codeforhope | Voicemail

[At the pat, 'Chihiro' turns his head to look up at Komasan, his eyes blown wide and his face pretty expressionless. He doesn't say anything. He doesn't even blink.

Then, before he or the Porygon duo can do anything else, a sudden thump thump thumping comes from beneath the bed, accompanied by the sound of claws scrabbling against the hard-wood floor, as if there's something under there trying to get out.]

[Chihiro nods, making sure to keep his grip on Komasan's hand tight so he can't run off again. Henko is watching closely as well, having to keep one eye on Komasan and the other on Komajiro.]

That's right. I've been living in Goldenrod ever since I arrived here, so...I know this town quite well.

[...right.

Well then.

Komasan wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't a face like that. What would you even call that expression? Why isn't he blinking?]

E-Eh... C-Chihiro?

[You are doing him a frighten.

In fact, Komasan is so spooked, he doesn't really notice the thumping noise. Or if he does, he mistakes it for his own terrified heartbeat. Is...is Chihiro possessed? Is a spooky ghost involved? HELP?!

You know who does notice, though? Noko. The wee snake wiggles over to the bed and peeks her head under there despite her better judgement. Nothing good can come from thumping under the bed, but she is a brave snake. She ain't scare of no things.]

[Someone needs to get Komajiro's pokeball or something, because that dog somehow got under a discarded box while everyone was distracted with his trainer. Hope you're having fun, Henko.]

How do you handle it, zura?! Don't you wanna go somewhere quieter, zura?

[Says the kid who was just amazed with everything five seconds ago. As fun as the death door was, it's not something he could see himself dealing with everyday. What's wrong with regular doors? Or regular anything while we're at it.]

[Chihiro, somehow unsurprisingly, doesn't answer. He just continues laying there, staring distantly as if he sees something Komasan doesn't.

Meanwhile, Noko is going to find a furry lump sprawled out on the floor beneath the bed, all four legs splayed out as he gasps for air, exhausted from trying to get out. Isamu seems to be stuck under the bed, usually too fat to wiggle his way under there...yet he does it sometimes anyway, especially if he's hoarding some kind of snack.

He lifts his head with his paws clawing at the ground again, barking at Noko.]

Noko-chan-!

[And then he jerks in shock, because oh.

That wasn't Pokemon speak.]

[It's fine, she's birthed enough babies to know how to deal with this. C'mon Komajiro, out of the box.]

Ah...not really. I'm used to living in a busy city, anyway...that's how it always was in Japan.

................

[Okay, Chihiro, he's just gonna let you do you.]

..........Lunch is downstairs when you're ready, z-zura.

[Although Noko doesn't jerk back in unison, she is still quite surprised by this turn of events. Her mouth hangs open as her wings flutter in confusion, she never realized Isamu was this fat!

...Or could talk! That's also a huge surprise!

As much as Komasan wishes his heartbeat sounded like "Noko-chan," he can at least finally realize the sound is coming from under the bed. Now that it's clear Chihiro wants to be left alone, now looks like the best time to check what his snake has gotten herself into.]

Noko-chan... Who are you talking to, zura?

[Komasan braces himself for the worst, but all he can see is Isamu. ...It's hard to miss him, really. Chihiro really needs to put him on a diet...]

[Well then hopefully she's ready for a face full of puppy, because he'll happily tackle her the moment he's out of the box. Is it play time?! Has she finally accepted the play?!]

...I don't remember any of this at all, zura...

[They're talking about the same Japan, right...? Or is this some kind of other Japan where everything is large, loud, and horrible???]

[Okay...so he's discovered he can talk still, like this. That's good to know.

Chihiro...or Isamu, or whatever wiggles helplessly, his tail lashing as he tries again to pull himself forward without much luck. Why was Isamu under here before, anyway?]

K-Komasan-chan, please help me! I'm stuck!

[And yeah, that's definitely not how Isamu usually sounds, even with his Poke-speak.]

[Hopefully he's ready to get scruffed almost immediately, even though the Growlithe is nearly as big as she is.

No. No play, not right now.]

Well...it's not exactly like this, obviously, but...my father and I lived in a busy prefecture.

...

[Just a talking Linoone, no big deal.]

M-MONGE?!

[Instead of being helpful, Komasan stumbles backwards, landing on his rear. He's pretty sure his eyes aren't play tricks on him. This is real? This is really happening?!

While her trainer tries to comprehend the situation, Noko decides to actually take charge. One part due to wanting to help, but the other because she's still under the bed and Chihiro's lashing is very close to where she is. She'd rather not get kicked or tail whacked, thanks.

Of course, she has no arms, so Noko is reduced to getting...creative. Backing up just a little, the tiny snack then charges the mound of Linoone with a healthy headbutt.

She's terribly sorry in advance.]

[The most disappointed person in this whole mess is Komajiro, it is him. Thanks Henko.

Komasan doesn't say anything, what can he say? He can only look up at Chihiro and give him the most confused look he can muster. What is a "prefe...cture?" He can't even say it right in his head, that's how badly this escapes him.]

Eeek--!!

[A decidedly un-Linoone like squeal ekes its way out of the Linoone as the headbutt forcibly pushes him out of the other side of the bed, causing him to roll until he bumps up against the far wall. Well, he's not stuck anymore, anyway...now he's laying on the ground where Komasan actually fell, so that's convenient.]

A...ahh...

[Meanwhile, "Chihiro" is...still laying on the bed, stiff as a board. He hasn't moved.]

...it was just the area we lived in, to put it simply. It was always full of people, tourists or business workers...big stores and shops like there are in Goldenrod, too.

You've never been to a big city before?

[Komasan watches the whole ordeal without uttering a single word, unsure if he should scold his Dunsparce or not. She did get Isamu out, but he just looks so pathetic right now... Her trainer's silence is good enough for her anyway, Noko watches her target roll into the wall and happily peeks out from under the bed. Look! She did a thing! Look how strong she's gotten~

Rewards will have to come later, because Komasan's still trying to make sense of all this. "Chihiro" appears to be sick, he isn't acting like himself at all. Even when he does have his bad days, they're never like this.

So his attention turns back to the Linoone. He heard it, "Isamu" called him Komasan-chan. There's only one person in all of Johto who calls him that...

It's a little too crazy, but Komasan comes from a whole world of crazy. He's willing to accept anything at this point, and this month hasn't been particularly kind anyway. Crawling onto his knees, Komasan reaches out for the fallen Linoone and gently places a hand on his back.]

Are you okay?! She didn't hurt you, did she, zura?

[Those headbutts get STAB, after all.]

[You'd almost think Chihiro opened up the floodgates, has he been to a big city before? Komasan can only wave his free arm wildly, unable to move around to properly express how he's feeling. Chihiro will only have to guess that it's distress.]

This...none of this is normal, zura! The buildings are too large, all of the ground is made out of stone, all of it, zura! [He taps his foot on the pavement for emphasis before he points at one of the street lamps.] The plants here are too strange, zura!!

[Yes. ...Plant.]

I don't understand your clothes, zura! People have food out, but they're not sharing, zuraa!! W-Where is that music coming from, zuraaa!!

[He has a whole 300 years to catch up on, Goldenrod was probably the worst city to wake up in. Chances are, he'd probably fare better in Ecruteak, but what can you do?]

[The Linoone has yet to get up off the floor, groaning a little as Komasan puts a hand on him. It smarted pretty badly, but Isamu is also level 100, so he'll survive.

Chihiro's nose twitches as he looks blearily up at Komasan, shaking his head a little as his ears flick back.]

I...I'm okay....

[He scrubs at the side of his face where he smacked the wall with a paw, his eyes wide with fear and confusion.]

I d-don't know what happened, I woke up...under the bed...l-like this...

[...oh.

Chihiro tightens his grip gently on Komasan's hand, letting him get it all out before he says anything.]

It's true...Goldenrod is pretty big, and a little hard to get used to...maybe after you're feeling better, we can go for a walk just outside of town. The routes aren't all made of stone, and there are forests and things...so it's not quite so busy and confusing.

[That might as well confirm his suspicions, huh? Isamu was never that articulate. What a mess, and it's not even Friday. There's really not much he can do but continue trying to comfort Chihiro, this time by rubbing his back up and down seeing as his hand's already there.]

W-Well...the good news is, it probably won't last forever, zura.

[If experience is anything to go by. Although Komasan half wonders if Chihiro actually knows what "it" is. So far all he's seen was his paw...]

You'll just have to be Isamu for a little ...bit. W-Which isn't the worst Pokemon to be, zura!

[If he had to take a guess, Komasan would probably bet Chihiro would've preferred being one of his Porygons or something. You know, if he had to switch places with one of them. Those can go into computers, right? Aw...he'd probably love that...

But, uh, there's always worse Pokemon to be. Oh god, does this mean he dodged a bullet switching with his Grimer?]

But it's gonna be okay, I'm going to help you, zura.

[If Chihiro would've said anything else, there probably would have been full on wailing. Instead it's only a mere sniffle as he looks up at Chihiro, hopeful.]

...Are there trees, zura?

I-Isamu?! O-oh...no wonder I couldn't get out...

[Chihiro breathes a heavy sigh, dropping his head to the ground before covering his eyes with his paws, his tail curling around his side reflexively.

At least Komasan is here, though. He's more familiar with the whole...having fur and paws, thing. Chihiro got his fill of that in October, and he'd hoped it wasn't going to happen ever again.

After a long moment, he looks up at Komasan with pleading eyes while his body still lays on the bed, the real Isamu struggling to figure out his new human form.]

What should I do?

[Chihiro smiles softly, nodding.]

Mhm. Lots of trees, and bushes. There are some little rivers in places, too.

[...Oh no, the way Chihiro looks up at him, looking for guidance... Even as a round Linoone... Komasan's cheeks can't help but flush red. That's...that's really cute.

And also a lot of pressure.

Komasan's never been a Pokemon before, and he honestly doesn't consider being a youkai nearly as close. Let's see, what should he do?]

W-Well...

...What can you do as a Pokemon that you could never do as a human, zura?!

[Of course this is where his mind goes first. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, they just have to figure out what the opportunities are!]

What can I do...?

[He echoes, lifting his head up a bit more at Komasan's question. In his confusion and panic, he hadn't really thought about it. And he's never really seen Isamu do...much of anything. Well, he battles sometimes, but lately he's gotten rounder and rounder and now...]

Um, well...I can use...Pokemon moves?

[Not that he knows how.]

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