Heptagonal Ring (Eeveelutions) {Pokemon}

Chapter 19: Inquiry

Kizuna rubbed her eyes with her feelers, making fast, frantic motions. "I hate sand," she said in a whimper. "It gets everywhere in your fur."

"You have my sympathy." A Gourgeist helped clean her with her hand-like appendages, plucking grains of sand stuck in her fur. "I find sand annoying and I'm a plant. I can't even begin to imagine how annoying it must be for furry creatures like you, Kizzie."

"Yeah... I have sand everywhere, in my ears, in my legs, in my tail, in my..." She coughed a bit of sand, sticking her tongue out with a disgusted expression. "...even in my mouth. Ugh."

The Gourgeist that was tending to Kizuna wasn't the only ghost-grass present. Beside the dainty looking Gourgeist was also a taller, more robust looking Trevenant. "You're even shivering, Kizzie."

"But that's because of the cold," she said in a low voice.

The Trevenant crossed his arms, taking a look around the small room with his lone eye. "Cold? It's not cold in here. Do you have a fever?"

"No, not here. Outside, I mean. It's pretty chilly outside."

The Gourgeist put her hand over the Sylveon's forehead with a gentle gesture, closing her eyes. "Kizzie, you're a little hot. Are you sure you're okay? You might have gotten a fever in your trip here."

"Nothing a little rest can't solve," she said. "Really, this is more weariness than anything, so I'm sure a nap will do the trick. But thank you two, anyway. You've been super nice."

Both grass-types smiled at her. In spite of being ghost-types, their grins didn't come across as eerie or ghoulish, they both seemed warm to the Sylveon.

"Please, don't mind it, Kizzie," the Gourgeist said. "Chroniclers should help each other."

"I'm still thankful! I've seen you two only twice – when I first left and now – but you've been really helpful." Kizuna smiled to them in return. In spite of her disheveled outward appearance, she still looked quite charming. Benefits of being a fairy.

"It must have been a really harsh journey, but you've finally arrived. Do you want a hot drink, or maybe take a bath?"

"I'll settle for... both. At once. But that can wait for later. I should contact Master Tesla first thing."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Tesla was your tutor. Wait a minute here, Kizzie, dear. I'll go look for him."

"Uh? Can't I just go look for him myself?"

The Gourgeist folded her arms and gave the Sylveon a reproving if kind glare, like that of a mother reprimanding her child. "Kizzie, you're still a trainee. You know you're not allowed to roam freely around the Observatory except under the supervision of your assigned tutor."

"Oh, sorry, I know," Kizuna said in a meek voice, casting her eyes down. "It was like that last time too, when I left the Observatory with Master Tesla for the first time. He didn't let me roam around the Observatory. We went straight from my room to the Observatory's entrance. He didn't approve of my idea of taking a detour through the whole Observatory."

"Our duty is to guard the entrance to the Observatory," the Trevenant said. His voice was rougher than the Gourgeist's, but not cold. "As a chronicler, you're of course allowed in, but since you're still an apprentice you must be accompanied by your tutor at all times."

"I know the rules, yes," Kizuna said with a weak nod. It was a minor annoyance, but it couldn't be helped. She wouldn't resent them for it. "Well, okay, I don't want to argue with you guys. Go tell Master Tesla I'm here. I'll wait like the little good girl I am."