ohmyarceus | JULY - AUGUST TEST DRIVE MEME

[Hand! Hold hands...yes. G'raha gives G'rhyf's a squeeze, nodding in sympathy. Screaming oneself hoarse is definitely a feeling he's known before, it's difficult to face down when so much is happening to you all at once.]

I've been told much the same. [But why are they so keen on newcomers going on a journey? Not that he minds, but...you know, actually being grounded in one spot like this is making him reel back some of that enthusiasm. The question of how is being replaced with the question of why.] Though, perhaps this is not an unusual occurrence for them? Newcomers, I mean.

[G'rhyf squeezes back, rubbing their thumb over the back of G'raha's hand.]

[It's certainly one way to set out on an adventure, to be certain--G'rhyf themself has gone haring off after far odder reasons in the past, after all.] It's possible, I suppose? No one seemed surprised by the questions I asked, and...well, I wasn't really subtle.

...a few did ask where my 'pokemon' was, though.

Oh! I believe they were asking after the creature given to you. Would you like to see mine? They're kept in these unusual capsules...

[When he'd asked, they'd reassured him that the Pokeballs are in fact bigger and comfier on the inside, which. Well, he would absolutely love to know more about how they work?]

Capsules?

Ah, I would, but um. Give me a moment...

[G'rhyf quickly slips the bag off of their shoulder and sets it on the ground to start digging through it properly, looking sheepish as they do so. (Ooh, there's a bento in here!)]

I hadn't the chance to check through what I was given...is this it? [They pull something out to show G'raha and--yup, that's a pokeball!]

[He nods when G'rhyf pulls out the Pokeball, and goes to retrieve his own.] Out of curiosity, I spoke to my own new companion earlier. They seem reasonably intelligent, but not overall willing to be...sociable.

[Or it might just be because G'raha is an exciteable grandpa in a twentysomething's body and it's honestly weird that something with definite sentience - like, possibly beast tribe levels of sentience - could be kept as a pet. Yes, this is all just properly hitting him right now.]

They--wait, how intelligent do you mean? [If this is some weird beast tribes situation they swear to all seven hells--]

[That train of thought is derailed for the moment when G'rhyf accidentally presses the button on the pokeball and it pops open. They yelp and jump up exactly like the cat they are (not), and the light that pours out of the ball forms into a little Chatot.]

...so that's how that works, then. [Definitely didn't just get spooked by that happening, nope.]

'That's how that works!'

Did it just--?!

Edited 2021-08-14 02:25 (UTC)

[!!!]

Well - obviously, I suppose, they are intelligent enough to speak...! O-Or repeat what has been said to them, or...

[But his didn't talk? It just mewled "Litten!" at him and bathed its paw like it was bored of this weirdo already.]

Clearly!

[G'rhyf shakes their head and offers their arm out for the bird to land on--which it happily does, hopping back and forth and tilting it's head curiously.]

Right then...uh, do you understand us?

Chatooooo~! 'Understand us! Understand us!'

[The clear mimicry allows them to relax...slightly.] Not exactly an answer, but that will have to do, I suppose. [G'rhyf looks over to G'raha next, raising an eyebrow.] So, what sort of companion were you given?

-Oh! Right.

[Hold on let him just get his Pokeball out...press the button, and...ta-da! It's a Litten! The small creature looks between these two people with a bored expression before going back to some self-grooming.]

I believe whoever is in charge of assigning companions in this world must think they are very funny.

[G'raha how dare you be this cute their heart is melting--they do agree with his sentiment, though. Looking from the Litten to the Chatot and back again, they shake their head and let out a huff of breath from their nose.]

They're rude as all hells, you mean. Are these creatures just meant to...keep an eye on us, do you think? Some sort of symbology? [G'rhyf was given a bird with a music note for a head, for the Twelve's sake.]

[Hm! That's an interesting view on it. G'raha kneels down to get a better look at his new little friend, though the Litten is less than interested in him. It is soley focused on pawing and licking at its tail, as if there's something caught in its fur that can't be seen by human eyes.]

Like a guardian...?

[He wouldn't be adverse to that, if his actually took an interest.]

But surely we don't need any watching-over.

Something like that.

[They'd been thinking more along the lines of a spy, at first, but the way the little bird chatters and hops back and forth...G'rhyf can't help but think of Alpha, and smiles a bit.]

That would depend on why were were brought here, wouldn't it? Or maybe it's just...I don't know, a safety measure? [Are all the changes to themself and G'raha due to an imperfect summoning, like with the Scions? Maybe the spell was seeking something specific, but just kept missing the mark and trying to make things work anyway. G'rhyf doesn't know nearly enough about that sort of magic to even begin to speculate--at least not in any useful manner.]

[It could be a safety measure. It could be any number of things. G'raha doesn't like not knowing, and not being sure how he can come to know. G'rhyf can definitely sense the uneasy air about him, probably could imagine ears pinning back and tail swishing in irritation.]

...It would certainly help if the locals were a bit more forthcoming in their explanations - present company of our new companions included.

[The Litten looks up at him, unimpressed. Boy what do you want him to say, he's a cat. Meow.]

[They can indeed sense it, and G'rhyf feels it themself, twining their tail--wanting to twine their tail around his. They grimace and shove the phantom feeling out of their mind, settling into a crouch beside G'raha. Chatot flutters up to their shoulder, looking at Litten and settling its wings in a kind of shrug. Kind of weird for Trainers, huh?]

It really would--but if the people here aren't willing, we'll just have to figure it out on our own. And we do have a direction to travel, at least. [G'rhyf smiles and nudges his shoulder with their own.] Not really the sort of adventure I meant to take you on, but I'm sure we can muddle our way through.

Edited 2021-08-19 08:20 (UTC)

[He's quiet at that, looking over in the very clear direction they can go in - a road, open and inviting into the unknown. The soft sound he makes at the nudge to his shoulder is almost like surprise, almost like relief.]

...Well, I was given to understand that the unexpected is a point of charm in an adventure. [He gently nudges back, mouth quirking up into a hesitant smile.]

[A delighted laugh bubbles up out of G'rhyf, taken off-guard despite themself. Being schooled on the attitude an adventurer ought to have--they really must be losing their touch!] You do have me there! Can't really call it adventure if you know what's around every bend.

[Their bag is slung back over the unoccupied shoulder and G'rhyf pushes themself up before turning to offer G'raha a hand, a faint hint of flush coloring their cheeks. Even with everything so very strange right now, this, right here? This feels right. More right than their life has felt for a long time.]

Shall we get going, then? There's still plenty of the day left to us.

[That laugh just makes G'raha smile more, and he takes the offered hand without a second thought. Gods, this is...it's so simple, but it's all he's wanted. All this, right here, even in the middle of so many unknowns. A hand in his, the path before them untreaded, and the joy of someone whose star has guided him this far.]

We shall! We should. Lead the way, my friend.

[A request they're more than happy to oblige; their hand remains linked with his while G'rhyf leads them both out of New Bark, only shifting to lace their fingers once reaching the trails proper with a brief and shy glance to G'raha. That feeling in their chest blooms into a warmth that seeps into everything, the while world more vibrant just having him at their side.]

[Idle chatter comes easily as they walk, the topic drifting in the natural current of conversation. From time to time Pokemon appear in the foliage near them, but they seem content to watch the pair warily or ignore them entirely. It's a nice beginning to this journey, calm and sweet and a balm after the stresses the two of them have been through.]

[It's sometime after noon that G'rhyf notices a small branch off the main path--nearly hidden by a screen of branches, it looks more like a game trail than anything else.] Hm! Feel like poking around down this way?

[They're still holding hands.

They're still holding hands.

And it isn't just normal hand holding either, it's interlaced fingers, it's...G'raha squeezes back slightly, just a small gesture. Just a little thing to let G'rhyf know he likes this. That they can keep doing this for as long as they wish. The path so far isn't complicated or difficult terrain, after all. They don't need to climb anything as of yet. Just this, and light conversation, and the road...]

Huh? [Another path? Where...oh! Now he sees it.] Oh, sure! So long as we can find our way back, should we need to.

[G'raha's squeeze makes their heart leap in their chest, a tiny, ridiculous thrill for something so...so small, so benign. Gods, but this man could lay them low with nothing but his voice and a smile. Were they ever to lose this--]

[(don't think about it, don't think about it,)]

[Back in the present, G'rhyf chuckles and pushes the hanging branches out of the way with their free hand--the path is narrow enough that walking side-by-side isn't possible, but if they keep their arm behind them...yes, they can still hold onto G'raha. (Maybe a little ridiculous, but when have they ever not been?)] Oh, I've cut my way through far worse than this before. Gridania's a mess of little trails like this, you learn very quick to pick out where they go.

[Or just go in circles for an entire day trying to find the main road again...]

[Ridiculous? Maybe. The gesture, to still hold their hand, is immensely appreciated.]

Ah, I do recall how confusing it can be at times to get one's bearings in the Twelveswood. [Hadn't they informally first met in the forest, when he was loud and young and thrumming with excitement at seeing a real hero in action?] There's truly a thousand and one ways to get lost between those trees, if one doesn't pay attention.

And sometimes even if you are, if I'm honest. The first time I'd gone out on my own, I was...maybe a bit overconfident? [They laugh a little self-consciously--they're lucky that G'raha's first impression of them was so late into their tenure in Eorzea. Getting chased down by furious treants thanks to an ill-aimed arrow is not a very heroic sight...] I learned that lesson very quickly.

[The game trail winds on a bit further before opening up into a small clearing, almost idyllically peaceful. A few berry bushes are scattered around the edge, and an old fallen tree makes for an inviting place to take a rest.]

[GODS, THE TREANTS...they aren't so bad, the ones closest to Gridania, but the farther out you get the nastier they become, it's. It can be scary when full-size trees are literally chasing you down.]

Mayhaps, but without that overconfidence, how would you have learned what to do going forward?

[Making mistakes can be a good thing, he's saying. But oh! Oh look at this clearing! This is nice!]

Huh! That such a place could be hidden away like this...if it were later in the day, I would suggest we make camp, but a short respite wouldn't be out the question, would it?

[The only real response they have to that in an embarrassed laugh, cheeks still tinged pink. But the clearing itself...they look around and nod with a smile.]

Not at all! I was just about to suggest the same. [G'rhyf's Chatot takes that as enough invitation to flutter over to one of the berry bushes, and they lead the way over to that log. Loathe as they are to let go of G'raha's hand, it's unfortunately necessary in order to get settled.] Might be good to gather some of these fruits, as well.

Edited 2021-08-30 14:32 (UTC)

[ ;A;

No it's fine he's fine, they gotta do stuff, sadly constant hand-holding is not conductive to adventuring.]

Right! Ah, though...I've never seen fruits like these before. [His Litten is all about casually scaling this small berry tree for snacks, though. Nom nom, snac.] Hey! D-Do you even know if you can eat that?!

[G'raha reaches out for the Litten, scoops it up...it slides out of his hands like something slippery. Cats are liquid, man.]

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Seemed like a good spot for a transition, hope you don't mind owo

Don't mind at all! Also I saw your gagtag ;A;

the feels, they killin me,

:B

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