Neffy watched her new Pokemon wriggle and roll about on top of her bed. She seemed to really like what she felt, though Neffy had to wonder what she felt through the black rubber covering her entire body. The Rattata's expression was hidden by a full mask and hood, but judging by the muffled squeaks, she sounded pleased. Neffy tenatively put out her hand and gently tickled the rodent's rubber-coated belly. The Rattata grabbed her hand with gloved claws and began giving rubbery nuzzles to her new trainer. Neffy had never felt so simultaneously charmed and creeped out, giggling nervously, "Oh man. What have I gotten myself into?"

Neffy took her hand away, leaving the blind Rattata to resume her rolling about. Getting a green tea from the fridge, she came back and laid down on the bed to peruse the web on her tablet. The Rattata felt the shift in the mattress and rolled against her human's leg. Neffy noticed and scritched the top of the rodent's rubber-hooded head, hoping that she could feel it at least a little. The Rattata certainly did, nuzzling back.

"I still need to give you a kickass name," Neffy realized.

She thought of the first time they met. When she carried the poor creature the the Poke Center. Her small body was covered from head to paw in scabs and blistered skin, her fur falling out in patches. A specialist was brought to the center just to give a proper diagnosis. Salves and topicals treated her skin, but it always came back as soon as the stuff wore off. It was discovered that it was a combination of an allergy to impurities in the air and a reaction to light. Even artificial lights set off her skin.

Neffy came back every day to check on the Rattata. She was no stranger to Pokemon, as her stoic and dedicatsd Salazzle clearly showed. But this Rattata, something about the creature resonated in her a deep need to know what would happen to her. Her Salazzle seems strangely curious as well, even though they rarely showed interest in other Pokemon.

Neffy was approached for her persistance. The head nurse gave her a proposition: to adopt the Rattata and in exchange be provided with the equipment and medicines neccesary to give her what she needed. How could she refuse? It was what she secretly desired. But what would it take to take care of her? Having the lights off all the time and filtering all the air would be a major undertaking. Fortunately, the staff of the Poke Center had come up with a unique, and uncanny, solution.

And so here she was, the owner of a Rattata in a full-body suit. The rubber the suit was made out of was pretty decent quality, though she had been told they were going to make something even better at some point in the future. Her case has been recommended to several specialists in the region who are trying to find even better long term solutions for the creature. Her eyes were the first major issue, as they too had been affected by her malady, they have begun to recover under the suit. Unfortunately that also means she has to be blind until then. Feeding her wasn't too difficult, just a little valve for a straw and liquid foods as the suit facilitated as little open space as possible. Same goes for her waste, only in the other direction. Her little rodent nose also had two grommets for breathing and smelling. There was no zipper or access to remove the suit; this had to be done during her weekly checkups with special equipment at the Poke Center. The examination itself having to be done under infrared lighting and very purified air.

Despite all this, the once sickly little Rattata seemed pretty happy and excited. "Probably feels pretty good not having all those itchy, gross sores, eh?" Neffy tickled her friend's chin. What sounded like content squeaks eminated from the masked face.

Neffy began to think of how pale the rodent's fur was in comparison to others of her kind. They had shaved what remained of it off to facilitate the suit, but that didn't mean that someday she couldn't have if back. "How about 'Lavender'? I think that sounds neat," said Neffy, gently rubbing her friend's head as she drifted off the sleep against her.