neverstudied | Victory Road IC Inbox

Good. You let me or Kirby know if Egon does anything to freak you out, alright?

[Venkman winces at the sudden tantrum as shadow-y claws dig into his skin. He kneels on the floor and tries to gently place Michael down a good distance from Lambton, still gently holding the Mimikyu. Michael can probably pull himself free at this point, but Venkman's trying to calm him down instead.]

Hey, hey- it's alright, little man. Nothing's wrong, Lambton's chill, it's ok- you're ok... See? Lambton's still asleep, and even if he wasn't, I promise, he wouldn't want to hurt you. Ok?

[Idly, Venkman wonders when his life turned out like this- thirteen foot long snake wrapped around his body like a fashion accessory, trying to calm down a baby ghost in a kitchen at 3 in the morning while Egon eats his weight in mushrooms.]

[Michael seems to calm down a little, but he's still trembling like a leaf. Lambton blearily blinks his eyes open and stares down at the Mimikyu, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. Michael freezes, staring right back at Lambton.

...He doesn't seem to want to move at all. After a moment or two, Egon gently pries Michael from Venkman's grasp and away from Lambton.]

Please calm down.

[Said with a slightly desperate tone of voice. Michael seems to calm down a little, but not because Egon said something, but because he's further away from Lambton. He ends up sinking into Egon's arms and trying to make himself look as small as possible. Egon sighs, then looks towards with a concerned expression on his face.]

Are you alright? [A pause.] I apologize, I'm...not sure why he acts in this manner around other Pokémon, but not around other people. Isn't his species supposed to shy away from humans?

Jesus.

[Venkman sits back heavily, now sitting cross-legged on the floor of the kitchen.]

Normally I'd think it'd be a trauma thing, but we've been around him since the moment he was born, and I can't think of anything that might've messed him up. [A beat.] Aside from you and Ray tripping balls the day he was born, but that's probably unrelated.

[He pats at Lambton's snout, thinking.]

It could just be because Lambton's so overaffectionate and Michael's reluctant to be touched by others, but you said this happens with all Pokemon, right?

Oh. [He glances at his hands. One scratch on his arm is bleeding a little, but overall it's nothing too bad.] Yeah, I'm fine. How's he look?

[Normally he'd take the chance to whine and complain, but baby takes precedence. And Kirby would kill them both if he dared neglect Michael's concerns for half a second.]

[Lambton rubs his head against Venkman's hand, making a strange, low buzzing sound that sounds almost like purring? Egon frowns, then also sits on the ground next to his partner. He doesn't really think about it--he just wants to be next to him.

Spengler glances towards Michael, who's still a bundled up mess in the crook of his elbow.]

He seems... [He hesitates a moment.] ...calmer?

[He frowns, resting his chin against his hand. Michael stays still, though he does turn a little to stare at Venkman silently.]

I hate to say this, but maybe we're thinking too deeply about this. It could be he was intimidated by Lambton's large size and, being a smaller creature, was intimidated by him. Like how many humans are intimidated by large snakes despite them not posing a large threat to them. [He shrugs.] Alternatively, this could just be...his personality. I guess.

[personality: anxiety?]

[Venkman starts to move over so he can lean against Egon, but stops, realizing that bringing Lambton closer to the scared Pokemon isn't the smartest idea. Slightly disappointed, he just reaches a hand out for Egon's, the other hand still patting Lambton.]

You might be right, yeah. [He meets Michael's eyes for a moment.] Obviously, if he is just naturally anxious, we shouldn't push him to be uncomfortable and make him interact with other Pokemon. But other Pokemon are everywhere. That's why I had so much trouble with Rue at first. It's one thing to be anxious of other Pokemon, but...

Maybe we can try to introduce him to Rue and Jodie and Trix, see if they can help him open up. Turn that little crew into a proper therapy group.

... Maybe I am overthinking this. I dunno. It's late, and I'm tired, and I don't want Kirby to stand over us in the middle of the night with a knife 'cause her kid's scared.

[Egon thinks for a moment, then pulls out a PokéBall to return Lambton to his containment unit. Maybe bench-pressing a snake for about a year might give him more arm muscles. He moves himself closer to Venkman.

Michael, meanwhile, visibly relaxes when he realizes Lambton is no longer there. He creeps out from Egon's arm and starts crawling over to Venkman in a tentative manner. The Mimikyu runs a claw over Venkman's cuts and makes a small, upset noise.]

That may work. Perhaps it might be best to introduce him to a few of my own Pokémon, as well--since he'll be interacting with them more. [He frowns, looking down at Michael.] Maybe having a comforting presence could help acquaint him with unfamiliar situations, such as Kirby or either of us? And then, eventually, he would be able to take on these situations by himself.

[Venkman rolls his shoulders after Lambton disappears into the containment unit, before leaning his head on Egon's shoulder. he holds Michael's claw when offered.]

It's fine, kid. I've had worse.

[Then, to Egon:]

Kirby'd definitely be willing, but if she's gonna be out of her containment unit more often, you'll have to be careful to not get on her bad side. More than you already are.

For now, it's probably for the best that you limit his interactions to Pokemon who actually know how to recognize boundaries and personal space; and ones that don't care about physical affection. So definitely not Lambton. Denver, maybe... the cucumber... Faraday, probably, but she might look too big and intimidating.

[Michael gently wraps one of his shadow tendrils around Venkman's hand, like a baby instinctively grasping someone's finger. Egon carefully watches, leaning his chin against his hand.]

We can see what Michael is comfortable with. [A pause.] Perhaps it is best that Kirby is not out of her containment unit while I work with Michael--

[And then Egon cuts himself off, staring at Venkman as if something had just occurred to him.]

Why are you up at three-thirty two in the morning?

[Flatly:]

'Cause Lambton wanted attention, you weren't giving him any, and he decided to strangle me awake so I'd pet him.

[Egon blinks.]

Ah.

[There's an awkward pause.]

You should...go to sleep. You are usually in a bad mood if you don't get enough sleep.

[No shit, Egon.]

Mhmm.

[He leans a little closer to Egon and idly squeezes Michael's tendril in his hand.]

You going to bed any time soon?

[Egon shakes his head. Michael glances back and forth between his dads.]

No. I've already rested enough.

[He pauses for a moment.]

Unless you mean physically arriving in bed, in which I will join you shortly after I finish cleaning up.

[Venkman kisses him on the cheek, before gently scooping Michael into his arms and starting to stand up.]

I'll wait up for you.

[He's not gonna offer to help clean up, but he does hold a hand out to help Egon off the floor.]

[Egon smiles a little, then takes Peter's hand to get up. He straightens out his clothes.

After a brief pause, he takes out Michael's containment unit and returns him. He then leans forward to kiss Venkman again, gripping his hand in his.]

I'll be right there.

[There's hardly any warning before Egon bursts into the room, holding something in his arms. He seems unusually excited--at least, more excited than he seems when working on any sort of experiment with his partners.]

Peter. Peter, look at this.

[He shoves a blue shrimp-like creature right in Venkman's face. The Clauncher blinks, her antenna waving about gently and clicking her claws as a greeting. Her large claw remains half-open, like a cowboy waiting to draw his pistol. Resting in his other arm is a round, centipede-like creature, staring at Venkman like a cat observing its prey.]

Remember the pistol shrimp I obtained earlier this week? Based on what you have told me about American Western culture and historical figures, I have finally settled on a name for her--Doc Holliday. What do you think?

[Doc clicks her claw at Venkman, tilting her head towards him.]

[Venkman isn't doing much when Egon slams into the room- mostly just supervising his own Pokemon as they interact. Rue- a Sawsbuck, now, with budding flowers on his antlers- sits patiently as Trix and the two Meowth clamber all over him. Jodie is curled up beside him, keeping just as watchful an eye as Venkman. For once, Rue doesn't even flinch at Egon's approach.

Venkman, however, does- his face crumples in mild disgust as the shrimp is shoved into his face. He's about to tell Egon to get her away from him when his words sink in.]

You named her...?

[His whole demeanor changes, and he gently plucks Doc out of Egon's hand, holding her up above him.]

Doc Holliday shot me once!

[He sounds way too delighted about that.]

[Doc looks a little startled when she's picked up, but doesn't mind it. Howdy, pardner. She clicks her claws in mild annoyance to warn him off doing it again.

Egon, on the other hand, looks even more excited at what Venkman said.]

You met the ghost of a famous lawbringer? That's incredible. [A pause as Egon frowns.] Why was he shooting at you?

[He adjusts his grip so that he's now holding the Venipede in both hands. The Venipede glances around the room as his stern gaze settles on the rowdy mammals in the room. He lets out a small squeak as though to tell them to calm down.]

[Congratulations, Egon, you finally found a way to immediately endear Venkman to any Pokemon- name them after famous cowboys or train shit. Venkman gently sets Doc down, grinning.]

Yeah! On the 100-year anniversary of the shooting at the O.K. Corral, the ghosts of Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and Holliday came back to life to re-enact the fight. We got called to deal with them.

[IE: Venkman heard the name "Dewey LaMorte" and went ham and dragged his partners to Tombstone, Arizona without a second thought.

Venkman pauses for a moment, thoughtful.]

I think their ghosts assumed we were the Cochise County Cowboys. I know some of the ghosts we've dealt with have gotten confused like that. Or they just didn't care and were willing to try to kill us regardless of who were.

They tried to shoot all of us- but they didn't have guns, they had spectral bullets they shot with their fingertips. Like- [He mimes shooting with fingerguns.] ... Also, I cheated them at poker, but to be fair, they cheated me too.

[The mammal crew seems entirely unphased, except for Tarantula, who's just interested in Egon. Cue squeaky mewl as she runs up to his side.]

[Egon listens to Venkman speak, nodding. He's almost jealous of the magnitude of how much Venkman and Ray have encountered in their home dimension compared to Egon's dimension, but it's not like he'd admit that. He'd love to get the chance to study such intricate phenomena.]

That sounds incredible that you were even able to witness such an event. And the spectral bullets--what were their effects on you? I would assume they would just be concentrated psychokinetic energy--or maybe electrokinetic--did you happen to get a read on their attacks?

[Egon sets the Venipede on the ground to scratch Tarantula behind the ears, still rambling. The Venipede starts slowly moving towards Venkman, squeaking and calling out to Doc. Doc glances over to him, then clambers over onto his back. She grips one of the Venipede's antennae in her smaller claw and makes a small "tsk" noise, as if to encourage him forward. The Venipede begins to move in a slow circle, with Doc at the reins.]

They must've been stuck in some sort of memory loop, as ghosts do. Had you not dealt with them, they would have continued to harass the population every hundred years or so.

Edited 2019-04-26 19:59 (UTC)

They caused the worst phantom pain- felt almost like real bullets, but there was nothing to remove, and no doctor would give us pain meds for them. Ray and the other you tried running a bunch of tests to manufacture pain meds for spectral pain, and then you both got fucked up from the side effects, so Winston and I had to deal with the two of you high while we were both still in pain. Thanks for that, by the way.

[He doesn't sound too bitter, at least. After all, sure, he got shot to pieces, but he got shot by Doc Holliday and the Earps. That makes up for a week or two of pain.]

Still better than real bullets, though. Real bullets probably would've killed us.

[It's right around then that he glances down.]

... Oh my God. She's a little cowboy with a trusty steed. Egon, I love her.

[Tarantula starts to climb up Egon's arm to reach his shoulders.]

But it wasn't me. It was the Egon from your dimension.

Literal phantom pain, then. Maybe we should test the effects of Ghost-type attacks on ourselves, see if they're comparable to the "bullets" you were shot with. Maybe see how the difference in ectoplasmic frequency affects the effect of these attacks.

[He pauses a moment, allowing Tarantula to climb up onto his shoulders, scratching her under her chin. He's become surprisingly tolerant with interacting with her.]

Ah, yes. I received the Venipede from the Legend Seekers organization after showing them my observations and records of the area surrounding Articuno's appearance. I plan to train Sir Wigglesworth to be ridden once he evolves.

[He says the name in a tone of utmost seriousness.]

I know. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna blame you for it. [Said teasingly.]

Please don't shoot yourselves for science. Again.

Should've known you'd pick a bug. My egg should be hatching soon, too-

[Aaaaand that's when the other name hits him. Venkman reels back a bit like he's just been physically hit.]

... Oh, you cannot just drop that name down in casual conversation like there's nothing weird about you saying it.

[Egon stares at his partner, clearly puzzled.]

What do you mean? Sir Vincent Wigglesworth is the leading expert in insect hormones and metamorphosis. It is only appropriate to name such a creature after him.

[Doc starts driving Wigglesworth towards Venkman's other Pokémon and clicks her claw. Howdy. Can y'all tell her what's goin' on, here?]

You... You named your bug Sir Wigglesworth. Not even just Wigglesworth, which is bad enough, you knighted this little bastard.

[He's trying. So hard. To not just lose his shit.

Rue lowers his head to sniff at the approaching duo. He's still not great at dealing with other Pokemon, so Jodie speaks up for him- Trix wanted to play with the cats, so she and Rue are supervising.

Nermal looks up from the flower he's batting at and meows a hello. Trix settles for nodding shyly and shuffling a little closer to Rue.

Tarantula continues to chill on Egon's shoulders, purring loudly.]

Of course. Why wouldn't he be knighted? His namesake was.

[A pause. Egon frowns, then helpfully adds:]

Again, the Venipede's full name is Sir Vincent Wigglesworth.

[Egon carefully lifts Tarantula off his shoulders and sits down, placing her in his lap. He squishes her cheeks and holds a paw in each hand, idly running his thumbs over her Beans™.

Doc taps Sir Wigglesworth so he stops, then hops off onto the ground, skittering closer to Jodie, keeping her distance from Trix. She clicks her claw excitedly--y'all know what a good old fashioned Clauncher draw is like? They don't have to use real moves, but they can pretend.]

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