Odd Little Happenings With Odd Little People: The Very Very Beginning

Today is especially odd because Rosemary is curious. A rare emotion for her these days, but today is not just rare, but extraordinary — Rosemary is in the town square. The shuckle is crawling out of their shell, the Ursaring is going for a walk on the coldest night of Winter, and Rosemary is in the town square.

 

This is bizarre, she dryly thinks, but xyr paws betray her and continue to lead xyr forward. Her eye twitches in annoyance as the very body heat of the surrounding Pokemon roasts xyr side. 

It smells like Pokemon and copper Poke coins here, where most little tents and shops lie. Rosemary finds it revolting, and xe has to resist the urge to rip her scarf off and begin screeching loudly.

This morning, Rosemary’s head felt itchy. Not physically, but as if you had thought of something but forgot the bones of it, or like xe forgot that she’d forgotten something. The itch was bothering xem, and her paws were buzzing like she needed to walk, and so here xe was. Walking towards something, surely.

Then, Rosemary heard a call, and suddenly she felt the itch ebb.

 

“Incense sticks ‘ere! Get your incense sticks!”

 

Ah. That’s what I’m looking for.

What Rosemary was looking at and beelining towards was a darkly colored Squakabilly, gesticulating wildly with orange-tipped wings. Their feathers were glossed and pruned well. 

The salesman sat in a more obscure area of the square, attempting to goad other Pokemon walking by into looking at their goods. Multiple leather bands and bags were strapped to their body, showcasing many, many shiny looking goods that couldn’t possibly be real.

 

Rosemary approached them, a special glint in xyr eye. A conman! My heart is treating me truly well. The scammer turned to xem and grinned brightly.

“You there!” they cry, “in the green scarf! You look like you could use some incense — harvested fresh from the fields of Breezy Meadow!”

 

Rosemary stares at them, as if they’re a spec of dirt on the pavement.. “What kind of incense is this?”
The poorly tied bundle of sticks was definitely not sage, or any plant typically used for incense. Rosemary would bet all her Poke on that it was chopped, stripped sticks, painted green on the end. It smelled like moss and oak-wood, not anything floral. The attempt almost amused xem, but this was important. Vital for the plan that was unfolding in her head.

 

“Sage, of course!” They answer swiftly.

Rosemary’s eyes narrow inquisitively. “Really?”

The scummy salesman shifted, visibly intimidated. “Yes! I also have some sweet n’ syrupy apples for you if you’re interested, ma’am. 50 poke each!”

Far too cheap to be real, too. “Hm.”

 

Rosemary, with a swift hand, snapped her paw out and gently batted the apple to the concrete. The salesman gaped, horrified as the apple fell. It shattered instantly. Unsurprisingly, the fake fruit was made of hard polymer clay, judging by the vibrant orange hollow insides of the apple. 

 

Rosemary tilts her head and speaks with a passive voice. “It would’ve worked if you lessened the gloss on it. ‘Real realistic otherwise, I will say. It’s got a fantastic paint job.”

 

“W–wh–” they blubbered, “my– my merchandise?”

“I can smell the pine resin of your Leaf Stone,” Rosemary grunts, stretching.

 

The Squakabilly stared at the remains of their apple, like a grieving mother, before puffing out their feathers, clearly upset. “You– you’re going to have to pay for that! You can’t just break someone’s wares!”

 

“Sure,” she mutters. “I can easily report you, y’know. This sort of stuff can get you locked up.”

Rosemary ignores the rageful look the bird is giving her, and begins to groom xyr arm. “So I’ll cut you a deal. I won’t tell anyone about your business, and you join me.”

The bird looks taken aback. “What? What are you talking about– join you in what?”

 

“My party.”

You see, Rosemary has had her eye on something for a long while. Or, xyr mind has – sometimes, fate will ensnare you and rip you towards your destiny. That is why her paws lead her here; this feels correct, and the concept of this con man joining her felt satisfying, like a jigsaw puzzle being completed.

 

“No!” They almost screech, startling a few Pokemon who move faster by.

Rosemary lets out a long, suffering sigh. Ah, they’re going to be difficult. “If you don’t, you’ll be jailed and cursed. Bad combo.”

“You are speaking absolute nonsense,” the salesman barks, looking abhorred. Then, they sharply paused. “...What do you mean cursed?”

 

Rosemary shifts, giving them a look of annoyance. “I am a witch.”

 

The Squakabilly stares at xyr for one silent moment, scrutinizing her from head to toe. The act would be annoying if Rosemary’s plan didn’t depend on this idiot. “...Witches aren’t real. Everyone has magic.”

“Not in the way that I do,” xe answered simply.

 

The bird was unsettled further, staring at her like xe was some sort of beast to be feared. She stared back at them evenly. Rosemary rarely told anyone of xyr witch abilities. There are maybe one or two people who both knew and believed her. 

Xe didn’t really blame this person for doubting – it meant their intuition was working and correct. A good sign of awareness. A good sign that this person is meant to be her partner.

 

“...You’ll report me if I don’t join you.” They almost pose it as a question. 

Rosemary hums ominously. “That’ll be the least of your troubles.”

 

“Fine!” They cry, throwing their wins up in exasperation. “Fine, fine, fine. Whatever. I’ll join your party. Dear Arceus, what has my life come to?”

 

“Fantastic.” Rosemary murmurs, pulling out a little bag from her scarf. Xe picks up the ruined pieces of their apple and shuffles them into the pouch. She tosses it over to the Squakabilly. They catch it huffily, glaring at xem.

“I’ll buy you glue later.” Rosemary says. “Do you have a name?”

 

They stared at her incredulously. “...Obviously. What kind of question is that? Danver. That’s my name.”

 

“A carrot,” Rosemary observes, eyeing the highlights of bold orange streaking Danver’s feathers. “...Intriguing. Hm. Come on. Let’s get ourselves initiated.”

Rosemary started off in the direction of the central station. Xyr paws were quick and curt as she went forward. Danver squawked, taking flight and racing after her.

“Wait! I don’t even know your name!”