foolishwren | 64. [Voice/Action for Goldenrod] Backdated to Friday/Thursdayish.

Current Location: En route to Goldenrod City/actually IN Goldenrod City.

64. [Voice/Action for Goldenrod] Backdated to Friday/Thursdayish.

_{[It's probably been a week and a half or so since anybody's heard a whole lot from Heather's end of the line-- given the recent turn of events, coupled with catching up on things with her father, she just hasn't been talking much.]

[But if anyone missed the sound of yet another ranty teenager on the 'Gear network, well, today their wishes and hopes will be realized.]

[A crackle of interference precedes her voice, and in the background there's the steady rumble of a Steelix making headway on a dirt path.]}

Heeeey Johto, what's crackin'?

Totally fell off the face of the planet for a bit there.

Anyway, for those who care, Goldenrod just came into sight over the hill, so Dad and I'll be strolling into town within a couple hours, probably.

I'll be lookin' for a few of you as soon as we get checked in and stuff-- you guys know who you are. _{[She's lookin' at you, Kaito. Dinner plans aside, she still needs to give him that hug.]}

And uh-- Snake, you still in the hotel? I'll heal Solid up at the Center first if you want me to, but otherwise, I'm sure he'll be glad to see his Trainer. Sorry the trip wound up takin' so long.

Anyway, uh-- ... see you guys in a few hours.

... Feel free to call me up and chat, though, the road's dusty and it's a real bore to look at for hours on end.

_{[ooc: For Action, feel free to encounter Heather in the hotel lobby or Pokemon Center healin' up her monsters after arriving.]}

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_{[Well, she's never been much of a sci-fi person, but her curiosity is piqued.]}

Never really been in the loop with all that futuristic stuff. What's the difference?

The spark.

... Like a 'soul', our medic said.

_{[Robots with souls. And medics. ... Wow.]}

... Y'know, a few months ago, I'd probably think you were pulling my leg, but after living in this place for the better part of a year...

_{[You get kind of desensitized to the new and unusual after befriending birds in human bodies and meeting gods who WEREN'T thirty feet tall and trying to kill you with fire.]}

How could I pull on you? I am nowhere near...

[Wait.]

Oh.

How long have you been stuck here?

_{[... Snerk. It's probably a good thing that Heather's a little too road-worn and weary right now to laugh too hard, because while she certainly hadn't used the potentially-confusing figure of speech deliberately, there's just... something real funny about anybody taking that literally. For some reason. She snickers, in any case.]}

HEH. It'll be a year soon.

Like, 'within a few weeks'-soon.

Time flies when you're in a crazy alternate dimension, I guess.

And... you have never tried to get home again?

Hard to try when you have no clue how. Didn't stop me from trying to find out what I could, though.

_{[There's some rustling sounds from the other end of the line-- she's settling back to lean against the back of the head of the Steelix she's riding.]}

Anyway, not much point now. M'happy to help other people out if that's what they want, but there's nothing much to burst into song over back home.

_{[The world she'd saved had gone on turning, but ... it still sorta sucked.]}

But you did find information? Something others could use?

[Because he left a mess back home. And a lot of good friends.]

Not fond of your world?

... Very little. _{[Admittedly, she hadn't been looking as hard as she could have. Perhaps selfishly, her efforts had started to trail off once she'd begun to realize that she didn't really want to leave.]} Too many conflicting stories. Most I've been able to figure out for sure is that either nobody knows what the hell they're talking about, or things are way more complicated than they look.

Anyway... no, not really.

There's nothin' left back there for me.

_{[Douglas was probably the only thing she'd even begin to consider going back there for, the poor old guy.]}

[Ironhide says something under his breath that's definitely a curse. This isn't what he wanted to hear.]

Mmn. Got it.

[He falls silent again. Somewhat uncomfortable.]

... sorry.

_{[Yeah, whether or not she wants to go back herself, she sure doesn't blame him for that response. She's not too happy about not knowing what the heck's going on, either.]}

No need to apologize. S'not like YOU made my world take a one-way dive into crazy-town. Anyway, m'not the only person here who's from someplace not-so-pleasant.

I'm pretty lucky, in fact. This place's got its ups and downs but overall it's been nice to me.

_{[... A few months ago she might not have said that, but right now she's got her Dad back so as far as she's concerned, ALL IS WELL and Johto is her bro.]}

True. You are not... all the more reason I need to return home.

[He snorts. Something like mild amusement. It's good someone is enjoying themselves here. Something good should come of this insanity.]

Good for you. All it has done for me is put me in an aching frame... and give me creatures that chew on my foot.

... Yeah, I've got a few friends who've got important stuff going on back home, too. I'm guessing all is not well in the land of Robots With Souls, then? _{[The question probably sounds flippant, but there's a note of understanding in her tone.]

[That said, she definitely plans to KEEP enjoying herself as long as she's able. Carpe diem and all that. This place wasn't always sunshine and flowers, but if there was one thing it was good at, it was teaching people to appreciate what they had.]

[The remark about the Pokemon gets a bark of laughter from her end.]}

Hah! Sounds like one of mine. What'd you end up getting saddled with?

Edited 2011-05-09 08:25 (UTC)

[He grunts at that, but doesn't snap or grumble about it. Kids and their language.]

No. Your planet was about to be enslaved, and your race annihilated. We were fighting off an incursion of Decepticon forces... and their leader.

[While theirs was dead, but that's another story. In response to her question, he fumbles on the video feed. An Onix is peering curiously at the screen from behind him.]

This.

[And Ironhide holds up a snarling ball of fur.]

... Mi-- ... oh. _{[Right. Multiple earths... she briefly considers mentioning this, but... ehhh. Some other time, if the topic comes up...]} Well, hope you can get back to that soon, then... annihilation sorta sucks.

_{[When her screen flickers on and reveals the angriest teddy bear she has ever seen, her response is--]}

... Wow.

_{[And then she hits the video feed button, herself-- showing the lumpy back of a Steelix's skull, and herself in all her scruffy teen glory.]}

That's a whole lot of angry packed into a VERY small body.

Yeah. It does. Reason we try to prevent it... protect your species.

[He shrugs, still holding the angry Teddiursa by its adorable little scruff.]

I call it "Jaws". Seemed appropriate after it attempted to ingest Napalm.

[It kicks its tiny feet in protest. The aforementioned Napalm -- the Onix -- just shakes her head.]

You have one of these?

Very appropriate. I approve. ... And recommend protective gear. Like maybe those big pads they use to train police dogs on. _{[Because hot damn, she does not wanna see what kind of damage that thing will do when it gets bigger. She's seen what Teddiursas turn into when they grow up.]}

And nah, though I know some people who do-- if you're talkin' about the bear.

I guess there's more than one bitey species Pokemon out there.

Where do you get those from?

[He's not used to having to protect himself. He's usually a walking tank.]

... So what bit you, then?

Haven't actually seen any for sale, now that I think about it. Maybe you could order 'em from a magazine or something.

_{[Heather, on the other hand, like many young humans, is shrimpy and squishy. She's a fan of gaining any edge on the whole 'not getting mauled' thing.]}

Hang on.

_{[Solemnly, she reaches behind her for her pack, pulling out a Pokeball and opening it with the usual flash of light. The fearsome beast that is revealed is... a fat blue Totodile. Who blinks a few times at the screen, looking sort of annoyed but too lazy to actually do much of anything about it.]}

... His name's Godzilla. He likes eating things that aren't generally supposed to be eaten.

[He grunts.]

I am... not used to lacking armor. Supposed to have it at all times. If you see any, inform me.

[Because damn, this form feels weak and squishy, by comparison. He peers at the screen, studying the Totodile with a raised eyebrow.]

... Yeah. I can see that. You should get it repaired.

_{[Aw, you'll get used to it, ol' fella. After all, humans have survived for thousands of years somehow despite being... well, weak and squishy.]

[Heather raises a brow.]}

... Repaired?

... Hate to break it to ya, but I'm pretty sure you can't 'repair' a crocodile.

_{[... Although she was starting to think she should... at least... ask a Nurse Joy or something. She's pretty sure that no reptile should love eating soap as much as this Totodile does.]}

[Ironhide's hoping he doesn't have to live for one year as a human. No offense, it's just too weird.]

... So what do you do after it fights, then?

[He also needs to learn that 'repair' doesn't automatically translate anymore.]

After it-- ... oh.

_{[Yeah, the... robot thing. Heather won't lie, it's a little surreal talking to someone who LOOKS human but obviously... isn't. It's not the first time she's done so, though. At least he's not like that weirdo alien guy who tries to eat everything with even more determination than her faulty alligator thing, here.]}

Uh-- ... yeah, with humans and-- ... animals, we don't do the whole 'repairing' thing.

_{[... With just a hint of a smirk, because she's actually pretty proud of having lived through fights and maulings aplenty, she adds--]}

We fix ourselves automatically.

... Y'know, provided we're not totally, like, a pile of bloody unsalvageable mush or something.

... Aaaand all right, the doctor helps too, sometimes. ... We take these guys to the town health centers when they're hurt. Gives 'em a boost to help heal. Or something.

Auto-repair function. Yeah... we have that.

[But it really helps to have a medic on hand. And Ironhide's medic... isn't. He hates that.]

Had a medic. He... did not make it here.

[Pause.]

Maybe you should take your creature. See if they can fix it.

I don't think you can fix an uncontrollable desire to chew on clothing and hygiene products.

_{[Around this point, the chubby little dinosaur starts kicking his legs. Okay Person-Who-Feeds-Me-Sometimes, this is boring put me down. >:(]}

Maybe with therapy and counseli-- okay, jeez, 'Zilla. Relax. _{[Setting the Totodile down in her lap now. Because... yeah. She doesn't trust him not to go sliding down the length of the Steelix and go flying off into the underbrush.]}

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Video Oh my god, sorry for the lateness. Finals slammed me.

Video - Nah, it's cool. Finals happen :(

Video Y-yeeeees, they do. I am still in a state of shellshock. 8(;

Video - Oh noooo D8

Video - THANKFULLY THEY ARE ALL OVER NOW. ... Until next year.

Video - HOORAY!

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