Victory Road Inbox

[notvaljean]

Hi, this is Jean... [loud crackling in the background, the sound of sighing] ... and Blitz. We're busy right now and can't answer, so leave a message and we'll get back to you.

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[purramedic]

[That sure is a thing. A very big, hairy, distractingly buff feline thing.]

He's huge. [That's honestly the best he can come up with. To be fair, that's a very big leap for an evolution.]

I... Alright. Now?

[notvaljean]

[Don't make it weird by making eyes at his cat, Anders.]

Sure, why not?

[Jean suddenly remembers the last time they spoke, and his expression gets a little more somber.]

It's been over a week; your friend woke up, right?

[Anders would have told him if she didn't, wouldn't he?]

[purramedic]

[He's not a furry mostly because he doesn't know what a furry is, honestly, that's just a really weird place for Pokemon evolution to go. Still, he'll get ready to go. If nothing else, that is a hell of a lot of Cat to pet.

Oh boy. He didn't expect Jean to be this perceptive, or at least bring that up so quickly. Why couldn't he just be self-absorbed like everyone else his age? Anders wrestles with himself a moment before answering.]

Yes, she did.

[notvaljean]

[What's extra weird is that, despite taking on the size and shape of enormous human wrestlers, Polo and Magellan still indulge in cat-like behaviors. Watching them clean themselves has gone from cute to rather uncomfortable.]

[That... that is not the sound of a happy answer, and Jean taps Polo's shoulder. The giant bara cat puts him down, and Jean looks into the camera more seriously.]

She's okay, right? She remembered you and everything, didn't she?

[purramedic]

[Why would you take away the beautiful cat man, the one bright beacon of hope and joy in Anders' life.

Once again, he struggles to find the right approach. This isn't something he should put on Jean, but it would feel wrong to just brush it off.]

She did. We were going to work through it, but... I woke up yesterday and she was gone. Her Gear wasn't receiving, and I had her Arcanine's PokeBall. She wouldn't have left willingly without him. [He's heard enough on the network to know that these things spell departure from Johto.]

[notvaljean]

Shit.

[Jean picks up the implication too; he knows he'd never leave Blitz behind--or more likely, Blitz would refuse to be left behind--if he were anywhere in this world, so that must mean Anders' wife? girlfriend? partner? sleeping lady with a scar on her nose isn't here anymore. The comment about 'we were going to work through it' doesn't bode well either; did something happen back home?]

Anders, I... hey!

[A big furry hand has reached over Jean and grabbed the communicator, bringing it up and up to a giant, concerned cat face. Polo peers into the communicator, his brow furrowed--what's wrong, Good Petting Red Man?--before erupting in a loud, throaty purr and rubbing his snout on the communicator.]

Polo! Give that back!

[purramedic]

[Polo is a lifesaver, really. For the most part, Anders has the self-awareness to recognize he'll only get hung up on it the more he talks about it. It'll be much more comfortable for everyone if he just deals with it on his own.

Even if it's a little bit of a struggle, he manages to give the Incineroar a smile.]

Thank you, Polo. You're very kind, though I think Jean was trying to use that.

[notvaljean]

Polo!

[Polo simply lifts his arms higher, away from Dumb Narrow's grabby hands, and continues looking concerned. That is not a real smile, he knows the difference! He purrs louder, and brings the communicator down to rub the side of his face on it.]

[Which does put it in the range of Dumb Narrow's grabby hands, and Jean snatches his communicator back.]

You brat! [A quick glance at the communicator, which he's holding at arm's length to keep it away from Polo.] He really wants to see you. Come over?

>>> action

[purramedic]

[Maker bless Polo tbh. Anders gives a small but genuine chuckle at the exchange before nodding.]

Alright, alright. I'll be there in a little bit.

[Because the call of cat cuddles is too strong to resist, even if he'd rather lament on his own. And thankfully, Flop provides snugs on the way there to tide him over, and make him feel less like a complete wreck when they arrive. His arms are already open and everything, bring on the baracat.]

action

[notvaljean]

[And who is waiting to greet him at the door? Why, the bara cat himself, who swoops down on Anders to literally sweep him off his feet, lifting him into the air and delivering a rib-crushing hug and purrs so loud they make the walls shake.]

[purramedic]

[Anders is being pulverized by a purring tiger's hug. This is his oldest childhood dream come true. He's so happy he forgets to breathe -- no, wait, he actually can't breathe, fuck.

It takes him a moment of struggling, but he pats Polo's back a couple of times and makes a muffled noise into the Incineroar's shoulder to indicate his distinct lack of oxygen. He would be perfectly content staying here forever, but it might get very uncomfortable after a while. How does not-dying even work? Would he just black out and wake up at the Pokemon Center? Who knows.]

[notvaljean]

Polo, you're hugging too hard again!

[While seeing someone else get picked up and swung around by Polo is a refreshing change, Jean is all too familiar with the Incineroar's lack of self control, and he tugs on one of Polo's meaty arms, jumping up to swat at his face and get his attention.]

Come on, put him down and use your gentle arms! You're using your Marcel arms!

[Oh, right. The Marcel arms. Can't be like the big oafy dog. With an apologetic little chirp, Polo lowers Anders until his feet are touching the ground again, and loosens his grip. The purring continues, but it's softer now, and Polo licks at Anders' hair in apology.]

Good kitty.

[Jean is just... not even going to comment on the licking thing. If Anders didn't want his hair full of cat spit, he wouldn't have walked into the room expecting a hug. Instead, he pats Polo's shoulder, and slings his own (pathetically thin and frail compared to the Pokemon's) arm around Anders' shoulders, turning this into a group hug.]

Hi.

[purramedic]

[Anders can't be bothered to care about the cat tongue fussing up his hair; for now, he's just grateful to be breathing again, and also not feeling like the earth is quaking around him.] Thank you, Polo.

[He continues catching his breath as Jean joins in, and gives him a rather restrained smile.]

Hello. He certainly is bigger.

[notvaljean]

I know. We couldn't believe it when they evolved.

[It's a lot more cat than either of them expected.]

[Anders, buddy, you look like shit. The sleeping lady must have been someone really important, then.]

Remember the eggs I showed you? They're going to be a lot bigger when they evolve, too.

[Talk about the elephant in the room? Naaaaah, let's discuss other stuff first.]

[purramedic]

It's... It isn't what you'd expect, I think. At least, I haven't seen any Pokemon evolve from walking on four legs to two. [Sure, there are both 2-legged and 4-legged Pokemon, but not usually related in his experience.

Discussing other stuff sounds like a great plan. Anders is always down to avoid his issues.]

Will they be the same size of a palm tree, or just look like one?

[notvaljean]

I didn't think they'd get so much bigger. We thought they'd stay about the same size as regular cats, or maybe get as big as Trixie.

[And not turn into weirdly hot, humanoid wrestlers. This is very strange.]

[Yes good, let's avoid talking about the sad stuff.]

They'll be the same size and the same height. The faces will be the coconuts.

[purramedic]

[Yeah. Anders isn't going to be the one to use actual words to spell out exactly why Incineroars are so universally upsetting. He is not so oblivious as to not know how weird that could get and how fast.

Much better to focus on the coconut animal. Far less awkward.]

I don't know what's more impressive -- the number of Pokemon that resemble inanimate objects, or that you somehow manage to find all of them.

[notvaljean]

[Yes, let's just not talk about the Incineroars anymore. Jean would rather not remember what it's like having an enormous wrestler cat barge in on him when he's getting dressed in the morning.]

[Jean laughs at Anders' description.]

I didn't mean to! That's just how it worked out!

[But he can't deny he's got a bit of a theme going here.]