awesmazings | Voicemail

Aww, but the ghosts are really nice! They love company!

[Lucius growls softly in the back of his throat as a way of stopping Jimmy, swatting his hip with his tail.]

Haha, okaay...don't worry, we don't have to go there if you don't want. What are your thoughts on the circus, then?

[Kind of grumbled:] I'm not really a fan of scary things.

It's a nice circus, right? Like...peanuts and three rings and tightropes and all that?

[Hey, Jimmy's not going to judge. ...admittedly, his hometown is probably what most people would consider straight up terrifying, so he's just used to it by now.]

Exactly! 'Cept instead of circus animals, we got Pokemon! It's seriously one of the most fun places to work ever!

Like, big feline Pokémon instead of lions, and... Okay. Okay, sure, that sounds good. That's in town?

Mhm! We have at least one show every month, sometimes more if there's something special going on, like our anniversary or a festival or something! I can show you around the tents n' stuff, if you'd like!

Like a backstage pass. [That puts her a bit more at ease.] Okay. Alright, sure. Let's start there.

[Jimmy nods eagerly, heading off toward the center of town with the massive department store building looming in the distance.]

Thanks for deciding to come along after all, by the way. I know that survey thing was probably kindof weird to just...suddenly be on if you didn't actually sign up for it.

Yeah, it definitely was. [A small glare at Agatha, who just tromps alongside her.] But, um, more than that, thank you for being so cool about it all. Most people would probably be disappointed.

Disappointed? No way! I'm just happy that we got to hang out at all, you know? It's fun! And most of the time, I don't get to meet new friends in person for a while since Johto is so spread out and all.

[Really, it's hard to see people in person unless they A) live in Goldenrod, where most people tend to be, or B) you specifically plan to meet with them or are traveling with them already.]

Hm. I...didn't really think of it that way. I thought everyone could just...I don't know, travel wherever they want if they've been here for long enough.

You can do that too! Lotsa folks end up picking a town somewhere that they like a lot and live there once they've been here long enough. Like, for me, Goldenrod is pretty much my home, but I've been aaall over the place.

I don't really want to find a place to live for good. You know? Is that...okay? I don't want...roots. [...] Everyone says it's different here, but...I dunno.

Oh, no, there's totally nothing wrong with that! The biggest reason I've got a place to stay is cause...well, lotsa people go home, but I haven't yet and it's already been two years.

[He technically did though, he fell into one of those strange comas and woke up with memories of home, but...it wasn't the same.]

Tw-two years? [A little faintly. Every time someone says they've been here for so long...] You're one of the long-runners then, huh? Yeah... Yeah, I guess after all that time, you'd want somewhere to call...home.

[Jimmy nods, looking down at the sidewalk for a moment as they make their way past nearby cafes and other trainers out for a stroll with their Pokemon.]

Yeah. I mean...I really love this place, don't get me wrong! But I do miss home a lot, too. My friends and everybody...

...you know how time works in this place, don'tcha Ash?

[Nice segue, Jimbo.]

[She nods, gaze following some of the other trainers.]

It's one of the first things I heard when I showed up here. People wanted to reassure me.

[...]

Did it help?

It did! Or...somewhat, yeah. It just...doesn't make me stop thinking about it, everyone back home and...all of that.

Oh, that's good! Yeah, I getcha though. It's always weird for people who haven't been here long, just...suddenly showing up in a new place and all.

It's just... it's just so hard, you know? And so many people've either been here for so long or are enjoying it so much that, like- they just expect me to go with it.

[A beat and-]

Eegh, sorry, it- I really am still adjusting.

[In response, Jimmy just shakes his head again.]

As much as I love this place, I don't think you should have to like it if you really don't. And I know some folks who have just gotten used to it because they've been here a while...but they would still go home if they could. Jack was that way.

I mean...I miss my home, too. A lot, actually! But...I guess knowin' it'll still be there whenever I do go home makes it not so bad.

Huh. I... guess it's a lot more complicated than I figured.

Maybe... What've you done here that's the most...oh, I don't know, fun? Amazing? Something to make you love it here.

[Sensing Ashley's misgivings, Leader decides to fall into step a bit closer to her side while Jimmy answers her.]

Amazing? I could be here all DAY telling you all the amazing things I've done! I've gotten to be part of the circus and have played almost every part there is! I've traveled all over the Johto region with my Pokemon and challenged all the gym leaders and got almost all the badges!

[He gets a little...distracted easy, which means some of them he's skipped accidentally.]

I get to fly places on my Pokemon whenever I want, even better than a real airplane pilot! I've seen Legendary Pokemon up close in person! I've battled bad guys and got them to work together instead of fighting! [AND NEARLY GOT JOHTO TAKEN OFF THE MAP, BUT THAT'S FINE.] I've seen snow again, every year! I've celebrated Halloween, Christmas, two birthdays, and I've spent it all with some of the best friends a guy could have in the whole wide world!

[As Jimmy continues on, Ashley raises her eyebrows and nods along, taken aback.

(Ashley's Zubat, Bram, peers down from her shoulder at Leader. Hey, you. You're good.)]

Wow. You...really have done it all, haven't you...? [A smile flits to her face.] I'm not really...a high-adventure kind of girl, see. But...some of that does sound kind of nice.

[Leader seems to sense that he's being watched, looking up with a soft 'woof'. Hello there friend.]

Yeah! I guess there's always a first time for everything too, isn't there?

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