No place like home

[buson]

Reflection - Stardust Beach

To those in Ultern, Buson might be gone for about nine days, give or take. He didn’t show up for work on the cargo ship, without excuse, but as one of the drifted, suddenly leaving was as expected as suddenly arriving, and life went on…

To Buson, he’d been gone months (or was it nearly a year?), returned to complete the ill-fated Raikou mission, as well as many more successful ventures, even capturing another Legendary Pokemon for Team Rocket. He watched the seasons change and lost the deeper tan he’d gained in the rice terraces and on the sea. His more relaxed and friendly expression had regained a sharper, crueler edge, but to his credit, he never lost his sense of humour! _{Alright, so, maybe he'd started cracking even more jokes than usual as a coping mechanism, but—}

He had kept the souvenir bottle of sand he'd bought the last time he was in Ohritori and taken it with him to Johto, and back again. It was the only thing that convinced he hadn't dreamed it all. There were a number of times he thought of casting it out into the sea or otherwise disposing of it, and he often kept it out of sight, since it seemed to taunt or shame him for how easily he returned to old ways, but he still found it impossible to abandon.

The hope he might return also had him catch another Pokemon to keep with him, so his Bandolier now has two more pokeballs clipped to it.

He now found himself once more, on Stardust Beach, in Ohritori, at night, and stayed watching the dark sea in silence. He felt nostalgic, jaded, apprehensive, and relieved. He felt so many conflicting emotions, that he could only sit and wait to see which would be the victor, as he regained his bearings and fully accepted he had truly returned.

He might search for familiar faces after that...

Hiding in Plain Sight - Turnbloom City

—But first, a place to purchase a change of clothes, as he'd arrived in his silver Team Rocket uniform once again, as his appearance was known to at least one officer in Ohritori. He considered traditional Ulternian clothes, this time. The brighter, bolder colours, particularly the reds and oranges, caught his eye and they weren't as restrictive as kimono, even worn properly... but all the colours he liked seemed to be more restricted to women's clothes!

So, with some disappointment, he opted for kariyushi instead. Picking the loudest, reddest kariyushi shirt with the busiest, boldest pattern and swapping his sunglasses for... another pair of sunglasses (but tackier, star-shaped, even), he also grabbed a pair of shorts, and even a fisherman's bucket hat.

He took one look in the changing room mirror, all decked out, flashed a grin, and said, "They won't know what hit 'em!"

He paid and left, whistling a tune, hanging onto his bundled-up uniform, at least long enough to find a good place to hide it. Part of him wanted to burn it, but he knew it could come in handy. You could never have too many disguises!

Touching Base - Chura Island

He wasn't sure if they would still have that place in Gukuru House. Was Bashou paying for the inn? Would he have moved away? How long had it been for him? Perhaps... Bashou might have even returned to his own world? Buson would search for him all the same, just in case.

If there's anyone he can't find, he could always ask around and follow their trail to track them down... that's a skill he never lost.

Comments

Stardust Beach

[radleyslittleevie]

Evie soon sees him and hurries over. "Hi! It's always so pretty here."

[buson]

At Evie's familiar voice, the first thing Buson did was wince.

He didn't seem to want to meet her gaze and kept looking out to the sea.

"... yeah. It is," he replied, strangely subdued.

[radleyslittleevie]

Evie sits down by him, confused. "Are you okay?"

[buson]

He had been leaning forward, with his knees drawn up, so maybe she hadn't noticed, not to mention, it was a dark, moonless night, so there were only stars...

He straightened up and tugged on his uniform jacket, to display the R. In case even an Eevee can't see that well in the dark, Buson shone a small flashlight at it.

"... had to go back. Been gone a long while. Guess it wasn't for you."

Since she didn't seem so surprised to see him.

[radleyslittleevie]

"Oh.... You were home and you had to do more bad things?" Evie frowns. "It was just a few days here...."

[buson]

“Yeah. A lot bad things, Evie. I hurt a lot of Pokemon and a lot of people… so maybe stay away for a while.”

He wondered if she could pick up the scent of blood around him or anything else, even if he did try to scrub it clean. He didn’t even want to make eye contact in case the pitiless look in his eyes scared her away. He just didn’t want her to hate or fear him again, even if he deserved it.

He rested his chin on his arm, leaning against his knee again, and kept watching the sea.

“Months, nearly a year, for me.”

[radleyslittleevie]

"Oh.... That's awful." She frowns. "You can't ever get out? ... Do you still not want to?"

He seems to feel so bad about it, she has a hard time believing he still wants such an existence.

[he didn't want to talk, buuut good job, Evie]

[buson]

"... I'd like to. But it's like... an Ariados' web."

He started drawing with his finger in the sand.
"If the boss is the Ariados in the middle here... wait, hold on, light."

He shone the flashlight on his very rough little drawing. The Ariados is basically just a circle with eight legs. All the other bugs are basically circles too.

"And the low-level grunts you are waaaay out over here... they can get away easy, right? They don't know a lot and they're not much threat to Rocket or anyone else. There's only like, one corner stuck to them. There isn't too much tying them to him. It's harder for these guys above them, too, they're elites, so a couple more threads... and then..."
He traced the line back to the crudely drawn spider. "But we're a lot closer to him... all the way up here, not as close as the executives, but there's a lot more threads sticking to us, harder to move, right?"

"... but more than anythin' else... I guess I'm just stalling. I don't wanna leave the Bashou back home behind alone, if I have to leave and lie low and put it all behind me, I'm scared I won't see him again... I don't wanna put him in danger by getting him to do anything stupid or risky, if I'm in danger, fine, I brought that on myself, but Bashou shouldn't be just because I regretted my own bad decisions. He's smart, he won't want to quit. But, you know... he's all I got. The team is my family, back home.

"... maybe that makes it sound nobler than it really is, like I'm scared for his sake. It isn't just that. I'm scared of being alone. I don't do alone too good."

[ ofc I had to... ;__; ]

[bashou]

Bashou spent a lot of his leisure time training in the forest, helped by the target dummies that he used for knife-throwing practice. He was just coming back now, with one of the dummies thrown over his shoulder and his Pawniard walking by his side, when he saw a figure who seemed to be skulking around the inn.

At first, Bashou was on his guard. He slowed down to avoid making too much noise, holding up a hand to Alecto so that she would do the same. Then, as he crept closer, he realised that the figure was familiar.

"Buson...?"

Without thinking, Bashou withdrew Alecto back into her ball. Then he picked up the pace, until he was almost running. He might have even offered Buson a hug, but he stopped short, several metres away, with a sudden fear. He hoped he would never have to be afraid of any Buson, but he just wanted to know whether this was the same person with whom he'd shared so much, here, before...

Not that long before, but it was difficult when nobody knew whether or when they would drift in or out of Ultern. When Buson had suddenly disappeared, Bashou had guessed that had happened, since there was nothing to indicate that something more terrible had caused his disappearance. But Bashou had had no way of knowing when he would return...

"Is it the same you? Are you back, or are you new?"

[as did I + let's make this canon for Ultern]

[buson]

Bashou came running to see him. Even when he still felt like more of a monster or a weapon than a person, Bashou came running to see him.

The Bashou back home still kept his distance, so he believed this to be the one he met here in Ultern the last time.

He couldn't help cracking a smile and even held out his arms, because he knew he had no fear of being rejected by Bashou even if he still smelled of blood, but Bashou became withdrawn.

He could have answered in a straight-forward manner, but thinking back to a previous conversation... he took off the (ridiculous, sorry) new pair of sunglasses and said, "I had the weirdest dream."

[ ahhh yes they should definitely do this! ]

[bashou]

Bashou only noticed the star-shaped sunglasses when Buson took them off. He even wondered if they might have been causing some of his suspicion: despite his love for shades, Bashou had never seen Buson go that far...

Without the sunglasses, his face looked much more familiar - but of course it did. That wasn't enough.

At first, the comment didn't register. But, a moment later, the memory of that conversation dawned on Bashou. Slowly, still studying Buson's face, he came closer.

"Yes, I had the same dream. That was me. It is me."

Would they really have to go through this every time one or both of them got drifted? It wasn't exactly a huge task, only emotionally...

Just to add a dash of normalcy (relatively speaking), Bashou nodded at the dummy that was slung over his shoulder. "Thank you, by the way. This has been very useful."

[buson]

Even if his absence wasn’t long for Bashou (and he was grateful for that), Bashou still needed to confirm who he was. He’d lost the deeper tan and his eyes had a harder gaze to them (but they softened as much as they were able at the sight of his partner), so he might’ve looked like another world’s freshly drifted Buson, just… oddly dressed.

It’s fortunate that they had agreed on those words, before either had ever left, otherwise, it could’ve been as exhausting as their first meeting-reunion. No need to torture each other, trying to determine whether or not the other was trustworthy or from their world (they know now they were not.)

“I’m glad. Yeah, I figured it’d help,” Buson responded, smirking in satisfaction at his handiwork. “Glad to see you’re doing well. Glad I wasn’t gone too long… a few days for you, right? I got a gift for ya.”

He touched one of the two new pokeballs attached to his bandolier.

He wouldn’t have wanted to let Bashou know it’s been longer an absence for him, but knowing Bashou, he’d realize it as easily as he did when they first reunited here, so there was no point in trying to hide it. The Bashou in his world also was the only one who realized something integral had suddenly changed in Buson; he was perpetually jarringly honest and straight-forward, given the crooked path he walked.

[bashou]

"It was only a few days. But it was hard. Not knowing when you'd come back. Not having any way of being completely certain that you'd just drifted, rather than...I don't know...falling overboard while you were at sea..." Bashou suddenly smiled. "I'd hope someone else would have noticed if that happened, though."

He wasn't telling Buson all of this to stir up pity, or to blame him for something that wasn't his fault - but just so that Buson knew what it might be like, if he were to ever vanish from here. To let him know that the uncertainty was normal, to some extent, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

Bashou realised, from the change in Buson's tan and just something about his overall demeanour, that it had probably been longer for Buson. At some point, he might have asked how long, but for now, he blinked in surprise at the news that he was getting a gift - and a Pokémon, even more surprisingly. He figured Buson probably wouldn't give a Pokémon as a gift lightly, since that was still another creature to raise, train, be responsible for. There must have been a good reason for it.

Perhaps Buson, in his own world, had travelled to places that Bashou had never heard of, and captured something totally unfamiliar...?

"I'm intrigued. What is it?"

[buson]

"I know," Buson said, quietly and simply, reflecting on his own half a year without Bashou and now, this long absence from Ultern.

After a moment, he added, in much more playful a tone: "... don't you worry about me, though, Bashou. If I disappear, it'd probably just 'cause I got drifted back. If I fell overboard or somethin' here, I'd come back to ya, maybe as a Ghost type or somethin', bet ya nothin'd keep me away!"

Bit of a dark joke, but he cracked it with a show of teeth, while making fake claws of his free hand, grasping at air, in a playfully over-the-top "monstrous" manner. He was cracking a lot more jokes today, but he needed the distraction. He got the message, either way, he just didn't like to dwell on it.

As for Bashou's curiosity about the pokeball... he smiled and tossed it.

"Go, Roselia! Caught this little one in the Hoenn region..."

A sweet and silky floral scent like honey, yet also luxuriously rich and heady like musk, emanated from the two large, blooming roses it had for hands. Its body was small and its limbs tapered like stems. It had long leaves that seemed almost like draping clothes and sharp sleeves or even more like a cape and epaulets. It had rather sleepy (or perhaps bored) looking eyes with dainty lashes, although its expression looked a bit nervous or perhaps simply confused by Bashou's appearance.

"... this is Roselia! It's real tiny, but it's actually a high level Pokemon, and if it looks a little confused, it's 'prolly 'cause it knew another you. It'll take some gettin' used to, but it knows to listen to ya."

[ fiiiinally Bashou is back! and he's wondering where Roselia keeps its knives... ]

[bashou]

The idea of Buson dying could never be funny, and the thought of him coming back as a Ghost type Pokémon was no comfort at all. But still, Bashou forced himself to laugh lightly at the joke, understanding that Buson probably needed to make light of things right now.

Bashou wasn't one for guessing games, but he'd assumed that whatever Buson had brought him must have been a Steel type. He could never have imagined it would be anything like a Roselia. Bashou was just as confused as the Roselia looked, but as he didn't want to startle it, he gently dropped down into a squat, putting himself closer to its level.

"A Grass type...? Hello..."

Bashou was about to extend a hand towards the Roselia, to invite it to come closer if it wanted to. But then he remembered that many Grass types were also poisonous. Even those that weren't could spray some nasty powders if they felt threatened, and so Bashou would keep his hands to himself.

"It's very pretty. Smells nice, too." A thought suddenly came to mind, making Bashou smile. "Roses have thorns, don't they? Is that the reason...?"

[1/2; apologies again for a novel with too much going on, I said he'll explain the death thing...]

[buson]

Ah, is that... Bashou humouring him and sparing his feelings..

"Your polite laughs suck, Bashou," Buson said, with mock-insult, quirking a brow.

He crouched low, too, mirroring Bashou, then smirked.

"Hehe, It's the Thorn Pokemon, after all! It can fire off poisonous thorns... especially if someone tries to steal its roses. The thorns on its head are poisonous, too!"

At being described, Roselia tilted its head, as if to show the thorns and even raised its stem-like arms, to show the roses.

"It knows Toxic Spikes, pretty powerful move, 'cause it'll surround the field, but on top'a Steel and Poison types being immune, it won't affect Flying types either... its ability's Poison Point, so anyone it don't trust, it's got a pretty good chance of poisoning if they touch it. And it knows Giga Drain. But, y'know, I didn't primarily catch Roselia for battling."

He gestured at it. "... it can use Aromatherapy."

He didn't want to be sappy and explain, again, why he did it, so he hoped Bashou would realize on his own, like he did with the previous gifts (apart from the Midnight Bloom.)

"... it's a 'lil pampered, with expensive tastes, it'll only drink springwater, but that's what gives it this beautiful aroma. Luckily, there's plenty bein' sold bottled. It's no push-over either!"

Roselia looked much less suspicious now and began approaching Bashou.

Chura Island

[kenfrompokemon]

[With only a few days until Ken's summer vacation starts, leaving him free to travel to Ohritori Island, he's getting a bit antsy. He'd been hoping to talk to Buson about it, but he hasn't seen the man in over a week now, and the boat he associates with Buson has been sitting in the pier for just as long. Ken doesn't even know where Buson lives, or his phone number, so he can't do anything but worry.

When he does spot Buson on the street, however, he does a double-take, before laughing, partially out of relief, but mostly because what are those glasses.]

Buson! N-new style? [He's trying not to laugh as he says that.]

[buson]

Yo, Ken! [With a wave, acting casual, like he doesn't look completely ridiculous. Looking as flashy as possible and distracting people with bold and slightly questionable (read: star-shaped sunglasses) fashion choices was the point, so he didn't mind it and, instead, saw it as a job well done!

He grinned.]

Yeah, you could say that! You're a sight for sore eyes.

... I got drifted back a while. I didn't miss anythin' good, did I?

[kenfrompokemon]

Ah, you're definitely a sight too! [Pfft.]

Oh, you drifted back? That's good, I was worried something had... happened.

[It occurs to Ken that Buson must've gone back to Team Rocket, then... No, he doesn't know that for sure! Anyway, more importantly, he's back now! Ken forces his smile back up.]

In that case, ulsai and welcome back! I've been doing the same as ever. But I've been meaning to tell you, I'm heading to Ohritori Island in a few days! My vacation's coming up!

1/2

[buson]

[That's exactly what happened and no, he doesn't want to discuss it. In fact, he very clearly sidesteps that whole conversation, but gives Ken a reassuring smile (that looks a bit forced, still... unfortunately, he's still too straight-forward to deceive) and brings out another pair of sunglasses!]

Ulsai!

I got these too. Which do you think completes the look?

[A pair of bright yellow and green pineapple-shaped sunglasses, bamboo-framed sunglasses, and neon sunglasses with zig-zag arms. Naturally.]

[buson]

That's great! Ohritori's great, lots to eat and see.

[Yes, in that order.]

You could also ask around Turnbloom City's Pokemon Center's cafe, too, that's where the kid used to work. I used to eat there. First received Ulternian hospitality there too...

[Sounding nostalgic! But he has another reason to say it that way, he's couching Gold's location there to sound a bit less suspicious.]

When you get there, drop by Professor Banyan's lab. He seems to take in a lot of the kids who show up with nowhere to go. Y'might find Gold there.

The Miltank dairy farm we both used to work at, until I quit and moved here, was [insert rancch name here.]

1/2

[kenfrompokemon]

[Hooray for distractions from serious talks! Ken can't help but burst out laughing again at the new sunglasses. He laughs for way too long about them, too. Once he finally gets it under control, he reaches a hand out.]

L-let me try one of those on too!

2/2

[kenfrompokemon]

[That's the exact right order!

Ken nods at the information, mentally storing all of them.]

I see... I'll check all of those out! Thanks, now I don't have to just go around asking people if they've seen him... I feel like that wouldn't go over well, haha!

[Of course, knocking on the door of the house Gold actually lives in would probably be even creepier than that... Not that Ken knows he lives in Banyan's lab!]

[buson]

Sure, knock yourself out!

[Buson held them out for him to try.

As always, what Ken doesn't know can't hurt him... besides, Buson even gave him a good excuse, lots of kids could pass through there, it isn't a Gold-specific situation! Let Ken feel like he's putting in the legwork to find Gold when he already fed him the answer with a distractor or two.]

[kenfrompokemon]

[Ken picks out the pineapple sunglasses and puts them on with a big grin.]

How's this? Do they suit me?