gratitude

[the_very_best]

Bella flies away. She visits her parents, hits up the guild for matches and wins enough to pay her guild dues, and tools around random wilderness beating up on the wildlife.

She doesn't really expect to hear from Sherlock and Tony again.

Comments

[toblameforit]

"I'll bet they did!" laughs Tony. "We were all thinking of having a race, you interested?" He offers her another treat.

[the_very_best]

"Raaapid. Rapidash."

[bitofafiction]

'Bella's gonna win because I'm the best,' translates Sherlock.

[toblameforit]

"You totally are," says Tony. "You're the prettiest and the fastest. But Bella was thinking of asking if I can ride you instead, what do you think of that?"

[the_very_best]

"Raaaaa? Rapidash! Rapidashdash."

[bitofafiction]

Sherlock murmurs, 'What? That would just leave her with the Sawsbuck. He is slow and stupid.'

[toblameforit]

"Yep," says Tony. "But that's okay, 'cause you'd still win, right?"

[the_very_best]

"Raaaaapidrapidash."

[bitofafiction]

'But it would be silly of her to let you borrow me because I would win,' Sherlock relays.

[toblameforit]

"Yeah," laughs Tony, "she only offered 'cause she wants to see if you'll do it. I, however, know that you are awesome, and I am awesome, and awesome goes with awesome." He holds out another treat. "We cool?"

[the_very_best]

Fireflower takes the treat and eyes him.

"Rapidash."

[toblameforit]

"You are so the awesomest," he agrees. He didn't even need Sherry for that one.

[the_very_best]

Fireflower looks him over again, then says, "Rapid."

[bitofafiction]

'Fine, I guess I won't set you on fire,' Sherlock provides.

[toblameforit]

"That," says Tony, "is because you're awesome."

[the_very_best]

Fireflower nods.

"This is really interesting," observes Bella dryly. "All right, I guess I'm on Branch, although I consider it misleading that you didn't tell me Tony would be wooing my Fireflower with translation help."

[bitofafiction]

"I honestly believe that the other way would only have taken longer," says Sherlock.

[the_very_best]

Bella laughs. She tosses Branch's Pokéball and swings herself onto the Sawsbuck's back. "Shall we?"

[bitofafiction]

Sherlock produces Watson, who glances at the other two quadrupeds and inquires over his shoulder, "Strik?"

"Indeed we are," says Sherlock, mounting up. "Once around the lake, first one past the tower?" Watson positions himself appropriately.

[toblameforit]

Tony reaches out a hand to Fireflower, slowly to make sure she has time to decide not to burn him, and when he has verified her cooperation he climbs on her back.

[the_very_best]

"Raaapidash," says Fireflower haughtily. She doesn't burn Tony.

"Saw," says Branch. Bella nudges him into a fair starting position.

"I'm all set," Bella says. "What should our starting signal be?"

[bitofafiction]

"Countdown," says Sherlock, "start on the beat after 'one'?"

[the_very_best]

"Sure. Five... four... three... two... one!"

And Bella squeezes Branch with her knees and a pat to the side of his neck, the other hand hanging on to one of his antlers. He lopes forward with long leaping strides that have grace, if not exactly blinding speed.

Fireflower starts all by herself. She may be letting Tony sit on her but doesn't appear to care all that much if he stays that way.

[toblameforit]

Tony is fully capable of hanging on all by himself.

[bitofafiction]

Watson starts at precisely the appropriate moment.

He - well - bolts forward, easily overtaking Branch.