outofsynth | IC Contact (victory

[For a band just starting out in an entirely new region - in an entirely new world - things were going pretty good. They're still going objectively good. The amount of money they've pulled in this month alone is Good.

When this guy approached them, they had every reason to believe it was another good gig, especially with the amount they were being promised...until they get to the venue and see that it was actually for a child's birthday party. The kid in question is turning six and his favorite favorite thing on the planet are Torchics, and his father saw their logo and thought it would be close enough. He's even providing them costumes!

The reveal makes Ryan's stomach bottom out, and it must show on his face because suddenly Min seems concerned at how long he's been quiet and-- nope. Can't have that.

So he smiles. He agrees. Come on, Min. They can't ruin a kid's birthday, right? But it's all very surface level and he feels like his entire brain has ejected itself into space. He goes through the motions, he puts on the dumb costume and tunes up his new guitar, but there's something uncomfortable and wrong in the air, no matter how much he insists otherwise.

To Ryan's surprise, the show actually goes okay? It takes a song or two, but they have enough stage presence that some of the kids are actually paying attention and enjoying the show, including the birthday boy. Most of the set list had to be changed to suit a younger audience, but at least they finally have a crowd interested in various animals (or pokémon) wearing toques. Ryan starts to seem like himself again while they play together.

Once the show ends, they are invited to stay and eat cake and even let their pokémon play, as long as they promise to leave the costumes on - apparently there had been some kind of incident at another party, but whatever. Ryan's only half paying attention. He can be a giant chicken pokémon eating cake, it's fine. He's still feeling a little weird though, so takes it upon himself to grab them a place to sit where they won't get harassed by little kids treating them like mascots while Min finishes up squaring away payment details.

Min will find Ryan with a couple of chairs off to the side, past where the parents are hanging out as if they will be some sort of little kid barrier. He has cake, but he doesn't seem to be actually eating it - just holding the plate and cutting off little bites to push them around the plate. He feels kind of nauseous, honestly.

When he sees Min though, he manages a smile.]

Hey, man. Saved you some cake?

[There is indeed a piece of cake on the chair reserved for Min - bigger than Ryan's and untouched.]

[It's been a weird day.

It started with a visit from a flying Raichu with pancakes in tow. Min-Gi was rightly cautious about mysterious free food from a psychic type pokémon, but Ryan dismissed these concerns because what are the odds something like this would happen again? Besides, they were just pancakes. What could possibly happen?

At first, it seemed like Ryan might have been right. He had delicious free Raichu pancakes and Min worried too much and missed out. But the day has only gotten stranger from there.

Ever since then, Ryan has been...particularly clingy. He's kept to the same room as Min-Gi, followed him any time he got up to leave, and been unusually antsy any time he's had to be alone for more than just a few seconds.

Which brings us to now - with Ryan hanging around outside of the bathroom. Their cat pokémon Vogue and Strut are also there, but that part is a little more normal. They're cats; they are always invested in what's happening in a room they aren't allowed to follow someone into. Ryan isn't usually also this invest though, and he's kind of using Vogue and Strut as an excuse to hang out there, idly taking turns petting them.

Is Min still in there? He has to be, right?

Of course he is. He totally is. It just feels like it's been twenty years, that's all.

Ryan is totally fine and can wait quietly out here as long as he needs to. Because if he gets up and goes somewhere else, then Min might come out and go somewhere else, and then he won't know where he is for who knows how long--

--There's a noise.

All three of them perk up, waiting to see if the bathroom door is going to open.]

[It's still early in the day, and the initial panic of being red and blue stained gem people has already lost some of its novelty. A check-in on their Pokégears reveals that it is apparently one of those weekends, and that's enough to reassure Ryan that whatever this is, it isn't permanent.

There are all sorts of little odd things about it, like how his gem somehow feels like it's the entire center of his being or how his boots and shirt and such feel like they're basically painted onto him. His whole body is an unnatural reddish-pink and somehow he feels really light, impossibly so - like all of his mass is inside his gem.

Red Jade. He doesn't know why he knows that's what it is, but he knows it instinctively.

At the moment, they're hanging out at their place in Vermillion. They have a wedding to play in a couple of days, so it made the most sense to stay local until they have to take the ferry and get some practice in. This turn of events is unbelievably distracting though, and naturally they haven't gotten a ton done. Ryan's pacing around, trying to distract himself with the task at hand - finalizing their contributions to the collaborative set list. Vogue is making a game of following his steps.]

Hmmm...you think White Wedding's too on the nose to use?

[Is it on the nose or is it actually just a lyrically bad pick for a wedding? Who's to say?]

[Ryan and Min-Gi have put it off for a while now due to confessions and rocket hideouts and weddings and worms, but it's time to make their big camping trip - the extra long trek to Fuchsia City, to get Ryan his own warp there.

Essentially they had two options - they could bike from Celadon or take a very, very long hike from Lavender Town, and neither sounded that great. Fortunately a miracle (or a nightmare) occurred, shortly before the trip All Dressed evolved into an Espathra, meaning that Ryan would also have a ride pokemon to use, cutting the longer route by a third.

So far, it's been a pretty peaceful trip. The route is predictably not very populated, so they've had most of it to themselves, aside from a lone fisherman or two. For all intents and purposes, it's been a scenic route along the water.

They're a couple of days into the adventure now and they've found a spot that's almost picturesque - a small campsite (clearly used by others before them) just off the water, hidden from the main wooden dock path by forest. There's no signs about whether or not it's okay to swim there, but it's been ridiculously hot so the two of them set up camp a little early and spend the late afternoon swimming.

It's nothing they aren't used to. They grew up together. They've jumped in Powell Lake together. But...it feels different now, after their confessions. Ryan's kept things as normal as he possibly can, but swimming half naked with the love of your life is a lot different when they know that's how you feel. The school of luvdisc living in the swimming hole didn't really help matters.

Now it's evening, and they're casually putting off going to bed. Neither of them have mentioned that's what's happening, but it's almost certainly what's happening. Ryan's given up on trying to do anything productive with this time - he's in dry clothes, but he's still wandered off to the docks, dangling his bare feet in the water and looking up at the stars, lost in thought.

The route is so quiet that there's no hiding it when Min approaches and Ryan perks right up, and then waves a hand.]

Hey, man.

[Sometime this month Min-Gi will receive a package from Johto. Inside he will find a cake that's wrapped in red cloth. Also there is a small box that contains a dragon fang on a long string that's clearly meant to be worn as a necklace. The string being long enough that he can fit on a large pokemon. There's also a note tucked into the folds of the red cloth with elegant handwriting.]

Su cuy'gar, Min-Gi,
I hope this winter season finds you well and staying warm. Your ice Pokemon are enjoying it at least I'm certain. While holidays like Christmas are not something I celebrate back home in my own galaxy, I wanted to send you something to show my appreciation for your kindness. First is a traditional Mandalorian dessert that's called Uj'alayi. The recipe for which has been passed down in my family for many generations. I hope you and Ryan enjoy it. Secondly I've included a dragon fang that I thought might be useful for Beat or any other dragon pokemon you might have.

All this month I'll be traveling across Johto, so I don't expect our paths to cross again any time soon. So if I don't see you, I hope you and yours have an enjoyable holiday.

Ret'urcye mhi,
Bo-Katan

IC Contact (victory_road)

Later this month, at a torchic themed birthday party

Happy Pancake Day

Fusion!!! (4th Wall, May 19th)