route_1065 | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Who: Mamoru Takatori (

deadfreesia), Ken Hidaka (

usedfuryswipes), and Youji Kudou (

coolest_cat)
Where: Middle of Route 29
When: Just after Mamoru's arrival
Summary: Picking up a friend!
Rating: Ken has a foul mouth. :< PG.

If there was one thing Ken was glad for, it was that Mamoru had decided to make his grand entrance when the weather wasn't completely shit. Ratty and Omi were chasing each other through the grass, around tree trunks, and generally acting like idiots, which was fine with Ken, as long as they weren't slowing him and Youji down.

Youji was doing a good enough job of that all on his own.

"Oi, if you wanted to stay in Cherrygrove, you bloody well should've done," Ken barked, annoyed at the obnoxiously slow pace Youji insisted on keeping. "None of us are getting any younger."

Ken had to admit, he was so impatient because he was excited to see Mamoru. A little hesitant, but still--Mamoru was his friend, and one he could talk to without fearing he'd let something slip that he shouldn't. Mostly.

Youji seemed to be doing his damndest to slow them down, though. First he'd been ridiculous about waking up in the morning, only capitulating when Ken threatened to leave his ass behind. And now he seemed to be perfectly content to take his sweet-ass time.

Ergh. Ken was about ready to punch him. Or he would be, if he didn't think Darling would bury him in snow for it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Mamoru was still not quite sure what to make of this hyperactive egg on feet. It never shut up. It always wanted to play. It was curious about everything. It kept trying to wander off the trail to explore, which was only causing further delays. And it really really really did not want to go into its Pokéball.

The end result was a very happy Togepi swaying its arms from side to side to the tune of its own trills while a far less happy Mamoru carried it and tried not to think about how long it was going to take Youji to stop teasing him after he bore witness to this indignity.

And speak of the devil. Mamoru could already see his two old friends in the ever-closing distance. He could already hear their bantering to each other like it had yet to stop from their conversation the day before.

And they, without his needing to utter a single word, could no doubt already hear him.

Youji, with a newly-hatched Glameow sleeping on his shoulder, merely tipped his hat (http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/File:DPGambler.png).

"And miss this thrilling scenery that I've already passed through once?" he asked innocently, the gleam in his eyes indicating that he knew damn well this was Ken's fourth time traveling between New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City--his fifth once they collected Mamoru and turned around. Which Youji was still rather reluctant to think, because Omi was Omi, and had never struck him as a Mamoru. Certainly not a Takatori, but, he supposed, six years was a long time and it was perfectly reasonable to assume that the quiet sadness he'd displayed during the initial call wasn't an indication that he was absolutely miserable from the choice.

Perfectly reasonable, but Youji had an instinct for people, a talent for noticing things that didn't fit, and he liked to think he'd known Omi well once upon a time. Wasn't too fond of the fact that he'd been thinking in the past tense like that for the past twenty-four hours, but when even someone as informal and genial as Ken wasn't calling him 'Omi,' well, the prospects weren't good.

"Cold not good for your joints, old man?" Youji continued, mainly because the sound of both his voice and Ken's irritation were infinitely preferable to his thoughts, the infernal music cue, the chirping of a multicolored egg mutant--

Too bad Ken was here, Youji reflected; he'd already used a 'please tell me you brought secretaries' joke on him. Especially since Mamoru looked like a man who would be employing a secretary or two, and likely paying them well. "Private investigator" was the kind of career where a collared shirt and tie were considered good investments and he still indulged classier dates with a sports coat, but he'd never equated that kind of neat sleekness with Omi's mud-stained apron and backwards baseball caps.

He looked like a serious, well-groomed young tycoon; like those well-paid secretaries would be hiking up their skirts if they could get away with it, and not necessarily because they were unhappy with their positions.

Omi looked grown-up, and if seeing Ken grown-up was strange to Youji, seeing Omi likewise verged on disturbing. While Youji hesitated to apply words like 'sweet' and 'inexperienced' to anyone capable of planning a murder as precisely and dispassionately as one might a five-course banquet, Omi still tended to project a good facsimile thereof.

No longer, clearly, and while this bothered Youji in ways that another man might have described as 'saddening' or 'regretful,' there was a faint bit of hope. If that deep sense of annoyance ever morphed into a frustrated pout (and Youji would be watching like a hawk to check if it did), he'd consider Mamoru less a lost cause and more an aberrational divergence.

Darling was already toddling over and calling greetings to the clearly thrilled Togepi. Greetings that the other Pokemon might have understood as "Whatever that tall guy says, please don't pay attention."

Youji waved, carefully so as not to disturb the baby Glameow, and grinned.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself as much as we are."

Edited 2011-03-21 08:50 (UTC)

Ken rolled his eyes as Ratty chirruped and clambered his way up to his favorite spot on Ken's shoulder, Omi the Sentret short behind him--thankfully the latter stayed on the ground, cautiously watching from a vantage point well behind Ken's legs. He was reconsidering the nickname already, wondering how Mamoru would react to his smallish namesake.

"It's a damn party with this guy, as always," Ken grumbled, watching Youji just as he was watching Mamoru. Ken already knew the story there, he just wanted to see how Youji reacted to it.

"Long time no see, mate. How'd the road treat you?"

Togepi was already the king of the world riding in Mamoru's arms. He'd been sure for the entire trip that there was no way it could be more wonderful.

Togepi was wrong. Oh how he was wrong. Not one, not two, three new friends approaching from down the path. Togepi looked. He saw. The dancing and singing became cries of delight and outstretched arms flailing for him to be let down so he could meet these other Pokémon properly.

Mamoru didn't let him down immediately. He came to a stop and gazed at his old friends with several meters still standing between them. He wore no smile, but he did carry in his eyes a certain wonder and wistfulness.

Togepi stilled for a moment and looked up at Mamoru as though realizing for the first time he did not share the same high-energy euphoria. Mamoru seemed to notice, because just a moment later he smiled and set Togepi down.

The blunt answer to Youji would have been that he could not possibly be serious (but then, Youji rarely was). The blunt answer to Ken would have been that it had been a long day. Mamoru held himself to slightly higher diplomacy than that on both counts.

Instead, he simply said, "Well. It's been worth it, in any case. It's nice to see you again, Ken-kun... Youji-kun."

"'Worth it?' 'Nice to see us?' Is that all?" Quit talking like I'm your grandmother, for heaven's sake. "Give us a little color, a little substance. Anyone beg you to take their phone number yet? It's always interesting trying to think of new excuses to say 'no' when they're young enough to be your little sister."

The Glameow yawned at the commotion, and turned wary eyes towards the assembled party. Youji scratched behind her ear, still upbeat, but hoping Mamoru's seriousness would crack already.

"Stop being an ass," Ken sniped. If Youji was Mamoru's grandmother, Ken was the irate housewife of the equation, ready and waiting to whack Youji upside the head with a convenient rolled-up newspaper. "Not everyone's interested in chasing skirt like you."

Honestly, he was too old for this shit.

But he'd had time to get used to the transition from Omi to Mamoru. Now he was used to the latter, where Youji...wasn't. It could be a difficult thing to realize, Ken supposed. But he still thought Youji was smart enough to bloody well catch on.

Youji's rant did not outwardly faze Mamoru. There was no recoil, no blush, no confusion. No irritation, no balk. No amusement. Inwardly, the complaints left him almost feeling shamed. He could tell Youji was disappointed, and that wasn't exactly a pleasant realization. Expected, but not pleasant.

Still, he'd thought it would be nice to meet Youji as he once had been. To meet Youji before he became so desperate, so lost in misery and self-destruction. Of course it was not that simple, but in his imagination, Mamoru had avoided factoring in that young Youji had never dealt with Mamoru. Young Youji was used to Omi, someone Mamoru could not give him.

That he would have to endure some disapproval was only natural. Youji would have to adjust to a new person, quite a different prospect from readjusting to an old one. It was unfortunate, but it was also necessary.

"I'm sorry, Youji-kun. Perhaps you can be colorful enough for both of us."

Togepi was becoming just a bit distressed as he looked from Mamoru to Youji to Ken and back to Mamoru. He did not like this scene brewing around him. With a pitiful cry, he waddled towards Darling; the fellow Pokémon were easily the happiest of the lot.

"And how many times have I told you, I'm not into high school girls? Some of them aren't even that old."

Darling was very receptive to Togepi's plight, but whether this was due to genuine compassion or her own curiosity was questionable. Having never seen one before, he was subjected to a cursory kiss on his face, with Darling careful to avoid the spikes.

She tilted her head, saw nothing strange, and beckoned to Ratty and Omi to come say hello.

Youji, meanwhile, shrugged, and his Glameow dug in her little claws as punishment. "Well, that's no great surprise... it's a burden I've long shouldered for you three, after all. Think we should see if that crazy woman will let us hang around 'til Aya shows up? Not looking forward to making this journey yet again."

"Then don't," Ken said bluntly. Simple answer, really. "Plus the door's always locked and no one answered when I tried knocking, so how do you propose we'd even ask her? Or if she'd even say anything useful."

This was crazy video game world, after all. Ken knew enough about them to know that NPCs only had a few set responses to pretty much anything. If this followed the same crazy logic.

Mamoru dropped his gaze to the Pokémon congregating between them. That Youji's wasted no time in planting a smooch on Togepi's face took him aback. Togepi didn't seem to mind it, since he chirped and waved to the others. Even so, Mamoru had to marvel at the gesture. Nice to see that at least one of them had such a personality-appropriate Pokémon.

"I have some business in Cherrygrove City this weekend. If you're traveling back to New Bark Town to wait for Aya-kun, I'm afraid I can't join you."

Edited 2011-03-24 09:33 (UTC)

"Well, there's really no point when you phrase it like that," he muttered, in response to Ken. Slid out a cigarette, lit it, and smoked thoughtfully. Wondered when things had gotten to be so serious for these two. Certainly he didn't view life as a comedy routine, but there were limits to what a man could take before he had to resort to the bottle.

This more than anything was bringing home the idea that treating his friends as he was accustomed to simply wasn't going to work. Disappointing. Confusing, too, but, Youji supposed, that was the risk you took when cosmic fate decided you needed to cozy up with friends that many years into the future.

Youji rolled his shoulders back, earning himself a dark look and another few claw marks from his Glameow. Still a bit disturbed by these changes, and not at all liking them, he had to be fair to Mamoru and Ken. What would Asuka think of him, if she came here and found out he'd ended up a hired killer--and that was a bad train of thought, he realized, as he barely kept from laughing. Clearly she hadn't been impressed at all; she was probably better at it than he was.

Nothing to be done. The future was the future, the past was the past, and there was nothing to be done for Mamoru's self-importance or the insanity Ken talked of.

Well, one thing still hadn't changed--Ken spared an exasperated look for the whole cigarette business. But he went no farther--for dealing with all this, he supposed he could let Youji smoke without complaining about it for once.

"Yeah, well, the bird's crazy anyway." What help would she be?

"Let's just head back, and we can take whatever else as it comes. Were you thinking you'd stay in Cherrygrove a while, or just move on?" The last question was directed at Mamoru, though he also spared a glance at Youji, wondering what he thought to do.

Mamoru began walking again, passing the Pokémon to join Ken and Youji. "I've promised a girl lessons in creating filters for the PGC. Unless there's a major development, I should stay to finish them. I'm uncertain how many she'll need.

"I don't want to hold back you and Youji-kun. If you need to move on, I'll catch up when I can."

"Not really much to hold back," Youji interjected. "We're really just going day by day, it seems, and while Ken's team can handle most anything thrown at them, mine is woefully inadequa--Momoe, quit that."

This time, Youji winced at the baby Glameow, who purrs innocently. Oh so innocently. Even if she did just sink her claws into his shoulder for the third time in an hour, clearly her master deserved it.

Almost nose to nose with her, Youji went on a different tack. Okay. Judging by the huffy look Darling was turning on him, his girls did not appreciate that. Dammit, this would mean work and effort, wouldn't it...

"Not wasting any time, are you," he went ahead, changing the subject and glancing at Mamoru. "There's more hope for you than for Ken, then."

Slight, if obnoxious, smile directed at Ken. "I don't have anything I want to do," he said, ignoring Darling's highly affronted look. "I'm not important enough to have a date as soon as I get here. What about you?"

"Sod off, Youji," Ken snorted. "If you want to go on, be my guest. You don't have to stick around."

He really would appreciate it, though, despite his tough talk. So don't go anywhere, please.

"I've been here since December, and haven't gone any farther than Cherrygrove. I think you're probably the last person that'd be holding me back, Mamoru."

Mamoru ignored Youji's rib. He really should have had the foresight to simply say someone rather than a girl, shouldn't he? Instead, Mamoru looked wistfully to the Glameow on Youji's shoulder.

"Momoe..."

Mamoru smiled. He liked that name choice quite a lot.

"Is that so? Then, I'd like to be able to stay in your company. Let's wait for him together, yeah? In Cherrygrove City, for Aya-kun."

"And once we find Aya, what, we'll be off to the see the wizard? The roads aren't paved, let alone with yellow brick." He scratched Momoe under her chin absently, trying not to acknowledge Mamoru's brief show of nostalgia. Didn't seem right, and Youji, however much to the contrary the truth was, especially didn't feel like acknowledging his own sentimentality.

"No one is going to kick you out," Youji said good-naturedly, "certainly not me. Ken, maybe, but he's better at all those housewifely things than I am, so I suppose we can keep him for a bit, too."

"If I kick anyone out, Kudou, it's gonna be you." Except Ken is all bluster and no bite, he wouldn't do anything of the sort. "And if you call me a housewife one more time, you can bloody well eat ramen for the next three months for all I care."

Isn't it just like old times, Mamoru? Youji being all...Youji, and Ken being all bitchy about it?

Yes, it really was almost like old times. Part of Mamoru was happy for it; another part was pained. This world might be real, after all, but it wasn't reality. Youji would get older. He would lose himself, turn on them all, and finally cease to exist as more than a ghost. This familiarity, this reunion, it was all an illusion at its core, wasn't it? A coerced detour into a past that should never have been revisited in the first place.

But what choice was there? His grandfather and family assets were not here to protect. Nagi and Rex were not here either. He had no weapons for defending himself-- only a baby Pokémon that was yet to demonstrate anything resembling competence in a battle. Before he could advance at all, he would have to have money and he would have to have stronger Pokémon. Until then, this was the only place for him to be.

Mamoru had missed Ken and Youji considerably. There was genuine gratitude in his heart to be able to see them again, and to be welcome in their company. Mamoru thought, if life really worked this way, it would be nice to stay with them here forever. If responsibilities really could disappear, and history really could be undone, the past preserved in a former state. It was a nice dream, even without the yellow brick road.

"We'll figure something out. Let's just focus on going back to Cherrygrove for now. Togepi?"

Mamoru checked over his shoulder. At the call of his name, Togepi looked up and started running for Mamoru.

"Toge-toge!"

He picked up the baby Pokémon and ignored his joyous "Prrrrrriii!" and ecstatically flailing limbs. He turned an expression much softer from the one he'd been first seen with to Ken and Youji.

"Energetic, isn't he? Shall we go?"

The warmth of their company through the knowledge they would someday have to part again... It was painful, yes. But it was a pain he would have to bear. The least he could do for them was to bear it with a smile.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only