ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

That's great to know, pal. (I say, reaching one of my antennae over for another fist bump.)

Sure is! (Marsha says, smiling and giving Marlon a quick peck on the cheek.)

As Mila sits in the drawing room, she tries to think of any place she could take David for his safety, because thinking about the other problem at hand would only make her more upset. She works through every place they've been through, thinking backwards chronologically. Agartha and the carnival wouldn't work, Hoard is a mess right now, Silversands might be an option except for the distance, but before that they'd been in Orichalcum. What was around Orichalcum? Besides Dras-Il, there was the group of kids... with a surrogate mother. Not wanting to scare David, who's currently flipping pages of a book titled Memoirs of a Houndoom, Mila gets up slowly and finds a piece of paper and a writing utensil. She's not exactly used to using anything like it in this form, so it takes her a moment, but she eventually finishes the note, and goes to pick up David.

"Come on, little guy, I want to show you somewhere where you'll be safe."

What if I don't like it?

"Then I'll find somewhere else, but I think you'll be happy."

Mila goes to the door quietly, and leaves the note at the main entrance as she leaves. If anyone picks it up, it reads:

"Off to Lady Castien's place

Have to find a place for David to stay

Will be back by tonight

- Mila"

On the reverse, it reads:

"Please look out for Finley while I'm gone

"I'm worried about her."

"Well, it's never too late, I'd say." [Looking over at him again, I say,] "There's some drawing supplies in the closet...somewhere..."

[I just saw Mila heading out of the room with David. I would think they're going off to some other room, but it's barely afternoon, the kid can't need sleep that bad, at least not if he couldn't just plop himself down in one of the chairs and doze off. I snap my fingers quietly and repeatedly, wondering if I should fulfill this curiosity and follow them. Where would she be going, what if she...]

[...oh, hell no. I place my sketchpad on my chair and stomp out of the room, looking back down the hall. Damn, wherever she went, she went there fast...I continue down the hall towards the foyer...]

(When Marsha leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, I took on a grin and a smitten-sounding adeee... growl, almost as if hearts were in my eyes. Wierd, first time I've done that. Before I can make a comment about Eliot's suggestion, he darts off after Mila:)

Wait, where's Eliot goin'? More importantly, what's Mila up ta?

(I notice Eliot getting up and abruptly leaving the room too, leaving his sketchpad behind.)

Perhaps Mila went to join the others in the kitchen and Eliot went after her? (Delilah suggests, also looking out after them.)

I don't know if that's it, Del. (I say.) Should we try going after them?

(I'm briefly distracted by the noise Marlon just made.) Was that you, Marlon?

Yep, sure was, big guy. (Marsha answers, chuckling a bit as she looks up at Marlon.)

edited 16th Oct '17 11:50:57 AM by kablammin45

"I'm doing good." I float over to Marlon and whisper "I think Eliot has a grudge on me or something. I mean, look at his facial expression when I'm near him. And I'm pretty sure I know the reason."

Eliot likes ta be worried about our safety, Wrench. I'm sure yas have seen everyone come and go. Don't you ever wonder what they're up to?

(I ask Wrench. I sheepshily rub my neck and chuckle along with Marsha:)

Hehe, I really like you, Marsh..

(Before saying to our group:)

I dunno, guys, don't you think that she wants what's best for tha kid?

(Which is followed by me calling down to Eliot:)

Eliot? Where is she? Do you see anything that tells us where she is?

edited 16th Oct '17 12:03:00 PM by Team42Larson

"To be honest, I don't know where they are, are they dead? Are they settling down in this new world? How am I supposed to know?"

I like yas, too, Marly... (Marsha purrs.) And yeah, sounds right ta me.

Yeah, I guess it makes sense. (I say, as Delilah and I also look down the hall.) I figure if I were Mila I'd be doing the same thing for David...

(As I do, I look back at Wrench.) I sure hope they're getting along fine wherever they wound up...I figure that some of them managed to get to one of the towns and are doing their own things there and otherwise adjusting to being here all right. (I can't help but feel concerned for some of them, though, especially since, if I heard correctly, J seemed to have lost his marbles the last time the party met him from what I was able to pick up since rejoining the others in Hoard.)

edited 16th Oct '17 12:10:09 PM by kablammin45

A knock rapped on Morbitesse's door, awaiting an answer.

"GAAH!" [I'm startled momentarily by Marlon's sudden appearance, but I sigh, making no attempt to object his presence here.] "Uh, nothin' yet, I don't see—"

[A knock: who's at the door? Is it Mila? Walking towards the door, I also notice a note laid on the floor. I pick it up, handing it off to Marlon for now, and then proceed to call out to the unknown knocker:] "Hello?! Who is this?"

(There's something about the way she just said that that...ugh. Is now really the time to think about getting laid? But just maybe soon enough... I briefly dart a look at Marsha and then trail off my inner thoughts to see the note Eliot handed to me, from Mila. I aside to Marsh, Goobert, and Del, handing it around to them:)

I see...I think we should leave this ta Mila.

edited 16th Oct '17 12:49:42 PM by Team42Larson

Cyk finds her way to Marlon and Goobert.

(I look at the note, and Delilah and Marsha look over it with me.)

Huh...kind of like what we were suspecting... (I say.)

I sure do hope Mila can get the poor little kid the help he needs... (Delilah says.) Whatever it may be.

Hear hear... (Marsha says.)

(Before I can look at the back of the note, I'm startled by Cyk walking in.) Oh, heya, Cyk. What's up? (I say as I pass the note on to whoever wants to look at it next.)

edited 16th Oct '17 12:58:26 PM by kablammin45

(I too am startled by Cyk's sudden presence, offering her a quick:)

Hey!

(Before taking, and reading, the note's back. I give anyone around me a puzzled look, and show them this side of the note:)

Oh my..Fin won't like that..

*A mildly startled expression spreads itself across Morbitesse's face after what Marlon says about Serris.*

Morbitesse: "Truly? That's quite a low to stoop to, no matter what the cause. You have my thanks for alertning me to this, I'll certainly tread more warily when dealing with him. Now then..."

*Morbitesse's train of thought is lost as she sees the minor exodus from the discussion room.*

Morbitesse: "Oi, hold on now! What's with the commotion all of a sudden?"

*I should be glad to hear Finley's words of comfort, to have her reassurance, but something about it seems hollow to me. It's not just a matter of her seemingly-forced smile and reluctance towards looking me in the eyes, what she says...*

"...you made a lot of mistakes..."

(I have. Dear god, I have. Honestly, I'm starting to think everything I do at this point is a mistake in one way or another...)

"...nobody was permanently hurt by what you did"

(That's a lie. Half the devastation caused in Hoard was because I enabled that wretch... And Niles and Marlon have to deal with the blood on their hands for the rest of their lives... But sure, let's say nobody was permenantly hurt yet. It's only a matter of time before my incompetence ruins something, let's face it.)

"Given the things she said, I don't know if it's worth trying to please her."

*I shut my eyes as Belladonna's voice rings in my head and memories of my latest nightmare resurface.*

   (She sees me as a liability, doesn't she? I'm just a hinderance to her and the rest of the group. I don't know why she's even bothering with me, I don't know why anyone's bothering with me. Shouldn't I just be told straight-up that I'm dragging the group back? What is there to gain from leading me on like this? They aren't even infected, why do they keep insisting on tormenting me like this?)   

*I let out a little wimper as Finley's hand brushes against the back of my head. In my distress, I don't even notice Mila's exit. Not even trying to conceal my inner turmoil, I sigh and look back to Finley.*

PJ: "I... I doubt that. Maybe things will get better, but... definitely not anytime soon, I don't think."

*I turn my gaze to the floor as I weakly continue.*

PJ: "Y'know, you can... you can tell me that you don't forgive me. It's okay not to hold anything back. Truth be told, I don't forgive myself either..."

"Heard you talking about something. What was that?"

Cyk is holding a cardboard box, closed so nobody can see the insides.

Mila left to find a place for David to stay...you know, the little Pichu we rescued? She's probably going to be out for a while. (I explain. I realize that Cyk has a small box.) ...What's in that box, Cyk?

Cyk opens the box. A large rock, with a combination of red and green surrounded by white is resting in it. It's Gardevoirite.

"Neat, isn't it? But they said I should be stronger to use it."

Oh hey, that is pretty neat, Cyk. (I say, looking at the Mega Stone.) Nice job getting one...hope you can eventually learn to use it properly.

(Then I look back to Marlon and look at the back of the note.) Oh man...I think you're right, Marlon...

Oh dear...Finley really isn't going to like this... (Delilah says.) At least Mila will only be gone for a little while, right?

And if ya ask me, she's probably not gonna show it, either... (Marsha whispers, remembering how unnaturally happy Finley was acting earlier.)

edited 16th Oct '17 1:12:58 PM by kablammin45

Huh...so you found one too, Cyk. Pretty cool, I'd say.

(I say to Cyk. I then say to the group around us:)

Marsh is right. She ain't one ta show it..if last night taught me anythin'...

(I finally acknowledge Frau:)

Looks like Mila went off for a while...also there's someone at your door.

edited 16th Oct '17 1:17:18 PM by Team42Larson

Again, Finley's cheerful demeanor falters, seemingly for longer time than before, but she continues. "I do forgive you, PJ! You're a good person, you're just a bit troubled. That's okay, we're all troubled a little bit, right? Nobody's mad at you for what happened, we're all willing to move on. Just chill, okay?"

(I think about how Finley is going to react. I hope she doesn't absolutely flip once she learns that Mila has left for a while.)

(At the same time, Cyk coming back with a Mega Stone is making me think about my own. I look down at my carrier box for my Mega Stone. I wonder if...maybe once we're done here, I can try Mega Evolving to see what it feels like? Might be a good idea to head outside town to do that in case I go whacko.)

Who is dat knockin' on the door? (Marsha also asks, remembering that she heard it herself.)

(Benji and Dinah have been eating Berries and some oddly mesmerizing Zangoose shaped cookies when they get up and step out. They head back into the large room only to find that not very many of the party are still in there.)

Somethin' tells me that they've left already. That was fast, just sayin'. (Benji says.)

Yeah.... (Dinah says.)

"Wait, what isn't Finley gonna like?" [It occurs to me that I probably shouldn't have been so quick to hand it off, despite it being kind inviius, especially now, as to who that came from. I grab for the note from Goobert, reading it over once I get my hands on it...]

"...t'Lady Castien...look out for Finley..." [I groan, somewhat annoyed that she would just walk out like that without so much as a word...but I suppose it's not too much of an issue for her to finally care that kid off somewhere... I'd be worried about their trek to that mansion or whatever it was, but we're on good terms with Dras-Il, so I foresee safe passage through that forest as long as we got that.]

[As for the part about Finley, I haven't really noticed anything worrying about her, she seems...happy... Would that be an issue? I guess, considering what happened, I'm a bit surprised by her recent demeanor, but I...I dunno...maybe I'll keep an eye on her...]

[I look back to the door, awaiting my answer...]

At the door a voice is heard. Yello? Mind if I hop in?

edited 16th Oct '17 1:50:38 PM by TacoBadger