[NRP] Switch & Melomar's Journal (162 views)

[Jirachi's Wish]

POKEMON CHILD

Name: Switch

Gender: Female

Pokemon: Farfetch'd

Stage: Child

Player: Melomar

Artist: jayoku

This journal belongs to Melomar, please don't post without permission.

[melomar]

Woo hoo! My first pokemon here at Jirachi, and it happens to be one of my favorites! I have reserved posts up to page 2. Beginning there RP and solos will begin, and posts will no longer be reserved ahead of time. Page 1 will probably be tweaked a little more, and there is still some content left to come, but for now everything is where I want it to be. Please have some patience until organized and complete, as things may move around and change. Thanks!

Rules
- Please do not use this thread to chat.
- Follow Gaia ToS in my threads. PMs may be another story.
- No, you may not copy my layout. You may use it for inspiration in your own design, though.
- Be happy. Or leave! Or you could just leaf. *puts on leaf hat* :B
- Yes, these were copy-pasted from my Quest Thread, why do you ask?
- I reserve the right to add more rules.

Notes
- Sometimes the sprites hide things.

Updates
- 20 Feb. 2020: Journal move to Proboards
. . .Meta II ?
- 01 Jun 2014: Volunteered for first Jirachi Wish meta event
- 08 Jul. 2013: Switch has finally grown to child!
- 25 Jan. 2013: revamped the layout. I really hope this is the last time.
- 23 Jan. 2013: added a bit more to the interlude, and replied to my first RP (this will not be reported every time). I think the trend will be that I post lead-ins and interludes between RPs in here, so I don't bog down the actual RP with unnecessary stuff. :3
- 21 Jan. 2013: posted an interlude to lead into travel, and thus a reason to run into more pokemon.
- 20 Jan. 2013: added some family info for Rocco, posted up part two of the solo.
- 12 Jan. 2013: posted up the first part of my solo! Yes, it's longer... but we're starting to see Switch's history with her trainer before they were a team.
- 05-06 Jan. 2013: new banners by me, and leek icons generously made and given by Moogz!
- 28-30 Dec. 2012: thread set-up
- 26 Dec. 2012: Switch arrives!

[melomar]

Page One
- Post 01: Introduction by Orphe
- Post 02: Rules, Notes, Updates
- Post 03: Table of Contents
- Post 04: Child's Personal Profile
- Post 05: Pokémon Basic Stats
- Post 06: Child's Learnset
- Post 07: Trainer and Sibling Pokémon
- Post 08: Relationships
- Post 09: Home
- Post 10: Photo Album and Art Gallery
- Post 11: Family and History
- Post 12: Growth and Forms
- Post 13: Disclaimers

Page Two
- It's Storytelling Time!

[melomar]

Once an orphaned wild farfetch'd, she is determined to become strong so that she will never lose those she holds dear again.
Regardless of the weapon she holds in her hand (be it leek, stick, or sword), she always calls it 'Bait.'

Name
- Pronunciation(s): switch KOT-ee-er
- Given: (from Dictionary.com) a slender, flexible shoot, rod, etc.; to shift or exchange; to turn, shift, or divert
- Surname: (from Behind the Name) British, Old French, occupational name: cottager (farming small landowner)
- Hidden Meaning(s): Inspired from both the shady selling tactic, "bait and switch," and an explanation on the Japanese meaning of farfetch'd (kamo negi, "onion duck,"), and broken down to mean that things are rarely just what they seem.
Nickname(s)
- At Home: N/A
- In Town: N/A
- Friends: N/A

Physical Stats
- Gender: Female
- Stature: A bit lean and ragged, tall (for a child) and scrawny, she was once of average size for a young farfetch'd.
- Feathers/Skin: Mocha-brown skin of similar color to her former fully-farfetch'd coloring. Feathers covering her body are downy and sparce, like human hair, thicker along her wing-arms, on top of her head, eyebrows, tail, and down her legs. The feathers on her head, brows, ears, legs, and the undersides of her wing-arms are the platinum color of a farfetch'd's underbelly. Her nose and feet are orangey-yellow, like a farfetch'd.
- Optical Orifices: Large, wide, and difficult to read for now, as she is unaccustomed to forming expressions. They are greyish in color.
- Other Features: She retains some telltale features from her former life. Her arms are more arm-like in shape but retain flight feathers; it is uncertain whether she can use them to fly. Her legs are covered in thick layer of feathers, and her feet are clawed and webbed like a water fowl's. Her ears are long and covered in feathers. She has a short duck-tail. Her "hair" is actually a thick mop of soft feathers.

Clothing
- Style: Yes, that is a tin soldier outfit (from The Nutcracker) she is wearing. After becoming more human, she must also learn that she is no longer a cartoon duck and must therefore wear pants. She likes the military style and will try to coordinate the color of said pants with whatever shirt she wears.

Personality:
- Nature: Hasty
- Summary: Switch is a serious, trustworthy, and determined individual, considered by some to be rude (but it is more out of haste than intent that she acts). It is difficult for her to warm up to others (especially humans), but once she does, they will find a lifelong, fierce and staunch friend in her. Her actions are generally impulsive: her natural sense of curiosity, and strong emotions, will more often than not get the better of her better judgment. But again, once she makes a decision, she will adhere to it with determination.

- Myers-Briggs Profile:
- - ISFJ
- - Introvert (borderline Extrovert), Sensing (borderline iNtuition), Feeling, Judging (borderline Perceiving)
- - The Defender feels a strong need to serve others in the capacity of guarding their safety, but are non-confrontational by nature. They feel a need to feel needed, but work without expecting recognition.

- Likes: Loves veggies of any kind (vegetarian), but loves sweet onions the best. She likes sweet foods but does not favor a lot of sugary candies. She loves milk chocolate. She likes seashells.
- Strengths: Once she makes an important decision, she sticks to it with great determination.
- Abilities: ...

- Dislikes: Physical weakness, but more so those whom prey on the weak. She hates seeing others cry, and is not prone to do so herself even when she feels the need to. Her least favorite foods have a sour or salty flavor, such as olives, unripe fruit, and "sweet and sour" food (such as sweet and sour chicken or sour candy).
- Weaknesses: Must have her onion; even as a more human individual, she needs to carry some form of leek as if a superstitious good luck charm. Runs off at the mouth and hastily acts (often in aggression) without thinking.
- Fears: Facing an opponent before she is ready. Losing anyone she holds dear, or failing in her capacity to protect them.

[melomar]

Prized as a delicacy, this pokémon is rarely seen nowadays, but it is difficult to mistake. It is a brown, duck-like bird brandishing both leek and wild glare as weapons, though one of them has been considered by many as a mere "convenience."

Designation
- National Pokédex Number: 083
- Type: Normal/Flying
- Species: Wild Duck Pokémon
- Habitat: Grasslands near water, particularly ponds
- Diet: Herbivorous, usually weeds and water plants

Physiology
- Overview: Light-brown feathers cover the body, cream-colored undersides (belly, tail, wing), a black "V" marking above the eyes that looks like eyebrows. A crest of blunt-shaped feathers on top of the head. Wedge-shaped tail, like a duck. Matching yellow long beak (slightly hooked) and webbed feet (wicked claws).
- Height: 2 feet, 7 inches / 0.8 metres
- Weight: 33.1 pounds / 15.0 kilograms

Behavior: Always seen with some sort of stick, rod, or particularly a leek; used as a weapon or may eat it (the leek) in an emergency. They will fiercely fight over the best, or just as fiercely defend one they already possess.
Breeding
- Egg Group: Flying; Field
- Gender Ratio: 50% male, 50% female
- Gender Differences: None
- Courtship: Unknown; uses sticks as nesting material.

Abilities
- Keen Eye
- Inner Focus
- Defiant (hidden ability)
- Other: Wings are prehensile, and can use feathers like fingers.
Base Stats:
- Hit Points: 52
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 55
- Special Attack: 58
- Special Defense: 62
- Speed: 60
- Total: 352
Type Effectiveness
- Damaged Normally By: (1x) Normal, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Steel, Fire, Water, Psychic, Dragon, Dark
- Weak To: (2x) Rock, Electric, Ice
- Immune To: (0x) Ground, Ghost
- Resistant To: (½×) Bug, Grass
- Notes: Ghost becomes 1x if farfetch'd given Ring Target; Ground becomes 1x if given Ring Target or Iron Ball, or if affected by Smack Down or Ingrain.
Base Learnset:
- Poison Jab: Poison-type, physical attack
- Peck: Flying-type, physical attack (STAB bonus)
- Sand-Attack: Ground-type, status move
- Leer: Normal-type, status move
- Fury Cutter: Bug-type, physical attack

Lore:
- Japanese Name: カモネギ, kamo negi, "onion duck"
- Pokémon Origin: Apparently from a Japanese saying: 鴨が葱を背負って来る, meaning, "duck comes bearing green onions," or "something surprising yet convenient."
- English Name: Farfetch'd from "farfetched," or "hard to believe."
- Trivia: Farfetch'd is one of the few (only?) pokémon confirmed to be used as food, and is rare on account of it.

[melomar]

When a trainer catches a wild pokémon, it always knows at least one technique to try to win. Sometimes it is a great catch and knows more! As it levels up, a pokémon learns new skills, sometimes forgetting old ones in the process, which will be shown as Switch grows.

Ability:
- Inner Focus: In battle, this ability protects against flinching, which prevents the pokémon from attacking for one turn and is usually caused by physical attack. In the case of Focus Punch, instead of a flinch, the move will fail.

Current Learnset:
- see Starting Learnset

Level Breakdown:
- Name: wut-type, category (physical attack or status move) (if STAB bonus), description

Starting Learnset:
- Peck: Flying-type, physical attack (STAB bonus), jabs enemy(ies) sharply with beak
- Sand-Attack: Ground-type, status move (lowers enemy's accuracy by one level), throws sand in the enemy's eyes with claws
- Leer: Normal-type, status move (lowers enemy's defense by one level), glares menacingly at the enemy
- Fury Cutter: Bug-type, physical attack, with each consecutive swipe of claws its power doubles (up to five times, max power of 160)

[melomar]

Rocío is a gangly human girl with an affinity for mechanical things. Growing up on a small plot of land nestled in the mountains, she's always wanted a pokémon of her own, but in her family, they've always been used in farming only. If they don't have a purpose, they don't have a place on the farm. There is no room in her life for recreational sports enjoyed by pokémon trainers. That is, unless she strikes out on her own...

Name
- Pronunciation(s): ro-THEE-o KOT-ee-er
- Given: Spanish, feminine name. Dew, as in María del Rocío, "Mary of the Dew"
- Surname: British, Old French, occupational name, cottager (farming small landowner)
- Hidden Meaning(s): Choco Rocco, AKA Chocobo Rock, is the username I used in the Pokémon Crater and Pokémon Moon games
Nickname(s)
- At Home: Ro, Theo
- In Town: Rocky, Rocco, due to a misconception of pronunciation
- Friends: Choco Rocco, because she tends to have chocolate at all times

Family
- Father: Fulgencio (fool KHEN thyo), farmer
- Mother: Almudena (ahm oo de nah), homemaker
- Siblings: Only some of her relatives have been mentioned in story, and some I'm undecided on:
- - Eulalla/Yaya (oo LAH yah), elder sister (early to mid teens), known for speaking her mind untactfully.
- - Tacito (tah THEE to), eldest brother (early twenties), gave up a life of music for the farm
- Extended Family:
- - Consuelo/Chelo, aunt, Fulgencio's youngest sister and twin sister of Ciro
- - Cirino/Ciro, uncle, Fulgencio's youngest sibling, about Tacito's age and often regarded as a brother; twin of Chelo
- - Grandmother (Grandma), deceased
- - Grandfather, deceased(?)

Pokémon:
- Switch the Farfetch'd: You'll know how that's going soon enough.
- Skittles the Skitty: her mother's skitty seems to get along just fine with her and keeps her mind from wandering too far from her work. He seems silly and airheaded but he would like nothing more than to be as strong and fearless as the houndoom or the liepard (and sometimes mimics her).
- Watch the Houndoom: the family watchdog, especially protective of the two girls, sometimes protects them from the liepard. He is a gentle, wise old man looking on the world with good humor and just a little irony.
- Velvet the Liepard: sometimes known as Slinky; captured by Rocco's grandmother, her favorite until the day she died. No one since has been able to tame her, though she understands her duty is to protect the homestead and keep the ratatta population down.

Physical Stats
- Stature: A little short for her age, and weak both in strength and constitution. Leans more toward underweight rather than overweight, due to metabolic rather than nutritional deficiencies.
- Hair: Long hair is a woman's glory, as the saying goes; to her knowledge it has never been more than trimmed, though she is allowed a fringe of hair. Dark-brown with highlights of red, she keeps it up with a bandana most of the time.
- Eyes: Brown, nearly-black.
- Skin: Caucasian with a slight olive tone; only tanned (and freckled) from exposure on face, neck and arms, otherwise light

Clothing
- Style: Tends to wear more clothing than most during cooler months, and less than most in warmer months, due to a temperature regulation problem.

Personality
- Summary: Determined and focused but excitable when faced with a new challenge or opportunity. Her determination keeps her from falling into poor spirits (snotty attitude), instead redoubling her efforts or trying to see the situation from another perspective.
- Myers-Briggs Profile: ESTJ Extroversion, Sensing, Thinking (borderline Feeling), Judging (borderline Perceiving)
- Likes: Mechanical things. Learning how things work by taking them apart, or watching someone else show her.
- Strengths: Fixing and building things (in the future).
- Abilities: Not many, as of yet (she's just a little girl!).
- Hobbies: Tinker
- Dislikes: Feeling weak. Being restricted from accomplishment based on something out of her control (such as monetary, age, gender, or health reasons).
- Weaknesses: Generally has hard luck, or bad things seem to happen at a bad time. Chocolate: she can even be swayed to change her mind about something with a chocolate bar.
- Fears: Has not learned to fear anything as of yet.


History: ironing out the details; stay tuned

Timeline
- 5-6: At start when she meets Switch; farmer's daughter and housekeeper
- 7-9: Begins training in mechanics in-town
- 11+ Full apprenticeship as mechanic

[melomar]

Everyone has to wander out into the world and interact with it. Switch will encounter interesting people everywhere she goes. Some people will become her lifelong friends. Others will grate on her like there's no tomorrow. Why, oh, why did they have to meet? Others will become rivals and nemeses. Life will never be dull, and she wouldn't have it any other way!

Friends
- Mariette the Spinarak: met in town; found their stars together and became close friends

Acquaintances
- Mycah the Pawniard: meeting on the beach
- Nathaniel the Cubchoo: meeting in the mountains

Enemies
- Name: no interactions yet

[melomar]

Switch lives with Rocco, and sometimes with Carlos. Current lodgings to be noted. For now, here are her favorite places.

Rocco
Hometown: N/A, lives out-of-town. Map location is in the foothills under Mahina Mountain near the lakeside of of Hebenon Swamp and Mint Meadow.
Current Residence: on a farm with her parents, in a marshy area perfect for growing leeks, but in a secluded area generally regarded as safe for wildlife for many generations

Switch
Current Residence: The onion patch on the Cotier family's farm, located between the mountains and town

Occupation: None
Stage/Age/Level: Pokemon / 2 or 3 years / to be determined

[melomar]

Everyone has some baby photos they'd rather not share with friends, some dark times in their past they'd rather left buried. Secrets. Bad feather days. Photos where the camera-derp didn't think to take two photos, one for the closed eyes and blur, and one for that gem that always makes you smile. Then there are some great memories thankfully immortalized in pictures. Eventually, Switch will have a little of all of these.
Click thumbnail to view full-size image!

Photo Album
- Official art, by jayoku: Switch's scrapbook is highly cherished because it includes pictures of Rocco and Mariette.


Art Gallery
by Dooma: Switch finds a new person to protect, her new friend Mariette.

[melomar]

Where did Switch, a member of the ever-rarer farfetch'd community, come from? Is her charming disposition a learned trait or is she the only one like that? Is her eyebrow swoop more from her mother's side or her father's? How did she meet her trainer? Did they just immediately click... or was there drama? Stick around and you might find the answers to about half of these questions.

Family
- Blood Relations, deceased: Her entire flock was killed over the years, leaving her the only survivor. The worst of these deaths were her parents', shot by a hunters' bullets before her eyes while they protected her with their bodies. Though it was not always due to over-hunting, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends; all eventually died. It was not a large clan, but to her and before that time, it had always seemed so large and powerful. (the details need to be revised)
- - Father, Rock, known for being physically strong
- - Mother, Twigs, known for her intelligence

History
- ironing out the details; stay tuned!

[melomar]

Here is a timeline of Switch's growth in a technical sense. If History is written like a story, why is Growth written like a shopping list? One possible answer is that it is a series of definite goals that will be reached within a journey of indefinite detail and measure. By the time Switch's future becomes her history, it will have become a story worth telling.

Pokémon to Child

SPOILER: Click to show

- Requirements:
☑ 2 Weeks Time - December 26 --> January 09
☑ 1 Journal Set Up - This is an ongoing thing isn't it?
☑ 1 Decision on Gender - female
☑ 1 Solo RP - I will have lots.
- - x - in which some leeks are stolen
- - x - in which a broken pokeball is thrown at a farfetch'd
- - x - in which the lives of two children go in a new direction
☑ 1 RP with another Pokémon
- - x - A Trek the Mountain; with Rini's Nate - in which a journey up a mountain is made in the name of curiosity and snow
- - x - An Uncut Onion; with Mooger's Mycah - in which a farfetch'd follows the girl into town and a pawniard learns about the places he doesn't like
- - x - A Marvelous Notion; with Orphe's Gethin and Rasui
- - Tenko's Kai
- - x - Alone on the Crowded Street; with Dea's Calanthia
☑ 1 Receiving a Star from Jirachi - plan for this will be from the star on top of a Christmas tree; its glow will obstruct vision at first then slowly float down into outstretched hand. Will pass out; further details undecided.
- - x - Big City Lights; with Dooma's Mariette - in which a star is found for two new friends

- Form:
Name: Switch
Stage: Child
Pokémon Breed: farfetch'd
Gender: female
Hair Style: I'd like feathers instead of hair of any kind on the body (maybe a messy crest or shaggy "hair" style like poofy pigtails or something)
Eyes: Maybe wild or intense? Color is same as you had them before
Attitude/Nature: Hasty (she's kind of scared and grumpy right now which makes her act a bit aggressive)
Clothing Style: military/marching band (maybe over-sized?)
Pokémon Features:
- Make her as animalistic or human-like as you want (I am not going to ask you to do something difficult/awkward like a beak; just do what you want/feel comfortable with).
- Please keep the wings! They're also her hands! :3
- Please keep the leek~

Child to Teen

- Requirements:
☑ 2 Months Time - 08 July --> 08 September
☑ 1 Response - to the growths/changes caused by the star they found.
- - Are We Still Us? - RP response with Dooma's Mariette (ongoing)
☐ 4 PDs - offers from Manu (Alohi), Lirilei (Zevian)
- - meta 1
- - meta 2
☐ 2 Solo RPs/Journal Entries
- - A Heros Departure - intro to meta
☐ 1 Skill Learned - or more. =D
☒ 1 Evolution - N/A

- Form:
Name: Switch
Stage: Teen
Pokémon Breed: Farfetch'd
Evolving: No
Gender: Female
Hair Style: I'd like it if you could somehow convey a mohawk-like fringe (of feathers) that falls down flat and off to one side of her head (as if a mohawk fell over). Also, I was thinking she might purposely break off those feathers and dye the quills (then re-attach), so that the color runs down the feathers and branches out.
Eyes: Glaring a little as if looking into the distance and thinking, with a determined look
Attitude/Nature: Hasty (She's in her rebellious stage)
Clothing Style: Military and rebel
Body Style: Slim, broad-shouldered, "chesty" - she's a bird so I was thinking, perhaps instead of evidence of breasts perhaps floofy feathers?
Pokémon Features:
- the leek is now brandished like a weapon, with more skill

Teen to Adult

SPOILER: Click to show

- Requirements:
☐ 3 Months Time
☐ 1 Response to Growth
☐ 5 PDs
☐ 2 Solo RPs/Journal Entries
☐ 2 Skill Learned - there may be more
☒ 1 Evolution - N/A

- Form:
Name: Switch
Stage: Adult
Pokémon Breed: Farfetch'd
Evolving: No
Gender: Female
Hair Style: (if any)
Eyes: (if any)
Attitude/Nature: Hasty (More refined and focused, but ready to attack at any time)
Clothing Style: A cleaner, more refined, military look, but still with a more individual style (aristocratic lolita?)
Body Style: More muscular than her teen stage, but also more feminine/curvy
Pokémon Features:
- the "leek" is actually a crafted sword sheath, where the green "leaves" are a stiff tassel, and from them she pulls out a military saber whose handle, instead of gold/brass, is green like the leaves of the leek. (offer reference)

[melomar]

All sprites and pokémon concept art obtained from Bulbapedia's Bulbagarden Archives; Bulbapedia (the unofficial, online pokémon encyclopedia) was the primary source for pokémon info. Character concept art was created expressly for Jirachi's Wish. Each piece is listed below, and owned by its respective artist. Any omissions from this list are unintentional; no infringement is ever intended. If anything seen here is in error, please let me know in a nice way, and I will do my best to correct it in a timely manner.

Characters and Content
- Pokémon (Pocket Monsters) © Nintendo, concept by Satoshi Tajiri.
- Pokémon Vortex (Pokemon Crater) created by Aaron.
- Jirachi's Wish concept (and star thumbnails) by Orpheus Solon.
- Character concepts for Switch the Farfetch'd, "Choco Rocco" Cotier, and Carlos Kardunn, by Melomar.
- All other character concepts (such as for the children and their trainers) by their respective owners.

Sprites and Concept Art
- Switch's pokémon concept art, and the art for her consecutive growth stages, by jayoku.
- Original farfetch'd pokémon concept art by Ken Sugimori.
- Animated farfetch'd sprite is the menu sprite from the games.
- Choco Rocco's large sprite is the female "Pokemon Breeder" sprite from Black/White.
- Choco Rocco's small sprite is the "Lady" overworld sprite from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald.

Layout Design
- Pokémon stats informational layout borrowed heavily from Bulbapedia.
- Some design layout ideas were borrowed from MoogerMint and used with permission.
- Awesome leek icons made by MoogerMint for this journal. Only use with permission!
- Banners by me (Melomar) for this journal only. Do not use!
- Banners use Stereofidelic, a free font by Typodermic Fonts.

[melomar]

RP One: A Trek up the Mountain
Date: 24 January 2013 - 13 June 2014
Post count: 14
Interaction with: Angelics-Destiny's Nathaniel the Cubchoo
Link: here
In which Switch "climbs" Mahina Mountain to learn the truth about snow (and making things like snow pokemon!), and finds a lonely cubchoo named Nathaniel.

[melomar]

Solo One: Leek Bandits
Date: 12 January 2013
Word count: 1187
The ever-present babbling of a small stream, the wind whistling from the crags above and tumbling through the grasses below, the pulsing buzz of insects and intermittent calls of small mammals and birds; all of these were the background choral section that Rocío had always known. One could tell the time of year from these sounds alone, for the great wilderness play switched acts, and tune, all throughout the year.

At least, that was what her eldest brother used to say. He had a musical ear, but he had never thought to follow that calling away from the farm. They all liked to say that the farm was where any of them belonged. But Rocío was not always certain.

It was a lazy, late-summer day. The young girl could hear the lowing of the farm’s single tauros, and if she listened very carefully, she could hear the scraping and tumbling of the plow. She listened to everything while she hung out the laundry on the line. These were days when she always felt safe yet vaguely antsy. They were the days when she began to wonder what was beyond the meadow and the hills and mountains; where all the other people were.

But then “her mom’s” skitty, the one whom always followed Rocío around, swatted at her heels and the girl was brought back to her immediate task. Obediently, she whipped out a sheet and stretched out as far as she could to reach the clothesline, while the feline pokémon dove into the remaining pile inside the basket. Someday her arms would be long enough to reach without using a step stool. Someday she would be big enough to do... well, she thought with momentary defeat, just a lot of things.

She paused upon hearing a masculine growl; the voice of a man she knew, probably her father or uncle. She did not understand the harsh-sounding string of words he used, knowing only that they were bad words. She had been cautioned numerous times by all the adults that those were words not to be used by children. Then, another phrase: something about pests eating their onions again.

She did not return just yet to her work; instead hearing what sounded like a bird laughing in the trees nearby, Rocío tilted her head and watched the foliage intently. But with a rustle of leaves the creature had gone. She did not need to see the creature to identify it. She recognized that call -- no, really it was indeed a laugh of sorts -- as she recognized the call of every pokémon that resided on and near the Cotier farm. It was a farfetch’d again. She had been told that they were rare these days, but still, a family of them had discovered the locally famous Cotier Leek crop. And this time, she knew most certainly that the “pest” her family had now scrambled to save their onions from, was in fact a member of the notorious farfetch’d flock.

After finishing the last of the laundry, Rocío skipped off to the fields to inspect the damage for herself. The boys had already salvaged, or disposed of, any remaining damaged stalks, and left a few younger shoots to completely mature. As she hopped between the rows, from one webbed footprint to the next (and “followed” from in front by the ever-pouncing skitty), she considered how careful these birds had been to steal only the largest, ripest plants. What intelligent animals these pokémon were! Smart, unlike the family tauros, whose loud, annoying, and painful tails caused almost more damage than their strength could make up for.

“Theo! It’s time for dinner!” With her mother’s call chimed a ringing dinner-bell. Her summons was not to eat dinner, but rather to help prepare it. With a sigh, she swiped at her long skirt and headed back home.

Later that night, bellies were full and the adults hovered around the dinner table picking at scraps with the children dispersed around the common room working on various projects. Rocío’s little boot kicked up the edge of her billowing skirt where she sat on the floor, concentrating on an old pocket watch that no longer ticked; she wanted to see if she could dismantle it, and thus learn how it was supposed to work. Skittles the Skitty’s body, diminutive as it was, was stretched to its fullest along Rocío’s other thigh. She appreciated his heat, as not everyone in the room was as radiating warmth. Despite the girl’s apparent inattention, she often stroked his silky pink fur, and listened intently to the chilly conversation.

Unsurprisingly, the topic was the farfetch’d and their fondness for her family’s crop. Safe within the confines of her mind, she reasoned, These birds eat onions. Everyone knows that. We’re the only ones that grow leeks around here. It’s what Dad always said. So if they don’t eat ours, they can’t eat. Everyone has to eat.

Her sister was making a great argument for their cause as well. She was an older teen by now, and their father sometimes muttered comments about marrying her off before she ran her mouth off to the wrong person. “There never was a big population of farfetch’d around here. Whenever they do nest nearby, idiots over-hunt them and they disappear. Letting them eat a few leeks won’t hurt anyone. We’ll just plant more next year.” She got a warning glare from her mother, but instead of backing down, she flashed a smirk and added, “Smaller crop for use means higher price at market, right?”

“And we’ll hear no end of those ‘idiots’ shooting off their rifles,” their brother, the musically inclined, groused. He hated the sharp sound of gunfire, and the echoing like thunder bouncing off the hills all around them. The tauros didn’t like it either: it took the noise as a sort of challenge and gentling it again had always fallen on the young man’s shoulders. His shudder was noticed by everyone.

“Since they’re around anyway, maybe we oughta charge a fee for the privilege of hunting here. Maybe I’ll talk to the other farmers and see what they think,” their father reluctantly growled. His stoic way meant he only half-joked. He didn’t want hunters anywhere near his homestead, but if it was inevitable...

His train of thought, and his pacing to and fro, froze with a loud thunk! when a wet spoon that had gone sailing across the room from a pan of soapy water landed on his stooped shoulder. He glanced up to regard his wife, whom had since pulled their elder daughter away to help her clean the dishes.

“I’ll not have anyone pointing a gun anywhere near my children,” their mother warned. The power of the heavens, and indeed even the sun itself, seemed behind her words and her rolling bellow.

He ignored his daughter’s chuckle and ran his calloused hands through his choppy hair with a sigh. “I know Dear, I know...”

Much of the exchanges had flown over the little one’s head, but at the very least it sounded like farfetch’d would be safe for now.

To be continued...