Chapter Text
A storm brewed outside the rickety window, wind howling and snow falling from the sky in fat white clumps that looked like cotton balls. The freezing air seeped into the little room through the cracks in the wall and the gaps of the windowsill with every gust of wind.
At this point y/n wondered if it would be warmer in a snow drift than the pile of blankets she was huddled under, clutching the stone her grandmother had gifted her like a life line as her breath turned to small puffs of fog.
The girl let out a huff, glaring out the glass, the sky seeming to grow darker with her mood, almost wishing some ice or ghost pokemon would come whisk her away to become one of them. It would be better than what her life was currently at least.
As if on queue, the sound of heavy footsteps coming toward the girl’s room pulled her out of her thoughts, causing y/n’s eyes to widen slightly as she dove for her bag, quickly stuffing the stone inside and scrambling back onto the bed mere seconds before the sound of the lock clicked and the door was thrown open.
“Get your shit packed and get your ass downstairs you little rattata! You’re moving out!” The blond man barked irritably, huffing at the cold air before slamming the door shut again.
‘Moving out?’ As in right then? Arent you supposed to warn someone ahead of time they’re getting moved again before they have to pack their bags, and not wait till the last second to tell them? Or did some emergency happen that she’s unaware of?
“Stupid mangy mankey looking piece of-” Y/n grumbled under her breath, glaring at the door where the short fat man had been as she stuffed what little things she had out back into her bag, before slowly making her way out of the room and down the stairs.
It was so much warmer in the rest of the house that she nearly melted as soon as she shut the bedroom door behind her. But the knowledge of who else was in the building kept her from enjoying the heat.
The foster system was a total joke. Most of the people who signed up to be foster parents shouldnt even be allowed near kids. Let alone house them.
Who forces the kid they’re legally bound to care for, to stay in a freezing cold room that’s locked from the outside?
The Smith’s apparently.
And who’s idea was it that all children with pokemon who are put in the foster system, had their pokemon taken from them and put into a pc until either someone else claimed them or the child aged out of the system?
Y/n snarled as she made her way down the creaky stairs, lost in thought as she wondered how her pokemon were doing. Hopefully better than she was.
A familiar mop of curly ginger hair caught y/n’s attention as she stepped into the living room, causing her to pause in the entrance as her brows raised in surprise.
It was Mr. Remor. The man that was in charge of her case and placing her in foster homes.
Y/n stared in confusion at the bright smile on the man’s face, which seemed to falter slightly when he saw the messy state she was in. “Y/n! I hope you’re excited. Are you ready?”
The girl continued staring at the man blankly. Ready for What?
The unspoken question seemed to reach the man, as his eyes widened in realization. “Did Carl not tell you?” No, no carl did not tell me. So dear Remor, please enlighten me on the subject of this one sided conversation.
A lady who y/n failed to notice standing at Mr. Remor’s side stepped forward, causing the girl’s attention to shift to her. The woman had brown, orange hued hair, reddish-purple eyes, and tan skin.
She reminded y/n of the changing leaves of fall. In an almost nostalgic kind of way.
“You’re being adopted, hon. Marry or Carl should have told you last week at some point” The woman smiled sweetly at the girl, her strange accent nearly as surprising as the words she’d spoke.
What?
Adopted?
Her? But when? And why were they telling her like this-
Oh.
Oh she was supposed to leave today, wasnt she?
Anger rose in y/n’s chest as she connected the dots.
Anger and fear and so many other emotions for so many different reasons that she couldnt even process what all she was actually angry or fearful about.
Was she angry because no one told her? That she didnt get a say in the matter? Why was she afraid? Because she didnt know what was going to happen after this, because she had no control over anything in her life anymore? Was it the fact that the news of her adoption and departure was dropped on her so suddenly without any prior warning that she didnt have any time to process it properly.
So many thoughts swirled in the girl’s head as she stared at the two cps workers, things she wanted to say, but didnt dare voice. Her words dying in her throat before they even had the chance to attempt being spoken.
She didnt want to go somewhere else again. Why didnt she get to have a say in the matter? Who is she even being adopted by?? Did she really have no choice in this all?
“Oh..” The word was barely above a breathless whisper as y/n spoke. “..so… What?..er, when?..” how does she even ask any questions? Who was it? Where was she going? When was this decided, When is she leaving? Right now? Is that’s what happening? What’s even happening. Whats going to happen? How does any of this work?
Frustration boiled in the back of y/n’s mind as she tried to string together some kind of coherent sentence and continuously failed.
Thankfully, the woman seemed to understand the girl’s plight, and smiled reassuringly. “I’ll explain along the way to the air port, so for now lets just head to the car, alright hon?”
Yes, that seems like a good idea. Let’s go right now so-
Wait
‘Airport’?
_____
During the car ride the woman, who’s name y/n came to learn was Miss Hime, explained to the girl that the person who adopted her was a man in Alola, and that he was an old classmate of Miss Hime’s. Her being from Alola certainly explained a few things.
Apparently, how the man even learned about y/n was through a long string of events that Miss Hime didnt bother to explain.
An uncomfortable pit settled in y/n’s stomach as she was led into the airport. Alola.. She was being shipped to a different region entirely..
It would have been one thing if it was a different part of kanto. But a flight away on plane, over an ocean away? To live with a man she’s never met, and didnt even know about till that morning? A man who from what y/n could gather, hadnt even been looking to adopt to begin with?
It seemed like a set up for disaster…
“I know you’re probably nervous” Mr. Remor started, causing y/n to stare at him with a deadpan look of ‘no shit’. “But Kukui is a good man! Dont worry, you’ll be fine! I’ve talked with him!”
‘Dont worry, i’ve talked to him!’- Mr. Remor, you bidoof that is the worst way you could have worded that- Y/n nearly hid her face in second hand embarrassment for the man. The sound of someone smacking their forehead came from behind y/n where Miss Hime was standing.
“Mr. Remor, that is the least comforting way you could have reassured her just now” Tell it to him Ms. Hime.
The poor ginger man’s face turned bright red as he was gently scolded by the lady.
Miss Hime let out a comically exasperated sigh, before turning to face y/n, smiling gently. “Ignore the doofus-” “Hey!!” “I know Kukui personally. He genuinely is a good man. He even has had your pokemon sent over to Alola so they can meet you at the airport” wait. What? What? No one mentioned that. You didnt say that earlier! Why didnt you tell me before?
Y/n could only stare at Miss Hime, uncertain about how to react. How was she supposed to react?
She’s going to see her pokemon again?
Why wasnt she told sooner?
“You’ll enjoy Alola. Trust me”
I cant.
“Now, let’s find a seat, hon. As soon as the snow clears, your flight is leaving”