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[Don't look at them, they don't know what to do. Noko and Shiro especially wave back and forth, shaking their heads. They got this kid stuck in a trash can, remember?]

...I was at my house, zura. In the--

[--Youkai World, but once again he can't help but feel like outing himself may lead to trouble. Chihiro's been nothing but kind so far, so maybe he can test the waters.]

W-What if I wasn't supposed to be human, zura...?

[Great, subtle. Even if Komasan wasn't a small child, let's be honest with ourselves, that's still how he'd ask that question.]

[...oh no. Komasan's memories only go that far? That means...

...he doesn't know anything.]

Ah...it's okay. I know about you already, Komasan-chan. But I'm not going to tell anyone.

M-MONGE!!

[Komasan falls backwards onto his bottom...more so than he was before. Questions begin to fill his head.

Is this good?

...Is this bad?!]

You know, zura?! [There's a bewildered look on his face. Komasan wasn't sure if it was possible to even explain it, but to have someone know?! Unheard of.] H-How do you know, zura?! Eh... D-Do I--

[A part of him wonders if perhaps he might've missed some dog traits still on his person, and he immediately begins to pat at the top of his head for any sign of ears. To be honest, he only managed to catch a glimpse of himself before he bolted, it'd make sense that he didn't catch something.]

It's a long story.

[He knows that's not the most satisfactory answer he could give, but he doesn't think trying to explain while they're sitting surrounded by garbage would be very fun, either.

Maybe he just needs to be straight with him.]

You're a Youkai normally, but in this world, everyone who was once non-human becomes human.

[Okay, he has to stop Chihiro right there for a second, because that is a lie. Confused and concerned, he glances over at Noko of all things, then back at Chihiro.]

...That's a tsuchinoko, zura!

[Explain?!]

Eh?

[Chihiro looks over at Noko himself before shaking his head, reaching in his bag again for his Gear.]

N-no, she's a Pokemon. A Dunsparce. Pokemon are different from Youkai, though some have similar powers.

[He holds his dex up to Noko, and a second later a voice says:]

Dunsparce, the Land Snake Pokemon. Dunsparce has a drill for its tail. It uses this tail to burrow into the ground backward. This Pokémon is known to make its nest in complex shapes deep under the ground.

MONGE!!

[Komasan isn't sure what scares him more, that the youkai aren't youkai, or that this person just got...whatever that thing is to talk. He jumps back again, looking at the 'gear like it's some kind of horrible witchcraft device from hell.]

H-How is it doing that, zura?! I-It doesn't have a mouth, zura!!

[Granted, a lot of youkai can speak without mouths, but he did say there are no youkai here. Only these fake...pokeymons.]

Everything here is so weird ...or scary... [It's getting to be too much to handle, Komasan can't help but wonder if he was better off in the trash can. He looks down, pulling his legs up and wrapping his arms around them for some sort of comfort, his posture tense.] I just wanna go home, zura...

[Oops. Maybe that was a little...too much too fast.

Chihiro falls silent for a moment, watching Komasan with concern as he curls up on himself again.]

Mm...

[Chihiro quickly puts his Gear away again, deciding then that trying to really...explain anything is doing more harm than good.]

I...it's going to be okay. I'll help you.

[Komasan looks up at him with those big dumb round eyes, tears finally making an appearance in their corners. Honestly it's impressive that he went this long without a single sign of crying.

But as far as he's concerned, help meant finding his mom, and anything would be better than sticking around here. He can only nod his head this time, putting his trust in a stranger who apparently knows everything about him. Who else can he trust?]

Come on. We shouldn't sit here...

[Chihiro says softly, slowly standing up and holding a hand out for Komasan to take, if he wants. There's still garbage everywhere, and he thinks he'd feel better if he was somewhere more secluded, but...nicer.]

Hhm...

[Hand...

Maybe it's because he's all alone in a "new" world that he forces himself to trust Chihiro so easily, or maybe Chihiro himself is just a calming person to be around, but he takes his hand without much inner conflict. His grip is soft though, all anyone needs to know how unsure he is despite not saying a single word.

His Pokemon perk up when they see it, even Komajiro stops spinning around if it means they can get outta here. Shiro and Noko especially seem relieved, because they really had no idea if they would ever be able to convince him to go on their own. Thank you, Chihiro, you are a miracle worker.]

...Hands are weird, zura...

[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.

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