FSE

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I was always a fan of cooking. Rather it was because of my mother or just the fact I am a fire type, I always ended up making something each day in the kitchen. I quickly got put in charge of cooking around here, otherwise, Yasin and Simon would just eat fast food and shit till they get sick.

I checked on the Slowpoke tails in the pot on the stove, making sure they were cooked fully through. The meat was a brown color. "Looking good." I put on my rubber gloves, for sanitary reasons really, and pulled out the meat, placing them on a paper towel to drain. A perk of being a fire type is that things like hot pans and oils don't bother me.

I heard the front door open, "Hey," I yelled out as I placed the first tail on the cutting board. I pulled out a knife from the stand and started to cut the first tail into bite-size pieces.

The person entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, "Slowpoke Tail stew?" Yasin asked.

"Yep," I put the cut pieces on the plate. I grabbed the second tail and started cutting.

I heard Yasin close the fridge door. "So how long do you think they are going to keep you on support before putting you back in the field?"

I stopped cutting the meat for a sec, then continued. "Not for long."

"Did the higher-ups give a date?"

"No." I grabbed the third tail and started cutting.

"Must suck being behind a desk for so long."

"Not so bad really. As long as I get the papers done on time, the hours are flexible." With all the meat cut up, I pour them back in the pot as well as cut up corrects and celery. I put the lid back on to simmer. Surely this would work.

I left the kitchen and made a beeline to Simon's room.

I knocked on the door, "Simon."

Silence.

"Simon, I'm making your favorite tonight: Slowpoke tail stew."

More silence.

"I've made plenty this time, so feel free to use the larger bowls."

More silence.

"Oh. Marge from work recommended a show on Hulu, we can watch it while we have dinner. It's supposed to be really funny."

Silence.

"Well if that doesn't interest you, how about an older show? I'm sure I can find some of our old cartoons and--"

There was a loud thud on the other end of the door. Simon yelled, "Just leave me alone!"

"But Simon..."

Silence.

I left the hallway and entered the living room. Yasin had a concerned look on his face, "I take it that you failed to get him out."

"Yeah," I lay on the couch, "I thought cooking his favorite meal might help get him out of his room. But now," I fell silent.

Ever since the altercation with Josh, Simon had been...different. He locked himself in his room and won't come out. Every time I try to interact with him, he is either silent or yelling at me to leave him alone. The doctors said his change in personality is mostly due to his mind being invaded multiple times and that it should fix itself with time. But it's been over two weeks and he was still not back to normal.

I felt a hand shake me. "Hey Kira, shouldn't you check on the stew?"

"Huh, okay." I said half-heartedly. I must have zoned out.

I got to the kitchen and uncovered the pot. Immediately I was hit with the smells of a fully cooked stew.

My communicator went off. I answered, "hello?"

"Hey, Kira."

"Hey, Eddy. Unusual you'll call me this late. What's the pleasure?"

"Sorry, Kira but this is strictly a work call." The Manectric tone of voice was very serious. "The Commander wanted to see you."

My heart leaped into my throat. "Did he say why?"

"Just said 'we need to talk about your duties'."

My heart stopped. When the Commander wants to talk about work, it is usually a bad sign that someone fucked up something. "O-o-okay, I'll see him tomorrow when-"

"He wants to see you now, Kira."

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit. "Alright," I said trembling, "Tell the Commander I am on my way."

"I'll be sure to tell him." Click.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck me."

I heard Yasin behind me, "I take it is not good news."

"The Commander asked me to see him now about my work."

"Well, shit."

"You're telling me."

Yasin pats my back, "Maybe it is not so bad. Maybe they are going to put you back in the field again."

"Maybe." I wasn't happy with that prospect either. Missions in the field can take hours to months to complete depending on the circumstance of the rescue. Being away from Simon for that long was not something I wanted to happen. I opened up the cabinet and pulled out a large bowl then started to fill it with the stew. "Yasin, do you know where we put the tray?"

"I think you moved it over the spices."

"Thanks," I opened the cabinet with the spices and pulled out the tray. I put the bowl full of stew, a spoon, napkins, and a can of soda on it and walked out of the kitchen to Simon's room.

I placed the tray gently down in front of the door then knocked. "Simon, I left your dinner in front of the door. Please eat it." I walked away.

###

I knocked on the commander's door. "Kira Evans of the Search and Rescue units reporting in, Sir," I said trying to hide how nervous I was.

"Enter," The commander said.

"Excuse me," I entered the office.

I saw the Garchomp sitting at his desk, his arms crossed. "Please come in," he said beckoning me in, "And please close the door behind you."

The door sounded almost deafening as I slowly closed it. "You um need to speak to me?"

"Yes, but before that," he gestured to a bowl of candy he had on his desk. "Why not take a piece, helps you calm down."

"I'm good, thanks. I was just finishing making dinner when you called me."

"Ah, I see. What did you make?"

"Slow, um, Slowpoke's tail stew."

"Ah, that does sound nice." he tapped the mega stone around his neck, "if I recall something you said before, you said that was your brother's favorite food."

"It is, sir."

The commander laughed, "There is no need to call me 'sir' right now. I just called you because I wanted to chat."

"Is that so?" I felt sparks leap from my hotspots. "Is there a problem with my reports?"

"No, it's not about the reports itself." He rested his head on his hands. "See the issue is something else."

I swallowed hard. "Something else?"

"Yes." the commander straightened himself, "When you walked in, you said which unit you were in, correct?"

My heart started to beat harder, "Yes sir."

"Can I ask what unit that was, Kira?"

"The Search and Rescue units, sir."

"Ah yes, thank you, Kira." Then he gave me the look. A stare chilled me down to my core. He continued, "Now my next question: can I ask what you have been doing lately?"

I directed my eyes to the floor hoping to avoid his, "I've been assigned desk duty for a while, sir."

"A while. That is an interesting phrase right now." He said it with no hint to what was going on in his head. He didn't voice his displeasure or anger. Just an even tone that I could only describe as indifferent. "It is strange you have been on desk duty after I had given you leave to return to your primary duty about...a week ago."

My heart rate increased. I started to feel my own heart pump my blood faster. "Well, um, there were no cases for my area and-"

"It is funny how you mentioned that Kira."

My heart sank.

"You see, I talked with Orca and I made sure to set some aside for you. She told me she gave them to you herself. And yet, when I came out, I saw you helping others write up their reports like you had nothing better to do. So tell me, Kira, what were you doing?"

I cracked. I bowed and grovel before the desk, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't fire me I didn't mean any harm I just... I just..." My eyes started to water. "Things happened and--"

"Calm down Kira," the commander said authoritatively, "Take a breath and explain yourself calmly."

I didn't rise from the floor. "But aren't you angry?"

"I called you in here to find out why you did it. I will save my emotions until after you explain."

I slowly got up from the floor. The commander was no longer giving me the look.

"Now," he said, "I want to hear why you are actively avoiding your primary job."

I took a deep breath. "Well it's Simon sir. He's...not well."

I spewed it all out of me at once. I went into detail of what happened a couple weeks ago and Simon's sudden shift in behaviour. I explained why I had been pushing my workload to other rescuers in my area so I wouldn't be away from my brother if something happened. And I explained how my latest attempt to get him out of his room failed earlier today.

The whole time, the Commander said nothing. His stoic face didn't flinch or twitch to my words. His eyes were so gentle and comforting. Just like Dad's eyes used to be. I finished saying everything. Tears streamed down my face as I had stopped trying to hold them back.

The Commander pushed a box of tissues to me, "I see. I wasn't aware you were going through all that at the time. I apologize for how I acted before."

"It's okay," I dab up the tears, "I probably should have asked for more time off when it started and explained myself earlier." I blew my nose, "I just thought it would be inappropriate to ask after being back so soon."

"I can see that. Still I wished you told me about this earlier."

I put the used tissue on my hotspot and burned it. "So what now?"

"Well, your situation puts me in a bind, Kira. You have my sympathies for what happened to Simon and I can see where you are coming from. However, my patience only goes so far."

"Oh." I am probably going to be punished in some form.

"You still ignored my orders and pushed your responsibility onto someone else. You need to understand you can't just do that."

"I know."

"However I am willing to overlook your actions."

"Really, sir?"

"Yes, but there is a condition. Starting tomorrow I want you to go back to your primary duties as a member of the rescue core. I want you to be out in the field not sitting behind a desk. "

"Yes sir."

"Good, now head home. I want you early tomorrow for your missions. You're dismissed."

I salute the commander, "Yes, sir!"

As I reached for the door, "Kira." I turned around, "I'm sure your brother is going to be okay."

"Yeah, I hope so."

###

I sighed. After that meeting with the Commander I have just felt so tired. It was nice that he understood what I have been going through, but I could tell my actions with my work greatly angered him. Even this 'chance' he gave me was a sort of veiled threat. If I do not fall in line, he will fire me.

I opened the door to the apartment. I'll just have a snack and--

A sound came from the kitchen. The sound of dishes just falling in the sink.

"Yasin," I called out, "is that you?"

No response.

That's odd. did he not hear me?_Before I called out again, my ears picked up a faint noise. The sound of Yasin's snoring. _If Yasin is snoring then that means, "Simon?"

Loud noises could be heard from the kitchen.

"Simon!" I took off into the kitchen. "Simon are you...?"

I stared into the kitchen. I saw a large form sprawled out on the floor before me. What I saw was not a Quilava I expected, but a fully formed Typlosion.