Hunger Switch Cafe

[HelloYellow17]

"You know... I'm not so sure about that," she started cautiously. "Ever since coming here, I've been getting... I don't know, visions? Memories? I feel like I'd seen that..." She hadn't even gotten it's name, had she? "I feel like I've seen Odette's pokemon somewhere before, only... it looked a lot larger than it does right now. Last night, I... I had a dream about it, even." She turned in her chair, only to see Odette pointedly looking anywhere but in her direction. "And it like... I just feel angry when I see it, deep down. Not at anything in particular, just... anger. But I swore I'd seen it somewhere before. I meant to ask her about it, but I think I may have upset her when I freaked out... I'm not sure how I'm going to go and approach her about it."

Wes stared. And here he’d been thinking that freak with the knife was the only insane one here. Honestly, if this girl was having weird dreams, it had nothing to do with him.

You said you're from.... Orre, right? Supposedly Celebi has a nest or something there. Never been there myself, isn't it one giant desert? Not really a place one would expect to find a pokemon known as the 'voice of the forest', but I hear Agate is a nice place though. Have you ever seen it?"

His heart sank a little at the mention of Agate. This time, though, he managed to catch his thoughts before they spiraled too far and made his chest painfully tight again. “Yeah…yeah, I’ve seen it,” he said as he jabbed half-heartedly at his omelette. He looked back up at her with narrowed eyes and a frown. “But, look. A time traveling legend is different from a universe hopping one. I haven’t heard of Hoopa ever in my life, and I’m not about to just buy into such a crazy theory without some kind of proof—”

He froze. Wait. Wait. If other universes did exist, then…yesterday…

He reached under his coat and felt for the knife—not his, but the one he’d taken from the tall edgelord. Sure enough, it was still there. A creeping sense of dread trickled up his spine.

What the hell was this place.

"I don't know if I could live here, I don't think my human likes it very much..." Olivia whined. "I think it's great, though! Everyone's so friendly! Well, almost everyone! Even the really big lizard on the boat was nice!" She swallowed a piece of bacon in between breaths, then picked one up in her teeth and held it out to Neo, communicating with her telepathy rather than speaking this time. "Here, this looks like a good one!"

Neo’s eyes widened. She…was offering to share? Share bacon? Never in his life had he thought a mon could be so generous.

With a delighted trill, he reached out and snapped up the other end of the strip. But instead of letting go, Olivia held on, chewing away, until, suddenly, their noses bumped with each other.

Neo’s brain stopped working.

---

Meanwhile, Novo was growing more and more perplexed by his new acquaintance. The little mon wrapped him up in vines, but it didn’t feel anything close to an attack. Was she…tickling him? He cocked his head to the side and cautiously raised a forepaw, reaching out to her…then bopped the top of her bulb.

She let go and blasted a Sleep Powder, aimed right at the umbreon's curious nose.

Novo sneezed.

 

[Sinderella]

"You know... I'm not so sure about that," she started cautiously. "Ever since coming here, I've been getting... I don't know, visions? Memories? I feel like I'd seen that..." She hadn't even gotten it's name, had she? "I feel like I've seen Odette's pokemon somewhere before, only... it looked a lot larger than it does right now. Last night, I... I had a dream about it, even." She turned in her chair, only to see Odette pointedly looking anywhere but in her direction. "And it like... I just feel angry when I see it, deep down. Not at anything in particular, just... anger. But I swore I'd seen it somewhere before. I meant to ask her about it, but I think I may have upset her when I freaked out... I'm not sure how I'm going to go and approach her about it."

Did they seriously not fucking get it? Did people still not realize this was a meeting of parallel universes? Shit, fucking Wes got into a borderline deadly brawl with a mirror universe image of him, and they were still discussing the prospects of it? Really? Maybe it was so damn obvious to her because of how many of these things she'd come to, but the epiphany had to hit at SOME POINT.


But as Kimiko kept talking, the more Odette felt herself leaning in. And getting nervous.

She...she had a dream about Odile? She somehow has an inkling of a feeling that Odile instills...anger in people? She'd dreamt of Odile bigger? How the fuck was that even possible; she hadn't met a single person in these games to have even HEARD of a Blood type, let alone the fucking legendaries themselves.

She racked her brain for some sort of explanation. She supposed, with the amount of times she'd met other versions of her friends, there could have been a world where Odile also existed. In a different form. Which could explain why Kimiko might have the slight idea; perhaps parallel Odile had met Kimiko in her world? Maybe Kimiko was parallel Odile's vessel and didn't even know it; wouldn't that be fucking hysterical. A true parallel.

But then...the more she thought, the more she remembered how familiar Kimiko had felt to her. As soon as Odette had laid eyes on her, she got a familiar feeling. She was pretty good with faces, so surely she wouldn't have gotten that vibe if she'd never seen her before...right? Maybe she met some version of her at some point?

Then it hit her.

Ikea.

She bit down on the side of her finger as the memories flooded her. She'd been so focused on the potions, and Selene, and Red--


Man, fuck that guy.


--that she'd barely even noticed Kimiko at the time. But she was there. Avoiding her. For some reason. Probably because of Odile.

She fucking saw Odile fight. Full on. Powered on blood and everything. Against Red when he turned into that worm and tried to eat her. That's what she'd dreamt about.

Holy shit. That just made things so much...weirder. If that was the right word.

He stood near a wall, leaning against it, watching the impostor.

Odile was greatly enjoying her pancakes. And she was also enjoying the absolute overbearing stench of wrath wafting off of somebody in this very room. It smelled absolutely mouthwatering. It only made her hungry for more damn pancakes. And of course, to cause problems. It was a new day, yes it was. And like Odette said, she could keep scaring the people they didn't like. So, it was fine.

She briefly turned around, glancing from wall to wall, on the hunt for whoever woke up with shit in their cereal on this fine morning. It wasn't long before she found Wes's doppelgänger. One of the ones who was fighting so joyously yesterday. How quaint.

Swallowing the current bite she had in her mouth, she eyed him closely as she lowered herself to the table and tucked her wings.

"̷I̸ ̶a̶m̷ ̴g̶o̶i̷n̵g̵ ̶t̴o̴ ̵f̷u̵c̶k̷ ̶w̵i̶t̵h̷ ̷y̵o̵u̵ ̸s̴o̷ ̸h̷a̸r̷d̷ ̴t̴o̴d̸a̸y̶.̵"̵


"What was that?"


"̶I̴ ̸a̵m̷ ̴g̸o̵i̷n̷g̵ ̷t̶o̸ ̵f̴u̶c̷k̴ ̶w̵i̷t̵h̶ ̶t̴h̵a̸t̷ ̵g̵u̵y̵ ̵s̸o̴ ̸h̸a̸r̴d̷ ̵t̴o̵d̸a̸y̷.̴"̵


"Odile, can you please--"


"̵E̷a̴t̷ ̵y̵o̵u̵r̸ ̶f̸u̶c̸k̵i̸n̷'̶ ̴b̵r̵e̶k̸k̴i̸e̷,̵ ̴E̷n̶o̷r̴a̴.̸"̵

 

[Inkedust]

“Oh boy.” Seb looked down, a bit worried. “She really needs to train more if she hopes to win.”

Jack leaned forward and glared after noticing the shadow’s more abrupt movements, one wing on the table. “Show yourself,” he quacked in a low tone.

"Vera's a pet. I'm not a trainer," Ayumi replied simply, "but that doesn't mean that I can't let her have her fun."

Ayumi looked at the strange farfetch'd with a disapproving look, her shadow was rapidly shaking its head. It was chewing on something. "There's no one else here," Ayumi said flatly. "Who are you talking to?"

Meanwhile, Novo was growing more and more perplexed by his new acquaintance. The little mon wrapped him up in vines, but it didn’t feel anything close to an attack. Was she…tickling him? He cocked his head to the side and cautiously raised a forepaw, reaching out to her…then bopped the top of her bulb.

Novo sneezed.

Vera squeaked when she felt the paw on her bulb. Ohhh he was just! Like! Dusana! She didn't like that. Vera let out a huffing bark at the umbreon as she readied herself in a battle position.

Ayumi heard it and made a subtle gesture with her head.

Instead of a battle, Vera would find herself making a long string of frustrated huffs and barks as she was dragged back to Ayumi's table by an unseen force. Ayumi held her like a small dog on her lap.

<Careful, Dusana. We do not want to make a scene.>

<But I like wavy meat.>

<You and Vera share that in common.>

<No! If Vera likes too, then I liked it first!>

 

[Hanafuda]

Ayumi looked at the strange farfetch'd with a disapproving look, her shadow was rapidly shaking its head. It was chewing on something. "There's no one else here," Ayumi said flatly. "Who are you talking to?"

“Jack, what’re you doing?” Seb looked at his Farfetch’d in confusion. When he saw him point his leek at the shadow, he turned his gaze at it. “The shadow? Is there something wrong with it?” It took him a few long seconds, but he was able to see that the shadow’s movements weren’t synchronized with Ayumi. His eyes widened. “Miss, hope you don’t mind, but have you seen your shadow?”

 

[Seren]

His heart sank a little at the mention of Agate. This time, though, he managed to catch his thoughts before they spiraled too far and made his chest painfully tight again. “Yeah…yeah, I’ve seen it,” he said as he jabbed half-heartedly at his omelette. He looked back up at her with narrowed eyes and a frown. “But, look. A time traveling legend is different from a universe hopping one. I haven’t heard of Hoopa ever in my life, and I’m not about to just buy into such a crazy theory without some kind of proof—”

He froze. Wait. Wait. If other universes did exist, then…yesterday…

He reached under his coat and felt for the knife—not his, but the one he’d taken from the tall edgelord. Sure enough, it was still there. A creeping sense of dread trickled up his spine.

What the hell was this place.

Kimiko didn't miss the way Wes seemed to lose what little (faked?) enthusiasm he'd had for his food. Had she said something wrong? Then she leaned back in surprise when he looked directly at her with fierce eyes, only for him to stop mid-sentence, seemingly realizing something. He'd reached down into his coat, and her eyes just barely glimpsed the two knifes hidden there. She tensed, worried for a second, but he didn't seem to be making any move to attack her.

Oh, wait... that's right. He took that second knife off that look-alike, who... he had said yesterday was not related to him. He'd had the same pokemon, even... was he Wes, but from another universe?

Maybe she should have tried that angle instead of confiding in him. On the other hand, she wasn't sure she'd have been able to keep her worries contained for much longer, anyway. She'd been half hoping for some advice, she realized only when Wes offered none.

Neo’s eyes widened. She…was offering to share? Share bacon? Never in his life had he thought a mon could be so generous.

With a delighted trill, he reached out and snapped up the other end of the strip. But instead of letting go, Olivia held on, chewing away, until, suddenly, their noses bumped with each other.

Neo’s brain stopped working.

Olivia cooed happily as Neo accepted her offering. Instead of breaking it in half, the other espeon also continued chewing, until finally they'd collided. Olivia looked back in surprise, then cheerfully leaned over and licked Neo's face. "You've got a spot there! I'll get it!"

Then, as though nothing could be more normal, she took another strip for herself.

 

[Inkedust]

“Jack, what’re you doing?” Seb looked at his Farfetch’d in confusion. When he saw him point his leek at the shadow, he turned his gaze at it. “The shadow? Is there something wrong with it?” It took him a few long seconds, but he was able to see that the shadow’s movements weren’t synchronized with Ayumi. His eyes widened. “Miss, hope you don’t mind, but have you seen your shadow?”

"Of course, I've seen it. There's nothing wrong with it," Ayumi replied. She nodded at it and it nodded back. She took a sip of her coffee before she stood up to grab a pastry from the bar. Her shadow lingered for just a moment longer, before following along.

It stopped when Ayumi passed by the table of a blonde haired girl. It stole a croissant from right under her nose before running after Ayumi.

 

[Hanafuda]

Seb and Jack looked at each other in disbelief. They both certainly witnessed a poltergeist of sorts living inside a shadow. “You think it’s a Gengar?” Seb asked. “Misdreavus, maybe? And how come she wasn’t weirded out by it?” He rubbed his face and collected his thoughts. “Oh, well, let’s just eat our breakfast and enjoy the island after this.” He stood up and surveyed the food trays, grabbing a plate for himself. “I should get you guys some cereal, too.”

 

[Seren]

It stopped when Ayumi passed by the table of a blonde haired girl. It stole a croissant from right under her nose before running after Ayumi.

In between talking with Wes and turning back to observe Odette, a sudden, yet eerily familiar chill went down Kimiko's spine. Again, she tensed up, expanding her observation beyond the distressed-looking woman across the cafe, but... well, of course she didn't see any ghosts in the area. Still, it was something she'd have to keep in the back of her mind, now that the idea was there.

She turned back to face Wes at the table, only to discover something had been removed from her plate. She looked under the table, but Olivia was... sharing bacon with Neo? Well, whatever, so long as she was happy and not causing a scene. Her gaze then shifted up to Wes... Nah, couldn't be.

Well, hopefully there would be some left over at the buffet, should she ever find the courage to stand up and walk passed Odette to get there.

 

[Inkedust]

<Dusana, you know it's rude to steal food from others.>

<I know, but it was close. It was tasty>

Ayumi's shadow was now eating the stolen croissant. Ayumi herself frowned, but played it off as completely natural.

<Well, at the very least I could do is get her another one to replace the one you stole. Besides, that umbreon's trainer is also there. I should apologise for Vera's behaviour too...>

She grabbed a couple pastries, a couple for herself and Dusana alongside a replacement croissant for that blonde haired girl. She approached their table with a smile. "Mind if I sit here?" she asked innocuously.

Vera was back at the buffet table, chewing on a piece of sausage.

 

[Seren]

Ayumi's shadow was now eating the stolen croissant. Ayumi herself frowned, but played it off as completely natural.

<Well, at the very least I could do is get her another one to replace the one you stole. Besides, that umbreon's trainer is also there. I should apologise for Vera's behaviour too...>

She grabbed a couple pastries, a couple for herself and Dusana alongside a replacement croissant for that blonde haired girl. She approached their table with a smile. "Mind if I sit here?" she asked innocuously.

A voice behind her made Kimiko turn around, this time not to peek curiously at Odette, but to see a new person standing there patiently. Kimiko hadn't seen her on the boat that she could recall (Which, let's be real, is probably a good sign, she thought). But she got that chill again. She eyed the newcomer warily, but she didn't seem to be showing any of the usual signs of possession... then again, if this was some kind of universes-collide get-together, who was to say which universe's rules would be in effect?

God, now she was somehow convincing herself that anyone she met was part of the cult. Ridiculous. You're on vacation, remember? No ghosts here. You're not allowed to think about it.

"Sure, no problems here!" she said cheerfully, then turned back to Wes. "I mean, if that's alright with you...?" He had been here first, after all. "Is that your bulbasaur over at the buffet? She's adorable, look how tiny she is!"

 

[Inkedust]

"Sure, no problems here!" she said cheerfully, then turned back to Wes. "I mean, if that's alright with you...?" He had been here first, after all. "Is that your bulbasaur over at the buffet? She's adorable, look how tiny she is!"

Ayumi smiled and put the plate down, but she didn't seat herself just yet. "Oh I certainly don't mean to impose. I just thought that I should acquaint myself with the other invited trainers here. I didn't have much of an opportunity to do so on the cruise ship." She held out her hand. "Ayumi, by the way."

Her gaze travelled over the the buffet. "Oh yes!" she chuckled. "Her name's Vera and she's quite the spitfire. She'll try to fight any pokémon she'll come across, even though she hasn't been trained in the slightest. So please, go easy on her."

 

[Seren]

Ayumi smiled and put the plate down, but she didn't seat herself just yet. "Oh I certainly don't mean to impose. I just thought that I should acquaint myself with the other invited trainers here. I didn't have much of an opportunity to do so on the cruise ship." She held out her hand. "Ayumi, by the way."

Her gaze travelled over the the buffet. "Oh yes!" she chuckled. "Her name's Vera and she's quite the spitfire. She'll try to fight any pokémon she'll come across, even though she hasn't been trained in the slightest. So please, go easy on her."

"Oh, what a cute name!" She took the other girl's offered hand and shook it. "I'm Kimiko. Aaaand down there," she added, gesturing under the table, "is Olivia. Well, the girl, she's mine."

The espeon in question only paused in her bacon consumption for a moment to trill with glee at Ayumi before returning to her completely healthy meal. "Make sure you eat those eggs, too," Kimiko called down to her with a frown.

"Vera sounds like my gorebyss, Ariel... well, when she's being broody, anyway." So, Ayumi had indeed been on the ship. Probably did the smart thing and kept to herself. "Ironically, I don't think there were a whole lot of... well, proper introductions going on on the ship," she added with a hesitant chuckle. it hadn't escaped her notice that Wes' duplicate appeared to be leaning against a wall, most likely keeping tabs on his mirror-universe counterpart.

 

[Inkedust]

"Oh, what a cute name!" She took the other girl's offered hand and shook it. "I'm Kimiko. Aaaand down there," she added, gesturing under the table, "is Olivia. Well, the girl, she's mine."

The espeon in question only paused in her bacon consumption for a moment to trill with glee at Ayumi before returning to her completely healthy meal. "Make sure you eat those eggs, too," Kimiko called down to her with a frown.

"Vera sounds like my gorebyss, Ariel... well, when she's being broody, anyway." So, Ayumi had indeed been on the ship. Probably did the smart thing and kept to herself. "Ironically, I don't think there were a whole lot of... well, proper introductions going on on the ship," she added with a hesitant chuckle. it hadn't escaped her notice that Wes' duplicate appeared to be leaning against a wall, most likely keeping tabs on his mirror-universe counterpart.

"Pleasure to meet you both," Ayumi replied. The moment Kimiko's hand grabbed hers, Ayumi felt a strange sensation coarse through her being. Dusana felt it too but Ayumi was quick to distract herself.

"I managed to hear quite a bit of what was happening on the other side of the ship," she sighed. "It certainly sounded like quite the riot. Vera tried getting in on the action, but she returned in one piece. Too small to notice amidst the already ongoing chaos would be my guess," she added with a light chuckle.

Ayumi gestured to Vera to come to her. Vera was hesitant, but ultimately followed after stuffing her face full of sausages.

 

[Flyg0n]

The very last thing Wes had wanted to do was to be near people again.

Unfortunately for him, this was his best chance at getting his knife back, and he'd guessed his copycat would've come to a place like this.

He stood near a wall, leaning against it, watching the impostor.

I can't make a big deal out of this. Not with everyone around.

He sighed. Just gonna have to wait...

From the moment he'd entered, Manectric Bao keep his eyes trained on the strange man in the black coat, who looked extremely grouchy. His trainer had said this was supposed to be a festival why did this guy look so mad?

Bao narrowed his eyes and rose to his feet. He cast a quick glance at his Officer Jenny and nudged her gently. She nodded absently. "Join you in a sec," she mumbled. She was absorbed in something on her phone, frowning the way she did when she was focused.

Shaking his head, Bao made his way across the cafeteria towards Trenchcoat Man. Fine, she could catch up later.

"Hello," he said, dipping his head in a friendly greeting to the two Eeveelution pokemon. "My name is Bao, what's yours?"

Best to start with a friendly approach for now.

 

[AbraPunk]

"Hello," he said, dipping his head in a friendly greeting to the two Eeveelution pokemon. "My name is Bao, what's yours?"

Merian initially tensed upon seeing the approaching 'mon, but relaxed when noting the lack of obvious hostility.

"Hi! I'm Merian, and this is Nico," He said, glancing over at Nico, who was glaring at the Manectric. "Er, if this isn't rude, may I ask why you're over here?"

 

[Flyg0n]

Merian initially tensed upon seeing the approaching 'mon, but relaxed when noting the lack of obvious hostility.

"Hi! I'm Merian, and this is Nico," He said, glancing over at Nico, who was glaring at the Manectric. "Er, if this isn't rude, may I ask why you're over here?"

He wagged his tail slightly. "I figured I'd say hi! You guys seemed lonely all the way over here. Aren't you going to eat?" Liar. His Jenny always told him he should be direct when possible. But it wasn't a complete lie. They did seem lonely, and he had wanted to say hi.

Bao glanced over his shoulder towards her. She seemed almost finished with whatever was so important on her phone.

 

[Sinderella]

Odette had been so wildly lost in her thoughts over what she just overheard. What was she even supposed to do about that? There was no way she could ever consider approaching her now, not when--

Clack. Clack. Clackclclickclickclick...

Her brow furrowed, and she slowly turned her head, trying to find the source of the quiet noise. Instinctively, her hand traveled to her pocket, and when she didn't feel her earbud there, she slammed her head down on the table.

"Hngh..." she groaned in irritated agony.


Enora shot a questioning look at her human. "What happened?


Odette slowly picked up her head to stare tiredly at Enora. "My earbud fell out of my pocket. Can you please help me find it?"

She didn't bother to wait for an answer, because she stood up, graciously got down on all fours, and began to crawl around as she scanned the ground for the damned thing.

"Go wireless, they said," she muttered to herself. "It'll be fun, they said."


Enora cautiously looked over at Odile, who was still staring at that fellow on the wall, who now looked like he was engaged in conversation. She was making no moves to do anything, so for now, Enora felt it was at least somewhat safe to leave her unattended momentarily.

"Stay put."


"̶I̷ ̴s̷t̷i̸l̶l̷ ̴h̵a̶v̵e̷ ̸p̵a̶n̶c̴a̵k̵e̵s̷ ̴t̵o̷ ̷f̶i̵n̷i̶s̴h̶,̷ ̵I̴'̴m̵ ̵n̸o̷t̵ ̸f̴u̴c̶k̶i̵n̵'̶ ̸m̸o̶v̸i̵n̶g̴.̴"̴

With a stern look, Enora hopped off her chair and also began to sniff around.


Odette was thanking her lucky stars that this place wasn't as big as the dining hall from last night. It was already feeling impossible to find the stupid bud in this smaller seating area, but imagine she'd lost it in there? She'd have never found it. It was already starting to feel hopeless, when she managed to spot the speck of techy white laying under somebody's table. There were Pokemon underneath it, but they hadn't noticed it. Thank gods.

With a huff, she pushed herself up to stand so she could see who she had to go bother to get it back.

Wes. Kimiko. Some other new person. She wanted to laugh at her own misfortune. She suddenly had half a mind to just leave it there and suffer the next two weeks with half the listening power, but those fucking things were so expensive. And having one earbud to practice or workout just didn't sound fun. It sounded like she'd be more susceptible to being bothered.

Unfortunately, it was reluctant big girl pants time. In and out. She barely had to engage. She just wanted her listening device back.

She cocked her shoulders back and walked over.

When she was close enough, she raised her hand at an attempt at a wave. It might have come off a little stiff, but quite frankly, she didn't care.

"Désolée," she said. A slight cringe. "Erm, sorry." She quickly leaned down and picked the bud off the floor and held it up--broadcasting the whole reason she came over. No more, no less.

"Dropped this. Excuse me."

She went to turn to leave.

 

[AbraPunk]

"I figured I'd say hi! You guys seemed lonely all the way over here. Aren't you going to eat?"

"Oh! W-Well, um, I'm not really hungry right now, so I think I can go without eating for a while. Besides, we're used to skipping meals."

Nico, passively observing the conversation, frowned and smacked Merian with his tail. "Idiot! You're making it sound like Wes starves us. That's not true at all."

Merian gasped and hung his head in shame. "Ohhh... I'm such a dummy. Sorry. I mean, we only skip meals because it's really hard to find any food at all where we're from, so..."

 

[Flyg0n]

"Oh! W-Well, um, I'm not really hungry right now, so I think I can go without eating for a while. Besides, we're used to skipping meals."

Nico, passively observing the conversation, frowned and smacked Merian with his tail. "Idiot! You're making it sound like Wes starves us. That's not true at all."

Merian gasped and hung his head in shame. "Ohhh... I'm such a dummy. Sorry. I mean, we only skip meals because it's really hard to find any food at all where we're from, so..."

Bao frowned. Skipping meals? The thought was unfathomable to him, and for a moment, hot anger washed over him. Didn't this trainer give them food?! He had half a mind to bite him right now-

Oh. Phew. So it wasn't that. "Your trainer does take good care of you right?" he leaned a little closer. "If he's not I can help." He couldn't bear the idea of seeing a Pokemon in distress. But then, they'd said it was because it was hard to find food. What sort of horrible world didn't have food?

"Anyways, there's plenty to go around here, you should have some! Name's Bao by the way! That's my Officer Jenny," he added, nodding in her direction.

 

[AbraPunk]

"Your trainer does take good care of you right?" he leaned a little closer. "If he's not I can help."

"Our trainer's the best! He'd never let anything happen to us!" Merian said with an enthusiastic wag of his tail.

Nico simply nodded. "I concur. Although our usual living circumstances are... difficult, Wes has proven time and time again to be of the utmost pure heart..." He glanced off to the side, and continued, "At least with pokémon. Humans, he's not so good with."