Newer Days *Spark x Reader*

9 - Ochre

(sorry for not writing!!!!! I've been busy with artwork and things ^_^ but now that it's summer, I think I'll be updating more)

"Whaddya mean we're lost?" he asked.

"Well... you see... the thing is..." I stammered, clutching the map in my fist. "I think we took a turn here... instead of here.. or we kept going here... or there... HNGGG." I shoved the map back in his hands. 

"Haha, I knew you'd give in."

"Shut up."

The two of you wandered down the roads of a less-urban area, surrounded by the tall grass and the occasional house of some hermit. It was nice to be walking in an open area this time, instead of through the dark and ominous woods or the city that was somehow always bustling with fangirls. The plain and simple honesty of the landscape held your attention the most. It was always nice to see where you were going. The wind was a plus - it was always nice to feel the occasional breeze, and out on the plains, there was always a subdued gust: not a hurricane, but not upsettingly humid, either. A smile played upon my lips.

"Did you ever thinking of settling down somewhere?" you asked Spark, still fixated in a trance by the landscape.

"Yeah. I always thought the city would be the best, you know. You're always so close to everything," he said with a slight yawn.

"Huh. I dunno, I kinda like it out here more. It's nice and simple, too. You're never really alone with your Pokemon," I responded. 

"Oh." Spark shoved his hands into his pockets, a little downcast.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just..." he tilted his head a bit to the side. It made him look a little cuter. "well, I always thought we could... be... roommates, you know. For a bit. I mean, there are always people around the city, but then you remember that they're all still strangers to you."

I giggled. "I just might take you up on the offer. That is, until I find my own place."

He smiled. "Well, that's good to know. How about we get ourselves out of his mess first?"

*timeskippe*

Luckily, we were pulled off the streets by a nice old couple. When I say nice - I mean really nice. They made us some tea, which was a nice change compared to the aura of morning coffee. The woman wore a white shawl, while the man wore a black cardigan. (It seemed to fit their personalities well.)

"It's a little unusual to have visitors these days, especially if you're traveling with a team leader," the old man, Mr. Saterea, said. "Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to have visitors, but these days, there's been some... disturbances."

"There's been this man out in our neighborhood rounding up all our Pokemon. He won't even tell us why!" his wife scolded. "That's why we've been so boarded up. I haven't seen our neighbors in a month. They're afraid that they're gonna get their Pokemon taken away from them, and I don't blame them for being scared, either." she cupped her Pokeball in two hands and shivered as if a pair of cold eyes were watching her right then and there. Even I found it a little strange - normally household or companion Pokemon were let out of their Pokeballs, but Mrs. Saterea had chosen to keep hers in a ball - something was definitely wrong here. I looked to Spark for guidance, but his eyes were clouded by a faint layer of a distance memory.

"I know I'm being in-insensitive, but the-they took my Sentret away, and I-" Mr. Saterea choked on his tears and slumped over in his chair, sobbing. Before I knew what I was doing, I reached out and gave him a hug. Here I was, a shy little lady, hugging a stranger. But this stranger and I shared a deep bond and a deep love for our friends, because to us, they were more than just Pokemon.