003. [Video]

[leaveyourstarburning]

[Zulf finds it easier to post at night, away from the bustle of daily activity; it feels far less like he's shouting over everyone else, and more like he can just speak his mind.

He's kept mostly to himself today, distancing himself from Zia and simply spending long periods of time sitting alone near one of the small streams winding its way through the trees, allowing her to explore as much as she liked without nagging her to be careful; it was unlike him, perhaps, but he hadn't exactly been too open with his thoughts on the Bastion, either. The Calamity had sobered him a good amount; what had happened afterwards...well. It wasn't anything to be talked about, either.

He should be used to losing people by now; he isn't sure what to do with the fact that he probably never will be.

The feed hums alive to depict one of the routes, though it's difficult to tell which; there's a rather large magenta...mass behind him, curled up and appearing to be breathing - those that are familiar with Scolipede's coloring may recognize it. Zulf had simply found its ball among his belongings, taking up that sixth slot after he had finally given in and left one of the creatures he had obtained in the box, given that he didn't have the heart to keep it in the ball when it was within plain sight and that hadn't been an option around his previous company.

He had scanned it with the PokéDex, as he had been instructed to; its name was Hanako.

Original Trainer...]

I don't know how many others here knew this man; for those that did, Kariya Matou is no longer in Johto.

He will be missed greatly; may he feel Mother's love and protection, even now that he's returned to his home world.

[And that is, quite frankly, all.]

Comments

[leaveyourstarburning]

[Not all of them! See, that one's just...

...just...

...wow, is that tsun?]

Is he like that friend of yours you've mentioned before? The one with the similar name to mine?

[determinator]

[...it might be...]

Yes. Zolf is the version of Kimblee from my world. They have very similar names, but they're two entirely different people.

[This is confusing, alright.]

[leaveyourstarburning]

...I thought that's what he said his first name was when we met, but I couldn't be sure; I think he was pronouncing it differently, and he said it so fast...

[It sounds like a bit of a mess, honestly.]

[determinator]

Oh, no, it's Solf, with an S. I was confused at first too.

[Admittedly for a very different reason, but that's not the point!]

It's quite alright. He's not very fond of his first name anyway.

[It's worse than Frank, alright.]

[leaveyourstarburning]

Well, I don't think it's that bad. A bit...unorthodox, maybe.

[determinator]

[...bb, your name isn't any better...]

Yes, it's very unique. I never heard it before meeting him.

[Were your parents high, Kimblee?]

[leaveyourstarburning]

[Oh come on, Zulf's parents probably weren't high at the moment, either...]

Well, it seems the names in Caelondia and the Terminals are different to the names here - many of the people here have very complicated names, from what I've heard; ours tend to be far more straightforward.

[determinator]

Yes, I've heard quite a few names that are difficult to pronounce. The names vary from world to world, it seems. I don't believe I've seen any names repeated, oddly enough.

[leaveyourstarburning]

...likewise, actually.

[...huh. Is Johto seriously managing to adhere to the One Steve Limit?]

I'm assuming that friend of yours is part of the reason you want to return so badly?

[HE KIND OF HAS NO IDEA, UM]

[determinator]

[Archer freezes for a moment - he can practically feel himself make that expression Kimblee has whenever he's stunned - but he tries to cover it up quickly.]

I... yes. Was it really that obvious?

[Yes, he was just surprised by that. That's all.]

[leaveyourstarburning]

[...you're going to get kind of a really skeptical look for that, Archer.]

Are you all right?

[determinator]

[...orz...]

Yes, of course I'm alright. I wasn't expecting that, that's all.

[leaveyourstarburning]

[He still doesn't look entirely convinced, but...]

If you insist.

[determinator]

Of course I do.

[That's a good boy, Zulf! You believe what he says!]

[leaveyourstarburning]

[Oh, not at all.]

You're allowed to keep secrets, you know.

[determinator]

I... what?

[...no seriously what is this?]

[leaveyourstarburning]

If you don't want to discuss something with me, you can tell me and I'll leave it alone, if it isn't something that's going to harm you or others.

You don't have to lie to me.

[determinator]

[What... is this...? He's never been allowed to have this option though. What does he do with it?]

...Thank you, then.

[leaveyourstarburning]

...you seem very surprised.

[And he has all the subtlety of a steamroller. Zulf...]

[determinator]

[Zulf...]

Well, I'm not exactly used to people offering me this, I suppose.

[...what does he do with you bb...?]

[leaveyourstarburning]

...you've mentioned before that others tend to treat you poorly. Not your friend - you've said that he's different - but people in general.

Is there a reason behind that? I'm not saying you're at fault; I just don't see a reason why they would.

[determinator]

I'm different; I can't really explain why.

[Well, he can, he just doesn't want to.]

But most people don't care, it's not them I have the issue with when it comes to this. Kimblee - the one here - continues to press issues, sometimes when they're better left dropped.

[Archer doesn't sound mad at all. It's just an explanation.]

[leaveyourstarburning]

[Head...tilt.]

Why is that?

[He's not sounding accusatory at all; he just...doesn't understand this. Boundaries are something he didn't understand for quite some time, but that's because he had no one to teach him; he was always under the impression that it was just something people...learned from others somehow, from being raised normally. He doesn't see why someone wouldn't understand this - surely someone must have taught him eventually?]

[determinator]

He's... different. He doesn't always understand that I don't want to be pressed. He tends to push peoples' limits frequently, from what I understand. It's nothing personal, he does genuinely have my best interest in mind when he does it, he just doesn't realize how far he pushes sometimes.

[...Okay, it's more like "our best interest in mind", but there's no way to say that and not sound creepy.]

[leaveyourstarburning]

...I can understand that, I think.

[zulf bb not at all]