worldisyours | IC Inbox

[Rindo walks slowly alongside, watching Gladion's movements with obvious, sympathetic concern. He does at least seem fine to move, but that look he gives him is… Well. This has to be horribly disorienting. Maybe a higher vantage point would help…?]

Um… Didn't wanna just pick you up without asking, but you can ride on my shoulder if you want. I don't mind.

[He stops to meet Gladion's gaze as he speaks. Everything about this is weird, but what else is new? At least Gladion's back now—that's Rindo's primary concern. Call it a habit or an assumption from his time living with Swallow and her housemates, but form changes always did strike him as temporary. It's not like he has faith in it—certainly not enough to make any hollow unprompted attempts at reassuring Gladion that he'll go back to normal soon enough—it's just that, whatever the hell may be going on in this particular instance, the alternative is hard to imagine.]

[Ride on his—?

Like some kid's Fomantis or something. He can't be that small, though.]

I don't even know how heavy I am, [he snorts, mildly taken aback—but only mildly, because he crouches as if to jump up. It's a false start. Like he said, he has no clue how heavy he is, even if he thought he could jump that high on these weird little legs. So instead, he reaches up with a hand, trusting that Rindo will test his weight and perhaps get him up there in some semi-reasonable fashion.]

Really light, actually.

[Does Gladion not remember Rindo picking him up earlier? He wouldn't be surprised, given how weak he was.]

Also… monster strength, remember?

[Anyway. Rindo bends forward and reaches for Gladion's hand at first, hesitates for a moment, and goes for grabbing him under both arms instead. He lifts him up then brings him to his right shoulder, setting him down, leaving his left hand near Gladion's chest until Gladion finds his balance at least. Everything good up here?

…Hm. Maybe he can make this more comfortable? He uses plant control on the long leaf that covers his shoulder, willing it to tense up. A little leafy seat, or a perch, perhaps. Surprise! Rindo can do this now.]

[Mainly I forgot but also he forgot. Everything was such a blur.]

Doesn't necessarily mean it's— [upsie daisie.] —mean it's comfortable to do. [It's a weak protest. He's not going to seriously accuse Rindo of being that uncaring. It does help him not think about what it must look like to be picked up under the arms like this, though. He can imagine it as if he were a Pokemon, it's not that absurd, but it's just...strange to think that that's what he looks like.

Even as he settles down up here. His tail loops down around Rindo's side; it and his feet are very grippy, without applying much pressure.

The both of them are just a regular pair of oddities now, aren't they.]

Between me and Silvally, you could pass for our trainer. As long as I kept quiet.

[His other thought was I feel like some kind of toy and being like a Pokemon is a way way way way way better thought.]

[The Nymph part of Rindo's brain is quite content with Gladion's roots wrapping themselves around him, for some reason. Nice and stable, not going anywhere… No, maybe it's the human part, actually.]

I don't mind it at all.

[Sure, let's go with that. He actually sounds a little pleased. It's really good to be able to talk again like this—a balm to Rindo's heart. He lets out a little laugh at Gladion's analogy.]

Big responsibility. Kinda doubt I'd be up to the task if it was for real.

[He shoots Gladion a sideway glance as they pass through the bramble ring. He closes it back up without even sparing it a look. The sooner they leave, the better. All the tools are already gathered near Silvally—he'd had plenty of time for it.]

…You do kinda look like a Pokémon.

[He guesses, at least. He's only seen three, but it's enough to get a sense of what looks Pokémon-like. Maybe. And he had thought this from the start, but he figures saying it out loud would please Gladion, with how much respect he has for Pokémon.]

[Gladion scoffs at the idea of Rindo not being up to the task. There's a flaw in that reasoning! He'll point it out shortly. For now, Silvally is here, jumping to its feet to get right up in their faces and bonk Gladion with its nose.]

Oomph. [But his arms come right up and give its head a hug, no protest needed. (And no risk of falling off Rindo's shoulder. Grippy!)] Thanks, buddy. [His voice is colored with relief. Silvally is eep peep peeping, having had to contain its relief until Gladion was out of danger. It licks Rindo's temple, too, and plops its butt back down and leans against both of them.]

I need a mirror. What I can see doesn't look like any species I've ever seen, but still...sort of familiar. Somehow. [Scratching Silvally's ears, slightly squished against Rindo's head by the beaft's affection.] Which makes it something I can live with if I have to, I guess. It could be a lot worse.

[Although as he thinks through all the practical implications of being this size and shape every day...the cons are racking up fast.

God he's glad to be back though.]

[No hair eating this time, huh? Rindo wraps an arm loosely around Silvally, welcoming its display of affection with a smile and returning it in kind by way of some well-deserved praise.]

Silvally did amazing. It was watching over you while you were in that pod. It warned me as soon as it noticed you were moving in there, then it took us to the patch way faster than I could have on my own. [Pat, pat.] When I had to go the other day, it went with me.

[Even if Rindo had been trying to hide his gratitude for that last part, he wouldn't have been able to. He owes Silvally and Gladion so, so much, and though his happiness isn't nearly as effusive as the Pokémon's, dulled as it is by Ryslig's constant blows, it's still evident in his expression. Frankly, he would hug Gladion, but with the size difference now it might feel more like trapping him, and he's not going to do that to him of all people. …The current arrangement is close enough anyway!

It sounds a bit like Gladion's trying to convince himself, there, but perhaps that's just Rindo's pessimistic streak speaking. Still, maybe that's the right attitude to have here. Just roll with the punches. What else can you do?

A mirror…]

We could stop by the stream for that.

[Gladion's hands slow as he listens.

If he had his own face right now, the warmth in his chest would show. The warmth isn't without bitterness, but...he's proud. Proud of them both, for stepping up, for staying together.

He pets Silvally between the ears again, with obvious tenderness.]

I can wait until we get back to the house.

[The thought of which ungently returns a memory to him, of an altercation with Ingo.

Suddenly, as if it's just occurred to him:]

Are the twins there? Or—out. Are they alright?

Sure, no problem. I was gonna ask if you wouldn't mind a quick detour for something else. It's not urgent or anything, so it's up to you.

[Then comes the question. It's no surprise, of course, but it makes Rindo's mood tank instantly. Not because the twins aren't all right, but, well. You know.]

I don't think they're home right now, but they're fine.

[No thanks to Rindo. He continues, his voice clearly strained and heavy with baggage. His eyes are fixed on Silvally as he idly scratches the side of its neck.]

A lot happened that I wasn't there to see, but everyone caught me up to speed.

[He lets out a huge sigh. He's not looking forward to it, but he isn't about to leave Gladion in the dark. He knows full well just how disorienting it is to wake up and get told you've missed an entire month, after all.]

…I'll tell you everything on the way back.

[Once both trainer and Pokémon are ready to go, he'll prepare for departure, picking up the tools and motioning to Silvally to let him get on its back.]

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