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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 8:25:34 GMT -5
Chelle's eyes opened on a clear, cool morning. She sat up in bed and stretched before hopping up and pulling on a set of clothes: new jeans (this was just the occasion for them) a t-shirt, and a bright red bandana, which smoothed back her already short hair and kept it out of her face. Upon noticing the frosty opaqueness of the dew on the window, she also pulled on a light hoodie, and she tiptoed outside.
It was 5:54AM, and the house was silent as she made her way out the door and onto the ranch. The nocturnal Pokémon greeted her sleepily as they headed to bed; most of the daytime Pokémon had yet to wake up. She dutifully filled all the troughs with food and water, and she headed back inside.
The nine-year-old was so elated that she couldn't sit still, like she usually did after she did her morning chores. So she went to the kitchen, filled the six-piece toaster, and pulled out a carton of eggs. A chair pulled to the stove acted as a stool, and she broke five into a pan over the burner. One for each of them. Some salt and pepper, and the eggs were starting to look like a delicious mess. She pulled out a spatula and turned it in her hands as she eagerly watched the translucent yolks turn white against the heat of the pan. She poked at the yolks until they popped, oozing over the top of the eggs. That was how you made scrambled eggs, right? She was getting good at this. She didn't know why she wasn't technically allowed to make breakfast. Cooking was easy. And helpful! Kind of messy, but it wasn't too bad.
The toast popped, artfully covering up the soft sound of footsteps entering the kitchen. She set the spatula aside- out of the way of the burner, she had made that mistake before -and hopped up to pull the toast onto a plate. It took some finagling to get the butter off the high shelf, but she managed it, and she cut a quarter-inch thick piece for each slice before setting the plate on the table. She was so proud of herself. This was going so well.
"Chelle."
The voice of her father made her squeak, and the plate of toast nearly slipped off the kitchen table before she had the chance to shove it on. Note's hair was a mess, his eyes were half closed, and he was still wearing his pajamas- plus socks? -but from his stiff posture and the bloodshot look of his eyes, it was clear that he had not truly been sleeping. He looked around the kitchen with a nervous, tired frown. How could a child make a mess that wasn't even... messy?
"Hi, Daddy!" she peeped, turning and spreading her heads. "I made breakfast!"
"Hmm." He shuffled to the stove and unstuck the eggs from the bottom of the pan. Once they had been properly flipped and scrambled, he turned back to her and examined the toast. This actually wasn't the worst she had done. An attempt to make bacon had once nearly burned down the house. And at least she had not tried to separate the eggs this time. But the little girl- who was hardly tall enough to reach the counter on her own, she was awfully short for coming from a family of tall people -was expressly forbidden from using anything more advanced than a toaster. And yet here she was, making breakfast. And she was so proud of herself, and so happy. It only made him more nervous.
"I did a good job!"
"Go wake your brother and sister?"
Chelle grinned and dashed off. "Okay!"
She couldn't remember the last time she had seen her siblings up this early. She never got to wake them! In fact, usually it was something she avoided at all costs. But this was different! They had to be as excited as she was this morning! Maybe they weren't even sleeping. She skidded to a stop in front of Eliza's door and flung it open. "Lizzie!" A pause, and then she hopped onto the bed and jumped up and down near her sister's feet. "Lizzie! Wake up!"
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 10:29:03 GMT -5
Eliza crinkled her nose at the demand, turning over onto her stomach. She had been up all night in anticipation for her adventure, adamant about pulling an all-nighter. She had actually passed out maybe a few hours ago, but as Chelle was relentless, her body started to awaken. It began with the acknowledgement of warm light on her skin, followed by the slow digestion of her little sister's words. Why did she want her to wake up so badly..?
Immediately, Eliza whirled back onto her back and sprung onto her feet. "Whoa, what time is it? Is Roy up?" she bombarded the youngster with questions, quickly throwing on the clothes she had laid out last night and plucking her backpack off of the floor.
She nearly passed Roy's room on her way down the stairs, but skid to a halt and quickly turned back, busting open his door. Though she hadn't thought much of it before, thankfully, her little brother was dressed, and already getting his things together.
"Come on," she ushered, a bit hypocritically, before getting downstairs. She was greeted by the delicious smell of eggs, and her stomach roared its approval. Usually it was her or her father who made breakfast in the morning, so she silently assumed it had been him.
"Good morning!"
The girl tucked her backpack underneath the chair and sat down, waiting for the others to join before digging into her meal. She'd been so excited, she forgot to ask Roy if he needed any help, but she'd seen the look in his eyes. As rash and forgetful as he could be, she knew he would never forgive himself if he forgot anything or messed up before they even got out the door.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 10:36:49 GMT -5
Chelle came to a rest on the bed, her legs tucked under her as she watched her sister buzz around the room before dashing away. She let out a gasp, and she jumped up and hurried to her room, where her own back pack sat, packed and ready to go. She had not grabbed it this morning. With the bag in-tow she rushed down the stairs after her siblings.
"Morning," Note replied, spooning some scrambled eggs onto each plate. He had also started cooking some ham, and they had to talk over the sizzle. "Wow, all of you up this early. Did Chelle even have to wake you?"
"I only had to wake Eliza," she replied, pulling out a chair and climbing into it. "I made breakfast!" she added proudly, sticking up her chin. This was an important accomplishment her siblings needed to know. She tabbed a piece of toast and took a bite. Her butter job had left them the middle of the toast soggy and the ends still crispy, but she was far too proud of herself to care. "Should I wake up mom?"
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 10:59:14 GMT -5
Roy came down the stairs quickly, his backpack swung around his arm. Wordlessly, he got his breakfast and took a seat next to Eliza, digging in. His brain seemed to be occupied, as he barely acknowledged the rest of his family as he stuff a forkful of egg into his mouth.
"Oh, really?" Eliza blinked, looking at her sister, impressed. "It's really good," she assured her, offering a sleepy smile. She glanced over at her brother, who was awfully quiet, and gave him a friendly nod.
Only moments after mention of their mother, Eleanor stepped inside, surprise laced across her brow to see her entire family downstairs and eating breakfast. "Sorry, lost track of time outside," she explained with a sheepish smile, tossing her jacket onto the coat rack and stepping into the kitchen area.
"Chelle made breakfast this morning," Eliza greeted, looking over at her youngest sibling.
"Ooh," their mother cooed, looking at the eggs and toast. Her children were leaving today, so she had no reason to remind Chelle that she was generally not allowed to use the appliances. Plus, it looked and smelled pretty good, and there was no billowing smoke or burn marks on the walls. She gave the nine year old a peck on the cheek before walking over to the stove to grab a plate of her own.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 11:10:00 GMT -5
Chelle positively beamed at her family's praise, and she bounced in her seat as she scooped up a mouthful of eggs. Note set a plate of warm ham on the counter for the family to help themselves, and once the pans were in the sink, he sat down and pulled a piece onto his own plate. "I've got a present for you three."
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 11:14:21 GMT -5
Ellie smiled and sat down across from her husband, looking at her children expectantly.
Eliza continued to eat her meal, but looked at her father with piqued interest. A part of her had expected some kind of going-away present, but she wasn't sure just yet what it could be.
Roy's attention, on the other hand, was completely at the mercy of his father. "What is it?" he asked, his fork hovering idly by his plate.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 11:20:43 GMT -5
Note reached into his pocket, and he pulled out three identical smart phones. He handed one to each of the kids.
"Woah!" Chelle howled, elated, as she set down her fork. She picked up the phone reverently and turned it around in her hands. "We get cell phones?"
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 11:47:54 GMT -5
Eliza nearly choked on her egg, and Roy beamed for the first time that morning.
"Whoa, Dad!" the eldest exclaimed, a grin stretching from ear-to-ear. She reached for her phone, passing Roy his as well. "Thanks!"
Ellie raised her brows at Note, but she was clearly entertained. She was glad to have a sure-fire way to reach her children, but Note took it to a whole other level.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 11:54:03 GMT -5
"Thank you!" Chelle practically sang, turning the phone on and exploring the home screens. "Wow, it's like, real and everything!"
"Hold on," he said, reaching into his other pocket, and then standing up. "I've got one more thing. I was going to give them to you with the phones, but, uh..." He sauntered out of the room, scratching his head. "They weren't ready in time." A minute later, he returned to the room, three boxes with foreign writing on them in his hands. He flipped open the tops of each box and peered inside before handing them to the appropriate child.
Chelle's eyes widened in curiosity as she set aside her phone to open the box. It took some effort to get the plastic casing out, but once she did all she could manage was a startled peep. A bubblegum pink phone cover slid out of the box. Taking up the entire back of the box was a cartoon Teddiursa.
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 12:12:04 GMT -5
Eliza looked at her sister excitedly. She knew how much she loved Teddiursa, a Pokémon that any of the three had yet to see. The attention on her sister was brief however, as Liza quickly revealed her own phone case, as well. It was sketches of Pokémon Starters, lined up in chibified. It didn't take much for her to figure out why it might have been chosen for her. Starters, as she knew, were usually the trainer's sidekicks, expected to lead the rest of the team... out there, Liz would have both her younger brother and sister to look out for. "Thanks," she smiled at her father before looking over to see what Roy had gotten.
The younger boy was sparkling over the phone case he had received, and was too busy admiring it to actually get it on the back of his phone. It was Eevee, surrounded by all its evolutions. Eevees had been a big part of the ranch life, and he was just still so elated to actually have a phone.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 12:18:13 GMT -5
Chelle was grinning ear to ear as she pulled away the plastic of the case. She tried to put it on her phone, but when she couldn't manage it she hopped out of her chair and presented both the phone and the case to Ellie. "Mom, will you help me?"
Note grinned as he watched the three, though he could not completely hide the bit of melancholy that had been in his eyes since the whole adventure plan had come together. "You guys like them? You have no reason to lose or break these phones now."
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 14:21:01 GMT -5
"Of course," Eleanor muffled through a mouthful of egg, putting down her fork, wiping her hands off on the kitchen sink rag. Without much trouble, Ellie was able to fit Chelle's phone into her new phone case, gleefully handing it back to her. One utterance from her husband caused her to giggle, and she looked over to Eliza, who was rolling her eyes.
"We won't, Dad," she promised, though there was no way she could guarantee that all three of them could uphold it. Luckily, it would take all three phones to break before communication with their parents could be cut off, and Liz didn't think that was all too likely.
Ellie watched the kids resume their meal giddily. After breakfast, they were off... Quickly, Ellie turned to the cabinet, taking out packets of snacks she had bought over the weekend for just the occasion. She reached under the table for the three's backpacks, filling them with granola bars and cheesesticks. She had given them money the night before, hopefully none had managed to lose it in that time.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 14:32:23 GMT -5
In the same way Note slipped the phone chargers into the bags. He put the dishes in the sink and watched Chelle hurriedly wipe the counter and table off. She was all but vibrating with excitement. He pulled her aside as her siblings prepared, and he knelt. "Listen, honey. I want you to take this." He produced a nest ball, and he set it in her hand. "It's not a Teddiursa," he added quickly, seeing the hopeful spark that came into her eyes, "but you've got to have something until you find one."
She frowned. "But Dad..."
"I know you don't want it," he went on lackadaisically, as if reading from a script. "I know you don't want anything but a Teddiursa." His voice returned to normal; soft, but insistent. "Just hold onto this until you get one, okay? To keep you safe. Then, when you have your Teddiursa, you can send it back here if you want to."
Her frown persisted, but she held the ball in both hands, and slowly slipped it into her pocket. Note kissed her on the forehead and stood. "Okay you guys got your backpacks? Phones, Pokémon, money?"
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Post by Atticus on Jun 4, 2015 15:34:58 GMT -5
Once everyone was up and out of their chairs, Eliza pushed them in, grabbing her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder. She was absolutely buzzing with excitement, but a large part of her would miss the ranch. Without a Pokémon of flight, it'd be hard to get home, too.
She slunk away from the kitchen momentarily, pushing open the door that led to the ranch. "Kitto!" she called, cupping her palm next to her mouth. Though he usually slept with her on her bed, she had let him hang out with his friends for his final night. He would miss them just as much as she would miss hers, she was sure.
Worry began to creep its way into her system until she saw the tabby Pokémon running towards her across the field. She noted that it was the area she could usually find Chris, one of her mother's Pokémon, as they shared something that the other Pokémon did not. Both of them had been born as crosses, a rare mutation that combined the genes of the parents' species. All of Kitt's siblings were Vulpix, taking after their mother's breed, as was most commonly seen in Pokémon breeding. Kitt couldn't connect to his brothers and sisters in the way he could with Chris, and a part of her felt bad she had to separate the two. The older hybrid had been something of a reluctant mentor to her Pokémon, but now it was Kitt against the world, and she knew there would be many who would gawk and stare at her partner. It was all a part of growing up, she guessed, but at least he would have her to help defend him.
The striped mutant let out an excited trill and hopped into her ready arms. She already had his Pokéball secure by her hip, but she felt no need to put him in it.
The girl turned back to her family, delighted to see her mother handing her younger brother a Pokéball with a distinguishable electric bolt on the front of it. After she had become a Gym Leader, her mom had decided to take advantage of her breeding connections as well, and her trademark electric-bolt Pokeballs only held Electric Pokémon with healthy, pure lineages. She wondered if it was the offspring of one of her Electric Team?
Roy, meanwhile, was elated. Unable to form words, he lunged at his mother with his arms out, wrapping them swiftly around the woman. Eleanor grinned and hugged him back, ruffling his hair and planting a kiss on his forehead. "Treat him well, okay? Don't spend your money all in one place, either. You guys will have to buy food not only for yourself, but your Pokémon, as well. They receive some nourishment from their Pokeballs, but do give them some kibble or Poffins every now and then, alright?"
"Yes, mom," he agreed, though the woman wasn't entirely sure he wasn't just saying it because he was super excited. Regardless, she let out a quiet chuckle and stood up, looking at her three.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Jun 4, 2015 15:49:32 GMT -5
Chelle's gaze was still on the green ball in her hands, all of her energy filtered into the mystery the ball held. It wasn't until her father spoke again that her head shot up.
"Guess it's time to go."
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