Chapter 1 - Moo-Moo Milk
I couldn’t believe what had just happened last night.
First, I was ambushed, then beaten into a pulp. As I bled out, Jirachi came down to give me a second chance in life - and the gift of fatherhood, something which I used to doubt with how much of a romantic failure I was. Being rejected by all the women I had pursued a decade back, I thought I would never marry or have children, and I slowly accepted the loner life.
Well... I’m still unsure about the marriage part, but one thing was certain - I have a kid now, and I needed to be a good father for her.
Strangely a part of me felt optimistic: what if life got even better from here on out? Could I finally turn things around for a change and leave my previous life in the past? But another part of me doubted my ability to parent. Most of my adult life had been a living hell, and there was always the possibility of her following in my footsteps - something I desperately did not want for her.
I need to get stronger for her. I need to set an example for Arle to follow.
My growling stomach shook me out of my thoughts. It seems I had forgotten to eat something last night, passing out from a mixture of exhaustion and cuddling with Arle. Thank goodness I didn’t roll on top of her and smush her, knowing how much I move when I’m asleep. But, I should’ve put her back into her own crib that I just got her yesterday in a hurry.
I picked her up gently, making sure that I didn’t wake her up, then placed her into her own crib in my room, since I was still setting the nursery up. Finally, I went to make some breakfast.
Maybe I should make something savory for today?
Looking into my cabinet larder for some food, I found some clapbread and meat, straight from the market by town. They had. Taking the meat out to cook it over the stone-harth, I lightly seasoned it with some pepper and salt, then spit-roasted it. I admittedly salivated a little from the scent - maybe because I hadn’teaten in a while, but it reminded me of the dinner that mom would make back in the good old days.
Once I could tell the meat was ready, I pulled it out, then plopped it onto my plate. Now that everything was prepared, I dug in almost immediately. It was filling, maybe a tad bit overcooked, but at least I have the energy needed to start the day.
But I couldn’t just leave Arle all by herself here. What if she starts-
“Nehh… eh! Nehhh!!!”
… to get fussy.
“What’s wrong, Arle?” I asked, as I took her out of her crib. “A-are you hungry?”
I quickly searched for some fresh moo-moo milk in the larder, taking out a glass and pouring it into the bottle, which I also got in a hurry along with a bunch of other baby stuff yesterday.
Putting the nub gently into her mouth, she wiggled around in my arms a little, but I got her to stay still by holding her tightly to my chest.
As the bottle emptied, she suckled on the nub slower and slower. Once she was done, she made a little “umph” noise. A soft tap on the back, and she gave the cutest little burp I’ve ever heard.
… I never thought there would be a point in my life where I’d say that about a burp, but here we are.
Though, the fact that I had to bottle feed her reminded me of her not having a mother, being created entirely from ‘wish power’ and my blood. I worried she may grow up feeling as if something was missing, or wrong, because of it. How would she feel if I ever told her she was created from magic?
I hoped she wouldn’t question it once she got older, yet I knew I couldn’t lie to her if she asked, either. Oh, what to do if that day ever arose…
Maybe if I stopped worrying about the future, and instead focused on the present, I could be at peace with myself, but maybe it was simply my fatherly instincts that made me worry about my daughter’s future so much.
Ah well. I got a piece of cloth, wrapped it around Arle and me, and tied it around the ends, making a baby carrier. At least I wouldn’t be having to carry her in my arms all the time.
Though, it looked a little silly, admittedly. At least Arle looked like she liked it.
She cuddled close by my chest as I took a stroll around town, and I couldn’t help but stare into her innocent eyes, looking right up to me. Taking off one of my gloves, I pinched her soft, chubby cheeks, and she made a little squeaking noise.
Look at that face. I could just look at her cute little face all day.
… Anyway, as we went on our morning stroll, I stopped by the local church. Since I was blessed with a beautiful baby girl, I definitely needed to restore my lost faith, as it seemed rather naive to continue doubting the existence of legends and myths when I had seen one with my own eyes. But, I wonder if I’d be accepted with open arms; was doubting the existence of Arceus an unforgivable sin? Would I be shunned for trying to get my faith back, or worse, turned away?
I don’t think I can go on being pessimistic for much longer. I needed to be a good role model for my daughter; I needed to be a positive influence on her, I can’t poison her mind with my negativity.
As I stepped foot into the church, one of the priests, an Ampharos, came by to greet me. “Welcome, welcome!” He smiled, “Ah, I see you have a baby with you today, mm? What’s his name?”
“Actually, it’s a girl,” I said, awkwardly smiling back, “And her name’s Arle!”
“Ah, a... girl Tyrogue?” His eyes widened a little from surprise. I was worried that he would comment on how we were primarily male, but then he spoke. “Hm, well, come right in!”
I sighed from relief, and as soon as I got onto my knees, I recited some verses from the Arcean Bible. Arceanity was one of the dominant religions of the region, my family and I were Arcean. However, ever since I’ve adopted a pessimistic outlook on life, my faith has waned, and I could only come to expect the worst out of any situation.
But I was determined to change that.
After about a few hours of prayer, reading some scriptures, and conversing with the other attendees, I was ready to get back home, when I noticed a Gothitelle who wore a nun’s dress, wearing a golden necklace with the Arcean symbol dangling below. She was putting some books away after the service, only to turn around and notice me
“Thank you so much for attending today, sir.” She said, “The priest told me about your baby, and when I saw her while praying, I just wanted to say, she is adorable!”
I blushed. “Aw, thank you… Yeah, she’s my little gift from above.”
“Aw, children really are precious, aren’t they?”
“... Yep.”
I didn’t want to give away how she got here in the first place; I feared it might raise some eyebrows because of the complete lack of female Tyrogues in nature.
“Well, if she ever wants to in the future, maybe one day your baby girl can join the sisterhood and become a nun like me!” She giggled, “And, even if she doesn’t, I hope she still enjoys her time here!”
“Haha, I mean… That is a possibility.”
I’m imagining an older Arle in the same black dress as the woman, dedicating her life to prayer and worship. But my imagination wavered between three... different looking Arles. Since I wasn’t sure if she’d follow my path as a Hitmonchan or branch out as a Hitmonlee or a Hitmontop, I didn’t really have a clear image on what she may look like in the future.
"Oh! I know something that'll look absolutely adorable on your baby girl!"
She dug into her purse, pulling out a white flower. Once she gently placed it onto Arle's head, she smiled a little, cooing happily as she wriggled a little.
"Aw… she already likes it," I said, "Where'd you get it?"
"It was a flower pin I used to wear as a young girl, my sister found it in our mother's garden and gave it to me. But, I never had any daughters of my own, so I never had anyone to pass it onto."
"I see…" The fact that the flower had sentimental value to the Gothitelle made me want to give it back to her out of kindness, but she seemed keen on giving it away to my own daughter.
“Well, if you need me, I’ll be here!” She continued to sort some books, “Other than that, enjoy the rest of your day~”
I waved goodbye, then looked back to Arle. She began to murmur softly, sticking her tongue out.
“Hey, what’s that face for?” I asked, “Hungry?”
“Neh…!”
Oh. She was getting fussy. Again. How often does she need to be fed? I fed her twice already! I guess newborns really are that needy, aren’t they? I guess being thrust into fatherhood like that made me feel a bit clueless on what to do sometimes.
I sigh, and plopped the bottle onto her mouth. I had a gut feeling that I’d be doing this constantly until her hunger mellows out. Hey, I’ve never cared for an infant up until now, so it was going to take awhile to fully adjust into fatherhood.
I gave her a pat on the back, heard her burp, and put her back into the baby carrier I was wearing.
Making my way back home, I took a quick look up into the sky; I couldn’t believe it was already afternoon. Have I really been in church for that long? I thought about the nun’s comment more; Arle as a nun didn’t upset me, but, it made me think of what type of woman she will grow into in the future.
Maybe it was a bit early to think about that, but the more I thought about her future, the more it dwelled on me. I tried to ignore these thoughts, since all they did was make me worry more, worrying that she’ll end up like me - or worse.
Mm… Try to think of something else, try to think of something else… Oh, right, the small white flower that the nun gave me. It never wilted away, despite being plucked all those years ago. I wonder if the nun used some sort of power to preserve it - perhaps psychic of sorts.
Once I was home, I took the wrappings off and placed Arle back into her own crib. She seemed to be in a pleasant mood today, because she cooed whenever someone made eye contact with her.
My heart melted whenever I looked at her face; I couldn’t get over how charming she was, her smile served as a bright sunlight into my heart. Every second I spent with her was full of joy and delight, so much so that I almost forgot about my past entirely.
I noticed she began to look a little drowsy, and I immediately remembered having a small music box somewhere. My mother used to play it for me whenever I had trouble sleeping, and I was curious if it would work on Arle as well.
So, I cranked it up, letting it play its sweet, melodic song. She began to space out as she slowly closed her eyes, becoming perfectly still as she prepared to fall asleep. I heard her let out a small yawn as she peacefully passed out, silently snoozing the day away.
Now that Arle was asleep, I had the rest of the afternoon to myself. I could've spent my time training or studying, but for some reason, my mind shifted to thinking, as I couldn’t help but keep thinking of her future. One question dawned on my mind: when she eventually leaves the nest, what will Arle do?
Will she grow up to be a maid? A baker? Perhaps she may pursue a life connected with Arceus, like the nun at the church, or train to become a knight or explorer. The point is, there were many possible outcomes for her once she grew older, but not all were good.
What if she chooses to walk the streets, or turns out like those thugs from last night? What if she falls in love, only to be betrayed, or what if she–
No.
I mustn't focus on the possible negative outcomes, but instead the future I wanted to build for her. I must focus on nurturing her, caring for her as she grows. I needed to lead her into the right direction, to protect her from the world's sins.
I knew what I needed to do; I needed to foster a brighter future for her.
