Because everyone loves Nekou
Wrote another. I should have done a drawing to go with this... I'll put one up later.
33. Heat
Nekou stood outside the door to Namba's office somewhat apprehensively. Hitoshi had referred her to him about her problem with Kali, and said if anyone would know, it'd be him, but she'd heard he was a bit of a nut...
Okay. If he tries to grab Kali and do some weird experiment on her, you run like hell, Nekou told herself. She knocked on his door.
"Come in," Namba said from inside the office. Nekou turned the doorknob and entered. "I'm not sure I'm familiar with you," he said, looking Nekou over.
"Nekou Usagi, Doctor. I'm sure you know Hitoshi..."
"Oh, yes. You're his ladyfriend, are you? Yes, I've seen you down here..." Ladyfriend? Nekou thought. What planet is he from? "So, what brings you here, Nekou?"
"My Sneasel," she complained, pointing at her head. "She likes to... sleep on my head." Kali was sprawled out on Nekou's head, looking like a Sneasel hat, her arms dangling at the sides.
"Is that a problem?" Namba asked her.
"Not really," Nekou replied, "it's just that... well, it's odd, and I was wondering if maybe you could give me some insights into it."
"Do you keep her in a Pokeball normally?" Namba asked.
"Well, no. She made it very clear early on in my training her she's not a big fan of balls. Very clear," she said, indicating Kali's claws.
"That explains it, then," Namba replied.
"Explains what?"
"Sneasel are ice-types, and as a result, they have to regulate their body temperature. Otherwise, their bodies could freeze. The fact that Kali attacked you over a matter that seems as trivial as keeping her in a Pokeball... well, for her, it's more a more an issue of life and death. Simply put, the Pokeball isn't warm enough to keep her body temperature at a normal level."
Nekou thought about what she'd just been told. "And that has exactly what to do with her sleeping on my head?"
"It's warmer."
"Wha-?"
"The lessened blood rate during inactivity means her body temperature is significantly lower. Therefore, since your head is warm, your Sneasel is naturally drawn to its warmth, and evidently has found it a suitable place to sleep. And you realize, of course, Sneasel require sixteen hours of sleep a day. So finding someplace comfortable to sleep is of first priority to her."
So Kali basically had to sleep on her head, or she'd die... Other than the thing about Spoink having to constantly bounce, this was the weirdest thing Nekou had ever heard of a Pokemon having to do to stay alive. She's a bigger freak than I thought, Nekou thought.
"Um... is there any other way for Kali to keep warm when she sleeps? That doesn't involve my head being used as a mattress?"
"If you keep one of those handwarmers in your backpack, it should keep your Sneasel warm enough..."
"That's a great idea! Thanks so much, Doctor!" Nekou said. Her "Sneasel hat" had caused her enough embarrassment already...
Hitoshi was working on a machine later that day when Namba spoke to him. "I talked to Nekou today," he said.
"Oh, she finally took my advice," Hitoshi said. "What did she ask about?"
"Oh, nothing much. She was just having some Sneasel problems. Her Sneasel seems to like her head a lot." Namba walked away.
What? Hitoshi asked himself.
33. Heat
Nekou stood outside the door to Namba's office somewhat apprehensively. Hitoshi had referred her to him about her problem with Kali, and said if anyone would know, it'd be him, but she'd heard he was a bit of a nut...
Okay. If he tries to grab Kali and do some weird experiment on her, you run like hell, Nekou told herself. She knocked on his door.
"Come in," Namba said from inside the office. Nekou turned the doorknob and entered. "I'm not sure I'm familiar with you," he said, looking Nekou over.
"Nekou Usagi, Doctor. I'm sure you know Hitoshi..."
"Oh, yes. You're his ladyfriend, are you? Yes, I've seen you down here..." Ladyfriend? Nekou thought. What planet is he from? "So, what brings you here, Nekou?"
"My Sneasel," she complained, pointing at her head. "She likes to... sleep on my head." Kali was sprawled out on Nekou's head, looking like a Sneasel hat, her arms dangling at the sides.
"Is that a problem?" Namba asked her.
"Not really," Nekou replied, "it's just that... well, it's odd, and I was wondering if maybe you could give me some insights into it."
"Do you keep her in a Pokeball normally?" Namba asked.
"Well, no. She made it very clear early on in my training her she's not a big fan of balls. Very clear," she said, indicating Kali's claws.
"That explains it, then," Namba replied.
"Explains what?"
"Sneasel are ice-types, and as a result, they have to regulate their body temperature. Otherwise, their bodies could freeze. The fact that Kali attacked you over a matter that seems as trivial as keeping her in a Pokeball... well, for her, it's more a more an issue of life and death. Simply put, the Pokeball isn't warm enough to keep her body temperature at a normal level."
Nekou thought about what she'd just been told. "And that has exactly what to do with her sleeping on my head?"
"It's warmer."
"Wha-?"
"The lessened blood rate during inactivity means her body temperature is significantly lower. Therefore, since your head is warm, your Sneasel is naturally drawn to its warmth, and evidently has found it a suitable place to sleep. And you realize, of course, Sneasel require sixteen hours of sleep a day. So finding someplace comfortable to sleep is of first priority to her."
So Kali basically had to sleep on her head, or she'd die... Other than the thing about Spoink having to constantly bounce, this was the weirdest thing Nekou had ever heard of a Pokemon having to do to stay alive. She's a bigger freak than I thought, Nekou thought.
"Um... is there any other way for Kali to keep warm when she sleeps? That doesn't involve my head being used as a mattress?"
"If you keep one of those handwarmers in your backpack, it should keep your Sneasel warm enough..."
"That's a great idea! Thanks so much, Doctor!" Nekou said. Her "Sneasel hat" had caused her enough embarrassment already...
Hitoshi was working on a machine later that day when Namba spoke to him. "I talked to Nekou today," he said.
"Oh, she finally took my advice," Hitoshi said. "What did she ask about?"
"Oh, nothing much. She was just having some Sneasel problems. Her Sneasel seems to like her head a lot." Namba walked away.
What? Hitoshi asked himself.