A Shade Different - Dichotomy

The door crept open, and their bodies were slowly cast in sunlight before a loud shriek was heard from the door. There was not one, but two teenagers standing at the door.

Greeeeeat. So great.

“What the heck are you doing here?” The furfrou on the right gasped, rummaging for her phone from apron pocket. “I’m calling the cops!”

The boy slightly behind the girl had been observing this with an incredulous annoyed look.

“Dear God in the mornin’....forget the cops, let’s call Juan.”

Before Lucky could say anything, the Pachirisu had his phone out and was dialing.

“Let’s tell him we found another bunch of weirdos in the Venipede shed….this one’s an Ivysaur and a…”

The kid squinted at Lucky, who by this point was starting to get angry all over again. The red color had slowed its ascent, but the tips of the back of her hair was showing it. It was enough to throw the boy off.

“And a...what’re you s’posed to be?”

Lucky’s eyes narrowed and she took a breath. 

She was going to give it to him, this punk kid. He picked the wrong day to get on her nerves, and she was going to dish out the nastiest stream of retorts she could think of. But Spencer spoke up first.

 “She’s a Scolipede!” They cried, their tail glowing in agitation. “She’s a scolipede, and a doctor, and a darn good trumpet player, and she can kick your butt in Mario Kart 7! And she’s better than either of you meanies will ever be.” Spencer almost hissed those last words before grabbing Lucky’s wrist and attempting to pull her out of the barn. It didn't seem to work as Faith was near-dazed, staring throughout the whole short speech, staring and at a loss for words. 

This was new territory for her. Confrontations she had been in, quiet hushed conversations and the rare heart-to-heart, but this was the first time anyone had bared their heart so plainly to her with such intensity and with such...devotion.

Spencer was devoted to her. Faith suddenly remembered standing in the entrance of the St.Claire’s home, peering past a serious Drapion woman to spot a small Bulbasaur child looking at her with wide eyes. Those years she had put in tutoring Spencer, having fun with the family, bringing in a bit of the outside world to the homebound Grass-type….it meant that much to Spencer to stand here and speak to her like this.

What she did for Spencer was….nice.

I’m a nice person. </i> Faith blinked. She hadn’t thought of herself as such before. She had always been told she was moody, wild and selfish, but here was someone who thought differently. And had reason to think so.

Just because other people said she had to be something else, didn’t make it true.

Just because they said she was bad didn’t make it true either.

What did she want to be?

She couldn’t help the smallest bit of laughter at the Furfrou’s shushing, pulling off her glasses and wiping her eyes with one arm.

“Thpenther...don’t cry,motek. Don’t apologithe. You’re good….you’re a good kid.”

The presence of the ranch hands was pressing on her, urging her to silence.

Who cares what they think?

“You’re a good friend. Don’t worry about it, I jutht...had problemth. And I thtill have them but….”

Little Lucky crept in front of her to look at her owner’s face. Faith finally, slowly, cracked a small smile at the bug. If there was someone who believed in her this much, then she ought to try believing in herself. Try it out. See what it was like.

“I think I... I think I might be able to handle them better now....ha, maybe....”

Over to the side, the Pachirisu gave his co-worker a sideways look and twirled a finger next to his head. In a hissed whisper he said, “These are even weirder than the last ones.” 

Lucky didn’t move her head but her expression changed to a witheringly annoyed one. She started to turn to the teens while speaking.

“Okay, look. I know what it lookth like, but we--ah!”

It didn’t hurt or even feel like anything, but there suddenly was a strange sensation that made Lucky yelp, a brief moment of constriction for a second that made her flinch and shut her eyes.  She was still squeezing them tight and holding still, so she couldn’t see that in the semi-darkness of the shed, her stripes began to glow. Perhaps it was in reaction to her words. 

_{purple, light purple, grey, yellow, red, black
blue, green}

Chapter Index

A Shade Different - Prologue

A Shade Different - Wish

A Shade Different - Rumination

A Shade Different - Flee

A Shade Different - Savior

A Shade Different - Shamed (animated)