ohmyarceus | Test drive meme

[Comical or no, Angel takes a step back on instinct before finding the sense to relax. Beside her, the Mawile opens its, well, maw, before snapping shut once more. It doesn't need much more of a threat than that.

Gingerly, Angel pats its head.]

There's no need to apologize, really!

[She waves her hands a little, shaking her head as she does.]

I think you have the wrong idea. I don't think we share a home, though... It is a bit of a - never mind. [Another shake of the head.] I can only assume it is similar to where you came from, though.

[Who knows how Armin found out about this. Maybe he just checked the network himself, maybe Louie informed him. Maybe Angel even send him a message herself after hearing he's still around.

In any case, of all the things he had been expecting to do today, seeing his fiancee's face on the network (if she is still that, does she remember it all?) was not on the list.

For a moment, his lips just work wordlessly, too stunned to speak. And when he finally does, it's with a crack to his voice, and a slightly roughness as his throat grows tight.]

A-angel?

[There were a few reasons that Angel had hesitated to reach out directly to Armin. Most primary of them is the fact that she didn't want to find that his information no longer existed in this world. She's lost a great many people to the passage of time — she doesn't want Armin to be one of them.

But here is both his face and voice, and despite having not felt the passage of time since her departure, she can't help but feel that it's been months since she saw him last.]

Hi, Armin. [Her voice wobbles at the edges.] I am sorry it's been so long. Did you - Have you...

[She takes a deep breath.]

Are you doing okay?

Aw, shut up with that, would ya? Of course not!

[She crosses her arms and turns away. How offensive a suggestion!]

I just wanna take it easy here. Maybe not be runnin' away from the law at every turn? Doesn't sound too bad, does it?

[A little sputter of laughter.]

Those do sound like some exciting shenannygins... What kinda contests were they?

All you could remember hearing...? Oh. [Harley's smile falters a little, but only for a moment.] Yeah, ya worked with what ya had. That's some top-shelf resourcefulness!

[Uh... Okay. He's just sideeyeing the mouth on that thing. That is one weirdass worm.]

Oh. Huh. Well, that is a mighty big coincidence, then. What with the grass an' the water, an'... [... Oh. As he looks back at the bay, the earlier pun dawns on him.] Shit -- "tidin'" me over -- [aaand he's laughing. Howling, really. Sorry, Angel.]

Well there was some grass in -

[Oh. Oh... Her smile starts out a little awkward, unsure of his reaction. Then he keeps laughing. And the longer he laughs, the more infectious it is and. Well... There she goes, giggling right along with him.]

[He gets a little self conscious after a bit and restrains himself. The smile is still there, though, even if it's sheepish.]

Sorry -- tryin' not t'get too carried away. 's hard sometimes.

It's nice t'meetcha, miss. Name's Livio.

You don't have to apologize. You deserve to be able to laugh and enjoy yourself, Mr. Livio.

[Angel holds out her hand. Very polite, even if he outright dwarfs her.]

You may call me Angel. If you have any questions about the world you find yourself in, I am always happy to answer them.

[Again, he just... blinks for a moment. That's surprising to hear, from a stranger. He definitely isn't used to the kindness, at least.

Nonetheless, he takes her hand extra carefully in his to give it a gentle shake.]

Awful kind of ya to say, Miss Angel. Though the "mister" ain't entirely necessary!

Ya been here a while, then?

Just Livio then.

[She gives a nod, before glancing down at his hands. He... sure is a big dude, huh?]

You could stay that. I have only just returned, but... I have been here before. Several times, in fact. That is one thing you should learn about this place, if you have not been told already. People come and go. They won't remember this world in their time away, or so I am told, but most of the time they will regain their memories once they have returned.

[And she sure is tiny! He isn't going to draw attention to either of those things, though. Embarrassing, is what it is.]

I dunno much at all right now, so that is sure helpful. [Liv can't help but glance back at that walking steel trap.] So yer, uh... little friend, there. Y'all are close?

[A slight wince, but it's a smile at least, and one that comes with a shrug.] I did what I could at least- and I made it this far right? So even if there wasn't anyone there, I still made it- and in a pretty rough place too, so I think she'd probably be proud of that.

[Imagine Harley, if a kid grew up in Arkham.

That is basically what happened here. Less asylum more prison, but the power scale was pretty bad!]

Oooooh they were great- and useless, we didn't get anything worthwhile at all of course- honestly calling all of them contests is a stretch, the one bird just wanted everyone to spill their deepest darkest secrets in front of everyone...

But it cheered up a partly mute kid a whole lot! ...I mean apparently his greatest desire is to murder, but at least he was happy to let the world know!

[WAO!]

Let me think...the other one was a foot race....and I think the last one just wanted a good tussle. And both sound simple sure, but those two did not play fair!

Oh!

[Oh okay, now Bane gets it!]

You're taking time for yourself! Good for you, Harley. Have you thought about making a vision board?

I'm--

[Is he doing okay? He hadn't been for a while. Those first weeks after she had gone had been rough. Things had slowly gotten better, but only as long as he didn't think about it too much. Whenever he did, the pain flooded back in fresh as ever.

But, did that matter now? She is back now. She is back. She is here now and she remembers and--

Armin has always teared up far too easily for his own tastes, but right now, he's absolutely not even trying to fight the tears brimming in his eyes. Instead, he smiles through them, wide as can be.]

Better now I can see your face again.

Welcome home.

[Every time she's come back to this world, she's felt a pervasive sense of guilt. It wasn't, couldn't ever be her fault for leaving, but she can never seem to shake the weight of it. It's exceptionally true now that she's left Armin behind. How could she not feel that way, when she'd agreed to tie her life to his and then simply... vanished.]

I'm home. [If nothing else, the warmth of that word combats the heaviness of her shoulders. She is home. And while she doesn't believe for a second that she won't ever leave again, she can rest easily knowing that she has time. That they have time.

Nevertheless, there is one thing that still needs to be said.]

I am sorry. I'm so sorry. You should not have been left here alone.

No-- No, don't apologise!

[It comes out in a rush.]

It's not your fault. Please, I don't want to hear you apologise.

[Being the one left behind is not easy, but it had never been Angel's choice to leave. And each time she did, she had as much to lose as him. Armin might have mourned, but at least he had still been here. He had still been alive. Each time Angel was pulled from this world, she went back to non-existence; and each time she was returned, she had to rebuild so many things all over again. To hear her apologise for something that was so far beyond her control -- it gave Armin no comfort.]

I wanna see you. Are you-- New Bark Town, right? Please, I'll come as quickly as I can.

[Even if he has to switch between several flying pokemon and take so many warp pads he's puking up his kidneys, he's going to get there!]

[Angel knows he'll rush to get here, and part of her manages to feel guilty even for that. She feels for his poor Pokemon, is all. Never mind how dizzy and disoriented he'll surely be by the time he arrives. But the moment Armin volunteers it as an option, she finds herself nodding almost frantically. She hasn't exactly missed Armin in her absence, but that was only by virtue of not feeling much at all in that time period.

Now that she's here, though... That's a different story.]

Please. I will wait right here.

[She pans her camera around, showing off the space where New Bark ends and Route 29 begins. She's almost certain something similar had happened the last time she had arrived as well.]

Just... be careful, okay? Don't go falling off of any Pokemon.

I.) Knock, knock, knock

"Oh... My dress has never looked like this before."

[It isn't the first time Pumpkin Pie Cookie has awoken somewhere she didn't expect, or even more corporeal than usual. If anything, hearing the name Mom, had been more jarring. Regardless, when she comes spilling out the front door of New Bark Town, the orange-haired girl in lolita regalia is seemingly nonplussed about her sudden arrival. There's a sigh in her voice as she twirls, as though caught in a waltz with an invisible partner, her arm outstretched to examine the changes that have befallen her.]

"... Or my dough." [She turns with a gentle, disarming smile.]

"Why look, Pompon, this must be a costume party!"

[Except.. her companion seems to be nowhere near. She realizes with distress how empty her arms feel from the absence of the doll.]

"Pompon? Pompon?! Where did you go? Where are you?... You promised. You promised we would always be..!"

[She pauses as a bright orange orb bumps her stockings. A creature, as dark as the pumpkin that grew in the abandoned lot from which her ingredients were extracted.]

"Oh. Oh there you are."

[They look quite different. More round than flat, but if she as a cookie has also taken on considerably different proportions, would her doll, too, have not had quite the makeover? Gingerly she drops to a crouch.]

"..."

[Yes, yes it surely must be. Because Pompon would never leave her alone. Pompon promised. The creature nudges itself into her arms and she hugs it in return.]

"Yes... yes I'll always know it's you, Pompon."

[She smiles sweetly, squeezing tighter. It's no good to be sad at a party.]

II.) Eye Contact

"Excuse me."

[When you are new somewhere, you act by imitation. Unfortunately, for all involved, Pumpkin Pie has decided that the local battle 'NPC's' are the one's to emulate, no matter how uncanny the behavior. Which is why you can find her standing motionless in the woods, in the shadow of a building, out of the corner of your eye, anywhere really!

"Would you help us with something?"

[Regardless of the answer, all it takes is the other person opening their mouth for her to unleash a pokeball in their direction; a skitty pops out primed and ready.

You made eye contact, it's time to battle!]

III.) Tea Time
[Hello weary traveler. Would you care for a little refreshment? Clearly the side of the road on route 31, just as night is beginning to fall, is the perfect time and place for a tea party!

There's a nice little assortment of brewed kettles and cups spread out on a picnic blanket; tiny jars for sugar, cream, honey, all delicately arranged under a big parasol Pumpkin has driven into the ground.

Pay no mind to the gastley and misdreavis that seem to be congregating to curiously watch in the forest behind. The girl doesn't seem phased in the slightest to have extra eyes all around her.

She giggles, and raises her cup in a toast.]

"Would you care to join us?" [Yes 'us'-- if you didn't notice them before, a pumpkaboo floats up to offer an empty tea cup.]

"Pompon has made tea."

IV.) WILD: Anything goes! Help me give this place a whirl!

OOC: Pumpkin Pie is a freshly ~~baked~~ humanized cookie who may or may not be dead and or the spirit of Halloween in her canon-- don't worry about it! She's spooky but harmless. Come say hello!

[Louie has gotten extremely used to ghost Pokemon being around, thanks Emporio being like some kind of magnet to them. No, what's got him weirded out - and a little hesitant - is the tea party itself.

He's back in Johto for now, and most of that time has been spent searching for a specific Pokemon in the Ruins of Alph, but rather than staying in Violet City, he's been staying at the inn and spa in Cherrygrove. Because spa! Relaxation!

Tea parties might count as relaxing to some, but ones that are catching the attention of many ghost-types, smack-dab in the middle of a route? That's... Not what Louie had in mind. Still, he nears, cautiously curious.]

Kind of a weird place for a tea party, isn't it?

I will. I'll be there as soon as I can.

[He's too close to being able to see her again, touch her again, to go and break his neck falling off a pokemon. It wouldn't kill him, but it sure would put a crimp on their reunion.]

I love you.

[Definitely not the first time he's told her that, and if he has his way, it won't be the last time she'll hear it in the coming days. He's gone too long without being able to tell her. He needs to make up for lost time.

Tre trip there is as chaotic as it promised to be. Armin doesn't take any neck-breaking risks, but its certainly a far cry from the more sedate pace he usually flies at. Instead, he pushes his flying pokemon to their limit, apologising against their feathers the whole way there. He switches between them too, allowing them some time to rest while the other flies, until he gets to the first city where he can take a warp, and take them he does. Thank god for dramamine because else he'd probably be too dizzy to do anything.

Finally, just the last leg of the journey remains, the last flight along Route 29 to New Bark Town. He directs Amadeus down when he spots the familiar shapes of the buildings, nearly tripping in his haste to get off his pokemon. For a moment he just stands there, wildly looking around until he finally spots a familiar shape.

Oh, she is so thin again, her hair choppy once more. And she is still the most gorgeous sight for sore eyes.]

Angel!

[Between the half a dozen warps, the way his muscles had locked up slightly during the flight and the tears blurring his vision, he stumbles more than he runs, knocking both of them over into the grass when he tosses his arms around her in an embrace.]

[It doesn't matter how long it takes, Angel rarely peels her eyes from the sky. She paces this way and that from time to time. Occasionally, she even offers tales of Armin and her other friends to the Mawile that toddles after her. But for the most part she waits in anticipatory silence.

Eventually, she's rewarded with the steady sound of wingbeats, and the sight of a bird coming into view. Most people don't have reason to navigate back to New Bark, and so she thinks she's pretty sure she knows who's coming her way. That suspicion is confirmed as she just barely manages to pick out the faint features of what is almost certainly a Noctowl. She follows his descent, and isn't far from Armin when he lands.

If Armin hadn't been the one to tackle her, she would have done the same in reverse. It probably would have had less of an impact, more akin to a kitten attempting to pounce, so really it's much better this way for the drama of it all. She falls back into the grass, oscillating between laughter and tears as she cards her fingers through his hair.

She might be weak, and tired again. Her hair might be in dire need of a cut. But it doesn't matter. She's home, and Armin's here too.

So naturally she steals a messy, teary kiss. It doesn't last long, because she's winded from her efforts, but she thinks it's plenty.]

I missed you.

Angel?

[Oh this is amazing. It... might be the first time someone who's left has ever come back, in her time here, and even better, Angel remembers.]

Oh, it's so good to see you!

Edited 2023-08-06 15:53 (UTC)

Test drive meme - July & August

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Pumpkin Pie Cookie | Cookie Run: Kingdom

Tea Time

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Video