wing_attack | IC; Pokegear Contact Post

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

From people who... Oh. [She frowns.] I hadn't even thought about what would happen to them. Of course they weren't stay with whoever caught hem, but... Yeah, I can't imagine that being anything other than kind of awkward.

Yeah... I think I've finally got Gamzee's old Pokemon listening to me. Most of Mimi's aren't really eager fighters, so I let them just kind of mess around. I don't think you should make them fight if they don't want it...

[He glances down at Arwen.]

I've got an Eevee, too. Erek. I... named him before I realized how awkward it was to name Pokemon after people you knew at home. But he doesn't fight which I guess is... fitting? Erek never wanted to fight at home, either. It was against his programming.

[And when they turned that off... yeah. No. Better for Erek to not fight.]

You mean he was a--

[Hold on. Oh no. Sorry in every conceivable way, Tobias, but there is something that has to be addressed.]

I. I-I'm sorry, did you- d-did you say Gamzee?

[THE THINGS YOU LEARN ASSOCIATING WITH HOMESTUCKS.]

A - huh? Yeah. He and Mimi and I traveled together. He was pretty nice... hee was kind of stoned most of the time, but he seemed to mean well. Why?

[Social cues, what are those?]

Because Karkat, he did so many horrible things t--

[...So she'd said she wouldn't meddle. What does this qualify as? Meddling.]

It- it's complicated, and I don't even know the- the whole story, it... Look, just promise me you won't talk to him around Karkat. You- you know Karkat, right? Or know of him? Shouty, always types in all caps and uses a lot of swears?

... I've... heard him on the network.

[Something... that isn't his business... uh.]

He was always nice to me and Mimi. He just seemed to want people to be happy... I don't know. Maybe he wasn't like that to everyone, but...

[Does he even want to know?]

[Just seemed to want people to be happy? Ashley grits her teeth and bites down a retort- because it wouldn't be fair to Tobias, it's not his fault.

And this...really isn't her place.]

I- there's just history. Okay? So it- from what I've heard it surprised me to hear anyone was...associated with him. Even here. [...] Don't tell Karkat, okay? Just- promise me you won't talk about this with Karkat?

... I... I promise. I'll... okay. If... yeah. Maybe we should move on to a different topic...

[The earlier one? Yeah, that's. A good plan.]

Anyway yeah, Erek was a robot, pretty much. He only looked human because of a hologram. His race was made by another race of aliens that... got attacked. The Pemalites were a really peaceful race that only wanted to play and have fun, so when they were dying the Chee somehow melded their essences into wolves, and basically... made the first domesticated dogs.

Yes, that is a good plan...

[Back on to nice, normaoh who the fuck is she kidding.]

They...two different aliens became...and then... [...] Dogs are aliens?!

Only... kind of? Like dogs are still dogs, it's just that the happy smiling playful ones kind of inherited a bit of that essence? I don't know, I barely understand it myself. Wolves were definitely an Earth thing before they got here.

... But a lot of stuff is aliens in my world, surprisingly. Like broccoli. Broccoli isn't originally from Earth, apparently. I kind of just stopped thinking about that kind of stuff because when you have giant bladed lizard people, giant cannibalistic centipedes, and parasitic mind-controlling slugs around, space dogs and space broccoli are kind of the least of your concerns.

...

[So her Snorunt isn't the only thing shaking now. Ashley continue to follow but all of this is a little um. She hit lizard people and just hopped on the train to Nopeville, population her, perpetually, at faster and faster speeds, which just leaves her pretty breathless and stammering:]

I-is...that so? Oh. Um. I can see, how it wouldn't be something you'd- um, think about, no-nnoo, not at all.

... The lizard people are actually kind of nice when they're acting on their own and not being controlled. The... free ones that are our allies actually see me as some kind of... savior? Like some kind of bird-based Moses. They named the first free Hork-Bajir born on Earth after me. Her name's Toby.

She's... really smart. Most Hork-Bajir are kind of like kids in terms of thinking. Not that they're stupid, just... more gathering bark and less contemplating the mysteries of the universe. But every few generations a 'seer' is born, more on the level of a human or other... complicated-thinking species. She's one of them. Her... oh, what was it. Great-grandfather, I think? He was one, too.

[There's a kind of basic disconnect going on here. She hears what he's saying and about their true natures, but. Well, she's still the same girl who jumps at a whatever goes bump in the night, for justified reasons now, so she follows along and nods stiffly.]

She sounds... It all sounds almost unbelievable. Your life's...so different from- most things out there.

Yeah...

[He looks over and smiles at her a bit.]

It's not that other people can't have unbelievable, extraordinary lives, too. I think... maybe just living peacefully is kind of amazing.

I mean, look at this place. Even with all of the weird... people go about their daily lives. Isn't that what everyone in stories are trying to protect?

[She tries a weak smile back.]

I'm really, really, really into a boring, peaceful live, to be honest.

... Yeah. Hey, if you... never mind.

['If you ever need to talk...' But she knows that already. He's curious, but... well. He doesn't want to push her. How long had it taken him to warm up to people, to tell them?]

... What kind of Pokemon do you think Gandalf would have if he ever showed up here?

[Blink. Ashley stares for a moment, and...]

A Psychic-type. I don't know them all well enough yet, but definitely a Psychic-type. Are there any wizards? ...Oh, or maybe it would be one to compliment the hobbits. Something that never grows but, but's still strong. So...a Normal-type? Or Ground, because- Hobbit holes.

Yeah. Maybe a Sandile or something. They're like desert crocodiles. Maybe a Fennekin for him? It's a Fire type that grows into a Fire/Psychic type and uses a stick like a wamd.

Is...that so? The guy I'm traveling with started with a Fennekin... Huh, I look forward to seeing that.

Yeah. ... Sometimes when I'm bored or can't sleep I just look up random Pokemon. There's enough of them around that it's at least something to do.

I can understand that. If there's nothing to do, why not... Oh, is this the place?

[Little café, good for brunch.]

Oh! Yeah, it is.

[He leads her in and sits down,grabbing a menu.]

Anyway yeah. ... I don't really mind studying that kind of stuff, since it's at least a subject that's pretty immediately relevant.

[Follows his lead; let's see, what's good for a celebratory brunch...?]

I don't blame you for thinking like that- I'm pretty...well, I like studying most things, anyway.

I was mostly an English class kind of student... when I got a teacher that actually let us discuss stuff, at least. I guess maybe they do that more as you get older, but I never made it out of middle school.

Edited Date: 2016-04-24 09:41 pm (UTC)

[Yikes; she keeps herself from wincing, only just.]

Oh, well. Yeah, me too. English and classes like it, but cultural studies aren't that bad, you know?