Game Week of the Multiverse: Polteageist Cafe

[Navar]

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[Shiny Phantump]

Lillie slunk into the cafe, looking for breakfast. She looked around for a free table.

There were none.

It would be rude to leave right away, but she couldn't just go up to someone and ask to sit with them. She didn't want to bother anyone like that...

She stood like a deer caught in headlights, trying to decide what to do.

 

[Cresselia92]

Well, as Harvard found out from a few sources, Chimchar were omnivores with preferences toward vegetables, so that meant he could get bacon, beef jerky and eggs! …With moderation, of course.

“Welp! At least there’s a positive news in all o’ dis mess,” mused Harvard, before taking a sip of his root beer. It tasted… different for sure, but he didn’t know whether it was the fault of the beer or his new taste buds. “Heh. I’ll have to survive with dis fo’ a while…”

He looked around the place, bored out of his mind. That Kora left him to go to somewhere else, and he felt somewhat jittery without someone to talk to. The knowledge of being in a strange world, away from his family, was already starting to creep on him like a Shadow Sneak.

…Speaking of Shadow Sneak, was that a Mimikyu that was standing by the entrance?

“Hm?”

Harvard looked intently at the new guest. They seemed… totally lost and were glancing around the place. He took a look as well, and saw that there weren’t any available spots, aside from an empty chair that was by his side. Hm, perhaps…

“Oi! Ye by da entrance!” he yelled, before waving a hand and flashing a confident grin. “There’s a free spot over here, if ye wish!”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

It was a good thing that Mimikyu didn't have the same reaction to being startled as humans did, because otherwise she may well have jumped a foot into the air. "I..."

She couldn't decline, that would be quite transparently rude.

"Thank you," she said, climbing up onto the chair across him at the table. "My name is Lillie. May I ask yours?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Oh, Lillie? What an amusing coincidence, to meet someone with the same name as Lass. It might have been a minor thing, but he was already starting to feel more at ease.

“Me name’s Harvard, Miss,” replied the Chimchar, before making his pistol gesture with his hand and holding it by the side of his face, flashing a brighter grin. “An’ ye’re welcome! Couldn’t just ignore a gal in need, aye!”

Harvard lowered his hand back on the table, before drumming his fingers on the wood. “So, huh, wanna order somethin’? I’ve already eaten, but I could still accompany ye by orderin’ a small treat.”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

She wasn't sure why, but something about him made her nervous. He was just trying to help, there was no reason to judge him. She wasn't even sure what she'd have been judging him for. Was it the generosity itself making her nervous?

"Oh, I'll get breakfast, but don't worry about paying for it. I'm one of the people who ended up being stranded here by Ultra Wormhole, so the Counsel people should cover it." At least, for now.

 

[Cresselia92]

A jolt seemed to course through Harvard’s body as soon as he registered a crucial detail about what that Mimikyu just said, and his eyes widened.

“Ultra Wormhole…?”

Then, he remembered clearly some info that Blondie and Lass had revealed about themselves: they were travelers, who arrived from another universe after opening an Ultra Wormhole with… what was that name, a Moonala?

And that Miss was called Lillie… Wait! Could that mean…?

But it was better to not jump to conclusions, so Harvard decided to test the waters first.

“I see…” he muttered, before leaning on his chair and rubbing his chin. “An’ say, Miss. Are ye human, by chance?”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Lillie took deep not-breath. He wouldn't ask if he wasn't going to believe you.

"I am. It's... a long story, but I ended up here after being caught up in some matters related to my mother..."

 

[Cresselia92]

‘Mother’? The Lillie he knew didn’t mention anything about a mother. She was involved in something about a missing father.

Oh. That changed things. Not that he expected nor wished for Lass to be around that world — he could imagine well how heartbreaking it would have been for her to be separated from her own brother, as his worried heart could confirm and prove — but the news deflated him somewhat, and his flame seemed to have dimmed as well.

…Heh. She was still another human, that was already something. At least he wasn’t nor didn’t feel alone in that regard.

“‘Kay. I can see the topic makes ye uncomfy, so I’m not gonna investigate furtha.” Harvard placed his hands behind his head and sighed. “If that’s any comfort, I’m a stranded human, too. I was busy fightin’ some… threats in me homeworld an’ ended up here.” He looked away. “I hope me sibs ain’t too worried ‘bout me…”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Lillie sighed with relief. "Oh! You're also human? And..."

Oh no. He'd been fighting a worldwide threat, then he ended up in an Ultra Wormhole. Was that a coincidence?

Or was this her fault?

"That threat... They're not ultra bea- or, like, aliens? I don't know if we're from the same world."

 

[Cresselia92]

“If by aliens ye mean freaky creatures dat burst out o’ black holes, then aye. Been dealin’ with ‘em ‘longside a few fellas.”

Harvard leaned forward and grabbed his mug of root beer, making the liquid sway back and forth.

“Those aliens came from another universe or some kinda ‘space’ to infest our own. They even stole a few ships an’ kidnapped some peeps, an’ dat’s been happenin’ fo’ a few days ‘lready. I’ve been workin’ hard to try to locate those missin’ peeps…” He grumbled and took another sip of his beer. “Never expected to be one of ‘em, but heh! Dat’s life fo’ ye! Gotta swing an’ face it!”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Oh. Oh no.

"I think..." What could she say? She couldn't admit it was her fault, but she felt compelled to say something.

"If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, then... Then... I might've had something to do with it."

Please don't be mad at me...

 

[Cresselia92]

“Hm?” Harvard cocked an eyebrow and lowered his mug. “Whatcha mean by dat? Ye havin’ somethin’ to do with ‘it’… What’s dis ‘it’ ye’re talkin’ ‘bout?”

The Chimchar narrowed his eyes. “Ye’re referrin’ to da various fellas who fell into dis world thru holes an’ whatevs, or ye fear to be responsible o’ what happened to me world? Cuz,” he tilted his head, “I dunno if we’re on da same page. An’ if we’re, well…”

Hm. Was there some way to prove anything? Perhaps some trick question?

“Hmm… ‘Kay, how ‘bout dat? If I say ‘rainbow’, what thoughts d’ye get?”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Was he mad? What was he getting at?

"I don't know. I would've been here when it happened."

 

[Cresselia92]

Harvard eyed Lillie very carefully. ‘When it happened’… Not exactly substantial evidence, but it seemed that she was talking about a natural rainbow, not the other rainbow. Unless she was playing ignorance, of course.

However, her voice sounded sincere, and she seemed pretty nervous as is. Pressing further would have probably made her withdraw and not reveal other useful information. So, he preferred to give her the benefit of doubt and let the matter rest… for the time being.

“Hm, ‘kay. Dat’ll be ‘nuff talkin’ ‘bout sci-fi trash.” He shrugged. “I dun believe ye’re responsible o’ what happened to me world, if dat’ll help ye sleep better. I’ve been dealin’ with some shady individuals, y’see, an’ ye dun strike me as shady.” He paused as he remembered that as a Mimikyu she was pretty much shady. “Or, well, y’know what I mean, aye?

“Anyway, ain’t gonna order yet breakfast? Unless ye feed on words, dat’s it.”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"It is not just sci-if trash," Lillie hissed. "It's..."

She couldn't say what she was thinking. He didn't think it was her fault, and she didn't want to change that.

"It's the reason I'm here." Wait no, that's not good enough. It's also the reason he's here, dummy.

"And, uhh, my father. I mean, no, it's not, like, the reason he's here. He's not here. I don't know where he is. But this same thing happened to him a long time ago. So it's... It's serious. It's not... nevermind. Sorry, you were just kidding.l

 

[Cresselia92]

Harvard shot an awkward stare at Lillie — he had definitely struck some kind of chord and she was stammering something.

Ah, well, it was a matter of time until he got under someone’s skin.

“Huh, well, ‘xcuse me if I dun’ve a good opinion o’ space an’ stuff after — oh, I dunno? After an entire race decided to invade me world! An’ after I’ve been dragged here fo’ tryin’ to protect it!” he rebutted, his flame burning more vividly. “My lil’ bro’s da one obsessed with inter-dimensional shenanigans an’ whatevs. I just find all o’ dat’ a big pain in da ar—”

"And, uhh, my father. I mean, no, it's not, like, the reason he's here. He's not here. I don't know where he is. But this same thing happened to him a long time ago. So it's... It's serious. It's not... nevermind. Sorry, you were just kidding.”

“Whoa, wait! Hold yer Mudsda!” he said, making a T with his hands for a timeout. “Yer pa’s missin’ cuz o’ a wormhole?”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Lillie sighed. "I take it you've heard of Professor Mohn?"

 

[Cresselia92]

“Mohn?” Harvard scratched the back of his head. “Heh, dunno much ‘bout da fella. Only details I know’re from Pa an’ Blondie. Pa’s studyin’ Gaia an’ its potential as an energy source an’ has contacted a Prof Mohn to discuss if there was some connection between Gaia an’ cosmic auras. Dunno ‘bout this Mohn’s whereabouts, tho.

“An’ Blondie,” he looked down and began tapping the table with his free hand, “he dun know where’s his Pa from his world, either. Only clue he has is that he’s been taken away in outer space, an’ now he’s lookin’ for ‘im.”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Blondie? It'd be nice if you used his name, because if I squint a little that almost sounds like it could be... my brother.

"Okay, people have names, you know. We use them so that people can identify who each other are talking about."

His 'Pa' knew Father before he disappeared. His 'Blondie' is looking for his dad from... okay, he called it 'outer space,' but I don't think he's talking about a bloody astronaut. I've never heard of any astronauts getting stranded alive, and that seems like the kind of thing the world would hear about, so he must mean ultra space.

And if that's the case... then did Mother lie to me about him joining a gang, or... is this one of his gang friends?

There's only one way to know...

"The reason I ask is because I have a brother. His name is... Gladion." It feels strange to say that. "Does that sound at all familiar to you?"