he'll help you understand

[noodlegoggles]

Who: Daisuke Motomiya (noodlegoggles) & Ken Ichijouji (empireofmymind) [closed]
Where: Cherrygrove PokéCenter
When: TODAYYYY
Summary: DAISUKE HAS TOO MANY FEELS and lets it all out with a very helpful/needed venting session with his bestest biffle.
Rating: G
Log: [As soon as Daisuke stepped foot into Cherrygrove he instantly shot Ken a message and made a beeline for the center. Because that's all that was there-- other than hotels. But anyways!! As he waited for his friend to show he started to think of what he should say first. Besides the usual welcome back bit. What... what would be best? He'd definitely start out small and move on to the bigger points, that was a given. As he did this his Scraggy who had been out of his ball for some time tried to cheer his trainer up by dropping his skin flap.

Well-- it worked, to an extent. Daisuke smiled softly as he looked at the fighting type pokémon.]

Comments

[empireofmymind]

[Ken had been out training his Pokémon, but when he got Daisuke's message he called everyone back into their PokéBalls and ran, as fast as he could, back to the Pokémon Center. If that meant having to excuse himself as he worked through busy city crowds, so be it. His best friend had needed someone there for him long enough.

And Ken had wanted to see him - for himself - as well.

Stopping just within the Center doors to catch his breath, Ken looked around. A Joltik, newly hatched from its egg, clung to his shoulder for dear life.]

Sorry to keep you waiting! Daisuke...?

[noodlegoggles]

[Upon hearing his name, Daisuke looked up from his Scraggy and over to the side and blinked. He was kind of... frozen? And then moved to pinch himself, almost as if he was making sure that this wasn't a dream. A small grin wormed it's way on his face as he all but ran over to Ken once he was sure that, no, he wasn't dreaming.

Hopped up on emotions and adrenaline he flung himself onto his best friend and pulled the boy into a hug. A few minutes later he pulls apart and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.]

Keeeeen! Sorry, buddy. It's been too long... [an awkward pause.] S-So! How've you been?

[empireofmymind]

[Ken had never been good at accepting hugs. He didn't return the gesture, save to lift one arm slightly as if intending to pat Daisuke's back, but couldn't keep a smile off his face regardless.]

Well! Since reaching this city I've just been training. Most of my Pokémon are newly hatched, and....

[He looked his friend up and down, taking him in. It was going to be all right now. Neither of them were alone.]

It's good to really see you.

[Because that wasn't something awkward to just throw into a conversation at all.]

[noodlegoggles]

Oh? That's good! Is that what you ended up getting? [he said as he pointed to the Joltik on his friend's shoulder.] Ah? It's good to see you too buddy.

[empireofmymind]

[Joltik chatters his pincers together and sparks a bit. Ken grins and pets him with a single finger. He's had his Pokémon on the brain all week to keep from worrying about all of you, so he actually ends up something close to chatty.]

Yes, he was in the egg I found last week. I also ordered some Pokémon from the Breeding Center...and do you remember my having a Happiny? Hikari-san reunited me with her.

So I've kept busy.

What about you? There were some issues with travel....?

[All of the worry. And yet, still, all of the smiles.]

[noodlegoggles]

Oh yeah... I forgot you could order pokémon... And-- [he blinks.] Oh! Yeah, that reminds me I need to give you your Cater-- w-well it's a Butterfree now... I-- uhh... hope you don't mind, I kind of trained it some for you while you were gone...

[he looks down.] Ah, yeah... kinda.

[empireofmymind]

Ah - thanks...

[If Butterfree's grown close to Daisuke, Ken won't mind if it chooses to stay with his friend. Daisuke's been a better trainer than he has by far.

But they can talk Pokémon anytime.]

But you all arrived safely, right? So there's nothing to worry about any more.

[About travel. Sure.]

[noodlegoggles]

[pshawww, no, she was all excited just hearing your name again buddy. you're getting your butterfree back. but he would like visitation rights. he kinda grew on that little insect.]

Yeah. Nothing to worry about with that... [he looks down and sighs.] So-- do you know why Miyako's been all... weird recently? It's like she's trying to play matchmaker or something...

[empireofmymind]

[You and Butterfree can hang out whenever you'd like~ You can borrow her if you ever need a Bug-type, too. Far be it from Ken to come between friends!

However - Miyako. Yes. That. That thing that he has also been trying not to worry about. Ken blinks and swallows, putting the smile back on.]

She's just worried about you, isn't she? I can't say for certain, but whatever she's doing, it must be because she's trying to help.

[He has been on the receiving end of Miyako's good intentions himself, however. So he knows that feeling.]

[noodlegoggles]

[EXCELLENT! he and that butterfree are so chill, Ken. you don't even know. anyways-- he pouts and crosses his arms.]

Trying to help? She's trying to help by making me miserable! That's what she's doing!

[empireofmymind]

Come on, it can't--

[No, he can't just write this off without knowing the full details. He knows Miyako's plan - but not how she intended to pull it off.

So he shakes his head and lets himself look as concerned as he feels.]

...Mn. What's been happening?

[noodlegoggles]

[as childish as this might sound, he refuses to look his best friend in the eye as he says this. taking interest in a odd looking fern off to the side he sighs.]

She's trying to put Hikari-chan and Takeru together.

It doesn't bother me as much as it should, because I guess I've just... I dunno, accepted that it'd never be me? A while ago I met this really nice girl, who just... she was like you dude, but girl version. She didn't have a lot of friends, but... she didn't... [hhh oh crud not gonna cry, nope. not like this. RESTRAAAINT.] she didn't just brush me off like others do.

Like oh, it's that loud kid who's kind of a doofus, and likes soccer, and puts his foot in his mouth a lot. No, she took the time to get to know me-- And for a minute I thought I could... have something like Hikari-chan and Takeru. B-But then she disappeared.

[empireofmymind]

[Ken listens with concern. So it wasn't just Daisuke Miyako's been - assisting, then....he'd misread his friend's troubles.

If only he knew a little more about - well - this kind of thing. But pleading ignorance would just be an excuse to accept his own helplessness, and Ken refuses to believe that he's helpless here. Daisuke reached out to him even when he'd never experienced the kinds of losses Ken had. If Ken can't do the same, he won't be living up to the person he hopes he's become.]

So when you see them....when you see everyone happy for them...

[He bows his head and slowly puts a hand on Daisuke's shoulder.]

No one thinks of you like that. No one whose opinion should matter to you. Not the others, and not me.

[His fingers dig in a little. Sorry, man. He makes fists when he's upset.]

And I'm here now. I'm here, and I believe you will have something like that someday. I've never doubted. Because Daisuke....you're amazing.

[He will shield you from others' view, if you're still thinking about crying.]

[noodlegoggles]

[he sniffles as he realizes how hard it is to keep everything at bay. and with that he bursts into tears as things come crashing down.]

N-No I'm not. What kind of p-person can call themselves a friend if they get jealous o-over something stupid li-like this.

[empireofmymind]

[Ken holds him close, to let him cry into his shoulder. He'll support you. That much, he can do.]

Anything that matters to you isn't stupid. That you're worried is proof you're a friend.

[It's also very easy to envy someone you care about. But he keeps that one to himself for now.]

[noodlegoggles]

[he clings a little and cries even harder as he buries his face into Ken's neck/shoulder area.]

B-But why does it make me feel so horrible?

[empireofmymind]

[Ken's Joltik, which had been tagging a shoulder ride, skitters around and settles for climbing up the side of Ken's head, to be sure he's out of the way. Ken stays focused on Daisuke, trying a hug as best he can.]

Because you don't think you should feel this way.

But there is no "should" in emotions, Daisuke. I've learned that.

[He pats Daisuke's back.]

You taught me.

[noodlegoggles]

[he does that odd hiccupy thing one does after a while of crying as he rests his head on Ken's shoulder.]

Yeah, I guess I did, huh? [and with that he pulls away and rubs a little at his eyes.] Sorry you had to see this... I just-- I guess it had been building up.

[empireofmymind]

It's fine.

[Ken looks like a weight's been lifted off his shoulders too - and not just because your head's not there anymore. It really hurts to see you hurting...so if he's helped....]

We can talk anytime. About anything.

All right?

[noodlegoggles]

[he rubs his nose a little] Yeah, and I promise I won't let it build up like this again. I guess I just needed someone to just... talk to, but-- I dunno why I didn't go to Hikari-chan or the others. [he pauses.] I guess since we've been through a lot together I feel comfortable going to you with these sort of things... You and Taichi-senpai, but he's not here.

[empireofmymind]

Ah...well...

[Daisuke felt that way about him too? Ken's twice as glad he came to Johto. Perhaps he even was summoned here because his friend needed him. Emotions connect worlds.

He almost doesn't know what to say, so he just says what's on his mind.]

...thank you, then. For trusting me with your friendship.

[He smiles, calm and confident that you'll be fine. Believe in the Ken who believes in you.]

[noodlegoggles]

[he gives a small smile and nods.] Thanks dude... I kinda feel a whole lot better about this now!

[empireofmymind]

Mm.

[The smile becomes a grin.]

You know...I've been here over a month and I still haven't met your Pokémon. Or had a chance to practice soccer.

You might almost beat me, in this condition.

[noodlegoggles]

[he blinks.] Oh? You haven't? Well you can meet the ones I have in my party! [he looks around] Well only some of them... Noodle and Pretz might be too big for this place... I dunno...

[and with that he releases Curry the Infernape, Mint the Larvitar, and Mochi the Ekans. Sentai the Scraggy is already out and... dropping his skin flap, oh joy.]

[empireofmymind]

[Ken looks around at the wide array, clearly impressed or at least not put off by Sentai; Joltik returns to his shoulder and attempts to hide in Ken's collar from the sudden influx of other Pokémon.]

You've raised this many...well, it's been a year...

[He smiles at Mint and kneels down to say hello.]

Strange...I ordered one of these Pokémon myself.