Survival

The weather had been fairly nice that day. Good enough that Míngzé decided to leave his apartment and go for a walk in the park. These days he rather stays at home, for an entirely different reason than before. At least when he was there, he knew exactly what was going on. For that reason he’d decided to let his Ninetales stay at home. She would be strong enough to play guarddog if necessary. Besides, she did not like going out anyway, so it was fine.

When they arrived at the park, Míngzé found a nearby bench and sat down. Dai had brought his favorite toy with him, an old tennis ball that was only a ball of plastic. The fabric around it had been chewed off completely. As he sat there on his bench, all he had to do was throw away the ball each time and Dai would bring it back in an instant.

“Will you ever get tired?” Míngzé asked when the tennis ball ended up on his lap once more. By now it felt like they’d been at this for ages, even though it probably was only a few minutes. Instead of throwing it in the same direction once more, Míngzé decided to spice it up. He threw it to the side, while Dai ran in the same direction as before. Unknowingly the ball flew towards the fountain and the person that stood there. All Míngzé could hear was the splash of water once the ball fell in it.  

The moment Míngzé heard the ball hit water, he knew Dai would refuse to get it. No surprise there as he was a fire type. Already he could hear his soft cries. Míngzé first had to grab his cane before he stood up. In the meanwhile, Dai’s cries had changed into barks of excitement. With a raised eyebrow he looked into the direction of where it came from. There was a silhouette of a person there, but that was all he could gather.

Míngzé took a step forward and it was then that something round hit his chest, leaving a wet spot on his shirt. He jumped visibly at the sudden ‘attack’. Soon after he noticed how Dai ran past him, going after his ball. His hand was against his chest and wet fabric. The person must have thrown the ball back it seems.

“Thanks,” he said with a small smile, assuming she simply had wanted to return the ball to him. “Believe it or not, but he hates water,” Míngzé added. Dai ran towards the person again, dropping the ball at their feet before starting to bark loudly. The smile disappeared from his face and an uncomfortable feeling washed over him. “Dai!” His voice was stern but that did not seem to really impress the pokémon. “Here, now.” Another command that got ignored.

“Dai, one last time, here.” There was a soft growl to his own voice, caused by his rising anger. While the pokémon had yet to do something wrong, it frustrated him when they did not listen to him. It was a sign he was not in control. Another bark sounded and Míngzé clenched his jaw because Dai was still not listening.

Fetch was something everyone knew, so when the girl asked her question he couldn’t help but be slightly confused. Maybe if she would throw it, Dai would finally listen. “That is usually how it goes, yes,” Míngzé answered with a raised eyebrow. He did not realize that she was talking directly to him and not to the eagerly waiting Houndour.

Dai thought it had taken her long enough and lost his patience. Using the strength in his back legs to jump up multiple times, snapping his teeth at the ball to urge her to throw it. It is easy, human, all you have to do is throw. It was not rocket science.

What happened next was nothing Míngzé had ever experienced before. A growl sounded, but not one that sounded like it belonged to a pokémon. No, it was too human-like. Had he heard that right? Or were his ears betraying him? Dai too stopped jumping and stared at the other person. Míngzé’s brow was knitted together as he opened his mouth. “Did you just—” Again something hit his chest, a bit lower this time. He rubbed the spot where it had hit him. It was once more the tennis ball. Míngzé stood there dumbstruck. The question thrown his way flew over his head.

Dai did not care. The pokémon was happy she threw the ball away and ran towards it, using his front paws to come to a halt. He grabbed the ball between his teeth before running back to the stranger, dropping it at her feet. A bark sounded once more, urging her to throw again.

Míngzé opened his mouth, and then closed it again before repeating the same process. “Are you trying to hit me?” he heard himself say, a hint of annoyance in the tone of his voice. It was fine if it happened once, but he did not appreciate that she did it again. He might not be able to see it coming his way, but that did not give her the right to use it against him for her own amusement.

The houndour did not care, he was wagging his small tail, waiting to go after the ball once more.

Naturally Míngzé did not appreciate her behavior. It was irritating him tremendously that she once again hit him with the tennis ball. Dai did not seem to notice his frustration and simply went for the ball to bring it back to the girl. “Dai, come here,” he said in an attempt to keep the same thing form repeating itself again. Of course, his pokémon did not listen. The ball once more ended up at the girl’s feet. Míngzé only gritted his teeth.

“Yes, but not at me.” His voice was layered with irritation as he spoke. After rubbing his chest a few more times he lowered his hand. A bark sounded once more because Dai was growing impatient. Each time he brought her the ball, he had to wait too long. It did not help that she was not paying him any attention either. “Dai, just get here, now,” Míngzé snapped and for a moment it seemed to work. The pokémon turned around and took a few steps towards him, only to halt and look from the ball to the girl.

“Because he’s obsessed with playing fetch. Just stop throwing it at me, it’s not funny.” Once Dai started playing fetch, he did not want to stop.