Chapter 594: Loneliness and Family
It had already been three days since Kazuya and Floette brought Goomy back.
Goomy was like an autistic child, huddled in the corner of the farm every day, refusing to communicate with anyone else. Occasionally, it would throw a tantrum for no apparent reason, bullying the nearby lambs, only to be headbutted nearly to death in return.
During this time, some kind Shieldon-kuns went to show concern, but they were also driven away by a Tackle. However, the babies of the three allied species were all "iron-headed" babies; how could a soft, squishy Goomy win a headbutting match against them? Usually, Goomy would only end up severely injuring itself.
Only Bulbasaur, who had saved its life, and Floette, who had treated it with tenderness from the start, could get close to the little fellow.
Kazuya could as well, likely because the Dragon Stone was at work. When Kazuya approached Goomy, the boy wouldn't have a huge reaction, but he wasn't particularly close to him either. It wasn't like Floette or Bulbasaur, whom the boy would actively snuggle up to as soon as they leaned in.
Perhaps for Goomy, Floette and Bulbasaur played the roles of mother and sister. To him, all the other members of the Dragon Clan were merely powerful and strange magical beasts.
In a corner of Pasture Zone Two.
"Nene."
Goomy huddled here alone, its eyes filled with loneliness.
"Flo-ette~"
Floette's voice came from outside the pasture. Goomy's antennae stood up, and it quietly slipped through the fence, heading toward the source of the sound.
As it brushed aside the grass and was hit by direct sunlight, Goomy saw the scene outside and immediately retracted its head. The swamp was dim all year round, and such warm sunlight made it feel a bit uncomfortable.
But what was even more uncomfortable was the scene appearing before its eyes.
A large number of Pokémon were gathered together: Bastiodon, Rampardos, Hakamo-o...
Clearly, some were herbivores and some were carnivores. They didn't even look alike. Yet, they lived together peacefully, even laughing and talking.
The pointy-headed guys would use the flat-headed dragons to grind their heads when they had nothing to do. The flat-headed dragons, having short limbs and being unable to scratch their own itches, would go rub against the scales of the dragons beside them. The scaled dragons, tired of eating berries, could reach out and take a piece of meat from a pointy-headed dragon without being attacked at all.
There was a bizarre harmony.
"Shiel~"
"Cran~"
"Jang~"
Several tender voices similar to its own rang out. Goomy hid behind the grass, quietly turning its head to look.
Around the legs of that giant fellow with the flaming tail, many dragon-kuns just as small as itself were gathered. Some were headbutting him, some were lying on his feet eating, and others were hanging off his tail like a swing.
Is he not angry?
Goomy watched Kazuya silently. But Kazuya didn't drive the children away at all; when he was free, he would even poke and prod the group of little-fellow-kuns, playing along with them.
"Nene..."
Goomy watched this scene intently. It felt a bit strange in its heart, an uncomfortable sensation it couldn't quite put into words.
"Flo-ette~"
Floette found Goomy and landed in front of it. She placed a specially cultivated purple poisonous weed before him. The toxicity of this grass was negligible; it served to help Goomy secrete body mucus so that its skin wouldn't dry out. This would make Goomy's body more comfortable and less likely to be sunburned.
All of this was information Kazuya had told Floette.
"Nene."
Goomy slowly consumed the poisonous weed, its gaze drifting toward the other dragons. Its antennae dropped uncontrollably.
"Flo-ette~"
Floette reached out and tugged at Goomy's antenna, wanting to bring him over to Kazuya.
"Nene."
Goomy shook its head. It pushed Floette away and ducked back into the grass to hide.
"Today, I'm going to tell the story of the Ugly Duckling-kun."
Kazuya's voice drifted in from outside. Goomy's antennae perked up, and it quietly poked half its head out. Floette glanced at him, smiled with narrowed eyes, and sat nearby to listen to the story.
"The Ugly Duckling-kun was very sad because he was lonely and no one wanted him."
Outside, Kazuya held a Cranidos-kun, using the baby's head to draw on the ground. While drawing, he told the story to the other babies. The Cranidos-kun being held wasn't angry; instead, it was enjoying itself, feeling like it was being very useful, and looked at the other Cranidos-kuns with a proud face.
Goomy didn't know what was happening outside, but it focused entirely on the story Kazuya was telling.
"But on this day, some big geese found him and brought him home. The Ugly Duckling-kun was very happy, because at that moment, he was no longer alone. He had a home of his own..."
The post-meal story ended. It was time for the babies in the Dragon Clan to take their afternoon nap. Everyone scurried to their respective parents, huddling in their shadows to sleep away from the sun. Even the Charizard (Brother-kun) ran out at this time, leaning against Kazuya's leg and falling into a deep sleep.
Seeing that everyone had left, Goomy carefully crawled out. It came to the spot where Kazuya had been sitting and looked at the drawing on the ground—a solitary duckling-kun wailing loudly.
Goomy fell into silence. It lowered its head, its antennae drooping over its eyes. Despondent, it walked away, returning to the pasture and hiding back in its shadow.
"Nene..."
I am so lonely.
Goomy felt a bit cold, but there was no one to provide warmth. Because it had no family.
"Quack."
A duck's cry came from nearby. Goomy turned to look; it was a fluffy yellow duck-kun.
"Nene?"
Goomy looked at the duckling-kun and tilted its head. Do you have no family either?
However, in the next moment, a large white duck ran out and picked up her child in her beak, carrying it back to the nest. Seeing the duckling-kun snuggled against its mother, huddled with the other yellow duck-kuns, Goomy felt that it must be very warm.
It was a warmth it couldn't even imagine.
Thud.
Thud.
Heavy footsteps approached from the side. Goomy was startled and quickly opened its eyes to look outside the fence. A bizarre-looking, upright giant cat with blood-red pupils was staring at it.
It was a Hisuian Sneasel.
"Nene!"
Goomy was terrified. But it didn't run; instead, it used Water Gun against the creature!
Splurt!
The Water Gun's power was tiny. It was casually swatted away by the Sneasel, and even Goomy was kicked away, falling heavily to the ground, unable to get up.
"Snea..."
The Sneasel's face twisted into a cruel smile. This strange-looking slug didn't pique its appetite, but it wouldn't mind using it as a toy to play with.
"Nene..."
Goomy watched the approaching Sneasel, but its face still showed no sign of fear. It had seen Pokémon far more powerful than this Sneasel, and it had seen scenes that made it so despairing it couldn't even cry. Compared to living alone in the shadows, death meant nothing to Goomy!
"Snea!"
The Sneasel sharpened its claws and then charged rapidly toward Goomy.
"Shiel!"
At the critical moment, a Shieldon rushed over from the side, using its shield-like face to block the Sneasel's attack.
"Nene?"
Goomy froze, looking at the Shieldon it had once driven away with Tackle. For a moment, its heart was filled with mixed emotions.
"Haka!"
"Cran!"
Two more cries rang out near the Sneasel. A Cranidos and a Jangmo-o rammed toward the Sneasel from the left and right. The Sneasel leaped backward, dodging the attack.
Bang!
The Cranidos and Jangmo-o slammed into each other, leaving both dizzy as they tumbled to the ground. A drop of speechless cold sweat rolled down the Shieldon's forehead, and it felt a bit nervous. It had to protect three people by itself now!
The Shieldon did not retreat. Protecting companions was something that could never be compromised.
"Shiel..."
The Shieldon took two steps forward, staring vigilantly at the Sneasel. Suddenly, its eyes rounded, giving off a cute sense of ease. The Sneasel tilted its head in confusion, completely failing to notice it was being enveloped by a massive shadow.
CRUNCH!
Goomy stared at the tall figure that had crushed the Sneasel into a bloody mess with a single foot, falling into a daze.
Powerful. Domineering. Full of security.
Goomy suddenly seemed to understand why the big guys in this place were willing to call this person "Big Brother." Because he truly was like a big brother, protecting all the family members here.
"Shiel?"
The Shieldon made a laborious "aircraft carrier U-turn" to look at the battered Goomy. Goomy looked back at him. Then its body went limp, and it collapsed onto the ground.
"Help me bring some herbs over."
Kazuya sat down cross-legged, placing the three fallen dragon-kuns in the crook of his lap.
"Shiel."
The Shieldon nodded and walked away. A few minutes later...
"Go take your nap; I'll keep watch here."
Kazuya gently tapped the Shieldon's head. Then he turned around and carefully applied medicine to the three dragon cubs. Watching this giant dragon cautiously using his massive fingers to smear medicine on its body, tears couldn't help but well up in Goomy's bead-like eyes.
"Nene."
Kazuya glanced at the little fellow and said expressionlessly, "You are already a part of the Dragon Clan, a member of this big family. Everyone is your family; you are not alone."
"Nene?"
Goomy was a bit uncertain.
"If they weren't family, those little-fellow-kuns wouldn't have protected you. Accept their kindness with peace of mind."
"...Nene."
Goomy hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Kazuya finished applying the medicine and carried Goomy and the two unconscious dragon-kuns out of the pasture.
He went to the side and placed each dragon-kun next to its parent. As for Goomy, Kazuya placed it together with the Charizard (Brother-kun), letting it lean against him for an afternoon nap.
Feeling the somewhat scorching warmth beside it, Goomy soon felt drowsy. Before sleeping, it took one last look at Kazuya, then closed its eyes peacefully.
Kazuya pursed his lips in a smile. He could sense it. Goomy was gradually accepting the Dragon Clan, accepting everyone. At the same time, it was being accepted by everyone.
~~~
Get early access to 30+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
~~~
Every 5 new reviews = 1 extra chapters
Every 150 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter