It&#39;s so crowded in here

It was, so far, a good day; it was, so far, a good trip. Though Clarence had gone by boat from Alola to Unova, it was the first time he'd gone from Unova to Alola by sea. Since he was traveling with two ghost-types without pokeballs, sea had been the only option (for safety's sake; ghost-types often affected nearby electronics, even on accident) but the S.S. Anne was an exceptionally comfortable craft, and they'd had a nice time... and time to make some progress in proving to Noemi's friend neither she nor he would be caught.

Now they were walking the edge of Paniola Town, an odd little quartet to anyone who didn't notice how Clarence's shadow shifted independently of the light. One young man with glasses, hair that could be cut, and a light windbreaker on but open, a small sheet ghost, a yamask, and an uneasy phantump hovering over his shoulders. "I think we're getting close. It's---oh, that white house with the enormous bushes in front. That's it! Who wants to knock?"

From:

Noemi made a happy sound and cried out "me" despite knowing Clarence wouldn't understand her word, but would understand her meaning. If nothing else it should be obvious as she darted off ahead of them towards the front door, her speed urging everyone to hurry up.

The phantump did! Not wanting to be far from his friend he let out an almost dismayed sound between a warble and a chirp and rushed after Noemi. She did slow for him, turning back and waiting for him to catch up before continuing on, if only a little slower than before.

She'll not really wait, knowing Clarence isn't far behind. Instead she'll stop at the door and give it a knock as soon as she reaches it.

From:

Inside, Trevor is just coming from the washroom as there's a knock on the door. Pausing in his return to the living room, he looks at the door and raises an eyebrow at it. He knows answering the door is the normal and the polite thing to do, but it isn't his door or his house, and the chances of it being anyone for him are non-existent.

The moment of uncertainty passes quickly enough though. Things here, in this world, have proven to be much more friendly and kind than back home. A knock on the door here likely just as friendly and no doubt innocent in nature.

Reaching forward he opens the door, "Uh... Hullo...?" Seeing two Pokemon at the door, Trevor raises other eyebrow. Knowing that he likely can't understand them, he takes a step back yells towards the living room, "There are Pokemon at the door..."

From:

Following at a fast walk, Clarence heard whoever it was yell, and raised his voice to answer, "And a person, on their tails!"

Stepping up behind the two, Marley trailing from his shoulder, Clarence gave Trevor a little smile. "Clarence Hawthorn. This is Marley, and this is Noemi, and this is Noemi's friend. I spoke with Zeran earlier... is he about?"

From:

Zeran had gone to the kitchen to get them both drinks while Trevor has stepped away to the washroom, so when Trevor called out about pokemon at the door, Zeran set down the drinks and headed to see. He grinned. "Ah, glad you could make it." He glances at the yamask and phantump. "More stowaways?" The question is asked with a grin, and a hand going to reflexively cup Diana where she was resting in his shirt pocket.

Noemi was thrilled to see new people, and while Trevor appeared confused, he did not appear scared. So she gave him a cheerful greeting, aware her words would not be understood by anyone other than the present pokemon. The phantump just peeked from behind her, studying the two humans.

From:

Trevor had nodded in response to Clarence's question, but Zeran was there before he needed to call out.

"Er... Uh, I'm Trevor," he said in way of greeting and then stepped more out of the way should they wish to enter.

Thankfully none of the arriving Pokemon looked at all like creatures from his world, and Trevor was happy to find that he didn't automatically tense up like he was prone to do in close proximity to new Pokemon. He gave a little wave to Noemi and tilted his head to smile at Noemi's friend. The floating cloth though... He wasn't really sure what to make of that, but somewhat expected it was it's costume. Maybe for the same reason as Jute? Or maybe this Pokemon was just shy like the little one behind Noemi. It didn't really matter to Trevor though and he gave it a nod in greeting.

From:

"No, no, not this time." Zeran's question got a lopsided little grin. "Noemi hasn't had the chance to travel in a long time, so I'd invited her along; her friend would've worried about her, so he's come along as well, being very welcome. They'll be going home to Unova, eventually. I've told them you should be very pleased to meet them and make friends."

Diana gave a little chirp at the touch, wiggling up until she could hook her paws over the edge of the pocket she'd settled in. It was just an acknowledgment to Zeran, though she waved to the new pokemon---one fuzzy little foot protruding from the pocket.

"Thank you; nice to meet you." Stepping inside, Clarence gave Trevor a curious once-over; the little spook above his shoulder waved a corner of its cloth covering in turn. The guess that Marley might be shy seemed more and more likely to be exactly it, as the whyte was ever within arm's reach of Clarence, and very quiet. "I understand you are new to the island, much like Zeran. I hope it's been treating you well...?"

From:

"Hello!," Noemi was clearly pleased to greet Diana. "I'm Noemi, this is my friend, I call him Buddy. What's your name?" Buddy gave Diana a shy wave from behind Noemi, still looking between Trevor and Zeran with clear uncertainty.

Zeran grinned. "I see, well I'm glad to meet you both." He stepped back in silent offer to come in, but seeing as he was also a guest here he'd leave the real invitation to Trevor, unless the man seemed uncertain of what to do.

Buddy just eyed Zeran (and Trevor), but Noemi gave them both another cheery greeting they'd not actually understand.

From:

Trevor nodded in confirmation that he was new to the island and was a faller, much like Zeran. "Erm, yeah. Everyone here has been very friendly. It's warmer here than I'm used to, but that's not really a complaint," he added with a bit of a shrug.

It felt awkward to Trevor for everyone to be standing in the entrance-way. He looked around for Jae or one of her Pokemon for direction, it was their house, but not finding anyone easily accessible he shrugged to himself and then did what he remembered his parents doing when he was a boy.

With an extended arm, he pointed to the living room. "Come in and sit down. Would you like something to drink?"

From:

"It's Diana. You're from far-away, too? What's home like?" To the humans, it would be only so much chittering, but that was a sociable sound; very different from the cheep Zeran knew was a sign of distress.

"Thank you." Inside was... notably cooler than outside, so Clarence kept his coat on. As he passed by Trevor to make for the living room, Trevor would feel the chill that surrounded him; not anything awful, but a sphere of significantly colder air. "Lemonade or the like would be wonderful, please, if you have some or something similar?"

He paused to regard his shadow, his sheet ghost, his two floating Unovan friends. "Anything for you?"

From:

Zeran would jump to Trevor's rescue there. "I was just getting some lemonade for us, I'll pour another glass, or a few more glasses."

"We came from Unova. We live at an abandoned hospital. It's nice to get out, meet others without people immediately being afraid. My buddy here is shy, but was curious enough to join me." Noemi gave her little friend a light bump. Her sounds were more waver-y, not unlike one might think of ghost sounds, with coos, and other airy sounds. At least she hadn't let out a scream like Queenie was wont to do.

Edited Date: 2021-11-05 12:15 am (UTC)

From:

Trevor nodded and smiled to Zeran in thanks.

Then he followed Clarance into the living room. "I uh... I don't mean to be rude, but may I ask a question about the cooler temperature around you?" His tone was curious, back home it would have had him reaching for weapons, knowing it meant a demon was coming, but here... Trevor had no reason to believe it meant the same, but he wanted to know what it meant just the same. Even if it meant his question was rude.

From:

“Thank you very much.” Though he spoke to Zeran, Clarence looked---with some curiousity, and some amusement, but with more affection than anything---to Noemi and her buddy. It was, at times, easy to forget how old they weren't, and then the excitement of ice cream, or a new park to play in, or a line of dancers practicing for the public, or meeting a new and equally-foreign friend eclipsing a question (or: derailing a conversation completely) would remind him. “I'll ask again a little later.”

“Why would people be afraid?” Diana was honestly baffled. “Are they afraid of whatever it was that led to them abandoning the hospital? Does whatever it is just not bother you? She turned to climb entirely out of Zeran's pocket, watching the room through her simple eyes until she reached his shoulder and had a good spot to turn and face forward. “I came here because I was curious. It was a good choice. I hope you feel the same way, soon if not already.”

“Oh? Go ahead.” Tilting his head at Trevor, Clarence smiled and gave a little shrug. “Though, I think I might answer preemptively, if you would be asking about its origin. Part of it comes from my whyte, and part of it comes from my gengar, Moriarty, who is hiding in my shadow and doubtless put out over being unable to surprise anyone now.”

From:

"Oh, I think humans just tend to be afraid of ghost types, but to be fair many ghost types tend to be pretty shy of people too. I definitely have no regrets! I've gotten to do all kinds of things I've not done in forever! It feels good to get out again." Noemi turned to Clarence, realizing she'd missed entirely that he'd addressed her. "Oh, I'm sorry, I missed what you said."

Buddy murmured softly in answer. "He asked if we would like some lemonade too."

"Oh! Yes, that sounds nice!" And now, how to communicate that. Hm...

Zeran glanced down at Clarence's shadow with an amused grin and gave Trevor's shoulder a friendly clap. "It's too bad Jendayi isn't here. She likes to play with Moriarty, it's precious to watch. Anyway, I'll go get some lemonade for everyone, and meet you all in the dining room?"

From:

As the Pokemon communicated with each other, Trevor tracked them but didn't concern himself with the noises beyond paying attention to the tone. As long as their human companions seemed unbothered, he assumed that there was nothing to be concerned with. Finding out that he had totally missed a Pokemon though, one hiding in Clarence's shadow, surprised him.

"Oh uh..." He made a silly face at Clarence's shadow. "Sorry for ruining your surprise, Moriarty..."

"Thanks, Zeran." Trevor said to his friend in sincere appreciation. Then, not knowing if Clarence had been at Jae's before, or if he knew where the dining room was, Trevor pointed his chin towards it. "Can I offer you anything else?" He asked Clarence and the Pokemon.

Edited Date: 2021-11-07 06:08 am (UTC)

From:

“Really? Huh. I wouldn't've guessed that... The humans I've been around don't react to ghost types any more than they react to me. But! It's good that you're having a good time.” Content, Diana settled a little more comfortably, attached as securely as a strip of velcro thanks to her peculiar little paws.

“It's not much of a surprise,” Clarence assured Trevor. “He just likes to sneak around. I've got a champion skulker, though he's aware---and often laments---I'll notice if he slips away. He's my primary heatsink, you see; about a ten-degree drop. But then there's Marley, and the others, and altogether they keep me in my coat.”

Through this explanation, a pair of red eyes (and a telltale crescent of gengar grin) opened in Clarence's shadow... but Moriarty didn't emerge just yet. Clarence paid it no mind, answering Zeran, then Trevor again: “Sounds good. If you've got any apples, I'll beg one off you, but otherwise we ought to be alright. Unless...?” This was directed to Marley, Noemi, and Buddy, in case any of the little ghosts hadn't had the opportunity to catch his attention for whatever it was they wanted.

Edited Date: 2021-11-07 05:55 pm (UTC)

From:

Noemi seemed to give a shrug. "Maybe it's just because of the hospital and that it's abandoned except for the ghost types who've moved in? I don't know, people can be weird though." Says one who used to be human and remembers being human, even if she's not entirely sure how long ago that really was.

Zeran headed off to get those drinks, missing the chance to see Moriarty be his ornery and playful self. Noemi on the other hand turned and laughed at him. "You're just trying to get a reaction from him, aren't you?" Moriarty didn't really need to answer.

She then turned to Clarence and gave him a sound of confirmation: lemonade sounded good!

From:

"That doesn't sound entirely bad," Trevor said to Clarence with amusement, but also a touch of envy. He still hadn't fully adjusted to the heat here and while he was loathed to admit it, he missed the cold from back home. Not that he wanted it cold necessarily, but why couldn't there be a comfortable balance!?

As Trevor noticed the red eyes appear in the darkness, he paled and took a step back. His right hand moved slowly and stealthily to where his whip normally sat on his hip. It was only when his hand came up empty, the whip currently away in the closet with the rest of his belongings, that he realized what he was doing.

If You Lot had been on him, they would have heard the mantra that Trevor had repeated to himself when the first met. Swallowing he forced himself to school his facial features and look away from the Pokemon hiding in Clarence's shadow. "Apples," he said in a mumble and a nod. "I'm sure we have apples. I'll uh... I'll just get those."

It wasn't fear that caused Trevor to ~~flee~~ leave the room. He actually wasn't able to describe what he was feeling, but he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if he'd have had his whip, he would have struck out before he'd even realized the action was taking place. How many times had that quick reaction to red eyes appearing in the dark had save his life. Now he would have caused injury to a playful but otherwise innocent creature. This realization is what caused him to leave the room. Part of him berating himself for the automatic reaction, while another part worried what would happen when he returned home and hesitated.

From:

“Why is it abandoned?” Even as she rode away on her human's shoulder, Diana called back, chirping as loudly as any cricket on Earth.

“Three glasses for my party, please? Do you want a hand?” Being a nice young man, Clarence had to at least offer to help Zeran, and listened for the answer though he answered Trevor in turn. “It really isn't, especially in Alola. I'm from Timero, which is a much cooler region; evergreen trees are as common as the palm trees here, if that helps to give an idea of it. Frequent fogs, though our one coast is very pleasant; warm enough for wading.”

The paling did not go unnoticed; the step back did not go unnoticed; the mumble did not go unnoticed; all went without remark, because Clarence had been travelling with ghost-types too long to do anyone the discourtesy. What he did instead was turn, to look at what it was Moriarty was doing, and offer Trevor a sincere “Thank you. Just one or two, please, he'll take all you have otherwise.”

Still in the shadow and unabashed, Mori answered Noemi with a wink.

“You're terrible,” Clarence told him, tone adding 'not that I'd expect anything else,'

From:

Zeran couldn't help the little flinch at Diana's amazingly loud chirp by his ear, but all he did was give her an amused glance. "It's alright, I've got it," he answered Clarence, already getting out a tray to carry glasses on.

"I don't remember. I know I was a patient there, when I was human, and I know I died there, but the time between that and returning as a yamask is fuzzy. By the time I returned though the place was empty and starting to rot, full of all kinds of other ghost types." Noemi followed the group into the house. She definitely noticed Trevor's reaction to Moriarty, and glanced back at the gengar. "I think you really scared him there." Not just startled, but... truly frightened. The man looked ready to lash out, to defend himself. She went after Trevor, coming up beside him at shoulder level with a soft, comforting sound. If he didn't shy away she'd reach out a hand to softly touch his arm as though trying to comfort him, or reassure him that all was well.

The phantump followed Noemi closely, but remained quiet.

From:

"That sounds closer to my home," Trevor had said to Clarence before he reacted to Moriarty.

"Uh, hullo?" Trevor said to Noemi as she came up to him not unkindly. He didn't shy away from her, but he didn't release the tension he held either, even when she reached out. The comforting sound informed him as to what she wanted though and he shook his head and looked away. "I'm fine. Uh... Thank you."

She deserved an explanation, even though he'd rather just find something to drink and disappear. "Some of you look very similar to things from my world that..." he let his words fade off, hoping she'd understand without him accidentally insulting her. "I know you're not but..." He shrugged. "It's fine. I'm fine."

Looking back, he tilted his head at the phantump and forced what he hoped was a friendly smile at the shy Pokemon and then turned to Noemi. "Can I get either of you an apple as well? Or anything else?"

From:

That flinch prompted a small squeak, Diana turning to plant both front feet against the side of Zeran's neck. One was for stability's sake, but the other rubbed small circles against his skin in an apologetic, comforting gesture. Earnestly contrite despite Zeran only looking amused, the little joltik chose to convey her regret by climbing up Zeran's neck---little grippy feet a go---to his ear, so she could gently scratch at his tragus with the pointed mouthparts her fluff hid, to 'kiss it better' if she could. She froze there at Noemi's answer, and muttered softly to herself; a what? You what? her human couldn't comprehend, even if he caught the tone.

To Noemi (and Clarence, and anyone watching) Moriarty offered a shrug, performing the sort of shadow puppetry gengar were so fond of. Still in the shadow, he was effectively towed along as Clarence meandered towards the living room, hesistant to actually settle before anyone else.

From:

Zeran snickered softly, reaching up to give his fluff bug a light scritch at her "kiss". "Thank you, I'm good. You just startled me." He'd already had drinks pretty close to ready to go, so he just grabbed some more glasses to put on the tray and headed in to join Clarence. Since Trevor has followed, he left the fruit to him.

Noemi still gave Trevor something as close to a smile as she could, giving his arm a little rub. He wasn't fine, Moriarty has scared him, and that was okay. He'd handled the scare well as far as she was concerned. Not that she knew how badly he could have reacted, but still, he didn't just panic or something. She made an affirmative sound when he asked about apples, but it's hard to say if he'll know that's what she means or not. She did finally turn to put an arm around her phantump buddy, comforting him now.

From:

Retrieving two apples for Clarence, although he suspected they were for Moriarty, he held up a third as he looked to Noemi. "I take that as a yes but..." He shrugged. While he knew it wasn't his fault, he truly felt bad that he couldn't understand her better. "Is this what you'd like? And if so, how many would you like? Or if not, can you point or... Actually, if you'd like to help yourself, that might be easier."

He looked over to the phantump and nodded. "That goes for you too."

From: