IC Inbox

[feathersfly]

"Hey, you've reached Hawks! Guess I'm busy right now. Drop me a message and I'll get back to you."

Comments

After Hawks posts his first thing to the network

[fingersandteeth]

We're not really a normal support group and we didn't lose *limbs*, but my partner and I can relate to having our bodies altered by this world.

You should come do lunch or have supper with us before you leave Goldenrod—or if you have already, next time you're in town. Let me get you the address of our business.

[A moment later, the Fight Club address will appear in a new message.]

Let me know when is good for you and I'll talk to Thace. I've got things I'd like to talk about with you on our home turf.

[feathersfly]

yeah, i remember you mentioning you're not normally human. i had too many questions about my own circumstances at the time to really get into that, but don't mistake that for missing it. or disinterest. i just need to find my own feet first before i can afford to get too deep into other people's situations, yknow?

i haven't left goldenrod yet. i'm taking things kinda slow for now. i'm known for generally moving way too fast, but i don't think even i can rush adjusting to a new world and the loss of my wings. besides, my wings are a good chunk of my speed and capabilities gone anyway. add to that i don't have any real concrete goals to work towards rn. seems like hero work mostly isn't needed in this world, and most of the instances when it is...well, you get why that'll present difficulties for me.

just how secure are these messages, btw? [Read: can we openly talk about being Rockets here?]

[fingersandteeth]

How secure do you keep your Pokegear? I don't think our private messages are remotely monitored, especially since our administrators don't seem to know about the otherworlders only channels, but if you don't have a screen lock set up, you should make sure you don't let it out of your sight.

And that's perfectly fair, Hawks. You were in a stressful situation and you set aside the less immediate things for later. I didn't yet have an easily available way to take down the human illusion for you when we talked anyway—that came later that day.

(Technically I'm a former human who was turned into something else twelve years ago and then made human again in this world, but my partner, Thace, was always a space alien until he came here.)

[feathersfly]

i've got no reason to leave it lying around. it stays with me full time and it's got a lock screen.

so what lies behind the human illusion, can i ask? i feel like if you weren't willing to tell me, you could've just avoided mentioning you weren't human in the first place.

Text; You didn't ask for a novel just to get to the like one line text, but here we are.

[heir_conditioned]

[Agonizing over how to send a message to the number two hero in your world, even if you're not in your own world, isn't something he thought he'd be doing. Mkay maybe trying to figure out how to open a conversation is first step.

Hi? No not hi. Well yes hi, but not just hi? Hello Hawks? Should he be that familiar? It's not his first name or anything. ...is it? No, no it can't be so saying 'Hello Hawks' wouldn't cause any issues would it? Why would it even if it was his first name? No wait his name is a secret... Alright he's overthinking this. But what a hidden name right in sight. As a first name Hero Name guy himself, that'd be cool.

Okay but. His father calls him Hawks, the literal Hero circuit calls him Hawks, Shoto can call him Hawks. He could always just say 'Hello'. No not just hello he had already been over that. Alright, default to maybe just pretending its one of his friends he's messaging.

Okay. That's one stress down. Kind of. Next is convincing himself he's right while his pokemon are watching him stare at his gear for the last twenty minutes, almost unmoving.

Just do it. It's not a big deal. If it's a big deal, Hawks will tell him... Right? Right. Totally. Maybe he's busy.

Then again this is a text message so if he's busy he can message back later. ...What if he's busy because he's doing something dangerous and forgot to put his gear on DND? No that's a rookie mistake. What was that? 20 minutes after the other 20 minutes? That's right.

After a small touch his arm by his Meowstic, he takes a big breath and lets it out. This is stupid. After a few moments of plucking his thumbs at the gear, he locks it in. The exact, perfect message.

Now if only all that inner turmoil would do anything on the external aside his normal look.]

Good evening, Hawks. Are you busy?

[feathersfly]

[The reply takes about fifteen minutes to arrive(or even be read), which is probably enough for Shouto to question every single word choice and age several lifetimes. But then, finally, the reply comes.]

hey shouto! i'm not busy anymore. had to have a whole discussion with pebbles about why a pokémon that weighs about as much as a small car doesn't get to use hotel beds.

what's up?

[heir_conditioned]

[Maybe, just maybe, he should've signed his na-- no nono. That can't be it, the user name is literally his name. ...Then again that's kind of presumpt-- No Hawks would know his name or he wouldn't... have used it in that alleyway.

Damn it but if he sends another text it's going to see--

A little too quickly, Shoto picks up his gear and reads the message. Okay, good. ...Except maybe not good. Now what?]

I don't remember your mention of Pebbles but I think that would be best.

[Great, good. Yep. Sure. Tell Hawks what you think's best, Shoto. Quickly otherwise he continues to type away.]

I'm sure you know that Uraraka, a classmate of mine, is taking care of Eri and we're going to send something for her to help with the burden.

[Don't look at him he accidentally spelled it birdin twice. Thankfully? Backspaced.]

I didn't think it would be proper to not ask you, too, if you wanted to join in.

Text;

[heir_conditioned]

[After MUCHO anxiety, and a lot of debating again, a lot of his pokemon trying to figure out why he's pacing before settling in to text, and Shoto comes up with the following:]

Hello, Hawks.
I was wondering if you'd mind telling me where you're at, currently.

Once again Hawks is chill and has no idea how much anxiety he's causing Shouto by being cool

[feathersfly]

hey shouto! i'm right around ecruteak, actually. what's up?

edrftghyj That's about it too lmao

[heir_conditioned]

[Damn it. He didn't plan out the 'I bought you a present' part. Evermore since he's close to where Shoto is.]

I'm not sure if you saw but Uraraka and Eri's pokemon have had eggs. One of which is a bird. I can't take care of more flying-type as Miu and Kei take a lot of my training. However, I wanted to support them and thought perhaps you'd enjoy the pokemon as well. It's called a Swablu.

[God it sounds creepy to him, he's turned into one of those.]

A Christmas delivery!

[necrodentia]

[ those festive delibirds are back, this time with not a request for Hawks to fill out a card, but with a gift for him! Nestled in a red and orange knitted cozy is a Pokemon egg! There is a letter tucked in beside the egg, written in flowery handwriting. ]

Dear Hawks,

Happy Candlenights! Or I guess they call it Christmas here... Either way, I hope you enjoy this gift. The egg will hatch into a Torchic, which I believe will fit into your menagerie really nicely! Your new little friend has a hidden ability, and will be born knowing the following moves:

• Scratch
  
• Growl
  
• Sand Attack
  
• Detect
  
• Swords Dance
  
• Rock Smash

I don't know how a little bird is supposed to smash rocks or dance with swords, but that's Pokemon for you, I guess!

I've heard a little bit about you from Miss Ochako. She said you're a hero back home. You must be a pretty great hero to have left such an impression on her.

Much love on these cold winter nights!

Your Secret Star King Santa,
      Rainer Michelle

Christmas 2021

[heir_conditioned]

Hawks loves birds right? So he's going to be birded to death while he birds as he birds. That's right. He'll have to deal with Todoroki's Talonflame soaring down with a tiny messenger on its back. We won't tell Todoroki that there was literal loop de loops with packages involved, right? From one bird to another? The little Rookidee on its back is enjoying itself and not the usual Mimikyu messenger who needed a nice rest after delivering Bakugo's gift.

Instead after the red bird lands, there's a trilling chirp from the tiny Rookidee who uses (what looks like) all its tiny wing strength just to flap itself down to the ground and deliver the note associated with the unconventionally wrapped package. A package that's securely held in Talonflame's beak which will remain that way even if it's extended down to wait along with the tiny counterpart for Hawks to take his items.

Inside the bag is:
- A carefully, very carefully, wrapped egg set in a warm, fur lined blanket.
- TMs Secret Power, Mystical Fire and Safeguard.
- A comfy T-Shirt that reads 'Bird School for Birds' on it, enjoying a Talonflame in the middle to exemplify the bird.
- A falconers glove, just in case. You never know how sharp some feet are.

Hawks,
I hope this finds you well and merry Christmas.
Please let me know if there were even the smallest precautions not taken. Miu and Kei can get excitable, but this isn't the time and not with this package. I've been donating the eggs my pokemon have been producing to local academies that teach a wide variety of people. However, this time, I've held one or two back realizing that they may be beneficial to my friends.

The lady who works at the school has helped me to identify some of the eggs. She's a long retired breeder, but her information is invaluable. The egg that's in the bag is likely to be Oricorio of the Sensu form. She doubted highly that it would be Murkrow with a very small margin of error. Sensu is a Ghost/Flying type and also extremely beautiful. With the help of the kind woman, we discerned they might have access at birth to Peck, Air Cutter, Roost and Captivate. I've included the TM Safeguard as well for them or to use at your discretion with the other two TMs.

On a personal note: I've thought often of some of the things you said during our shared memories and they've been helpful in my daily life, too. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Shoto Todoroki

2/25

[fingersandteeth]

I appreciate the shirt, even if it is inaccurate. That said, I'm *not* going to wear it outside the home.

[feathersfly]

to be fair, i was thinking in terms of which of you is actually furry.

so i guess thace won't be wearing his gift outside the home either, huh? too bad, i'd love to see him try that disguise out. maybe they'd think it was casual friday.

[fingersandteeth]

... are you indirectly hitting on my partner, Hawks? Because while he's not opposed to the concept of a threesome, you're a bit young for either of us.

Morning of the 28th

[heir_conditioned]

There's a card sitting somewhere that Hawks can see it. A small cake in a windowed display box is also sitting next to it with a moltrez topper on it, the TM Psycho Cut and a note on the fridge that says Shoto will be back later.

On the inside of the card is the most he's probably written in a birthday card ever.

Happy Birthday, Hawks.

-Shoto

P.S. The TM isn't to cut the cake. It's tempting though.

Because you know, who else can just leave items like that? Better sign the card.

Text, 4/5 sure

[nastyboy]

Hawks, I hope that my message finds you well.

I imagine that at this point, you have heard quite a bit about the idea of prom, and the various strange things that happen during it.

[feathersfly]

hey, what's up? i'm doing good. good enough, anyway.

yeah, i've been hearing about prom. heard team rocket caused some trouble at the last one or something, but that it's generally bad news even without them. can't say i'm gonna let that deter me.

so where are you going with this?

[nastyboy]

I did not think you to be the type to be chased away by bad experiences of the past like that. Many here seem to be of like minds.

[Or they're just dumb masochists, which Dimitri is not entirely disregarding for himself, but, hey]

With how things seem likely to fall apart at this prom as well, especially considering the circumstances, I was wondering if you would like to plan somewhat in preparation for whatever may come. There is much that could happen, and it may seem less overwhelming if such things were split up among one another to some degree.

Text; un: Shoto

[heir_conditioned]

I'm almost back. However, I'd like to talk to you about Team Rocket.

[feathersfly]

[Thank god this is text. That abrupt question out of the blue fractures even Hawks' outer composure, but since they're not face to face...nobody has to know about that.]

yeah? what about them?

[heir_conditioned]

[RIP dealing with any Todoroki.]

I've heard they enjoy disrupting large gatherings. I'm going to prom, I've made my mind up. I'd like to ask you to come with me. Your tactical knowledge is far superior to mine. To ours, and an airship is no laughing matter to make a mistake if the rest of us don't see something you would have.

[text]

[bestswordmaster]

I heard you're looking to train in swordplay.
spar me.

[Thanks for all that context you didn't give, Felix...]

[feathersfly]

[Well, that's abrupt. But then, he's pretty sure Dimitri mentioned something about this...]

oh, are you felix?

[bestswordmaster]

dimitri mentioned me did he?
good.
he told me about your unusual blades.
I want to see your fighting style in action.