Destiny [Pokémon]

❥ chapter IX

Turning around, you crouched down to Rineis' level and placed a hand on his head. His eyes, widened in fright, locked with yours. "Hey, cutie pie, there's no need to be afraid," you cooed. "They're all super friendly."

"He's a shy one, isn't he?" Lina remarked.

"Yeah, you could say so."

"Aw, c'mon, brother, not again." Raleia rolled her eyes and playfully punched her brother in the shoulder as if she was trying to knock some sense into him—literally. "Pull yourself together. They're [Name]'s friends! Can't you sense their positive feelings? Just like she said, there's no need for you to be afraid of them!"

A few unintelligible murmurs left Rineis's mouth. But otherwise, he remained silent, squirming under your touch and shuffling his feet. His eyes flickered over to your friends standing behind you and then back to you before being cast down bashfully. "A-Alright ..." he mumbled. "If y-you say so ..."

"Yeah, of course. You've got nothing to fear, I promise." Lovingly patting his head while giving him a reassuring smile, you gently took his hand in yours and made a move to stand up, but the sensation of small hands clinging to the back of your shirt made you freeze mid-movement. "Raleia, what're you—" The next second, her thin legs appeared in your field of view and loosely wrapped themselves around your neck, and you felt the dual-type Pokémon's weight on both of your shoulders as she made herself comfortable on her perch.

"Oh my gosh! That's so cute!" Alex squealed. Although you couldn't see her because you still had your back turned to her, you were sure that she had her hands pressed against her cheeks in delight, her eyes twinkling.

"Yay!" Raleia warbled, kicking her legs cheerfully—your free hand immediately flew up to hold her secure. "It's so cool up here! Stand up, stand up!" To emphasize her demand, she repeatedly patted your head with those tiny hands of hers.

You snorted out a quiet laugh and complied with a slight shake of your head, drawing yourself up to your full height and thus obtaining cheers and whoops of joy from her. "Next time, just ask if you want to sit on my shoulders, alright? I can lift you up so you don't have to jump on my back and climb up yourself."

"S-She's right ... You c-could have fallen a-and hurt yourself ..." Rineis pointed out as he gazed up at his sister with worry apparent in his eyes.

"Aw, nice, you let me sit here more often?" Completely ignoring her brother's concerns, Raleia let out another cheer when you nodded your head in response to her question. "Awesome! Then I'll ask you next time!"

"You do that. And now I'll finally introduce you to my friends."

Your friends had been following your conversation with the two dual-type Pokémon closely, looking on interestedly—although to them, it seemed like you were talking to yourself, receiving answers they couldn't understand and only heard as cries. Now, upon being spoken to, they all began to smile.

You pointed to your four friends, introducing them one at a time to your Pokémon. "These are my childhood friends, Kristie, Alex, May, and Lina." Then, you did the same with the two Ralts. "Guys, these are Raleia and Rineis."

"Nice to meet you!"

"N-Nice to meet y-you ..."

"They both say, 'nice to meet you.'"

"Nice to meet you too!" your friends answered at the same time, with Alex and Kristie giggling afterwards.

"You finally got yourself a Pokémon—and not only one, but two, and shiny ones at that! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous." May grinned lopsidedly at you. "Did you catch them yourself? Or did you get them from your parents?"