What the forest taught me

Another morning had dawned over Grassveil Town, and like always, most of its residents were awake and setting about their usual routines...  It seemed that today would be another peaceful day.

In one of the quieter parts of town, filled mostly with homes and beautiful gardens, a certain Skitty found herself sitting alone at the edge of a path.  She was wearing a blue Trap Scarf around her neck instead of her usual badge and ribbon.  She wouldn't need the scarf's effects today, of course, but it was fluffy and warm...  And it felt good to be out of her uniform for a change.  Working at the guild had been full of ups and downs, and while she didn't exactly regret the time she'd spent there, a chance to take a break and visit her home was exactly what Darcy needed.  She had never been away from her family for this long before...  Though it had only been a couple of weeks, the thought of seeing them again left her absolutely burning with excitement.

And as if she wasn't eager enough already, one of her best friends had agreed to come with her.  Cirrus the Togepi, the doctor-in-training that she had met back in Pecha Forest.  She wanted to meet Darcy's mother, an expert on medicinal plants, and the Skitty couldn't have been more delighted to have her along.  They would finally be able to just talk and relax, free from the worries of guildwork and dungeons that had characterized each of their meetings so far...  She had wanted a chance like this ever since the day they met.  She couldn't help but smile and wag her fluffy tail just thinking about it...

...In fact, she had been so excited that she'd arrived at Cirrus' house somewhat earlier than they had arranged.  She had promised to pick the Togepi up late in the morning, but she had been waiting outside of her house for at least twenty minutes now, and calling the time "late" still seemed like a stretch...

...And she didn't think she could make herself sit still for much longer.  She didn't want to intrude, but it seemed harmless to show up a little early, right..?  Maybe she could help Cirrus get ready.  They had a long walk ahead of them, after all.  Giddy with anticipation, she finally got to her feet and bounded up to the Togepi's front door, then paused and gingerly nudged it ajar with a forepaw.  "Um...  Excuse me, Cirrus?" she called, a hint of enthusiasm leaking into her voice.  "Are you there?  It's Darcy!"

Cirrus had been quietly pacing around near her... nest... when Darcy called, unable to maintain or otherwise contain her own excitement about this day.

It wasn't just that thought which had been happily accompanying the youngster throughout the night however. Just as was the case with Darcy, Cirrus had also been dearly awaiting the opportunity to spend some time with the Skitty in a more peaceful environment. They'd only seen each other within dungeons thus far.

The Togepi was also rather glad that Darcy was coming to her, because although she knew that her guild member friend had a room there, Cirrus hadn't been inside the Grassveil Guild before. This was easiest for both of them.

Running out of her room and for the door, Cirrus opened it further, delighted that Darcy couldn't wait until their arranged time. It showed their shared feelings. "You're early, but I'm so happy for that. Welcome!" she said. The house itself was small, suitable for one Pokémon. Behind Cirrus was a main room with a table in the middle and two doors to the side, one leading to her room.

"Good morning, Cirrus!" Darcy said with a cheery smile, brightening up even further at the sight of her friend, especially once she said that she was glad to see her this early.  It was fun to see Cirrus' house, too.  It was very tidy and well-kept!  It wasn't hard to imagine her living here...  She seemed like the conscientious sort, Darcy remarked as she looked back at the Togepi.  "Are you ready to go?  It's okay if you're not, since I came here so soon.  I just really want to see everyone again," the Skitty finished with a small giggle.  

Her tail swished back and forth while speaking, and in her excitement, she barely managed to catch herself as she raised a paw to chase after it.  Chasing their own tails was something most Skitty did as children...  And she had never quite outgrown it.  But she didn't think Cirrus would judge her if she ever got carried away like that.  Something about how kind and understanding the Togepi was really put Darcy at ease around her...  It was a comforting feeling.  She...  Didn't think she had ever felt this way around anyone other than her family, come to think of it.   It really felt good to trust someone new...  She couldn't help but regard the Togepi rather fondly because of it.

"I've been ready for a while now. I can't wait to meet them." Cirrus admitted before Darcy almost went for her own tail. She honestly couldn't help but smile at this sight. It was nice to see her so relaxed.

Stepping out into the warm sunlight and closing the door behind her, Cirrus looked over at Darcy again. "I'm really excited for this, y'know." she continued. The Togepi was very happy that Darcy was taking her along for this visit, it felt great to be given that chance. Very great indeed. "We can talk a little on the way too~"

Outside of meeting Darcy's family herself, this was one aspect of the day ahead that pleased her greatly. Without any Exeggcute or Wurmple to trip them up this time, they could be a little more relaxed here.

Though it had been a small remark, hearing that Cirrus was excited both surprised the Skitty and made her heart flutter a little.  "I-I'm really happy that you're excited!  I'm excited too," she said as she turned to lead the way, walking back towards the cobblestone path while looking at Cirrus over her shoulder.  "And getting to talk with you is one of my biggest reasons for it, Cirrus!  You've been really nice to me, and I've wanted to do something like this together for a long time.  Thanks for coming with me."

She turned her attention back to the path...  This whole exchange with Cirrus felt a little surreal, and Darcy couldn't help but feel like she was walking on air.  She had never just...  Gone on a trip with a friend like this before, let alone with someone as wonderful as Cirrus.  This was the kind of thing she used to dream about when she lived back at home...

Giddily, Darcy looked back at the Togepi beside her.  "Um, while we walk, how about you tell me a little about your family?  You'll get to meet mine soon, so I want to know about yours, too," she said with a smile.  Though she and Cirrus had shared some very memorable experiences, there was still a lot that they didn't know about each other.

A smile plastered firmly upon her face as she listened to Darcy, Cirrus walked along with her. It was very nice to see that the Skitty was interested in knowing a bit more about her own family and she was most happy to oblige.

"Sure thing, I'll tell you some." she decided, taking a brief moment to recall it. "I'm originally from south of here in a safe and hidden nest. I hatched with nine other Togepi there in the care of this one parent." Truth be told, Cirrus didn't know who her father was. This wasn't a massive problem to her though. As her frequent demeanor could say, she'd gotten enough care and nurturing from what she had.

"Oh, wow, nine of them?" Darcy said with a grin.  So many young Togepi hatching at once...  That must have been a cute sight.  The Skitty had always thought that her own family was big, but Cirrus' was almost twice its size.

In addition to just being cute, though, Cirrus' words raised so many questions.  They really captured Darcy's imagination as she trotted a little closer to the Togepi, her eyes as wide as they could get.  "And you lived in a nest..?  Cirrus...  Will you grow wings when you evolve?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of wonder.

Cirrus was already enjoying Darcy's genuine looking interest. Evolution from her Togepi stage happened to be a goal she so dearly wanted to reach someday. "If I can trust my dream from back in the forest, I will be growing wings. I dreamt about flying when the Tangela put me to sleep." she responded, carefully recalling what she could from that scene. "I'd shed my shell and doubled in height too but I can't remember anything else."

Speaking of a nest... "Here's a little secret of mine, Darcy. I've built my own nest back in my house. This isn't something I really tell everyone..." she divulged. "I... um, don't feel as safe and comfortable when I sleep in any other kind of bed, you see." Even if it was a trivial little factoid, Cirrus felt perfectly fine with sharing some more personal things with her Skitty friend.

"Oh..." Darcy murmured as Cirrus described her dream...  So that was why she had thought she was flying back in Pecha Forest.  Shedding her shell, and growing wings...  That sounded really wonderful...  The Skitty regarded Cirrus with starry eyes, and quietly, she resolved to do anything she could to help her friend reach that goal...

But as Cirrus kept talking and revealed her little secret, Darcy couldn't help but break out of her reverie and give the Togepi a warm smile.  "Aww...  That's really sweet, Cirrus.  It must remind you of home..." she said.  "I hope the beds at our house are okay if we stay overnight.  They're, um...  They're just little baskets full of blankets and pillows."

Perhaps she should have asked Cirrus about this kind of thing beforehand.  She wanted her friend to be comfortable...  But as she thought about it a little more, an idea struck her whole body perked up.  "Oh, but if you want to, maybe we could build a nest together!  That sounds really fun!  I'm sure my little siblings would help, so it shouldn't take long."

Cirrus looked back at Darcy, a mix of emotions rushing through her upon hearing the suggestion to build her a nest should she end up staying overnight. On one side, she was incredibly moved and touched by the Skitty freely volunteering to do this for her. On the other side however, she didn't want to come across as the kind of houseguest who required perfection.

"Sure, we can do that. A basket would be alright though, so there's really no need for you guys to worry about getting the nest exactly right. We can have some fun with it that way!" she decided, a sunny expression now present upon making this known.

The Togepi thought a little bit about another snippet of conversation that she could send out, soon deciding on something that Darcy had just finished with. "What about you? Have you thought about evolution?"

Cirrus' words regarding nests left Darcy cheerier than ever.  "Yeah, okay!" she said while giggling and returning Cirrus' smile, feeling every bit as sunny as her Togepi companion.  She strongly wanted her friend to be comfortable, but she couldn't deny that building a nest would be more fun if there was no pressure to get it perfect.

Then Cirrus asked a question of her own, and Darcy paused for a moment before responding.  "Evolving...  I don't know," she said as she idly gazed skyward, watching the fluffy clouds overhead while she mulled it over.  "...I guess it feels a long way off for me.  I would need a Moonstone.  And my mom and dad said that for Skitty, evolving too early makes it hard to learn new moves.  I'm...  I'm really not ready for that yet," she as she glanced back at the Togepi, her voice suddenly carrying a hint of shyness.  To Cirrus, at least, it was no secret that she wasn't very good at fighting...  She knew that Cirrus didn't judge her for it, but it wasn't something she was proud of.

"I wish that I was, though.  If I evolved, I'd be taller, and a lot more graceful...  And it would make it easier to help people!" she said, perking up again at the thought.  "But I guess you'll see what I mean when we arrive.  My mom and dad are both evolved.  Have you ever seen a Delcatty before?"

"I haven't." Cirrus admitted after listening closely to Darcy's words with great interest. There were still so much Pokémon species that she had yet to meet. The ones she'd seen before could possibly be counted on four hands.

The Skitty's response as a whole had Cirrus well and truly caught onto it. "Helping others more easily, that's my biggest reason for wanting to evolve. Not the wings or size growth, nor anything else." she started, deciding to confide a little more in Darcy upon looking at her face.

"I might have looked confident and assured when you watched me treating the Tangela in Pecha Forest and Horo in the Fallen Leaf Copse, but the truth is that I was actually very scared on both occasions. I'd just been trying to keep the two of them calm." Cirrus confessed, looking at Darcy while making her confession. "You've been very kind so I wanted to come clean to you here..."

Darcy cheerfully trotted alongside Cirrus as she spoke, leading her along one of the busier roads as they made their way to the edge of town.  The Togepi's reasons for wanting to evolve seemed very selfless and kind...  It was right in line with her ambitions of becoming a doctor, something that Darcy had always admired.

But...  The words that followed came as a surprise to the little Skitty.  She had always seen Cirrus as heroically brave, and smart, and confident...  Until now, it hadn't struck her that...  She didn't actually know how much experience the Togepi had.  She felt a twinge of guilt for never even considering it.

She slowed to a stop and settled onto her haunches, her expression somewhere between comforting and apologetic.  "That's okay.  My mom will help you learn more about being a doctor, alright?" she said gently.  "And...  Do you know how Togepi evolve?  Do you need an item?  I, um...  I think that what you're trying to do is really wonderful, Cirrus.  I don't want you to be scared like that..."

This gentle and comforting first set of words... Without Cirrus even noticing, they had brought back the smile upon her face. She wasn't certain if it was because of the words themselves or because she'd finally told someone close to her about how she'd really been feeling, but the Togepi suddenly felt much happier now as she began listening to everything else Darcy was saying.

"Her help would be really great, I've been mostly working without actual guidance ever since I arrived here. Thanks for cheering me up." Cirrus finally replied. She then set her mind back onto evolution. "I... ah, don't actually know how I'd evolve. That's ok though. I can just spend this stage on learning all I need."

Darcy's genuine encouragement for her ambition was possibly the most heartening part of all. To hear that a Pokémon thought it wonderful meant a whole lot to her and she wanted to share this. Cirrus gave Darcy a hug as the red and blue shapes on her shell gave off a warm and gentle glow, this new addition to her stored happiness being shared with Darcy.

"A Togepi's natural ability." she explained afterwards. "Happiness is stored in our shells and can be shared with others."

Seeing Cirrus cheer up put a smile on Darcy's face too, and it made her feel warm inside...  It felt very good to be given this chance to help.  Cirrus had shown her nothing but kindness, and letting the Togepi take on such a lofty task all alone would never have sat right with her.  It was too bad that Cirrus didn't know how she would evolve...  But it seemed that things would be okay.  She could still help Cirrus study.  And maybe if she did some research, she could learn more about Togepi, and their evolution...

She was gently drawn out of her thoughts by Cirrus stepping closer.  She tilted her head curiously...  But her expression was quickly replaced with a tender smile as the Togepi gave her a hug.  Instinctively, Darcy closed her eyes and hugged Cirrus in return.

...Holding Cirrus close made the warmth in Darcy's heart grow even stronger.  It was strange, but...  It almost felt that simply by being next to each other, their feelings of gratitude and hope and compassion had a chance to intermingle.  As if their hug was letting them permeate Darcy's whole body, healing the wounded parts of her soul...  It wasn't until the Togepi spoke up that Darcy opened her eyes and realized what was happening.  She regarded the Togepi with wonder and admiration as she pulled away, catching a glimpse of the glow within her shell just before it faded.

As awestruck as she was, the overjoyed smile on Darcy's face was clear proof that Cirrus' ability had worked.  The little Skitty felt like she was on cloud nine after that...  A hug from Cirrus would have made her happy no matter what, so she couldn't tell how much happiness was her own and how much had been given to her, but she felt like she was glowing with joy and hope in a way that she seldom did.

"...Thank you, Cirrus.  You're..."  Darcy began speaking but couldn't finish without getting a little choked up with emotion.  "...I think you're the coolest Pokémon I've ever met.  I'm really glad that we're friends."

With that said, she stood up.  "Now let's get going.  We have a lot to do, right~?" she sang while giving the Togepi a cheerful glance, ready to begin prancing along the path once again.  Today had gotten off to a very good start.  And if she could spend the rest of it with Cirrus...  Well, she felt that things could only get better.