wing_attack | IC; Pokegear Contact Post

"Uh. It's Tobias. Leave a message."

It's like a reusable TM? You get them from beating certain gym leaders.

But now you can fly with your Golbat. I can show you how to adjust while on his back a bit, but you'll want to practice a bit closer to the ground first.

Oh, so the thing you smash over your companions' heads except it DOESN'T break into a thousand pieces.

[lol still weird]

That's fair. No way would I wanna chance his abilities like that...

Welcome to the world of Pokemon, stuff doesn't make sense here.

Yeah it's easy enough when you get the hang of it but some... don't take flying very well? Jimmy somehow found a Pokemon that can fly that's scared of heights and didn't find that out until after they took off.

Oh no!! That sounds HORRIBLE I would definitely not like that. Bram's alright with it I think? He just likes hanging around on my back. Poor guy's too big to do that now though, I feel bad for him...

By chance, do you mean Jimmy Two-Shoes? Or is this another Jimmy?

Yeah, that happens sometimes. Regal got upset when I couldn't pick him up anymore.

Yeah that one. Not my roommate Jimmy. Jimmy Darling - he's less social and I figured you'd know the other Jimmy better.

Really?? I had no idea you roomed with another Jimmy... Keeping track of all the people like us is impossible. Yes, I do know that Jimmy a little better.
By virtue of having met him at all of course.

Yeah, Jimmy Two-Shoes is one of those guys who knows pretty much everyone, I've found.

Jimmy Darling... the person he was rooming with left, and he was... really nice to me. He's the one who found me after I took off after waking up from being home. He's from a different time, though - like... the twenties? I think? Not like ancient times, but definitely pretty far back.

You mean it? What kind of twenties? I can't say "just plain old normal Earth twenties" because as it turns out everyone has a different definition of normal here.

Nothing super weird about it?

I think pretty normal? He traveled with the circus and stuff... he's not interested in the one here. He freaked out about Halloween, though - apparently it's bad luck where he's from to perform then, something about a spirit or something. I can't tell if it's just superstition or something that actually happened, but yeah. Other than that, pretty normal as far as I can tell.

... Actually, maybe it was the fifties - history was never my best class. I just know it's way before when I was born. If you've ever seen Grease, he looks kind of like that.

If someone's scared of something that much, especially to do with Halloween or the supernatural, there's probably basis in it. That's the #1 rule I've learned. You don't have to answer anymore, I don't want to pry. I was just curious, and we have a time set for our meetup, after all!

I HAVE seen Grease, thank you, that helps. That's the 50's indeed.

Yeah, it's okay. ... For what it's worth, our Halloween performances went okay. Maybe it was just a thing with his circus.

I've only seen Grease like once? A sub put it on I think.

Wow, really? It's a classic! I mean, mixed messages about what it sends to young girls so I'm more into the songs, but I watched it a few times in high school.

A friend was a huge theater nut.

I'm of a half a mind to say you should watch it again, but you'd only be able to find the versions they have here, if any.

I guess I'm not really much of a theater person. I remember the songs a little, but I think I was reading during that class since we weren't doing work anyway.

I don't remember what I was reading. ... Honestly it'd been a while since I read a book on my own before I got here, though I used to read over shoulders in the park. I'm really glad I can read again.

Right. Since you weren't able to for some time.

[Being a bird and all.]

I'm glad you can too. We can talk about whatever you've read here on Saturday.

Yeah. And sure. I think I've got one or two I can lend to you that are somewhere around here... I really need to clean my room.

Anyway, I'll see you then?

See you then!

[...AND WE PRESUMABLY FAST-FORWARD TO SATURDAY MORNING OUTSIDE THE CENTER??]

[Insert Batman spinning scene transition here.]

[Anyway, Tobias swoops down on Regal's back, and ruffles the feathers on the back of his head when they land.]

Good job. Time for a nap for you, big guy.

[He slides off of Regal's back and lands, holding out his Pokeball and recalling him before looking around for Ashley.]

[She shouldn't be too hard to spot. Just leaning against the Pokémon Center, waiting. She's got an Eevee with her, keeping a watch out so it seems, and a Snorunt shivering in her arms. Regal landing does nothing to stop this shivering, of course.]

Oh...!

[And there goes the big bird, but she still stares a bit stunned.]

What a...big...bird... Tobias, hi!

[Aw. Poor thing.]

Hey there. ... Yeah, Regal's kind of huge. But it just makes it easier to ride him. How are you guys doing?

I can imagine... But, um, we're...good! [She glances down at the shivering friend in her arms.] Mostly. But she's...kind of always like this.

[Ashley can relate personally but]

Yeah? ... That's okay. I know some Pokemon are just kind of... strange like that.

[...]

She's shy. I'll help her get better at it. [With that done-] There's a café close-by. Come on, lunch, right? ...Or, brunch, I guess.

I can understand that.

[He'd been pretty shy, too. This place, though...]

Right.

[He nods and leads her on, doing his best to avoid bouncing a bit.]

I keep getting sore when I fly on Regal for a while. I really need to see if I can get a harness rigged up. It might help.

Sure seems like a good idea. Between the sitting and the... Oh, I'd be too worried about falling.

[She follows, with her Eevee at trailing at her feet.]

It's good, by the way, to meet you in person. Everyone I've talked to is so spread out that it almost feels weird, but...good.

It's not so bad, but I know how to adjust pretty well. I can help you learn a little before you head out, if you want.

[Right... they hadn't had a chance to meet up before this, had they?]

Yeah. I mean... I like that technology is good enough here that you don't have to meet up, but it's still kind of weird to not.