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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 27, 2018 2:38:31 GMT
" Alright so first I need to say don't freak out" Donovan hoped she would just recognize his voice right away " I'm fine. I'm in the Pokemon center right now. I know it's hard to believe, but I didn't know how long it had been. I called the minute I found out. I'm sorry for worrying you" He wanted to stop, to think more before talking. Well really he wanted to break down and cry, to tell her everything that he was going through. But he didn't give her a chance " I'll make sure to call more often. But something like this might happen again. I've been doing some research and i guess it's had some.....some weird side effects. I'm fine though. I'm better than I ever have been" That was the biggest lie he had ever told her. But he didn't want to make her worry. 22 to sound convincing
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 27, 2018 3:34:05 GMT
Mica
The older man takes a little bit of prodding before he wakes up, and it takes him another minute to realize the shape in between him and the TV. When he does, he fumbles for the remote to mute the movie on, and focuses on Mica. "Millie?" he asks. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you safe. You gave your grandmother such a fright. We thought you might have fallen into the bay, or something... but I had hope. You're a strong girl, so I knew you'd make it back." He gives a smile, before slowly getting out of his recliner to give her a hug. "And I see you've made a friend along the way." He reaches over to give Ham a pat on the head. "Did he take care of you while you were gone?"
Donovan
There's a moment of silence on the other line, as Grace's tired brain probably takes a moment to process things. "Donovan?!?" comes the reaction at last, "What... I... where have you been? Why haven't you contacted us? We've been worried sick, and we thought you were dead and..." the sounds of a deep breath can be heard from the other end of the line. "I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't yell at you." She's a little bit calmer now, though there's some wavering in her voice. "I get it... that there are things that you've probably been doing that you don't want to talk about. It... should have been expected, given your age. And given that you were really going off truly on your own and discovering yourself for the first time. Just know, that, whatever your choices in life are, we'll always love you, and support you. Okay? And if you need to talk about anything, we're here." She's silent for a moment. "Your dad's out getting groceries right now, but... if you could call a little bit later, that would mean a lot. He's not been doing so well ever since you and that girl went missing. He feels like it was something he said, or did, so... if you could just talk to him?"
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Post by Robot on Dec 27, 2018 17:47:12 GMT
"Ham and I only just met Grandpa, but he is such a good boy. He helps me find patience when I can't, and he is relaxed no matter how stressful things get. More people should be like him." Mica plucked another ball from her belt and released Dusty. "You probably recognize this one... Sitting on my bed perfectly still whenever you or Gram came in. I've gotten two badges and made so many friends... There is so much to talk about... Good and bad, but I don't know if I have enough time."
Picking up the antlion Pokemon, she hugged Dusty's big head against her belly. "I still haven't met anyone else that is really like me, but I have come close a few times."
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 28, 2018 4:28:03 GMT
Donovan went beet red for a moment, thankful his mom couldn't see him "No no, it's not what you're thinking. Mica and I are just friends. And uh...well we're going through something right now, but we'll get it all sorted soon enough. I can't really explain it in a way that makes sense, but let's just say that when all is said and done, I should have a glowing recommendation in my resume from a regional professor. And yeah, I'll call back in like an hour and talk to dad."
He goes silent for a moment "I really didn't mean to worry you guys. Time just moves differently there I think" He had come to one of two realizations. Either releasing the Electric energy back into the world had somehow moved it forward in time. Or, more likely, Time moved differently inside of some of the Temples. Thinking back, there were a few times where once he left, it felt like no time had passed. It made sense that sometimes the opposite was true as well. Which also meant that if he could figure out if time moved faster or slower inside of a given Temple, he could use that to his advantage. If it went slower, he and Mica could study or train for extended periods of time and not have to worry about Axiom moving ahead of them. He just needed to learn their Moon Cycles.
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 28, 2018 5:10:51 GMT
Mica
"Ah, yes," her grandfather laughs, "that one. I don't know if your grandmother ever really realized, but he was well-enough behaved that I didn't say anything. You should be glad you didn't manage to fully hide him, because otherwise they'd have probably taken him away on the ship. I had to make sure to fill out all the paperwork for the little scamp ahead of time, as a registered 'mon. Still took me a few days to realize the very first time he showed up." He chuckles again. "You did good taking care of him all on your own, though. Showed some responsibility. I kept waiting for you to get in over your head, and... well, whenever that looked like it might happen, you persevered. I can say now, I'm really proud of you for all of that."
"And... don't worry about talking right now," he says. "You're safe, you're here. That's what matters. I'm sure you just want to take some time and rest. We can catch up tomorrow."
Donovan
"Alright..." Grace says. "Even if you're in a dark place, and need help, let me know. It might seem hard to turn to others for help... but I'll be there to try and support you if I can. I've had friends walk what's probably the same path." She sighs. "Just... stay safe, okay? I'm glad that it sounds like you're in contact with professionals. That's a good thing to hear, and a good step. Especially if it helps for the future. Just... do be on the lookout. There was that professor that was supposedly kidnapped, apparently sometime before you disappeared. Nobody's seen or heard from her since. I don't want to have you suddenly vanish again."
"And, alright," she says. "I'll let him know when you'll call, whenever he gets back. I love you."
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Dec 28, 2018 10:19:11 GMT
"You knew?!" Mica stared at her Grandfather with wide-eyed open mouthed bewilderment. She wasn't the most clever girl often, but having it laid out for her that he had let her keep Dusty all these years made her heart feel funny. A fluttering and a lightness, lending a sparkle to her eyes and color to her cheeks as she plopped Dusty down and held her grandfather.
The antlion crept along the floor until her grandmother entered the room, and then froze in place. "I took up martial arts too, Pappy, my teacher explained stuff like discipline and we had a nice girl's day out together. I should probably call her too while I am here, but it can wait. I missed you both a whole bunch."
Ham watched Mica's grandmother with passive interest as she went about her business.
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 29, 2018 2:34:27 GMT
Donovan just nodded, even though his mom couldn't see him "Love you too. Talk to you soon"
He could go back to Mica's grandparents, but he didn't really want to try to walk through that minefield just yet, not when he still had to deal with his dad. He had felt bad enough when he saw him again...well month ago now. But knowing his father was blaming himself caused his stomach to feel like it was imploding.
He curled up in a chair and did his best to look through major headlines of the last six months, seeing if anything big had happened while they were gone.
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 29, 2018 2:50:32 GMT
Mica
"Millie," her grandfather says, laughing, "I raised five children. They went through everything in the book long before you came alone. I must say, though, I appreciated your choice more than one of your uncles'... he tried to hide a Charmander under his bed." He shakes his head, sighing and grinning. "I'm glad that we didn't go out that day..."
Mica's grandmother returns with a cup of hot cocoa set on a plate, including some marshmallows on the side so that they wouldn't melt too much before they got to her. "Oh, that's interesting... it sounds like you had fun with that."
"I'm just surprised that you enjoyed learning about discipline," her grandfather chuckles, "You've always been a free spirit at heart. I'm glad you've been enjoying yourself, at least."
Donovan
There didn't seem to be too many stories of relevance from the last six months. Several mentions of the professor disappearing, some mentioning kidnapping and to be on the lookout in case you see anything that might help. None seem to mention Axiom at all, and there doesn't seem to be any relating to her, either. Polaris, too, hasn't seemed to have a mention at all recently.
Eventually, the hour passes, and it's time to call. The phone answers on the first ring, as though the person on the other end was standing right next to it. "Donovan?" comes the tense voice of his father from the other end, "Is that you?"
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Post by Robot on Dec 29, 2018 6:47:06 GMT
Mica accepted the cocoa and took a seat, putting a few of the marshmallows into the drink and offering the last to Ham, who put her entire hand in his mouth to get at it and held it there for a moment before he seemed to realize he had gotten what she offered. Scrubbing her hand off on her pants, she looked into the drink between sips.
"Things were starting to get really stressful, and they still are. I needed to know that I could be focused and determined when Donovan needed me. It is hard for him to take things as they come, and I just try not to think about them too much." They wouldn't understand all the talk of the temples, and any mention of Polaris would bring up memories of Mom and Dad. She didn't want either of those things. "We've been collecting these." She set her small gathering of plates out on the coffee table.
"They are important to the temples, and a big part of history. It's fate of the world kind of stuff." That out of the way, she took to introducing each of her partners to her grandparents, minus cuddles (she was still too scratchy), and described the rest over cocoa.
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 30, 2018 19:32:43 GMT
"Hey Dad" Donovan says hesitantly "Mom said something that has me a little worried. You're not blaming yourself for me disappearing right? I just ended up somewhere without a signal and lost track of time. Vesperia isn't like Sinnoh, once you leave town it's awful reception and you can't call anyone."
He tries to laugh a little to lighten the mood "But I'm fine. Finally found a way past the Bay of Lightning, even caught a really rare Pokemon and scared off some poachers. I'm doing big things out here Dad. I can't really explain them, but they're big. I'm making the world a better place. I promise"
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 30, 2018 21:53:47 GMT
Mica
"I'd love to say that I understand any of this," her grandfather says, "but, I'm sorry, I just... really don't. It sounds like you've found something that means a lot to you, and people and Pokémon to share it with. So, that's the important part."
"Just let us know if there's anything that you need help with," her grandmother adds, "alright? I'd rather you just come and ask for something, even if you think we might not understand, or say no, or something, rather than disappear and do things on your own again. I know you're all about doing things by yourself... but sometimes you just need to ask."
Donovan
"I... I see," his dad says, sounding a little bit relieved. "I'm glad that it was all just a misunderstanding, and that you're safe now. It might be a good idea to buy some maps and stuff, in that case. It's good to hear that you're doing something important, though. You always did dream big."
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Post by Breakthelevee on Jan 2, 2019 4:41:31 GMT
Donovan forced a laugh "Yeah. I'll have to get one of those old school paper maps. I didn't realize just how much I would be roughing it out here. I do have two badges to show for it! I had kind of expected to have more when six months had went by, but still, it's a start"
He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to hang up on his parents just yet. His stomach rolled in place and he felt so awful for scaring them, and felt even worse knowing it would happen again most likely "I should go. I sort of ran away to a phone to call you guys as soon as I heard you were worried but now I'm afraid I might have some other people worried. I love you Dad. Could you put Mom back on so I can tell her too?"
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Post by Robot on Jan 2, 2019 21:53:20 GMT
Asking them for help would probably mean a lot right now, even if she didn't really need it, Mica thought. Donovan was always doing little gestures like that for people as they went on their journey together. "Well... some supplies couldn't hurt I guess, and Donovan and I could probably use a break from all of this. Having six months just... slip away from you like that is kinda worrying, you know?" Mica parsed thoughtfully. "Do... either of you know of any places in Vesperia we can go, to learn about it's history? I feel like that might be really important."
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 2, 2019 23:18:52 GMT
Mica
"Well, you can rummage through the cupboards and stuff," her grandmother says. "Take or borrow what you need, just make sure you let us know what you're taking first, so that I can write down if I need to pick up more when I go shopping again."
"I don't know what kind of history there is to this place, really, besides it being all fairly recent," her grandfather says, "but maybe, like, one of the bigger cities has a museum or something? I don't know. We came out here to get away from it all." He chuckles. "So, anywhere-but-here is probably a good bet."
Donovan
"Two badges? Well, that's still very impressive," his dad says. "And... I understand. If you have obligations, you should go and meet them. Thank you, for at least taking the time to let us know that you're okay. And I'll do that." There's a few moments of silence, before the voice of his mother comes back on the line. "There was something you wanted to tell me?" she asks.
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Post by Breakthelevee on Jan 3, 2019 3:13:23 GMT
"I love you Mom" Were the first words out of Donovans mouth as he almost chocked back tears "Can you please make sure Dad is alright while I'm gone? I was worried about him when I saw him last. Make sure he's getting sleep and eating. I know he always worried about you, and now I'm worrying him too. So just...Make sure he knows that you love him and I love him and I'll be home one day and I'll have figured out what I'm gonna do with my life and then I won't be too far away" Tears had begun to stream down his face as he continued "But I have to go now. I'll make sure to call every time we reach a new town. I love you both"
Once he hung up, Donovan took a few moments to collect himself before heading back to Mica and her grandparents. Unlike on his way to the Center, he walked much more slowly.
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Post by Robot on Jan 3, 2019 13:11:55 GMT
"...Thanks Gram, Gramps." Mica hugged the pair close, long since done with her cocoa, Ham waddling in to join in the moment whether his presence was wanted or not. "I really wish there was a way to show everyone the truth of what Donovan and I are up to. Words don't do it justice, and it's really frustrating feeling like... nobody's on our side because they understand, they're just on our side cause it's us." A pause as if something caught her attention from some far corner of her mind.
"Has there been any talk of a League Gym going up in Hrimilik?"
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 3, 2019 18:45:42 GMT
Mica
"No, why do you ask?" Her grandmother asks, confused. "I know that there was apparently talk of it before we even came here, but there was an abject refusal of the idea, and it's not been brought up since. People up here are happy to be on their own."
Donovan
"Alright, I'll do what I can," she says. "Just... please, stay safe, alright? Love you."
The night sky out is brisk and cool... warm clothes would probably be a good idea to pick up if they want to keep travelling.
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Post by Breakthelevee on Jan 5, 2019 3:04:58 GMT
Donovan considered buying both Mica and himself some wintery clothing before realizing he had no idea what size to buy her....or himself really. His clothing was beginning to bag a bit. It turned out travelling across the region and eating as little as they had been was a great way to lose some weight. He made a mental note to buy some new clothes when they next reached a major city. He didn't really expect to find much here.
By the time he snapped back to reality, he was in front of Mica's Grandparents place. He froze for a minute, not sure if he should go back just yet..
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Post by Robot on Jan 5, 2019 4:08:03 GMT
"Donovan and I... Might have been directly responsible for preventing a bombing at the last gym we ended up challenging. It uh... It was Polaris." She admitted awkwardly at last. Omission was one thing, but it was a directed question! She couldn't just lie to her Gram Gram and her Grand Gramps! Mica held up her hands in a halting motion.
"Aah... Don't worry we had everything under control, she was by herself!" Most of this was lost, as if on cue, Mica's verbal stutter elicited the loudest yell Ham had managed to date, setting curtains to billowing and hair out of sorts.
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 5, 2019 4:26:00 GMT
Mica
Mica's grandparents look at each other wordlessly, before looking back at Mica. Her grandfather hesitates, before saying, "Now, that's very brave, and admirable, and I'm glad you came out of it okay... but, please, in the future, just... leave it to the professionals. Okay? We don't want you getting hurt. That's all very dangerous."
Donovan
There's a loud Quagsire-esque scream that emerges from the house.
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