drie. {backdated to the 11th.}
[ VOICE ]
Nanao. I've reached Goldenrod.
[ well, that was curt. no point in babbling on about pointless things, is there? ]
... England. Might have to take a rain check on that tea, since I'm assuming you're not in the area. Also, you still owe me money. I'm going to start charging interest if you don't pay up soon.
[ he filters the following to Canada. because checking in on someone's general well-being totally warrants a filter. what are feelings. ]
You in Cherrygrove yet? Just checking.
Here he was, again. Goldenrod City in all its glory. Few things about it reminded him of Amsterdam or the Hague or just home in general. The houses lacked the charm and gezelligheid he preferred in his architecture and there were no canals to fall in after drinking one glass too many at the bar (not that it ever happened to him okay).
However, the city had a lot of cyclists.
Old people, young people, all happily pedaling along on their two-wheeled choice of transportation. One woman has a little kid and two bags filled to the brim with fresh vegetables and bread and with her as she races past him at a brisk pace, presumably to make it home as quickly as possible to make dinner. Hope that kid likes his veggies. And it was crowded. When you happen to be the most densely populated country in Europe, it’s natural to share your space with so many people, each minding their own business and living their lives. He's used to it and while he does like having his personal space, it's one of those little things that eases homesickness.
With Juli the Meganium trotting beside him, Holland decides to head toward the Pokémon Center to heal up his team before doing anything else. They’re all worn out to varying degrees from hiking through a cave full of screeching, headache inducing bats and through that stupid forest. If he never has to do that again, it’ll be too soon - having to ward off swarms of those stupid bats every other minute tends to induce traumas.
“Think she has a garden?” he asks thoughtfully, more to himself than to his green dinosaur friend. “In spring, I’ll plant tulips. Different colours… other flowers, too. It’d be nice.”
He’s missed that. Living in a house, cleaning things and tending to a garden. Having daily access to wonderful things like hot showers and kitchen appliances. Travelling through Johto was sometimes like going back a few centuries, a time when life was both simpler and much more complicated at the same time. Sometimes he hated having to adjust to a life on the road like he was some kind of vagabond, and sometimes he found himself appreciating it. Something had been roused from within him, that sense of wanderlust he had when he spent his days on a ship heading to the New World or the Far East.
She bends down her neck, bumping her head lightly against his shoulder as though she agrees with his gardening plans. He inhales, taking in chilly air and that sweet scent that she always had no matter the season. It sort of comes with having flower petals growing at the base of your neck. Her forehead is somewhat bumpy under his hand as he affectionately pets her. One of her antennae is little crooked to the left, but he doesn’t give a damn thing about little imperfections.
“You’ll help out. Am I right?”
Juli nods in affirmation and perhaps, maybe that was a smile Holland just gave her.
[ VIDEO + ACTION FOR GOLDENROD ]
[ A few hours later, a video goes up on the network courtesy of a certain Girafarig who is incredibly happy about getting to show this to absolutely everyone. Schadenfreude, indeed.
So, what is going on? You see, there is a green dinosaur lying on top of her very disgruntled trainer and effectively preventing him from going anywhere. ]
Get off me.
You need to rest, dear. You've been constantly travelling. Please excuse my methods, but I find this necessary. [ Of course, this only comes out as various forms of her species' name. ]
No, really. Get off me or I'll put you back in your Pokéball.
[ He shakes her head, prompting him to dig inside his barely accessible pocket for the Pokéball. He lifts it up to use it on her, but just as he's about to press the button she manages to snag it in one swift movement and
swallows it. ]
...
...
... What the fuck.
[ there is a long, awkward silence as he processes what just happened.
Eventually, he turns his attention to the Girafarig. ...When had she snagged the Gear from him, anyway? Great. just. Great. Had they been conspiring behind his back while they were camping in Ilex Forest? ]
Anyone know how to get a dinosaur off your back?
[ Might as well ask for advice since it's recording anyway. Even if it hurts his pride a little. The camera moves a little closer before it drops to the ground and a Girafarig hoof hits the button to stop the recording. ]
( ooc | pretend she doesn't have a pokéball in the picture. I drew it before fully developing the idea for the post. )