The sun dips below the Jersey City skyline as Kamala approaches her house, a familiar mix of relief and anxiety swirling within her. The adrenaline from the Pokémon battle still thrums in her veins, but the thought of facing her family while hiding her superhero life and now a Pokémon, weighs heavily on her mind. She glances at the Premier Ball clipped to her belt. Okay, stealth mode activated. Operation: Get Eevee Home Without Mom Noticing.
Carefully, she circles around to the back of the house, her sneakers silent on the pavement. The old oak tree provides a natural ladder to her second-story window. With practiced ease, Kamala pulls herself up, hoisting herself onto the sturdy branch. Almost there... She reaches for the window latch, carefully sliding it open.
She slips into her room, the familiar posters of Captain Marvel and vintage Bollywood films greeting her. The room is a kaleidoscope of her personality – part superhero fangirl, part Pakistani-American teen. She closes the window, a soft click echoing in the quiet space.
With a sigh of relief, Kamala unclips the Premier Ball. "Okay, buddy, you're free to roam," she whispers, releasing Eevee into her room.
Eevee emerges, its bright eyes taking in its new surroundings. It pads cautiously around the room, sniffing at the posters and batting playfully at a stray comic book.
Just as Kamala begins to relax, peeling off her red-and-blue scarf, she hears her mother's voice drifting up the stairs.
"Kamala! Beta, are you home?"
Kamala freezes, her heart leaping into her throat. Oh, no, no, no. Not now! Her mother's footsteps echo closer, each step a hammer blow to Kamala's carefully constructed plan.
"Coming!" she calls out, her voice a strained squeak. Think, Kamala, think!
Muneeba is about to enter the room.
Panic sets in. Kamala frantically shoves the scarf under a pile of clothes. "Eevee, hide!" she hisses, pointing towards her closet. Eevee, sensing her distress, scampers behind a stack of graphic novels just as the door creaks open.
Muneeba pokes her head in, her expression soft. "There you are, Kamala. I was wondering when you'd be home." She steps into the room, her eyes scanning the space, seemingly oblivious to the near miss. "Dinner is ready, beta. Your father made your favorite – biryani."
Kamala forces a smile, trying to appear nonchalant. "Oh, awesome! Be right down, Ammi."
Muneeba nods, her gaze lingering on Kamala for a moment before she turns to leave. "Don't be long, the biryani is best served hot."
As the door closes, Kamala lets out a shaky breath. "Phew! That was close." She glances at the graphic novels, hoping Eevee is still hidden. "Okay, Eevee, stay put. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Downstairs, the aroma of biryani fills the air. Yusuf stands proudly by the stove, stirring the fragrant rice. Aamir sprawls on the couch, glued to his phone.
"Took you long enough," Aamir says, not looking up from his screen. "The biryani's getting cold."
Kamala forces a smile. "Sorry, lost track of time," she says, trying to sound casual. She takes her seat at the table, her mind racing. How am I going to explain Eevee? What will they say?
Throughout dinner, Kamala is a bundle of nerves. She picks at her food, her eyes darting towards the stairs every few seconds. She tries to engage in the conversation, but her mind is elsewhere, replaying possible scenarios in her head.
"Kamala, are you alright?" Yusuf asks, noticing her distracted demeanor. "You seem a little… preoccupied."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she stammers. "Just… thinking about school."
"School?" Aamir scoffs. "Since when do you ever think about school?"
"Hey!" Kamala retorts, shooting him a playful glare. "I'm a dedicated student!"
As Kamala deflects, in her room, Eevee sniffs around Kamala's desk, its nose twitching. It spots Muneeba's purse, half-open after her visit. The little Pokémon sees a blue tube and grabs it, trotting off with the prize, chewing on the cap.
Back at the table, Muneeba pats her pockets. "Has anyone seen my chapstick?" she asks, her voice laced with mild annoyance. "I could have sworn I left it in my purse."
Before anyone can respond, Eevee sniffs around the doorway of Kamala's room. It spots Aamir, sprawled on the couch, taking off his socks before dinner. As Aamir leaves, Eevee darts out, grabs the socks, and drags them back to her hiding spot, treating them like a new toy.
In the present, Aamir's voice rings out. "Hey! Where'd my socks go?" He stands up, bewildered, his bare feet hitting the floor. "I just took them off before dinner. I know I did!"
Muneeba shakes her head, her expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Aamir, you always lose your socks. Maybe you should try keeping track of them for once."
As Muneeba begins to serve the food, placing a steaming plate of biryani in front of Yusuf, the aroma becomes too much for Eevee to resist. Unable to contain its curiosity any longer, it ventures out of hiding and peeks its head from the top of the stairs, its nose twitching excitedly.
Yusuf, who is facing the stairs, happens to glance up at that exact moment. His eyes widen in shock, and his fork clatters to the floor with a loud clang.
"What… what is that?" he stammers, pointing towards the stairs with a trembling finger.
The entire family turns to see what Yusuf is staring at.
And there, at the top of the stairs, stands Eevee, its fluffy tail wagging tentatively, its big, innocent eyes peering down at them.
A stunned silence fills the room. Muneeba gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. Aamir stares in disbelief, his jaw hanging open.
Kamala's face flushes crimson. Well, there goes the surprise.
"Is it a dog?" Muneeba asks, cautiously.
"Looks more like a fox," Aamir adds, scratching his head in confusion.
"What kind of animal is that?" Yusuf says, staring.
Kamala steps forward, a nervous smile on her face. "It's fine, everyone. It's not dangerous. I brought it home."
"Kamala," Muneeba says, her voice laced with surprise and a hint of disapproval. "What is going on? What is that creature?"
Kamala takes a deep breath, bracing herself for the inevitable. "Okay, guys, before you freak out, let me explain…"
"Explain what, Kamala?" Yusuf asks, his voice rising in volume. "Explain why there's some kind of… fox-thing in our house?"
"It's not just some fox-thing, Abbu," Kamala says, her voice gaining strength. "It's an Eevee. It's a Pokémon."
"A Poke-what?"
Muneeba crosses her arms, her expression stern. "Kamala, you know how your father and I feel about pets. They're too much responsibility, too messy. Return it where you found it."
"But Ammi, Abbu, please!" Kamala pleads, her eyes pleading with them. "I promise I'll take care of it. I'll do everything. Please, just give Eevee a chance."
Eevee, sensing the tension in the room, steps forward, its ears drooping slightly. It looks up at Muneeba and Yusuf with its big, innocent eyes, its expression a perfect blend of vulnerability and charm.
Muneeba and Yusuf soften, their expressions melting under Eevee's unwavering gaze.
"Oh… alright, Kamala," Muneeba sighs, her voice losing its edge. "It's so cute… and it does look harmless."
"I suppose…" Yusuf relents, his voice tinged with resignation. "But Kamala, you know the rules. If we let you keep this… Eevee, you will be fully responsible for it. Feeding, cleaning, training – everything falls on you. Do you understand?"
Kamala nods eagerly, her face lighting up with joy. "Yes, Ammi, Abbu! I promise! I'll do everything!"
Aamir rolls his eyes, but even he can't help but crack a small smile at Eevee's adorableness.
Kamala is relieved. It was easier than she expected.
This is going to be easy, Kamala thinks to herself with a smile. Eevee is smart, I can easily teach it how to not make a mess, to use the bathroom.
Later that night, Kamala lies in bed, Eevee curled up beside her. She strokes its soft fur, her heart swelling with affection.
"We're going to have so much fun together, Eevee," she whispers, her voice filled with excitement. "I can't wait to see what adventures we'll have." Eevee nuzzles against her, its tail wagging contentedly.
Kamala closes her eyes, a sense of peace washing over her. She has a new partner, a new friend, and a new responsibility. And she couldn't be happier.
Everything is going to be okay, she thinks, drifting off to sleep. I can handle this.
***
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Advance chapters in P@T0n Najicablitz.