ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Listening intently to Uryu's declaration, Serris raises a brow.

"Oh yeah, I knew I remembered you from somewhere. Yer-io, yep? Hehe... you Psychic-types are real hard to read, aren't you? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you don't trust me much. I'm just trying to look out for you, is all..." he says, cocking his head to the side. "But, thanks for the welcome, I s'pose. I'll just wait, like always..."

Melodramatically turning his back to the Espeon, the Serperior begins to slither up and down the hall, singing quite loudly with overexaggerated gestures. It's pretty obvious that he's putting on some kind of act for shits and giggles.

♫"How can I just let you walk away, just let you leave without a trace... when I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh-ooh. You're the only one who really knew me at all.

How can you just walk away from me, when all I can do is watch you leave... 'cause we've shared the laughter and the pain, and even shared the tears. You're the only one who really knew me at all.

So take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space... and there's nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face.

Well take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space... and you coming back to me is against the odds, and that's what I've got to face."♫

edited 28th May '17 12:04:16 PM by PresidentStalkeyes

My attention is caught by Serris' sudden performance, though I'm quick to return to my conversation with Oz. "We may want to consider asking other townsfolk for information. The geography of the structures you described don't match anything that we've seen thus far, so if they do exist then we may have to travel a while to find them."

"Uhh... Serris? You know this is not a BroadWay musical."

edited 28th May '17 4:18:54 PM by chianticat10

"Oh, it looks like we have another singer in our midst," [I say to Serris from behind him, with the same dramatic swagger that seems to characterize his recent actions, though with a slight tangential excitement. That small grain of excitement, however, erodes away as I huff, reminding myself of my true purpose in this moment.]

"Yeah, I think we should go around town. Maybe we can ask someone here."

"In the meantime, uh..."

> I tilt my head at the sight of Serris singing like he's on some Pokemon musical or something.

"?"

(I wonder if I can actually sing better like this, but I decide not to try since everyone is weirded out enough already. I think about how it's too bad that none of us became a Primarina.)

So what type of people should we look for?

*blinks*

(I feel like I just asked a stupid question)

Um....has anyone else gotten up yet?

"Almost everyone has."

Almost.

*I wordlessly join the group, still in a less-than-stellar mood due to another early-morning headache. Come to think of it, I don't recall ever falling asleep last night, last I remember I was hiding out in Mila's room thinking of a way to apologize to her for yesterday's outburst. I must've just passed out again, not the first time that's happened to me. That being said, I can't remember such a thing ever happening before I got here... How odd.*

"I am awake, if anyone was wondering..."

*I attempt to massage my forehead in hopes that I might alleviate my (admittedly weak) pain, but that does nothing. Not that I'm sure you could massage chitin anyways...*

"Oh. Okay, I guess I'll find it myself..."

Mila seems visibly saddened by the lack of response to her query, but her expression quickly changes to one of resignation as she picks herself up once more and begins walking down the stairs with extreme caution.

Why do you expect them to still help you? The least you could do is not be selfish at a time like this. Maybe find a chance to apologize to somebody, hell you should be apologizing to all of them! You can't lead them on pretending to act like a hurt puppy.

Uryu looks up to see the Ribombee from last night, and finishes cleaning himself for a moment before speaking up.

So, you wanted me to make surrrrre you're okay? Or perrrrrhaps do you feel better now?

"Mmh, head's hurting like a you-probably-know-what, but I suppose I'm feeling better otherwise."

*I hadn't even noticed that the pain from yesterday's incident had largely subsided overnight. Some movements elicited a minor bit of aching, but for the most part, I had recovered. In hindsight, I suppose it makes sense that the Trauma Inn principle would apply in a world like this. Or maybe this Espeon guy healed me in my sleep? ...I feel violated just thinking of that possibility.*

As Mila picks herself up, Finley suddenly realizes he's in a conversation and tries to recover from is random silence. "Of course, we can see if there's water around. I'm sorry, I just feel kind of out of it today."

Then he sees PJ out of the corner of his eye. "Good to see you, PJ. I hope you slept well last night. We should check in on Morbitesse, get the scoop on the latest."

*nods and rubs my head*

"Oooohhhh, what was that?" Serris poked his head back inside, having briefly and discreetly departed to take a toilet break. "Did I hear something about a Morbitesse? Gosh, I thought I was the only one who remembered we were all squatting on her property like wild animals," he says, swishing his head dramatically as he slithered inside properly, having brushed all the leaves off him by now.

"Speaking of which, Euro..." he says, addressing the Espeon healer, "is she finished with her little videoconference yet? With all due respect, I've been reasonably polite thus far, but I've been snubbed enough times already. I'm sure she can spare just one moment of her playtime with the long-dead to talk business. Don't make me sing Phil Collins again," he says, squinting his eyes quite consciously, drawing maximum attention to the act.

Uryu attempts to remain impassive, but as Serris continues he becomes visibly disturbed, eventually snapping as he releases psychic energy around himself in a harmless, but nevertheless threatening, display.

That's enough! How I wish I could thrrrrrrow you out, but my orrrrrders are orrrrders. You will not interrupt Frau Morbitesse, and she will talk to you when she is ready, no soonerrrr. She may be more patient than myself, but I would not want to crrrrross her if I wished to continue this life.

The light around Uryu fades, and he lays down with his paws covering his eyes.

I neverrr agreed to this... this angerrrrr isn't befitting my position.

Meanwhile, Mila manages to make her way down the stairs, and moves towards Serris, her head still held low, and her voice thin and dry.

"Excuse me. Was there water or something to drink back there?"

edited 3rd Jun '17 12:53:28 AM by Cabe_Bedlam

The Serperior averts his gaze from the psychic lightshow to avoid blinding himself, shielding his eyes with one of the leaves on the side of his serpentine form. Eventually his eyes adjust and he looks on, not appearing perturbed in the slightest. Though close inspection may reveal he smirked a little once the lightshow disappeared and the Espeon collapsed to the floor.

Serris briefly twitches a brow at the display. "Gotcha. Crystal clear," he says as he turns away, almost failing to notice Mila suddenly appearing. His eyes widened for a moment, recognising her as the one who had a mental breakdown of sorts.

"Oh! It's you. If you mean outside, I did find a convenient decorative stream by the Cheri berry bush just down that path," he says, pointing his tail in the direction of the front door. "You'd best be going there. Clear your mind and all that."

[That was Phil Collins? Pff, I knew I was better off not listening to their solo works. Anyway, I walk over to Mila—trying to get a sensible talk out of Serris isn't something I want to brave through at the moment, still feeling a little sluggish from my sleep—and merely say,] "Hello. Um, I...yea, I guess do what Serris says if you want..."

[I stop myself: yea, no way in hell I'm gonna let that happen, even if it's likely Serris ain't an obfuscating menace, I'd rather not chance it.]

"Um, here, Mila, do you mind if I go with you?"

Mila turns to look towards Eliot as he speaks to her, and pauses for a moment before nodding weakly in assent.

"Sure, I guess. If you want to."

Mila walks out of the mansion slowly, though her pace seems to have picked up slightly from before now that someone else is moving alongside her. As she makes her way to the stream, she remains silent and lost in thought.

Well, now's your chance, do something to apologize. This is as close you'll get to being alone with anyone during the day, so if you can't do it now I don't know what's going to happen.

edited 3rd Jun '17 4:50:37 PM by Cabe_Bedlam

[After I take one last look at Serris, shooting him a meaningful (not knowing, knowing implies...well...) glare that would make Winston blush, I nod to Mila—] "Okay!" [—and follow behind her—slowly, I had to watch my pace from the outset to not leave her behind—and watch after her, see if she's hurting anywhere...she looks like she's doing better, actually, which is good. I also look around for any suspicious activity during our trip, but I don't recall seeing anything.]

[Finding the stream, seeing Mila stop, I take this moment to bend down and get a drink of water myself: my throat is feeling particularly parched.]

edited 3rd Jun '17 5:04:44 PM by BlackMageAnolis

When Mila gets to the stream, she tries to lean over to drink, but notices that in doing so she's putting pressure on her splinted leg. Instead, she decides to lie down on her stomach and drink from the ground, despite how demeaning it feels to do so.

After taking several drinks and splashing her face with water (which leads to a small spark of electricity running into the liquid from her cheeks), Mila stands back up and turns towards Eliot.

"Why did you choose to follow me? After what I did yesterday and how I acted? I— I'm sorry about what I did, but how does that make anything better? I still hurt everyone..."

[I gulp down another handful of water, then look over at Mila. I'm a little unprepared for her question, it...takes me a moment to formulate an answer.]

"L-look, I...I get it, yesterday, we were all...kinda high-strung, it was...wasn't the proudest moment for us. But...I didn't follow you here because of that...wait, no, yea, I didn't, that's the thing..."

[Going to properly stand up, I turn towards her, and then—] "GAAH" [—I slip! and fall into the stream.]

"Huh, what do you mean— Oh, no!"

Mila moves to the stream's edge to try and grab Eliot, but accidentally puts pressure on her ankle and trips onto the ground, her face overhanging the water. Recoiling back as she remembers the sparks from earlier, Mila extends a paw as far as she can reach.

No, no, no! You have to do something to help! But is this really all you can do? The sparks... I'm not going to hurt anyone else because of my electricity.

Back at the manor, Uryu looks around at the group still watching him after taking a moment to collect himself. Sighing, he takes a moment before proposing a plan to the others.

Since it seems nobody else is injurrred, I suppose you are just waiting on yourrrrr host now. If it would make you leave me alone, I will contact you when she is frrrree. For the moment, I would suggest following yourrrrr friends to the stream. Sustenance will do you much good.

Sounds good to me. I'm thirsty. (I head out toward the stream.)

(Out there, I see Mila lying on her stomach looking as though she's reaching for something.)

Hey, Mila, are you ok?

(Then I see Eliot splashing around in the water.)

Whoa! (I rush over and carefully move my antennae over to grab Eliot out of the water and put him back on solid ground.)

You ok, Eliot?

edited 4th Jun '17 10:58:31 AM by kablammin45