Safe Haven

The First Step

It was the beginning. The first step towards a new life--a new chance. It's a place for Reina to meet new Pokémon, rivals, or even friends along the way!

She had spent her whole life in a quiet little town, the same weathered house all her life, with only her dad to keep her company.

She has dedicated countless hours to focused and rigorous training, driven by her strong desire to become a member of the Guild.

Her father would occasionally take her on journeys to nearby towns, where she would engage in training sessions and gain new battle experiences. The exhilaration of battle, the constant excitement, and the edge-of-your-seat feeling she craved were all part of her drive to become stronger. The battles with Pokémon from neighboring towns were filled with brilliant strategies and fierce competition, but they paled in comparison to the challenges that awaited her at the Guild.

The Guild!

A haven where a multitude of Pokémon resided. They were 'mons she could consistently rely on training with; training where both opponents would benefit and gain experience. That would be much better than the annual visit to the next town over. In the Guild, she would never run out of capable foes.

And...

The chance to have a friend.

It seemed so far away, so unachievable. The only friend she'd ever known was her dad, and well, that's kind of pathetic.

She loves her dad, no mistake there. It's just that--all her life--she's never had anyone else to rely on. No, not like with her father.

Beyond just having a friend, how would she even make one? It was hard for her to... communicate. To find the words, or to finish sentences. A normal Pokemon could talk and not freeze up, pause, or space out when trying to find the right response when communicating.

Sure, she can battle just fine--doesn't matter who her opponent is, she'll show her worth. But to talk? Gods, that was simply impossible.

So she needs to change.

She needs to be able to talk--to start a conversation. She has to be able to open her mouth, to speak comfortably. She needs to learn how. But it's so, so, hard.

Even so, she has to prevail...

-

A voice called out "Reina!!!" as they padded over to her door. It was Reina's father, raising a paw to knock; the sound echoing through the halls.

From within, faint rumblings could be heard, as if something was stirring. A slight crash, and...

"I'M GETTING READY," Reina yelled. Her dad swore he heard a yawn.

"I PROMISE I AM!" Reina exclaimed, her words tumbling out in a fluster after her initial statement.

Reina's father felt a wave of annoyance wash over him, knowing fully well he had just woken her up.

Time for Plan B, he thought.

-

"Reina!!!" her dad called, hushed by the door between them.

"Eughhhhh..." Reina's eyes fluttered open, her vision slowly drooping back to her. She mumbled her annoyance, pawing for the lamp string on the desk by her bed. She rummaged through her sheets to get out of bed, yawning before yelling.

"I'M GETTING READY," she exclaimed, pausing for another yawn. She stretched, paws pushing the fabric on her bed as her claws sank into the fabric. Sheathing her claws, she continued.

"I PROMISE I AM!" Reina finished, positioning her paws to leap down.

She jumped aiming for a clean landing, but in her drowsy state, she stumbled. The floor beneath her body felt like concrete as her body slammed against it. She grasped for a stable stance only to fall flat, limbs splayed about.

A sigh escaped Reina's mouth. She should have known this would be her fate, stuck to the floor, tired and unprepared for the day as her dad prepared to enter her room. Her cover was blown...

This is what she got for hitting the snooze button, knowing what the day ahead of her called for. For the unpacked bags hidden beneath her bed under the guise of being complete.

"Reina, I'm coming in..." Her dad said quietly. She was prepared, though, for that voice to rise. She had admitted defeat the moment she hit that not-so-concrete beige carpet floor.

The golden doorknob turned ever so slightly, and a little klunk met her ears.

Reina inwardly sighed, resigning herself to the wrath of her father, and...

"Reina?..." She didn't dare peak. Her eyes remained crushingly closed, and she felt her nose scrunched up. Are those tears at the edge of her eyes? "Oh Reina, don't cry," she hears, pawsteps approaching her collapsed body. Gods, this is pathetic. She heard her father sigh, and soon after he took a deep breath before saying, "Open your eyes, everything's alright."

Reina opens her eyes. It's a bit blurry, probably because she had them forcibly closed for some probably-long, but unknown period. The yellow blobs fade to form a Jolteon, her father, seated next to her, sad eyes gazing down at hers.

"--'M sorry..." Reina whimpers, suddenly ready to fall asleep and lie on the floor forever in a treacherous, deep sleep. Her paws clench in anger at her weak behavior, especially in front of her father.

"Reina, I should have checked on you last night to be sure that you were ready for today, rather than expecting you to be on your own. I'm sorry." Her father says, looking apologetic as he gazes down, before placing his paw on her shoulder. Suddenly, Reina feels better, though not perfect.

"I--" Reina sniffed as her nose clogged from her crying--how long had she been crying? "--I'm sorryyy... I didn't--" she hiccuped, gasping for breath as her lungs felt heavy, "I didn't pack, not yet..." she finally finished her words, sighing and reaching for a steady set of breaths to calm herself down.

Reina felt her father's body lay next to hers, warming her. He licked her face, cleaning her tears and attempting to comfort her. She lay there for a moment just letting him clean her like she was a newborn eevee. He moved his head away, preparing to talk.

"Reina, we can pack today--we have time. I'm just worried about you." her father explained softly. He was looking at her sincerely, and she knew it was true. With her father's warmth next to her and the dim lighting of just the lamp in her room, she felt like she could fall asleep right then and rest away all her worries.

"Can..." Reina paused, pondering how she could finish her sentence, "Can we start packing soon?" she said before her ears flushed as she realized the implied responsibility of her father helping her. "If you're okay with helping me--sorry--" She stuttered before her dad interrupted her thoughts.

"Of course, Reina, don't worry about that!" Her dad said, reassuring her that it was okay. "Why don't I start now, and when you feel better you can follow me." He paused to think, before glancing back at her with a smile, "I can grab the necessities while you get ready, and that way you won't forget em!" his smile turned to a grin, and before she could realize it, her dad was already headed out the door.

Reina sighed. When had her day taken such a left turn? It feels as if the littlest social situation could send her into a spiral.

She couldn't think about that now, though. No, it was time to get ready. She had to be prepared because today was the first day she'd step foot into the guild!