rivalkidneypunch | (no subject)

"Wait here."

Two words. A simple order. It wouldn't be hard. This was a nice place. An endless plain with a clear blue sky, and a nice rock for him to soak up the sun and keep his tail out of the grass. So he watched the back of Green's head as it got smaller and smaller, then vanished completely. It tugged at his heartstrings to see his trainer go like that -- Can't I come with you? Can Nyx stay with me, at least? It won't be for long, right? -- but he had to be good. He gave Green enough trouble as it was.

But Green... he always forgave Char, no matter how many times he ignored orders or backsassed. Even when Char had hit him, even when he'd run away... he was still willing to give Char a second chance. You sure are lucky, Kerosene. Compared to all that, being alone for a little while wasn't such a big sacrifice. He'd be back as soon as Char was strong enough.

So Char waited.

And waited.

Sunrises and sunsets came and went. He bowed his small body around the flame on his tail through wind, snow, and rain. He never hungered, he never slept. Only waited.

But the horizon never changed. Nobody ever came. The wind, snow, and rain continued to come, but somehow... they weren't as cold anymore. The sun stopped being warm. The swaying of the grass in the breeze was... strangely soothing. Everything was calm and still. Slowly, Charmander curled up, bringing the feeble flame of his tail up to his nose. They'd be here soon. He just needed to rest a bit.

A final, faint sigh escaped his lips and snuffed out that dying light.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hm. Is this what happened, last time?

...It was a daycare, not a field.

I highly doubt your current trainer would do something like that sir, especially when he went to retrieve you when you left. I think it's safe to say that those days are behind you.

...I didn't think the first one would do that, either.

Did the first one ever try and convince you to stay, or go to lengths to bring you back to his team if you left? You tested this one, and in my opinion, he passed with flying colors.

What if he was testing me?

Elaborate.

When he asked me to wait. What if he wanted to see if I'd give up on him too? I couldn't hold out long enough, and... and I...

Sir, that kind of a test...

It's not exactly simply a matter of crossing a sea to find and retrieve. To leave someone so young somewhere for so long...

There's no logic to it, sir.

Then why'd he leave?

I don't know.

...It's okay. I've been asking that for years and I still don't know, either.