Frontier Town Founder's Square

[Keleri]

Tarahn tilted his head to the side. "Oh, really? Is it hard being a trainer who's also a pokemon? It seems like it's so complicated with a lot to remember and plan. I'm glad Moriko does it for my team. Have you seen her around, by the way? Or any humans? She's got green hair and usually wears green clothes." He scratched his neck thoughtfully. "This is kind of weird, isn't it? Where are they all?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura blinked. She smiled vacantly for a second, wondering if this guy had paid any attention at all in the Nexus. Well, if he'd been a cat before, maybe he hadn't...

She tried to keep her voice down.

"We all got, you know. Transformed."

She patted the bench beside her to invite Tarahn up. Seemed reasonable enough when his body language and attitude were screaming 'cat' the whole time.

"And to blend in in this world, we gotta pretend like we were always 'mon, and we're just from some other country, and not another planet. So it's important you don't say otherwise if anyone asks."

She somehow managed to keep her voice steady and not look distressed. She could practically feel the stress, like it was a living thing inside her, trying to gnaw on her fucking bones.

 

[Keleri]

Tarahn hopped up beside Laura onto the bench. She said something about being Transformed that he didn't really follow. Like a Ditto? He didn't remember seeing one, wasn't it like a pink blob? Oh! But that was the trick! You didn't know who the Ditto was.

Laura seemed sad, her ears and tail low, looking at nothing and squeezing her paws together like humans did when they were thinking about something intensely. He didn't think it was good to think that hard, especially when they looked so sad, doing it.

Tarahn leaned over and bumped his head against Laura's, rubbing his cheek on hers. "We'll be okay," he told her. "It's a weird place, but we'll work together, right?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura sighed, tension melting the same way it would when Salem used to rub against her. Sure felt weird to have a lizard doing it to her while she was the cat in the interaction, though. What would the bystanders think? More importantly, how much was she going to have to dumb everything down for the little guy...? He was so sweet. She'd have to be soft with him.

"Yeah, we'll work together," she promised him. "Back when I was human—" soft voice, hush, "—I used to have a team of 'mon. We worked together all the time. Now that I'm stuck as a Meowth for the time being, and we're in this world with no humans, everything's a bit strange and scary. We need to do our best to help each other until we can go home."

She gave his shoulder a rub, figuring that if he was fine head-bonking her, he'd be alright being petted. He seemed so out of place here. She tried to keep in mind that he was his world's 'heroic spirit'. He'd have been sent for a reason, right?

 

[Keleri]

Tarahn beamed at Laura, pleased that he'd found another cat who knew how to treat people properly. He tried to purr, but it just sounded like he had something caught in his throat.

"Yeah, we'll work together," she promised him. "Back when I was human—" soft voice, hush, "—I used to have a team of 'mon. We worked together all the time. Now that I'm stuck as a Meowth for the time being, and we're in this world with no humans, everything's a bit strange and scary. We need to do our best to help each other until we can go home."

Something about "in this world" finally made it through to the Raigar-turned-Toxel, and Tarahn frowned, trying to put it together, tail lashing furiously.

"Ohhhh," he sighed. "This is like... you know how humans can't use attacks?" he said, mimicking Laura's secret-keeping tone and volume. "It's because they're actually from 'another world' where there are no pokemon, just humans and animals. I watched a movie with Moriko about it. This is the 'another world' where there are no humans, just pokemon. And also some animals, but only small ones. I ate some bugs," he added, conversationally. He thumped his tail on the bench a couple times, thinking. "This is a secret mission in the only-pokemon world. I think I get it."

Tarahn beamed at Laura again, eyes crinkled and friendly. "Now you're a pokemon instead of a human," he whispered. "Do you feel weird? Do you have enough clothes? All the humans I know want to wear so many clothes all the time, and different ones every day."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Okay, that... worked. A practical understanding was fine, an accurate one wasn't strictly necessary. Like with kids. Or... pokémon with middling cognition.

"It is pretty weird," she admitted. "I guess I got a lot of Meowth instincts when I arrived, 'cause I'm comfortable enough, physically. But it still feels weird out of habit, if nothing else. Just a scarf will do, apparently – it's supposed to indicate that I'm definitely a sapient person and not a wild pokémon that might behave unpredictably. Makes sense, I guess."

She held up a paw and tried to put energy into it, not for the first time. Nothing happened.

"I haven't figured out how to use any moves yet. I've got a lot to learn..."

Maybe Tarahn had plenty of battling experience. That would be a help, even if his bodily strength had been reset and he was very definitely not a normal Toxel. He could be a regional variant? Or maybe a weird species that didn't exist here the way humans didn't? Did that imply that Arctozolt and the RKS Chimeras existed here...? So many questions. Best start with one Tarahn could answer.

"You, uh, seem like you were a trained 'mon back home?"

 

[Keleri]

"Yeah! I did some gyms with Moriko and the others, but now I'm at pokemon ranger school and it's sooooo much better. I'm really good at disabling enemies, everyone says so." Tarahn frowned. "I can't make attacks go either. How will we get them back? I guess you have to learn them for the first time!"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura shrugged, grinning despite herself. Tarahn was... nice. Happy, friendly, optimistic. It helped.

"Our new bodies are weak for now, but we'll get stronger. That's how it works for pokémon, right? We've gotta challenge ourselves to grow. I'm... I'm gonna see if I can find something that I can work at, maybe go along with some of these exploration or rescue teams, and see if I can figure out how to fight in this body. There's no way we're not gonna need to fight."

She made a brave smile, and gave Tarahn another scratch under his cheek.

"Just wish I knew how long we're gonna be stuck here. I miss my team already."

She wasn't sure whether Tarahn reminding her of Salem made it easier, or harder.

 

[Keleri]

Tarahn headbonked Laura again, excited. "Oh! Let's do some team stuff, then! Where's that at?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura laughed, despite herself. It really was, weirdly, like having Salem around.

She found herself signing as she replied, even though it was unnecessary, even though her human-handed signing wasn't quite right for Meowth paws.

[Yes, let's go!] "Sure, why don't we check out that notice board together, huh?"

A tiny purr rumbled unexpectedly in her throat. Laura had a feeling she knew exactly why Tarahn was here.

<><><><><>​

 

[canisaries]

Wandering around Frontier Town, pondering what kind of job he could pick up, Andre found himself in Founder's Square. He was deep in thought until a familiar mask caught his eye. Nova! He should greet him and ask him if he'd made any progress with that railway plan.

He extended a vine above himself and waved as he approached the chimera. "Hey! Nova! How's it going?"

@Shiny Phantump

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion hadn't realized how much he'd depended on satellite maps until he suddenly didn't have one. His sense of direction was woefully underdeveloped from a lifetime of underuse. Worse, he didn't even really know what he was looking for, or where he'd expect to find it... or if any metalworkers would even exist here... One would have to, right? There were a lot of metal goods around and this seemed the main hub of the frontier.

He could ask a local, but he was getting enough looks as it stood, and he didn't want to bother someone about it and have to find out how they'd react to being approached by him.

"Hey! Nova! How's it going?"

Gladion hesitated for a moment to see if Nova was somewhere, and just hadn't said anything. No reply. Must've been addressing him, then.

"There's two of us, actually. My name's Gladion, nice to meet you. out of curiosity, you one of our group, or just a friend?"

 

[canisaries]

"There's two of us, actually. My name's Gladion, nice to meet you. out of curiosity, you one of our group, or just a friend?"

Andre stopped in front of the chimera. "Oh, I'm so sorry! My mistake." He smiled again. "One of the group! I appeared in Little Scriven, a town north of here. Lovely place, but I'm told others weren't lucky enough to have such nice reception. How was your arrival?"

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Andre stopped in front of the chimera. "Oh, I'm so sorry! My mistake." He smiled again. "One of the group! I appeared in Little Scriven, a town north of here. Lovely place, but I'm told others weren't lucky enough to have such nice reception. How was your arrival?"

"Was accidentally dropped on another one of us as a ballistic projectile. Not the best first impression I could've made, but it worked out. Then we ended up stowing away on a train with the help of one guy, but the place didn't seem like a great place to stay either way so I won't complain. Got us here, at least. Put us on a car with some ridiculous amounts of uninventoried accessories too. Nobody seems to have noticed, or at least cared, so I guess we got away with it. Would've been a rough start immidiately getting caught committing crimes."

 

[canisaries]

"Was accidentally dropped on another one of us as a ballistic projectile. Not the best first impression I could've made, but it worked out. Then we ended up stowing away on a train with the help of one guy, but the place didn't seem like a great place to stay either way so I won't complain. Got us here, at least. Put us on a car with some ridiculous amounts of uninventoried accessories too. Nobody seems to have noticed, or at least cared, so I guess we got away with it. Would've been a rough start immidiately getting caught committing crimes."

"Sounds rough," Andre said. "How about where you came from? Any need to steal there?" He said it as if it was a joke, but he really was curious. They were all supposed to be heroes, but the fact that Andre was one of them made him wonder just how loose the Voice's definition was.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Sounds rough," Andre said. "How about where you came from? Any need to steal there?" He said it as if it was a joke, but he really was curious. They were all supposed to be heroes, but the fact that Andre was one of them made him wonder just how loose the Voice's definition was.

Gladion bristled. "Well... I don't know if I'd call it that. Morally I wouldn't. Legally, yes, it has happened. But it's hard to prosecute someone for steling things from you without admitting to having those things, so... It turned into a bit of a mutually-assured-annihilation situation so nothing really came of it."

He felt that was a decent answer, not false but not too informative either, for all of one onosecond before realizing that sounded like he was confessing to stealing illegal substances like that from a criminal organization. That would probably reflect poorly on him "Not... like that. It was... A research proj— a— Fine, it was... someone. My partner. The one whose body mine is based on right now..."

Wait, Isadora's world had no humans, right? She'd been surprised by them being humans, if he recalled correctly. The other people he'd talked to on their side all had them, but he didn't actually know that of Andre yet. How would trainer/partner translate in a world without that cultural concept? "Is that translating clearly? That word partner has something like five or six different contextual definitions in my language and I'm not sure the one I'm using exists in every world. 'I am her trainer' should translate to the same meaning if all's well on that front."

 

[canisaries]

Gladion bristled. "Well... I don't know if I'd call it that. Morally I wouldn't. Legally, yes, it has happened. But it's hard to prosecute someone for steling things from you without admitting to having those things, so... It turned into a bit of a mutually-assured-annihilation situation so nothing really came of it."

Andre raised a brow.

He felt that was a decent answer, not false but not too informative either, for all of one onosecond before realizing that sounded like he was confessing to stealing illegal substances like that from a criminal organization. That would probably reflect poorly on him "Not... like that. It was... A research proj— a— Fine, it was... someone. My partner. The one whose body mine is based on right now..."

Wait, Isadora's world had no humans, right? She'd been surprised by them being humans, if he recalled correctly. The other people he'd talked to on their side all had them, but he didn't actually know that of Andre yet. How would trainer/partner translate in a world without that cultural concept? "Is that translating clearly? That word partner has something like five or six different contextual definitions in my language and I'm not sure the one I'm using exists in every world. 'I am her trainer' should translate to the same meaning if all's well on that front."

"I'm pretty sure I know what you mean, don't worry," Andre said. "So you broke her out of somewhere she was being kept. Against her will, I take it. And she likes it with you, now?"

For all Andre knew, Gladion had taken her forcibly. Being stuck in a body like hers would certainly be a karmic punishment for someone like that...

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"I'm pretty sure I know what you mean, don't worry," Andre said. "So you broke her out of somewhere she was being kept. Against her will, I take it. And she likes it with you, now?"

For all Andre knew, Gladion had taken her forcibly. Being stuck in a body like hers would certainly be a karmic punishment for someone like that...

“Yes. At the time, I had to just hope for the best, but it worked out. She can’t talk, that’s just not something that’s possible where I’m from. But she was going to get iced if nobody did anything, and she’s had every opportunity to kill me since, so I’ll take that as a sign of tacit approval. Not a normal morally-tidy setup, but neither of us ever had a chance at that.”

He had the vague impression he was being judged. Those had sounded like questions, after all. Not affirmations. “Some of us don’t have tidy options, you’ve just got to play the best options you have with the hand you’re born with. I’m not sure why you’re asking me this, honestly… This some kind of cold read? Shouldn’t matter to you either way what my life back home was like. Figure you owe me an answer now, so that’s what I’m asking: What’s it to you?”

Then it clicked: Andre had thought he was Nova. He should’ve figured. “Oh. Also, I’m not the guy of the same name Nova knows. Is that it?”

 

[canisaries]

He had the vague impression he was being judged. Those had sounded like questions, after all. Not affirmations. “Some of us don’t have tidy options, you’ve just got to play the best options you have with the hand you’re born with. I’m not sure why you’re asking me this, honestly… This some kind of cold read? Shouldn’t matter to you either way what my life back home was like. Figure you owe me an answer now, so that’s what I’m asking: What’s it to you?”

Then it clicked: Andre had thought he was Nova. He should’ve figured. “Oh. Also, I’m not the guy of the same name Nova knows. Is that it?”

Andre flinched. He'd been caught. "Oh, my apologies," he said. "I just like to make sure the people I meet aren't secret scumbags. I wouldn't want to lend my kindness to people who hurt others unjustly." He nodded. "But you sound like your actions have been justified.

"As for Nova... I don't believe he mentioned anyone with your name. Knowing about a parallel version of yourself must be intriguing." He briefly thought about whether someone in their group may have met another Andre Duval, and felt a wave of apprehension sweep through his body.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion really wished he could nod skeptically. “I see. You ask everyone this, then? Or do I just seem shadier than par?” He paused to laugh at that, more the cut the tension than because he thought it was genuinely funny. “In which case, fair, did confess to crimes on arrival.”

"As for Nova... I don't believe he mentioned anyone with your name. Knowing about a parallel version of yourself must be intriguing."

“Intriguing’s a word for it. I’m not a huge fan, I’ve heard of two, guess it helps to have a particularly distinct name and species at the same time. They both seem to kinda suck. Can’t recommend the experience. Here’s hoping you don’t find any parallel…” He paused. “Never got your name actually.”