Foggy Feelings

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A stone plopped into the water making ripples that seemed to reach all the way to the shore. The pond had a light fog over it that made the area nearly eerie. It was the early morning, and the only sound currently heard was the occasional plop as another stone hit the water and sunk to the bottom of a steadily growing pile. Vanilla was tossing stones idly as if trying to toss her troubles away into the lake along with the stones. Another plop sounded and she sighed and leaned back while kicking her feet. This early in the morning, if she was up, Vanilla liked to wander to quiet and peaceful areas to think about things. Usually it was a relaxing time for her... But her mind and heart kept bringing back up a conflict that ran through her mind. She shook her head and picked up another stone to toss into the pond yet again.

Vanilla crossed her arms. She didn't like Lopunnies. "You know you only make my dislike for Lopunnies greater? Pathetic? If that's pathetic than gee, that would make a lot of Pokemon pathetic. You don't need to compare yourself to some.... Some crazy Lopunny named Vermillion running about. I'd hardly say you're pathetic Oswald. You took a lot of blows last time we went adventuring, but there's nothing wrong with admitting you're in pain. You're still a Pokemon like everyone else. You know you have breaking points too right? You can always admit it to... Someone. Like your partner or a friend..." She trailed off at this, not really having much else to say.

Oswald chuckled at Vanilla's comment, though honestly, he couldn't really tell his partner about how stressful it was trying to remain close to Vanilla, with all the consequences that would no doubt occur if their relationship was discovered. Not that Oswald really cared that much, as he really wanted to spend time with Vanilla, regardless of the repercussions.

Oswald shook his head, "I know, I just don't want them to worry about me, that's all. Besides, I always turn up fine in the end, don't I?"

Vanilla sighed. Oswald wasn't making this easy. "See, you're doing it now. That thing you always do. Come on, if you wanna spill your guts spill them. Who's here to judge you? I'm already stuck with you, I can't do anything about it can I?" She said and stuck her tongue out while thinking about the last comment she made. "Who cares about that Lopunny anyways. Surely she lacked the charming companionship I have. Besides, Lopunnies are stupid. And worth leaving in the past." Vanilla finished with a serious look, as if the specific species of Pokemon should be completely forgotten, especially Vermillion.

Oswald sighed, though not out of frustration or aggitation, it was just an exhasperated sigh that was the precursor to Oswald's response, "Alright, fine. My chest feels a little sore, but that's it, honestly. Trust me, all the bruises on my body hurt worse than my chest does right now. So, what about your tail? You've been fidgeting at it for some time. Are you doing okay? And what exactly do you mean by "stuck with me"?"

Oswald's last question was much more playful than his earlier statements, the mienfoo even smirking slyly as he looked to see what the Minccino's reaction would be.

Vanilla's tail flicked idly in response to his question. "My tail? It's fine. Besides some static that Rayo got rid of, there's not much of a problem really. And you know what I mean. I could climb the highest point of Mt. Frostmeer and you'd still follow somehow. That much I know. I could even hitch a ride on a flying Pokemon and you'd probably still follow." She said while staring at Oswald with an amused expression.

The mienfoo chuckled, "You bet I would. After all, I did promise that I'd keep you safe, didn't I?"

Oswald returned Vanilla's amused expression with his own, smiling jovially before scooting over a little closer. He then remembered Rayo, the little roughian of a Joltik who certainly wasn't the most pleasant of pokemon Oswald had met, and couldn't help but ask, "Vanilla, how did you meet Rayo?"

Vanilla paused for a moment, thinking about how she and Rayo had met. "Well... One day I was on my way through Pecha Forest when I walked into his trap. Some electric webs you know... He gave me a shock and I fell over into his webs and he started to run off with my ribbon. I stopped him in his tracks by singing and escaped. I took my ribbon, but he was stuck to it.... So I threatened to throw him into the river and we made a deal and started a team." She said. Remembering how she had started her team with Rayo made her smile a little. It was certainly and interesting way to start one.

Oswald couldn't help but chuckle, "Really now? Me and Kaze's first mission was fighting off with Rayo and you, so of course our teamwork wasn't the best thing ever. To be honest, I had initially planned to go have the both of us gang up on Rayo so that you could take pot shots at us from behind, or hit us with Attract while we weren't looking, but hey, it worked out in the end, didn't it?"

Oswald's chuckle became a little light hearted at the end as he patted himself gingerly in the torso, "Well, it worked out for you at least..."

Vanilla smiled at how he took the situation. He didn't have and grudges about what had happened. "So... You've got a partner now huh? And that's good for you. Will you and your partner focus on missions from now on when he asks to go out on them? What's going to happen if... You know. Vermillion snaps out of her crazy behavior and turns back to her normal self again? What're you gonna do then?" Her deep brown eyes wandered out to the water again. It was calm now, a relaxing view for any Pokemon. She didn't really have a frown on her face, it was a strange middle ground. A smile, but with a tiny hint of sadness to it.

Oswald blinked, not really understanding where she was going with this. Obviously, she was worried about them splitting up, which was absurd.

"I'm the leader Vanilla, I'm the one who decides which missions my team takes. Besides, if Vermillion comes back to her senses, then I'll give back command of the team to her and retire. Like I said before, I don't need the guild to explore the world, and it isn't like I can't send letters to them every now and again to tell them how I'm doing." Oswald replied, inching closer to the Minccino once more.

Vanilla shrugged. She noticed Oswald was getting closer. She wasn't sure why he was approaching, but she did admit she was curious and would leave it alone for now. "If that's what you want... I just wanted to put another option out there you know. It's not that I don't like you know..." A small amount of blush ran across her face at the mention of the words. It was still a slightly strange concept. "But it's just too much a fairy tale that you would up and leave your guild like that. Like a... Dream come true. I think those would be the right words." Vanilla said and looked Oswald in the eyes, waiting for his response.

The mienfoo was silent for a few moments, as if he were trying to think of the right words to say. Their noses were close to one another once again, and Oswald couldn't help but smile as he replied, "It doesn't have to be a fairy tale you know...heh, like it ever was. You see..."

Oswald gulped audibly, his ears flattening as he started to choke a bit, "I...uh, I lo...er, I love..."

Vanilla could feel her face heating up as she blushed more. Oswald was stumbling over his words, but she could easily tell where she was going with this. She took advantage of the fact they were close yet again and kissed Oswald, cutting off his words in the process. She pulled away after a few moments of a kiss between them, a twinkle in her eye. "I know..."

Oswald's eyes widened when Vanilla kissed him, his ears shooting straight upwards the moment their lips connected, and a blush flaring across his cheeks as his worries seemed to wash away with the gentle water of the pond. Oswald stared for a few moments after Vanilla had finished her kiss, and, gently, he pulled the Minccino into a hug, not even caring that the contact was hurting him.

"I'm so happy to hear that..." Oswald replied, planting a light peck of a kiss on Vanilla's cheek before closing his eyes, a big smile on his muzzle as his hopes seemed to soar into the heavens.

Vanilla's ears went back as she hugged Oswald back. She was still blushing, but smiled anyways and closed her eyes. It felt amazing just to be able to hug someone she cared about this much. Vanilla pressed her face closer, finding her companion a comfort and a reason for happiness. "I know I don't really say it much, but I really care about you too Oswald. I uh... Need to tell you something though..." She finally managed to say.

Oswald winced and let out a quiet "Ow," when Vanilla tightened her hug and pressed her head into his chest, but he kept holding onto her. He blinked when he heard that she had something that she needed to tell him, and a pang of worry shook through his body. Regardless, he replied, "Alright, go ahead then Vanilla. What's up?"

Vanilla blinked, paused at his question. She knew sooner or later somebody would have to find out. "You know I'm an outlaw, and you know I once lived with my family, but my past stretches out farther than that. A lot farther actually." Vanilla managed to pull herself away from Oswald to look him in the eyes. "I ran with a gang once, it sounds minor doesn't it? It's not. They were big, a gang farther off... Far, far away from Pecha forest or anywhere around here for that matter. The head boss was a Nidoking. Not someone you wanted to mess around with. He had his second in command, a Scrafty. Also not the type of guy you wanted to mess with. I was one of the Scrafty's favorites. He sent me out a lot. Doing my usual business, charming others and stealing what needed to be stolen and getting information out of specific Pokemon..." She paused, waiting for his initial response.

Oswald sighed, "Sorry, my chest was just aching for a moment there... Listen, if this is about something you did in the past, then you don't have to worry about my feelings towards it. I don't care about what you did in the past, because in the end, you're still you, and I love you."

Oswald then tilted his head with a puzzled look on his face, "Unless you were going to say something else...I shouldn't have interrupted, please, continue."

Vanilla shook her head. "No, I've got more to say. That's just it. My past will affect what's happening now. That gang I ran with was notorious, but they were in the shadows if you catch my drift. They took out who needed to be taken out, but in a quiet fashion. The 'hush-hush' method... And they don't take kindly to Pokemon leaving their little group. Once you do they'll find you. But they wait for a while, make you think that you're safe. And then they either drag you back to the group kicking and screaming or make you vanish completely." She shivered and did a quick check of her fur as if bugs were crawling all over it.

"You'd think they'd send big, bad guys after you. No they start off small... And it increasingly gets worse and worse until they're sending swarms of bug Pokemon and birds and destroying everything you made for yourself." Vanilla shook her head. "But I had to leave. I was a thief... Not something like them. They brutally beat up every Pokemon and any Pokemon. It might sound like we're the same but their targets were on every Pokemon. If they needed to steal younglings, as they called them, they would. At one point they took the eggs from a bird Pokemon. And when she wouldn't come rescue her children they were tossed out like..." She swallowed. "Garbage. Like they didn't matter at all. That's so wrong. Even for a thief like me, that's wrong. So I'm telling you now. Things seem peaceful now, chances are they're going to get worse. I was pretty high up on the ladder you know? Chances are that Scrafty I mentioned before, Ramano, will most likely send some lackeys after me and then eventually come himself. It seemed far fetched I know, but that's the truth."

Oswald nodded, not even phased by the groups notoriety, not even by Vanilla's description of them. Sure, he'd be at a slight disadvantage against bug and flying type pokemon, but that was why he didn't forget Rock Tomb. Oswald gently kissed the minccino's forehead, and when he pulled away from the kiss he pulled Vanilla into another hug.

"Don't worry Vanilla, I'll keep you safe. I don't care how tough these guys are, I won't let them come between us, and that's a promise, alright?" Oswald stated reassuringly, gently stroking Vanilla's back with a paw, trying to smooth out the fur that Vanilla might have missed due to her inability to reach every part of her back.

Vanilla sighed. "I know you're here for me, but you're facing a whole armada of Pokemon... And the king himself isn't someone you want to mess with." She said while hiding her face in the embrace. The gentle stroking of his paws, and his words were enough to calm her for now though, but she knew that sooner or later they'd both have to face the problem she had mentioned. "I love you too by the way." She said with a smile, even though he couldn't see it.

The mienfoo nodded quietly, sighing in content as he held Vanilla close to him, doing his hardest to try and forget the pain in his chest, or the wet fur that was currently making him shiver a little.

He pulled the Minccino away for a moment, but still kept his paws on her and his eyes locked onto hers as he suggested, "Maybe we should move someplace else, like in that tree over there. I mean, I wouldn't mind splashing around in the lake some more, but I also wouldn't mind getting some kind of cover from the wind, if you catch my drift..."

Vanilla nodded. "It is getting chilly..." She said and realized she hadn't really dried off her fur from being in the lake. "Lead the way." She said with a smile. If Oswald was leading the way, she'd feel okay, safe even... Even if it was for a brief moment. Her brown eyes sparkled, they were lit up with happiness at being with him. Something about getting her problems off her chest felt wonderful.

With just a glance, it didn't really look like there was a warm place for the duo to huddle in, but Oswald had an idea. He turned around and, once again, picked Vanilla up. Now that he was giving her a piggy back ride, he said, "wrap your arms around my neck if you can. I'll take you up the tree here."

Oswald didn't say any more, as started his ascent up a tall, nearby tree, who's top pierced through the fog.

Vanilla wrapped her arms around Oswald's neck and held on tight. He was scaling up the tree, the ground getting farther and farther away as they reached a point that was clear of the foggy weather. Something about being this high up was a strange feeling, almost light hearted. Vanilla enjoyed the heights, and being in trees in general. She nudged Oswald with her nose lightly. "How high up are we going?"