New Friends by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
A few days had passed, and with it, the weekend had arrived. With school behind them, many of the academy's cubs were all too ready for a bit of relaxation. The town of Tucho was much quieter on the weekends. There were adults and older teens who took this time to work, but it was only those who wanted to or needed it. But for the younger cubs in the community, this wasn't the case, as they were still not old enough for such things.
Rogziel's family was split in that regard. His parents rotated familial responsibility on the weekend. It wasn't that the cub wasn't old enough to take care of himself, but rather that they needed to manage the house as they had no time to do it otherwise. Of course, the young scorbunny was left more or less to his own devices. Whichever parent did not work for the specific weekend in question was usually out and about. As such, he usually had the place to himself.
It had been a long week at school and even with all the attention on the dodgeball tournament, teachers had still assigned work to do. The scorbunny had been given a history assignment. It had to do something with researching a historical figure who had some significance to Tucho's past. The town was small and he hadn't heard much about any famous people that came from there. Yet he knew he had to find someone.
The cub spent his early Saturday morning on the computer. He wanted to get it out of the way so he didn't have to worry about it. It wasn't a huge task just one where he was expected to write a one-page biography. He looked on the internet a bit for something interesting to him. Rogziel had always been into soccer but he didn't want to be a sports star. Instead, he wanted to focus on someone who had a societal impact.
Rogziel eventually found a Scizor woman from several generations before. The insect-type Pokemon was someone who founded the adoption agency system within the town. The adoption center was well known in the region for finding cubs and teens good homes across Kalos and even beyond. It was perhaps one of the most difficult places to find kids due to its rigid background and matching system.
The woman's name was Eloise Anya but the website seemed to refer to her as Matron Eli. She had established herself as the headmistress of the place early on through an investment loan. Before that, the place was a rundown ramshackle organization. When she took over, she refurbished the entire home with new furniture and even provided a new heating and ventilation unit out of her pocket.
Matron Eli had even adopted her only child from the place, and that very same cub had grown up to run the place. Nowadays it is run by a much larger organization but the Anya Foundation is still part of its core components. A statue of her stood at the front of the building, built by one of the many kids who had been through the facility. Her likeness was well known to those familiar with the adoption scene in Tucho.
Rogziel decided he would do her. She seemed upstanding enough and there appeared to be more than enough information on her. After a while of putting his effort into it, the young scorbunny had managed to put together a small essay about the woman. Putting the finishing touch on it by affixing a black and white image of her with the establishment back in the day when she was around.
When he was done, the rabbit grabbed his phone and made his way out of the room. He hadn't changed out of his pajamas since the only thing he'd done that day was eat breakfast and work on the assignment. He still had one other assignment to finish but decided to do it later. Now that he had finished, Rogziel considered what he could get up to that day. He hadn't made any plans and considered his options. Padding down into the living room, he found the home to be vacant beside himself.
The rabbit plopped down on the sofa with his on the coffee table. He yawned and stretched a bit before staring at his phone. He scrolled through his contacts and decided to text Pent to see what the fennekin boy was up to.
"Hey, Pent. Got any plans today?" Rogziel hoped his best friend would join him in doing something.
It was a few minutes before the fox answered. "Nope. I was just finishing the history assignment. I only have one more thing to do after. Did you have something in mind?"
"Nothing specifically. Do you want to go to the park? Maybe we could stop by the guild and see if they have any assignments or need help." The scorbunny said the first things that came to his mind.
The fennekin types his response back. "Sure, give me an hour to finish and we can meet up at the park. Sound good?"
"Yup. See you in an hour then." The rabbit went back to his room and started to get dressed.
Once the scorbunny had gotten changed into his street clothes, he messed around more on the computer. Checking a few of the local soccer scores as well as some of the national ones. Only a few games were held that day so there weren't many for him to look at. His favorite team wasn't playing either so It was more something to just pass the time. It wasn't long before almost an hour had passed and he got a text from the fox cub.
"I'm heading over on my bike now. Let's meet at the guild first then we can go play at the park."
Rogziel simply responded with an emoji to symbolize he had read and understood the plan. He headed back out into the living room and grabbed his house key from the counter. His parents always left them there so he didn't forget them when he left the place. The rabbit put away his phone into his pocket and put on his shoes. Make sure to lock the door before stepping out the door for the day.
His bike was kept outside chained against a rack his parents had put there for him for easy access. The scorbunny put in the combination and unlocked it. Stepping over it to get himself on the seat. Pedaling into the distance towards the town. The guild was on the far edge of it, overlooking the area known as Sharpedo Bay. It was one of the few bodies of water in the town and the second largest one locally.
He began his journey through Tucho. Several shops lined each side of the street with a few vendors outside of them promoting whatever goods they were selling. Rogziel knew one of them who his father had introduced him to. A Tinkaton woman waved to him as he passed by. The cub made sure to stop by since she was a family friend. The woman was busy with another customer so she offered him a small handful of candies and wished him well.
Rogziel continued his way through the town. There wasn't as much traffic today since it was a weekend. Still, Pokemon were strolling around and doing various things. Going through the fresh market, it was the busiest place in the entire village. The place always smelt of fresh food. Everything from fruits and vegetables to breads and other baked goods were sold here. It was meant to be the place the citizens went for their groceries.
The rabbit boy had to weave his way through the other Pokemon in this part of town. Going a bit slower to avoid any mishaps. A few of the nearby police officers eyed him warily to make sure he didn't hit anyone. Rogziel was careful and managed to stay away from the others. Getting to the other side of the marker where he could pedal faster. He could now see the guild on the hill in the distance and wanted to get there as quickly as he could.
When he arrived at the Guild, he found the Fennekin waiting for him by the Guild placard. Rogziel parked his bike in the front where the other boys were. The billboard was a place where the guild posted available jobs. Most of them were voluntary but some of them were paid. The cubs and teens of Tucho knew of it but were told to not take job offerings from it as some of them were much too complicated for younglings. However, even the smaller tasks remained off-limits unless they got permission to do it.
"Hey, Rog. Ready to head inside?" Pent was excited and wanted to waste no time.
The bigger cub nodded. "Yeah, let's see what the guild has in store for us today.
The Adventurer's Guild was an establishment run by a grizzled Gardevoir who was long retired. The woman was renowned for her involvement in the recovery of the Time Gear relics which were now kept under the safekeeping of its members. The building was a tall three-story structure with a basement. The architecture of it was supposed to resemble a Galarian design from the far west. Most of the people thought its founders designed it that way but no one was sure.
Rogziel and Pent made their way inside. The front of the building was a small lobby with a fountain towards the back of it. A desk sat near the center with a Chesnaught at the front desk. The man looked at them as they entered as it wasn't every day that young cubs showed up to the Guild.
"Can I help you boys?" The man said as he eased back in his chair.
The two cubs approached him before the rabbit spoke. "We want to help. Does the guild have any work we can take?"
"Hmm, we don't normally give tasks to cubs your age. I may have something up your alley though." The burly man searched through the desk for something.
The fennekin and scorbunny waited for him to continue.
"Ah, yes. My wife has been dealing with a small infestation of Joltik in the house. Perhaps you could help with that?" It was a menial task that even cubs their age could do and would get him off the hook since he hated the pests.
Rogziel looked at Pent who looked back at him. Neither of them seemed to be bothered by the idea.
"Sure, I don't see why not. Where is your house at?" The rabbit responded after thinking about it briefly.
The large man began writing the address down on a slip of paper. "It's over near Palkia Peak. Were at the base of the hill."
"Alright, I think I know where that is. Come on, Pent." The scorbunny motioned for his friend to join
him.
The older male watched as they left the building. Rogziel and Pent returned to their bikes sitting along the outer wall of the building. They mounted their bikes and began their trek down away from the adventurer's guild. The rabbit took the lead since he was more confident of where they were going. Heading through the main streets and back into the central part of town. Eventually, they found their way to a small gated community.
Rogziel huffed at the sight of it. He hadn't thought the place would be fenced in. The scorbunny waited for his friend who wasn't far behind him. The two of them got off their bikes and considered their options. They hadn't asked the man's name so it wasn't like they could get in the community on that alone. The rabbit decided they would squeeze through the fence as the bars were thin enough to let them slip in.
The scorbunny went first, wiggling his way through the grassy leaves and hedges that lined alongside it. The white picketed bar fence was rickety and shook as he shimmied through it. The brushy foliage scraped against him as he waded his way into the crack and beyond. It didn't take him long to reach the other side. Pent followed in much the same way, mimicking just what the rabbit had done only seconds before him.
Once they were on the other side, the bigger boy tried to gather where they were. Palkia Peak could be seen in the back so he figured it must have been in that direction. He took the lead again with Pent close behind. There was some security strolling around on bikes but they paid no attention to the two boys who didn't seem to be any different than any other resident of the place. Just in case the two of them kept a low profile so they didn't attract any attention.
They made their way to the back of the community. Palkia Peak was just in the distance now and Rogziel looked at the various house numbers and then at the small slip of paper. It indicated they were to go to 2951. He gazed at both sides of the street they were on until he found the one that was numbered the same. The scorbunny motioned for the other cub to follow him again and they were on their way.
At the door, Rogziel knocked at it and waited. It was a few moments before the door swung in. A brawny Chesnaught woman answered it. She didn't seem surprised by the look on her face.
"Are you two here to see, Xavier?" The woman asked as she assumed they were her son's friends.
The two boys in front of her looked at each other and then back at her. "No. Your husband sent us here about the Joltik infestation. Do you need help?"
"That man…I… never mind. Come right inside the cubbies. They are down in the basement." She opened the door wider as if to invite them inside.
She led them to the front room where the two cubs could hear the sounds of some rattling and ruckus from downstairs.
"What's that sound?" Pent asked as he was the more innately curious of the two.
The chesnaught woman looked back at them. "Oh, that's Xavier. He's downstairs working on the problem as well. You boys will be helping him. We just want to relocate them outside."
"Alright, we can do that." Rogziel responded as they continued following her into a door that led downstairs.
As they went downstairs into the basement, the sounds became much more calamitous. Clearly whatever strategy this other boy had in mind was not working. They soon arrived at the bottom of the stairs and saw a small Chespin boy running around the basement trying to catch a single Joltik. Several other joltiks were bouncing around and it looked like there had been very little progress made on relocating them.
"Xavier, hon I have some other boys here who are going to help you." The woman watched her son as he haphazardly ran around.
The moment she spoke, he stopped and looked back at her. "Huh? I got it covered Mom. I already caught three of them."
"I know that honey. You're doing a great job but you need help. Think of it this way…you will finish more quickly if you do it this way." She didn't want to upset him as he had been working hard at the task.
The small Chespin looked over at the other two boys who he recognized from the school but did not personally know. He simply nodded as he didn't want to create a fuss over that small of an issue. The woman smiled back at him and let them be. The three boys stood silently for a moment before Rogziel spoke.
"Oh, hey. You're in my technology class. My name is Rogziel and this is Pent." The scorbunny figured he'd get introductions out of the way since they never formally met.
Xavier grinned. "Yeah, I remember you guys from school. Maybe we could hang out when we're done here if you want?"
The rabbit looked at the fox cub who nodded to him. "Sure, that sounds fun. Let's take care of this infestation first."
Xavier started to run towards one of the Joltiks that was bouncing around the basement. Quite a few of them could be seen jumping around. It wasn't long before Rogziel joined in the moment of instinct to help. Pent was less impulsive than either of them. He stood there silently considering the best way to deal with the problem. A few moments later, an idea popped into his head and he grinned as he let the other cubs wrangle a single Joltik in their paws before speaking.
"You know…Rogziel. They are electric Pokemon so wouldn't they be attracted to your body if you generated some static?" The fennekin figured it made sense.
The scorbunny stood dumbfounded for a moment, feeling stupid that he hadn't thought about it. "Hmm…maybe you're right. It's worth a shot."
Rogziel closed his eyes as he charged his inner core of energy. His fur stood up a bit from the sudden shift in his electrical discharge. Small sparks of electricity shot from his body. Within moments of him doing this, the Joltik all started to bounce towards him. One by one they clung to his body, seeking the warmth and power he was generating from his form. Much of the young rabbit's form was now covered in the yellow beasts.
Xavier chuckled at the other boy who was mostly covered in them. Pent offered his hand to help the other cub whose eyesight was somewhat obstructed by the amount of creatures on him. The chespin took the lead and led them back upstairs to the living room. Making their way back through the living room and to the outside. The three of them continued until they were a good distance from the home.
The scorbunny stopped charging electricity. The little Joltiks hopped off him and quickly bounced into some nearby bushes. Rogziel brushed himself off a bit, flattening some of the furs that had stood up. He wasn't really surprised that it had worked but was glad they were done with the task.
"Let's go tell my mom that we're done. Then she will let me off the hook to hang out with you guys wherever."
The other boys followed in behind Xavier who led them back inside. The chespin looked for his mother who was in her office typing away at her desk.
"Hey, Mom. We finished. Can I go hang out with my new friends?" The smallest boy said hoping his mother would agree to the request.
The woman looked back at him seeming surprised that they finished so quickly. "Really? Let's go see what the basement looks like."
She got up from her chair and Xavier took the lead once again. All four of them made their way back into the basement. Once they walked down the stairs, the mother looked around. Sure enough, there were no signs of the Joltik anywhere. Just to be sure she checked behind the laundry units and some of the boxes. When she had confirmed they had been removed, she looked very pleased about the job the boys had done.
"Good job, boys. Nicely done. You may go play with your new friends, Xae. Please be back before dinner. You still have homework to finish. Since your cubbies did so well here is some money for lunch." She reached into her pocket and handed her son enough cash for all three of them to buy food.
The small Chespin hugged her. "Thanks, Mom!"
"No problem. No, go enjoy yourselves. It's the weekend." She shooed them off and began heading back upstairs.
The smallest Pokemon looked back at his friends. "Want to get lunch first to get it out of the way?"
The other two boys shrugged and Pent responded. "Sure, that sounds good."
They began to head up the basement stairs and back through the home to the outdoors. Xavier locked the door behind them and looked at the other cubs as an idea popped into his head.
"You guys just want to get some Pizza? There is a place nearby." Xavier suggested since he knew most of the students at the school enjoyed pizza day.
Rogziel chirped. "Heck yeah."
The chespin took the lead again. The local pizza joint was just down the street from the community, a place called Bartino's. It was owned by a family who lived in the same complex as he did. Rogziel made sure to mention they needed to pick their bikes up once they were outside the fenced area. The fennekin and scorbunny picked up their bike and Pent allowed Xavier to take a spot on the back spoke bar so that they could get there faster.
The two bigger boys began riding quickly as Xavier continued to navigate for them. Telling them when to turn and keeping them updated on the estimated distance to it. It was a short while until they arrived at the pizza place. Bartino's was an older establishment where the oven was a brick-and-stone one. The exhaust for it was clearly visible from the outside and the windows were always open except during the winter months.
Rogziel and Pent parked their bikes in the rack that was placed just outside the building. They could smell the scent of cooked cheese and baked dough in the air. Even if it was a bit early, already their stomachs were growling from the mere thought of having food. Once their bikes were stored, all three of them headed inside. The chime on top of the door rang as they made their way
past the entrance to the inside.
Inside they were greeted by the owner who was a middle-aged Miltank. The cow Pokemon smiled as they entered since they were the only ones that were there.
"Welcome boys. Are you here for lunch?" She asked as she was certain this was the case.
Xavier approached the counter where she was at. "Yeah, my friends and I would like a Pizza."
"Alright, what kind of toppings would you like?" She was a bit old-fashioned so she took out a piece of paper to write down the details.
Each of them gave off what they wanted and asked them if they wanted the toppings divided among the portions. They agreed they would just share. The cow took payment and began to work. Rogziel and his friends took one of the many available tables. Xavier sparked up the conversation first.
"So what do you guys want to do for fun after?" The chespin hadn't been told the plan and was curious.
The rabbit responded. "We were going to head to the park. Does that sound good to you?"
"Yup, that sounds awesome. It's better than sitting indoors all day." The smallest cub smiled at the thought of it.
It wasn't long before their food was served. The woman had given them the largest pie even if they hadn't asked for it. Xavier paid for it since he was the only one with money. They were given some paper plates and napkins. No utensils were provided since the meal had already been cut. She disappeared before returning with a small can of soda for each of them. It was a small token of her gratitude for being one of her first customers that day.
The cubs ate their food and were quite happy with it. It was warm and delicious with the soda tickling their taste buds as they sipped on it. They thanked the Milktank for her service. Xavier didn't ask for any change since she had given much more than they asked for. She was all too grateful to provide for them. After all like many people in the village, she had a soft spot for youngsters and many knew it.
When they were done, they disposed of their garbage. The owner of the place thanked them for their patronage and they were on their way out. Just as they were headed out, some more Pokemon came in. It seemed that other furs were now just coming in for the normal lunch period. Rogziel and his friends returned to the bikes with Xavier joining the fox on his. The three of them resumed their journey to the park.
The distance to the park from where they were wasn't very far. It was just on the other side of town. The park was known by its nickname of "Pleasant Park" instead of by its official one. It was a sprawling wilderness with only a few buildings within its perimeter. The place was most recognized for its trails on flat ground as they were much easier going than the ones on more rocky or hilly terrain in the region.
The entrance to the place was a large archway shaped out of shrubbery. The foliage had been cut in excess so it didn't fall outward but had been shaped to grow along a wooden support. There was no fee to come to the park so there was no gate security. They made their way through the pass and into the main part of the park. Once inside they were greeted by some of the Park staff whose job it was to offer information to travelers who needed it.
Rogziel and the other cubs The area was heavily wooded with all sorts of different species of trees. Since it was the middle of autumn, the leaves were already starting to turn colors in various shades of reds, oranges, and yellows. The boys could smell the scent of someone grilling something in the distance. It was somewhat apparent that someone was having some sort of barbeque. They continued their way into the main part of the park.
The largest part of the park was the central area, which was designated as the picnic zone. As they passed by it the cubs could see the people who were having the get-together. Some Pokemon gathered around an open fire pit to cook whatever food they planned to feast on for lunch. Rogziel, Pent, and Xavier continued towards the back of the park where most of the play areas had been established. There was also a skate park, though none of them had thought about visiting it until they passed it.
"You guys wanna hit the skate park first? Xavier, they probably have a rental desk or you could just borrow my bike." The scorbunny suggested since the idea seemed fun.
Pent and Xavier both chimed in. "Sounds good."
The two boys directing the bikes took a sharp turn and headed towards the skate park. This was the only part of the park that was dominated by asphalt. There were all sorts of ramps, dips, bowls, and pipes for the Pokemon to take advantage of. In front of it was a small building that was used as the rental station. A Hawlucha was at the counter, loudly chewing on some bubblegum as the older teen wasn't paying attention.
The fennekin parked his bike nearby so that Xavier could get off and grab something to participate with. The chespin approached the open-faced building.
"Hey, are you open?" He asked since the older male was staring at his phone screen.
The Hawlucha squinted at him as if annoyed. "What d'ya want, twerp?"
"I just want to rent a skateboard or a bike." The Chespin wasn't easily rattled by the other's cold disposition.
The older male sighed. "It's 3 Pokedollar's for an hour. D'ya have it?"
The smaller boy reached into his pocket, forgetting he had spent all the money he had been given. He frowned as he walked away.
"It's alright, Xavier. You can borrow my bike." The fennekin got off so the other boy could have some fun.
The Chespin smiled. "Thanks!"
Rogziel and Xavier continued into the main part of the skate park while Pent took a seat on one of the benches. The chespin pedaled hard as he rode up one of the many ramps in the area. The scorbunny was just behind him. The smaller cub was the first one to go down it, the incline of the ramp causing him to pick up speed so he didn't have to pedal. He was able to jump off the other side before pivoting his bike back around so that he rotated back downward.
Xavier did a few tricks, kicking the bike back with his feet being off the pedals for a bit. His next trick was even more impressive as he did a full rotation on the bike and landed back on the edge of the ramp where Rogziel was waiting. The other two cubs were amazed at the show of skill. Pent gave him a thumbs up as the rabbit patted him on the back. It was now the scorbunny's turn to show off a bit.
The bigger boy hopped onto the ramp and sped down it to the other side. Flipping his bike into the air with a kick of his feet then bringing it right back under his body. The bike skidded as it hit into the wood of the ramp again and Rogziel popped it up into a wheely before spinning. The thing came to a half as he did that. His show was not quite as long as the other boys but he felt bad about leaving Pent out.
Rogziel hopped off his bike and walked over to where Pent was sitting. Xavier had made his way down to join them.
"You want to try, Pent?" The rabbit got off his bike and offered it to his friend.
The fox shook his head. "Nah, I'm not big into doing tricks. I wouldn't mind doing some of the bowls or pipes though."
The rabbit wasn't one to pressure him and gave up the bike gladly. He took the spot where the fennekin was sitting and waited. Pent and Xavier sped off to the side of the ring. The skating bowls and pipes were in the same area with some of the pipes leading into the dips. The white-furred boy was the first one to peel away riding the belly of his bike along one of the pipes that fed into the bowl.
Screaming through to the other side of it, he popped out the other edge and did a very simple hop on his bike to get out. He waved to Xavier to join him who was all too keen to get underway. Following along with the back end of his bike to go in reverse. Pent thought maybe the other boy was showing off a bit but he didn't say much about it. The chespin remained in the bowl as he did a few rotations before stopping to crawl out.
The three of them would continue to share the bikes between them. Each of them partook in whatever part of the skate park that they wanted to. It was a warm day but with the breeze, it wasn't as bad as it might have been otherwise. They remained there a few hours before they got bored of biking around. Xavier was the first one to mention something as he was already keen on moving on to something else.
"So what do you all want to do now?" Xavier asked while next to the bench where Rogziel and Pent were sitting down.
The rabbit looked over at the fennekin who shrugged. "We could go to the adventure center. It's got stuff like canvas netting, monkey bars, zip lines, and running rings."
"Adventure square? That sounds neat but doesn't it cost money?" Pent said as he figured this would be a problem since none of them had any.
Rogziel thought about it. "I think students can get in free on weekends. Let's go check."
The other two boys puffed out their chests in excitement. This time Rogziel rode on Pent's spokes with Xavier taking command of the other one. The rabbit acted as a guide since he'd been there a few times before with his parents. The distance to the adventure square wasn't very long It was just on the other side of the park. It was situated next to the largest building in the entire park and the backside of it was an amphitheater for sporting events.
They approached the entrance where there was a small rack for bikes. Bikes were allowed in the place but only on specific tracks or trails. All patrons were required to report inside. The three boys got off the bikes and headed inside. An infernape was at the desk greeting people and upon seeing them waved them over.
"How can I help you?" She asked with her hands folded casually.
Rogziel approached the desk. "Is the adventure center free to use for students on the weekend?"
"Excuse
me? Come again?" It was a question she wasn't expecting.
The scorbunny repeated himself.
"Uh, no. It isn't. For students, it's $5 Pokedollars on weekends." The monkey said expecting them to pay.
The rabbit sighed. It seemed their plans had been squashed. "Come on guys, let's go hang out at the community center."
They walked out of the complex. It would have to be something they did another time. Rogziel was feeling a bit sour about it and hung his head low.
"It's not a big deal, Rog. The community center will be fun." The fennekin said before patting the other cub on the back to comfort him.
The rabbit nodded and took his place back on his bike. Xavier returned to Pent's spokes and they were on their way again. The community center was near the middle of the park where the pool and picnic areas were. It was the largest building in the entire park and tended to be where people gathered for things like barbeques and other family get-togethers. It was also the only place in the town where outdoor concerts were held as the indoor ones were held at an arena on the other side of town.
They continued onward until they reached the middle part of the park. The building at the center of it was large and had a sign over it indicating what it was for potential visitors. Behind it, a small trail of smoke trickled up to the sky with a few banners waving nearby. A bounce house had been situated just beyond it and its bright colorful pillars could be seen just beyond the other side of the building.
Rogziel and the other two boys made their way to the community center. As with the adventure square, it had a bike rack just outside. They parked just in front of it and proceeded inside. Inside was cooled by some fans that circulated air through the building. It was far from air conditioning but it kept the place less stagnant and provided a soft breeze. They were quite loud so one could hear them as some of the larger ones were placed square against the wall.
Near the back end of it sat an information desk. Some paper pamphlets were placed on risers that offered maps, information, event sign-ups, and a few fliers that various members of the town had placed there. The park was meant to be a place where the citizens of Tucho could come and meet other people. It was also one of the cheapest places in town where people could both host as well as attend various things.
There was no attendant at the desk but a security agent was standing nearby and noticed the three cubs just looking around aimlessly. The woman eyed them warily as she expected them to be up to some mischief. Rogziel looked at one of the pamphlets as if gauging for something to do. Some of them were for older events while others were upcoming. Eventually, he got bored and looked back over at Pent and Xavier who seemed just as at a loss as he was.
"So what do you guys want to do? It doesn't look like anything is going on here." The scorbunny asked for some input from the other cubs.
Xavier responded first. "We could go to the pool. Isn't there one behind the community center?
The rabbit nodded. "Yeah but none of us have swim trunks."
"We could swim in our shorts. I doubt anyone will care." The fennekin chirped back.
The biggest cub smiled at the thought. It was much better than continuing to wander around. They once again started walking, heading through the rear door of the building. Now out back of it, they could see that nearby another cub's family was hosting a birthday party of some sort. The bounce house was lightly bumping up and down as the various young pokemon within frolicked about.
The sound of children chuckling, yelling, and screaming was all too apparent. The three cubs ignored it and continued past it to the area where the pool was. The park's pool was surrounded by a fence with some gating. A pelipper watched over the pool wearing the traditional red trucks, whistle, sunglasses, and hat. It was apparent that he was a lifeguard once he blew the small instrument at some other cubs who were running along the side of the pool.
Rogziel and the other boys continued walking through the door into the main pool area. Some of the adults nearby were relaxing on various beach chairs that had been arranged around the poolside. Others were laying on towels with their backsides facing upright instead of the other way around. The various cubs running around were doing so with very few paying attention to them other than the lifeguard.
The scorbunny and his friends found an open area where they could set their clothing and stuff. Nearby a small shelve of towels was situated for those who wanted to use them. Each of the boys grabbed one of them for themselves. Rogziel was the first to take off his shirt, shoes, and socks leaving them on the side of the chair they had picked out. Pent and Xavier weren't far behind and soon joined him in being shirtless.
Once they were in just their shorts and boxers, they quickly trotted over to the pool. The lifeguard kept a keen eye on the newcomers as he was always wary of them especially when it came to the younger patrons at the pool. Rogziel was the first one into the water as a few jolts of electricity bounced against the surface of the water. The water had been treated so that all Pokemon, no matter the type, could enjoy it.
Pent stepped into the water soon after, causing it to chill around his body before adjusting to his presence. Xavier was much less of a problem who just simply stepped into the water with only some of it absorbed into the root hairs in some parts of his body. The three of them soon rejoined each other at the shallow end of the water. By this point, Rogziel's form was no longer producing discharge and Pent's body temperature had adjusted ever so slightly.
They began to have a water fight with each of them shoving water into each other. Rogziel eventually pounced on Xavier who in turn brought Pent into the scuffle. It was by no means violent with none of them gaining the upper hand over one another. There was no attempt to show dominance as their playful attitude remained at the forefront. It wasn't until the lifeguard blew the whistle at them that they stopped.
Xavier noticed there was a small slide at the far edge of the pool. Only a few of the other cubs were going up and down it. He motioned for the other cubs to follow him. Rogziel and Pent looked over and noticed it as well before joining him to go toward it. The three of the proceeded back to the slide. The wait wasn't long as it moved forward rather quickly with the other cubs not waiting long before going themselves.
Any time that a cub went to early, they were whistled out as the lifeguard wasn't having any mischief. Rogziel and his friends knew better than to cause a ruckus. Xavier was the first one down. The ride was short but enjoyable. Twisting and turning a few times before dumping out into the water below. The chespin swam out of the way once he was at the bottom so that the other cubs could have a go at it.
The scorbunny went down next with the fox boy following soon after. They repeated it a few times before getting bored of it. After all, it wasn't a very involved ride and not something designed for cubs their age. Though, they weren't quite so big that they were outright off-limits for it.
"You guys wanna race then head home? I have some homework to do." Pent suggested that he wanted to finish the assignment sooner rather than later.
The biggest cub gave a toothy grin. "You're on. The last one to finish two laps is a rotten egg."
Rogziel wasn't one to wait and immediately sprinted off towards the other end of the pool. The pool hadn't been designed as a lap pool so it wasn't very long. Pent huffed before diving in to follow him. Xavier shrugged and simply played along, not believing that he would win. The rabbit was able to rebound off one of the walls before retreating to the deep side of the pool. In the end, he would be victorious, if only because he'd gotten the head start.
Once all three of them came to a stop, they chuckled again. Even despite the poor sportsmanship of the rabbit, they enjoyed themselves. Locking their arms behind one another they started to walk out. Back on dry ground they took care of drying their upper halves and left the bottom half to be dried out by the sun and heat alone. When they were done, they put their socks and shes on before returning their towels to a bin near the exit of the pool.
They made their way out of the pool and back through the community center to grab their bikes. The fennekin and scorbunny would take the chespin cub home where Xavier would give them his phone number. They promised each other they'd hang out again tomorrow. What they would do wasn't something they put much thought into. After all each of them still had to finish their assignments as they had put one or the other off to hang out.
After the chespin went inside his home, Rogziel and Pent returned home. Going their separate ways once they hit the back streets that led in the opposite direction of his. The remainder of their day was mixed between homework and free time. None of them had much more to finish but they did need to spend time with their own families. After all each of them had been taught that family came first and it was a creed each of them considered important.
