codeforhope | Voicemail

[Chihiro helps him up carefully while Henko shepherds Komajiro to where the rest of them are so they can follow Chihiro and Komasan out when they finally leave the alley.]

Hands are pretty strange...but having paws is a little unusual too, you know.

[Trust him, he's had them before. Once.]

[Wow Henko, it's almost like you don't trust him or anything. ...Which is good, because no one should trust Komajiro, he wouldn't have followed at all if he wasn't ushered out. The rest of them follow while Murasaki moves out of the way, a tiny little smile on his face. He holds up the 'gear again, ready to type out something that would probably kill the mood like he tends to do, but Noko leaps up and body slams it out of his hands before he can. She takes her prize in her giant snake mouth, leaving the balloon pokemon to puff up in annoyance. FINE. DON'T RECEIVE HIS TOTALLY RELEVANT COMMENTS. See if he cares.

Now out of hiding, Komasan can't help but sloooowly walk closer to Chihiro, once again getting a good look at a city that shouldn't be possible yet. He's practically right up against him, squeezing his hand every once in awhile every time they pass something that's just too futuristic to him. ...Like a streetlamp. Or someone with a really weird hairstyle.]

Zurazurazurazurazurazurazura...

[Oh right, they were having a conversation.]

I like paws, they're soft, zura... [And have little beans. Fingers don't have beans, where are the beans?!] You wouldn't know, you don't have them, zura.

[...should he tell him about the time he became a Pokemon with paws and everything? Probably not. That would just confuse poor Komasan further...maybe later, if he recovers and turns back to normal soon...]

I guess not. Paws aren't really made for picking up things, either.

[But human hands still don't have beans, and that's obviously that's a crime.

He notices Komasan's continued discomfort, of course, but he's not going to draw attention to it. Distracting Komasan might be a better course of action...at least he hopes.]

You ran a really far way all on your own, Komasan-chan. I'm glad I was able to find you.

[Distractions are good, distractions help.]

I thought if I ran far enough, I'd be able to get out of this... [...Village?] ...place, zura. B-But it just kept going, it doesn't end, zura...

[He hangs his head in defeat, but it's hard to tell if it's because he feels guilty about running off so far on his own like that, or because he couldn't get out.]

I see. Goldenrod is one of the biggest cities in Johto, after all. But where were you planning on going if you left?

[He's not too worried about what might have happened if Komasan ended up on a route, not with his Pokemon still with him, but still.]

Eh!

[Wow, that question is too hard. In fact, Komasan doesn't have an answer for it.]

I... ["don't know"] ...thought I'd find more youkai, zura...

[But it's like he said, they aren't youkai. They're pokey-things, fakes, he can't see the real youkai now. No one can help him now, just this...person.]

I don't care where I go, I just wanna be somewhere...normal, zura...

Well...I have a house not too far from here. Do you think you'd like to stay there until you decide what you'd like to do? You'd be welcome to stay for as long as you'd like.

[And before long, he hopes, this will have worn off.]

[Staying at a stranger's house, his mom would be screaming to the high heavens.]

I...

Ah...

...I don't even know your name, zura...

[Sure, this person apparently knows everything about him, but Komasan has no idea whose hand he's holding right now. If he didn't find so much comfort in it, he probably would've let go by now.

But no one else has offered their hand, no one else seems to care. This "city" isn't like the countryside at all, everyone there was much kinder.]

Oh...

[Right.]

My name is Chihiro. Fujisaki Chihiro.

Fujisaki house, zura...

[Komasan bites the thumb of his free hand while he thinks about it. Now that he has a name to attach it to, it doesn't sound...too bad.]

...

...Okay, but only until I can find my Ma again, zura...

Okay. I promise, only until then.

[Aw...]

...what's your Mom like? If you don't mind telling me.

[...Well, he supposes it's okay to tell him. If he knows what his mother is like, he can help him find her.]

U-Um... She's very...big... [Understatement.] ...and soft, and kind, zura...

Oh! And strong, she's monge~ strong, zura! She's everything a komainu should be, zura.

She sounds nice. I've never met a komainu before you, but I'll take your word for it.

I'm not one now, so I don't think I count anymore, zura...

[Such a good representative.]

She's gonna be so mad when she finds out I was in the human world, z-zura... No wonder she didn't want me going here alone, she never said anything about it changing you, zura.

Mm...I think she would understand. It's not your fault that you showed up here...it happens to everyone living in Johto who didn't live here before.

[He wishes he could explain, but even he doesn't have the answer to that one. Nobody does.]

[Thankfully for Chihiro, he doesn't have to explain anything because Komasan's attention suddenly goes somewhere else. It's not that he doesn't care about what a Johto is, it's just he's surrounded by so many new things, it's hard to keep focus.

...Probably not-so-thankfully, it's because he's ran off again, letting go of Chihiro's hand the moment they pass the huge department store. He's surprisingly sneaky about it, slipping away like some kind of easily distracted phantom. Even his Pokemon, who've been following behind, seem surprised that they didn't notice fast enough.

At the very least, he doesn't hide or anything, enamored with the building's rotating door. Both fascinated and a little scared, he reaches for it every time it spins his way, only to pull back his arm as he second guesses himself. Eventually he gathers up the courage to actually use the door, jumping in fearlessly...only to be caught in the nonstop motion of the both the door and the people constantly leaving and entering. It's a never ending loop of torment.]

MONGEEE!!

[Well, it shouldn't be too hard to find him if he's going to shout like that. Komasan's body is pressed up against the glass of the door as he continues to forcibly walk in circles. This is what curiosity gets you.]

Zurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazurazura--

[He'd only looked away for a second-]

K-Komasan-chan!

[Chihiro quickly hurries over to the store while Komasan is already drawing a lot of strange looks from passerby. The best thing he can think to do at this point is wait for the revolving door to come around again with Komasan inside before sliding in next to where Komasan's trapped.

Quickly, he takes hold of his hand, trying to pull Komasan away from where he's pressed up against the glass.]

You have to wait for the door to open again...see?

[And sure enough, their section opens up to the outside, just like the rest of the door.]

[Good heavens, he thought he was a goner for sure. Now that it's been pointed out to him, Komasan slips out of the door and back into the great, wide world. Look at that, freedom! He turns around and waits for Chihiro, looking up at him like he's some kinda hero.]

M-Monge~ You...you saved me, zura!

[He never expected such bravery, such kindness from strangers. So that's it, then? Back to the house? Everything said and done? I mean, it probably would've been, but now that he's back outside, something else grabs Komasan's attention and he speeds off again.

In this case, it's a snack stand, filled with foods Komasan's never seen before. Guess who's grabbing things and just stuffing them in their face. Go on, guess.]

MOOOOONGEE!! I can't believe humans just share their food like this, zura~!!

[IT'S SO KIND.]

Ah--! W-wait-!! You have to pay for that!

[Chihiro cries out as Komasan takes off again, but before he can give chase, Henko's speeding after him without hesitation. She skids to a stop behind Komasan, grabbing the ankle of his pants in her jaws before tugging hard, trying her darn best to pull away a person several times her size and weight.]

[Woah, pants, what a concept. Komasan's surprised simply by the fact that someone can grab him by these weird articles of clothing. It stops him from eating at least, as he looks down at Henko, concerned.]

O-Oh, I'm sorry, I'll share, zura.

[In which Komasan holds out a corn dog for a flareon.]

There you go, eat all you want, zura.

[Another day, another event to plague the population. It's like this month decided to take everything terrible about those awful Fridays and bring them into full force. ...And leak into every other day.

Not that Komasan's aware of anything going on, he's still recovering from that...age thing to notice. In fact, that's exactly why he heads over to the house, to somehow make it up to Chihiro for looking out for him. This time around it comes in the form of lunch, Komasan carries in a bag containing exactly two bento boxes, because he's a sap and has to be as cliche as possible.

It's gotten to the point where he no longer hesitates or knocks on the door, he just lets himself in. A bag in his hand, a snake on his back, all just casual, normal things.]

Chihiro?! I made lunch, zura!!

[Wait. Maybe he should've asked if he had eaten already...

Oh well, too late now. But when Komasan doesn't get an answer, he starts to wonder if he should've asked if he was even home. That...that would've been a good thing to check into.

Well, maybe he's taking a nap. ...Or more realistically, maybe he's too busy with his computer and currently deaf to the outside world. No big deal, Komasan understands. Placing his bag in the kitchen before he heads up, he makes the journey to Chihiro's room, peeking his head inside to check up on things.]

...Chihiro? Chihiro, are you hungry, zura?

[Henko stares at the corndog in confusion for a long moment before turning her nose up at it, just as Chihiro's hurrying over before the owner of the stand can get too upset. When Chihiro explains the situation, he at least seems to understand- this isn't the first young'un he's seen nearby lately, which means Komasan's just the first child to come up and steal his food.

After quickly paying for what Komasan had eaten, Chihiro reaches for his hand again to try and pull him away from the stand.]

Please don't wander off...it's big in Goldenrod. I don't want to lose you.

[Or...have him steal anything else...]

[...Well. Komasan's going to be met with a very unusual sight.

There's Chihiro, laying flat on the bed with his gaze upturned toward the ceiling. Zip and Whiz the Porygon hover anxiously nearby, letting out rapid beeps of confusion as they chatter among themselves. The rest of Chihiro's Pokemon seem to be absent, either in their balls or elsewhere. His laptop is open nearby, which explains why the Porygon are out...

So maybe he really is taking a nap?

He sure is being still, though...his arms are drawn oddly to his chest, his hands held curled up along with his legs, as if he doesn't know what to do with them.

...strange.]

[...Oh no.

Chihiro's laptop's open, but no Chihiro on it...

His Pokemon fretting...

Komasan can only assume the worst, someone must of left again. His heart aches for an obviously distraught Chihiro, he's so emotionally traumatized he can't even bring himself to cry anymore. That's...terrible, he can't believe it's gotten to that point. Noko slides off his shoulders and onto the floor as he walks over to the bed, sitting down on the edge as he gives Chihiro a reassuring pat.

Poor guy can't even remember how arms and legs work, he must be devastated.]

I'm so sorry, Chihiro... If I knew, I would've come sooner, z-zura!

[It's a good thing Chihiro manages to grab his hand, there's so many other things he wants to go see right now. He even tries to dash off again, but the tug from Chihiro's grasp seems to snap him back to his senses.

Behaving time is now.]

You live here? You get to see these things everyday, zura?

[How many corndogs have you eaten, Chihiro? It must be a lot considering his Pokemon seem to refuse such a generous gift.]

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