“You're [i]sure[/i] it's a bird-Pokemon?” Seth asked the shopkeeper slowly as he packaged up his new belongings – bait, an assortment of berries and a brand new set of sewing needles – in brown paper. The worker refused to meet his eyes, turning a pale face to the side in the wake of the younger man's scepticism. It was the first time Seth had spoken during the transaction, the other filling the silence with general chit-chat and news about the local area, but it was something impossible to ignore.

[i]There wasn't a single Pokemon matching that exact description.[/i] Seth should know. His childhood had been spent around both common and rare birds of almost all varieties, and his adulthood thus far marked by chasing down legends in either ancient writings or in person. The thought that there could be one out there, undiscovered for this long, was ludicrous, but a tension along Seth's spine itched for him to check it out. 

“I ain't never seen it with my own eyes, kid. I jus' know it takes the children. Plenty of grieving mothers around these parts recently.” Seth took his parcel, sliding the silver coins over the counter rather than handing the man them. He could feel the shopkeeper's eyes on him and it was Seth's turn to look at the ground nervously. Every inch of him screamed 'bird-fanatic' or worse, '[i]Morph[/i]', but ultimately fear of being accused of the latter wasn't necessary. Belle, his pidgeot, blocked the door with her massive feathered form and everyone knew that Pokemon didn't travel with the shapeshifters willingly.

Still, in a town where some sort of bird kidnapped and possibly ate young children, Belle's existence could be just as risky. Indeed, Seth's amber eyes darted over to his loyal companion and her anxious fluttering, pecking at the door-frame to beg him to hurry up. Naturally, Seth complied without even a word of thanks to the exasperated shopkeeper left wondering, [i]is this kid for real?[/i]

“Belle, we should go,” Seth murmured to the side of the pidgeot's head as she inclined it to nudged his chest. Such was the curse of being short – even the most common of Pokemon, albeit in stronger evolutions, were larger than him. “The townsfolk dislike you. You make them uneasy.” People were grouping up, whispering, and even he could sense the unease that pervaded the whole of Ladyl.

Belle blinked once, pecking at his shoulder gently as if to say, '[i]And you care what people think?[/i]' Even so, she stood perfectly still as Seth opened the satchel and placed his newly-bought goods inside. Usually there was some mischievous movement hoping to trip him up, or restless jiggling from side to side, but it was clear even she wanted to leave the town.

“They have a unique species of Pokemon here, by the sounds of things,” Seth said as they walked towards the gate to the nearby forest, footsteps quicker than usual. It was obvious they were heading in the wrong direction – they were supposed to be heading south to catch and follow the curve of the coast, not north into a dark forest. Beth let out a caw that sounded suspiciously like a whine. “I need to check it out!”

Belle sharply sped up, rushing around him to catch up with– [i]was that another person[/i]? Young, too, by the height of her. Surely the woods were dangerous, as any place where the Pokemon roamed freely likely was. Still, his pidgeot's love for human contact overruled her better judgement, despite all they had done against both her and Seth and all the reasons they both had to avoid strangers. She loomed ominously behind the girl, head over her shoulder. Eyes closed in happiness.

Seth sped up before his pidgeot would get herself killed.