Ship In A Bottle

[keen]

The salty air stung Lucia’s nose as the first morning light illuminated her tiny cabin. The cold ocean chill that pervaded the minuscule space abated somewhat by the near constant radiated heat of Solaris. The, growing larger my the day, Larvesta snoozing away atop her without a care in the world. The pokemon just snuggling all the closer as it’s many limbs clung to his trainer’s nightshirt. Lucia reaching up to steady him with a hand as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes with her other. Blinking blearily out her tiny cabin window at the waves cresting over the water and in the distance… the growing expanse of Calta. The sudden shock of green against grey blue startling her into wakefulness as realization of their fast approach began to set in. Leaving the researcher swearing under her breath as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. Half turning to set Solaris down in the abandoned warmth of the covers. The little firebug pokemon letting out a chirp before burrowing his face within them to avoid the light. Doing his best to attempt to fall back asleep despite his scolding chitters at the sudden bereft loss of his trainer. The noise and fuss Lucia made as she went about changing and throwing on her boots soon rendering any further attempts at sleep moot. Even as the sleepy bug crawled his way back out from under the covers to watch with half-lidded blue eyes as the Researcher quickly shoved their various odds and ends back into their pack.

Running a hand through her frazzled hair Lucia shouldered the bag and darted out the door. Only to pause at Solaris’s scolding chitters as she realized she’d nearly left him behind in her excitement to get her first real glimpse of Calta. The harried woman darting back in to scoop the big fluffy bug up in her arms.

“Sorry bout that Sol,” She muttered pressing a kiss to his forehead before with thundering steps that set the other occupants grumbling she darted up the stairs to the deck. Beelining towards the bow of the ship.

There blossoming before them like a tree unfurling it’s leaves was Calta. A jewel of dark green and white capped snowy peaks even in the heat of summer as slowly the scent of salt and sea began to mingle with the scents of smoke, food, and human settlement as the ship turned towards the port. The docks arrayed before them like a gypsy caravan with its color and mix of new and old vessels. Some wooden that looked as though they’d sailed off the pages of a pirate novel and others modern like the small passenger ferry she’d taken across the blue expanse of ocean.

“Now be careful of the~” One of the sailors called out, but their voice was drowned out as the gangplank dropped and in her excitement Lucia found herself swept up along with the other occupants now disgorging themselves from the vessel. Spilling out like grain from a cut sack as she found herself briefly overwhelmed by all the sights, all the sounds, all the smells. Her head swiveling this was and that, Solaris joining her in their confusion with a series of querying chirps.

“You’re right. We need to find the outfitters.” Lucia muttered digging out a slightly crinkled tourist map from her pocket depicting the city. “And maybe we’ll visit the Duke’s garden while we’re at it.” She adds with a grin.

“Come on. We can cut through this alley and reach there in half the time.” Lucia pointed out showing Solaris on the map the route they intended to take. Not that she suspected the little firebug understood, but it made her feel better to have someone to talk to. His little enthusiastic chirps at being included enough to melt even her wound hardened heart. The company he provided easing the silence she'd still yet to grow used to that left her questioning if the world had truly gone silent or if she was merely deaf to the noise. 


(WC: 696)