Bearing a gift

Why was he here again? Right, because he wanted to buy something for Lányù. It was something he did every year and it would raise questions if he did not do it this year. She was already worried enough about him, so he had made up his mind and decided to keep up his act around his family.

Míngzé ended up at one of the stalls, asking the man behind it what they were selling. Some kind of statue was quickly pushed in his hands and he was urged to feel it. It was clearly some kind of pokémon if he had to judge by the legs and there was a soft texture placed over the statue at some places.

Right when Míngzé was about to ask what it was, he got distracted. His name sounded from somewhere behind him and he turned around to face whoever was there. “Yes?” Míngzé asked with a frown, not knowing who it was. The small shadow that he saw did not help him figure out who this was. While he could often recognize someone by their voice, it took him a while to clearly memorize it. He still held the statue of a winter sawsbuck in his hands.

If this had been anyone he knew well, he would’ve recognized her instantly, but perhaps she was someone from school. It would not be the first time someone started talking to him like they knew him only because they were in the same class. They knew him, but he had no idea who they were. Her name however immediately reminded him. Míngzé straightened himself a bit, feeling a hint of awkwardness. Last time she ran away after he tried to help. “Oh— hi.” This clearly went very well. After last time he had no idea how to behave or what to ask.

The frown on his head only deepened when she mentioned why she had approached him. “I already told you, you really don’t have to repay me anything,” Míngzé said as he waved the little statue around, waving away her offer. It had been an offer of kindness and that kind of thing did not require repayment. “It’s fine, it really is. All I hope is that eh— you’re doing well and everything.” He was still unsure of her situation, because it had been odd and vague.

Good. She remembered that he did not need repayment for the little help he’d offered her. Míngzé nodded shortly as he wanted to change the subject. She however had different plans and he frowned when she continued. The frown only deepened and he opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. An eevee? What did a pokémon have to do with all of this?

He heaved a deep breath. “Where did you find it?” Míngzé asked, now a bit concerned for many reasons. The fact that she could not take care of it gave him a lot of information, especially given everything he learned during their first meeting. Now he really did not know what to do anymore.

Compassion was clearly visible on his face as Míngzé looked at her. He still did not know much about her situation, but enough to know that he was right to worry. “Right.” What else was there to say? He tried to remember everything she’d told him before. “Yeah I think I can take care of it, for now.” Or he could take care of it for long enough until he found a right home for it. There were so many questions in his head that he still wanted to ask her, but part of him was afraid she would run once more if he did. “Where is it?” His eyes scanned the ground around her, but the pokémon might be too small for him to see.

They were found under a bridge, probably trying to find shelter against these dropping temperatures. Vaguely Míngzé saw how her figure bent forward before she held something in front of him. “And it does not bite?” he asked just in case. Slowly he reached out for the pokémon, his movements not harsh as he did not want to scare the pokémon. The wet nose touched his hand, which made him quickly pull away. He really preferred not to get bitten. When it did not look like that was going to happen, he grabbed the small creature, its fur soft against his touch. Just what was he going to do with this thing?

“Eh— Thanks, I think?” This was all very strange, but if she told him it was impossible to take care of both of them, he believed her. Míngzé held the pokémon awkwardly in his arms as he stood there. “Are you sure you and your Umbreon will be fine?” That is what was really plaguing his mind. He simply wanted her to be alright. “If you need some pokémon food or anything, I could get you some?” He did not need eyes to know that she was probably still living in not that great conditions. There were other factors he could perceive.

It was difficult for him to trust the pokémon currently in his arms, but so far so good. Lucina told him it would not bite, which was a little bit reassuring. "No, it's fine. She’s not too big so I probably won’t even notice she’s even there,” he tried to reassure her with a small smile. One pokémon more or less would not make a difference.

Míngzé was not sure how to hold the pokémon in his arms, making it uncomfortable for the both of them. Yet he managed it somehow. What a mess this was, but luckily not one that was unsolvable. But with this matter behind them, it was finally time to ask her the question that he really wanted an answer to.  “How about you? Are you fine?” Míngzé asked, his face clouded in worry. He still remembered how she’d ran off last time and part of him felt guilty. If he had been more careful, she might not have felt the need to do so. “If I scared you last time, that was not my intention. All I wanted was to help you,” he continued carefully. It was not certain this was the right approach, and he did not want to scare her again.

After last time, Míngzé couldn’t help but worry about her. Letting someone who didn’t even have her own clothes on her body run away felt wrong, but there had been nothing he could’ve done. He was glad to hear she was doing better. With a small smile he nodded. “Glad to hear it.” Still, he could not shake the feeling that there was still something. There was a sting in his heart. One he tried to push away immediately. Those struggles were long since behind him, he’d made peace with them.

Míngzé drew in a sharp breath. Her worries back then also made sense. Although, he did not think they would lock someone up because they were running around naked. “I assumed they would try finding a place for you to stay. Perhaps contact someone you know.” That is often what the police did in cases like this. Míngzé doubted they would treat her as a criminal, more like a victim.  

“In any case, if you ever need help, I guess you know where I live,” he said with the same smile as before.It was the least he could do. Míngzé did not know about her situation and what might’ve happened to her. He did not even know if he could fully trust her, but if he could, he would help.

The girl in front of him remained an ever growing mystery. Since the day Míngzé first met her, until now, there was barely anything he knew about her. He knew about people who had no family or a very small friend group, but he could not imagine what it was like to have no one at all. “Right,” he said a bit awkwardly. Back then he’d really thought the cops would be able to help her in some way, but now he was no longer certain if that was really the case.

For now the pokémon in his arms was still calm, but Míngzé could feel how it was looking at each and every move Lucina made. “Stay safe,” he said with a nod when she told him she would be going. The moment she did, he could feel the pokémon becoming restless, as if it wanted to follow her. Míngzé pulled it closer to his chest. If he was to look after this thing, it would be bad if he let her run away immediately.