tearsofademon | ☆45☆ [Video/Action for Azalea]

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☆45☆ [Video/Action for Azalea]

"Thick fog. Well, that's not ominous at all," Ryner commented dryly as he walked the usual path to the store. Oh, sure, it was better than the pouring rain from a couple days ago from a certain perspective, and he'd have to make this supply run regardless, but that didn't make it particularly pleasant weather.

All the ghosts, also, weren't exactly helping matters.

"Hey, I know you're not a streetlight," he called to one in particular that he'd noticed sneakily following him. "I live with a Lampent, I know the difference. You can stop now."

"Twi..." the Litwick muttered as it revealed itself and floated away, a little upset that its fun had been ruined but deciding that there were other people to frighten.

He sighed. "Seriously, I'm almost glad for Ferris' sake she's not around to see all of this. She'd be terrified... ahh?"

The sound of an argument caught his attention from a bit off to the side, and a bit of a searching glance found the source as a group of Duskulls and Shuppets arguing about something. Hell if Ryner knew what, of course, but that wasn't anything unexpected. He'd be more surprised if he could understand them all. Though, it was probably something stupid, like which group was stronger.

But, well, it wasn't like he was going to get involved in an argument that didn't concern him, so he made to continue his trip to the store again... except that something then flew at his face out of nowhere. Well, no, not out of nowhere. From the middle of that argument. There was the faintest hint of telekinetic glow around it, so it was probably one of the ghosts' doing, though intentional or not was a good question...

Whatever it was, it knocked off the sunglasses he was still wearing (because much as the stripes had been slowly fading, the red tint to his eyes was still much too obvious for his comfort)... and then he only barely had enough time to register that it was a mask, of all things, flying at him, before it stuck itself to his face.

An immediate attempt to pull it off failed, as did a significantly more urgent one immediately after when it became obvious that it was blocking his ability to breathe. He let out a muffled cry somewhere between frustration and a call for help, but it did nothing. It was only as he was starting to feel faint from lack of oxygen after several more attempts that he realized that there was something else in his head. Something foreign, that wanted to take him over. Not his Alpha Stigma, no, this was different. In fact, it was...

Kind of like that thing last year... he struggled to think, but that was it before Ryner Lute fell unconscious and the mask faded to invisibility.

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As she awoke, she blearily sat up and looked at her surroundings. Something felt... different, but at the same time... right? As though something had been wrong, but had suddenly been put right after far too long.

...Which was true! After all, just earlier today she had come home for the first time in months! She'd been looking forward to this for such a long time!

"Silly me, I must have slipped," (Ryner's body used an uncharacteristic falsetto) she said cheerfully as she got up.

And so she started off on a different path, back toward the residential area. "Oh well, it's just a little dust. Nothing that can't be washed off."

Her name was Marian Lied, she was a student of the Striaton City cooking school, and it felt sooooo good to be home on break.

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[Video, at least a couple hours later]

[Eventually, when Ryner never comes back from a quick routine store run, Rose gets worried, and she, Jehra, and Elfy are of course going to go investigate. They only get more worried when they find his bag and sunglasses abandoned in the middle of the road. (Jehra breaks up a petty argument between a bunch of Duskulls and Shuppets over which group is stronger, but they haven't seen any humans of Ryner's description pass by.)

Jehra is able to pick up his scent, though, and it eventually leads to the house of a minor NPC, which is where Rose turns on the video feed.

"Clefair! Clefairy clef ri Fairy clef clefairy clef!" The video is initially of her, standing in the windowsill, really, really confused. Her dear partner is acting really strangely and she doesn't know what to do about it!

She then turns the camera, to reveal... Is Ryner cooking? He is seriously cooking. And not just microwavable stuff, we're talking actual chef stuff. And tons of it, too. ...Mostly desserts, but still. There are mixing bowls filled with cake batter, cookie sheets lightly covered in shortening, pots and pans of all shapes and sizes, and ingredients of all sorts laid out all over the place. And Ryner is expertly using each and every ingredient without even having to glance at a cookbook. And cheerfully humming while doing so.

What is this.

"Dit?" The sound of Elfy's questioning voice is enough to distract Ryner from his cooking briefly, but, well...]

Oh, aren't you cute! Where did you come from?

[No recognition of his own Pokémon, not to mention how he's using a very uncharacteristic falsetto tone to his voice. And then, when Elfy uses Transform and turns into Ryner right in front of him in order to see how he reacts...]

And so talented, too! Turning into someone who isn't right in front of you like that... Would you like to help me? I'll let you have some of what we make, at the end.

[...aaaaaaaand no recognition of his own self, either. Clearly, there is something very wrong here.

(Spoilers: it's a Yamask.)]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[shakes head - there's a smaaaaaaaaall memory gap, sure, but nothing noteworthy, surely]

Not really, no.

*manages to look somehow disappointed...*

Ah... So you might not have any clues to help figure out what happened to him after all...

[~~...okay fine I'll break out the girl!Ryner icons for this, why not.~~]

I'm sorry, I don't... But I can help you look for him, at least.

You would? --Ah, that is, I couldn't possibly trouble you...

Of course it's no trouble at all!

I don't really know where to even begin, though, let alone how long it might take...

You said his trail led here, right? So searching the rest of the house is as good a place to start as any, even if I haven't seen him.

["Sol..." Jehra would really like to bury his head in some sand right now, because this is just painful on so many levels. Sure, go ahead, humor the ghost in order to keep it cooperative. He'll just be over here, wanting this to be over.]

I suppose, though I would have thought one of the pokemon would have noticed something by now, were that the case...

*gives a pointed look towards the absol; just play along so we can keep him out of trouble*

Maybe he's hiding, for some reason?

Doubtful.

Could you tell me about him? If I knew what he was like, maybe that would help.

*blinks*

Well, what about him?

I'm not sure about particulars... Anything that might be useful for finding him, really.

I'm not really sure what to tell you.... Ah, though he looks like how Elfy transformed.

The Ditto?

["Ditto." Elfy nods warily, still not really liking the situation but, well, if it means that he can wear Ryner's clothes a bit longer without anyone complaining...

Ryner/Marian gives Elfy a good look over. (And it doesn't even occur that maybe, just maybe, the Ditto isn't actually super-talented and just copied what was in front of him...)]

Oh wow. I've never seen anyone with that color eyes before.

*shrugs*

I suppose they aren't especially common where we're from, either.... Ah, but that still doesn't solve the matter of how to find him...

Would you like me to make some coffee? Thinking over a cup tends to help.

*blinks at that*

Ah... I don't want to impose....

Of course you're not imposing, you're a guest.

[Yeah, s/he will go start the coffee maker now...]

A rather uninvited one...

*may be roaming the room a bit while you do that, seemingly just out of nervous energy, though the astute might notice his path coincidentally takes him by some of Ryner's pokemon, which he pats absently (but reassuringly) as he passes...*

Nonsense. Guests are always welcome.

[~~Why else do you think Pokémon protags are allowed to wander through everyone's houses ever and no one bats an eye... I mean~~

It's a rather average kitchen/sitting area of a rather average house. A vase of couple-week-old droopy cut flowers on the table might indicate that someone still lives here, though anyone other than 'Marian' is obviously out, and probably has been for a few days at least. Aside from the freshly used cooking supplies everywhere, the kitchen is actually rather scarcely used, aside from the microwave. Also, there are two small shelves of books by the stairs up - one has a lot of cookbooks that haven't been touched in ages, while the other has a bunch of children's books which... well, also haven't been touched in ages, though this is more of a better mix of older books that are well-loved and newer ones from other regions.

Jehra is really tense and hardly acknowledges being patted, though whether this is from fear, anger (at the situation or perhaps himself), something else, or some combination is hard to tell.

"Clef..." Rose accepts the reassuring pat but is obviously still uncomfortable with this situation.

Elfy, meanwhile, takes a moment after being patted to think, but tentatively pats Sion on the shoulder in return as an attempt at being comforting. It's got to be hard on him too, after all.]

Still, it's quite generous of you.

*is still pacing about a bit, but a bit of restless anxiousness really isn't surprising in this situation, is it? he might also be giving Dusk a subtle gesture to go keep Jehra company; he needs to make sure Ryner's pokemon will follow his lead when he needs them to, after all*

Your friend went missing in my house. It's only natural for me to at least try to help somehow.

[It's not surprising at all for you to be anxious. Your friend is missing, after all.

And it's not like Jehra will get in the way of his lead, in any case. But, well, company would be appreciated, he guesses.]

I just hope I can find him, whatever happened...

*well, Dusk is mostly there to give Jehra any nudges if needed to follow Sion's cues, really*

I hope so too. It's never a good thing, when someone goes missing like this...

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