grapecape | Voicemail/Appointments

You don't under-

[Stop. He does understand, doesn't he? Kind of, right, because he-

When she looks up, quickly enough to make her own head spin a little, she looks right past the concerned face and glasses at the spot where his horn used to be.

He probably does, indeed, understand. This is not the way she would have wanted this to ever come up. With anyone. Maybe in this one case, though, it wouldn't be...terrible.]

I'm human too.

[For the first few seconds after Raven says that, the meaning of it soars happily over Ondorus' head. He looks puzzled. Then the puzzled expression changes to one of thought, then of realization.

Oh. Oh.

It makes sense now - Ondorus remembers very clearly the sense of clumsy uselessness at not being able to do so much as start a fire, the frustration at standing back while Olivia tussled with a Sentret. Dwarves didn't tend to take to magic, but maybe...or maybe even...

...no, that was reaching. It would answer some questions, but...

It doesn't matter. Whatever it is exactly that Raven's lost, it's scared her.]

...As are we all.

[He gets it.

Felix gives Raven another light arm squeeze.]

I wanted to help them. [But she couldn't transform, not even a little bit. Not one single feather.] I shouldn't have tried to fight but we were trapped.

[Some part of her knows he probably hasn't guessed. Raven doesn't count explaining herself in words as a strong point.]

You did the best that you could. [Even if he wasn't there to see what happened, Ondorus can say that much with confidence. It's clear just how much Raven cares about her own little cadre of monsters.] Don't blame yourself.

[A quick headshake.]

They deserve somebody better.

[She regrets that right away, and it shows, but she can't take it back. She just isn't herself right now; it took her this long to notice that Felix hugged her again.]

But it's you they want. Melody truly cares about you, Raven. That's more important than who is or isn't the strongest.

Sorry.

[The word and a sigh happen at the same time, making her sound as breathless as she feels. Whether Felix is finished or not, she looks at him and brushes a hand over his head again. Helpful and sort of meddlesome just like his trainer, isn't he?]

[Just as purple, too.]

There's nothing you need to be sorry for.

...I'll be right back.

[He rises to go to the kitchen, and Sanja floats over to Raven to keep her company.]

[While he's gone, Raven will reluctantly show Felix some of her other injuries, at least so her friendly helper can clean them up a bit. When he comes back he might find her there with her head leaned against a floating sleepy monster like a pillow - if Sanja allows that kind of thing.]

[She does. She encourages it. It takes a quick, exasperated look from Ondorus as he comes back into the room for her to stop considering munching on Raven's dreams if she happens to nod off.

He sets a small mug of hot cocoa on the coffee table in front of Raven and returns to his seat.]

[She's just drained. Hearing something hit the table, she sits up to look at it.

Hot chocolate? A glance between the mug and Ondorus, then back again.]

A lot of people and monsters were hurt today. [And she takes a sip, carefully. It's not bad.] Are...is there still going to be that meeting?

I don't know. Saber will let us know tomorrow, either way. [The Center staff was prepared already, of course. It would come down to the extent of the damage and just who was injured - this city was more than large enough to function even with many of its inhabitants injured.

...strange as that was.]

[All she can do is nod. There were already so many people flitting around, she wanted to keep to her room. Now she had an excuse - the kind she would never go looking for. Raven takes a long shaky breath, and another sip of cocoa.]

Okay. ...I'm...sorry for this. [She is really trying to get it back together but the worry for her pokémon is ever-present.]

[He shakes his head.]

I'd be frightened too. When I said you have nothing to be sorry for, Raven, I truly meant it.

I'm not afraid. [Yes she is. Of course she is. These are the people who she was so raring to go up against not too long ago, who have bird pokémon as prisoners and-

She swallows hard.] Can I have...some ice?

[Raven there's nothing wrong with-]

Of course. [Ondorus gets up and goes into the kitchen again. He comes back with a small bowl of ice - and some napkins, just in case. Something he'd forgotten about with the hot cocoa.]

[Hmm. How to make this work? She settles for trying to wrap some of the ice in one of the napkins - that's how it works, right? - and hold it against the elbow she wanted it for. Felix did a good job patching her up.]

You two didn't have to do this. [For once, she sounds...okay. Relieved, sort of.]

[The Audino chirrups emphatically and pats Raven's shoulder. That's a silly thing to say!]

It seems we were both more than willing.

I'm worried. [As if they couldn't tell already.]

Of course. [He says it in a knowing way, without judgment.] If I can guarantee you anything, it's that your friends will be all right. The nurses are very good at what they do. [Weeks of part-time work in the file rooms of Pokemon Centers had brought him close enough to their work to hear some impressive tales.] Besides that...

[Ondorus leans back a little, looking pensive. They'd be fine. But there was even more to be worried about into the future, wasn't there?]

But without magic...unless they can use it somehow?

[She's taken jobs in shopping marts, mostly. No idea how it all works.]

'Besides that', what?

No magic, as far as I can tell. Just medicine and the abilities of Pokemon.

Hm... [Is it worth airing?] ...no, it's nothing. Just that I hope the damage to the city can be taken care of.

That's not what you wanted to say.

[CAUGHT]

Well, it is part of it. I'm just thinking about a lot of different things.

For now, there really isn't anything to worry about.

Edited 2013-03-01 01:55 (UTC)

People only say that when there is something.

[It isn't a challenge. Far be it for her to force someone to talk. The cocoa mug is empty, and she leans back against the back of her seat again.]

How do I know when I can get my...friends back?

Voicemail/Appointments

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]

[Action, Feb. 14]