Karma is an androgynous pokémon, and will be staying gender neutral throughout life. Because of this, there are some terms that will be in use when referring to Karma, particularly because I dislike calling the ditto an "it." Gender-neutral terms were taken from Wikipedia.
Pronouns that are in effect are the invented zhe/zher/zhim:
◉ Consistently New ★ There's no such thing as history
Karma wibbled a bit when emptiness again rose its ugly head. The gelatinous critter was aware of the inconsistencies in zher memory span, but it never ceased to be an annoyance -- not only to the ditto, but to the trainer as well. He seemed to take it better than Karma did, but that wasn't saying much. Grayson, after all, oftentimes found such peculiarities intriguing, and any excuse to start a researching project was all it took to keep him content. Karma, on the other hand, just wanted the capabilities to remember something every once in a while.
"Come on, don't give that look," the scientist encouraged, "It's just the way you are, and there's nothing wrong with that." He made it much too obvious that he had some sensitive individuals at home to care for, using the same tone towards Karma as he did his daughters. It was soothing, sure, but it didn't exactly help the problem.
In response, Karma waved about little pink tendrils as though they were fully-formed arms in exasperation. <<It doesn't feel like it's always been like this!>> zhe complained, worried, <<It feels like something more alien than that! I have pieces of memory, but they aren't all there. It feels like it used to be there, though!>>
Grayson mused at the little pokémon, as though thinking it over. Karma huffed, knowing full well the man didn't understand a word zhe just said. Kind of a bummer, too, considering Karma rarely spoke so much. Maybe that's what the scientist was thinking about after zher little outburst? That he rarely hears zhim speak?
Pulling up a chair, Grayson scooted closer on a more even playing field. "Want to hear about how we first met?" he asked with a gentle smile. Karma fidgeted; did... did he actually understand what zhe was just barking about? Solemnly, the pliable pokémon nodded zher rubbery head. Zhe had a feeling that the scientist relayed this story to zhim more than a little often, as there seemed to be a tinge of déjà vu. Despite that, Karma could not pull up any specific information on the event in zher own head.
"There used to be a young man who worked here. Very bright, very studious, and very self-reliant. In fact, there might have been too much of it and not enough self control," the doctor started, glancing out the window yet not truly seeing what was behind the pane, "He lacked certain social skills to such severity that he had a hard time getting along with anyone, man or pokémon. Sure, that wasn't too much of a problem when it came to working in a place like this, since soft skills aren't really required..."
Karma tilted zher head mildly. He was getting somewhere with this story, but he seemed to be talking himself in loops to reach that far. <<You really suck at storytelling, I just remembered...>> the transformation-capable pokémon stated flatly.
Nevertheless, the story went on and Karma proceeded to suffer through it, "He had a great amount of pride, and this made him rather narcissistic about it. The talent he possessed didn't help matters when it came to it. He started working on solo projects, believing his abilities weren't being utilized to their greatest potential on the job. His talents were being wasted, that's how he put it." Grayson jabbed at the air upon remembering that, a frown appearing over a disappointed sigh.
<<Sounds like a loveable guy,>> Karma snorted sarcastically. Zhe had almost forgotten what the point of the whole story was by now, considering it almost sounded like the biggest detour the man ever swerved down.
Grayson stared at the ditto for a moment, determining whether the story was registering to the small pokémon. Unfortunately, Karma seemed rather tired of the anecdote; zhe didn't remember any of it, apparently. Regardless, Grayson decided to see if the pink blob's physical matched zher mental, "Do you remember this person?"
Karma jolted, head slipping off the stubby mass zhe was using as a hand and headrest. Remember? Was zhe suppose to know this person? None of it was ringing any bells...
Seeing the sudden rise of worry in the ditto's face, Grayson held his hands out as though to stop something from running into the man. Despite what Karma kept telling zhimself, Grayson had a pretty decent grasp on what the pokémon tried to convey through zher native tongue. It was one of the projects that had caused curiosity out of the scientist to explore further, established by some rather unique characteristics of one of his youngest daughters. Inflections were still fairly difficult to discern, but body language oftentimes helped clarify, even if the most Grayson could accomplish was an educated guess. Good thing luck was on his side, or was it just experience with the damaged pokémon? "Don't worry yourself about it, it's probably best you don't remember," he responded with a soft smile, "You, ahh... well, trauma can do that. He wasn't a very nice guy, and considering he was your previous trainer, you did get the brunt of it. He didn't seem to like to treat anyone higher than a vessel for his projects. I'm not even sure if he knew what 'humanity' was..."
Karma still felt disappointed in the lack of filling out in the holes in zher memory, but reluctantly agreed that it was probably for the best. Usually in trauma, you'd have some recollection, though, didn't you? This only proved to befuddle and frustrate the ditto further, but decided to let it slide for now. Chances were zhe wouldn't even remember the felt anxiety tomorrow, which was... kind of depressing, but in a way, also a good thing. Zhe just wanted to be normal, but that seemed to be asking for too much at the moment. <<You'd better fix this, old man,>> Karma directed before releasing the anger in a sigh, <<If you can, at least. I'd be grateful...>> If only there was a way to ask, but zhe wasn't even really sure there was anything that could be done. Zhe didn't want a psychologist, especially considering Grayson seemed to know more about the situation than he was letting on.
There was no use dwelling when zhe placed so much trust in the scientist, though; that would only undermine everything that's been gained. He'd only ever been good to the ditto, and zhe wasn't about to start doubting that now without probable cause. In fact, no, zhe could tell that it was because he was protecting the fragile pokémon. Zhe was part of the family, even if zhe had a hard time remembering what that family was.
Giddy once more, Karma began flailing about slightly in a celebratory manner. Do away with the worries and just enjoy zhimself, that's what the ditto was suppose to be doing! <<Thanks for story time!>> zhe chirped, bounding off to find something of interest to occupy zher time with.
"Poor thing..." Grayson mused, happy that the pokémon was at least content enough with the current lifestyle.
◉ Means of Time Manipulation ★ Boredom has no place here, but more color does!
With a lack of exposure to the outside world and faulty capacities in the recesses of zher mind, it was a wonder that Karma could utilize imagination to such a far-reaching extent. The ditto was constantly surrounded by the coming and going of various science-driven employees, but Karma zhimself had become much like a fixture in the laboratory. That is, most rarely paid the ditto any heed anymore, much like they rarely acknowledged their peers when focused on their work.
This didn't, however, really bother the small pokémon. Quite the contrary, considering the constant strain to futilely remember so many faces and names was more than a little disappointing. Not that they really expected zher to remember -- they couldn't even understand the words that emerged from the ditto's mouth -- but Karma recognized the symptoms and didn't like feeling depressed when zhe failed. In fact, this turn of events led Karma to attempt to be more apathetic about it. It wasn't a big deal, it's just who zhe was... everyone had their little quirks like that, didn't they? So what was the problem with zhers?
It didn't take long for Karma to convince zhimself of this, as the applied amounts of stress that came with the opposition was really quite unnecessary. Names were but a label themselves, and a person could change drastically between visits, so it wasn't that big of a deal. Besides, some day Karma would be able to come up with something that might help with that. Or Grayson! He promised to try, anyway.
Moreover, the time spent in the labs seemed to be relatively uneventful. Sure, there was the every-so-often visitor, but honestly... Karma didn't remember how "eventful" those tended to be for the ditto zhimself. It was no matter, there were plenty of things that one could do to occupy their time with. While Karma was not allowed to touch any of the delicate equipment and tests on the tables, that didn't stop observation and imagination. Honestly, Karma had no idea exactly what kinds of tests the scientists ran, all zhe knew was that they tended to be pokémon-related in some manner or another. After all, that was another reason why the ditto's presence was not exactly out of the ordinary! Likewise, it offered more freedom, considering other workplaces with sensitive projects would likely have put a pokémon such as Karma in a cage or something. Now that would have been painfully boring.
However, without the restraints, Karma's imagination was free to run wild. Granted, the lack of retained experience was a hindrance, but that didn't stop the ditto from flexing it every so often. In fact, the lack of solid knowledge was a great foundation for that! Never, though, did Karma get too carried away. Honestly, it was more fun to watch than really participate anyway; at least, that's how the rosy pokémon imagined it.
Unfortunately, there was one problem that always seemed to annoy. Karma was fond of many different aspects that could easily be found in such a workspace, from voices to actions, but none of the people who worked here seemed all that convinced that the place was lacking anything. All this technology, and it was all so... metal and chrome. Were scientists just... greatly fond of the color silver? It was alright, but did everything have to be that color? There was no variation! Even the white lab coats seemed to turn a silvery hue when surrounded by so much of it!
Ah well, one only need to with what they have. Karma wasn't in the habit of really dwelling on the pessimistic things in life, no matter how frequently aggravating they were. All zhe needed was to grab some colorful construction paper zhe found in a desk drawer from when one of the scientists brought their young son to work one time. Not that Karma really remembered that, but zhe did remember the colorful stash that was hidden in the confines of the unlocked drawer. There was even a pair of safety scissors in there! They bent the pages more than actually cutting through them, but they would have to do.
Grayson noticed the scattered, oddly-shaped confetti littering the floor of the room as he entered, immediately knowing who would have been responsible for the mess. Scanning the place, his eyes followed the sound of a dull blade to brittle paper, and he had to hold back the urge to laugh. No, he had to be firm when he set ground rules. "Karma..." he warned, causing the gelatinous pokémon to fidget and drop the safety scissors. There was a hint of a smirk, the lead scientist finding it difficult to suppress completely, "Look at the mess you've made. This stuff is getting everywhere! It can mess up the projects that are still out in the open!" Karma, huddled away from zher trainer's mild wrath, still managed to flash a quizzical look upon a relatively featureless face. Grayson took note of the surroundings and murmured, "Well... if there were projects still out in the open. You mean they actually picked up after themselves for once..?"
Well, wasn't it easy to get the man sidetracked. Karma picked the scissors up gingerly and set them on top of a nice pile of uncut construction pages, reaching up to offer them to the man. Grayson smiled warmly, taking them from the partially-formed 'hands' the pokémon used and stuffing them under an arm, "Alright, now you're going to help clean the rest of this mess up, right? We'll get some dinner afterwards." Karma flailed about to show zher acceptance of this offer, and hastily got to work picking up every scrap of color the ditto came across.
As the eager pokémon came around to a back corner, a light gust of wind filed into the room. Peering upward, the ditto remembered that there was a window above the counter currently obscuring zher view. Had one of the researchers left it open by accident? Strange, Karma didn't remember it being open earlier... but then, if there wasn't much wind today, it was probably no wonder. It did make the place a lot less stuffy, but zhe knew that Grayson probably wouldn't appreciate it staying open, not when it was getting so late.
Luckily, Karma had ways of getting up to the higher areas of the laboratory. Being made of such malleable material made climbing easier without the use of limbs, and there were a few objects nearby that could offer a bit of a boost, such as a waste basket and lightweight chair. Karma set the scraps of paper already collected down into a neat pile, but tried to slide them under the cabinets a little so they did not scatter if a stronger breeze picked up. It did not take much time out of cleaning up to reach the top of the counter, the pink bubble gum wad peering outside to see if the open window was something to be worried about. It didn't appear that it was dangerous, or really that anything got in through the mesh screen, so the small pokémon latched it shut and climbed back down to resume zher chores.
Once back down on the tile floor, Karma moved to reach for the pile of rainbow shreds only to be met with a distraction near one of the worktables. Frowning as though trying to squint and see the unknown object better, Karma began inching nearer, mumbling, <<I didn't go over here with my scissors...>> Most peculiar indeed, but not as much when the ditto realized that it wasn't even something made of paper. It was some sort of star-shaped ornament... could one of the other scientists have dropped it? Maybe zhe should grab it and set it on top of the desk, so nobody accidentally stepped on it. It would be tragic if such a pretty thing were to break like that!
As the ditto neared, an increasingly intense drowsy feeling started welling up. That was strange... probably a side effect of low blood sugar or something, considering it was almost dinner time. It didn't usually hit so quickly, though. Shaking zher head, Karma had to keep telling zhimself that food was soon, and that zhe just needed to stay up that long, but thoughts were not as strong as the magic binding the star.
As Karma lifted the piece off the floor, Grayson noticed the ditto's actions but the gravity of the situation didn't fully register for a few seconds. The pieces fell into place after recollections of the recent visit from his daughter and nephew, both of whom had mentioned the increasing appearance of transformational stars used by the elusive jirachi. "Karma! Put that down!" he shouted, dropping the slivers of construction paper he had already managed to collect.
Too little, too late; the drowsiness was just too overwhelming to ignore any longer.
[[ Word Count: 1,486 ]]
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:43 am
◉ Transformation of a Different Kind ★ Being locked in a more stable form isn't so different!
"I thought you would have known what it was before you had picked it up. You don't remember the conversation I had had with Dea the other day, do you?" Grayson grumbled, irritation and an edge of panic on his voice. Karma watched the man pace to the right, still a bit groggy from the star's effects. "Then again, why had I not noticed it there? How did it even get in here..?" he was now pacing to the left, his conversation turned more inwardly now.
The back-and-forth movement was beginning to make the ditto dizzy. It already felt like there was too much pressure on zher brain at the moment, so zher trainer's spastic reactions weren't really helping on that front. Turning eyes downward, Karma examined the fully-formed hands that were now owned by the pokémon. They were much different than the stubby, blunt spears zhe had had only hours prior, and so much more effective at aiding in the accomplishment of what zhe wanted to do!
While Grayson was preoccupied with his own string of thoughts, Karma slid off zher perch on the table and unsteadily meandered over to one of the scientists' drawers. Zhe practically collapsed onto the floor, unused to having legs as a means of travel. Prying the drawer open after a sense of déjà vu (did zhe do this earlier today?), the ditto-child pulled out a shrinking pile of construction paper... with zher hands. Gleefully the child's grin emerged, slowly until it encompassed zher face. Oooh, Karma had never been able to hold it like this before, and so steadily!
Despite having severe faults in zher memory bank, Karma knew for a fact that these hands -- among other new developments -- were not something zhe had experienced thus far. When it came to muscle memory, Karma had a pretty good grasp on what was done before and what was new. Zhe remembered the gelatinous tendrils, and not being able to hop up onto the tables, and not having anything but a rubbery body to scoot along the floor with. This was all new.
Dropping the spectrum of paper onto the floor, the ditto-child began tugging at the sleeves of the shirt that the professor let zher wear. Of course they were white, everything seemed to be white, denim, or chrome in the laboratory. The clothing was a little big for such a twiggy child, but it was still very comfortable, like a... blanket... This train of thought seemed vaguely familiar as well, as though zhe had conversed with someone about this before zhe had changed. A human-evolution from a pokémon seemed to have been something that would have instigated a geyser of questions should Karma have met one, was it possible zhe had?
Karma's arms flopped limply on zher lap as a sigh escaped zher mouth. If only transformations of this magnitude could have cured the pokémon of their mental state as well. Bright eyes lifted up to a still-distracted professor, though the metallic drawers still managed to partially obscure the man from view; Karma didn't feel like lifting zhimself up off the ground at the moment. "D-Doctoooor..." zhe wailed.
Seems that, at least, managed to snatch the professor back out of his contemplation. He halted in his pacing with a start, snapping his mind back into the here-and-now. As of yet, he hadn't actually heard Karma speak -- at least, in a human tongue. The pokémon had the capabilities to now? "Where are you, kiddo?" he asked before spotting a patchy pink foot out of the corner of his eye. Maneuvering himself over, he worried as to why the child was on the floor, "Are you alright?"
Karma continued to whimper in response, "I still c-can't remember anythiiing..!" The child buried zher eyes in the long sleeves of the borrowed button-up. Sadness seemed to affect the human body in a much different manner than it would a pokémon, for Karma never had to catch tears before.
Despite being a bit shock-stricken, for this was a much larger leap of a change than the man had initially expected, he offered a meek smile. "That would have called for restructuring who you are, Karma. Not just on the outside, but the inside as well. It seems that the change has left your charming personality intact, but changed everything else," he offered, trying to be helpful and as complimentary as possible. He may have had a lot of experience in dealing with children, but not when they started out as something... other than children.
The ditto-child fought off a series of hiccups as zhe attempted to rub zher face dry. Zhe sniffled, staring off at the ground as though remembering something. Pulling a hand free of sponge duty, zhe held it out and examined the palm before turning it over to show to Grayson. The man scooted backward hastily at the action, bewildered into falling onto his backside at the image he received. Karma morphed the palm of zher hand into a pair of eyelids before looking at him with a single amber eye, embedded in the creases of the skin. He frowned, about to ask what was going on before Karma flashed a bright smile, cheeks still glistening, "I can still transform, see see!" The eye then closed and the slit disappeared as the child's palm reverted back to normal. Zhe pulled it back to zher torso, toying with one of the top buttons of the borrowed shirt as zher expression turned more solemn, "It's not so different at all, so w-why couldn't it change my brain a little, too?"
The doctor rolled back onto his knees, patting the strange ditto-child on the back, "There there, I already promised I would help you out in any way I could. You just keep holding me to that promise, alright?"
Karma launched zhimself at the man, latching onto him about the stomach and blubbering into his coat, "Thank you..!"
[[ Word Count: 993 ]]
Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:46 am
◉ Cobblestone Roads ★ The journey is more fun than the ultimate destination
Karma had undergone some rigorous self-training over the course of the past week or two, mostly in an attempt to learn everything a two-year-old human was prone to learning at their coming of age. While motor skills were nothing new, the muscle structure throughout the ditto's small body had been greatly revamped, and zhe found zhimself capable of doing many, many things that zhe couldn't possibly do before -- at least without trying out new transformation techniques.
Unlike what many may have thought, transforming did not come particularly easily. There was a reason it was used for battle, for crisis situations, and that was because it tended to be rather draining. Never mind the fact that it was the only thing a ditto could use for battle, being a bit of an oddity in the world of pokémon in that (and many a) respect. Zhe could not learn any moves by zhimself, but had to borrow them from an opponent. Never could one take that knowledge with them outside of battle, making the ability a little haphazard. There was never a type advantage unless an opponent knew a move that could be its own downfall!
Glancing back down at zher palms, a pair of mismatched eyes blinked back up. Grinning, Karma was able to deduce at least one positive thing -- partial transformations didn't take nearly as much energy to accomplish. As a matter of fact, if they were small enough changes, zhe hardly felt any effect at all! Well, that is until bedtime; zhe could sleep like a rock when using the smaller transformation techniques throughout the whole day, and barely heard when Grayson yelled at zher to get up for breakfast. Always a downside, but it was still better than nothing. Full dittos couldn't really accomplish partial transformation sequences like this, so it was a lot of fun to play with!
"Gah! K-Karma, would you stop doing that? It gives me the creeps..." one of the younger scientists shivered, gripping her paperwork close. The child blinked up at her with all four sets of eyes before holding zher hands up to show her, brimming. The woman jumped back and frowned, "Y-Yes, those. Please..?"
"Yes, ma'am," the radiant child pouted, sealing the transformation for the meantime. After making sure the eyes were no longer visible, Karma popped zher head back up and tilted it to the side, "Aren't eyes strange, though?"
The scientist nodded, readjusting the c**k-eyed papers along the clipboard she was carrying, "I would have to agree. Some say they are windows to one's soul, you know."
Karma blinked, not familiar with the quote, "So does that mean that I'm creepy, deep down?"
The woman was taken aback for a moment, but then she laughed, more amused than mocking, "No, no, no! What I find creepy is when you do that with your hands, the eyes themselves are very beautiful. It's just, what is it... not in a natural location, that's all."
The child giggled, beaming, "You don't know many pokémon, do you?" Zhe scampered off before having to wait for an answer, for there was no real need. Truthfully, Karma didn't technically know any pokémon, either, but zhe had read about an awful lot of them. Besides, the child also realized that the lady probably meant that it was unnatural on a more human body, but Karma wasn't human, so that logic didn't stick completely. Either way, the ditto knew what zhe liked, and eyes were very fascinating things.
Making sure zhe wasn't being followed by the young scientist, Karma made zher way through the halls of the laboratory's back entry. The front was a bit too much of a straight-shot into the main area, and Karma wanted to avoid being caught. It was difficult to deduce that the ditto-child was even attempting anything out of the norm, acting nonchalant about wandering around the places that, truth be told, Grayson told zher to stay away from. Did the other scientists know that? Or the pokémon trainers that came and went? Zhe couldn't remember, but regardless, it was worth a shot. It was never quiet around here, so if this didn't work, there was no real hope of actually sneaking out of the building through the back.
Karma was not fidgeting, nor playing with any hems to indicate nervousness. No, this was merely a test, and Karma didn't really care one way or the other if it worked. Though, really... zhe was quite curious what lie beyond the border of the lab itself, zhe didn't know where to begin should zhe make it past the door. Maybe find Grayson, just to stick it to the man, but that seemed a little spiteful, a feeling Karma had no use for. Maybe find Grayson to... just find someone zhe knew? Then what would the point of it be, if zhe just willingly locked zhimself back up after escaping?
Zhe had no intention of going rogue; zhe liked it here, and liked all the... okay, most of the scientists here, zhe was sure. There was no recollection of disliking someone, but zhe was sure that zhe had felt the feeling of dislike in the past towards a person, so there was no denying that emotion had existed within zher body at one point or another. Besides...
"Oof!" Karma barked, bouncing off of a tall pokémon trainer at the back of the laboratory. First of all, Karma noted how close to the back door zhe had made it; within feet, zhe could almost reach out and touch the bar that unlatched the door. Zhe glanced up to see the rough-looking trainer and timidly stepped back a couple of inches.
The trainer laughed at the child's reaction, but Karma was unable to decipher the underlying cause of it until he spoke, "What, don't remember me? Already?" Karma tried to shy away until zhe realized that that was quite impossible without it being obvious, something that the child was trying to avoid. Making enemies was not zher area of focus, nor was being rude, but zhe was tempted to make an exception for this man, who should have known better than to take jabs at Karma's obvious problems. The way he spoke, it sounded as though he had been here often enough to have caught on to the child's memory issues. "No worries, kid, I'm just messin' with you," he grinned toothily, ruffling Karma's sky blue mop of hair. Zhe was tempted to stomp on his foot...
"Karma? You're not suppose to be back here; you know that," a familiar voice emerged from the back door, causing Karma's foot to drop on something other than it's intended target. Both the unknown pokémon trainer and Karma glanced toward the origin point to spot Grayson, returning from... whatever errands he ran in the afternoon, Karma wasn't quite sure. Dr. Willows tried to look displeased with this turn of events, but couldn't really bring himself to; he didn't know the whole story, after all. "Okay, what's going on here?" he pried.
The trainer's ever-present smile didn't evict itself from its premises, "Caught little Karma 'ere trying to sneak out while nobody was lookin'."
He seemed so matter-of-fact about it; Karma couldn't help but shoot a glare at the unfamiliar man, so sure of himself while never once thinking to ask. "It's rude to assume," zhe spat, though kept zher composure.
"Oh?" Grayson asked with a quirk of an eyebrow, "So then what, pray-tell, were you doing way over here when you knew it was off-limits?"
Well shoot, he had Karma there. Nevertheless, zhe tried to pull zhimself out of this sticky situation with some quick-thinking, "You say it's off-limits, but never explained why. It doesn't look so dangero- Ooh, what's that!?" It was at this point in time that Karma opted to save zhimself with a 'distracted by shiny' ploy. Luckily, Grayson himself provided with quite the apt facilitation, holding something that Karma could not identify.
Pulling the object to the forefront, they all glanced at the folded piece of cloth. "This? It's just something that a friend gave to... Hey, you're buying yourself time, aren't you?" he started, flashing a skeptical look to the child. Karma's feigned innocent look gave Grayson all the information he needed -- zhe really was trying to sneak out! Sighing, he decided on a course of action before he spoke again, "Alright. Karma, I will decide on your punishment for trying to sneak out later. In the meantime... a friend gave me this hat after she found out what happened with you, Karma. She thought you might like it."
The ditto grimaced at the notion of a detention, but figured that it wasn't out of the question, so late in the game. When it was offered, Karma snatched the earflap-laden hat up into greedy hands, turning it over to examine it. "It's so colorful!" zhe gaped, "How do you put it on?" Zhe was still new to this thing known as 'clothing.'
"It's quite easy, actually. What you do is... no. No, not like that, Karma..." he tried, sighing when the child did not utilize patience.
The bright child had shoved an elbow into the bottom of the hat, giggling in amusement, "It fits!"
[[ Word Count: 1,544 ]]
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:48 am
◉ Add a Dash of Color ★ Habit and fixation can cooperatively work toward a better tomorrow, too!
Terpsichore couldn't keep her inward gears from churning up a storm as a strange tidbit of information was brought to her attention. Nix and the rest of the troupe was only going to be here for the night, maybe a couple more if there was a great enough incentive for whatever the scientists were working on at the time. Nevertheless, it would also be Terpsichore's last venture into the city, at least for a while. Why not live it up while she was here?
The shroomish-girl asked the researcher if it was possible to do a little shopping on this last outing before moving out of town. "Sure thing, Topsy," Nix had snickered, using a new-found nickname for the brunette, "There are just a few more things I would like to discuss with Dr. Willows beforehand, if that's alright." Of course it was alright for her; a promise was a promise. Besides, that would mean she may actually be able to interact with that strange little ditto from before! She never actually got to speak with the depressed little blob of a pokémon, so preoccupied with unfounded fear as she was. And then who had showed up but a few good friends from a previous outing? It was assured that she was going to get distracted from meeting new faces when such entrapping stimulation was on board! Excitement, apprehension, and concern: it was all a mix for disorientation, and Terpsichore was determined to right this injustice! She loved making new friends!
Fidgeting as they entered the city, Terpsichore seemed a bit nervous. Nothing like before, though, for the laboratory they were headed to had ceased to make her anxious any longer: there was no poké-human testing going on like she had initially believed. No, this was a different kind. "What if Karma doesn't want to talk with me, because I had just about ignored them the entire time I was there last," the girl asked sheepishly, as though tip-toeing around a dangerous subject.
Nix paused a moment, "Hmm... you don't know about Karma, do you? You were pretty engrossed in whatever it was you were talking to Eilam about." He snickered lightly at that, causing Terpsichore to flush; she didn't mean to be so insensitive! However, that was not the point that the researcher was trying to make, and quickly went on before the shroomish dwelled on her insecurity any longer, "Karma won't feel any ill will toward you, trust me."
The green-freckled child narrowed her gaze, questioningly, "How can you be so sure?"
The duo paused at the front glass doors of the laboratory, for it seemed better to finish this conversation before entering. Nix turned around to face the girl, "Karma has long-term memory problems; it probably won't even remember you. You're safe from any wrath you may have otherwise feared."
The girl's eyes lit up, "But that's horrible!"
Nix motioned for the child to follow inside, "I know, but it's just the way things go."
Of course, while the both of them may have been expecting to run into a retainment-damaged pokémon, they most certainly weren't expecting said ditto to have grown definable limbs in such a short span of time. It seemed that there would be a sure-fire decision that Nix's group would be staying a few days longer than they had initially planned for, as Grayson appeared to have been afflicted with the same sort of disoriented shock Nix had experienced when Endymion had undergone transformation -- the first of his three pokémon.
Karma was toying around with a piece of lime green string, attempting a cat's cradle only to have the motions backfire and hog-tie zher pink fingers instead. The two scientists were trying to stay out of earshot in order to lessen any anxiety their conversation may have caused the newly-transformed ditto-child, but the young kid didn't bother to eavesdrop, too distracted with getting such a simple maneuver down correctly. Terpsichore sidled up to the... boy? Girl? She wasn't entirely sure, but she tried to be quiet as she watched the cotton candy colored child fiddle with a scrap of material. Every so often she would glance up at her acquaintance's face to see if zhe had noticed she was there, but each time she would come up empty. She almost hated to distract, for the... quite colorfully-dressed child seemed pretty focused on zher current project. The shroomish shuffled a little in place as she thought of how to begin.
"Did you want to say something?" the ditto interrupted Terpsichore's planning process without flinching eyes her way. Zher thumb was currently strapped to the side of zher pointer finger, and zhe was having difficulty prying it loose from its captivity.
Well, this was awkward... "Oh! Yes, um..." she started, but her attention was frequently detracted with the annoyance Karma seemed to have found zhimself in. Giving a light sigh in defeat, she tugged at a stray part of the knot in order to loosen the binding around Karma's fingers; the ditto gave a slight giggle and flashed a smile as a way to thank without interrupting the girl from her explanation. Terpsichore's hazel eyes focused on the others', looking serious but not needling, "You don't remember me, do you?"
Karma turned away, as though bored with the conversation. Truthfully, Karma was rather sensitive about the subject, but zhe didn't want to be reduced to misery, not when there was company. The ditto held a breath in zher chest for a moment as zhe fiddled some more with the string before offering any response, "So they told you?" Zher voice was still shaky, but Karma attempted to play it off as a slight scoff.
Terpsichore cracked a soft smile, which was... not what the newly-evolved pokémon had been expecting. She almost hopped in place as she spoke, "Yes, but I think I just came up with a great idea. Would you mind coming into town with me for a little bit? I think I can figure something out to help you."
Karma was befuddled with the prospect. Grayson had been trying for years to come up with something and hadn't as of yet discovered anything that would work. This girl waltzes in here and, in a matter of moments, devises up a plan? While skeptical, Karma was eager to at least give it a shot. Zhe gave a vigorous nod, then held the movement stiff, "But... I've never been out of the laboratory before. The doctor didn't think it was okay. Do you think.... do you think he'd let me go?"
Holding up a finger, Terpsichore winked and scurried off to where the two scientists were discussing matters of blind-sided importance. Karma watched as she got their attention and motioned to the grown ditto on the other side of the room. Zhe fidgeted a bit, preoccupying zealousness by wrapping the lime string around a finger purposefully and rubbing zher feet together. However, movements ceased when zhe saw Grayson smile and bob his head -- was that... did he just agree?
Terpsichore bounced back over and offered her hand to the ditto. "Come on! He said that as long as you stick with me and be back soon, you can come along. Let's go, let's go!" she stated enthusiastically. Karma offered an unsure, still half-entangled hand to the girl and was promptly yanked to zher feet and dragged out the front doors. Whatever the shroomish had in mind, it was apparent that she was fairly certain it would help, at least to some extent. If Karma wasn't shocked into so much bewilderment from all of the sudden stimulation, zhe probably would have been acting more raring as well.
In fact, there was so much to take in from the surroundings that Karma wasn't even paying attention to the destination, but everything bustling past. It was a smear of colors, smells, sounds... designs that Karma had only ever read about before. If zhe hadn't had a firm grip about zher hand to lead zher around, the poké-child most certainly would not have found an end to zher curiosity. How could one learn about and understand everything the town had to offer? There was so much here!
"There we go!" Terpsichore chimed in, gesturing with her unoccupied hand at the store window. Karma barely had the chance to graze eyes across the merchandise at all before zhe was yanked inside and told to wait while she purchased something. The shroomish had requested a coin purse for this small excursion, but she was given a price limit just in case. Luckily, there was nothing extravagant she had her mind set on, at least this time. It wasn't until she had pulled them back outside (needing to pry Karma away from a display of fashionable winter wear) that she began to let the young ditto in to her idea. They moved to the corner of the store so as not to obscure view or admittance into the store before she opened the paper bag and pulled out...
"Bracelets?" Karma queried, glancing up to zher acquaintance to make sure she had grabbed the right bag.
She only beamed, "Yep!" Ripping the price tag off of the bunch of rainbow-scaled, simplistic bracelets, she slid them onto the wrist of Karma's that she still had her grip over before releasing it. Karma stared at them a moment before shaking zher hand back-and-forth, feeling how they felt against zher skin as they moved. As zhe studied them, Terpsichore pulled out some flattened twist ties that she requested when the product was bought and a pen from the binding of a notepad she carried on her person. She wrote something on one of the twist ties, using the notepad as a clipboard, and then offered it to Karma, "This is how you spell my name."
Karma frowned, confused, before snatching up the twist tie and reading it, "Terpsy-Chore?"
She giggled, "No, Terp-sih-core-y."
"What am I suppose to do with it?" zhe asked curiously, knowing she had something in mind with the material she used. After all, if she just wanted to give the other child the spelling of her name, she could have just used a piece of paper from the notepad...
The brunette indicated the bracelets, but tried to hold herself back from forcibly grabbing Karma's arm again, "You notice that there are multiple colors in that pack of bracelets I gave you. I was thinking that, as you meet people, you could write their names down on one of these twist ties and attach them to a color, depending on how you felt about the person. If you really disliked someone, maybe attach their name to the red bracelet. If you liked them... maybe green?" She shrugged, offering the rest of the blank twist ties, "It's up to you how you color code it. Do it in a way that you'll remember how you're suppose to feel about a person."
Karma stared at the bracelets, taking in the information with silent excitement. It was so simple, and yet it sounded as though the task could prove immensely effective! Zhe had to absorb it for a moment or two, but once it sunk in, the ditto's grin finally appeared across the span of zher entire face. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Terpsichore!" zhe exclaimed, bouncing into her with a bear hug of gratitude.
"Buh! Ah, hehe! You're welcome, Karma!" she laughed, taken by surprise, "I hope it works for you!"
Pulling away, Karma glanced at the shroomish's twist tie and then back to the bracelets. Deciding on the color coordination, zhe tied it around the blue bracelet and jangled it, "Good friend."
Premise:A corrupt pokémon, or just a corrupt sense of humor?
- - -
Roleplay:Under spoiler
MoogerMint All things considered, it had been rather eventful in recent weeks. Karma had shown improvements in zher ability to recall events and individuals with the aid of color-coded bracelets and artistic notes jotted down in a notebook that never left the ditto's side. Once all the activity, all the visits from family, had died down, though, Karma found zhimself to be quite bored with the old setup. Grayson was back to work, pouring his attention over... well, whatever had his attention this time, while Karma was left to zher own devices. There was so much the blue-haired child wanted to do, wanted to try out, now that zhe had the capabilities to... but the scientist, the trainer, did not think the ditto was ready to scour the city on zher own. And nobody was willing to take the strange little poke-child out. "This stinks," Karma complained to Grayson, who was proceeding to ignore the huffed whims of the child, "Doctor, I'm booored!"
Thaliawen Karma wouldn't have to be bored for long. For behind her, invisible, was Tania. The mew had recently discovered the lab, and had immediately begun attempting to sneak in. It had been difficult, she had figured it would be. It seemed the professor here had taken care to make sure wild pokemon could not enter. The mew slowly made her way over to Grayson--and shifted so her form matched his. She smirked, gazing over at Karma, before tapping Grayson on the shoulder.
MoogerMint While Karma's obstinate behavior may have given the impression that the colorful child was angry, zhe was merely using it as a means to pass the time in an unorthodox manner. With a pout, the ditto glared at the back of Grayson's head, as though willing him to turn around and look at the 'upset' child, to acknowledge that zhe was not happy. Zher fierce look quickly melted away with the appearance of a Grayson-double, Karma standing and staring in confusion... and then quickly whipping out zher notebook to look for any previously written material on such an occurrence. Was this something zhe needed to be concerned about, or was this something that was suppose to be normal..?
Grayson twitched at the poke at his shoulder, not realizing that the height needed to do such a thing would have had to have been taller than Karma was currently capable of managing. With a sigh, be pivoted around, "Karma, I told you, I'm bus-- Woah." He jolted, facing the replica with an astonished look. But Karma was off to the side, so it wasn't the ditto that had transformed... His gaze sharpened, "Who are you..?"
Thaliawen Tania tilted her head at Grayson's reaction. "Mew?" she asked, blinking at him. She raised her hand and tapped him on the nose. She wasn't able to speak his language, even though she'd transformed into a human. She gave a giggle, putting both hands to her face. His reaction had been good, hadn't it? She'd surprised him! She shifted into her true form and floated over Grayson's head. She settled herself down on his head, wrapping her tail around his neck comfortably. She peeked down at him from her spot. "Mew?"
MoogerMint Karma peered out from over the top of the notebook, nearly smooshed to zher nose in zher search for information on Grayson's mysterious stunt double. The reaction that the scientist gave to seeing it appear before him was enough to alert Karma to the fact that this had not, in fact, ever really happened before. Was it another ditto? Karma slowly closed the book and took a few cautious steps forward in curiosity, but stopped upon Tania's further interaction. There didn't look to be any sort of threat, at least in a dangerous sort of way. Karma giggled at the display.
Grayson continued to try to draw a conclusion from the display before him. With the verbal response given, it was only a matter of time before it clicked, however unlikely the conclusion was. However, upon shifting back to her default form, the answer was all but given to him tied to a brick. "A black mew?" he gaped, standing still as he watched her, wide-eyed and fascinated, as she perched upon his head and shoulders, "I never thought... really?" He didn't even know such a thing existed!
Thaliawen Tania moved from Grayson's head. She shook a finger at him--which in turn caused the mew to shake her entire paw at the professor. "Mew, mew, mew, mew!" she said. Why couldn't he understand her? This was tiresome. Didn't he know she was the only black mew in the world, as far as she knew? Didn't he know that that made her the best? She made her way over to Karma. She studied the ditto child carefully. "He's weird," she said. "Why is he so excited?"
MoogerMint Despite the fact that Tania was chewing Grayson out for acting so strange, the scientist could only find the interaction piquing more interest out of him. Of course, this was from a logical standpoint... he just wanted to see what would come with it, and failed to respond in an adequate manner. She was acting so human, with her mannerisms! "Interesting... I wonder, have you been watching the humans for a long time?" he asked absently, not expecting any answer that he could perceive. Instead, he slid his clipboard over and began jotting down notes as the mew floated over to the child.
Karma's giggles quieted as attention was turned toward zher, but the friendly smile didn't fade. "Haha, he is pretty weird, isn't he?" the ditto agreed, tapping fingers along the binding of the closed notebook clutched in zher hands. Humming a bit in thought, the mismatched eyes of the child, scanned the floor in thought, trying to see if zhe could come up with an explanation a wild pokemon could grasp, "Well, do you know what a scientist is? Or a researcher? Those humans that like to study pokemon to understand them better without ever asking?" Of course, Karma didn't get the hype... but zhe also didn't realize how rare of an encounter the current one was.
Thaliawen Tania blinked over at Grayson, and instead of really responding to him, started to shift into Karma's form. She had in fact, observed humans for a long time. Years, if she remembered correctly. She generally wasn't as interested in them as she was this one--he seemed particularly amusing. "He is weird," she repeated. "A scientist?" she repeated, blinking blankly at the ditto. "Researcher? No..."
MoogerMint Even though Grayson seemed to be paying more attention to whatever it was that he was writing, his attention was more focused on the play that seemed to be taking place with the shadow mew. If she hadn't been so unknown a specimen to the man, he may have been more concerned about the well-being of the lab equipment, but as it was, he was more intent on writing down every little observation he came across.
Karma giggled again as the dark-hued mew restated her assessment of the scientist before them, giving a sharp nod in agreement. However, zhe was much more at a loss for how to explain something zhe had been around zher entire life, more or less. It was like trying to describe taste to someone who had never experienced the sensation before. "Umm, well... well they DO tend to be on the stranger side, from what I can tell! They like to write down what they see pokemon do, and I suppose see what each type tends to do more often. Like... well I guess he'd be writing down what he thinks your interests might be, since he can't understand you," the ditto-child attempted to offer an explanation. It was hard to describe an occupation when you didn't understand it fully yourself!
Thaliawen "Well," Tania said, glancing back at Grayson. "You should tell him to stop or I'll take what he's writing on from him." She went over to Grayson to make her point. She reached for the clipboard. "Mew, mew!" she said, reaching for it. He couldn't be allowed to write all day, that wasn't interesting! She shifted into her true form, attaching her tail to his neck carefully as she leaned forward to see what he was writing. She was unable to read, however, and instead tilted her head at Grayson expectantly. He'd better read it to her, or there'd be trouble.
MoogerMint Karma leaned over slightly, as though to make sure Grayson wasn't doing anything other than his characteristic 'obliviously making too many notes.' "Hey Doctor, she, um..." Karma was about to relay the message before zhe realized something kind of important. Rolling back to stand fully upright in front of the red-eyed mew as the playful pokemon reached for Grayson's clipboard, Karma chirped, "Um, I'm Karma! What's your name? I'll tell him once I know that, okay?" It seemed a bit rude not to tell the scientist who exactly it was giving the message, and didn't... exactly know WHAT zhe was dealing with here.
Grayson paused for a moment as Tania reached for the clipboard, watching the actions with further interest. His eyes followed her as her tail snaked its way around his neck, watching her head tilt toward the paper he had clutched in his hands... and thought she might be showing a bit of interest in it. Could she understand it? He didn't know, and tilted it further upright so she could get a better view of the form he was using, quizzically glancing back at her to study her reaction.
Thaliawen "My name is Tania," Tania said, blinking in Karma's direction. "And I am the greatest Mew on all the earth. Especially arund here. I'm not one of those weak pink ones," and here Tania made a face, wrinkling her nose. "I'm stronger than all of them. Hi Karma! That's a strange name. What are you? You aren't human. Are you a mew, too?" She turned her attention back to Grayson, and made a sound of impatience. Didn't he understand? He needed to read it to her!
MoogerMint "Hi, Tania! That's such a pretty name!" Karma exclaimed. Her statement of being the greatest based on color, however, had the child fidget under the weight of such an assumption. It was not because Karma wasn't willing to believe such a thing, it was just that, well... "But Tania... I'm pink," zhe said meekly, "It's not so bad of a color!" Granted, some people considered it a light shade of violet, but that was beside the point -- a lot of people still considered it a pink. Holding up zher hands, the child blinked a pair of transformed eyes from the palms of zher hands, the current extent of zher own transformation abilities, "I'm a ditto! I wish I was a mew, though. That would be so much cooler!" Oh, but where were zher manners? Attention turning back to Grayson, the child held up zher end of the bargain, "Tania there says that you should stop being a scientist for a moment or she's gonna take your clipboard!"
Grayson looked slightly bewildered at what Karma had relayed, slowly lowering the clipboard in defeat and glancing back to who was apparently named Tania. "Stop being a scientist?" he asked.
Thaliawen "You're not pink," Tania said, frowning towards Karma. "You're purple. A lot of nice things are purple. Ribbons, flowers, you. Pink is not good, though, and nothing good can be pink. So you aren't pink!" The mew's tone was decisive. A ditto? Hm... She'd heard ditto could transform. "You could be a mew," she said. "I could teach you to be a mew, like me. We could be two mews. The best two!"
Tania took up Grayson's clipboard, studying it carefully. She shoved it back at him in disgust, tutting at him. This wasn't interesting at all.
MoogerMint "Oh, r-really?" Karma perked, a bit stunned, "You really think so?" Zhe fidgeted a bit in place, a slight blush appearing across the ditto's patchy features. The child never seemed to expect a compliment when it came, especially from someone zhe most likely had only just met! A grin split across zher face at Tania's offer, unexpected but entirely welcome, "An honorary mew? Really?" Oh this was spectacular! Did this mean Karma had actually managed to make a friend? "I would love that! And maybe I could teach you some things as well! Though, um... I'm not sure what yet, but I'll definitely try!" zhe stated enthusiastically, giggling in agreement, "The best two there ever was!"
"I didn't keep going, I swear!" Grayson coughed out as Tania snatched the clipboard, only to return it soon after. Glancing it over upon hearing the annoyance in her voice, he wondered if it was because there were no pictures... Turning slowly around so as not to jostle the mew too much, he pointed to a drawer on the other side of the room, "There are some books in there that might be more interesting." Picture books.
Thaliawen "I like learning things," Tania chirped, eyes focused on Karma. "I like you, Karma," she said, blinking at the ditto. "You're the first pokemon person I've ever liked." And the first she'd ever met. "Yes, you're good enough to be a mew!" she responded eagerly. "You can learn to be a mew." The mew paused, looking over at Grayson from her position. Books, what were those?
MoogerMint Karma beamed at Tania, feeling like the two of them had a lot in common. That was quite an unusual feeling, as the ditto oftentimes had felt much like an outcast for a good long while! "I like learning, too! It's a good thing that the Doctor likes learning as well, or I might not have been able to learn so much," zhe giggled, "I really like you, too!" The child held zher hands out, as though to offer a hug but not wanting to force the issue. Zhe seemed to be a bit saddened that it didn't seem like Tania had made any connections with anyone else yet, and after a momentary lapse of thought, came up with a suggestion, "Maybe that's what I could help with. Maybe I can help you make more friends?" Not that the ditto had the opportunity to do the same very often, but it was worth a shot! "Hear that, Doctor? I'm gonna learn to be a mew!" Karma exclaimed gleefully to a still-baffled scientist.
Grayson was still watching the shadow mew curiously, noting when she seemed to offer him a questioning look. He held up the clipboard that she had tossed away to indicate it, "They've got a lot less of these scribbles and more pictures in them. They usually tell a story, but Karma has some reference guides in there as well." He had no idea if she even understood half of what he was saying, but he wouldn't have doubted it -- she seemed rather bright.
Thaliawen Tania moved from her spot on Grayson to float to Karma though she didn't hug the ditto. Instead she settled on top of Karma's head. "I am glad you like to learn," she said. "We will be good friends. You teach me and I'll teach you!" The shadow mew beamed, and then said, "Can you translate for me? I don't really understand... What are books? Will you read them to me?"
MoogerMint Karma wasn't too disappointed from the lack of a hug -- zhe knew not everyone appreciated them -- and instead reeled in the outstretched arms, balling the fists and raising them to zher chin excitedly. For some reason, having Tania perched on the child's head was exciting, like being able to cart around a sibling to do something fun. "That's right, we'll get to learn a bunch of things together, teach each other... and be best friends together!" the ditto exclaimed. The smile on Karma's face was unmistakeable as the androgynous child hopped over to the cabinet with the picture books. "That's something that I can actually teach you!" Karma gaped, "I can teach you how to read and write! Oh good idea! That's like translating things from human to pokemon, and I can tell humans what you are trying to tell them as well. You'll understand in no time, I just know it!" It was very, very rare that Karma felt useful, in any sense of the word, and zhe wasn't about to let that chance escape now!
Grayson stood stunned for a moment, watching as Karma grabbed hold of the stack of books and toss them, sprawled, across the laboratory floor. Although he would always have the intense desire to write down all the information he could of the pokemon he encountered, especially the bizarre, he was capable of pausing in his endeavor to appreciate the little things, and he smiled at the view. Never mind that the floor was now a mess...
Premise:So that is how you get a scientist to play... manipulative, but super effective!
- - -
Roleplay:Under spoiler
Thaliawen Brennen was, perhaps oblivious that there was a laboratory nearby, but if he had known, he would have been even more interested in investigating the surrounding area. He'd decided to take the day to explore the woods--and had somehow gone far enough--either in or out, he wasn't quite sure, that he had stumbled upon a building. Once he had scoped the building out, he had spotted a man--a man he recognized from descriptions. He grinned. He broke out into a run, heading over to him. He wrapped his arms around Grayson's neck from behind. "Hi! I'm a legendary and I love you!"
MoogerMint While Grayson was not usually much for being a field researcher, as many of those that worked under him tended towards, there were still instances every once in a while where he was called out to do a bit of it on his own. As a scientist, such cases were quarantined to being within the city, as he couldn't stray too far from the base. He was one of the heads of the department, after all, so it wouldn't do to be missing for too long if he could help it. Karma insisted the fresh air would do him good, too, but he wasn't sure if the ditto-child was just saying that for truth or if it was because zhe wanted to leave the compound, too...
In this train of thought, thoroughly distracted, he hadn't noticed the quickened footsteps of the child behind him until the celebi-boy tackled the man; his brain short-circuited, cutting off what comprehension he would have had at Brennen's statement of introduction as he tried to keep himself from toppling over. "Doctor!!" Karma gasped at the strangely... amusing scene. Despite a tinge of worry, Karma took the opportunity to try to locate any mention of the glomp-happy bug-child within the ditto's scrawled notes.
Thaliawen "I heard you're a scientist!" Brenny exclaimed, releasing his hold on Grayson. His attention, however, landed on Karma, and the excitable celebi boy dashed over to her instead. "I don't know who you are," he observed. "They didn't tell me about you. But I'm Brennen! You can call me Brenny, and we can be friends. I thought since he studies pokemon he might be interested in meeting me!" Brenny paused, beaming as he looked back over to Grayson. "How do you study pokemon?" he asked. "Are you going to study me, are you? I'm a legendary. Come play with me!"
MoogerMint Grayson sputtered, finally regaining his balance and straightening up his stereotypical white lab coat. "You... heard..?" he asked, words broken. He didn't understand, who was actually happy to see a scientist? He watched as the cheery celebi-child sped into view, directly for Karma, and it was then that Brennen's initial words finally hit their mark in his head. "Wh-What!? A celebi!?" he coughed, quickly attempting to locate his notepad in a coat pocket.
Karma sqeaked as Brenny closed so quickly in, dropping the zher own notebook without having located a thing. It was obvious that the boy was just excited, though, so the ditto was quick to relinquish such apprehension, especially when said boy was so eager to be friends. Really? Friends so soon? Karma hadn't met someone so quick to jump to such a conclusion, so was not about to shun such a request, "Okay, I'd love to be friends! Hi Brenny, I like that name. My name's Karma!" The ditto shuffled around, offering a hand to shake, "Oh, the doctor would love to study you, I have no doubt about that! But to tell you the truth... it might be kind of boring." Zher eyes narrowed slightly, as though giving Grayson a warning look.
The scientist had already found his notepad and was scribbling notes down when the questions came aimed at him. "Hm?" he peeked over the pad of paper, "Oh, um... if you don't mind, I'd like to?" He wasn't actually sure if Brenny would appreciate it, come to think of it... He blinked a bit in confusion, "Play..?"
Thaliawen "Yes, from Lucy! She told me you study pokemon and that sounded really boring so I decided to teach you a new way to study pokemon!" Brenny rambled, beaming as he looked back to Grayson. "You can't sit around and write all day," he said, shaking a finger at the man. "You have to play with pokemon, too, to really understand them!" It seemed logical. To Brenny, at least.
"Yay! Hi Karma! You have a pretty name! And you're pretty, too. I like your color." Brenny took her hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Now we're friends! Good! We can teach your Daddy how to study better. He's missing a lot of things by just sitting there," he gestured to the professor, shaking his head sadly. "It won't be boring now," he assured her.
He directed his attention back to Grayson. "Come on, come on! I'm a legendary! You want to study me! I'll stay still long enough for you to write if you can catch me! But if you can't, you have to study my way."
MoogerMint Grayson found it comical how quickly the celebi-child slipped into his role at directing the scene. "Ahh, Lucy; so you've met my Dea and her pokémon, have you?" he gathered, nodding as he understood, "And she didn't send you directly here?" No, he knew she wouldn't have had the time for it, but he playfully huffed about the situation anyway. He waved the notepad as it was referred to, sounding grumpy though it was obvious he wasn't, "But what if I forget to write something important down later? Can't I just watch you two play and take notes about it?" He was almost whining, as though he were a child debating with a parent. He used this tactic a lot on his children when they were growing up, and sometimes even on Karma.
Karma, who was just about to throw a shoe at the man. It was amusing, sure, but games tended to be more fun when more people were involved! Karma wiggled a little, blushing a bit, "You really think I'm pretty? Usually people just think I'm strange!" Not once could the ditto remember being called pretty. It was most likely because of the fact that zhe had no specific gender, but that didn't mean they had to forgo being as friendly as they were to everyone else! "You like pink?" Karma gaped, flexing one hand while shaking Brenny's with the other, "Well, I like your color! It matches the forest out there!" Which he had just popped out of, come to think of it, "Do you live in the forest?" The child giggled, nodding in agreement with exuberance, "What game should we try to get him to play? He's gotta use his hands, or they'll just keep writing!" But zhe was quick to play along when Brenny attempted to coax Grayson out, "Tag?"
The scientist was not so quick to catch on, "Catch you? In what manner?" He was still on scientist-mode, and the thought gave rise to the question of whether Brenny even COULD be caught in a pokéball, now that he was transformed. He blinked at the thought, quickly scribbling down the testable theory.
Thaliawen "Nope! I was exploring my forest, and I must have gotten turned around. But I found you!" Brenny beamed. He put a hand to his chin, feigning thoughtfulness. "Hmm..." he hmmed, before smirking at the professor. "Then you'll just have to ask me what you forgot to write down. I know me best, so the best person to ask is me! I can tell you all about me, and being in the forest, and changing, and--" the celebi paused, his expression softening. "Don't worry, though," he said. "I won't let you forget anything really important. You can study all you like!"
His gaze fell back onto Karma, and he beamed at zher. "Yup! Prettiest I've ever seen!" He wasn't sure what Karma was, really, but He? She? was pretty. "I don't think you're strange," he said, frowning slightly. Strange wasn't a very nice thing to call someone! "I do like pink! My sister is pink. But I haven't seen her for a long time. She's a celebi too! But pink." The celebi boy hesitated, before shaking his head slowly. "I used to," he said. "But now I live in the city. I still visit almost every day! I miss it sometimes. Yeah, let's make him play tag! He has to catch me!"
"Come on, come play with us! Please? I'll even run slowly so you can catch me."
MoogerMint "Glad you didn't get too lost in there, in that case," Grayson pointed out, seeming to be a bit concerned, "How far are you from your home, anyway? I don't remember reading any reports of a celebi spotted in the area..." It hadn't occurred to the man that this was due to the fact that Brenny had only been 'in the area' since turning into a child, thinking that he would have stayed where he grew up. He frowned at the suggestion but... honestly, it was better than nothing. What better way to learn of something than experiencing it? "Ahh, so it would be like a documentary sort of interview? I suppose that could work..." he tapped a chin thoughtfully; there was no better way to get that sort of information, either! "You are quite the diplomatic child, if I do say so."
Karma wondered if the statement that Brenny was offering of the ditto-child's features were based off of little knowledge of others, but considering the celebi-boy's extroverted mannerisms, zhe could chance a guess that he probably knew more than zhe did. "Aww, you're making me blush, cut it out!" the blue-haired child giggled, "But being strange isn't so bad, either, so when people call me that, it doesn't upset me. Just means I'm different. I like being called pretty, though! Nobody's ever called me that before, it sounds nicer." Brenny was, indeed, nicer than a lot of the scientists that frequented the laboratory on a regular basis. "Oh really? She's pink?" Karma repeated, making the correlation as to why there was a 'pretty' link in there; the realization was actually quite flattering. "Well that can be fun, being able to live in the city and visit the forest every day. It would be like living in both places at once! Maybe you can go camping sometime, even!" Karma suggested with a slight gasp. Bouncing a little in excitement, the ditto urged Brenny to get a head start on zher 'old man' with a light poke in the opposite direction.
Grayson mulled it over, but he decided that the young celebi made a good plea for his case. He'd have to forgo some of the research he would normally do, but in return, would be able to gain more insight, more than he normally would with any regular pokémon research. "Okay, I will give it the old college try," he conceded with a light smirk; he hadn't played this game in YEARS, and wondered how rusty he was at it, "I'm comin' for ya!"
Thaliawen Brenny gave a giggle, racing--rather slowly, as promised, away from the scientist. "You can't catch me!" he exclaimed, turning to face him. He hoped Grayson would continue to play with them, even after they allowed him to win. It was fair that way, wasn't it? Grayson was much older than they were. He zipped right, and then left, giggling in delight. This was fun!
MoogerMint While Grayson's questions went unanswered, the chase's beginning was actually quite effective on spurring him to continue with the game, to get to the bottom of such queries. While eager to learn of this celebi-boy, he was also fully aware of how to handle children, and was not about to upset one if he had the chance. Despite what may have been outwardly obvious of the recluse, he was still very much the paternal figure in a number of lives. He was content to keep the game going until Brenny was satisfied, even if he was not the best at running... a fact made clear when he stumbled right out of the door, so to speak. Karma gasped slightly before the response was turned into a giggle, the child prancing backwards so zhe could face zher trainer, "Aha! So you've got two left feet!" The ditto kept distance between zher and Brenny, so they both were incapable of being caught at the same time.
"Oh shush, you," Grayson smirked, continuing the chase. He'd go after Brenny first, if only because he had been the one most eager to play with the man; Karma was merely goading him on so that he would let the celebi, the ditto's newfound friend, have as much fun as was possible while visiting.
Thaliawen Brenny let himself be caught--or rather turned and wrapped his arms around Grayson, giggling. "I win!" he exclaimed. Grayson hadn't caught him, he'd caught Grayson! Sure, that wasn't in the rules--but the celebi boy wasn't sure there was a rule book for tag. "You caught me," he informed the scientist, with another giggle. "Now what will we play?" He gazed up at Grayson hopefully. "Let's play 'Study Grayson'!" The celebi boy dashed off and picked up Grayson's clipboard. He took up the pencil and began to pretend to write observations, giving a convincing 'Hmmm...' every once in a while.
MoogerMint That was not an action Grayson had been expecting! He flinched mid-step, nearly stumbling once more in an effort to resist head-on collision. Luckily, Brenny seemed to know where to aim, and harm was easily avoided once Grayson managed to come to a full stop. Karma slid to a halt as well, bursting into a fit of laughter if only because of the expression that Brenny caused on zher trainer's face. "I caught you? I think it's the other way around!" he chuckled after the brief span of surprise had passed, patting the kid on the shoulder. He blinked at the next suggestion, curious to what the celebi meant by, "Study? What do you..?" He watched as Brenny answered Grayson's unfinished question with action, "Ahh. Make-believe."
Karma tugged at Grayson's lab coat, causing the scientist to relinquish it without thinking better. Gleefully, the ditto slipped it on, much too big for such a slim and diminutive figure, and hopped to stand next to Brenny. Glancing at the clipboard, Karma pretended to readjust a pair of invisible glasses on zher nose, "Doctor, what do you think?" Brenny now had himself a lab assistant!
Thaliawen "I think he's a very wild specimen," Brenny said, putting a finger to his chin in thought. He gave a giggle. "He looks lost though. Maybe we can catch him." He held up a rubber bouncy ball that had been painted to resemble a pokeball. He tossed it towards Grayson. "Missed!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers in mock disappointment. "What kind of pokemon do you think he is?" he asked, glancing at Karma. "Do you think he's a legendary?"
MoogerMint "Hmmmm," Karma mimicked the celebi-boy, looking thoughtful and scrutinizing the amused man before the children, despite no further observations coming to mind. The ditto watched as Brenny pretended to throw a 'pokeball' at Grayson, leaning forward to watch only to have the ball bounce off a shoe and careen off at a ninety-degree angle. Snapping zher fingers, Karma tsked, "Rats! So close!" Grayson laughed at that, and pretended to try to be sneaking off. Karma gave him a wary glance, musing, "Well, he's definitely not one I've researched before. It's possible he's one-of-a-kind like that! We should tackle him to make sure he doesn't escape, so we can run more tests!" The colorful kid giggled mischievously, child-like behavior overturning the stoic scientist air zhe had been aiming for.
Thaliawen "Let's capture him!" Brenny exclaimed, racing towards Grayson. He wrapped an arm around one of the man's arms, giggling. "You have to help me hold him!" he called to Karma. "He'll escape if we don't work together! This is for science!" He paused, looking up at Grayson. He put on a thoughtful expression. "He's a very big pokemon," he observed. "I think he must be a legendary. Rarer than Celebi, Mew and Arceus put together!"
MoogerMint Karma pumped a fist into the air in response to Brenny's suggestion, excited about being able to capture zher own trainer like a trainer would a pokémon, "Alright!!" Zhe was quick on his heels, hardly needing direction before flinging zhimself at Grayson, tackling his stomach and pinning his free arm to his side, "Okay, I think I got 'im! For science! And for fun, hehe!" Indicating the scientist's size with a tap of zher head to his chest, Karma replied, "Or is he just a well-fed pokémon?" A sly smile appeared, referring to an alternate meaning of the term 'big.'
"Hey now, Karma," he warned with a smile. He feigned an attempt at wiggling free of their grasp, but gasped in defeat, "Alas, the great Grayson-mon has been captured!"
Thaliawen "Yay!" Brenny exclaimed. "We caught a well fed pokemon!" He was oblivious to what Karma was referencing. "So he must have a good home. I wonder if he has a family." He gasped. "I know! He's the pokemon we've been taking care of all this time! I was leaving bowls out for a pokemon, and this one must be that one! He's our pet!"
MoogerMint Karma giggled as Brenny went along with the idea of Grayson being well-fed, unaware that he didn't get that zhe was poking fun at the man. The grin didn't leave, knowing full well what sort of family the scientist had -- zhe was part of it, and felt that zhe was a good addition! While Karma was confused at first with Brenny's exclamation, the ditto quickly realized that zhe should still be playing the part of the scientist's apprentice and gasped as well, after a moment, "Oh you think so? Who would have ever guessed!" There was a giggle, a brief pause, and then Karma leaned over slightly to whisper, "Brenny... what's a pet?" Oh how curious!
Grayson sighed, remaining in his defeated frame of mind, "You caught me. It just smelled so good..." It had been ages since he had last pretended, in play, to be someone else, but he fell back into the role with little struggle.
Thaliawen "A pet is a friend you can keep forever at your house," Brenny explained in a whisper. "You take care of them and love them like they're your babies and they love you too! Grayson is our pet now, because he loves us and we love him and we take care of him!" He giggled at Grayson's behavior. "He liked the food!" He exclaimed. "Yay!"
MoogerMint "Oh is that what a pet is?" Karma gaped, wondering why they didn't use that term more often. Zhe liked the idea! Though the thought of considering him Karma's baby seemed a little awkward... zhe still viewed zhimself as a child without attachment and responsibilities on that frontier, and much preferred it that way! So friend it was. "Yaay, Grayson-pet!" the ditto chirped, squeezing the man's midsection, "These scientists will take good care of you for sure!"
Grayson chuckled, the thought of being the pet of his own pokémon and a legendary being a rather amusing one! But hey, he was in it this far, why not just continue to roll with it? Kicking at the toy pokeball, he managed to roll it a few paces away, "Catch!" Why yes, that was a lousy, er... 'throw.'
Thaliawen Brenny scooped the 'pokeball' up, releasing his hold on Grayson. "Look, look Karma!" He exclaimed, holding the pokeball up. "He wants to play! Yay! He wants to play with us and not study!" He handed her the pokeball and wrapped his arms around Grayson's middle. "I love you!" He said. "I knew I could teach you to study my way!"
MoogerMint Both Grayson and Karma, still latched onto the scientist, watched Brenny move for the toy pokeball with curious interest. The ditto gaped as the ball was held aloft, then attention was turned back to the trainer-turned-pokémon, "Oh he does!" With a giggle, the colorful ditto-child released zher grip and hopped backwards to stand next to the celebi, "Play catch? Is that what we're playing now?" Rocking on bouncy feet on idle mode, Karma almost dropped the ball when it was passed to zher, fumbling with the sudden object.
It was difficult not to just keep snickering at Brennen's reactions, all the affection and all the exuberance. "I'm flexible in my ways of learning," he laughed, returning the hug to the small child with a one-armed pat on the back. He'd still prefer to do studying in his usual manner, sure, but he could always wait on that.
Thaliawen "Now you get to study me the way you want to," Brenny informed Grayson. A promise was a promise, after all. "You caught me and we played. So it's your turn to do what you like to do, even if my way's better." He handed Grayson his clipboard. "But afterward, you have to play with us again!"
MoogerMint Grayson shook his head and snickered, indicating that he thought Brenny's stand on his own way of learning was the best. "If it works best for you, then it's the best to you, huh?" he laughed, "That makes some sense, if you take that stance in life. I just learn best my own way is all." It was a means for him to teach Brenny a thing or two, in his own way, but he didn't know if it would be read as such. "Thank you, Brenny. If it isn't too late, I would be happy to play with you again, if that's what you want," he stated, grinning and readjusting how he held the clipboard to a more comfortable position, making it easier to write on, "Now Brenny, as a celebi, what can you tell me about yourself? Your habits, before you changed into your present form. What sort of things did you do? What abilities did you have, and how did they work? Can you still do them?"
"Doctor..." Karma needled, making sure the scientist realized when to back off on the bombardment of questions. Zhe already thought that was way too much!
Thaliawen Brenny thought for a long moment. "I lived in a clearing in the forest," he said, pointing in the direction of the clearing. "It's deep inside the forest and before Mariana showed up, I had never seen a human before. She taught me to draw. But before that, I--" the celebi boy hesitated. "I don't really remember," he confessed. "I was really young then. I hatched in early January. I mostly stuck to playing with my sister and searching for berries--there weren't any." The boy hesitated again, blinking. "I flew around a lot and played. I could fly and travel through time. At least, that's what I've been told. I never bothered to try... I haven't tried flying in this form, either."
MoogerMint Karma quietly cheered Brenny on for remembering all the questions; zhe sure wasn't sure zhe could have done similar! Grayson took the notes down, taking heed not to interrupt the boy for further probing information for fear of accidentally detracting from the boy's memory process. This was good information regardless, and he wanted to make sure he got it down. "I hadn't realized you were just a baby pokémon!" he blinked in surprise, once Brenny caught his breath, "You've already learned so much in such a short period of time, it's amazing! So it was just you and your sister, there were no other family members? And what happened to the one who was teaching you?"
Karma squinted, repeating the single word from before in a drawn-out manner, "....Doctor..." Brenny acted like his history was a bit of a sore spot, so he had to be careful not to probe too far for fear of hitting a wound not yet sealed! Eyes turning to the boy, Karma insisted, "Don't answer anything you don't feel comfortable answering, just tell him you'd rather not. He won't get mad."
Thaliawen "She stopped coming," Brenny said, frowning slightly. "I don't know what happened to her, but I know she abandoned her vanilite around the same time. I met with him and we were friends. I don't think celebi have parents," he added. "I've heard eggs appear deep in the forest, and that's what happened to us." He took a step backwards, away from Grayson at the question concerning his sister. "Right," he said. "Just me and her. She's a shiny celebi. I haven't had any contact with her since Daddy brought me to the city."
MoogerMint Grayson was jotting the notes down, but his hand slowed when Brenny's replies came more and more broken. Well that was cause for concern... He took a deep breath as he finished writing what was said before offering any insight into that matter, "It's possible she couldn't stay, not that she didn't want to. Depending on her line of work, or even family matters... things can get complicated." Not that he knew for sure... but Brenny was starting to get upset, even the scientist could see that in his body language, growing more tense by the question. He diverted the questioning to concern those of his current form instead of the form he was born in, "Did you come to the city by choice, then?"
Karma was feeding off the nervous energy as well, and fidgeted, knowing there wasn't much more zhe could do to help. To keep such nerves from getting too wound up, zhe pulled a piece of lime green string out and began tying it around zher fingers as zhe listened to the discussion carry on.
Thaliawen "I don't know," Brenny said, with a shake of his head. "The vanilite said she also had a deino, but couldn't tell me if the deino had also been abandoned. I certainly never found it." The celebi boy sighed. He had looked for Mariana, not to the extent of how he had searched for his sister, but he had hoped to find her for days. He was relieved when Grayson changed the subject, a smile quickly replacing the frown. "Yeah," he said. "I was alone, and it was cold," he gave a shiver at the thought. "I would've come anyway, even before I changed. But I changed before I came! Daddy brought me and he took care of me." He glanced over at Karma, and studied the string in her hands. That looked interesting! He wondered if she could teach him how to do that after Grayson was done studying him.
MoogerMint "Curious situation..." Grayson mused, hoping that Brenny's first human friend was still doing alright; it was worrisome, when someone disappeared like that without warning! However, he wasn't going to worry the celebi more than was necessary, so didn't speak of these verbally. He mirrored the smile as it was given, glad that Brenny was feeling more relaxed now, "Ahh, I would imagine you wouldn't have been so used to the changing of the seasons. Was it difficult to adjust to living here, or would you say you're fairly adaptable to change in living conditions?" Grayson could tell Brenny was starting to get restless, so he wanted to fully reassure the boy, "Last question for now, I think."
"Ack!" Karma hissed quietly, realizing zhe had tied a knot too tight around a pink-marked finger. The ditto began tugging it away, and luckily it slipped off without too much issue. Pouting, the ditto transformed an eye at the palm of zher hand to assess the damage, smiling when zhe realized the red mark was already almost gone. The child was fairly used to passing the time on zher own, but wouldn't mind sharing!
Thaliawen "I think I adjusted okay," he said. "It was easier to adjust with Daddy helping me. I learned a lot and I met a lot of people. And I've made a lot of friends," he added with a smile. "Like you and Karma. But I still like visiting the forest. I have two homes. And sometimes I hope I can find my sister. But I don't. I never do."
MoogerMint Grayson was glad to hear that! It was an expected response, to being adaptable at such a young and resilient age, but not one that wasn't sought. "I think your friends and family probably feel the same about you in return, if you are always this friendly," he stated matter-of-factly as he wrote the last of the data down and clipped the pen to the board, "I also think that it is good to broaden your horizons like that, learn from and in different settings to get a better scope of the world on a whole. It's good practice, and leads to better understanding. The world is a big place, but it doesn't go on forever. If you keep looking, and are diligent about it, I'm sure you could find whatever you set out to find." Standing up fully upright once more, he nodded, "But I think that's enough out of me. It's not fair to drill you with questions for too long a time!"
Karma busied zhimself attempting to keep a string-made Eiffel Tower intact on the one finger at the apex of the building, to no avail. "Rats..." zhe grumbled as it unraveled, unaware that the interview had concluded.
Thaliawen Brenny blinked up at Grayson for a long moment, before beaming at him. "Yay, studying is done!" he exclaimed, moving to Karma's side instead. "Let's play, Karma!" Oblivious to the fact that she'd just toppled the Eiffel Tower, he invited the ditto to play. "Your Daddy is going to play too, because he said after studying he'd play with us."
MoogerMint Ahh, he thought Brenny would be glad to hear that bit of news! "Yep, that's it for studying for now. Don't want to wear out my welcome too soon!" he laughed.
The string was now merely a loop of an oval hanging from Karma's index finger as the ditto glared daggers at it. The distraction was a welcome change, for zhe didn't really feel like recreating the lime green structure across zher fingers all over again in the span of such a short time. The child was quick to stash the string back into the confines of zher shoulder bag, a broad smile splaying across the ditto's face, "Okay! What are we playing this time?" Dual-toned eyes pivoted to the scientist, wondering what other tests the two children could perform on this full-grown man. Oops, zhe meant 'well-fed pet!'
"That's right, I promised that I would try to play with you some more once I was done with my notes," Grayson confirmed with a nod.
Premise:New surprises with a daring display of adventurous behavior, and new wounds to cover the scars of memory that were once present.
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:39 pm
◉ On Crestfallen Wings ★ Nothing is immortal
This whole scenario seemed vaguely familiar to Karma, watching from the child's perch on a laboratory counter top as the scientist paced irritably at the other end of the room. The cause for the drama could not have been the same, that much was obvious even to the memory-damaged ditto, but the implications were nevertheless worrisome. This time, Karma knew what it was that had Grayson in the clutches of denial, but was it something just as bad that had happened before, to cause such similar show of emotion?
Karma shook zher head at the thought; this was no time for such selfish trains of thought. This was important, and it had nothing to do with the ditto zhimself. Sure, it was discouraging, the fact that there had been little to no improvement on the capabilities of retention, but that was only a small fraction of the issue. Even though Karma couldn't remember the person that was lost from this world, that didn't give reason to a lack of grief, for imagination was a highly relevant mode of emotional transportation. Zhe had met this person before, whether or not zhe remembered it, and would never be able to repeat the experience again.
Still, the tears wouldn't come.
"Doctor..." the child bespoke quietly, sighing as zher shoulders lowered. He seemed to be terrible at expressing himself, too, despite the fact he was obviously hurt beyond comprehension. Stubborn, stubborn man... if he was sad, why not cry it out? But what could Karma even do, to help him through the pain, anyway? This was alien territory, something not easily relatable unless similar experiences were able to be compared. While it was the same incident that plagued Karma, the lack of a face to put to the name left it feeling like mere rumor or cold fact, as if reading an incident in another part of the country through text on a newspaper.
Regarding Kelsie, the only face Karma was able to put to the girl was that of the eevee they had met only earlier that day. Or, rather, that they had... re-met, despite the fact the acquaintanceship seemed as fresh as any other new meeting. He had apparently been owned by Grayson's daughter, but despite the eevee already being a teenager, Grayson himself hadn't even seen the boy since he was but a pokémon. Karma can't have seen Kelsie any more recently than that, either... so maybe zhe wasn't at fault for the lack of remembering. Except that Karma was also likely older, all-in-all, despite the fact that zhe probably knew considerably less...
How would Karma have reacted, had Grayson been killed in similar fashion? Zhe couldn't help but speculate just how much more hurt Cupcake might be in, comparatively, even if it was just because it was easier for zher imagination to formulate than it was for a father-and-daughter.
With a slight contortion of the face, Karma frowned. Why was it that the scientist had not visited his daughter, before this occurred? It had obviously been quite a while since Grayson had last seen Kelsie at all... was it merely because he was just so absorbed in his work to pull away for long enough? What about Kelsie, had she been just as bad of a workaholic?
Speculation was all that could come of this, for Karma wasn't about to bring up the questions in the hopes of better understanding the situation; zhe wasn't sure if this would only upset the scientist that much further. He probably already blamed himself enough about it, for not taking the extra precautions to visit, to at least give her a call. Were they estranged? Zhe didn't know, zhe could only feel the further welling of pity upon fruitless assessment.
Even still, Karma felt utterly helpless. The brightly-dressed kid sighed, almost taking a whimper with it. In agitation with the situation, the ditto yanked zher notebook from the bag resting to the side, pulling it open to a blank page. The writing outlet was sure to help Karma, but what about Grayson? He was dwelling on the problem, and not trying to work past it. Grief was recommended, near required, but it left those around the individuals feeling a grief of their own, at being unable to help a friend or family member.
Nimbly, Karma began to scribble the notes down. Perhaps if this sort of thing were ever to happen to zher more personally, zhe could look back on this...
Nothing lasts forever Take advantage of what you have now and those that are closest to you for they might not be there in the morning.
I'm sorry I don't remember you.
There were a lot of people who truly cared for you, so even if I am not among those that can carry on your legacy just remember that there is always, and was always, someone who loved you. Your presence in this world may have been short-lived but it was not in vain. You have touched a lot of lives, and will be greatly missed.
Premise:And then the pokémon scientist acquired a stray... daughter?
- - -
Roleplay:Under spoiler
Thaliawen Brenny had hurried to Grayson's lab, banging at the door. "Uncle Grayson!" He cried, knocking. "I have a legendary for you!" They couldn't afford to keep Tania in their small apartment, however much Brenny wanted to. He knew their financial situation, even if he liked to act oblivious to it the majority of the time. "She's a mew! She says she knows you!"
MoogerMint Wrenching the scientist's attention from his current project, Grayson grumpily set his writing utensil onto the desk table and headed towards all the racket. It took a moment to register the characteristic title being called, one that only one since had ever called him -- it wasn't often he was referred to as 'uncle.' Once this fact registered, the man hastened his stride, waiting for Brenny to sidestep the door before pushing it open with a light chuckle, "It's not locked, Brenny." Realizing who it was that was clutched in the celebi-boy's arms, the doctor couldn't contain the curious confusion, "Tania? What's going on?"
Of course, the knocking was enough to bring more than a few curious individuals, though many of the other scientists attempted to continue their work while attentions were divided. Karma peered around the corner, but didn't near. Zhe had the feeling zhe should know these people... and took the moment to pick up their names from the conversation and locate them in zher notebook.
Thaliawen "Oooh. Thank you, Uncle Grayson!" The celebi boy beamed. He released his hold on Hanks and quickly wrapped his arms around the man. "Tania was kicked out of her home," he said in an undertone. "I wanted her to stay with us, but there isn't enough room and I know Daddy doesn't earn enough money even with two jobs. But you do, Uncle Grayson. And she told me she knows and likes you, so..." Brenny's tone was hopeful. "She's a legendary just like me. A special one. She's not pink like other mews." Tania left her position and promptly flew to Karma's head. She curled up like a cat preparing for a nap. "Hi, Karma!" She said. "You're going to be my sister now!"
MoogerMint Being pulled away from his work in such a sudden manner left the man a mite disoriented to the happenings around him. Due to this, his reaction times were a little slow, compounded by the fact that Brenny was such a talkative sort. Grayson followed along well enough, but he was a few steps slower as he readjusted where his mind was currently focused. He honestly didn't know that Tania actually had a place to begin with, under the impression she was a feral pokémon, like so many of her brethren. It was actually strange to see so many legendaries under the care of another! But he supposed that would have to be the focus of another study session, at some other point in time. "So you brought her to the pokémon labs?" he asked, a bit amused. Sounded like a place most pokémon would avoid, but he did know that the little mew had grown to be rather fond of the attention she was given. He gave an awkward hug to the boy wrapped around his midsection in greeting, despite still being utterly confused.
Karma was distracted by other means, having located the page on Tania in zher notebook and quickly skimming the notes when the feather-light pokémon landed atop zher head. "Ahh!" the ditto-child jolted, surprised by the sudden contact before realizing who exactly it was. "Tania, you scared meee!" came the added giggle, appended with a curious perk, "I'm gonna be a... sister? What do you mean?"
Thaliawen "Yes, she likes you. I asked her if she knew anyonee she wanted to be her daddy and take care of her and she said you. She likes Karma, too," Brenny added. "She says Karma will be her sister? I tried explaining but she wouldn't listen to me. I told her you might study her but she said she won't care as long as she gets to live here." Tania curled her tail around Karma's neck, gently. "I'm scary?" She asked, blinking. "You're my sister now. My Daddy and Momma told me to go away. So I went to Brenny's. But he doesn't have enough room for me, and I would rather be here with you anyway!"
MoogerMint Grayson chuckled at Brenny's explanation, leading the boy inside and away from the doors. "Well, to be honest, I wouldn't really mind taking care of her. I just don't know if she would really like it here, that's all! Even if it is with people she enjoys being around," he tried to explain. The labs weren't the most comfortable of places, though Karma seemed to have warmed up to living here nicely enough... maybe zhe could show the little mew the ropes, of how to make it more hospitable? He snapped his fingers after a moment, "Tell you what, she can stay here but can you stop by in a week or so? I don't want to force her to stay if she's not happy with the living arrangements, but I'd be more than willing to let her stay if that's truly what she prefers."
Karma attempted to peer up to the mew on zher head, but was only able to catch a glimpse of an ear tip. Well that and the tail snaking across the ditto's shoulders. A giggle appeared just then, recalling the notes of the mischievous little shadow-mew, "No, you're not scary at all! I just didn't expect anyone to land on my head!" The soft laughter soon subsided, melting into a more worried glance, "Go away? Like, to your room?" Zhe didn't understand the implications, or the hardship... but having a sister to play with, those were hopes that zhe wished were not riled for no reason! Was it true?
Thaliawen Brenny followed Grayson inside, fumbling with his bag. He took it off his shoulder and bent to dig in it. "I brought you and Karma cookies, Uncle Grayson! They might be a little stale, I made them yesterday, but I think they're still good! Kind of!" He paused, taking in the man's words. He nodded in understanding. "I will!" He assured him. "But I'm sure you can make her happy!" "Why not?" Tania asked. "I've done it before," she bent to gaze down at the ditto child. "No. He sent me out of the house. Forever, I think. But now I'm with you and my new Daddy!"
MoogerMint Oh cookies... now who didn't like cookies? "You didn't have to go to all the trouble, Brenny!" the man exclaimed, though it was obvious that he wouldn't pass up the offer. Taking a closer look at the cookies, he verified that they still looked just fine, "Oh a day isn't long enough for them to go stale. They look really good! You made these all yourself, Brenny?" Even if he followed written instruction, they were still looked really good, especially for one Brenny's own physical age! He offered a grin, returning once more to the gratitude of both the gift and the acceptance of his terms, "Good. She seems to like you quite a lot as well!" Having friends stop by was never out of the question, even for a work area such as this.
Karma fidgeted at Tania's question, fumbling with the notebook in zher patchy-pink fingers nervously. "I, um... I have a really bad memory, sorry..." the child admitted softly, being as nondescript as possible. "But I don't mind it!" Karma quickly added, almost defensively, as though trying to reassure Tania did nothing wrong with the act. Confusion gripped the ditto then at Tania's calm explanation -- confusion and concern, "Oh... really? Well... well the doctor wouldn't do that, and neither would I, I'm sure of it! You can even stay on my head, if you want!" With that firm statement, the blue-haired child offered a broad grin.
Thaliawen Brenny beamed. "It wasn't any trouble!" He assured him. He didn't think it was any trouble at all, making someone happy! "No, I followed a recipe. Me and Eliot made them! He helped me with the measuring because sometimes I get too excited and put too much sugar in!" The celebi boy giggled. "But not this time! I made them really good. They're called doodles!" He paused and grinned. "She does!" He exclaimed. "She let's me call her Kitty! But she really wants you as her daddy." Tania was puzzled. Then she nodded to herself. "I can help with that," she said. "I think one day I'll be too big for your head."
MoogerMint "Well I appreciate all the work you put into this nonetheless, Brenny. Thank you!" Grayson stated, still impressed, "Well tell this Mei and Eliot 'thank you' from us as well, okay? Recipes can still sometimes be pretty difficult to follow. Thinking of baking for a living? I bet you'd be pretty good at it." Ahh, snickerdoodles; it seemed to be easy to get carried away with the sugar, especially for those in particular! Doctor Willows mused at the idea of calling Tania 'Kitty,' considering she resembled one quite deftly, even in demeanor. However, it was much different for a child to call her that than it was for a grown man, and he knew that had potential to make her feel it was a demeaning name from someone she was strangely referring to as 'daddy.' Regardless... "That's a pretty cute nickname!"
Karma's eyes went wide, a shocked sort of suspended disbelief at Tania's assurance, "You... you can help? Do you have any ideas, or do you mean later?" Either way, the ditto was excited to hear of it, but zher body was held back from hopping with the overabundance of glee. Curious, Karma tried to think of what the little shadow mew's statement meant, "Too big? You going to evolve some day?" Of course, Karma didn't remember what caused zher own transformation, but zhe knew it was a little less than ordinary!
Thaliawen Brenny shook his head. "No, I'm gonna be an artist!" He exclaimed, beaming. "But maybe a baker too. Do you really think I'm that good?" He asked, cheerfully. "Daddy thinks my cookies are good too!" He beamed. "Maybe she'll let you study her!" He said. "I bet she would. She seems nice, Uncle Grayson!" Tania nodded. "I can help!" She said. "Ideas will come later," she promised. "I can learn every move there is, and I bet one will help you!" She paused, and nodded again. "That's right, like my brother grew."
MoogerMint "An artist, huh? What sort of artist?" Grayson asked, intrigued, before he gave an affirmative nod, "Well I haven't tried the cookies yet, but they look and smell like cookies. Not many kids your age can do that, you know!" It was simple enough to recall the interview that was held the last time; the man remembered the celebi stating that he was barely a year old! "Well first we just need to make her comfortable, the studying can come later; it's not necessary to do right away if she's going to be staying here anyway, right?" he snickered, moving over to a drawer and pulling out a flannel blanket for use later that evening, setting it on top of the nearest work table, "I don't think there will be any problems getting along, I don't think, but I don't know her preferences in living style, or if I can live up to such expectations. I will do what I can, though!"
"Really-really?" Karma verbally poked, still excited and getting more visibly so with the promise, "It's okay, I can wait for ideas! I can try to help, too! Thank you thank you!" There was no doubt in Karma's mind that Tania would help, and little in the way of a workable move that may cure it. The only doubt present was wrought from attempted failures of the past, but they were minimal considering Karma couldn't recall the specifics. "Hmm..." the dittto mulled over the thought, pulling the mew's tail up closer to zher chin, as though it were a scarf, "So if you have a brother that grew, and I'm now your sister... does that mean I've got a brother now, too?"
Thaliawen "I really like to draw," Brenny said. "I have since I was a Pokemon. I think I've been improving. I would have to get an art teacher though, to really get good." And he wasn't about to ask for lessons and make Connie pay for them. "I don't really need them though. Daddy couldn't afford them." "Really!" Tania said, beaming. "Good! Tomorrow I will have lots of ideas!" She was sure of it. "I suppose. I don't know where he is, though..."
MoogerMint Grayson was amused to the frequency at which he ran into pokémon that enjoyed drawing. Despite the odds, Brenny was likely the first that entertained the idea of doing so as a profession! "Well you know what they say, practice makes perfect! Maybe you can even develop a new art style that really takes off. Don't think you need a teacher to be able to do that..." he offered, though he was likely one of the last people one may want to get their information from in this particular area of expertise. However, it seemed like Brenny might need to hear it, and who knows? Maybe just being a celebi with his skill levels would be enough foundation to build a career off of on its own, no training required!
"You're so nice, Tania!" Karma giggled gleefully, "Don't stress yourself out over the ideas, though! If you're gonna be my sister, then there will be time later, too!" Despite the offer, Karma was, indeed, very eager to begin with the ideas... but zhe didn't want to be a bother! With a mellow contemplation, Karma understood, "From when you were told to go away? Hmm... well maybe I can help with that, too! I'll help you find your brother again!" And zher brother, too!
Thaliawen "But practice doesn't make perfect," Brenny mused, "Because no one is perfect. I wonder why they say that. Practice makes people better." The celebi hesitated, blinking at the scientist. He beamed. "Yeah! I could make my own style of art! I bet there isn't an artist out there that can capture the colors of time when traveling through it! No human ever could! No human but you, Uncle Grayson. Someday, I want to take you back in time. To any time you want. As a field study trip or something. But it'll be special. I've never taken anyone else through time before. Is that a good present for Christmas?" If it wasn't, he would have to make something. He couldn't afford to buy much.
"There is plenty of time!" Tania agreed. "First we'll focus your memory on small things. Like me! I don't like being forgotten. I'm the only me there is, and I'm the best at being me. If you can remember me tomorrow, and the next day, and even the day after that, I'll give you a present."
MoogerMint Grayson chuckled at the logic, considering it was true in most cases! "Well perfect as far as human error would allow, I suppose, but you're right!" he agreed. However, he seemed a bit perplexed at Brenny's explanation of 'the color of time.' Did that have a color? If anyone knew better, it was indeed Brenny, but the idea was as confusing as it was fascinating! "You have a point there, not many could match that sort of knowledge unless someone was able to invent a time machine... and even then, I doubt it would be the same!" the scientist noted aloud, brimming at the celebi's promise, "I would like that sort of adventure; I would like it a lot! It is more than enough of a gift, but I'm not sure what I would ever be able to do for you in return!" For the scientist, the knowledge was far more precious than anything physical, outside of those he held dear.
While Karma was still embarrassed about the frequency to which zhe forgot others, even those zhe really wanted to remember, zhe was also hasty on the uptake, "That's the first thing I want to be able to remember, too! The doctor says that I don't forget him because I'm with him all the time, so maybe that means I will never ever forget you, too, now!" Zher grin was the broadest it had been yet that evening, "I will try my very hardest to remember that, too!" Wrapping slender fingers around Tania's tail gently, zhe offered a soft sort of hug, "I'm sorry for forgetting you. I don't like doing it. You are the best you, and you are the best sister, too!"
Thaliawen Brenny beamed: his gift was being well received! "You don't have to do anything for me," he assured the man. "I just want to make you happy. If its a good gift, you can give me a hug! And maybe a hot wheels car. I like those. If I focus enough I can make them move without touching them now!" He beamed, proud of this achievement. "I think that's fair. A trip to any time you like for a hug and a car. Okay?"
Tania beamed. She moved from Karma's head to the ditto's shoulders. "Good," she said. "I want you to remember me first, too." She nuzzled Karma's cheek. "I will help you the best I can."
MoogerMint Grayson quickly shook his head, "Christmas is a time for giving, and you should get just as much in return. So if there is anything you want, you just name it. It doesn't have to be now, either. The hug, though, that can be free." He chuckled at that, kneeling down to give the child one proper, "I can get you a Hot Wheels car, or you can sit on it, either works for me." Or a few... he could possibly get a whole set, that would be a little more equivalent of an exchange! "Then you can practice that ability of yours and show you when you've gotten better with it! But that's... a little fair, I guess," the man smiled. It was only an agreement so Brenny wouldn't struggle so much with an idea!
Karma giggled, the petite limbs of the mew tickling slighly as she moved from one perch to the other. Zhe returned the head nuzzle with a gleeful, "I will work super-duper-extra hard on that! You're the bestest, Tania! Sister!" It was so nice to be able to say that and it not just be a silly little game!
Thaliawen Tania had been playing out in the field near the labs earlier that day. She had carefully attempted to find lingering flowers in the early winter chill--only to find a beautiful object! Was it a flower? No, it was a star! A beautiful, silver star. It had a metallic shine to it that the shadow mew admired. Had someone dropped it? Well, if they had, it was hers now! She scooped it up, intending to give it to Grayson. Surely he would know what it was! "After my nap," she decided aloud. She curled up in a particularly grassy part of the field, and fell asleep.
MoogerMint "Karma, get off the counter," Grayson warned again once he heard the ditto's knees run across the surface. He knew the child was shooting a pout at the scientist; he didn't even need to turn around from his work to know that much.
Sliding off the counter top with a small hop, the blue-haired child complained once more, "But Tania hasn't come back yet! She left before you even got to work this morning..." The kid was worried, but zhe felt like that was all zhe could really do.
That is, until Grayson gave a suggestion. "You want to go look for her?" he offered. Karma faltered, and the man knew that zhe was nervous about taking the trek outside on zher own. Zhe had never been given that sort of freedom, with the worry that zhe wouldn't be able to find zher way back home. However, the field that Tania was last seen heading towards wasn't very far, and the laboratory would stay in plain view the entire time. "Take a quick look around and report back to me if you don't find her, okay? She's probably still back there," Grayson continued, holding a thermometer closer to himself and scribbling down some notes.
Karma hesitated for a moment longer, but concern seemed to overcome the young child. "Alright, I'll be right back then," the ditto accepted, jogging out the door and into the heart of the open field. Zhe had been expecting to see a small black, cat-like mew floating about the place, but all that zhe found was a young girl, about Karma's own age, fast asleep. Well... that was awkward, and confusing. Scooting out of the way, Karma decided to walk around the perimeter instead, keeping attention to the girl out of the corner of zher eye. "Taniaaa, where are you?" the colorful kid called, "You can stop playing, it's time to come back inside!" Was she playing hide-and-seek, maybe?
Thaliawen Tania slowly sat up, blinking in confusion. "Karma?" She asked. Her eyes widened at the sound of her voice. She hesitated, reaching up to feel her ears. She craned her neck to study her tail. What was she? She was still a mew, but--the startled girl ran over to where Karma was. "I'm ready to go inside!" She cried. She was! It was chilly out here, and she was still drowsy. Would Grayson know what was going on?--wait. Hadn't this sort of thing happened to Tristan? She could just barely remember her brother's change. She'd have to ask Karma to be sure, though. "Let's go in, please? I'm freezing!"
MoogerMint "Eep!" Karma shrieked as the girl, now awake, had scrambled over to the ditto-child suddenly. Zhe hadn't been expecting it, especially when all she was looking for was -- ...wait a moment. Blinking in surprise, Karma readjusted zher posture, taking a closer look at the girl's features, "Tania..?" The pink-patched child bounced a bit in confirmation, "Oh, it IS you! Wow, you really are good at transforming! Hehe, you should teach me how to do that, that's amazing! I didn't know it was you!" Nope, zhe was completely oblivious to the fact that Tania wasn't masquerading as someone else at the moment. "Okay, we'll go inside. You disappeared for a while, and I was getting worried! Um... but why don't you just transform back if you're so cold?" Karma asked, a little confused as zhe led Tania by the hand back to the laboratory. Was this a new game?
Thaliawen "Er. This--I didn't do this!" Tania said, with a shiver. She used her free hand to rub at her shoulder. "I wish I could. I'd much rather go back to how I usually am. That'd be much better than f-freezing!" She paused, blinking. "You were worried about me?" She asked, with some small amount of surprise. "Really? Daddy too?" She let go of Karma's hand to rush for the warmth of the lab. She wrapped her arms around the busy Grayson, shivering. "Daddy, I found a star. And now I'm freezing."
MoogerMint Karma's head tilted to the side a little, "You... didn't do that? Then what..?" Oh! Oh wait, this sort of thing had happened to Karma, too, hadn't it? Zhe couldn't remember exactly how it had happened... but zhe didn't used to look fully human, either. With that, Karma's tone perked up more in understanding, "Don't worry, maybe we can get some hot cocoa! That will warm you up!" Reaching the door, the ditto pushed and held it open, "Of course I was worried, you were gone for a while! I thought you got lost!" But had the doctor been worried? No, Karma thought he had faith in the fact that she was just out having fun... but Tania was quick to leave the ditto's side before zhe was able to properly respond.
Grayson's hands stumbled as he caught himself from dropping the readout he had been scouring, unaware of the imminent glomp before it had occurred. "What the..?" he coughed out, wondering why a young child was grabbing hold of his waist and calling him his father until her words managed to sink in. "T-Tania?" he asked before he spotted her characteristic ears, hiding surrounded by her dark mop of hair. Upon realizing this, and feeling her body tremble slightly in reaction to the air, he hastily removed his coat and wrapped it around the girl's slight frame. "Come on, lets find you a blanket," he suggested, leading her off to the cabinets. Karma watched quietly from the front doors, holding them shut so they wouldn't open before Tania was warmed up.
Thaliawen Now that she had changed, Tania marveled, many of the objects in the lab seemed smaller. She knew that it was due to her having become larger, but it still interested her to observe this. "A blanket would be nice," she murmured. She glanced over at Karma and beckoned her sister over. "Come on!" She called to the ditto, "Daddy's going to get me a blanket, then we can have hot chocolate like you said! Then I can warm up and we can play again!" And maybe she would be able to teach Karma to transform, like she'd promised!
MoogerMint Grayson pulled out a large fleece blanket from a cabinet, up a little too high for even the newly-transformed shadow mew to reach, hovering above a counter at the far wall. It was placed there mainly for emergency situations and the occassional accident in the laboratory, so it seemed as good as any time to pull it out. "We were snowed in one year, and had to stay overnight," he recounted, offering a snort in amusement at the memory, "This thing managed to keep us TOO warm!" With that, the blanket was shaken, unfolded, and wrapped around the girl's shoulders. "Hot chocolate, you say?" the scientist mused, motioning for the break room down the hall before moving that way as well, "Not a bad idea..."
Seeing Tania now safely wrapped in the blanket, Karma heeded her call and followed suit. "I was guarding the door so you didn't get a chill!" the ditto explained as zhe scampered nearer. The brightly-hued child still wore a look of concern on zher face, and after a moment, vocalized it, "What about clothes? Do you think we can find something that you'd like, Tania? There are changes of clothes in the back, for when some of the scientists make a mess, or people get too carried away with the stuff in the lab... Maybe something of mine would fit!" Though all the eye-blinding colors and mismatched articles that the ditto-child seemed to prefer, the concern still stood. Maybe it could be a way of playing, too? Karma didn't really know what all Tania had in mind for some games this afternoon!
Thaliawen "You should spend the night again," Tania said. "With me and Karma! Please Daddy, please? Won't you? Just one night! Please?" She wrapped the blanket around herself tighter. "Yay, hot chocolate!" She glanced at Karma and beamed. "You're the best sister ever!" She exclaimed. "Thank you!" She had never had anyone guard a door for her before! "Ooh, I didn't think about clothes. I haven't got any." She glanced at Grayson hopefully. She didn't want to wear the mismatched clothing Karma did!
MoogerMint "Again?" Grayson parroted, trying to recall the last time he stayed the night in the laboratory and falling short, "There's nowhere for me to sleep here, Tania." Ahh, maybe she had been referring to the times where he spent the entire night working on a project... but he was fairly certain that wouldn't be something the girl thought very fun! The scientist likely wasn't even capable of staying conscious if not intently working on... well, work. He offered a meek smile when she latched onto his arm, trying to deduce some way for it to work out.
While it was not unusual for people to label the ditto with one gender assignment or the other for their own comfort, it was the first time Karma had been referred to as a relative closer than a cousin, and that surprise was clearly evident in the faltering steps that were made. The actions were quickly indisposed of, erased in favor of a bright grin, "Aww, it's no problem, Tania! The cocoa is sure to warm you up!" With another bounce, the child bounded toward the cupboard, eager to get started. Even eager to do it all zhimself, despite the uncareful way zhe handled the ceramic mugs and cocoa mix from the cupboard, causing Grayson to flinch at the sound.
As the man watched the ditto, making sure nothing ended up broken, he nodded in understanding to Tania's worry. "Well... did you want to try to find some clothes before or after the cocoa? I'm sure we can find something you'll like well enough. It'll just be temporary until we locate a more permanent wardrobe," he asked, elaborating, "It'll probably take a bit of time."
Thaliawen "Daddy, I want you to sleep over. Can't you? It'll be fun! Karma and I can make you a bed, and we'll dress you up and you'll be pretty and--" The shadow mew stopped abruptly to shiver. She pressed her body closer to his. She really shouldn't have gone out in that cold! She looked to Karma and flashed her sister a small, grateful smile. "Thank you," she muttered. She hoped Karma was right about the hot chocolate. "Let's find some," she said, giving another shiver. She wasn't sure she'd like what Karma had to offer, but anything was better than nothing!
MoogerMint Grayson seemed to wince at the mention of being 'dressed up.' With everything suddenly bombarding the man, all these changes that he'd have to be dealing with, having them dress him up was definitely not something he needed on top of everything else. It took him mere seconds to find an adequate counter, but it was longer than the man would have liked, "I don't think that would be the wisest of decisions; nobody would be getting any sleep that way! Besides, if I head home, then I can bring some things over that might help out with this situation in the morning." At least it was rather indisputable, considering the clothing they had in the back wasn't meant to be kept, and food had to be brought over, furnishings to support another kid staying in the laboratory... this was going to be a long week.
Karma hadn't fixed cocoa all that often in the past, but despite the lack of a literal, visual memory attatched to the task, zhe didn't have to stop to think about how to do it. Tasks didn't seem subject to the same memory faults, falling back on the heels of muscle memory instead. The ditto poured some milk into the mugs -- three of them; Grayson would HAVE to stick around for a bit! -- and began heating them, one-by-one, in the microwave on the counter of the break room. Spinning back on a heel with a grin, the kid waved the repeated appreciation, "I'm serious, it's no big deal!" Smacking zher hands together as though to clean off dust, Karma scuttled forward and tugged at the blanket around Tania's shoulders as zhe passed, "Okay, back room we go!" Zhe was not deaf to the conversation they were having behind zher!
Grayson snickered at the display. At least the two of them seemed to get along pretty well... that would certainly help in the transition, for all of them, but he couldn't help but worry what unforeseen problems may crop up along the way. Nevertheless, he pat Tania on the shoulder in response to her shivering and moved the way Karma directed, "The cocoa will probably take a while to cool, so now's as good a time as any to see."
Thaliawen "Situation?" Tania echoed, frowning fretfully. What was the situation? Situation meant something bad, didn't it? Was she the situation? Was she what needed fixing? "I suppose. Another time, Daddy?" She asked hopefully. He'd spend the night with her another time, wouldn't he? She followed Karma, blinking. "You're the best sister in the whole world!" She exclaimed happily. Warmth was good, and hot chocolate--and daddy! "Daddy, help me pick out something pretty. You too, Karma! I want something pretty. Daddy, next time can we dress you up?"
MoogerMint Grayson gave a nod in affirmative to Tania's question, unaware of what she was truly getting at with it, unable to connect the fear from past experiences, especially in conjunction with himself. Regardless, he elaborated, "It's a lot to take in at once. I was still adjusting to you being here as a mew, I wasn't prepared for this." He offered a tired smile, but didn't see a need to elaborate any further. He was under the impression that it was enough as it was, and moved on. "Another time, perhaps, yes. When I'm more prepared," he chuckled, "Though I'm not sure how I'd feel about being dressed up." It wouldn't be the first time, but it hadn't been something he had been exposed to for at least a decade! Following behind Karma's blazed trail, he nudged Tania forth, "Come on, let's all pick something out for you together. I'm sure we'll be able to find something that you can at least stand for the time being."
"Aww, I wouldn't say that!" Karma insisted with a blush. Zhe wasn't used to so much gratitude -- Karma was often the one that messed things up in the first place! The child swung the door to the back room open as though unfazed, fiddling through the hanging articles of clothing to retrain zher nervousness. No, she couldn't be a disappointment now! "What's your favorite color, Tania? Maybe we can find a pretty dress!" Karma inquired, sifting past the clothing that was obviously too large.
Thaliawen Tania stiffened at Grayson's word choice, turning to study him. She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she said, hugging him. "I'm sorry Daddy. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Maybe I can shift back and you can go back to adjusting." She squinted in concentration, frowning when she found herself still in her child form. "Its not working," she sighed. She tightened her hold on him. "Don't send me away, Daddy. I didn't mean to change and catch you unprepared!"
MoogerMint Grayson was still steering the young child-mew towards the back room, held open by a carefully-placed cardboard box at the corner of the door as Karma began digging through the displayed clothes. He hadn't realized the girl was upset until the abrupt apology came to his ears, and he sputtered a quick, almost laughing, "...What?" He thought she was joking at first! Oh... his explanation before had somehow been misconstrued, hadn't it? Tania certainly didn't LOOK like she was joking... "No no, it's okay, that's... not exactly what I meant," he tried to elaborate, fatigue affecting his capability for it, "People are quite adaptable, I'll manage. I wouldn't send you away for something like that; it was out of your hands." He wasn't sure it worked entirely, so he emphasized his point by giving her a hug with an arm about the shoulders as they walked down the hall, "You're perfectly safe."
Karma, by this time, had nearly toppled into a cubby with unsorted clothes. By the time zhe tipped back upright, there was a sweater about the child's head and a sock on a shoulder. Tugging out an article of clothing by the sleeve, the ditto studied the thick, boring-grey hoodie -- even the mismatched Karma wouldn't wear something like this! With a wrinkle of the nose, zhe tossed the sleeve, eyes trained back on the two down the hall, "Come on, you slowpokes! There are some dresses in here I think might fit..." No idea if they were the right style, or color... since that question hadn't very well been answered. Oh well, zhe'd just ask Tania again when they were actually in the room.
Thaliawen Tania was reassured by Grayson's actions more than his words. She'd wrapped her arms around him happily. So he wouldn't send her away. Not for changing: and if he didn't send her away for something so drastic--and he hadn't sent Karma away even though the ditto teased him--maybe he never would! "Good," she said, hurrying to Karma's side. "Any blue?" She asked eagerly. Blue was the best color ever! And if daddy wasn't going to send her away, she could start building a forever wardrobe! "Karma, he says he won't send me away! I can stay with you!"
MoogerMint Grayson's smile was less tentative once he had received Tania's return hug, assured that something he had said or done had calmed her worries some. He watched as she quickly entered the back room, a snicker escaping from the man as he continued at his own 'slowpoke' pace. As Karma rifled through the box a little more, down the hall, he called a warning, "Hey, now don't go making a mess! Anything you don't use, you put right back where you found it, you hear?" If they weren't careful, it would look like someone came in to ROB the place!
"Yeah yeah, okay!" Karma called back with a sigh. It was so much easier to see thinks when they were out in the open... but oh well. Zher expression was still chipper, however, especially when Tania had bridged the gap that had formed. "Oh, I think so! I think I saw a pretty blue one in there, but I think it was a sun dress..." the child confirmed, teetering on a thought before turning back to the cubbies under the hanging articles, "Oh, but I bet we can find some big socks, so you don't get too cold! Maybe a nicer sweater, too!" Then again, the blanket could probably work just as well, even once dressed, but it was a little clumsy to maneuver!
Thaliawen "I don't mind sundresses!" Tania reassured Karma immediately. Anyway, if it was pretty and blue, who cared what the weather was like outside? She moved to look into the cubbies. "Hmm... " she mused, "sissy, there's enough clothes here for you to dress up pretty too. You should! Find something pretty and put it on! Daddy can admire us because we'll be the prettiest Pokemon ever!" Maybe daddy would dress up, too! She glanced at Grayson hopefully. "Daddy there isn't a dress your size," she complained, "but we can pretend the blanket is your dress."
MoogerMint Karma propped zhimself upright with the side of the box zhe had been rummaging through, twisting around a bit to locate the dress that had been mentioned and pointing it out to the excited mew, "There, that one! It's a pretty blue, isn't it? But... you're already cold, and it doesn't look very warm..." Red and orange eyes scanned the hangers next to the dress, and pointer finger followed to indicate, "Maybe pick out a sweater or a coat to go with it? I'm gonna keep looking for some big socks. Big socks are awesome." There was no room for questioning that logic: to Karma, it was just matter-of-fact. "Pretty?" Karma repeated, a bit surprised and pulling at the shirt that was currently on the ditto's torso, thinking maybe Tania didn't like what zhe was currently wearing, "Well... like what? What do you think would look okay? Hehe, I think you're the pretty one, Tania." This 'dress-up' thing was an alien idea to the child, but zhe didn't mind trying it.
Grayson's amusement with Tania's renewed inspiration was quite evident as he reached the doorway, leaning against the metallic paneling and watching as the two children dug through the available clothing. It was a good thing a lot of these were wearable for many a pokémon trainer that was just starting out, or the search might as well have been in vain for clothing their own size. He sputtered a bit at Tania's suggestion of wearing a dress -- HIM, wearing a dress... -- but it was quickly replaced at the imagination employed. "I suppose we could try the blanket, once you're done with it, but it might look more like a toga!" he laughed.
Thaliawen Tania took the sundress happily, and quickly put it on, pulling it over her head. "The hot chocolate will warm me up," she promised the concerned ditto with a smile. This dress was perfect! It was beautiful! She glanced over the sweaters for a moment, before reaching for a blue one. Ah, there! "Now I'll be warm, and pretty!" She declared. She studied the contents of the box Karma had been going through, holding up a dress. "Look! This one suits you! Put it on, then we can dress Daddy up!"
MoogerMint As Tania quickly put the dress on, Karma finally located some thick, knee-high socks and yanked them from the bottom of the bin zhe was rifling through. "Aha!" the child held the socks overhead, triumphant, "These could help!" At least they were just white, for that color (or lack of color) tended to match well enough with any other coloration. The ditto-child turned around to see, and grinned broadly at Tania, "Ooh, you make that dress look fantastic! It really does work on you!" Karma was convinced that Tania could make just about anything look good, if she tried it on! Zhe offered the socks as the mew-girl grabbed hold of a dress, and tilted zher head, "You sure that would look good on me?" Zhe wouldn't doubt it if Tania was sure -- zhe knew that Tania was more attentive to what worked as a theme -- but zhe wanted to be certain!
Grayson grabbed the discarded flannel blanket from the floor, pulling it open as Tania mentioned playing dress-up with the scientist. There wasn't much back here that really fit the man, but he didn't want them to try getting him into a dress anyway. He tossed the blanket over a shoulder and attempted to fashion it into a toga over his lab coat.
Thaliawen Tania beamed at the compliment. "Thank you!" She said happily. She was beautiful, wasn't she? And it suited her perfectly! She looked down at herself to make sure. The mew girl took the socks offered, blinking. Huh. Tube things! She was uncertain how to put them on. Were they ear warmers? Gloves? She started to pull them onto her arms. "I'm sure! You'll look beautiful in it!" She reassured her sister, reaching out a sock covered hand to gently squeeze the Ditto's. She turned to glance at Grayson, shaking her head at him. "Daddy, we have to make you pretty first."
MoogerMint Karma watched Tania's reaction to the socks curiously. The young ditto wasn't one to judge such things, for when zhe had first transformed did not know how to put a hat on. Regardless, a giggle emerged from the colorful child's grin, "Hehe, they go on your feet, Tania! Though, hmm... you make that look good, too..." There was a slight scrutinizing look Karma gave, as though a fashionista trying to get the look juuuust right, punctuating the move with a thumbs-up. Zher grin only broadened with the reassuring squeeze she gave, and Karma reciprocated by taking the dress and slipping it on; luckily, it still seemed to fit over most the clothing already on the ditto-child, for zhe forgot to remove it first. "It's a little snug..." zhe commented, hopping on alternating feet a bit and flattening the skirt down, "But does it look okay?" To be honest, Karma tended to prefer skirts anyway.
Grayson, meanwhile, was trying to tighten a crudely-fashioned knot at the side with the thick blanket. Tugging once more, he turned to Tania and stated matter-of-factly, "It's what's on the inside that counts. I'm gorgeous, Tania, don't you deny it." Oh what grogginess and fatigue could do to one's sense of humor...
Thaliawen "Why would you wear these on your feet?" Tania wondered, blinking. She studied her sock-hands before shaking her head. No, that was impossible. These were nice warm gloves--still, maybe Karma knew more about clothes than she did. "Of course I do!" She declared, beaming. "You look very pretty, Karma. I like it." She gave the ditto child a hug. She glanced over at Grayson, pulling a face. While Karma looked pretty, Grayson certainly did not. She released her hold on Karma, marching over to Grayson. She shook a finger at him. "No, Daddy. We have to make you pretty first."
MoogerMint Karma giggled at Tania's bafflement, "Well you can't do anything with your fingers that way, and they're not as warm as mittens! Here, see this part? Where it bulges out? That's where your heel goes; it fits your foot!" Tania certainly was an amusing girl, that much was obvious! However, Karma wasn't about to deny that the mew could also wear the socks on her arms like they belonged there! Fussing with the front of the skirt, the ditto-child wiggled a little and offered a little shrug with zher giggle, "Maybe it would fit better if I didn't have clothes on under it..." Something that could be tried later, perhaps, when the room wasn't so packed, but it was good for now. Gleefully, Karma returned the hug, "Aww, thanks Tania! It means a lot! Maybe we can make it look good later... like after some cocoa." Almost forgot about that!
Grayson hesitated a bit as the mew-girl strutted over to him, looking particularly displeased with his choice of dress. "What? It's a toga, see?" he attempted to justify, a hand waving downward as though showing her something in a display case. With a warning look, the scientist gave a flat, "...No make-up. I said I was just putting on the blanket, so I'm not grabbing anything hanging up, either." He wasn't going to be put into a dress! Not that anything in this back room would fit, but that didn't seem like an argument many kids would accept.
Thaliawen "But they look nice here," Tania protested, "And they keep my arms warm." Maybe she could grab a pair for her feet, too. She could see now that that was the way they were intended to be worn. "I think it would!" She added, studying Karma. It's kind of bulky because of all your clothes but I wasn't wearing any so mine isn't." She beamed. She had the best sister in all the world: and a new playmate! She stared up at Grayson, tapping a foot impatiently. "No, no, no," she said. "I said we'd make it a pretty dress." She fetched a ribbon from the closet and held it up before tying it to Grayson's makeshift toga. "There!"
MoogerMint Karma was having a little more luck stifling the giggle by now, but the wide grin was enough to convey it all the same. The ditto gave a sharp nod, "Well you make them work, Tania; they don't always look that good on everyone!" Following the newly-transformed mew-girl's eyes as she studied the socks after explanation, Karma grabbed a similar pair as the ones currently enveloping the girl's arms and offered them to the ebony-haired child for her to try on, too, if she wanted. As zhe did so, zher own eyes scanned over zher shoulder, then under the arm, "Hmm, I think you're right... then it probably does fit just fine." There was no way Karma was going to strip it all off here, though! Guess adequate modeling was going to have to wait a bit.
As Tania zipped off to locate something, Grayson flinched, worried she was going to try to put something on him that he really didn't want to wear. Her actions were quick, and before he had the opportunity to refuse, she had already strapped the ribbon across his waist. He fidgeted a little, "Hey now! What did I just get through telling you?" It was then that he glanced down at it, tugging at it slightly but not enough to undo the tie. "I... okay, I suppose that's just fine, then," he conceded. He was honestly expecting something much worse!
Thaliawen "Of course I do. I'm pretty so everything looks good on me," Tania boasted, pleased with Karma's compliments and still oblivious to her vast amusement. "We can try again tomorrow," she suggested. "I can make you look really pretty and then we can be pretty together. Daddy can be pretty too, but he'll never be as pretty as us!" She stuck her tongue out at Grayson once she was through tying the ribbon. "And what did I just finish telling you, Daddy? I told you I would make your dress pretty. I can't help it if you didn't listen." She tutted, before giggling. "Look Karma! Daddy's pretty!"
MoogerMint Karma nodded in acceptance of these facts, that Tania likely look good in many more things than the average individual and that they could try to do something about Karma's clothing later. Grayson snorted at Tania's exclamation of appearances, more entertained than anything. "Who said I didn't listen? I'm the one that put the toga on in the first place," he stated, emphasizing it with dramatized frustration. It melted off of him completely, and still donning the 'dress,' he turned the conversation back around, "Now, who's ready for some cocoa?"
The ditto didn't bother to take the dress off before excitedly heading for the door, holding it open for the rest of them.
Premise:Time-traveling shenanigans? This looks like a job for... silly hats!
- - -
Roleplay:Under spoiler
Thaliawen Brenny felt as if he had waited all year for this day! And he had--well, part of the year! An entire month! For a young celebi, it was almost a lifetime. He'd made a deal with his favorite scientist and adopted uncle, Grayson. One hotwheels car for a trip back in time! It was a fair trade, he was sure of it. He didn't understand that time had always been something the human face had striven to manipilate, or that there were several books on the very subject. He knew that he could do it-- and that Grayson seemed interested in that fact. And that he hadn't been able to purchase Grayson a gift. So he made his way to the lab, knocking on the door. He let himself in. "Uncle Grayson, Karma, Tania! I'm here!"
MoogerMint "Oh, oh, Doctor! Doctor, um... ah, Brenny's here!" Karma chirped, a quick scamper toward the front door a ways and a bright smile upon zher face.
Running with scissors was never the best of ideas, but that thought didn't seem to enter the young ditto's fractured mind during the spent distance from zher spot on the floor to the front. They were safety scissors, sure, but a lesson was a lesson nonetheless! Grayson made his way over more slowly, coming up behind the pink-marked child and snatching the scissors from zher hand with a narrowed stare. He waved them slightly as though they were an extension of a finger used to scold, "What have I told you about doing that?" Turning back to Brennen, his stern expression immediately evaporated into a much more cheerful grin, "Merry Christmas, Brenny! I hope it wasn't too far out of the way for you!" It didn't seem to be snowing, at least.
Thaliawen Tania hadn't been far away from the scissors escapade, but instead of scolding her sister, she gave Karma a thumbs up when she thought Grayson wouldn't notice. "Don't worry!" She assured Karma with a whisper, "He hasn't consfiscated mine yet!" Brenny beamed. "Merry Christmas, Uncle Grayson! I came to give you your present! You still want it, right? I can take you to any when you want,and it'll be like we were never gone when we get back."
MoogerMint There was a brief time where Karma decided to wear a pout. It didn't last long, with Tania's encouragement, and the ditto soon found zhimself giggling at the plot. However, zhe shook zher chalky blue head and responded at the same volume, "Still shouldn't run, that was my fault. Maybe he'll be nice and give them back later..." Karma wanted to finish the santa hat zhe had been cutting out of the construction paper! Even though it was green... Zhe kept unmatched eyes focused on the plastic scissors in the scientist's hand, and maybe keep glaring until such a time where they were given back.
It took a moment to remember what it was that Brennen was referring to about a gift, precisely, if only because it was no traditional holiday gift. "Oh! Most definitely, Brenny!" he hastily responded, ushering the boy to come in further and make himself more comfortable, "I've got your gift all ready to go as well, but I'm not sure... was that all you really wanted?" It didn't seem very fair a trade, but what else could he really offer up?
Thaliawen "You can borrow mine to finish your hat," Tania offered, handing Karma her pair of safety scissors. Even if the ditto had decided against running with them, the shadow mew thought that the possession of the object Daddy had taken was still amusing. "You can make me one too, if you like! I like blue best." Brenny followed Grayson inside, beaming. He paused, then shook his head. "No, there's one more thing I want from you, Uncle Grayson." He said, wrapping his arms around the scientist's waist. "This!"
MoogerMint Karma gleefully took the offered scissors from Tania, but not so obnoxiously as to alert the retrieval to zher trainer. There was a chipper smile offered in return, and a giddy nod, "Oh sure, I can make you one, too! I'd be happy to!" The ditto-child got started on the project almost immediately, doodling a pattern of a hat on one piece of dark blue construction paper before adding a second onto the back, carefully snipping through both at once. See? No running! Karma could behave! Sort of...
Grayson had moved closer to the nearest counter, trying to think as to where he had stored Brennen's gift. While distracted, the celebi's grip around his waist met with no resistance. He snickered as the boy latched on, bending his torso slightly as an awkward way to return the hug then, "It still doesn't seem like enough, but it works for now. Should I give you your gift before or after we test this ride out?"
Karma glanced up from the slow-cutting job zhe had tasked zhimself with, removing the safety scissors from the paper so as not to accidentally cut somewhere unwanted. "Are you going somewhere?" the child asked curiously. Were they just going to leave zher and Tania behind?
Thaliawen Tania beamed, watching Karma closely. She scooted closer to her sister. "You're the best hat maker ever!" She informed her, cheerfully. "Can you show me how to later?" Maybe hat making was even more exciting than it looked! "After, we can work on your shifting ability if you want," she said. Her own ability had become a much slower process since growing, but that didn't seem to to bother the mew much. Any more, anyway.
"After!" Brenny said, after a moment of thought. "If you give it to me now, I might lose it and I'll never find it again. Someone else in that time will, and the course of history will be completely altered! They'll have hot wheels millions of years before they should." He paused, and added, "you know Uncle Grayson, there is something we could do with my ability to go through time. I'll remind you when I'm bigger! But that would be a good present, yay!"
MoogerMint With the safety scissors still lowered, Karma peered over the edge of the hat that was taking shape, half-popped from the construction paper body, attention locking on Tania. While still concerned where the others were headed off to during a time that was supposed to be a celebration, and spent with family, a distracted grin was easily upon the ditto-child's face at the shadow mew's eagerness, "Sure I can! Then you can be the best hat maker, too! I can show you now, if you want!" Zhe flipped the pages over to show the dark purple crayon guidelines that zhe had previously doodled on the surface, only to have zher face melt slowly back into caution, "Well... yeah, maybe later. And later for the shifting, too! And the reading! Oh, and cocoa! Cocoa sounds nice!" Rambling was just one of many side-effects of an anxious mind.
Grayson nodded, agreeing with Brenny's deductions, "That's precisely what I was thinking, though I wasn't sure if you still wanted to open it first and leave it. Best to do it all at once, huh?" He chuckled at the basis for time-alterations, finding it both amusing as much as it was interesting to hear coming from a child that appeared so young. There was no reason to complain there, that much was certain! At the indication that there was something else that Brenny could do, Grayson's eyebrow quirked in interest, "When you're bigger? Who would this be a present to?" A proposal that definitely got his curiosity piqued.
Turning to Karma and the question posed, the doctor frowned, wondering what they were supposed to do. He remembered that Brenny had said they could hop through time, and then back where they started from as though nothing had happened. He wasn't sure how accurate a projection that was, though... how close to the designated time they left would it be? Or place? Regardless, Grayson made an educated guess, "Stay put, we won't be gone long. You probably won't even notice we've left." Turning back to Brenny, he started, "So how accurate are you able to move through time? Would we be landing in the same place we left, just in a different time period? Have any good suggestions on where to go first?"
Thaliawen "Really you could?" Tania beamed. She scooted her chair closer to Karma's and hugged her. "You're not just the best hat maker ever," she decided, "You're the best sister too! Okay, show me how to make a hat! We can make one for Daddy even! And he'll have to wear it, because its a present." She paused, taking Karma's free hand. "Don't worry. Daddy won't be gone long. And next time we can shift into things he'd need to take! He'd never know we stowed away!"
"Yup! There's lots of fun in opening a present!" Brenny decreed, before hesitating. "But you can't open yours, Uncle Grayson. Doesn't that make you sad?" He looked up at the scientist, concerned. "Oh. It'd be a present to both of us! You and me, and even my Daddy. When I'm bigger, I'm going to look for a job. And maybe.. Maybe if I'm really good at it, and you like it, I could take you back in time regularly?" He asked hopefully. "You could study ancient Pokemon in their natural habitat any time you wanted." He paused, listening to Grayson answer Karma's question. "We'll just be gone a second," he said, glancing towards the ditto. "Very. If that's where you want to go! Do you have a time you'd like to visit? Its your present, after all."
MoogerMint "Ah-huh, of course I'll teach you! We're supposed to be teaching each other all sorts of things, aren't we?" Karma exclaimed, excited to be able to teach anything of importance, even if it was only to make a silly construction paper hat. Pondering a moment on which colors to grab for Tania to use in an effort to make the scientist a hat, the ditto-child leaned over to partially whisper, "We should make it as obnoxious as possible, if he HAS to wear it..." An impish grin appeared after the suggestion, pulling two different colors out of the pile and handing them to Tania, and then sliding the box of crayons over, "First you need to draw the body of the hat, but just on one of the pages! It doesn't matter which one you pick." With a giggle, Karma kicked at the empty space in front of zher gleefully at the idea, "Oooh, what should we transform into so that he wouldn't notice? A clipboard? Labcoat? Briefcase? Oh, not wait, the doctor doesn't use one of those... Safety goggles?" Could they even go transparent? Or that small, for that matter?
Grayson thought on the subject for a moment before shaking his head, "No, I get to unwrap it. It's a portal we're traveling through, right? That will be like unwrapping it, because we'd be unwrapping the past." Poetic, but that was beside the point. He seemed surprised that Brenny would be bringing something up like a job, especially when he still looked and acted under a full decade old. After the momentary blind-sided shock, there was little that needed to be assessed to deduce that it was probably a really good idea... "When you're older, I could see that being a possibility, yes. We'd be helping each other out that way, that's for sure... I don't really see a downside to it, as long as you were able to take your job seriously," he commented, a slow smile creeping onto his face to let Brenny know that he didn't think the celebi would be a troublemaker about it. "What time..." the man thought on the hanging question, but shook his head, at a loss, "I was merely wanting to see how it worked, so I hadn't exactly decided on a time. Do you have any suggestions?" He flinched a little, the hint of a frown on his face, "Just as long as we go somewhere I'd be unfamiliar with. Something that doesn't have to do with the city's history..."
Thaliawen "Oooh!" Tania hadn't thought about that, grinning. She did so love conspiring with her sister. "Maybe purple!" She exclaimed, looking over the colors. "I don't think Daddy should wear pink. That color only looks good on you." She beamed at the ditto child. Before the shadow mew had met Karma, she had claimed to have a strong dislike of the color. "I could transform into a book, or something..." She considered, thoughtfully. "I don't think Daddy would notice. And after we got to where he was going we could turn back and surprise him!"
Brenny beamed. So Grayson did get to unwrap his present after all! Just not physically! "You're right!" He agreed, smiling up at the scientist. "You'll get to see the colors of time, too. That will be like the wrapping paper! When you move through time, images blur together and make a sight truly beautiful. You'll be the first human to ever see it! Well, at least with me. I've never taken anyone through it." He paused, listening to Grayson's response to his question. "Really?" He asked with a smile. "Having a job would help Daddy! He could be home more and we could get a bigger place to stay and--" he stopped, beaming at Grayson. He wrapped his arms around the scientist. "I will! I promise!" He considered the man's question thoughtfully before brightening. "I know when we can go!" He announced, "We can go to when ancient Pokemon lived here! But we'll have to be careful. Some of them are dangerous."
MoogerMint Taking careful consideration of the sheets of paper that were grabbed, Karma placed a purple-colored piece in one hand while the other gripped onto an orange sheet, offering them for Tania to use for Grayson's hat. Taking a crayon in hand, Karma demonstrated the proper hat-doodling technique by going over the dark blue zhe was using to make Tania's, "Just like this, on one piece. If you try to draw it on both pieces, they don't usually line up so well when you try to put them together." It was a trial-and-error that the colorful child was all too familiar with. At the suggestion of transforming into carry-on luggage, the ditto-child flexed the fingers of a hand, offering the appendage a frown. "I can really only do stuff like this so far..." zhe sighed, holding the palm out and blinking an eye through the creases of patchy skin, "I used to be able to do so much more before! Now I can only do small transformations..." Not only that, but they tended to creep the other scientists out even more than when Karma had attempted to mimic their own likenesses, with varying degrees of success.
Grayson snickered at Brenny's exuberance, glad the kid was getting so excited about the whole advent. "Ahh, is that what you mean when you say 'the colors of time'? Sounds disorienting; did it take you long to get used to traveling in such a manner?" the man asked, wanting to know before he had to wrestle with the same. With Brenny's future job secured, it didn't come as too big a surprise when the celebi hugged the scientist, especially with the excitement he had been exibiting throughout the day. Chuckling, he leaned over slightly and rubbed the child on the back as substitute for a hug, since he couldn't reach enough not to make it awkward, "I don't doubt that promise, Brenny." It was about that time he decided that it would probably be safer to test this new form of traveling while OUTSIDE, to prevent any sort of mishap... and indicated that by pointing toward the door and moving in the same direction, small steps until he was sure that Brenny was following. "I think that is a terrific idea of a place to start. Do you know some of the more dangerous ancient pokemon are, so we can be extra cautious if we run into them?" Grayson concurred. He wasn't particularly concerned that they would run into any, but then that may have just been his reckless eagerness talking.
Thaliawen Tania followed Karma's instructions, beaming at the ditto child. "It'll be the best hat ever!" She announced. She took a crayon and drew a hat shape, grinning. "Thank you for teaching me," she said gratefully. "I'll teach you to shift, don't worry! Before I learned to, I couldn't shift at all! You're doing much better then I did!" She beamed at her. "And you know when I first came here. I couldn't shift then either. But now I can again. You just need motivation and encouragement! And I'll give you both! I promise! I'll show you how to shift and you can teach me things you know and we'll both learn so much!" The shadow mew was thrilled, and continued to draw the hat shape she'd started. "Want to cut it out for me?" She asked, hopefully.
"Well, there's lots of colors," Brenny said, almost defensively. It was hard to explain the sight time travel provided. "I don't know," he admitted, "I've only gone back in time a few times. But I don't think it bothers me. Just like it doesn't bother you to study. That's your ability," the celebi boy flashed Grayson a bright smile. "But if it disorients you, don't worry. I'll take care of you, Uncle Grayson. And I'm sure you'll get used to it." He followed Grayson outside cheerfully. "Well, I know Tyrunts and kabutops are dangerous. And those scary big ones with the big heads.... Last time, I ended up in between two of them while they were fighting and..." The celebi's eyes widened in memory. That had been scary! "Let's avoid being seen by the ones with the big heads." He took Grayson's hand. "Are you ready, uncle Grayson? I have the time clearly pictured in my head. We won't get lost!" He took a glance around, studying their surroundings. "Hold on tight, Uncle Grayson. Don't get scared, and don't let go." There was a flash of light where they had been, and suddenly, the two were in a vortex of color. "You're seeing all the times gone past," Brenny confided, "But we're moving so fast, all we see is color."
MoogerMint Karma surveyed as Tania drew the outline of the hat on the construction paper. "I don't mind teaching you how to do things. I don't get to do it very often, so it's pretty fun!" the child grinned, excited with the opportunity, "We've got plenty of time to teach each other things, though, so there's no big rush! We're just gonna have fun with it, 'kay?" Karma didn't like stressful things, and while living with Grayson, the ditto had learned that many things had the potential to stress a person out -- some of them pretty strange! However, if it was supposed to be fun, stress shouldn't play a factor at all. The ditto blinked, disbelieving that Tania ever had a problem shifting, "Really? It never seemed like you had a problem at all! How'd you relearn it so fast?" Was Karma just that dense that zhe couldn't figure it out on zher own, or just that broken of an individual? Hmm. Grabbing the safety scissors from beside the child, Karma brushed the thoughts to the side, "Sure, I can cut it out, just don't tell the doctor I did." After all, zhe wasn't even supposed to have these back in possession! The blue-haired child raised both sheets of paper, back-to-back, up to zher eyes and carefully began demonstrating, "The trick is that you need to also cut out little tabs, so you can attach the pieces together, otherwise the hat will be smaller than you drew it."
Grayson snickered at Brenny's reflexive response, "Yeah, that's what I meant. So many colors whizzing past!" Though it didn't hurt things if he had to close his eyes for a bit to keep from getting dizzy, as long as he experienced a bit of it. "Hmm..." he thought about Brenny's correlations to a human's innate abilities, skills, and it clicked just as easily, "That does seem to make sense. It's a skill you're born with, and you merely fine-tune it. Though if you were never sure how that skill came to pass, that would indicate a genius level. Most people remember where they started out." Simply liking something didn't mean one was good at it from the start -- Grayson, at least, had to learn to read first! When the celebi offered to keep a look out for the man, he gave an amused smirk as they exited the building, responding to Brenny's grip, "Here, just take hold of my hand when I'm not writing anything down and we won't get separated, alright? I'm sure together, we can take even those pokémon on no problem! But yes, it would probably be best to avoid them if at all possible, for now. Unless we can observe their behavior without being seen." He'd hate to have something happen to the little guy on his behalf... With a stern nod, Grayson responded in affirmative that he was ready for the trip, tightening his hand hold on the celebi a little tighter in assurance and tucking his clipboard securely under his other arm. As they entered the timestream, the scientist winced in reaction to the light, slowly opening his eyes as Brenny began explaining what was going on before they shot open. His head turned in every direction, but his hold on the child's hand remained strong, "Wow... this is amazing, Brenny!" He was silent for a few moments longer, trying to spot the moments hidden within the whirling flashes of color to no avail, "There are no words to describe how incredible this is..." How was he even supposed to make a report? Never mind that, for now, for once he was much too distracted to attempt writing any of it down.
Thaliawen "I just had to stop being sad," Tania explained, "When Brenny brought me here, I was really sad and afraid you guys wouldn't want me. Like my first family. They didn't. They kicked me out... But now I have you! And Daddy! And that made me happy again. Really, really happy. I couldn't shift very well. It was a slow process every time. But I think the happier I got, the faster it got. So maybe if I make you really, really happy, you'll be able to shift again!" The mew child beamed. She would help Karma with shifting. Then they would both be happy. She drew tabs on the hat as instructed. "I think Daddy will look very pretty in this."
"There's words," Brenny mused, "But I don't know them yet. I think I like calling them colors of time, though. You can't really see anything but color." He beamed up at the man, delighted that Grayson was enjoying his gift already! And this was just the beginning-- just the wrapping paper! He was even more pleased when he noticed that the scientist seemed too busy watching to write. "They change all the time," he added. "We're almost there, Uncle Grayson. Be ready to hide behind something."
MoogerMint Ah, that was right, Tania had mentioned that her first family wasn't there for her anymore. Karma fidgeted a bit, wanting to ask but not wanting to upset the mew-girl anymore. It was in the past, where it should stay. Besides, it already felt like Tania had always been here! "I can't remember when you weren't living here, too, but... that sounds like it'd be a lot more sad," the ditto considered, "Why would I have any reason to be sad now?" Shaking the hesitation off, Karma gave the other girl a quick hug despite hands being full of various materials, "I'm glad we were able to make you happy again! Don't worry, you don't need to be sad anymore." With a bright grin, Karma followed the marked tabs as the raven-haired girl drew them on, cutting the pages until they were two slices of a very colorful hat, "Yaay, this should work very well! It's definitely turning out very pretty. Now we just gotta glue it, or..." Karma blinked, realizing that neither Brenny nor Grayson were there any longer. There was a bit of nervousness, but zhe tried to reuse the energy towards being more productive, "Well, they're not here. Maybe we can use the stapler instead." Grayson didn't like them using sharp or otherwise dangerous materials, but they were careful enough!
The scientist was still fairly distracted, at least to turn in the celebi's direction, but he held on to every word. "I think... I think I understand why you call it that now," he agreed, "That might just be the most appropriate description of it, though it seems to fall short on really emphasizing the beauty." Or maybe he was overestimating what others might think; regardless, it seemed that Grayson and Brenny were on the same page, at least. It was only when Brennen had indicated that they were nearly to their destination that his attention turned back to the child's figure, hand still clutched. "Ah, we should be on the same page with that. Do you think we should try to duck left or right, since we're... well, attached at the moment?" he chuckled.
Thaliawen "I wish I couldn't remember when I wasn't living here too," Tania said, enviously. It would've been so much easier to live in the moment like Karma. Her whole life seemed like the phrase hakuna matata. But then, she forgot the good things, too... "You always make me happy, Karma. You're my sister." She smiled at her. "I'll never be sad, with you! Hey, I bet I count as enough supervision to use the stapler!"
They were there. There was not a cloud in the sky, it was a vibrant blue. The sun beat down on Brenny, so he had to shade his eyes with a hand. "I guess its midsummer," he muttered. He gestured to a tree with an incline of his head. "This isn't what grows in my forest," he mused. "Hey look! A tyrunt! I wonder if its friendly!" He had forgotten his plan to hide upon meeting one. "Hi, I'm Brenny!" The tyrunt responded, growling. "No, I'm not trading with you. Sorry. I don't eat meat." Brenny glanced at Grayson. "He wants you for supper. Let's run."
MoogerMint Karma fidgeted slightly at the words, "Don't say that... I heard that even when bad things happen, they help us become who we are. We learn from the good and the bad, and can become better people for it." This slight understanding didn't come from experience, though, and the idea that the truth possibly contradicted this was not ignored. However, Karma sure hoped it was true! At least then there would be something good to come from suffering, "And that way you know how to deal with it in the future, or help someone out if they are in a similar situation. Like... like not being able to transform!" Less touchy subject, but along the same lines! The ditto grinned, "I'm glad I'm good for something! You make me happy, too, Tania. You're so much fun to hang out with!" With a quick glance about the laboratory room, Karma nearly stumbled out of zher seat to grab the stapler once it was spotted on another counter top, hopping back with it safely enclosed in the child's hands, "I agree! So the stapler it is. That way, it can hold together better, too!" Once seated back down, Karma slid the stapler toward the shadow mew, "You wanna try stapling the tabs together? I bet you could line them up!"
Grayson found himself wincing and closing his eyes once more as soon as they stepped from the whirlwind of color the foray through time brought. He had thought the transportation would have been disorienting, but no, it wasn't until it was abruptly halted that the man became dizzy. He staggered slightly as Brenny wandered, his hand still held tightly despite the fact he was distracted trying to block some of the sun from his eyes. Maybe he should have brought sunglasses! "Brenny, what..." he managed, eyes peering down after a moment of having them mostly shut, "...What are you doing? Didn't you just say we should avoid these at all costs?" Either Brenny was explicitly trying to get him killed, or he was carrying on with a prank...
Thaliawen "But I don't like bad things," Tania said. She didn't want to be whatever things made her to be. She wanted to stay the way she was! "I suppose. But the good things make us who we are, too. Without good things, I wouldn't be your sister!" The mew girl beamed at this. "I like making you happy, Karma. You and Daddy." She took the stapler carefully. Despite her love of trouble, she didn't particularly want to make Grayson upset. "I think I can," she said, lining the paper up. "And I staple them like--this?"
"Well, I just remembered I met a tyrunt that was friendly. But he's in our time, not this one. He really likes popcorn and movies. I had him at my house!" Brenny thought it was quite exciting, having had a dinosaur in his apartment. He doubted Connie would have approved--but Kyllian hadn't eaten anyone, so it was alright! "Don't worry," he said, "All my moves are strong against these Pokemon. And if you're in danger, I'll get mad. Then they just happen. I didn't mean to hurt anyone the first time, but they tried to take Mei and I got mad." He demonstrated by letting a sharp stream of colorful glowing leaves towards the tyrunt. "I'll protect you, Uncle Grayson."
MoogerMint Karma shook zher head, an agreement and disagreement both, "I don't think anyone really likes bad things unless they're, um... spiteful?" Yeah, that was the word. The ditto knew that bad things had had to happen for Tania to come to live in the laboratory, as a sibling, too... but zhe couldn't recall what negative occurrences had happened in order to lead to that point, and was afraid to ask. How often had zhe asked in the past? Had zhe ever asked at all? Eyes monitored the shadow mew as she took hold of the stapler, arms resting atop the tabletop and elbows holding up Karma's torso as zhe tipped forward slightly out of restlessness. "Yeah, just like that!" the ditto chirped, "Just be careful not to get your fingers. It's looking great already! Now we just gotta decorate it!" Once more, the child slid from the seat in order to gather materials that might work. There was never a lack of markers, there were some gel pens... but those didn't always show up the nicest on construction paper! With a bit of an exasperated huff, the vibrant child asked, "Tania, do you remember where the glitter pens are?" Maybe they could even use some of that tinsel...
The surprise on Grayson's face wasn't hidden, blinking back slight confusion at the sudden memory lapse, from terror to amiability in a matter of minutes. He toyed with the idea that Brennen might have ADD, but that would have to be a test for another time... "You know, Brenny, wild pokemon often act... differently than tamed pokemon," he warned. Sure, he was curious too, but this was just obnoxiously irrational behavior! He hesitated, trying to pull the boy back, his hand still latched onto the celebi's, "Let's just back up slowly. I'd rather avoid provoking anything, if I can help it. L-Let's just... observe from a distance, like I had suggested." He couldn't learn very much if either one of them was knocked out!
Thaliawen Tania beamed, making sure to be careful of her fingers. "The glitter pens?" She echoed, blinking. She thought about the question. Mm... Where had she last seen them? "They're not with the markers?" She asked. She moved to look, blinking. "Hey, I think Daddy will be back soon. Maybe he knows, if we can't find them!"
"Good point," Brenny muttered, taking a step back. He sent another round of magical leaf in the tyrunt's direction, following Grayson's lead and backing up slowly. "But I protected you, see?" The celebi protested, once they were at a safe distance. "I protected you. You're safe, Uncle Grayson." He hesitated, turning to his left. He stiffened. "There," he said, pointing. There was a kabuto lurking in the bushes. That was strange, Brenny didn't think they normally came out of their caves. Ah well!
MoogerMint Karma peered around the vacant countertops in the laboratory, but most of them were spotless, considering many of the employees were out on holiday. "No, they're not with the other pens, I checked there first. I don't think anyone would have taken them... but someone might have put them in the wrong spot if they were left out," the ditto explained, blinking once and then grinning, "I suppose we're going to have to go out on a scavenger hunt! The other pens don't show up very well on construction paper. Well, except some of the gel pens, but... the doctor would look fabulous in glitter." Oh yes, the idea had the child almost cackling at the thought.
"Ah!" Grayson flinched as Brenny launched a barrage of leaves at the carnivorous pokémon, quickly following the retreat while the tyrunt was distracted, "Was that really such a good idea?" Despite the inflections he may have placed on the question, it was an honest one -- Brennen seemed to know when others were serious or merely making a darkly-colored joke. The man glanced back toward the direction they escaped from nervously, but he didn't hear it rampaging after the two of them... He reacted just the same when Brennen's worried voice reached his ears, half-expecting the tyrunt to be hidden within the foliage the celebi was indicating. Instead, his curiosity almost immediately kicked the fear to the side, "Hello, what have we here?" He inched closer to the kabuto, but not close enough for sudden attack to be feasible, "Is there a beach around here, in this time?" Had the ocean of their time moved outward over the eons?
Thaliawen A hunt for glitter pens? Tania liked that idea. She smiled brightly, going to a drawer to study its contents. "I think Daddy looks best in blue glitter," she decided. "Maybe pink though. I don't like pink, but Daddy might look good in it..." Unable to find the glitter pens in that drawer, she moved to another.
"The beach is just over that hill," Brenny said, by way of explanation. He pointed. "There's all sorts of sand dunes. You have to be careful around the coves though. There's an aerodactyl that has a nest in one of them. Its not very friendly. I only just got away last time, I don't think if it grabbed you and flew off, I could save you. Its weak to grass type and water type moves though..."
MoogerMint Karma shuffled through the drawers on the opposing side of the room from where Tania was searching in order to cover as much ground between the two of them with a lessened likelihood of accidental overlap. "You think so?" Karma snickered, attention still almost fully on their conversation and less on the hunt itself, cumulating in less productivity altogether on locating the lost items. Karma had no qualms about color choices, but it was still amusing to think about the clashing colors when Grayson always seemed at a loss with Karma's own vibrant color choices. "Well I trust your judgment. Blue and possibly pink it is!" the child stated matter-of-factly, almost tearing a drawer right out of its alcove on accident if it hadn't been firmly latched onto its rails. With a slight pout, Karma pushed it back in, "Any luck yet?"
Grayson tried to adjust his position to see the beach beyond the thick foliage that currently blocked the view, but it was too extensive to see over from where they stood. "Fascinating..." he murmured in thought, eyes turning back to the kabuto that hadn't tried moving, "And this is where the city will be built in a few thousand years?" It was amazing how much the world around them changed over the course of time -- Grayson didn't recognize the landscape at all! "So Brenny, do you frequent this time in history?" he continued with the questions, detracting Brenny's nervousness with thought-provoking conversation... and just a little reassurance, "Don't worry, I won't go anywhere you don't think is safe." Though an aerodactyl nest... oh how he would have loved studying something like that! Maybe on a ledge, from afar, for now could work.
Thaliawen "I can't find them anywhere!" Tania crossed her arms, leaning against the counter. "Do you think Daddy somehow knew we would want to decorate him with glitter and hid them?" She frowned at the thought. Daddy was certainly smart enough--but was he sneaky enough to hide something from her?
"Things change in a few thousand years, Uncle Grayson," Brenny informed him, matter of factly. "I think the ocean must have mostly dried out, or maybe it moved to where it is in our time. Do you think it likes it there better?" He paused at the second question, beaming up at his favorite scientist, "I frequent all times, Uncle Grayson! But this time is a good time for getting away from the city. Even though there's lots of dangerous Pokemon in this time, there's a lot of peaceful ones too. They haven't seen humans before though, most of them. So I don't know what they'd do to you if they did. Do you want to go to the beach? There's lots of lapras there. They're friendly. I talk to them."
MoogerMint Karma's attention seemed to divert to a corner of the laboratory for a moment, pulling at the shelves in zher mind for an answer. "I don't think he would have done that. He only takes things away if I've been misbehaving with them or something, and I don't remember doing anything with the glitter pens that he didn't like..." the ditto relayed, glancing up to the cupboards. With a little bounce, zhe hopped onto the counter, seating zhimself back down before pulling the doors open, "Maybe they were hidden in one of these..." They had to be around here somewhere! Maybe they were in the closet? Did anyone leave them in a coat pocket or something?
Grayson grinned, glad to know that Brenny knew that the world changed and evolved, much as any living being would over the course of time. "This is true, but I was referring to how drastic a change it was. I knew the oceans receded, but was unaware to how much of an extent they had," he explained, examining the area as he spoke; it almost seemed as though it were a different part of the country altogether! He nodded at Brennen's explanation of what happened, but chuckled at the following question, "As far as I know, the ocean doesn't have a mind of its own." It also sounded as though the volatile nature of the pokémon in this time weren't unlike those that were found in their own time, though the appearance of two unknown creatures such as the two of them might pose problems if they weren't careful. Humans existed in this time, sure, but likely not anywhere near here if it was so populated by the wilds. "Are we able to bypass the sand dunes with the aerodactyl well enough to reach the beach, then?" he asked, wanting to confirm before they did anything that could put either one of their lives in danger.
Thaliawen "Maybe!" Tania agreed. Instead, she climbed up onto the counter, feeling she might get a better view of the lab from up there. Hm. If the glitter pens weren't hidden away, and they weren't in the drawers--had Daddy taken them home on accident? What would they do if he had? They would have to scold him somehow. Mm... Maybe make him go out and buy more. Tania would make sure he got just the right colors! And maybe he'd let her pick out a dress! With that in mind, the shadow mew continued her search, but at a slower pace. Hmm. They could take advantage of this situation!
"Once, the whole world was covered in just water. So the ocean didn't really move that far at all, comparatively!" Brenny beamed. "The city we live in is an awful small place, if you look at the whole world, and the ocean only moved to the beach." He paused, frowning slightly, "Sure it does, Uncle Grayson. If anything has a mind of its own, its water. It shaped the world. It makes craters and glaciers and valleys. It doesn't listen to anyone. Not rocks or plants or anything. It can tear all of that apart."
He gave Grayson's hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll be fine. Just don't go anywhere near its cave! Its not very friendly, but it doesn't come out unless its hunting, and it isn't hunting time or the other Pokemon wouldn't be out."
MoogerMint "I don't think there's anything in here that we can use..." the ditto mumbled after a few moments of digging through the cupboards, "They mostly just keep the equipment up here." Out of the reach of children's hands, most likely, but Karma had always been a bit of a monkey. After a moment of thought, the ditto-child blinked and slid zhimself around to face Tania on an opposing countertop, "Hey, wasn't the doctor helping us out earlier, getting everything set up? I'm sure we had grabbed the glitter pens then..." Zher expression turned into a mild frown, "I bet he put them in his pocket when we were carrying everything over and forgot to take them out!" It sounded like something he'd do! Sighing, Karma hung zher legs over the edge of the counter and swung them a bit, "So... what do you think we should use instead?"
Grayson almost countered Brenny's explanation by saying that the whole idea of the world being completely covered in ocean was mere speculation until he remembered where he was and who he was speaking to. Brenny, of course, would know for certain one way or the other, if he had curiosity enough for it! "Brenny, you make it sound like I don't do my research," Grayson laughed. A person couldn't call themselves a scientist if they only looked at the small picture! He had merely been amazed at being witness to it -- it was one thing to be told something, but quite a different matter to see it for oneself. With such an imaginative kid on his hands, though, he didn't think he could explain everything that he meant by his words, of tectonic shifts, polarity, and gravitational effects. Instead, he merely snickered at Brenny's grasp on the ocean.
"Ahh, so the cave has the dunes in it? Well that should be easy enough to avoid," Grayson agreed, readjusting his hold on Brenny's hand, "Well then I think we shouldn't have anything to worry about. I'm ready when you are!" He took one last look at the kabuto in the bushes, but it hadn't moved; there was a good chance the two of them would only disturb its slumber if they stuck around.
Thaliawen Tania paused, the thought had never occured to her. "I think you're right!" She declared, frowning slightly. Accidentally taking the glitter pen did seem like something Grayon would do! He was getting old after all! She sat next to the ditto child, swinging her legs playfully. "Hmmm! I bet there's other things we can use to make it pretty. Is there any shiny paper?"
"Come on then!" Brenny exclaimed, leading Grayson to the beach. There weren't any people there: there'd be plenty of Pokemon for Grayson to see, and perhaps to befriend! Maybe one of the ancient Pokemon would be friendly! He led the scientist towards the water. "Uncle Grayson, what would people do if you caught a Pokemon from this time and brought it to ours? Would they hurt it?" He frowned in concern. "You wouldn't. I don't think you would, you're too nice. But don't catch any, alright? You can make friends with them."
MoogerMint It was yet another nail in the coffin, the doctor shouldn't have gone off on that little time-traveling trip! It didn't matter that part of that determination came from a touch of jealousy, Karma would chock it up to worry. With an irritated huff, the ditto swung zher legs in order to better initiate a launch from the countertop, landing gracefully on feet a few inches down. "I bet we could find some other paper; we have the glue for it already..." zhe contemplated, pointing to some drawers near to Tania, "Check in there! If it's not there, then there still might be something in there we can use!" Meanwhile, Karma checked in a few drawers zhimself, readjusting a stapler to one hand to see past it.
As he was being tugged along by the small celebi, Grayson kept his eyes on the scenery about them, taking mental note of the pokémon that inhabited this particular area. He stumbled slightly as they neared the water, sand grabbing at his shoes in the moisture, but maintained upright status. He offered a reassuring smile at Brenny's request, "No, I'm not going to capture anyone here. The scientists wouldn't hurt them, but it would be cruel to take them from their lives here. It would be too jarring an experience; they know this time and this place!" Being thrust into a place so much more advanced than what they had grown to know, forcibly, and then having to stay there... it seemed rather cruel! He pulled his clipboard back out in front of him with his free hand, crouching down to place it on his lap as he faced the wild pokémon in the field, "I'm just seeing how they all interact together, in this time. I want to see if there are any differences to what is common in our time. It already seems there is a larger population of a few of them... and a smaller population with a couple others. Perhaps that is because of the extinct pokémon's hunting habits..." He bit at the end of his pen thoughtfully, already assessing the research material in front of him before he had adequately finished his reassurance of Brennen's fears.
Thaliawen Tania hopped off of the counter, moving to the drawers indicated. "Here's some paper," she said, holding up a sheet victoriously. "Its not shiny, but I bet we could make it look nice all the same. Daddy should be home soon. Then we can make him wear this hat!" Determined as ever, Tania formed a fist with one hand. Daddy would dress up with them! He needed a make over, anyway!
"They're very different from when we're from," Brenny observed, "Did you know people say an arceus created the world? I can't go that far back in time, not yet. Maybe never. But I think it would be terribly exciting to see the world being made. The Pokemon that created all Pokemon." The celebi boy smiled wistfully. Oh, to have that kind of power! Then he could have formed just the right Pokemon to make Connie happy. "I agree with you," he added, "Taking someone from the things they know and love is wrong. Uncle Grayson, do you think there's a celebi in this time?"
MoogerMint Karma pulled out some ribbon crammed in the back of the chosen drawer as Tania located some decorative paper. With a grin, the ditto-child cheered at the mew's proclamation and, in response, held up zher own discovery, "I think we shouldn't have any problems making the hat pretty. He'll wear it because we made it for him! With love and care and... we can always threaten to throw a fit if he doesn't. But he would." It was more of a tease than anything, for Karma didn't throw trivial tantrums and Grayson wasn't so full of himself to turn down a gift from a family member based only on the fact it was... extremely gaudy. Karma's grin grew, imagining it on his head as zhe brought some materials back over to the work counter, "Now let's get back to work!"
Grayson nodded in agreement at Brenny's assessment of the pokémon, taking notes between the chatter. He grinned at the thought of the arceus creating all of pokémonkind, but there was certain scepticism on the matter, "I know what they say, but I still suspect the stories were embelished. Maybe you can draw your own conclusions if you met Eilam, but he seems like any other pokémon would, if a bit wise beyond his years. I think the problem is that we don't have all the puzzle pieces yet, but that's what I'm here for." Blinking, the scientist looked around for a forest, but they were still much too far displaced from one, even in this time, "There is supposed to be a celebi in every time, isn't there? Well... you weren't born yet, so it's very probable." He flinched at the thought, then turned to look at Brenny, "Did you want to try to find it?"
Thaliawen Tania beamed at Karma's statement: yes, they could make the hat pretty easily! Especially with Karma's love for colors and her own fashion sense! "Maybe he'll wear it forever!" She exclaimed, excitedly. Everyday wear! "I'm good at throwing fits," she mused. She sat next to her sister. "We'll make this the best hat in the world!"
"Maybe there's more than one arceus, and together they made the world. Maybe each one of them made just one part. Just like there's more than one celebi or more than one mew. Tania isn't the only one, she told me. There's pink ones, she said, and blue ones. I think she's jealous of the blue ones but she's pretty the way she is." Brenny's expression was thoughtful. He'd met Eilam: the older legendary had seemed quiet and modest. Not at all like he, himself was! Why, if he'd had the power to create an entire world, he would've told someone. "Arashi told me legendaries are gods. He said I was the god of the forest. I don't think so, though. I think I just take care of it." He hesitated at the question, before shaking his head. "No, I just wondered. Legendaries don't have parents, do they? They just appear."
MoogerMint "Hmm..." Karma scanned over the glue, wondering if they could find any rubber cement, "...Maybe we can make it so that he HAS to wear it forever?" A giggle erupted from the child, indicating that it was a joke but amusing to thing about nonetheless. "I don't think we'll have to throw a fit if he sees how much work we put into it, though," the vibrant child concluded with a nod, unrolling a length of ribbon, "We'll make it look great! Now where do we start?" Ohh, Karma was so eager!
Grayson tapped the end of the pen against his chin thoughtfully, "You know... it's very possible there could be more than one. Most people assume there is but one of the majority of legendaries, but just because we haven't seen them doesn't mean there aren't more. You've really put a lot of thought into it, haven't you?" Well it was really no wonder; if Grayson were a legendary, chances are he'd be thinking about the mysteries surrounding his own kind, too. He smiled at Brennen's compliment of Tania, "You know... I'd say that you should tell her that sometime, but she might end up teasing you about it. I think it would mean a lot for her to hear that, though." Despite not knowing who Arashi was, the question had adequate grounds to cover, "It depends on your definition of what a god is. To some people, it can be a unique individual with an immensely abnormal amount of power. Do you know anyone else that can travel time but a celebi? I don't know where they come from, though, no. If you're right about there being more than one of each legendary, then I suppose it's possible they have parents... but to my knowledge, most of them are classified as being genderless and therefore unable to have children..." He really didn't know the answer to that one, but wanted to know the same!
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