『 A Yellow Gem and Lots of Fluff. 』
Citrine is a girl that can't feel pain, and has survived thus far with the help of the Pokemon around her and her surrogate guardian Wallene and Riley in Rustboro. Being the younger sister of a world-famous Berry...
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Biblichor; the scent of old books.
Her hand traced the emblazoned logo, her eyes trained on each and every minuscule detail, fascinated by the book's cover.
There was no title on it, but it was clean. No stains, no tears-- the papers were only a little bronze from storage. There was the faint aroma of sweet vanilla in those pages-- which meant it was a rather new book, unlike those ancient beauties her brother always got her.
"That's my souvenir from Sinnoh," her brother told her, "it's a copy of the original, I bought it off of Byron somehow," he muttered the last part, "mainly because he owes me a favour."
She was overjoyed as she skimmed the first page, which began a thesis on time and space and construction-- she instantly recognized those hasty sketches, and observed the scribbling writings she could only barely make out.
If she was patient, those lines would soon form words. Gradually, it would construct its own meaning, and complete itself into a story.
However, that was for another time.
She pulled the book shut, and put it aside, onto her mattress. Turning to her brother expectantly, she squeaked as he rubbed her head roughly, messing up her unkempt hair even further.
"How long will you be staying this time?" she spoke to him, pulling out a comb and starting to work on her bedhead.
He hummed, folding his arms and pretending to be deep in thought. He leaned against the wooden work desk, eyeing the unfinished worksheets from Trainers' School, then his gaze flipped back toward his younger sister.
"Three months?" it sounded like a suggestion.
"Three whole months?!" she reacted explosively, disbelieving.
"Is that a negative?" he faked hurt.
"You were asking permission?" she groaned.
Her brother burst out in laughter, amused at his sister's exaggerated reaction. He was a researcher of his own leisure, a man that explored the world to discover the rarity and scarcity of Berries. It made him scarcely home, but Citrine didn't mind that.
In this world, children needed to be mature even if they were still seven, like her now.
All she could do was wait calmly, patiently, for him to come back with new stories for her.
He always seemed to smell sweet, somehow, and his fingers were stained in the fragrance. A familiar spice of nostalgia, an incense that was called home.
"Did I hear three months?!" a large man came bursting in, overexcited, "Quartz is staying in Hoenn for three months??"
Trailing right behind him, worried for invasion of sibling intimacy, was a lady in a maxi skirt. "Riley, you may be interrupting," she tried to warn, but it seemed she was fully interested too. She stepped into the room with an expectant smile on her face, her hands held together in wishful implication, "but if that's true, we must make the most of it!"
"We've got eavesdroppers," her brother pointed out in a deadpan.
"Weren't you busy digging the tunnel, Riley?" Citrine narrowed her gaze on him.
"I-" the man stumbled, "am working on it!"
Citrine just sighed.
The tunnel-worker, Riley, lived in the outskirts of Rustboro City. Citrine was place under his care, and there she lived side by side with the Pokemon for years.
Wallene, his girlfriend, would also make often visits despite living in the far town over the mountains. In a sense, they were like her foster parents.
"But he isn't letting me go anywhere until my back heals," she whined, pointing at her brother, who acted like he was getting framed.
"Now, now," Wallene soothed her, settling down beside the girl on her bed, and letting her lean into her chest as the woman brushed through her hair gently. "With enough rest, you should heal quickly enough. In exchange, your brother can take you around."
Enjoying the affection, Citrine wrapped her arms around the woman.
"Humans heal differently from Pokemon, but Happinas can get you healed up in about three days," Quartz offered, gesturing at the Pokemon, which pumped its own chest with confidence, "you can take me around Rustboro, or we can Fly if you want."
"I wanna Surf!" Citrine bolted right up, excited.
"Surfing it is," Quartz gave in with a sigh. He turned to Wallene and Riley, "I guess that means you two can enjoy some quiet time alone while the children are out."
