Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did

[inblood]

[It's been a few days since the...incident with Kumagawa. Thanks to Sei things turned out better than they could have, but it still isn't something Touya could just recover from. He's spent these last few days in his room, avoiding contact with others as much as possible, not eating or talking, barely even responding to anything. Today, Audi finally kicked him out of the room to  eat something.

Flatmates can find him poking about for food and making a small and simple snack. He still isn't very hungry, but health is important.

Later on, he ventures out to the streets. With the seal back in its proper place, Bouffalant wasn't really conscious enough to follow Touya, so now Touya's out looking for the buffafro that's been meandering through the streets for days. They'll find eachother eventually, they always do.

Finally, after he's found his buffalo, Touya can be found in a park or other relatively peaceful part of London. He's sitting with his eyes closed, back against the large Pokemon, just listening to everything around him. His head's been ringing ever since that event, maybe if he focuses and listens he can find the cause. He's still too jittery for this to look like meditation though.]

Comments

[hairpine]

Ah, I suppose that is a start... Kumagawa has traded his previous ability for another, so it's unlikely that he could help you understand Them better than you do currently. My apologies.

-- Ah, but Mr Liam...

[She just sort of allows herself to trail off. She doesn't really want to talk about him, not until she's sure everything's all right -- but Touya can get the general idea of their relationship from the slight pink rising in her cheeks (it's just the cold :T).]

[inblood]

[See, he might comment on that blush ad this "Mr. Liam" person, but he's totally socially inept and doesn't really read that flushing and slight shift in the rhythm of your heartbeat. He just kind of lets it slip by.]

I'm...not sure I want to. Y-You said you've never been lonely because of Them, but me...I-I've never known what it's like to n-not be lonely. A-And I'm not sure they'd f-fix that, they might just...y-you know, make things worse.

[hairpine]

[GOOD. :E

Because she tries her damnedest to control it anyway.]

Ah, I misspoke. I was lonely for quite some time -- even hearing Their voices, I could think of them only as a burden. At the time that I met Kumagawa, I had only a single friend -- but, then he assisted me in understanding Them. He then became my friend as well!

[inblood]

[Someday he will be able to social! But that day is not anytime soon.]

I'd...say you're doing better than me, in that case. [There's a bitter smile. Oh-so-very-bitter.] I've made...three friends, but..I haven't seen the first two n a long tie and wouldn't be surprised if they've forgotten me, a-and I'm not sure the other one considers me a friend anymore. [In his experience? Going Berserk like he did always drives people away.]

[hairpine]

They haven't forgotten you! You must be more optimistic, Sir!

[inblood]

H-Ha... It's been ten years since I last saw them, a-and I wasn't really a...good influence. A-And even if they do remember me, there's...there's a good chance they think I'm dead.

[Cheren and Bianca... Cheren very well may have given up on him, he was like that, and while Bianca never would intentionally...she's kind of dumb and ditzy. It finally occurs to him he hasn't introduced himself.]

O-Oh, you...don't need to call me "sir". My name is Touya.

[hairpine]

And so they would be pleased to discover such is not the case.

[inblood]

One of them would be happy to know I'm alive even if I was a total stranger, or an enemy. She's...like that. The other...it wouldn't be too out of his character to have given up on me.

[hairpine]

He hasn't.

-- Ah! But my name is Elaine.

[inblood]

No way to know that for sure.

It's...nice to meet you, then, Elaine. [Even if you made his ears bleed and they're still kind of leaking blood a little. Still nice!]

[hairpine]

My word is absolute. He is still waiting for you to return!

Of course! It is a pleasure to meet you as well!

[She really is sorry about that though.

Less than she should be, but beggars can't be choosers.]

[inblood]

[At that he lets out an unhappy laugh.] Last time I saw him, he was telling me to leave and never return. To just...keep running and never even look back.

[He never really expects anyone to be sorry for anything, by this point.]

[hairpine]

In that case, he will be the one to find you. Even now, I can say with certainty he is wishing for your happiness!

[inblood]

Maybe someday. I won't hold my breath.

[hairpine]

Mr Touya, you are so fearfully pessimistic! It won't do at all to maintain such an outlook!

[inblood]

I guess I'm just...used to getting the short end of the stick. Positive thinking doesn't really...change any outcomes, anyway.

[hairpine]

Yes, I do believe that I see why he chose to befriend you.

[inblood]

...Huh? [Kind of a nonsequitur there.] How do you mean?

[hairpine]

You truly are very...

[Mmmn. Crossing her arms, deep in thought for a moment -]

... like us. Yes.

[inblood]

[...Not sure if that's a good thing, really. But there's only one word that comes to mind for it.]

"Outcasts"?

1/2

[hairpine]

...

[She takes a deep breath, and frowns. It's the sort of breath you take in -- the sort of expression you make -- when you're attempting to hold yourself back. He doesn't mean anything by it. It's okay.

It's such a nasty little word, but it's better than "monster," right?]

[hairpine]

[Right.]

"Us".

[inblood]

[He lays back against his buffalo then, staring up at the sky.]

Then...I guess we are the same. [He can't count the number of times he's been called that particular word. It's why he chose the less unpleasant term. Because they aren't monsters, they're just...the people cast out from society. Right?]

[hairpine]

[No, they're all monsters. Sorry, kid. An actual Minus and a Humanoid Abomination and an aspect of a Great Old One. We seem like we're pretty fond of using the word, so let's just say 'Minus.' Such an ugly, unpleasant little word. Reeks of incapability and impossibility and all of those other negative prefixes, right?

Negative. Let's focus on that one. You can't get 1 from 0 no matter how many times you multiply, but if you multiply a positive number by -1 or -2 or so on, that negativity just grows deeper and deeper. It gets worse, if you will.

Unless you multiply it by another negative. -1 times -1 equals 1.

So they're friends. Even if Kumagawa's too much of a baby to admit it unless you yell at him.]

Do you understand now, Mr Touya? Kumagawa's only wish was to be understood by you, and to understand you. What he saw in you was your similarity to us! You have nothing to fear.

[Which may not be all that comforting coming from her.]

[inblood]

[Friendship math isn't something Touya is really familiar with...or friendship anything for that matter.]

Huh...I don't know how he saw anything. I'd never seen him before then. I guess...some people are just like that?

[It really isn't very comforting, and kind of reminds him of N's little chats. Those were never comfortable, even if they made sense.]