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[hellablue]

c. price. still on patrol.

[She doesn't expect that to mean anything to anyone except for one person. If he's out there- good. great. that would be totally amazeballs. But she has no idea how long it's been since she's been here last, it could be a whole new generation of... well. everyone.

Chloe really hopes that isn't the case. It's twisting her stomach into knots just thinking about it. If he isn't here, it means Munchies isn't either. Or... if he is, she wouldn't know where to begin looking for her big tub o' lard.]

u ever just take a nap and wake up and its like 100 years have passed
i should definitely be way more hungover for how long i mighta been out
what year is it

more important question
my bird keeps hitting me with celery n he wont stop
what do??

Comments

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[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Are you speaking literally, figuratively, or are you not sure at this point?

What year was it where you were last?

As for your bird, I could try asking him, but I'm not sure if intent carries over the PokeGear.

[hellablue]

[Chloe flicks the camera on, but before she can do much it's swatted out of her hand by a leafy green stick wielded by a bird. She gives a groan, there's a flash of red light and the offending bird is swept back up into its ball.]

Alright, alright. Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, uh. I dunno? I was here, then I was back home, then I was here again, but everything feels like a blur and nothing makes sense. Which... I'm getting used to that. It's still weird though.

and this reply is super late - sorry

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

You've been here before?

no worries!

[hellablue]

Yeah, uh... two years ago? Somewhere around that anyways. I think I was here about a year, then I just up and disappeared.

video;

[meteorman]

I believe it's a leek, if your bird is the bird I'm thinking of.

[You know. Can't be Ford Pines if he's not pedantic about small details, even at a moment like this. If it weren't for her opener he'd have been worried she didn't remember him. That happens a lot. It's a bizarrely comforting feeling to realize that one of his friends is back and still knows who he is.]

I missed you. I'm the one who's supposed to disappear for long stretches of time with no warning.

video 5ever

[hellablue]

[Words cannot even express the joy that Chloe feels upon seeing Ford show up on the feed- and even better, he remembers her!

All her anxiety and stress (or at least most of it) melts away, but she's Chloe so when the camera comes on, she isn't showing the huge grin she'd had a second ago. But if you look close, you can see the happiness twinkling in her eyes.]

Ew, who are you? I'm looking for a real man. He's big and round and probably handsomest dude here. You seen him?

[She cracks a smile as she lets out a laugh. It's really, really hard to keep a straight face right now.]

I can't say I missed you, since I barely remember being gone, but... damn, dude, I'm so. so. glad that you're still here. I was sc- I thought- I mean. Fuck. Ya know?

[meteorman]

I know. Hold on, I think I know where he is.

[He stands. Behind him more of a building comes into view; it's mostly stone and the walls are curved outward. Up top is what looks like an intricate glass and metal dome, though some of it's hidden by the tall forest trees all around. Over the door is a mosaic rendering of an Archeops and the words Horizon Gym.

He walks down the front steps and starts on a gravel path that leads around the side, talking as he goes.]

I think at this point the Pokémon world is stuck with me, for better or worse, at least until I hit 92 and have that heart attack.

[Ha ha! Mortality!]

[hellablue]

[Chloe pulls back a little from the camera, feigning a glimpse at a watch she isn't wearing.]

Shit, we've got what. A year left, then? You're looking grayer than ever. How've things been since I was here? Actually... how long have I been gone? Is Anna-?

[She doesn't want to get her hopes up, but her voice quickens a little as she brings up her girlfriend.]

[meteorman]

[Ah. roblox_oof.wav. Ford is glad he has to look away from the camera to see where he's walking because he doesn't know if he could meet Chloe's eyes.]

No. She and Elsa are both gone. A lot of people are. It's been two years.

[A little more, actually, but just saying 'two years' still gets across the gravity of how long it's been.]

[copykiri]

The little girl hasn't been following Chloe around closely or anything, but she has been definitely there. Even if the banging on "Mom"'s door with a bunch of "go fuck yourself!"s hadn't announced her presence, she's been sharing vocal...conversations? with the Chatot that's accompanying her. However, at the moment, Kiri is drawn by the sight of another bird!

"Chatot? Chatot!" Kiri, the little girl, says that to the Farfetch'd while the actual Chatot hopping along beside her just shrugs. It's a thing; she doesn't quite understand either.

It's a moment later that she finds a long blade of grass and starts mimicking the Farfetch'd's assault-by-leek. It's probably a good thing that the grass is much more flexible than a leek and wouldn't hurt even if it did make contact. Little Kiri seems pleased with herself, at least?

[hellablue]

Chloe has been a bit wrapped up in her own thoughts and attempts to get into contact with people she'd known here before. When Kiri approaches, Chloe is typing on the Pokegear at the speed of light, engrossed in her own little bubble.

She sort of registers the "Chatot? Chatot!" in the background, but her distracted brain perceives it as her own bird just sort of making noise. It's only when her Farfetch'd whacks away the Pokegear that Chloe looks up indignantly, only to finally realize the little girl.

Chloe doesn't have time to react before the girl is going whole hog on her with the blade of grass, which Farchetch'd joins in on with renewed enthusiasm.

"Ack!" Chloe manages to squeak out, throwing up her hands at the assault from the two of them- only one of them hurts mildly, and it certainly isn't the blade of grass, but Chloe's confusion is very real. "Whaaat the f-" Chloe takes a leek to the cheek and is cut off, shooting Farfetch'd a look before turning her attention to Kiri. "Stahpit!"

[copykiri]

Well, Kiri had thought it was a fun game the woman and her bird was playing but it doesn't look so much like it now. So she lowers her blade of grass and looks back and forth between Chloe and the Farfetch'd.

"Stahpit?" she parrots back in a close approximation of Chloe's voice.

A moment later she goes, "Cha-chatotot?" at the Farfetch'd. The actual Chatot beside her half-shrugs. She's not sure her trainer can talk in human at this point.

[hellablue]

Well, it's fun for someone, just not exactly her. Farfetch'd seems to be enjoying it, or- well, he seems to get satisfaction out of seeing her get angry, like he's some. Tough bird or something.

It doesn't take too long for Chloe to realize that... maybe this child doesn't speak english? Chloe pulls herself into a cross-legged sitting position, holding her hand out to keep Farfetch'd at arms length.

She looks from Chatot back to Kiri. "Hello?" she asks, cocking her head to the side. "M y n a m e i s C h l o e." She enunciates very, very clearly, like she's speaking to a literal toddler. "D o y o u u n d e r s t a n d?"

posted 11/30 rather than the day this goes up

[fingersandteeth]

I took a nap and it was six years for me and a week for everyone else. Does that count?

[hellablue]

dude what the fuck
time is so WEIRD here i dont get it
your head must feel pretty screwy, i kno mine does...
turns out, i was gone for 2 whole years, but it only felt like a nap to me
difference is, i was actually gone gone from here that whole time.

[fingersandteeth]

It does.

Everyone else is just as I remember them. But I'm not the same person I was at 38. And meanwhile you're the same person, but everyone else has had two more years. Our situations are twisted reflections of each other.

[hellablue]

ugh. yikes.
idk about you but a drink sounds dope right now
i hope ur holding out ok, dude.
i love this place n all but it really fucks w/ you sometimes.

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[bent_the_world]

Oh hey!

Wow it's been a while!

[hellablue]

Hey, it's gyarados girl!

[Chloe flashes a grin and a peace sign.]

Yeah, it has, hasn't it? Two... years? Ish? For you, anyway. For me, I don't even know, dude. It feels like forever and like yesterday at the same time.

[bent_the_world]

Yeah, Korra. I'm still here. Still got my Gyarados!

It's gotta be so weird how that works.

[hellablue]

Gyarados girl really flows off the tongue, but I'll try and call you Korra. [She's teasing. Mostly.]

And yeah, it's hella weird. But I mean... what can ya do? When the universe wants to screw with you, all you can do is let it happen.

So anyway, how've you been? Still hanging out, living your best life over on the islands?

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[zukeini]

I'm envious you can sleep around here. Sometimes I wonder if these little guys are actually just children in need of food and attention by six in the morning.

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[hellablue]

I mean- [It takes her all of two seconds to realize she doesn't have any sort of argument for that.] you're not wrong, dude. But I don't think this was an ordinary nap, more like the universe dosed me and then farted me back here after... two? years? I can forget sleep now that I'm here and mister tough-bird thinks he can just whack me with veggies any chance he gets.

[zukeini]

...Okay, yikes.

Yikes...

[Yikes. That made him blink a few times before his little brain wheels tried to process this.]

Thaaat's a new one for me to learn about this place. At least you have, uh, a supportive partner?

[hellablue]

Ya know, I think "yikes" is a pretty good summary of my life at this point.

[Chloe gives him a flat stare, before shrugging. Sure, she supposes it could be worse. She could have any number of the weirder or more obnoxious mons- hell, as much as she loved her first starter, Munchies, he was a pain in his younger days. Then again, so was she. A perfect match.]

So you're new here- new to me at least, since you weren't here two years ago. What's up? I'm Chloe.