Route 1

[espresso_doppio]

Doppio didn't like to complain...even when he really wanted to. He felt like he had a lot things he could have complained about--he got headaches more than the others. He got tired more than the others. He got carsick more than the others. Still, he didn't like to dwell on the unfairness. He felt lucky he had nice people and a warm place to lay his head down at night. When he thought about that, it helped keep things in perspective.

But right now...he really, really, really wanted to complain about Reigen's driving. It felt like they were constantly swerving or stopping--when it wasn't a rock, it was a ledge. He couldn't even look out the windows to orient himself...not that it would have helped. There was tall grass everywhere. 'It's not the Captain's fault. The road ran out miles ago.' But then the van lurched as it came to another hard stop and Doppio couldn't fight a groan as he swallowed down a wave of nausea. After several failed attempts to rise from his bunk, he had given up. He buried his head in the pillow and took a few deep breaths.

Comments

[espresso_doppio]

“I think so.” At least, he really hoped so.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Think this bodes well for friendly locals?” As Reigen surveyed everything, his eyes fell on a large plant. When he blinked at it, it blinked back.

[throughthelookingmax]

Max tugged a bit of loose fabric at the mid of his back to encourage him to take a step back. Weird monster plant-like things? This definitely wasn't normal.

But what was normal anymore?

"Are these locals even human? We've had no problems communicating with other humans, but what if these people aren't?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Oh hey, visitors!" A young woman's voice called from very close by, her head suddenly popping out of a bush. Reigen breathlessly yelped.

[espresso_doppio]

Doppio turned his head. For once, he wasn't the jumpy one. Maybe it was because Reigen was already doing such a good job at it.

"Hello, Miss." When he took her in, she looked as normal any other person he had ever remembered seeing in his life.

"Sorry, you surprised me! We haven't had visitors in awhile." She swept her long straw brown hair behind her back. While she was clearly trying to be polite and keep her eyes on them, she couldn't stop them from darting this way and that.

"Are you alright, Miss...?"

"Oh. Um. Daisy. Sorry, my Chansey ran off, so I've been out here looking for her..."

Doppio glanced furtively at his companions, unsure if a Chansey was something he was supposed to know and couldn't remember.

[aoihitomi]

"Um, we're looking for someone too. A friend of mine named Chid."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Oh! You’re friends of little Chid?” Daisy smiled. “Yes, he’s here. We found him in the woods up north—well, my Chansey did. She brought him back here. He’s been staying with Delilah ever since.”

Reigen looked towards the house she was gesturing at right within view. White face, red roof, as cute as everything else. “Well! Is Miss Delilah in at the moment?”

“Yes, she’s not one to leave often these days…but I’m sure she’ll be thrilled for Chid that he has some familiar faces around now.”

[espresso_doppio]

Doppio looked from the house, to Hitomi, and back at Daisy. Saying thank you and just leaving her felt wrong.

“You all go. I’ll stay here and help.”

“Oh! Are you sure? I mean…thank you. She doesn’t often venture far but…ever since that big earthquake happened she’s been restless.”

[throughthelookingmax]

"Earthquake? When did that happen?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“About…two weeks ago?”

‘So it reached up this far…?’ Reigen kept his poker face intact. That about when they first ran into Max. He didn’t know what it meant and there wasn’t much good in probing more yet. “Thank you, Miss Daisy.”

“Hitomi-chan.” Reigen clapped her a few times on the shoulder. “Lead the way.”

[aoihitomi]

"Right!" Hitomi bit back the urge to run to the very place Daisy directed them to. "Thank you!"

It didn't take long for them to find themselves at their destination. Hitomi swallowed and rapped on the door. And when it was answered, it was by a wide-eyed blonde child. Hitomi nearly melted with relief right there.

"HITOMI!" Chid immediately flung himself at Hitomi's legs and hugged them. "What are you doing here?"

"We were looking for you."

"Are the others--"

"I haven't found them yet."

Chid peered behind Hitomi at the other two people standing there. "Who are they?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Hitomi had told him Chid was just a boy, but that was understating it…he was basically a kindergartener to Reigen’s eyes. ‘He’s even smaller than Mob when we first met.’ He cleared his throat and kneeled.

“It’s nice to meet you, Chid. I’m an, ah, friend of Hitomi-chan’s. You can call me Mr. Reigen.”

[aoihitomi]

"Thank you, Mr. Reigen." Chid folded his hands inside of the long sleeves of his outfit and bowed his head respectfully.

"I'm so glad we found you. We have others we plan on finding too after this."

[alteredfates_npc]

"Chid, dinnertime!" A woman's voice called from further back into the house. She poked her head around the corner to beckon him. "I made curr--oh!" A bit flustered at the site of unexpected visitors, she quickly brushed back the brown strands of hair falling loosely from her hair tie.

[throughthelookingmax]

"Sorry, we're friends of Chid's here." Was she allowed to say that? She really didn't even know him. Hadn't even introduced herself, either. "I'm Max, by the way."

[alteredfates_npc]

The woman made an 'o' expression and straightened her skirt, emerging from behind the corner to greet them properly.

"Oh my! I'm Delilah. Please, come in! Are you all hungry? I haven't had visitors in awhile but I always make way too much curry," she laughed a bit breathlessly.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

'Curry!?' When was the last time he had curry?! And it smelled exactly how his own mom used to make it, too. Reigen shot up to stand ramrod straight before anyone else could answer.

"Arataka Reigen, ma'am. We'd be honored to accept your gracious hospitality."

[aoihitomi]

"If you're sure it's not an imposition."

Chid shook his head. "No, it's not at all. Let me show you to the dining room."

Soon enough, they were all settled around the table, mounds of curry in front of them. Hitomi had no idea how she would get through what was in front of her, but she wasn't about to protest such a nice-smelling meal, either. They rarely got to eat this good when they were on the road.

She felt bad Doppio wasn't here to enjoy it with them.

"How long have you been here, Chid?"

"A few months," he answered. "I was actually found by Chansey not far from here."

"Chansey?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

As much as Reigen wanted to scarf the entire bowl down, he made himself eat pretty slowly with plans to leave some aside to eat with Doppio later on. Truth be told, it wasn't too hard to eat slowly with the...person...sitting across from him that kept giving him a shifty look.

"Chansey is Daisy's Pokémon. She's a wonderful little soul, always looking out for others. She took off one day and Daisy and I looked everywhere for her, and then back she came with Chid. He's been living here with me ever since."

"Pokémon?"

"...Oh, you don't know what a Pokémon is either, huh?" Dahlia tilted her head. It made sense...after all, neither had Chid. But they were the only people she had met in her live that had never been around them. "Well, let me explain..."

As Reigen listened and slowly chewed his food, he couldn't help but feel like the explanation was familiar somehow. Like a game he played on his MobBoy back in the 90's.

"...So, that's what they are. They all live alongside us, like Mimey, here." Dahlia rubbed the Mr. Mime's head affectionately where he sat beside her.

[throughthelookingmax]

"I wonder if Chansey is out looking for someone now," Max mused aloud, then took a bite of her curry.

[aoihitomi]

"They're all friendly?" Hitomi asked. Mimey looked friendly enough.

"Most of them are," Chid answered. "All the ones that live in this town are."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Pokemon are our companions. Of course, there are plenty of wild ones out there, but...a skilled trainer with a good team has nothing to fear." Dahlia looked at Hitomi and smiled. "I have a son who left on a quest to become a world-class trainer a few years ago. He'd be about your age right now."

"A fifteen year old son, huh?" Reigen gestured at her with his chopsticks in disbelief. "I don't believe it. I took you for twenty-one at most!"

Dahlia laughed and held her cheek, clearly flattered. Mimey shot Reigen a look.

"It's been a long time since I've had kids in the house..." Dahlia affectionately patted Chid's head. "Chid here has been a wonderful guest."

[aoihitomi]

"You've been a great host, Ms. Dahlia." Chid smiled when he said it, but Hitomi got the sense that there was sadness behind it. He was going to miss her.

Hitomi could hardly blame him. She felt guilty at the prospect of pulling him away from the relative stability of this home. Was this really the right thing to do?

She wanted to talk to the others about it before they did anything.

"Is there an inn nearby that we can stay at?" Hitomi asked. The town wasn't especially big but they'd encountered smaller towns with an inn before.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Oh, I’m afraid not…we’re not exactly a touristy town. But not to worry. The house may seem small, but there’s plenty of room for you all to stay for awhile. You seem like you’ve been on the road for awhile. I even added a guest bedroom upstairs. It used to be an old workspace, and there are a few things of mine in there, but I can store them easily.” She seemed quite proud of this.

“Are you sure? We’ve got one more with us. She’s helping out Miss Daisy at the moment, but…” Doppio was taking awhile. ‘Maybe I should have stayed with him. If he’s not around in the next few minutes I’ll just go back out.’

“If’s no bother at all.” She looked between Reigen and Max. “You both can take the upstairs. The bed is big enough for two.”

Distracted by his thoughts, it took Reigen a few beats longer than usual to catch the implication. “Oh. No, no, we’re not…”

[throughthelookingmax]

"Definitely not my type," Max said, hands raised in front of her in surrender.