Searching shadows

“Dai!”

Míngzé held his hands cupped around his mouth, hoping the sound would travel further. For a good few minutes he had been standing there, yelling the name of his pokémon. Why did he think it was a good idea to bring the houndour with him? The sunny weather had brought more people to the city and it had been a bit too busy, something he realized too late.

What exactly happened he had no idea. One moment the small pokémon was walking next to him, the next he heard him cry loudly and then he was gone.

Worry had settled into his bones, but Míngzé dared not to venture off too far. What if he was right here, but couldn’t get close because of all the people.

“Dai, come here!” Míngzé tried once again.

The worst possible scenarios flew through his mind. Because what if Dai had not run off, but was stolen instead? He was anything but strong, so stealing him would be an easy task. It would explain why he could not hear him anywhere.

Míngzé filled his lungs with air, ready to yell for his pokémon once more, but that was when a voice next to him sounded. He dropped his arms and slightly turned around. Vaguely he saw someone standing there, unmoving amidst the crowd around him.

“Dai, my houndour, we got separated somehow,” Míngzé explained with a heavy heart. “I tried calling for him but nothing.” Why did he even decide it was a good idea to bring the pokémon with him?

Míngzé nodded, accompanied by a hum. Did this make him a bad owner? He should be able to guarantee the safety of his pokémon, yet here he was. A pokémon lost to him for now. “There was a soft cry, then he was gone. It happened too fast for me to understand what was happening,” Míngzé explained, his voice clouded with worry.

But this man was thinking with him, trying to find a solution to his problem. “That could work,” he sighed. Maybe it would be easier to spot him from the sky, because with these people it was impossible. “I’ve been told he’s blue in color, dark blue.” Although it could be wrong. It would not be the first time someone told him one thing while it was another.

Míngzé knitted his brow together when the man offered that the pokémon got distracted by something. “I sure hope so.” A sigh rolled over his lips. It was possible, the small dog was not known to remain at his feet and was always running around and sniffing everything.

His heart skipped a beat and he took a step back when some pokémon flew up. One hand was raised in the air, protecting his face against the waves of wind. The pokémon surely felt big.

“Are you sure he’s not around?” Míngzé asked the man as he gazed towards him with worry in his eyes. It was the whole reason he had not moved for quite a while, afraid that Dai might be trying to get to him with no success at all. “I’m blind, so I didn’t dare to leave this place.” It happened more than once that people did not seem to realize his eyes were very much broken, which was the only reason he told him.

One last time Míngzé turned his head around, trying to catch a sound, but if there was any he could not hear it over all these people talking.

If this man had not seen Dai around, perhaps he was no longer in their proximity. If so, it was fine to move away from here and start walking. The extra pair of eyes he now had were a great help. “Yeah, alright. Thanks for your help,” he said to the man with a short nod before he started walking.

With an almost defeated sigh he shrugged. “That’s the thing, everywhere.” That was definitely not helping them and he knew it. “He is not really scared of anything, goes to sniff at whatever it can find, always runs around to god knows where,” Míngzé explained, smiling fondly. He had really come to like this pokémon, which made this even more difficult.

“Dai!” he tried once more, unsure of what more he could do. If another one of his pokémon had been at his side, it would’ve been a lot easier. So far there was nothing.

“I feel so stupid for losing him. It's my own fault I should’ve— I don’t know.” A collar? Something to keep the pokémon at his side, keep it from running off.

No matter what this man said, it did not change his mind. The pokémon he owned were his responsibility, he should look after them. What he should’ve done was turn around and come back some other time. A sigh rolled over his lips as he shook his head. “I should’ve been more careful,” he said.

As they got closer he could definitely hear some commotion. A worried look settled in as it was a mixture between barks and growls. “Something is definitely going on there, but it can't be him,” Míngzé muttered. It only grew louder and with that his own uncertainty settled in. There was more than one pokémon from what he could hear. In fact it was too much for him to make sense of.

In the alley was indeed a pack of pokémon consisting of all Houndour, they were gathered around something. It was Dai, who lay down cowering on the ground, making himself as small as possible. He was crying, but Míngzé was unable to hear them over everything else.

Together with this stranger he walked over the busy streets in search of one very small Houndour. The poor thing must’ve run off to somewhere, perhaps scared of perhaps he was not even aware that he was lost.

That was until he could hear all sorts of noises emanating from an alley. With a deep frown he gazed in the direction, but Míngzé was unable to tell what was happening over there. “He is, yes. Do you see him?” There was an urgency to his voice.

Míngzé came to a halt when the man left his side, worry creeping into his veins. “They’re doing what? Fuck— Dai!” Were they really just bullying him because he was alone? It did not matter, he had to get him out of there. A bark sounded as Dai reacted to his call, only to be followed by a whimper as one of the wild ones snapped at him.

“Yes, of course, do whatever you need to do.” Míngzé cared very little for the other pokémon. They should’ve picked another target, not his pokémon. If they got hurt because of it, that was their fault.

The man clearly knew what he was doing. All Míngzé could do was stand there and wait, letting the other do everything. He had no idea what those moves were the man talked about. With a cautious step back he tried to create a bit more distance, not wanting to stand in harm's way at all.

There was a slight gust of wind, which Míngzé could only assume was caused by the Sand Tomb created by the other’s large pokémon.

Dai took the opportunity to start growling like a feral little creature. He felt rather brave with the help of a larger pokémon behind him. Brave enough that he cast a ball of fire towards the group of bullies. The fact that it bounced right off the much stronger Sand Tomb was something he completely ignored as he ran for safety.

A smile broke through on Míngzé’s lips when a bark sounded from right below him. ““Hi there,” he greeted his pokémon, relieved he was safe. The moment however he bent forward to pet him, he could feel the ground starting to shake. Dai immediately went to hide behind his legs, like the brave creature he was.

It was the pokémon of the stranger again. There was power behind the attack, but luckily he stood far enough away that it would not cause him to lose his balance. As soon as it started, it also ended. Míngzé never really thought much about all the things pokémon could do, only when they happened.

Dai placed his front paws against his legs, that way his head was just in reach for Míngzé to pet him. “Yeah, I think he is,” he said, still a little bit shocked. The houndour was indeed fine, maybe a few scratches, but nothing major. “Thanks, for the help.”

“Did you just destroy the road?” Míngzé could not help but wonder, as the ground had been shaking and the Houndours had clearly been hit by something.

Dai was licking his hand, which felt quite disgusting but he let the creature. Even now he was still slightly shaking from the whole ordeal. It reminded him of himself and he could only hope Dai would forget about it soon.

One corner of his mouth pulled up in a slight smile. People won’t care but it was better to leave? So perhaps they would care a bit more than he would hope. “Probably for the better,” Míngzé said with a nod before turning around and heading back, followed closely by Dai. “Thank you, for your help.” Without his help he doubted he would have found Dai. Or maybe once he did, it would already be too late.

This was the moment he should turn around and leave, both going their separate ways. But a thought crossed his mind. “How about I buy you a drink?” It felt awkward just saying that as it was a step out of his comfort zone. Míngzé did not ask random strangers for a drink. He barely approached them willingly. “As a thank you, for helping,” he quickly added. That was the least he could do after the trouble he’d gone through.

Míngzé was being told not to worry about it, meaning that perhaps this stranger finally noticed his flaw. People might live here and would not be happy with these changes.

For a split moment he was surprised that the man took him up on his offer. “Good,” Míngzé said with a nod, one corner of his lips pulled in something that resembled a smile.

The few places he was familiar with, were no real option. He was not bringing some guy to his work or to the one other bar he knew. “Not really,” Míngzé confessed. “But I’m sure we’ll find something if we just keep walking.” On this busy street, it was only a matter of time before they found something. “Unless you have an idea?” To him it did not matter where they went.