rusty paths

[moonsmile]

Moon can't say she likes this place now. It used to be a pretty nice to relax when she needed to take a break from Champion and Beast-training duties, but then the transformation happened. 

Really, she would've thought being part-Meowth for a month would naturally be fun. Instead, it turned her into a warped version of herself almost like Lusamine, and her skin still crawls in disgust when she thinks of it. Moon didn't want to come back.

But Nebbie did. They're the one who steers.

So they're here now, again, human girl and massive bat-moon-creature, hanging on top of and (in Nebbie's case) from one of the higher towers.

The sky's still as beautiful here as it is in Alola.


//quick mention--moon is still from moon, not ultramoon. no spoilers for that, plz!

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[panaceaa]

Their arrival is visible from Guardian's spot in the garden. They clamber to their feet; Guardian isn't exactly looking for company, but their curiosity is piqued, and it's not as if they have anything better to do than bother someone who maybe would rather be alone.

They offer the massive bat-moon-creature a deferential nod as they finally approach, and then to the human girl: "Enjoying the view?"

[moonsmile]

Guardian gets cheer and a music-sound planted directly into their head. Nebbie certainly is!

Moon can't dredge up a smile, even one of her patent creepy-false ones. She leans back against the castle's rough wall and answers, "It's not bad."

[panaceaa]

They stifle a wince at the mental intrusion, more out of surprise than anything. Guardian is more concerned with the other's subdued response.

They take a second to mull it over. Arms crossed over their chest, they take a shot in the dark. "Missing home?"

[moonsmile]

"I'd rather be taking a break somewhere else."

Nebbie hits the thought of them both with a rain-drop of dismissal. Can't discount a place as neat as this one so fast!

[panaceaa]

"A break?" Guardian gets the feeling that they might have walked in on these two having some sort of...disagreement. Maybe. They glance between them both. "May I ask from what?"

[moonsmile]

Nebbie swings from their anchor-like tail until their crescent-hooked wings can get a grip, and shuffle around the tower. Not enough to really hide, but that they're pointedly ignoring her is obvious.

Moon rolls her eyes.

"Being the Champion." She just keeps herself from elaborating once she remembers where she is, this strange world of no Pokémon. What will this armored being think a 'Champion' is? She might as well use the time she's stuck here to find out.

[panaceaa]

For such a creature to sulk in such a way could almost be amusing. Guardian watches Nebbie settle until Moon's answer catches at their attention, and they turn an inquisitive look on her.

Their first thought is that 'Champion' is her title, much like 'Guardian' is theirs. That assumption is what leads them to say: "Surely that's something you carry with you regardless of where you are."

It's not until after that they realize she meant something else by it. Guardian only hopes that that hadn't been precisely the wrong thing to say.

[moonsmile]

Her hand goes for her bag, settling on the amulet hanging from its strap. She doesn't need it anymore, she's beaten her island challenge, but she hasn't been told she should remove it, and likely wouldn't if she is. It's an important reminder, full of memories, and she can finally slip on a real-looking grin with it beneath her palm.

This armored person isn't talking about something so literal in the first place, though.

"It depends on where I go. We need to fly far away to where nobody knows us."

[panaceaa]

There's no reason for Guardian to believe that the smile isn't a genuine one. They incline their head -- an acknowledging gesture; the need to go someplace where everyone is a stranger to you, and vice versa, is one that Guardian more than understands.

"And you came here." It's not stated as a question, but there's one there regardless.

[moonsmile]

Real-seeming smiles tend to be helpful in forging bonds, though it's really just habit. At least this armored person doesn't seem like an enemy, though the helmet is more firmly taken note of. There could be plenty hidden behind the pinkish metal, so Moon's not trusting yet.

Not that it matters.

"Nebbie came here. I didn't get a choice in the matter."

They trill indignantly--a real noise this time, chimes and tinkling glass.

[panaceaa]

There's a comparison to be made, between a helmet -- a mask -- and a smile. Any winded metaphor would boil down to the same thing: for Moon to be the one with her face uncovered, yet hiding more.

Smart of her regardless, though, isn't it? There would certainly be some hypocrisy there in Guardian finding fault in Moon's reasoning, for all they're unaware of it. They watch the exchange with the smallest measure of amusement.

"Then I believe Nebbie would be the only one who did. Have a choice," they clarify. "...If I'm being honest, I didn't think it was possible to... come here, specifically."

It's not exactly doubt lacing their voice, but someone who's good at reading body language might see the unease angling out the slope of their shoulders as they give Nebbie a considering look.

[moonsmile]

She's passible at that, enough to spy Guardian's looking different than just a moment ago, and she continues to watch closely. Nebby rolls an eye around to stare down, too.

"We didn't try to the first time," she admits brightly. "Nebbie was surprised as me. It's easy to get turned around travelling between dimensions." And that's what she assumes everyone here attempted in some way, only without a mostly-reliable partner.

[panaceaa]

Uh.

"Traveling. Between...dimensions."

Yeah, they're pretty sure they heard that right.

There's an urge to step further away from Nebbie, and maybe a little further away from the girl so cheerfully admitting transdimensional travel, but Guardian slots it away as a largely reactionary feeling and ignores it.

"I'm afraid you'd know more about that than myself," they admit in turn. "I imagine you've been to some interesting places."

[moonsmile]

"Yes. This is a pocket dimension," Moon says confidently. She absolutely stole those words from Gaster. It seems right enough, not being able to fly much further than the castle edge.

Nebbie drops an image into Guardian's head, along with the sensation of--something like heat, like stretching, like falling but somehow almost pleasant.

"The travel we do is still being studied," she continues. "It's easiest to get to places almost like home."

[panaceaa]

Guardian does take a step back at the intrusion -- also reactionary, but far less easily ignored. They return to their previous position though, after the initial surprise has worn off; they won't begrudge Nebbie what's likely the most effect way for them to communicate.

It occurs to them that they could ask if it would be possible to bring Guardian back to their home. Maybe they would, if they had any actual desire to return. As it is, they find themself focusing more on the first part of Moon's statement.

"...Willing study, I hope?" Though they wonder, considering the topic at hand, if the two before Guardian could even be kept somewhere against their will in the first place. That doesn't stop them from being concerned anyway.

[moonsmile]

Moon laughs behind her hand. She doesn't know what Nebbie threw down, they're learning to do one-on-one conversation and getting better at it, and that doesn't stop surprise from being funny. She wishes they jumped enough to rattle that armor, that's her favorite, but not everyone can be Hau.

...And then her smile gets a little sharper. "Of course it is!" Moon's not the kind to use her partners as baubles and things, no matter what abilities they have.

[panaceaa]

...Alright, Guardian could agree that it is a little funny. Certainly worth whatever amusement it affords the girl before them.

But they certainly don't miss the turn her smile takes, and they incline their head towards her, even as they're not sure they understand whatever misstep caused it; they'd assumed her to be included with Nebbie as a pair when it came to the mentioned study. It doesn't occur to them that that isn't the case.

So they change the subject.

"Would you mind, then, telling me about some of the places you've been?" They look to Moon and then Nebbie. "I'll admit, you've piqued my curiosity quite a bit."