Being weak is fine.

"Whismy, Lotty, stop that!"

Prying Whismur out of Lombre's claws Citrine suppressed the little ball of sheer anger with a hard hug, glomping it tightly even as it struggled to get one last punch in.

Whismur made an Uproar, the loud volume making Citrine flinch and let it go. 

Lombre used Fury Swipes, clawing dangerously in the direction of the plush toy-like Pokemon, who hopped around to around the attacks, bumping over various things in the process.

"Stop it, the babies are watching!" she snapped, reaching out for the Pokemon-- 

Lombre's claws ran through Citrine's arm, leaving a nasty scratch in its wake. Blood sprayed out of the wound, petrifying the two Pokemon instantly.

"Oh no!" Citrine was least shocked of the group, "the pillows! the walls! Wurmy, get a rag before it leaves a stain!"

Holding her handkerchief over the wound, Lotty and Whismy stood and watched-- their owner, blood dripping down her elbows... there was blood spilling from her left ear too, (did Uproar shatter one eardrum?)-- their fault-- yet not worried about anything but the walls of the Daycare Center.

For a different reason this time, Whismur used Uproar.

"Wha-What's happenin' back here?!" Lady Haruna burst in, irritated by the noise.

ー

A patch of cotton at one ear, a wrap of bandages in one arm--

"So Uproar really could break eardrums..." she mused with slight interest, "I guess a little hearing deterioration wouldn't be too much of an issue..."

Whismur screeched softly, tugging at her clothes and wrestling in her arms. It didn't like what Citrine just said at all.

"Sorry, sorry," Citrine pulled the Whismur away from her before the little thing accidentally broke another eardrum, "I'll take care of myself, I promise."

Whismur huffed, satisfied.

Her feet dangling over the edge of the cliff, Citrine admired the view of Mauville's mountains before her. Endless greenery pulled through the horizon before her, empty yet so rich.

Lombre and Wurmple were back in the daycare centre, helping Lady Haruna with putting the children to sleep-- yet, she had pulled Whismur aside to talk.

"Hey, Whismy, you remember how we met?"

Whismur perked up, curious.

"Maybe you don't, huh. You were still a baby back then, after all... it's even before my brother set out to Johto," she muttered to herself, "but I remember."

Whismur huffed, stubbornly insisting he remembered-- maybe?

"Even now, I still feel it," she whispered, keeping a tighter grip on Whismur. Her fingers trembling, she closed her eyes and breathed out-- "y'know, I'm actually scared of Dustox now."

Whismur flinched, shooting right back up in alarm.

"I'm fine!" Citrine chuckled, rubbing his head warmly, "I have you, I have Lotty, and I have Wurmy with me now. You guys will protect me, won't you?"

Whismur raised its ears and hopped excitedly, making a show of bravery proudly.

He didn't like it when Citrine wasn't happy, he didn't like it when Citrine showed weakness-- That was exactly why he didn't like to be weak, either.

Slumping down in solemnity, he sat down depressed.

"Are you worried that you won't be strong enough?" Citrine guessed, "or maybe because Lotty's evolved, but you haven't?"

Whismur seemed to get even further disgruntled, so Citrine realized she was right.

"Oh, you," she laughed, cradling the Pokemon in her arms, "I didn't choose to save you that day because I wanted you to be strong, y'know?"

Whismur murmured, annoyed.

"Did you know, Whismy? Not all Pokemon are capable of evolving!" Citrine brought up excitedly, being a stark contrast to her Pokemon's glum mood, "some are capable of evolving twice, too!"

Whismur looked up, now interested.

"I'm sure you've seen your older evolution in Rusturf Tunnel before... Whismur can evolve twice! Isn't that super cool?" 

Whismur now considered himself-- ah, wasn't that awesome? 

"Everyone evolves at different times... Wurmy's gonna evolve quickly, because bug-type Pokemon evolve at early stages-- but because of that, they just aren't as strong sometimes."

Citrine hugged her Pokemon lovingly, a giggle rumbling in her throat.

"You evolve a little later than both Lotty and Wurmy, but that just means you'll grow up so much stronger, right?" 

Somehow, Citrine confident grin that day made Whismur so very happy.

Whismur was delighted, because his own trainer was trying so hard to cheer him up-- His own trainer was assuring him of his own strength.

Maybe there was nothing happier than this.

"That's right!" Citrine remembered something, shuffling through her bag for something hidden right underneath-- "look at this!"

A brown paper package was a little bulky, a piece of paper with words stuck on it-- 

"My brother sent us some mail!" she smiled, "Old Lady Haruna said this came by her door addressed to us. Maybe Quartz is an esper or something... how did he figure we'd reached Mauville, anyways?"

The parcel contained a box-- a cute little box, white-- and inside were rings. About seven of them, each with a uniform design of a diamond-shaped carving in the centre. The rings were silver, but probably made of plastic of some sort-- a yellow gem, but not a real stone, was embedded in the center of it.

"What're these?" Citrine wondered, handing one to Whismur, who looked oddly entranced by the strangely pretty object.

A letter was under the box, so she flipped it open for better idea of what was going on--

Hey C,
did you know that Pokemon 
jewellery is a thing?

---- Q.

She stopped, confused.

C, was probably short for Citrine. Q, was probably short for Quartz.

Pokemon jewellery? "Did he find this stuff in Johto?" she began to piece some things together, "they sure are pretty... but why's he sending these to me?"

Then it hit her.

"He's throwing away his impulse purchases to his sister?" she sighed. That brother of hers probably spent some money on this, which he didn't need, then didn't have space in his bag, so sent it right back home. Genius, that idiot.

She burst into laughter.

"But these are pretty! I wonder if one can fit into my--" she slotted it into her pinky, and found it fit perfectly, "--Whismy, did you know? My name, a 'citrine', is a yellowish gem, just like this one here."

Whismur looked up, really interested. Seeing what Citrine did with her ring, Whismur pulled its own plushy arm over one ring-- it wouldn't fit--

"This is detachable," Citrine plucked the ring open on one side to slot the piece around Whismur's ear, clicking it back in like an earring. "There, you can wear it like that."

Whismur just shone in glee.

"Oh, you like it?" Citrine was pleased, "I guess that older brother of mine is useful in some ways! Let's give one to Wurmy and Lotty too!"

Seemingly in full agreement, Whismur hopped out of Citrine's arms, scrambling away excitedly, eager to brag about his new ornament to his siblings.

The sunset beyond the cliff that day was breathtaking.

But Whismur knew his Master so much prettier than the sky.