman away?" Senki huffed, telling it off. Kadabra only turned away, holding its head up high.

"Don't worry about it. Kadabra just wanted to play." Adaman flashed her a smile. Senki froze in place, admiring his chocolate-coloured eyes under the bright Hisui sun.

"But...your leg..." Worry crossed her face.

"Don't worry about it. My leg had recovered!" Adaman assured her.

A smile graced her lips.

"Are you here to meet the Commander today?" Senki asked, not sparing to shoot Kadabra a dirty look.

"Actually, I came here to find you." Adaman recomposed himself.

"Me?" Senki's mouth gaped open. Is there another Alpha Pokemon that needs to be quelled again?

"You teleported away that day before I could thank you, so I came here today with gifts." Adaman beamed, handing over to Senki the paper bag in his hand.

"Thank you..." Senki could feel her cheeks getting warmer. The bag was heavy, and the thin flimsy paper bag felt as if it could tear at any moment.

She peeked inside. There were two round objects wrapped with leaves and something else she couldn't make out.

"You can unwrap them. I want to know what you think of it."

Senki reached in for one of the wrapped gifts. The leaf opened to reveal a leaf stone. She unwrapped the other, to reveal shiny firestone.

"Lian helped me to find these. I hope that Eevee would perhaps want to evolve into a Leafeon, like mine." Adaman crouched down, ruffling Eevee's tails.

"The firestone is for your Vulpix, that is, Eevee doesn't want to evolve into a Flareon." He chuckled. There was something about that soft laugh that made her heart tighten.

"Thank you. I will put them to good use." Senki delicately wrapped them back with the leaves, carefully placing them back into the paper bag.

She reached for the other gift. It was a hair barrette, decorated with leaves. Some of the leaves were crumbled up.

"I learned it from Arezu. I hope you'll like it."

"I do! I really appreciate it." Senki felt an inkling of joy in her.

"Adaman! Something came up at the Cobalt Coastlands!" Senki turned to see Mai, her Munchlax tailing behind her. Her face spelt out the word "Troubled."

"We don't have time to wait around. Let's go." Bidding Senki farewell, the pair rushed out of the village.

Senki watched Adaman heading out of the village, her cheeks burned red.