[video]

[candyapplechild]

[ Video messages or voice messages are easier for Eri, who is still learning how to spell and whatnot. First off, let's list off how Eri's time here has been so far. She arrived at 'Mom's' house like everybody else, got plopped down outside with her starter (A Galarian Ponyta), somehow made it to Cherrygrove (helped by the fact that it's a very simple route), and met up with Ochako.

Honestly, meeting up with Ochako was the best thing that could have happened. There was no way this poor six-year-old was making it anywhere past that on her own. With this, she was at least supervised and not on her own... and boy, having someone familiar with her definitely made this whole thing much better on her.

In any case, though, it would be good to make it known that she was here, right? Since apparently Deku-san and a few others from home were here as well, after all. So, with Ochako holding the Pokegear and recording her... ]

Um, hello! I'm Eri, and I'm here now! So, um... hello!

[ She just said 'hello' twice, and you might hear Ochako trying and failing to hold back giggles in the video's background audio. Eri definitely notices it, though, being the one looking directly at her, and pouts a bit... which is honestly cuter, to be honest. Still, whatever, they need to finish the video. ]

I'm six years old, here with Uravity-san, and—AH!

[ She's suddenly cut off by her own surprised yelp as she spots her Applin off to the side... but only after it's found a way to try and catapult itself offscreen and into Eri's arms. Unfortunately, it's aim isn't the best, and it's actually headed straight for Ochako.

There's a brief moment of shouting, the mixed voices of Eri and Ochako filling the audio for a brief moment, but long story short... there's a loud THUMP as Applin collides with the Pokegear in Ochako's hands, and after the screen blurs as the camera flies out of Ochako's hands, the video cuts out.

And that's the post, everybody. Say hello to the newest baby here in the Pokemon World, and... surprise for all the MHA's! ]

Comments

Video

[machismost]

Eri! Hey!

[ Kirishima was definitely freaking out up until the moment 'Uravity' came out of the girl he helped save from the yakuza back home. Thus he can answer this with more sincere cheer. ]

I'm Kirishima - er - Red Riot back home! I'm traveling with Bakugou and Deku so I'll let 'em know you're here! Did ya manage to catch that flying apple?

[ He is pretty sure Uravity can beat an apple even if Newton couldn't... ]

[floatsaway]

I caught it with my face!!

[Hi, Kirishima, Ochako might be sporting a bit of a shiner there, o-oops.]

[machismost]

[ Oh no! The grin relaxes to a softer smile actually seeing for himself that Ochako is there. He guessed she was the one behind the camera before, but still. ]

Hey, not many people could say that about a dragon and live to tell about it. Pretty sure Applin are dragon-type, anyway.

[ Staying positive! ]

[floatsaway]

[In all honestly, being smacked in the face by a rogue apple is par for the course for Ochako - she's a bit clumsy sometimes, actually... And even though she definitely has a bump, she still seems in good spirits.]

Oh, right, it is, isn't it? Thuban is also a dragon...shark. He's really cute and friendly, Kirishima-kun, he reminds me a lot of you.

[candyapplechild]

Ah, Red Riot-san!

[ She remembers him! Well, mostly from how loud he could get at the UA dorms, but she heard that he was there for the raid on the Shie Hassaikai. ]

I heard about Deku-san! [ And also Bakugou, who was mostly known to Eri as the hair that goes BOOM and also looks a bit like a Durian. ] And Uravity-san did! With her face!

[ ...Eri also caught it in a ball a while ago, but at the moment, this is what comes to mind first. ]

[machismost]

[ Yeeaahh unfortunately he got his ass too beat before Eri was rescued, and he was probably a few doors down from her in the hospital doing his best impression of a mummy. Mostly he knows her from coming by the festival for the concert and the 1A dorms for Christmas. Kirishima might not be what you'd call the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knows enough of her story to wonder if, for once, being transported to this world isn't for the better. He doesn't know the details of her Quirk, but he does know she had a horn before - is it there?

He gives a little chuckle. ]

I thought that's what I was seeing happen. Maybe it wanted to be a movie star!

[ It was probably an asshole wild Pokemon, an all-too-frequent occurrence in this world, but he's not going to say that. ]

[candyapplechild]

[ Her horn actually isn't there. Rather than back when she first came to UA and her horn was shrunken down to just a tiny nub... it's completely gone here. There is a noticeable birthmark(?) of darker skin where it should be, though. As cute as her horn is, Arceus had removed it when she arrived here... along with bumping her up about four years so that she was at least physically the acceptable age for a Pokemon Journey™. ]

Mm, maybe! I found him a bit before Uravity-san found me. He was a little crazy earlier, but he's nice!

[ She reaches down and holds up the Applin to the camera then, where it trills happily. Honestly, it's perfect for her that she found this little guy as well! Apples were her favorite fruit, after all. ]

[necrodentia]

[ Rainer smiles, glad to see the little girl from before is settling in okay. Lucky for her that she was able to meet up with Ochako so quickly. ]

Hey there, little miss! Is that your apple pal, or is it Ocha-- I mean, Uravity's?

[candyapplechild]

Mm, it's mine! I caught him before Uravity-san found me!

[ It seems that the whole debacle of flying projectile apple dragon got sorted out afterward, and responses seem fine. Still, an unfortunate day for Ochako's poor face... ]

He's pretty crazy, though... but we're okay! Uravity-san is okay!

[necrodentia]

[ Rainer can't help but laugh at the insistence that everyone is okay. ]

Good, I'm glad! I was a little worried there when he decided to dive bomb the camera.

[candyapplechild]

[ There's just a small bump on Ochako's head, just a lil shiner... but they're alright! She's alright. They're laughing about it now. It's not like an Applin is a full apple, it's just... a wyrm inside the hollow shell of an apple. It's still not advisable to get beaned by one, but it's less painful, right? ]

Ehehe, apples are my favorite fruit, so I chased him the second I saw him! His name is Candy!

[ She's now bragging about her apple baby that can only learn Withdraw and Astonish. Also, she's named him Candy because... Candy Apple, get it? Listen, Ochako names her Pokemon after food, so Eri is doing the same! ]

Video

[goingbythebook]

[Sure, she's clearly with someone older than her who can look after her, but Huey's innate Big Brother Instinct™ has been awakened all the same. For both of them, even if the "big" might only be accurate toward one.]

Are you alright? If you need some medical attention, I can advise you through the PokeGear here. Unfortunately I don't think we're close enough to travel back-...

[Huey looks off, and it can be assumed somewhere offscreen is Louie giving him one of his typical flat look headshakes.]

[candyapplechild]

We're alright! There's a small bump on Uravity-san's head, but we're alright!

[ At least, Ochako's definitely assured her that she's alright. Fortunately, Applin are not full apples and are more just... hollow apples with a Wyrm inside. Obviously, that doesn't mean it won't hurt when they end up flying at you as a projectile, but it's not as bad as it could have been.

Still, they're at least doing alright despite the interruption, clearly. Ochako is somewhere offscreen, but she's alright. ]

[goingbythebook]

Well, that's good! With any luck, just a little knock, no serious damage.

[He really should be warning her about the things to look out for but... He just doesn't have the heart.]

So, what do you think of this place so far?

[candyapplechild]

Mm! It's really fun! It was a little scary at first, but after Uravity-san found me, it got super fun!

[ Having someone to look out for her really was all that she really needed to start having fun. Traveling on her own was definitely a no-go, since the route from New Bark Town to Cherrygrove was already something that she only got through because her Starter (a Galarian Ponyta) made sure she paced herself and got there safely. Once Ochako found her, though, she was able to relax more and just... spend time having fun with all of the Pokemon. ]

It's my first time camping as well! I got to sleep in a sleeping bag, and it was fun! Super fun!

[ She's not sure how else to describe it! She'll be using the word 'fun' a lot, won't she? ]

[Video]

[mightdoriya]

[By this point, Kirishima has gotten hold of Izuku to let him know that someone else they know has arrived. And it isn't just anyone...

He's going to check in on her as soon as he's able, though he does give a bit of a gap between Kirishima's message and now. He doesn't want to overwhelm her, after all.]

Eri-chan! You're really here!

[He's smiling into the camera of his Gear, the very same Deku Eri remembers...and there's a very fluffy Eevee wrapped around his shoulders, reaching his paws out as he tries to paw a little at the screen. Hello, he's here too.]

I'm so glad you're alright...

[And that Eri was scooped up by Ochako basically immediately, thank god. He's not close enough to come to her right away himself, so that was very lucky.]

[candyapplechild]

Deku-san!

[ If not for the distance between them and the fact that they're talking through the network, she'd be running and jumping at him for a big hug. Also there's a fluffy thing on his shoulders... another Pokemon?

Honestly, after getting scooped up by Ochako, she's been able to appreciate the wonders of Pokemon more carefreely. ]

Mm! Uravity-san found me a little after I woke up in the strange lady house, and it's been lots of fun!

[mightdoriya]

That's good! I'm so glad to hear that.

[Glad and relieved. If anybody deserves to be having a goodtime, it's Eri...and he would have been worried about her being stuck alone, or worse, with someone who was a stranger to her. There are a lot of people here that Izuku trusts, but that doesn't mean Eri would feel the same way about them.]

Kirishima-kun told me he spoke to you earlier.

[candyapplechild]

[ Yeah, Eri's general reaction to strangers usually consisted of finding a reliable leg to hide behind... something that unfortunately wasn't available when she arrived (at least, until now. She's got Ochako now, after all). ]

Yeah! Oh, he told me you have one of these too!

[ With that, she puts the Pokegear down, propping it up so that she can pick up Candy, the Applin Culprit that had just beaned Ochako in the face. ]

I have one too! Just like you!

Video

[feathersfly]

[Oh, Hawks remembers Eri. He'd heard plenty about the Shie Hassaikai raid, even if he hadn't been one of the heroes to participate. (Honestly, he's been stuck on maintaining a basic hero presence on the streets through quite a few major hero actions over the past year. It's partially been logical - in that he's capable of resolving a lot of incidents daily while operating solo, and everyone knows it - and partially been the HPSC holding him carefully in reserve in case they needed him for something of their own.) Her rescue had been one of the few major wins heroes have had since the League of Villains surfaced, so it had been worth making the most of.

Of course, the details of her quirk hadn't been publicized; having saved a child from criminals was enough information for the general public. Hawks had gotten some info on it from the HPSC, though it's not like what quirk she did or didn't have back home makes any difference to anything here.

He flips his video feed on.]

Hey, Eri! I'm glad you've found Uravity. I know she'll take good care of you.

I'm Hawks. I don't know if you've ever heard of me - [Not something he tends to have to say to people from their world, but she'd been kept pretty isolated by the Shie Hassaikai, hadn't she?] - but I'm Hawks. I'm a pro hero from back home. You settling in okay?

[There's some definite guilt he's suppressing here. He's an adult. If anyone should be looking after a little kid from back home...well, he's the most suitable candidate, isn't he? No teenager should have to be the primary caretaker for a little girl. Hero aspirant or not, tough or not - and Hawks knows she's tough, he's already praised her on it - Uravity's still a kid herself.

But he can't take Eri himself. Literally can't. He's still living at Team Rocket headquarters. Entirely aside from keeping his cover from the kids - which he wants to do even just for his own sake, considering being forced to play the role of a criminal makes him feel pretty low - it'd be a terrible place for Eri. After people worked so hard to rescue Eri from the jaws of organized crime - at least one man having died for it - there's no way in hell Hawks can bring her into some other criminal organization. He won't spit on what those heroes fought so hard for, and he certainly won't subject this little girl to it.

Unfortunately...that means he has to accept letting a teenager do something she shouldn't have to do, playing mother to a little girl. He's sure Uravity can do it, but not stepping up himself makes him feel like he's kind of abandoning her to it.]

If either of you need anything, you let me know, okay? I haven't been here long, so I'm not exactly all that well set up yet, but I'll do whatever I can for you guys. That goes for you too, Uravity, if you're listening. [Which he kind of assumes she is.]

[candyapplechild]

Ah...

[ A pro hero from home... Uravity had mentioned that, hadn't she? It wasn't Eraserhead, but... ]

Mm, nice to meet you... Hawks-san...

[ He seems cheerful enough... and again, Uravity had mentioned him when she asked who else was here, so... she'll trust him. ]

I-It's been fine! It was a little scary at first, but Uravity-san found me, and it's been fun since then!

[feathersfly]

Nice to meet you too, Eri-chan! I'm glad you're having fun here.

Tell me, did you get a nice pokémon when you showed up here?

[candyapplechild]

Mm, Cotton! Come here!

[ She'll move the camera to point it at her starter, a beautiful and adorable Galarian Ponyta, as it trots on over. Fitting that her starter is a unicorn, since Eri was essentially one herself when she still had her quirk. ]

This is Cotton... she helped me get to Cherrygrove, and that's where Uravity-san found me!

[ Well, she's at least able to talk pretty comfortably about her Pokemon, which was a good sign. She's already formed a bond and gotten attached to them, and the Pokemon care for her the same way. ]

/gently threadjacks

[floatsaway]

[Uravity is listening! Ochako has actually been quietly monitoring all the interactions and responses Eri's been getting on the feed here, ready to jump in as needed to keep her safe from anything that may be overly sensitive or harmful to her. She may indeed be just a kid, but Ochako has a certain responsibility to want to take care of the girl. Perhaps it's the bond they have being part of the rescue mission, having failed Nighteye when he was in her arms, or just a spark of familial instinct to protect and nurture a small girl who needed her...but Ochako isn't at all bothered by having to look after Eri.

Which is why she greets Hawks with a big smile and a wave from the background of Eri's camera before turning on her own Gear to respond more clearly.]

Hi, Hawks-san!! Ehehe, I heard you, thank you. If we need anything, I'll definitely reach out, I promise. Now that the boys know she's here, too, I think we can all coordinate together if we need to...in case I have to be somewhere alone or something. I'd rather not take Eri-chan anywhere that's especially dangerous, you know? Her partners are still growing, and...I-I'm not so sure I want her to fight that much. [At least until she's more socialized and opens up more.] I'll teach her how, so her friends can protect her, but it feels kind of weird to imagine...

[feathersfly]

Yeah...I'd offer to take her, but I'm gonna be traveling a whole lot, and, well, you know me. I don't really know how to slow down. I'm worried that'd be a bad pace for a kid. [It's not a great lie, but it's the best Hawks has. He doesn't actually think he'd be great at looking after a kid, that much is true, but he ought to be more capable of it than some schoolkids themselves, being an adult. It should certainly be something he steps up to do. And instead...he has to leave a child in the hands of teenagers who shouldn't be burdened with an adult's responsibilities, because he's once again forced into the role of double agent.

The fact that he isn't stepping up, that he's deferring this responsibility...he has a sneaking suspicion the kids won't pick up on that as being shameful, but honestly, they should lose some respect for him for that. And if they do, he'll have to live with that. Although the thought that they may still admire him anyway, not even realizing it's a problem - is that better or worse?]

I don't even have an actual place yet, or really the money to get one. [Technically true. He certainly doesn't have a place outside HQ.] I don't know whether or not you're set up better than that already. Are you? Either way, though, once I at least have enough money to start getting hotel rooms or something, I can at least play babysitter sometimes if you need it. My team's still low level enough that I wouldn't want to just camp out in the wilderness with a kid.

I know what you mean about having her fight, though. Has she ever played a video game? You might be able to compare it to that, if it helps her any. Or like a competition. The unfortunate truth is that she's a kid who's seen real violence between people trying to hurt each other - but the flip side of that is that she should be able to easily recognize the difference between real violence between people, and what amounts to practice sparring between pokémon. If she knows it's training the pokémon want to do so they can get stronger, she might be okay with that.

I'd hope she never has to battle or protect herself, though. Or even be protected by her team. I hope that if she ever does any battling, it's only because she wants to.