tabularasa_rp | [open] because i can only be me

Oh! You've met him?

[Blue brightens considerably, albeit there's some kind of vaguely forced energy to it, like he's forcing himself to behave about it, or something........]

Most people in my world know of him right away, but nobody knows here, so I haven't really bothered mentioning it around. Professor Sam Oak, right? He's my grandfather!

[No one would blame Akechi for being surprised, considering Blue's general showing around this place so far; but then again, unless Pokémon are involved, Blue's not likely to find a reason to use his brain.]

--Sorta. [Blue says after a moment, remembering, and appending the technicality with a bit of reluctance. He rubs at the back of his head with a slight twist of his mouth.] Ummm, it's kinda complicated, and I don't really get what's going on in this place, but even though he's definitely my gramps, it seems that we don't come from the same ...place...

I helped him bandage himself after he was bitten by one of those robots, yes, [Akechi confirms with a nod, mentally congratulating himself on that. He wasn't expecting a return on that investment so quickly, but good. Not that he particularly cares about Blue or the well-being of his family, but having his good-will is a powerful force. In spite of his general. Everything else.

He hums and nods once, not at all surprised by the reluctant admission.]

Displaced in time, you mean?

Eh-- you did!?

[Blue stutters, surprised, and for a moment his face is an open book of anxious worry before he manages to twist his mouth to steel it away again, and stiffly gives a little bow.] Thanks... for that. Gramps is such a reckless guy, even at his age! Even after I told him to take it easy, and even told him to take Eevee along with him....

[He runs a hand through his hair and tries to shake it off, adjusting his bag. This particular conversation wasn't exactly any more comfortable, but....]

Um, a little more than just that, I think. It's almost like he isn't from the same place as me at all. [He's not exactly willing to go into the specifics; admitting out loud that his grandfather didn't even recognize him.] There's a lot of details that are too different for it to just be that.

But he's definitely the same person....!

[Akechi will absolutely treasure that bow. It's just such a rush of power, to be appreciated for something. Now Blue owes him a favor, whether he knows it or not, and Akechi will certainly collect when the debt comes due.

For now, he focuses on the more pertinent (to him) information.]

Damien-san and I had discussed Tegmark's multiverse theory before. It's possible it's something like that, though it's rather curious to think about it being so specific to people who might be related.

[Could it explain the gap between his and Ren's memories? That's a train of thought he'll pursue much, much later, raising all kinds of uncomfortable questions like if this is the Ren he fought beside? If it's not merely a displacement in time, but of space as well?

A disturbing thought.]

Still, he is your grandfather, no? It must be reassuring to have family by your side, whatever the capacity.

[He. guesses? That seems like what a normal person would feel. It seems like a safe bet considering Blue was grateful that Akechi helped him, after all.]

[Literally none of those names were familiar to Blue, but he supposes there must still be people in this place he hasn't met yet; certainly, he'd seen many people at the party at Heavenly Blanc that he hadn't seen previously, and he's sure he didn't get around to chatting all of them up....]

I don't really know anything about that, but I know there are Legendary Pokémon who supposedly can travel between time, between dimensions. Pokémon who shaped the world, [He explains, trying to put those two braincells to use.] And if those are true, and there are Pokémon capable of things like that, then I guess it has to mean that 'other worlds' have to exist, right?

Some people even say Ghost-types use spaces between dimenions to travel...

[Blue throws his hands up in a shrug.] There's people I know, who I bet could tell you a lot more about stuff like that. [Kukui's wife, Professor Burnett, came to mind-] But they're not here. Gramps specializes in biology and sociological studies, but there are Pokémon professors who study the powers of Pokémon on a physics level- that's what you're after, right?

[Speaking of Oak- Blue hesitates, just the slightest amount, and shrugs out a sigh.] Well, of course..... [Of course he should.]

[Look at these dumb lying liars lying at each other!!]

Raihan-san said something similar.

[Pokémon again... such a strange concept, and not at all impossible, considering the presence of Pokémon here already. A legendary animal as a god isn't unheard of, anyway, and if something like that is responsible for bringing them all here? Ren is living proof that gods can certainly be killed.

Akechi adjusts one of his gloves as one of the painting creatures shuffles closer, looking up at him as if wordlessly asking if they're going to continue their graffiti. He leans down and gently pats its head as he looks back to Blue.]

We have all the evidence we need that other worlds exist, solely from the people gathered here. What remains to be seen is who's responsible for it. If it is one of your legendary Pokémon, as you say, then we'll need to learn how to defeat it.

[The creature waves its paintbrush tail, and with a sigh, Akechi takes off one of his gloves and allows it to smack his open palm with paint. Sure. Fingerpainting. Why not.

At least Akechi isn't about to call Blue out on his relationship with his grandfather. He really doesn't care.]

He did, huh? I don't know anythin' about Galar's legendary Pokémon, but I know the ones where I come from can be real jerks if they wanna. Or, if they feel like it, sometimes they'll save people....

Just like people, they have their moods. [Blue says it thoughtfully.] But usually, their wrath doesn't just happen outta nowhere.

[So if this was caused by a Pokémon, Blue is sure it's revenge for something- but there's no clear logic to those who have been affected..... Still, with that in mind, he isn't all ready to go pitchforks and battling at a legendary Pokémon until they can understand why it's done this.]

Well, Red is here. [Blue shrugs, like it's just Obvious Fact.] So it shouldn't be too hard, with all the rest of us here, too.

[The Pokémon trainers, he means. The rest of ya'll can sit this one out.]

[He slaps his hand against the wall in a red handprint of paint, dragging his fingers down. It's pretty fucking creepy-looking, actually, like something out of a horror movie, and Akechi looks oddly satisfied with that as he flicks his hand to get rid of more of the paint toward the wall.]

To fight them, you mean? [Akechi assumes he means everyone here, not just the Pokémon trainers, because why would he?] You have quite an extraordinary amount of faith in Red-san. You must be close.

[Hey Akechi, chill]

[The corner of Blue's mouth twitches a little as he watches Akechi messily drag his hand across the wall, the similarity of the red handprint to blood not lost on him... But, he doesn't really have a reason to think it's weird!]

[It's kinda weird, though.]

Red? We've been friends since we were tiny brats. [He grins easily, shoulders rolling.] And that guy's the only one that can match me, ...but more importantly, he's caught a bunch of Legendary Pokémon before.

[Blue says it with a bit of an annoyed tone, eyes rolling to the side. That showoff. Bastard.]

So, he should be able to handle it. Though, I guess I'd help him out if he asked....

[Chill? No. No, he won't do that.

With the remaining paint on his fingers, he draws a few jagged zig-zags around a blob, almost as if they're meant to be wings.]

Ah, a rival.

[A corner of Akechi's lip twitches up in acknowledgement, though it fades quickly. Once he'd been childish enough to think he could have something like that. Ren had kept saying it, hadn't he?]

Well, if these Legendary Pokémon are truly responsible for our current situation, and they can be captured, I'm sure we could find a way to persuade them to return us from whence we came.

[Blue misses the tiny bit of humor and self-reflection Akechi gets from that; after all, rivalries like that were so common back home, he figures it's just Akechi genuinely commenting in understanding for the situation.]

[Doesn't everyone have a complicated, vaguely homoerotic life's rival!?]

He probably can... If he can manage it. Whatever brought us here must be way more powerful than the Legendary birds, [Blue muses. Red had caught legendaries, but even they had different ranks within their pantheons; the legends of the birds paled in comparison to those of the Legendaries who had been born from the time of the creation of the universe.]

But, he's always gotten along with Pokémon like nobody else- he even tamed the birds, so if anyone can manage to convince them, I'm sure he can!

[Blue says it with a bit of admiring cheer. Rely on the nearly mute, socially anxious kid to negotiate with god? No problem!]

[The Smoogles, who have gotten bored with their philosophical talk, have taken to painting the ground around them- Blue's interest is caught by it, and he leans over to observe the patterns being doodled around their feet, almost like a strange combination of hopscotch and a scene from a football playbook on a whiteboard.]

Oh, is this a game? Maybe they want us to play...

[No, Blue! No!]

It seems as thought you have quite a lot of faith in him. You must be very close.

[It sounds like how the other Phantom Thieves talk about Ren, after all; even if Akechi doesn't worship the very ground Ren walks on, he can see where their seemingly boundless faith comes from.

At the observation that it could be a game, Akechi frowns, looking over the pattern and shaking the red paint off his hand.]

Well, go right ahead, then.

[He's too old for childish games!]

Pssht, I don't have a choice! [Blue sighs dramatically, hands on his hips.] Even if I didn't, he would do it anyway...... Once thing I learned when we were kids is that it don't matter how impossible or dangerous something is, Red's gonna do it.

Reckless bastard. But, it always seems to work out, when it's him, so there's no point worrying. [Incredibly lucky, or just incredibly talented? Maybe it was a bit of both, but Blue had come to learn that his panicking over Red was usually a waste of energy- because he wouldn't be able to budge him, anyway.]

[Blue motions towards the Smoogles, like he's trying to communicate with them about their game, pointing to the different lines.] Will you show me? [Eevee hops down too, and makes a leap from circle to painted square, demonstrating until the Smoogles understand, and begin a strange little hopping and skipping dance around them.]

[Motioning to Akechi, he grins brightly.] Come on, they want us to play, too. You never hopscotched? Or 'the floor is lava'?

No, thank you, [he says more firmly, continuing to wipe the remains of paint off his hand onto the wall. He's bristling, just a little, because like, look at how uptight he is. He isn't going to play hopscotch. He's not a child.]

Red sounds an awful lot like Ren, [he says, in an attempt to return to the other conversation and leave Blue to playing with the animals.] I suppose it's no wonder the two of you get along so well.

You’re gonna hurt their feelings... [Blue says in a warning tone, as if something bad was going to happen if he didn’t...? (That bad thing is that the Smoogles will be sad.)]

[He shrugs, ultimately, starting to give little leaps from circle to spot.]

Hah? Is that so... Sounds like a pain, [He laughs, shooting Akechi a playful, completely innocent grin.] What’s wrong? Don’t make a face like that- I’m not gonna steal your boyfriend.

[Maybe with the darkness, Blue can be forgiven for not seeing Akechi's eyeroll and disdainful glare at the thought that oh no, he might hurt their feelings. They're nice enough, and it's easy to be nice to them, but he draws the line at acting like a complete child.

And then immediately acts like a child with a reflexive,] He's not my boyfriend. We're-

[Partners? Friends? None of those seem right, and he clicks his tongue with annoyance. Ren always called them rivals, but that sounds equally as childish.]

Working together out of convenience.

Edited 2020-09-02 00:26 (UTC)

Pfft-- hahaha, okay.

[Blue patronizingly grins, hopping to another of the Smeargle patterns and miming with them in order to figure out their game, attention half split between them and casually teasing Akechi.]

[Kids in denial of their crushes was so endearing!! ...Blue thinks, as if he isn't literally that kid. He also 100% doesn't believe they aren't actively into each other, but hey.] 'Working together', is that what the kids call it these days...?

Okay. Working on what?

[He asks, apparently honestly believing Akechi will actually give him some kind of real answer. Bless him.]

[Oh, it is so hard to act the pleasant boy around Blue. He has a special talent for getting under his skin. He's not unlike Ryuji in that respect, so perhaps it's no wonder that Ren seems to like him so much.

What an irritating person.]

Figuring out how, exactly, we're going to return home. We have unfinished business there, and before you ask, no, it's not any of your concern.

[He waves a hand and scowls, even as one of the paint creatures runs up to him and tries to reach for his hand, wanting to tug him to join their game. He bites back a sigh and instead crouches down to pet it, face formed into an apologetic mask.]

[Although it's perhaps a little hard to tell when and if Blue is doing it on purpose.... At least, he doesn't seem to be forward about being antagonistic, so if Akechi would like to believe he's as foolish as he seems, it's unlikely he'd be able to hide it so well, right?]

[...Judging from some of the events at the party (with one Seto Kaiba), perhaps he isn't the type to bother hiding it when he's feeling antagonistic, anyway.]

Hmmm... Do think there's anything we can actually do to get home? This place seems so lifeless, [Blue comments, watching the Smeargle tag after Akechi with an adoring grin. Don't make them sad.] I mean, aside from the Pokémon here. What I mean is.... if it is a Legendary Pokémon that's behind all this, I feel like they woulda shown up by now. But it doesn't feel like anything that happens here is on purpose, you know?

Um, kinda like... It's just random.

[For now, Akechi just pets the one who's run up to him, a surprisingly gentle hand with how annoyed his voice sounds. At least he doesn't seem like the type to take out his frustrations on the things around him; at least, not where anyone can see.]

It's possible the god, overseer, whomever controlling this place is a particularly stupid or careless one, [he agrees, rubbing one of the creature's ears between his thumb and forefinger. If it could purr, it certainly seems like it would.]

No matter how small the chance, I will not rest until I've determined a way for us to leave this cursed place. [And then his lips quirk up in a wry smile.] Not that "rest" is something afforded to us, in any case.

[Blue is pleased to see how fond Akechi seems to be with the Smeargle...... He's a good actor, if nothing else! Oh well, if he won't play with them, this is good enough!]

Haha, careless maybe, I dunno if I ever heard about a stupid legendary...

[Watching Akechi with the Smeargle, Blue continues to play with the other ones, following their lead as they walk him through their painted little 'obstacle course'.]

[No matter how small the chance, huh...? Blue couldn't be bothered with stuff like this. If there weren't even any hints as to what was going on, he was content to simply coast along, staying safe and keeping his spirits up as best he could.]

[Stuff like that... That was for maniacs, like Red. Like Ren.]

Haha... The both of you are just regular super heroes, aren't you?

........Well, heroes with knives, or whatever, I guess. [Blue dryly laughs, somewhere between a teasing grin and a grimace.]

[open] because i can only be me

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