2024-04-30: Opened Eyes, Newfound Strength
- Cutscene: Opened Eyes, Newfound Strength
- Cast: Chartreuse Spinosa
- Where: Serene Coast
- Date: 2024-04-30
- Summary: Chartreuse ruminates on everything that has happened in the past few weeks. Sentret decides to help.
Regardless of everything, the journey continues. Chartreuse and her team have settled down in the coastal route just south of Lavender Town's Silence Bridge. It's been a long day of walking interrupted by the occasional battle with other Trainers walking the route, and they could all use the rest.
By now, the campfire has died down to smoking embers. Mareep snoozes peacefully, Sandshrew curled up next to her in ball form. Dunsparce has partially dug herself into the earth, sleepy face - not that much different from her normal, awake face, admittedly - poking just out of the ground. Zubat sleeps upside down in a nearby tree, and Farfetch'd uses the quiet to tend to his trusty leek in peace.
And Chartreuse... lays in her sleeping bag, still awake, one hand idly scrolling away at her phone while the other absent-mindedly pets Sentret, resting on top of her. None of what she sees in her usual online haunts /really/ interest her, but it beats sleeping right now.
Ever since the Ten Wise Men had returned so much has happened, and now her world feels like it's been turned upside down. Solaris's targeted attacks, the terrifying power Visitors had displayed on /either/ side, and the news of what the stolen technology had almost been used for... Not to mention the crushing sting of the failure to save the captured Milotic and the other Pokemon from the Safari Zone, in the face of the Golem Asgard's sheer talent.
It feels like a veil has been ripped away, and now she's seeing the world for what it is. She calls herself an academic, but it feels like she doesn't know anything anymore. What is she supposed to do...? She can't just go back to the way everything was - not after everything she's seen. With a groan Chartreuse shuts her eyes tight, covering them with her free arm. She doesn't know what to do anymore.
...Feeling the pets stop, Sentret stirs, scooting forward to peer down at Chartreuse. Feeling his movement she shifts her arm away, managing a small smile for them.
"Hey... it's okay." Chartreuse assures. He continues staring - concern clear on his face. "...You noticed, huh? Sorry. I've just... got a lot on my mind lately."
Sentret seems to wilt just a little, at that. After all... there's only so much he can do to help. Largely, he's just there for moral support. ...But then, after a moment, he perks up. He climbs down, running a short distance away and turning to face her, then chirps to get her attention.
"Huh? What's up, Sentret...?" She asks, sitting up. Sentret takes a deep breath, and focuses intently for a moment. Gradually, bright light begins to emanate from his body. It takes Chartreuse a second to realise what's happening - and then she gasps, scrambling out of her sleeping bag and hurrying over to him.
"Sentret! You're evolving...? But..." She hesitates for a moment. Sentret's never liked to fight. He's always been afraid to - he always disappears when the fighting starts...
...But he chirps positively, standing up on his tail to look taller and more confident. Chartreuse hesitates... and then, she nods.
"...Okay. If you're sure." She says with a nod, and a smile, tearing up /just/ a little bit at his display. She sits back as the light covers him completely, and then his form shifts. Longer and taller... And when the light clears Sentret - no, /Furret/, now - stands up tall and proud. Chartreuse stares in awe for a moment before leaning forward, pulling him into a big hug. Furret returns the gesture with his tail, wrapping it around her comfortingly.
"...Thanks. I guess I forgot. I've got you guys, too. And then there's everyone I've met so far... I'm not alone in this." Chartreuse says. "We're all in this together."
Furret chirps positively, uncurling. He makes a show of punching the air with his tiny arms, and Chartreuse chuckles.
"Wow, you're just raring to test out your new strength, aren't you? Don't push yourself, okay? You don't have to jump right into it." Chartreuse says, reaching over to tussle his fur. He pushes his head further into her palm, nuzzling it, and then Chartreuse steps back, laying back down in her sleeping bag. Furret moves to curl up on top of her again - and he's a /little/ heavy for that for now, not yet used to his form. For now... Chartreuse puts up with it. He evolved for her sake, he can have this for tonight.
She pulls out her phone again... but this time, it's to take some notes and make some plans.
"I /am/ an academic... which means, if there's something I don't know, the answer is to find the answers. Maybe things have gotten beyond me, grown far more complex than I ever thought... But that doesn't mean things have to stay that way." She murmurs to herself. She needs to learn more - which means... finally visiting the worlds the Visitors originate from. She needs to experience them for herself - and, with that thought in mind, her determination seems to be restored.
Farfetch'd, meanwhile, looks up from his leek... and a proud look crosses his face, seeing the situation resolve itself and the progress the two of them made.