It&#39;s so crowded in here

When Trevor realized he would not be able to make sense of the noises the Pokemon made when communicating with each other he'd taken to allowing it to become background noise. He paid enough attention to note it was happening and if there was any distress involved but otherwise unless they were trying to get his attention he let it wash over him without reaction.

While that modest handful was a small amount in the numerous types of Pokemon Trevor was aware of, it was more than he had been hoping to hear. He had to remind himself that things were different here, that possibly a soul that failed to move on wasn't due to a traumatic death where the spirit was left tortured and trapped. At least that was why he believed spirits remained back home.

As far as how much he'd like to know... Trevor was far from a scholar or a researcher, but he took his profession seriously enough... Or well, had at one time, but that instinct to know as much as he possibly could was still there. This didn't quite relate to being a monster hunter back home, but maybe it could offer some insights he'd not been able to get otherwise.

Still, he'd learned the hard way not to let people see what mattered to him or who he really was, and that had become part of his personality so he offered a partial shrug in response. "As much as you're interested to share."

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Content with that answer, Diana carried on in the same vein: “Do you get dizzy? The spiritomb we know doesn't, unless in a borrowed body. What about you?” This last, she directed to the phantump.

Clarence set his lemonade aside, crossing his arms. There was nothing combative about the action; he was just making himself comfortable as he observed Noemi, intrigued as he'd never before seen the mannerisms she had in a human form. “You're definitely getting better at balancing. The difference between our conversations now, and the first few we had is a dramatic one.” He gave Trevor a sort of one-shouldered shrug (so as to avoid jostling Marley) Zeran couldn't see, and explained; “I sort of remember those, but they way you'd remember a conversation from a dream; the emotional tone, and the gist of what was said, but I couldn't repeat any of it verbatim---now, or immediately after.”

“It sounds like he's fine? Tell him I'm glad, and just here.” Diana made her way back to Zeran's shoulder as she spoke, not concerned, but not disinterested, either. “Are you only as ticklish as he is, like this? If you weren't balancing, it would be like Clarence said?”

What was said to Clarence, meanwhile, made the young man start and grin; he was pleased, but still looked at Trevor curiously. “Well---we could stay to supper. Should we? I'm asking all assembled,” his hosts, his pokemon, his friends.

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Now that Noemi was possessing Zeran, answering Diana in a separate conversation wasn't going to happen, and she figured it would be rude to answer a question no one else could hear. And so Noemi translated. "Diana was asking me if I get dizzy, now that I'm a yamask. If I do, I've not done anything else that would cause me to be, so... I don't think I get dizzy?"

Buddy was relaxing a bit. He'd drifted out from under the table a little, just a little more into view. He's staying unobtrusive, not looking for attention, just wanting to quietly observe without notice.

Noemi turned inward to Zeran. (Diana wants you to know she's glad you're fine, and she's just here, on your shoulder.)

Zeran couldn't laugh, though the mental impression was there, and his amusement could be felt. (I'm glad she's not worried. I probably should have said something to her before making this offer.)

Out loud, Noemi once again shared Diana's questions with the others. "She asked if I'm only as ticklish as Zeran is when I'm in control. I... think less, actually? I feel what his body feels, but the connection to it is different than if it were my own body. They're just as... strong, I guess you could say, but they register differently? I don't know how to describe it. She also asked if I wasn't balancing if Zeran would remember the experiences as Clarence explained. No, because if I wasn't trying to balance with him, he would be completely unaware until I released him. I don't like just taking over, though, I want to talk to people, so even when I wasn't very good at it I was still trying to balance my hold so Clarence wasn't completely gone. I also didn't want his team worried, and so needed to be able to communicate with him as much as possible."

Noemi’s amusement at Clarence's clear delight at the thought of sharing more about ghost types carried easily to Zeran and Zeran's back to her. It was a pleasant feels loop.

(If you guys want to stay for supper, I'd be more than happy to cook. I do love making good food for people.)

Noemi smiled, not that anyone would be able to see the grin on Zeran's face from behind the mask. "Zeran says if we want to stay for supper, he'd be happy to cook. He loves making good food for people."

Edited Date: 2022-01-13 04:10 am (UTC)

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The way different Pokemon could interact with humans, or those they possessed, intrigued Trevor, and while he didn't take part in the conversation himself, he was listening intently to the discussion. Just because he didn't have in interest in being possessed, didn't mean that he didn't want to know as much as possible about it.

At the suggestion of them staying for supper, caused Trevor to pause. This wasn't his house, although he supposed he was the host at the moment, but more importantly, he really didn't know how to cook. At hearing Zeran offer through Noemi, Trevor nodded and grinned. "Yes. Excellent. You definitely don't want me to do the cooking, but I would be happy to help if I can."

He didn't think Jae would mind, and he'd figure out a way to pay her back for what they used. In his old life, Trevor was happy to take what he needed, but here, with how kind Jae and her friends had been to him he did not want to take advantage. Or worse, become a burden.

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“If you were more ticklish, I would walk more carefully,” Diana explained. It was why she'd asked. Now that she knew, she'd settle where she was for a while... though, since where she was offered her a good view of the room, she'd wave to Buddy as he emerged, wanting the shyer pokemon to feel welcome---but not crowded in on. She'd slowly grown accustomed to the amount of attention she got from Zeran and Jendayi and Darnell and Mitham, but remembered how it had been overwhelming at times.

“I'll need input,” Clarence began, pointedly, tone still fond. He looked to Moriarty, who nodded; Marley, who offered an audible flap of shrug; Noemi, and Buddy. “Marlow will want to stay, unquestionably. Morticia won't care. Methuselah... won't be able to weigh in until he's arrived. He doesn't overheat as easily as Marlow, so he's out for a flight. He knows the way here, though.”

“He's very quiet, I think. I didn't hear him much on the trip that brought me here. I couldn't try talking to him myself 'cause I was being sneaky.” Knowing Noemi would translate, Diana offered her opinion---and admission---to the Unovans, and Trevor.

“You did a good job sneaking.” Moriarty's grin was an approving one. “I didn't notice you. Marley didn't notice you. Our boy didn't notice you. But you weren't cold in that bag?”

“No? I mean, we weren't ever anywhere very cold, and the side on Clarence was warmer, and he's got socks and stuff in there. It wasn't bad at all.”

Throughout this exchange, Clarence waited patiently, drank his drink, observed Noemi's body language, and glanced, now and then, to Trevor. When the pokemon had quieted, he admitted, “It's one idea, of several, but Timeran legend maintains the ghost-type pokemon who were once human, are chosen to become such by an entity that guards the underworld, or afterlife, or whatever you'd like to call it. Timero is a peaceful place--if you'll overlook noisy ghosts and Aaron Kelly---but it was once the nomansland of small, warring kingdoms, full of bloodshed and beleaguered native Timerans. It's... rich in resources, but these forces and those forces would be bottlenecked in waves. Drakogen, in legend, saw all that death as a waste when there's a good world to know, and determined the dead should remain long enough to know it for themselves. Some would have new forms for it, some more like life, but at the cost of being... shades? It wouldn't or couldn't grant life, but...” He motioned with one hand, frowning slightly and looking at nothing in particular on the floor.

“It's---vague enough to be difficult to articulate. If there is a river of passage, it is more like a marsh in Timero. Drakogen won't, or can't, grant life, but it is a patron of presence. That's one idea, and the one that has hold in my homeland. Others are more academic, or anecdotal, and, maybe, more widely applicable.”

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Buddy let out a soft "ooh" at being noticed... but gave Diana a tentative wave back, even as he sank down a bit again. Noemi was just glad to see her friend out, but wouldn't stress him further by drawing more attention to him.

Noemi was grinning behind the mask as Diana and Clarence's crew chatted for a moment, and she did indeed translate for everyone. Though, once she had, she added in her input. "I'd not mind staying, if Trevor is happy to have us."

(Or Jae.) Zeran added. This is Jae's house, Trevor is a current housemate.)

"Or Jae," Noemi added for the group.

Noemi and Zeran (as much as he could focus to) listened to Clarence's explanation. When he finished Noemi commented, musing, "You would think we would remember undergoing such a change, it sounds like it should be dramatic, dying and then becoming something new... but I don't think I've met any ghost type, that's talked to me anyway, that remembers the actual transition between human and pokemon after death. Heh, so I guess I can't help to confirm or debunk your theory there." She shrugged. Confirming or debunking hadn't really been her purpose, it was just a thought she'd had as he explained.

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"That is an interesting theory," Trevor said with a nod and quiet contemplation for a moment as he processed it what he knew from his own world. "Some of those that have transitioned don't seem or sound... pleased for a lack of a better word, although they aren't necessarily malevolent. Still, makes me wonder if it was a choice on their part or something done to them. If we were back home I'd say the transition was against will and unsuccessful. Ghosts that were once human are all very angry and not usually sane."

He looked at those who fit the description here and shrugged apologetically, hoping he hadn't inadvertently insulted anyone.

As an after thought, Trevor added, "And, uh, who is Aaron Kelly?"

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“I suppose it's nearly settled, then. If those that know Jae better than I do, think she wouldn't much mind our staying for supper... I'd be happy to.” Clarence adjusted his glasses again, looking from Trevor to 'Zeran,' as he spoke, though it wasn't as if the possessed man could see; gesture was a hard habit to omit. “I'd also be happy to replace anything we use all up.”

Noemi's remark prompted a small shrug in turn. “I can't recall of any ghost-type on record admitting to a recollection, though... there are a handful of stories about unhappy ghosts denied a new form, on account of their misdeeds. I expect some skepticism, but there's at least once ghost Drakogen has pressed to public service. He's currently the gym leader off the coast of Lazuli.” Feeling that revelation deserved a little... space to land, Clarence finished his lemonade, and then turned back to Trevor.

“Aaron Kelly is a figure of some... notoriety, in Timeran folk stories. A thoroughly bothersome man who became more bothersome after he died, though he never was, or became, actually dangerous. The story goes that he died, was buried, and dug himself up the same day, going home to argue with his widow over where he ought to be. She said he was dead; he said he didn't feel dead, just cold, so he would set by the fire until he was warmed again. Unsurprisingly, he kept feeling cold... and while he didn't warm, he did dry out, so he creaked and cracked, complaining of the cold all the while. Eventually, a fiddler came to court Widow Kelly. He must have been a very charming fellow, as he was able to convince Aaron moving around would help him warm up again after all. Being jealous, Aaron declared the best way to move would be to dance with his wife, saying as much, and insisting the fiddler play. The fiddler acquiesced, and the Kellys danced, just as he had hoped; he played faster and faster as Aaron continued to crack, pop, and snap, and he stopped playing only when the Kellys fell. Widow Kelly fell down; Aaron Kelly fell apart. The fiddler helped the widow up, and they gathered Aaron's bones to bury, but in a jumble, so they'd have time to leave town together. To this day, you'll sometimes hear someone who's made a pest of his- or her-self told 'go ask Aaron,' instead of 'shush' or 'shoo.' It's so that the pest will be busied looking for his bones, and the bothered will know peace in the interim.”

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Noemi listened to all of that, processing, and realized she had two questions. "I have questions. What Aaron Kelly real, or is he just a story? And... are you saying there's a gym leader that is a ghost?"

Zeran would have laughed at her tone at the second question. She sounded every bit like a baffled teen who was sure she had to have heard something wrong. Honestly, though, he was wondering the last himself, and so listened for the answer, even as he considered what he might make for everyone to eat if Jae had what he needed...

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Trevor chuckled at the story of Aaron Kelly. He rather enjoyed stories and felt this was a good one!

Nodding to the questions, Trevor has one of his own... "And, who - or what, denies a ghost of a new form?" It's his understanding that there is no god here, something that he is deeply grateful for, but he can't help but wonder who would be powerful enough to stop a ghost transitioning if that's a possibility.

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Despite the company he kept, Clarence was not one to tease.

"I have some answers, but at least as many questions as you, and you, and you," this with a smile and one hand (palm up, rather than pointing impolitely) indicating Noemi/Zeran, then Trevor, then Noemi/Zeran, "put together. It seems Aaron Kelly was real, as a man by that name died and was buried eighty-two years ago, but the grave is empty. Where Aaron Kelly is, and how talkative he is at present, that's more of a mystery. Lazuli's gym leader is something of a mystery as well, though there's no denying his existence---the uncertainty is regarding who he was in life. It seems public service is only part of his punishment, and the other part is anonymity; the nickname 'Greybeard' has stuck since we have to call him something, and the name of his ship is also unknown... though that doesn't really disrupt conversation on account of its being the only regularly-appearing ghost ship at the site."

~~As opposed to the erratically-appearing ghost ships.~~

Clarence turned to Trevor with a little shrug. "According to the legends, Drakogen? Though, if a spirit's been partially consumed but something like a lampent, there may not be... enough to come back, but it's plausible a, ah, depleted shade---and I'm sorry, there's so little in the way of established language for this sort of subject---could become part of an aggregate like drifloon but there's still so much we just don't know."

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