Voicemail

[codeforhope]

Hello... you've reached Chihiro Fujisaki. I apologize for missing you, but, um... please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

[Beep!]

Comments

[soundmind]

Haha, I haven't even been bothering with traveling, I did my time on that when I was doing my badges. I just have my Alakazam take me everywhere now if I need something in another town.

[Weasels are probably not one of the animals that react badly to chocolate.]

Who's the person? Someone from your world?

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro shakes his head a little, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear.]

It was someone I met...during one of those strange weekends, actually. They didn't remember me, but since it's been so cold lately, I wanted to make sure they reached town safely. I'm letting them borrow my Arcanine until they get here.

[soundmind]

[Aww, that's so nice of him.]

I loaned out my Alakazam to a kid that arrived recently, too. He also doesn't remember who I am, but that's okay, as long as he wasn't caught up in the weather.

[Though Dave wasn't someone she met during fourth wall.]

I felt bad for him, guy's from Texas and it was so cold when he arrived. They don't exactly give you appropriate clothes no matter what time of the year you arrive, either. It's almost like I should start offering Flash as a shuttle to the next town over in weather like this for people that arrive...but that would probably annoy him.

[codeforhope]

I'm surprised something like that hasn't been set up in New Bark by now. It seems unfair, making people walk to the nearest town...I know there is a Ferry to Kanto, but you'd have to walk either way, right?

[soundmind]

Yeah...

[A pause. She's thinking, that's never a good sign.]

Maybe we should set up something like that there? There's probably a ton of people that have Pokemon who can teleport all over the region, why shouldn't they be used to help out new folks?

[codeforhope]

I think something like that would be a good idea. At least during the winter months, right?

[soundmind]

Uh-huh! When it starts getting cold and snowy like this, we can have a sign set up telling new people to wait in a certain place and times of pickup. Kinda like a bus stop.

[A bus stop ferried by freaky psychic animals.]

I could post on the network about it to see if anyone would be interested in joining up on that.

[codeforhope]

[It's fiiine. Better than freezing in the snow, isn't it?]

I would be more than willing to let some of my Pokemon help out with that. I'm not sure how many I have that would be as useful as others, but I'd like to help if I could.

[soundmind]

Pffft, you're a nice guy, I'd never doubt that you want to help no matter what.

[She just said guy without even thinking about it.]

If they've got better dispositions than Flash, they're already much more helpful.

[codeforhope]

[Ah...Chihiro doesn't say anything either, beyond just a short pause before continuing.]

Most of them do. Chiaki and Kaze, my Abra, probably aren't as strong as Flash is, but they could help him with the Teleporting where at all possible.

1/11 [Text]

[doesntdomuch]

[Perry had tried so hard to shut himself from society, but he guessed he was weak. Of course it was mostly his Pokemon's "fault", since they convinced him that trying to become a hermit for who knows how long was a bad idea and that, best case scenario, it would only make him feel neutral about living here.

And, as selfish as it felt, even with his pokemon, there was a deep anchor of loneliness lodged inside of him. And he knew at least one person offered to talk to him.]

Chihiro, can I talk to you?

About anything.

[Text]

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro had been expecting a message from Bartholomew, sometime. Maybe not that same day, or even within the next few days...but soon, he hoped. But this...doesn't seem like the Golduck.

There's only a small delay before he answers.]

Is that you, Perry-san?

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

[There is a noticeably longer pause before he responds.]

Yeah, it's me.

[Text]

[codeforhope]

[Okay. He doesn't want to upset Perry any more, so if he wants to talk about what happened...he'll let him bring it up on his own.]

I'm glad to hear from you. Where are you now, if you don't mind me asking?

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

Route 44

I haven't moved much since the first day.

[That admittedly sounded more depressing than he intended but Perry couldn't care enough to justify it.]

[Text]

[codeforhope]

[Oh Perry...]

That's okay. It's been very cold lately though, so...just make sure you're wearing something warm.

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

I've been through worse.

How are you holding up?

[Text]

[codeforhope]

I'm okay. I had a friend come over and spend some time with me, so that was nice.

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

That's good, I'm glad you had someone to confide with during this.

[He says as if he has any help too.]

[Text]

[codeforhope]

[...]

Is there anything you would like to talk about, Perry-san?

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

Sorry, that came out weird.

[There is another long pause.]

I don't know, I guess I feel bad for having these feelings.

[Text]

[codeforhope]

It's okay. I understood what you meant.

And...it's okay to feel the way you are feeling. I was upset when Rise-san left, too. She was our friend.

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

She was.

I just wish I could at least tell them goodbye.

[Text]

[codeforhope]

I know. It doesn't really feel fair, does it?

[It's almost like they die, except...they really don't, at least. In...most cases.]

[Text]

[doesntdomuch]

It's not.

Sometimes I wonder why this world was even created if it just wants to toy with us.