VIDEO + ACTION.

[nippy]

( VIDEO. )

[ the background is of the woods just outside Union and— oh, look, it's the boy who was causing the huge scene at the public discussion about Sanctuary. he seems completely different in demeanour now to the way he was then; his expression and body language are open and friendly.

there is also a Phantump in his lap, with Jack's arms wound loosely around it, and a Pidgey comfortably perched on his head. ]

Suddenly thought about something and I thought I'd open to the public for an answer, since that seems to be the done thing around here. Yes? Am I right?

Okay, so I know I'm a little bit out of the loop with what "the norm" is— uh, pretty much everywhere. [ this is still an understatement. ] But does everybody seriously name the Pokémon they're hanging out with? Why? Isn't it weird? How do you even come up with all those names?

( ACTION #1. )

[ somewhere just outside of Union, Jack is... attempting to practice. it sounds like he might be sticking around for a while, between the people he's been meeting and the Sanctuary troubles. he wants to help all the Homunculi stuck there; and just as much as that, he wants the information the Mages are hiding, because maybe he'll learn something about himself. maybe he'll find out how to get back his memories - and every time he thinks about that, there's ice crackling all over him like jolts of electricity.

but staying in Union means that he's going to be near lots of people, and for long periods of time. he can't go accidentally making blizzards and causing huge explosions of ice spikes - that's fine out in the middle of nowhere, but somebody might really get hurt here.

so he's gotta get himself under control. but by the gods, training is boring.

and also not very successful at the moment, judging by the way the ice that Jack was gathering in his hands just blew up in his face. the blast radius is enough to hit anyone that might have come near to investigate the noise, too - they get front-row seats to a blast of icy wind and a faceful of frost. Jack's hair is blown back and frozen in place, and there are ice crystals all over his face. ]

Oh, come on! I had it that time! [ a Duskull is doing giddy loops around his head. Jack snatches a wooden shepherd's staff up off the ground to jab playfully at the Pokémon. ] Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Just you wait - next time you're sleeping I'm gonna freeze you to the wall.

( ACTION #2. )

[ this is less of a singular event and more of an "any time a character happens to notice it" thing, because - did you know Jack's been sleeping on the streets?

well. Jack's been sleeping on the streets. on the nights when he stays in Union rather than the surrounding woods, he tucks himself into alleyways and corners, anywhere it seems likely he'll be able to sleep shielded from the morning sun. this doesn't always mean he ends up in the most unnoticeable spot he could find, and with his Pokémon lingering around him, he could certainly be caught at night or in the morning before he wakes. feel free to question the dirty homeless teenager.

he's tried to convince his new friends to go to the Pokémon Habitat, because even if it feels too awkward for him to sleep there, it's a place meant for them. they have refused. so the boy can also be found with a Phantump cradled against his chest, a Pidgey sleeping on a rooftop overhead, and a Duskull keeping vigil over him. ]

Comments

[sparkofgenius]

Well, you're clearly not leaving, and that means you need a bath.

[Period. No ifs ands or buts. She steers then towards the north, down a main road.]

Union's a nice place though. Even if it's just a stopover, it's a good town. Can't fault you for wanting to stay.

[nippy]

It was meant to be an information source, but it seems like that's gonna take longer than I thought.

[ for all his griping, though, he doesn't actually sound too disappointed about it. and sure, he feels like he's walking on a bed of nails in regards to all of the Homunculus stuff right now, tense and antsy (the information is so close and he wants it so badly, what if he can't get it, what if it doesn't even help) but he's not going to blame Union for something that it's only involved with by circumstance.

it is a good town. and presented with the possibility, a part of him does want to stay. ]

If I'm taking you up on the housing, I'll take that job offer officially, too. Can't leech off you forever, right?

[ it does still feel weirdly like leeching off her, since he's going to be working for her, but even he can wrap his head around the difference there. this is how cities work. he just needs to get used to it. ]

[sparkofgenius]

You're not leeching. Think of it more as a mad inventor needing people around who are more grounded in reality to keep her from engaging in a mad science war with another mad inventor who lives across town.

[She sounds 100% serious. And is completely and totally serious about that. Gil existed in the same town. He was arguably the more insane of the two, but he had a cute butt...and that counted for something.]

But if you wanna work, I definitely have things you can do so you're more helpful than just a...walking freezer. Though, can you do that? Like...keep a fridge cold?

[Utterly nonsensical, but...it is a valid question.]

[nippy]

If I'm touching it, sure. I don't know about whether I could make the cold stick around any longer; never really tried it.

[ he shrugs. ] Hey, I'll do whatever you want me to. I just want to earn my keep, and - people in cities need money for things, right? So, uh, that too. I guess? I mean, if I'm living here, I shouldn't steal stuff I need, which means I have to earn money. To, y'know... buy important things.

[ it could not be more obvious that he has never held a single coin in all his memory. ]

[sparkofgenius]

Something to experiment with in a controlled environment then.

[Lucca's lips quirk into a cheesy and energetic smile.]

And yeah, no, we can't have you stealing. That's going to cause a lot of problems, and you do need money to buy food and less raggedy clothes. I mean, I'd give you some hand-me-downs but I don't know if you'd really want them. Or that they'd fit.

[nippy]

Excuse you, these clothes have served me pretty well for the past year! They're still in one piece, which makes them better than what I wore before them, since that only lasted me about six months.

[ the idea of having to earn money and buy things on a regular basis is kind of daunting and he is going to ignore it for the moment. ]

[sparkofgenius]

Well if that's your metric that's fine, but they're still a little raggedy and I'm going to have to make sure you get something new. Maybe not Calderan style, but a new look wouldn't be bad and it'll have you feeling like a new man.

[Adjusting her glasses, Lucca smirks.]

You could be cute under all that gunk, after all.

[nippy]

Har har. You're hilarious. Well, as long as it's light and it won't get in my way, I'll wear whatever.

[ come winter, he'll find something more his style, but his only requirement in summer is "please let me survive this fiery hell". ]

Seriously, though... I won't make you look after me for long. If I'm really going to live in a city, I want to try and do it properly. Get my own place, buy my own stuff... You know, like a person.

[ because, of course, he is not a person. ]

[sparkofgenius]

That's fine. We'll work that out.

[She pauses and quirks a smile.]

And I get that. I'll do what I can to help. I don't like the idea of leaving someone out on the street when I've got a lot going on, and lots of space. So...whenever you wanna go, you can go.

[nippy]

Thanks, Lucca.

[ he really means it. maybe it's not that he thought this would never be offered to him if he sought it out - he didn't think that poorly of people - so much that he could never imagine a situation playing out where it could happen. ]

Just... A few weeks from now, when you find everything ruined by some big spiky ice calamity, and me sleeping at the middle of it? Remember that you're the one who offered.

[sparkofgenius]

Well, don't worry. I'll put a Force Field outside your room.

[Lucca smiles quite warmly and holds out a gloved hand for a shake]

I'm sure it'll all work out.

[nippy]

Okay, but you're the one saying it, not me...

[ he takes her hand, but it's more of a grip than a shake on his end. when he lets go, he seems somewhat reluctant to do so. ]

[sparkofgenius]

[Lucca, catching the reticence? Doesn't let go. At all.]

I am. It's okay, Jack. Really.