Rindo Kanade | 奏 竜胆 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
worldisyours) wrote2023-03-13 07:06 pm
worldisyours) wrote2023-03-13 07:06 pm
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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, RINDO KANADE. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 4.28.13.9 *** rindragon has joined 4.28.13.9 | ||||
[This flusters the bejeezus out of Gladion.
Because it is dead-on, a critical hit to his worries, so much so that it sounds incredibly obvious once he's heard it out loud and also perfectly continuous with things he should, on paper, already know because other people have spelled those things out for him before.
That is, in fact, kinda the point of it.
All that, and the reminder that—it's self-centered of him, isn't it, to do what he's been doing. The same way it was when he failed to imagine that Lillie would get out and start tackling their family's problems on her own. Left to his own devices, Gladion falls out of step with the people around him and replaces their true wishes with things out of his imagination.
Chilling.
"But she's very self-centered..."
The rote apology makes him squirm, though it's probably a cumulative effect. The scolding-or-affirmation, which takes up more space in Gladion's attention for every extra second he keeps thinking about it. The base discomfort of trying to explain his mother. The apology itself. Which. Well.
Rindo is clearly trying and he can't resent him at all for it. It still just feels weird.
Gladion sighs through his nose, bleeding off immense tension.]
...There's more going on there. The— [important part but no, this is that self-centeredness again. He wants to produce some kind of point to this that justifies why he's explaining it in the first place, and he doesn't want it to have anything to do with himself for the sake of his own pride, and so he's willing to...if not lie, then distort the truth. Considering neither Rindo, nor his mother.
His fingers curl into the bedspread.]
...Never mind. That would've just been...guesswork. [And so, he is pushed to admit to himself: he doesn't have a roadmap for this conversation. Frowning with less tension at the wall, thinking intently, with one fewer lead and one fewer demand taking up space in his head.]
If there's anything you want to know, it's easier to...start there than guess what might be useful.
[There. Yeah. That's adequate.]
Because it is dead-on, a critical hit to his worries, so much so that it sounds incredibly obvious once he's heard it out loud and also perfectly continuous with things he should, on paper, already know because other people have spelled those things out for him before.
That is, in fact, kinda the point of it.
All that, and the reminder that—it's self-centered of him, isn't it, to do what he's been doing. The same way it was when he failed to imagine that Lillie would get out and start tackling their family's problems on her own. Left to his own devices, Gladion falls out of step with the people around him and replaces their true wishes with things out of his imagination.
Chilling.
"But she's very self-centered..."
The rote apology makes him squirm, though it's probably a cumulative effect. The scolding-or-affirmation, which takes up more space in Gladion's attention for every extra second he keeps thinking about it. The base discomfort of trying to explain his mother. The apology itself. Which. Well.
Rindo is clearly trying and he can't resent him at all for it. It still just feels weird.
Gladion sighs through his nose, bleeding off immense tension.]
...There's more going on there. The— [important part but no, this is that self-centeredness again. He wants to produce some kind of point to this that justifies why he's explaining it in the first place, and he doesn't want it to have anything to do with himself for the sake of his own pride, and so he's willing to...if not lie, then distort the truth. Considering neither Rindo, nor his mother.
His fingers curl into the bedspread.]
...Never mind. That would've just been...guesswork. [And so, he is pushed to admit to himself: he doesn't have a roadmap for this conversation. Frowning with less tension at the wall, thinking intently, with one fewer lead and one fewer demand taking up space in his head.]
If there's anything you want to know, it's easier to...start there than guess what might be useful.
[There. Yeah. That's adequate.]
[With Gladion's sigh bringing Rindo's attention back to him, he can practically watch his words knocking Gladion's foundations askew. And so, he worries. Was that the right thing to do? There had to be a reason these defenses were in place, right?]
Well… I just wanna be helpful. Sounds like I know enough to recognize her and avoid her, and that's the goal, right? The rest is just… me being curious, I guess.
[Because, ultimately, Gladion's said a lot without offering much of anything concrete. At the same time, specific questions feel… nosy, and with how sensitive a topic this is for him, Rindo doesn't want to ruin what they've got by putting his foot in his mouth. So, maybe his first order of business should actually be… checking in?]
But… are you okay? Sounds like this is really stressing you out…
[What he said seems to have had a… positive effect, possibly? He still intends to ask for more details, but he doubts he can actually do much to fix the issue. At best he can just… not make it worse. Emotional support's on the table, though, hopefully.]
Well… I just wanna be helpful. Sounds like I know enough to recognize her and avoid her, and that's the goal, right? The rest is just… me being curious, I guess.
[Because, ultimately, Gladion's said a lot without offering much of anything concrete. At the same time, specific questions feel… nosy, and with how sensitive a topic this is for him, Rindo doesn't want to ruin what they've got by putting his foot in his mouth. So, maybe his first order of business should actually be… checking in?]
But… are you okay? Sounds like this is really stressing you out…
[What he said seems to have had a… positive effect, possibly? He still intends to ask for more details, but he doubts he can actually do much to fix the issue. At best he can just… not make it worse. Emotional support's on the table, though, hopefully.]
Edited 2023-06-20 03:54 (UTC)
[Rindo has a bit of a moment, here. He is a very normal guy, supposed time-travel-and-death-game-participation notwithstanding. (It doesn't count if he doesn't remember.) And so he's not really used to… thinking about things in terms of strength, the way Gladion seems to be doing right now. You don't exactly ponder the power level of your classmates or random people in the street.
If anything, coming here has made him feel powerless. And yet here's Gladion saying they're stronger than Silvally? That they could take it in a fight? That's… Yeah, maybe that's objectively true, but it feels… unfitting. Suppose that comes with the territory of being made into a weapon with indiscriminate suffering as the goal—no one's going to tell you how to wield yourself, and you might as well cause as much hurt as possible learning what you're capable of.
Maybe that's how the Fog thinks, or something. He wouldn't be surprised.
…Anyway. Lots of thoughts, not many words.]
If you don't know, I couldn't even begin to guess… I wouldn't be surprised if it trusted you to keep it safe, though, if you're really stronger than it now.
[…Stares at Silvally. Surely a kick or a bite from it would hurt pretty bad, right?]
If anything, coming here has made him feel powerless. And yet here's Gladion saying they're stronger than Silvally? That they could take it in a fight? That's… Yeah, maybe that's objectively true, but it feels… unfitting. Suppose that comes with the territory of being made into a weapon with indiscriminate suffering as the goal—no one's going to tell you how to wield yourself, and you might as well cause as much hurt as possible learning what you're capable of.
Maybe that's how the Fog thinks, or something. He wouldn't be surprised.
…Anyway. Lots of thoughts, not many words.]
If you don't know, I couldn't even begin to guess… I wouldn't be surprised if it trusted you to keep it safe, though, if you're really stronger than it now.
[…Stares at Silvally. Surely a kick or a bite from it would hurt pretty bad, right?]
[Gladion is made freshly aware on just about every day he goes into town, in big and small ways, just how different a place power has in people's lives here. It shapes those lives no less than it shaped lives in Alola, but having power is something that's treated so strangely—swinging between rare and exclusive and almost unseemly to display at all. Amongst humans, anyways. Monsters are a sort of exception; their power is expected, and its use is dreaded.
Or so Gladion has gathered.
The upshot: however Gladion feels about his own body's actual newfound power, it honestly seems a little more natural to be treated as a monster in that way than it did to be treated as human for the short month he still was, when he could nearly blend in in a world without Pokemon. After all, it was only a year ago that he was certain he wanted to be seen that way, wanted people to see Null marching at his side and know instantly from its strength that he was someone to be taken seriously. The reality of what monsters actually are taints it all—knowing that people are afraid for a completely different reason, and right to be afraid for it—but there's something noble-feeling about trying to embody restraint, this time around. It's a little like his pride in Silvally's hard-earned command of its powers, and a little like walking through Aether Paradise and swearing to himself that he won't make his mother's mistakes.
Anyways.]
I think you're right. [Which is, well, why he's so upset about bringing it here, ultimately.] It's a dramatic role reversal.
[Gladion sounded an awful lot like he wanted to let out a world-weary sigh, there. He has such a serious look on his face right now. He is taking this sentence and wrapping it up to tuck into one of the chambers of his heart. But we don't have to talk about that.]
...On the other hand. It also knows what being the scariest thing in the room is like. So, maybe that has something to do with it.
[Empathy for their situations. And a weird sort of kinship it automatically lacked with other Pokemon.]
Or so Gladion has gathered.
The upshot: however Gladion feels about his own body's actual newfound power, it honestly seems a little more natural to be treated as a monster in that way than it did to be treated as human for the short month he still was, when he could nearly blend in in a world without Pokemon. After all, it was only a year ago that he was certain he wanted to be seen that way, wanted people to see Null marching at his side and know instantly from its strength that he was someone to be taken seriously. The reality of what monsters actually are taints it all—knowing that people are afraid for a completely different reason, and right to be afraid for it—but there's something noble-feeling about trying to embody restraint, this time around. It's a little like his pride in Silvally's hard-earned command of its powers, and a little like walking through Aether Paradise and swearing to himself that he won't make his mother's mistakes.
Anyways.]
I think you're right. [Which is, well, why he's so upset about bringing it here, ultimately.] It's a dramatic role reversal.
[Gladion sounded an awful lot like he wanted to let out a world-weary sigh, there. He has such a serious look on his face right now. He is taking this sentence and wrapping it up to tuck into one of the chambers of his heart. But we don't have to talk about that.]
...On the other hand. It also knows what being the scariest thing in the room is like. So, maybe that has something to do with it.
[Empathy for their situations. And a weird sort of kinship it automatically lacked with other Pokemon.]
Edited 2023-06-18 06:31 (UTC)
[Rindo glances back at Gladion when he speaks again, catching that expression. It's the Silvally guilt again, isn't it. He's already decided that he won't push the matter right now, but there'll be a chance later, right? This doesn't sit well with him at all. He's trying hard to not second-guess himself.
Anyway. He'd hardly even been around humans since his changes started, but a handful of bus trips was more than enough for him to get a sense of his new position as a monster. Of course he was stared at—he's a green freak with roots for feet.
…A little internal wince at that description. Gladion's a Nymph, too. He shouldn't think that.
The changes have been so sudden that his mind still reels from this new reality. Back in Shibuya, between emerging fashions, tourists from the world over, and eccentric people, strange-looking folks were an all-too-common sight that made it easy to blend in and dodge attention. No one cared. For someone like Rindo, it was a boon.
Here, such avoidance is no longer a possibility. The scariest thing in the room… he supposes he is, now. Whether he wants to or not, he embodies a threat. It probably doesn't matter to the humans of Ryslig that he's a scavenger with no intent to kill—to them, he's still automatically a murderer, or at least someone with the potential to be. It feels unfair and yet deserved. It's not like he can blame anyone for fearing him, at any rate.
If Silvally knows what that's like, then Gladion's theory makes all too much sense. His gaze lands on Silvally again with a pang of sympathy and a quiet sigh.]
That makes sense to me.
[…And now a cold silent thing is gripping at his heart, creeping up again and again from the well of misery that is Ryslig, always finding new angles to torment him with. His stare grows distant.
Perhaps it's selfish, but Rindo is glad that Silvally and Gladion are here. And he's sure Silvally is happy to be reunited with its partner, too. Surely that's worth something—for him and Gladion, and for Gladion and Silvally.]
Anyway. He'd hardly even been around humans since his changes started, but a handful of bus trips was more than enough for him to get a sense of his new position as a monster. Of course he was stared at—he's a green freak with roots for feet.
…A little internal wince at that description. Gladion's a Nymph, too. He shouldn't think that.
The changes have been so sudden that his mind still reels from this new reality. Back in Shibuya, between emerging fashions, tourists from the world over, and eccentric people, strange-looking folks were an all-too-common sight that made it easy to blend in and dodge attention. No one cared. For someone like Rindo, it was a boon.
Here, such avoidance is no longer a possibility. The scariest thing in the room… he supposes he is, now. Whether he wants to or not, he embodies a threat. It probably doesn't matter to the humans of Ryslig that he's a scavenger with no intent to kill—to them, he's still automatically a murderer, or at least someone with the potential to be. It feels unfair and yet deserved. It's not like he can blame anyone for fearing him, at any rate.
If Silvally knows what that's like, then Gladion's theory makes all too much sense. His gaze lands on Silvally again with a pang of sympathy and a quiet sigh.]
That makes sense to me.
[…And now a cold silent thing is gripping at his heart, creeping up again and again from the well of misery that is Ryslig, always finding new angles to torment him with. His stare grows distant.
Perhaps it's selfish, but Rindo is glad that Silvally and Gladion are here. And he's sure Silvally is happy to be reunited with its partner, too. Surely that's worth something—for him and Gladion, and for Gladion and Silvally.]
[Definitely hit a nerve, there. It'd be shocking if he didn't.]
It's not pleasant to think about.
[That's Gladionese for "I see you having a moment and that's valid". Without uncrossing his arms, he's wandered out a little further from under the branches of the Oran tree, aimlessly into the yard.]
It's not pleasant to think about.
[That's Gladionese for "I see you having a moment and that's valid". Without uncrossing his arms, he's wandered out a little further from under the branches of the Oran tree, aimlessly into the yard.]
[Rindo stays behind for a minute or two, tops. Just enough time to let the worst of it pass. After another sigh, he catches up with Gladion, idly staring around at whatever catches his attention. Without looking at him, and in a sort of artificially detached manner, he comments:]
…Y'know, your world sounds a lot more interesting than mine.
[If you were inclined to read self-depreciation and vague envy into that statement, you would in fact be correct.]
…Y'know, your world sounds a lot more interesting than mine.
[If you were inclined to read self-depreciation and vague envy into that statement, you would in fact be correct.]
[Oh.]
Isn't that a matter of perspective? [That's the near-automatic, sort of...diplomatic answer. And then the second, far less defensive reaction:] I was under the impression that it has...hidden depths [slight awkwardness here where he fails to come up with a better name for it] you hadn't encountered yet. But that's not what you mean, is it.
[So, like, what do you mean...]
Isn't that a matter of perspective? [That's the near-automatic, sort of...diplomatic answer. And then the second, far less defensive reaction:] I was under the impression that it has...hidden depths [slight awkwardness here where he fails to come up with a better name for it] you hadn't encountered yet. But that's not what you mean, is it.
[So, like, what do you mean...]
[That's not the goal, actually.
...Or is it?
He...can't clarify his point when he's not sure what his own point is. What can he fall back on here to find it? What he wants—who asked him that. That was Beat, wasn't it. He has to decide whether this is about avoiding his mother, or protecting people from her, or trying to help her. Or, if he can, do more than one of those things. But one has to come first, if he wants to be sure he has a goal...
So, his first answer is a blink. It's almost a brush-off. He could say, I'll be fine. What I'm really worried about is— and he'd be a dirty fucking liar and have to sit with that on his conscience.
So.
...
He can't say yes; he can't say no. (He's mortified.) He doesn't have a truth to tell. Can he tell what's getting in the way of the truth?]
...Anything I do about her is going to have repercussions. Anything I don't do about her is even more likely to have repercussions. [...Ugh.] And...it's been a while since I had a real goal in mind, regarding her.
...Or is it?
He...can't clarify his point when he's not sure what his own point is. What can he fall back on here to find it? What he wants—who asked him that. That was Beat, wasn't it. He has to decide whether this is about avoiding his mother, or protecting people from her, or trying to help her. Or, if he can, do more than one of those things. But one has to come first, if he wants to be sure he has a goal...
So, his first answer is a blink. It's almost a brush-off. He could say, I'll be fine. What I'm really worried about is— and he'd be a dirty fucking liar and have to sit with that on his conscience.
So.
...
He can't say yes; he can't say no. (He's mortified.) He doesn't have a truth to tell. Can he tell what's getting in the way of the truth?]
...Anything I do about her is going to have repercussions. Anything I don't do about her is even more likely to have repercussions. [...Ugh.] And...it's been a while since I had a real goal in mind, regarding her.
[So Rindo's spent nearly a month as a flower, and to say he's missed a lot in that time frame would be a comical understatement. It's only the morning after his awakening that he manages to bring himself to check his laptop, anxiety nagging at him as the screen turns on.
The series of messages from Shoyo does very little to improve his mood. He'd missed Shoyo's first changes, even though he was counting on him… This is why he was so reluctant to get involved. Of course he would end up letting him down. …God, he really hopes Shoyo wasn't actually alone for it.
There's… a lot to process here, some names and things that are catching his attention, but first things first, he really shouldn't make Shoyo wait any longer than he already has for a sign of life—not in this place where a lack of response sooner evokes horrible prospects than innocent ones.]
hey
sry i couldnt reply sooner
i was asleep this whole time... [And a flower, but let's leave out the embarrassing, irrelevant details.] its a weird ryslig thing that happens to ppl sometimes apparently
anyway i hope ur okay
[Is Shoyo online? It doesn't cost anything to wait and see. It's not like Rindo feels like doing much of anything besides moping on his bed, anyway. So he rereads Shoyo's messages, and they truly sink in this time, past the haze of guilt that had flooded his head at the sight of his inbox notifications. One thing at a time…
Shoyo found a roommate. That's good—he'd been so worried at the prospect of living alone. But the roommate is Sunny, of all people? Has Basil found him, or is he still looking? Should Rindo say anything? After the Coco incident, there's no way in hell he's ever reuniting people with a shared history again, not without making damn sure they aren't going to try to kill each other on sight first. It doesn't at all sound like something Basil or Sunny would do, but he had thought the same of Beat, too. You can never be too sure, not when a mistake could lead to someone's death. He'll have to ask Shoyo about this, but without giving anything away…
The mention of Swallow stirs up a knot of painful feelings that he pushes away reflexively. "Miss Shoka?" Really? Had she intimidated Shoyo? He can almost picture their interaction, whatever it was. He knows her, he's well aware that she's truly kind beneath all the mean quips, but maybe Shoyo doesn't realize that. And… oh, the timestamp. That… must have been during the mushrooms situation, and just two days after he fell asleep. He didn't get the exact timeline of things, of when the boys died and when the mushrooms got so bad that Swallow and Nanami had to go to the hospital, but… here comes a fresh load of extra guilt. She and the others went through hell, and there he was, sleeping through it all, blissfully unaware, utterly useless.
…He'd never really liked himself much, but right now, there is not a single kind thought about himself running through his head.
The volleyball thing is a lot less fraught… so Shoyo's a volleyball player? Rindo doesn't exactly know much about sports, or care. And… wow, that poster looks bad. The automatic, judgmental thought feels so pathetic in the face of… everything, though. He feels pathetic. None of this matters. At least one of them's found something to make him happy in this miserable place. Good for Shoyo.
Shoyo's turned sixteen, then? Rindo could have sworn Shoyo was younger than that. That'd make him older than Rindo himself, too… or would it? Rindo's birthday hadn't been too far off when the Fog took him… He engages in a bit of mental math. When taking into account the day he was sent to Ryslig, and how long he's spent there, he would have turned sixteen right on Shoyo's birthday. The coincidence would be entertaining, if it didn't bring to mind the mental image of his parents back home, worried sick about him. Sure, add that to the pile of misery, too. Might as well at this point.
Well. Anyway. He should at least start making things better instead of worse for once.]
happy belated bday
sry i missed it
The series of messages from Shoyo does very little to improve his mood. He'd missed Shoyo's first changes, even though he was counting on him… This is why he was so reluctant to get involved. Of course he would end up letting him down. …God, he really hopes Shoyo wasn't actually alone for it.
There's… a lot to process here, some names and things that are catching his attention, but first things first, he really shouldn't make Shoyo wait any longer than he already has for a sign of life—not in this place where a lack of response sooner evokes horrible prospects than innocent ones.]
hey
sry i couldnt reply sooner
i was asleep this whole time... [And a flower, but let's leave out the embarrassing, irrelevant details.] its a weird ryslig thing that happens to ppl sometimes apparently
anyway i hope ur okay
[Is Shoyo online? It doesn't cost anything to wait and see. It's not like Rindo feels like doing much of anything besides moping on his bed, anyway. So he rereads Shoyo's messages, and they truly sink in this time, past the haze of guilt that had flooded his head at the sight of his inbox notifications. One thing at a time…
Shoyo found a roommate. That's good—he'd been so worried at the prospect of living alone. But the roommate is Sunny, of all people? Has Basil found him, or is he still looking? Should Rindo say anything? After the Coco incident, there's no way in hell he's ever reuniting people with a shared history again, not without making damn sure they aren't going to try to kill each other on sight first. It doesn't at all sound like something Basil or Sunny would do, but he had thought the same of Beat, too. You can never be too sure, not when a mistake could lead to someone's death. He'll have to ask Shoyo about this, but without giving anything away…
The mention of Swallow stirs up a knot of painful feelings that he pushes away reflexively. "Miss Shoka?" Really? Had she intimidated Shoyo? He can almost picture their interaction, whatever it was. He knows her, he's well aware that she's truly kind beneath all the mean quips, but maybe Shoyo doesn't realize that. And… oh, the timestamp. That… must have been during the mushrooms situation, and just two days after he fell asleep. He didn't get the exact timeline of things, of when the boys died and when the mushrooms got so bad that Swallow and Nanami had to go to the hospital, but… here comes a fresh load of extra guilt. She and the others went through hell, and there he was, sleeping through it all, blissfully unaware, utterly useless.
…He'd never really liked himself much, but right now, there is not a single kind thought about himself running through his head.
The volleyball thing is a lot less fraught… so Shoyo's a volleyball player? Rindo doesn't exactly know much about sports, or care. And… wow, that poster looks bad. The automatic, judgmental thought feels so pathetic in the face of… everything, though. He feels pathetic. None of this matters. At least one of them's found something to make him happy in this miserable place. Good for Shoyo.
Shoyo's turned sixteen, then? Rindo could have sworn Shoyo was younger than that. That'd make him older than Rindo himself, too… or would it? Rindo's birthday hadn't been too far off when the Fog took him… He engages in a bit of mental math. When taking into account the day he was sent to Ryslig, and how long he's spent there, he would have turned sixteen right on Shoyo's birthday. The coincidence would be entertaining, if it didn't bring to mind the mental image of his parents back home, worried sick about him. Sure, add that to the pile of misery, too. Might as well at this point.
Well. Anyway. He should at least start making things better instead of worse for once.]
happy belated bday
sry i missed it
[…There's no easy way out, then, or no way out at all. Avoidance isn't the goal, but rather the consequence of having no goal, so at best, Rindo's stated intent would not actually do anything to help, just prevent things from getting worse. Which is something, but it's not enough.
Rindo's reply does not come immediately. He's thinking. And the more he thinks, the more he realizes that he can't get anywhere without more info. But first…]
Do you wanna talk about that? Try to figure out what to do about her? I can't promise I'll come up with anything good, but I can try…
[Maybe Gladion can bounce ideas off him, at least.]
Rindo's reply does not come immediately. He's thinking. And the more he thinks, the more he realizes that he can't get anywhere without more info. But first…]
Do you wanna talk about that? Try to figure out what to do about her? I can't promise I'll come up with anything good, but I can try…
[Maybe Gladion can bounce ideas off him, at least.]
[Yeah, it is a matter of perspective, and that's kind of where the problem lies, isn't it? He knows Gladion means that as in, of course your own world will seem mundane to you, but…
What does he mean, actually?]
I mean… I'm not ever gonna get to see those "hidden depths." So as far as I'm concerned, they might as well not be there.
[That's not even true. If anything, they're taunting him.
This is a mess. Where is this even going. Unexpected venting?]
…Sorry. I don't even know.
[…Ugh. Well, he's certainly done a fine job of ruining that interaction.]
Maybe I can just… tell you about my world. Like, the normal parts…
[And then maybe Gladion will get why he said what he said?]
What does he mean, actually?]
I mean… I'm not ever gonna get to see those "hidden depths." So as far as I'm concerned, they might as well not be there.
[That's not even true. If anything, they're taunting him.
This is a mess. Where is this even going. Unexpected venting?]
…Sorry. I don't even know.
[…Ugh. Well, he's certainly done a fine job of ruining that interaction.]
Maybe I can just… tell you about my world. Like, the normal parts…
[And then maybe Gladion will get why he said what he said?]
[...He thinks he gets it. Maybe a corner of it. It's not about their worlds so much as their lives; Rindo feels left behind, hand in hand with what's going on with his housemates. Does he want a more interesting life, though? He doesn't otherwise seem like he does.
Gladion turns in place, ears flicking upright with piqued interest.]
Go ahead. [...Or rather:] Let's go sit on the balcony. [But Rindo can talk while they walk, too.]
Gladion turns in place, ears flicking upright with piqued interest.]
Go ahead. [...Or rather:] Let's go sit on the balcony. [But Rindo can talk while they walk, too.]
[ it may take a while. some minutes, maybe a few hours. it’s only when shoyo opens up his laptop sometime in the evening when he’s back home does he finally see a message, which was strange because he never really got messages other than the ones from sunny when they’d exchange notes back and forth. when they weren’t sharing the room, at least.
to see a reply . . . from rindo . . . .
it sinks an entire glacier of ice into his gut and makes him gasp so loudly that mochi, the new apartment cake hound puppy, probably jumps from the blanket cluster she’s buried herself in.
there’s only one thing he could say to this as he quickly types back, desperate for a new answer. ]
RINDO?????
YOU’RE ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
to see a reply . . . from rindo . . . .
it sinks an entire glacier of ice into his gut and makes him gasp so loudly that mochi, the new apartment cake hound puppy, probably jumps from the blanket cluster she’s buried herself in.
there’s only one thing he could say to this as he quickly types back, desperate for a new answer. ]
RINDO?????
YOU’RE ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Ah, there it is…]
yeah
dodged a bullet sleeping thru this whole month tbh
[Everyone was happy he'd been spared, but he still felt guilty anyway. It was unfair.]
how r u?
[He's curious about a lot of things, here—Shoyo's changes, whether he got hit by the mushrooms, how he's getting along with Sunny, how he met Swallow… but he'll let the other boy take the lead.]
yeah
dodged a bullet sleeping thru this whole month tbh
[Everyone was happy he'd been spared, but he still felt guilty anyway. It was unfair.]
how r u?
[He's curious about a lot of things, here—Shoyo's changes, whether he got hit by the mushrooms, how he's getting along with Sunny, how he met Swallow… but he'll let the other boy take the lead.]
[That's about the size of it. And, indeed, Rindo wasn't particularly looking for fame, or adventure, or anything grand like that. It's more about wanting some kind of direction. Back home, he was free to take his sweet time figuring everything out, but now the rug's been pulled from under him, and now both safety and the promise of a future had disappeared from his life all at once.
He's not taking it well.]
…Sure.
[They start walking, but Rindo doesn't speak up right away. He's trying to figure out how to explain… Probably should use Gladion's own world and Ryslig as points of reference.]
So… basically, my world is like this one, but without all the monsters and magic stuff, and it's got more modern technology. Ryslig is like… a good fifty years behind, if you ignore the Cube. Also, we don't have anything like Pokémon. Just pets and wild animals, I guess.
[A short pause.]
I'm from Japan, but this place is a lot like another country from my world called Sweden.
He's not taking it well.]
…Sure.
[They start walking, but Rindo doesn't speak up right away. He's trying to figure out how to explain… Probably should use Gladion's own world and Ryslig as points of reference.]
So… basically, my world is like this one, but without all the monsters and magic stuff, and it's got more modern technology. Ryslig is like… a good fifty years behind, if you ignore the Cube. Also, we don't have anything like Pokémon. Just pets and wild animals, I guess.
[A short pause.]
I'm from Japan, but this place is a lot like another country from my world called Sweden.
[They don't have any deck furniture, but they can sit against the railing. Or on it. Gladion's opting for on it, looking out over the yard.]
I've heard a little about it. Yours must be one of the ones that are all closely related to each other, with the same places and countries.
I've heard a little about it. Yours must be one of the ones that are all closely related to each other, with the same places and countries.
[ the last text he’d sent was . . . somewhat of a good bye. he thought rindo at the very least didn’t want to speak with him, and at its worst something terrible happened that no one wanted to tell him about. being a plant was none of the above or unbeaten he was expecting, and—
before shoyo knew it, his eyes leak and run and so does his nose as he snorts up choked, sobbing little hiccups in between typing. ]
cryi ng,,
its never late for bday pizza
before shoyo knew it, his eyes leak and run and so does his nose as he snorts up choked, sobbing little hiccups in between typing. ]
cryi ng,,
its never late for bday pizza
Edited 2023-06-24 21:57 (UTC)
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