Trip (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
serperiority) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
farawayplace2022-12-26 11:12 pm
serperiority) wrote in farawayplace2022-12-26 11:12 pm
Entry tags:
[in which the rich brat has to work for the first time in his life, probably]
Trip's sticking up flyers, apparently, as well as handing some out, advertising an odd assortment of skills, but he's also acting a bit shifty and has his hoodie up, like he doesn't want to be recognized.
"For hire.
Skills: photography, tracking, exorcism.
Prices negotiable."
Followed by some contact details.
Somebody has been too much of a spendthrift without regard for the future, refused to downgrade from his prior standard of accommodations (read: kept staying at expensive hotels), and hasn't made enough in winnings to support himself, so.
"For hire.
Skills: photography, tracking, exorcism.
Prices negotiable."
Followed by some contact details.
Somebody has been too much of a spendthrift without regard for the future, refused to downgrade from his prior standard of accommodations (read: kept staying at expensive hotels), and hasn't made enough in winnings to support himself, so.
[fortunately, Trip didn't hit much of a nerve]
"I didn't say I was a bad person, man, I said I wasn't a good person," he says, a wide, only partially fake smile on his face. "It's not that black and white. I'm not truly evil. Nobody is. I mean, why do you think I hate guys like Cal so much? It's 'cos he thinks everyone's good or evil, nothing inbetween."
He takes the bowl Trip shoved at him, and stacks it on his own empty bowl, still smiling, seemingly completely unaffected by Trip's aggressiveness.
"I gave you food because I wanted to feed you. I told you my story 'cos you told me yours. Sorry you hated it I guess, but I feel a lot better about it now that you told me accidentally getting people killed isn't worth moping about!"
Okay, so some bitter sarcasm leaks into that last sentence. His smile's a bit uglier too.
But then a strange Pokemon pops up out of nowhere to take a nap on Gold's legs, and he blinks in surprise... then smiles more genuinely.
"I guess I'm not moving from here," he says, then glances at Trip, noticing he looks pained. He's not sure what to do about that, so he just... hands the stacked cardboard bowls to Trip. "Can you throw these away?"
...They should probably do something here to recoincile, but this kind of normality is all he can share right now. Even with the sleepy Pokemon calming him down, he's feeling a bit tense. He's used to masking in the face of aggressiveness, but it's always a bit draining.
[-50 social skills, this isn't a reconcilation, ffff]
Then, Gold's attitude just got him irritated and angry again. A hurt look crossed his eyes at the nasty smile, though, and he quickly grew more defensive.
"I didn't mean it that way! You—"
Throw them away? What, like he's some kind of... well, that's fine, Gold can't throw them himself. Fuming, he stormed off moodily to throw them away, considered leaving Gold like that, but then came back, significantly calmer, just apathetic.
"I have a job to do, so hold still."
He took out his camera, hoping to snap pictures of the Pokemon. Sorry, Gold, you're presently being ignored in favuor of the mysterious Pokemon sleeping comfortably there.
no subject
When Trip takes out the trash, it gives them both a chance to calm down. Gold smiles softly at Tranquill in Trip's abscence.
"Sorry you got in the middle of that, buddy..." He also turns to his Pokeballs, kind of getting the feeling they're probably worried about him. "I'm fine, guys. We're talking things out. It's cool."
Well, he figures he got on Trip's nerves a lot there, and getting mad himself didn't help... He's not going to apologize, though. He didn't do anything wrong there. But he'll explain himself.
And once Trip does get back, and ignores Gold, he just shrugs that off, scritching Tranquill's head. After Trip's taken a couple of photos, Gold speaks up.
"I don't dwell on things like that," he says. "You decided I do based on one story, but I never really... faced what happened back then until now, when I talked about it. It happened almost right before I drifted into Ultern, so I shoved it down under all the other stuff I gotta deal with. So all the things I'd been avoiding kinda leaked out back to the surface when I told you about it."
Finished talking, Gold exhales slowly. Now that he's put it out there, he waits for Trip's response. At least he knows Trip's not just going to walk away on him, not as long Tranquill is on Gold.
no subject
Serperior merely quietly followed him, to and from disposing of the trash.
Trip listened to Gold’s explanation and his apathetic look quickly gave way to one of dawning realization, then, remorse.
“… oh.”
(The Cubburn stretched a bit and purred in its sleep.)
This helped Trip make sense of things and realized he’d been projecting on Gold.
“… I’m sorry. So, it was… I shouldn’t have said those things. I guess I just didn’t know—I shouldn’t have assumed. I’m…”
It’s hard to apologize, but, he’d have to swallow down his pride and do it, he’s clearly the one in the wrong here.
He put his camera away, after fidgeting with it a bit, then bowed.
“Forgive me. You told me something that you’d kept to yourself and I had to go and act like that… I completely misunderstood you. Even after you’d been this kind to me, too… I’m sorry for always troubling you.”
He didn’t actually know how far to take the apology and was worried he would end up making it all about himself, more than he already had before, so he tried to keep quiet and wait for a response.
no subject
"It's fine," he says with a soft smile. "I mean, your rant missed the mark so much it was kinda confusing, but you got mad 'cos you thought I was hating myself and you wanted better for me, right? Thanks."
Well, Gold does kind of hate himself, but that's beside the point. He's accepted it and doesn't dwell on it unnecessarily, so everything's fine! (Not.)
"Anyway, I feel kinda lighter after I told you all that, so thanks for listening, too! But I guess I'm gonna have to sit here a while longer," he says, gesturing at the sleeping Cubburn, "so, wanna sit with me?"
Gold gets the feeling there was probably something deeper, something personal that got Trip so aggravated and on edge, to rant like that. He's not going to pry, but he does want to chat a bit longer to clear the air.
[Gold, no...]
He extended his arm, so Tranquill can climb on. Moving away made him cold, so he fluffed his feathers and nestled close.
"The weather's cold, huh? You two should probably go back in your pokeballs."
He returned both, then watched Cubburn.
"Have you ever met this Pokemon before? Do you know what kind it is?" he asked, feeling a bit awkward still, embarrassed for his earlier behaviour.
no subject
"Hmmm... I think it's one of the Pokemon Professor Banyan gives to new trainers! Don't remember the name though. Lemme check!"
Gold digs out his new Ulternian Pokedex and scans Cubburn. A pleasantly neutral machine voice rings out.
"Cubburn, Flame Cub Pokemon. Said to be born of fire. It's warm to the touch, and light up the hearts of others. The firey tips of it's fur burn bright but it never harms those with a good heart."
"Huh," Gold says with surprise, then grins. "It doesn't burn, so I've got a good heart, huh?"
no subject
"Professor Banyan... did he give you that PokeDex?"
He's literally trying to construct an alternative PokeDex himself (so more of just a regular, paper encyclopedia), for those who can't update theirs, so knowing this much work has already been done for him... he should be able to collaborate with whoever made it, if they'd allow him.
At hearing the entry, he leaned a bit further away.
"Yeah... sounds like it," he said with a relieved smile.
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Sounds like your work is basically done, Trip!
Well, having a good heart doesn't necessarily mean being a good person... But he can at least rub this in the faces of holier-than-thou types of people. He smiles fondly at the Cubburn. Thanks for the validation, little buddy.
"Oh yeah, about Lance," Gold suddenly remembers, "You said he was in the same tournament as Ash? Maybe Ash would know what he's like in your world, then."
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The Cubburn opened its eyes a bit, yawned again, then rolled over onto its back, pawing at the air, blinking up at Gold.
"... yeah, Ash seems to know a lot of people," Trip said, now feeling eager to get back to travelling, to get more answers.
"Thank you... Gold. Do you know where I can find Professor Banyan? I've got to talk to him!"
He couldn't really recall if he'd ever met him before.
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"If you meet him around, you should ask him for me," Gold says. "I guess I'll ask too if I happen to meet him. Oh yeah, I should give you my phone number!" Gold takes out his Pokegear, which is probably pretty old-fashioned by Trip's standards. But a Pokegear and and Xtransceiver should be able to call each other no problem.
"Yeah, he lives on Route 1," Gold says, kind of distracted as he's looking up his phone number. "You can find the house pretty easily. Even I hardly ever get lost when I'm looking for it. Oh, I live there too, by the way!"
And so does little Trip, but Gold isn't going to mention that now. He has a feeling Trip might avoid the place if he knows he might run into his past self.
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Well-read as usual, Gold! He absolutely would want to avoid his younger self, not just to avoid influencing the trajectory of his life, but to avoid disappointing him… unfortunately, you already mentioned he was living at Professor Banyan’s with you, earlier.
Fortunately(?), Trip’s still a little disoriented from hunger and exhaustion and can’t remember that part of the conversation fully, although he did briefly pause with an odd look on his face, however, that memory remained out of reach.
“… sure, I’ll write that down… I’d like to take your picture too.”
After typing down Gold’s number, he reached for his camera again.
no subject
Gold is banking on Trip not remembering that! If he just avoids saying anything, maybe Trip will totally forget what Gold said.
"Oh, okay," Gold says, a bit surprised that Trip would want a picture of him. He's never posed for a photo before, but he gives a smile and a V-sign when Trip aims his camera.
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"No, that's alright... I don't think she likes me."
Cubburn blinked innocently, then looked at him expectantly. Where are her pets, human...?!
Trip took a picture of Gold. "To remember your kindness..."
And his debt, of course.
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"She clearly likes you," he says, gesturing at her. "Look at her. She wants pets, Icarus."
Gold nearly opens his mouth to protest, to say he hasn't been that kind, but thinks again. He did spend money on food for Trip. If anyone did that for Gold, he'd never want to forget it either. And any kindness is enough kindness for someone who hasn't gotten much of it.
"Yeah, that's a good reason," he says instead.
[1/2]
"Fine, but if she burns my hand, you owe me another meal and I expect to be fed if I can't use my hand. Take responsibility."
... it's a very sarcastic joke, hopefully?
He hesitantly reached towards Cubburn, who shut her eyes happily, a purr in her throat, but he froze and withdrew his hand.
He made another attempt, but shut his eyes this time as he braced for the worst—Cubburn impatiently headbutted his palm for a pet!
[2/2]
Another happy meow and not a burned hand in sight! Cubburn is having the time of her life right now!
It's really nice to have in the winter, isn't it?
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But he quiets down and holds still as he watches Trip attempt and finally succeed at petting Cubburn.
"Yeah," he agrees simply with a smile, and admires the cuteness.
See, Trip? You've got a good heart too!
There's a lot they could talk about the things they told each other today, but... that's difficult, and this is easy. And maybe this is enough, just to know they both have good hearts, despite what they've done.