046|
Everything was awful pink outside. One moment he had just been snacking on that caterpillar that was on that mushroom over there. Then he had felt kind of funny and suddenly. Suddenly.
Pink.
Pink Everywhere.
Bulbasaur sat back on his haunches, trying to make sense of this new pink world. Despite the different color scheme, things still mostly looked the same. It shouldn't have made any sense, but somehow it did. After a moment of adjusting, Bulba couldn't figure out why he had needed to adjust to anything in the first place. This was pretty normal, wasn't it…?
Okay, maybe not. But whatever the heck, whether or not it was weird quickly faded from Bulba's thoughts when he noticed a figure in the distance. He turned his head, squinting a little. Was that. No, it couldn't be, could it?
Except he knew that frame. How could he not? There was no mistake. There was only one person he'd follow to the ends of the Earth, after all.
Green had come back. Bulba felt a surge of joy well up in his chest. Had it been a secret for a surprise? He must have! It was a brilliant success. The pokemon was off, chasing after his trainer with every intent of greeting him and welcoming him back and generally just being so ecstatic that he was no longer gone.
That had been the plan. He ran. He ran and ran… but that back never got closer. A low growl of frustration rumbled in Bulba's throat. Why wasn't he faster? He should have caught up by now… Well, he'd just have to get his attention then. He shouted Green's name, knowing that the trainer could probably hear it from that distance. And look, he had stopped! Green lingered for a moment, obviously recognizing that some sort of growl had been made in his direction. He was quick to return to his paced walk, not bothering to give the pokemon any sort of response.
It felt like someone had punched him.
But, no, he probably just hadn't heard him. Or maybe he thought it was some other old Bulbasaur or… No. No he probably just hadn't heard him. Yeah. Bulba shook his frown away, chasing after him again. He seemed so far away….
"Green!"
He kept walking forward.
"Green!"
He didn't turn around.
"Green!"
He didn't turn around.
"…Green!"
He wouldn't turn around.
"….Green..?"
This time the young man stopped in his tracks again, turning abruptly to look at the grass type. Bulba stopped, watching carefully. Green walked towards him, and with each step Bulba's smile returned and grew. Oh good. He had heard him. He was so glad..
"Are you the one making all that racket? Shut up a while, would ya? I dropped for you for a reason." Bulba's smile flickered. What did he just say..? Green scowled. "Don't look so surprised. You shoulda known it was gonna happen. I don't keep weak pokemon around, after all." Bulbasaur's smile faded completely, leaving behind only confusion. This had to be some sort of mistake or..
"God you're thick. I thought you were the smart one. Listen, I just came back for the rest of my team, alright?" He jerked his thumb behind him, and if Bulba were looking he would have been able to see a (very derpy faced) Charizard in the sky with a Haunter giving him a noogie. But he didn't see that at all, his eyes locked on Green. Green crouched down in front of Bulba, causing the pokemon to freeze. His expression showed only disdain, making Bulba's stomach crawl.
He reached out a hand, patting him on the head. The touch felt cold. Green was smiling. "I've got a Blastoise and a Charizard. Why the hell did you ever think I'd need a dumbass Bulbasaur that can't even keep up?" Green started laughing, collecting himself to his feet. "Well, whatever. You can sit there and rot, I guess."
"Smell ya later."
He walked off.
Bulba couldn't even find tears. It wasn't going to end that way. He tore off after him…
But he could never quite keep up.
[The most heartbroken looking Bulbasaur in the world is desperately chasing after a butterfly as if his entire life depended on it.]