Stranger than Fiction

"Captain, we've lost all contact with Agent Bently!  Requesting permission for a search party!"

The library of HQ is such a private place at one in the morning, and Wally cannot be more happy for the fact.  Not only can he put his shit wherever he likes, he can drape himself across the couch and be as loud as he pleases.

As loud and obnoxious as he pleases.  The couch is strewn with comic books as a testament to that, the boy sitting upside down on the furniture with his legs against its back and his head on the floor.  One hand holds the comic book open, the other gesturing wildly as he yells the dialogue written on the page in the voice he chose for this character.

There is no one else here; the books are his only audience and even if Orion was around instead of roaming the rest of the library, it wouldn't matter; he has nothing to fear from his beloved fairy.  No judging eyes, no one to tell him to grow up, no one to tear him a new one for being weird or silly or nerdy, no sudden horrible pressure that he should be doing more useful things.  Just himself and these books and his own imagination.

Freedom tastes so good.

His voice drops to a low, sad attempt at a deep voice.  "Joanna, we can't spare anyone to go down to such a dangerous planet!  We need all hands available right here on board in case the Diamonds attack!"

Wally's voice rises again, his free hand gesturing forward pleadingly.  "But Captain, he's your own first mate!  You can't leave him stranded there like that!"  His fist clenches.  "I'll go down there myself if I have to, but we're not leaving him there!  He needs us; he trusts us!  And you!"

He doesn't notice the man in the doorway until the book slips from his grip and he rights himself in his seat with a grumble to retrieve it.  At the sight of the adult and his Pokemon standing there staring, Wally freezes like a rabbit caught in a hunter's glare, bent over in his seat with one hand on the book and the other bracing himself against the couch to ensure he won't fall.  All he can do is stare back, doe silver eyes wide with morification and the color draining from his face.



(Although this is happening in the noncanon section, this RP is very much CANON.  It is merely showcasing events that could not happen on screen at the HQ Team due to these morons doing everything at a time when other characters are either asleep or have nothing to write about.  The HQ Team will have links to this team when referencing things that took place here.  I will also note that this story opens several days before the HQ Team story began.)

"Dammit Colress, it is way too late for you to be working." R2 announced as soon as he realized the scientist was still in the lab.

Colress flinched at the sudden loud voice, and turned to look at the disgruntled Beheeyem standing in the door. "I'm just finishing..." he started to explain.

"NOPE. DON'T CARE," R2 interrupted and made sure the scientist wasn't doing something that he had to be there for. Then he grabbed Colress's hand and pulled him out the door of the lab. He only stopped so that the human could lock the door, and continued his floating down the hall with the human forced to walk behind him.

"Where are we going?" Colress asked after he noticed that R2 wasn't heading straight to his room like he normally did. Colress avoided going to the more populated areas of HQ for multiple reasons, and the idea of going to a more public place made him nervous. What if someone recognizes me? the thought made him shiver as he recalled the Unovan officer pulling out a gun to shoot him back in New Bark Town.

"We're going to the library," R2 stated. He felt his trainer's grip tremble for a second, and he stopped his forward march to look at him. In a more gentle tone he added, "Don't worry, I scouted the hallways, and I didn't see anyone."

This gave Colress some relief, but he still put up some resistance at going to the library. He complained that he should be resting or being productive with his time, and R2 completely ignored him. Colress started grumbling as he walked down the hallway with R2D2 floating in front of him and a death grip on his hand. "You're just going to pick out some books. It's not like there's going to be anyone there at this time of night anyway."

Eventually they made it to the door of the library, and they both hear a voice coming from the library. It sounded like a kid was having a grand time in there. R2 felt the glare Colress gave him, but R2 chose to power through and open the door. They found the source of the voice draped over the couch with comic books spread everywhere. Colress would have ignored the kid if he hadn't recognized what the kid was reading aloud, and R2 stopped pulling on him when he also recognized the story. It was one of Colress's favorite comics.

"Captain, we've lost all contact with Agent Bently!  Requesting permission for a search party!" the kid shouts. Hmm... Then that means that he's at the part where.....

The kid's voice tries to imitate a much deeper voice,"Joanna, we can't spare anyone to go down to such a dangerous planet!  We need all hands available right here on board in case the Diamonds attack!" Yup. He's at the part where Agent Bently crash landed onto Rilgai

Then the kid's voice went to a higher pitch, "But Captain, he's your own first mate!  You can't leave him stranded there like that! I'll go down there myself if I have to, but we're not leaving him there!  He needs us; he trusts us!  And you!" The kid gestured to accompany the moving speech, and the book slipped from his grasp. He righted himself so that he could pick it up, and then he noticed that he had an audience.  

Colress hadn't planned to stand there and listen, but the familiarity of the story had drawn him in. Now that the reader was staring at him like a Deerling in the headlights, Colress felt extremely awkward. He didn't want the kid to be embarrassed for enjoying the comic, however. In a moment of whimsy, he quoted the Captain's next lines, "We can only spare one other person to go with you. I can give you 4 hours to find him, but then we have to leave."

R2 face palmed at Colress's reaction. Of course the nerd would do that, he loved that story way too much.

When they lock eyes and the shock wears off, Wally wilts back into the couch, willing himself to sink into the cushions and vanish completely.  Dear gods, please don't laugh.  Please just walk away.  Today has been so so bad; he needs this moment of peace alone with his imagination.  What he doesn't need is ridicule.

He gets enough of that fucking nonsense during the work day.

Words do not describe the sheer relief when the Beheeyem at the man's side begins to try to pull him past the boy, and Wally could have cheered.  He watches from over the top of his book.  Okay.  Now let's see how far away he's going.  Truthfully even if he's going clear to the other end of the library he'll probably have to stop his... acting.

"We can only spare one other person to go with you. I can give you four hours to find him, but then we have to leave."  He tilts his head, confusion through the roof, and just barely stops himself from letting a laugh slip out when the Beheeyem smacks a hand into his forehead.  

The fuck just happened?  Awkward beyond expression, he stares down into his comic book just to have something else to look at, and his eyes catch the words on the page.  Understanding clicks in his head.

Did... did he just...?

His eyes scan the page again.

... He absolutely did.  Wally's lips part slightly in astonishment.

What now?  A stranger just quoted the next lines in the book at him.  What is he supposed to do with that?

Oh gods, if only Orion were here; he'd know what to do.  Orion always does.

As he scans the page again, his mouth is ahead of his brain, his heart seizing on the brief moment of judgement lapse to force something from his tongue.  "Fine.  On one request.  You're the one who comes with me."

The green-haired kid just stared at Colress in confusion, and the scientist felt his earlier nervousness come back. Now, there was someone who could say that they ran into a strange man in the library late at night, and he had been trying so hard to be unnoticeable. He opened his mouth to apologize for interrupting, but the kid had looked down at his book again. Recognition dawned on the kid's face, and  he looked back up at Colress in surprise. It didn't even occur to Colress until now that maybe this was the first time the kid had read this story.

R2 almost decided to drag the scientist away from the spectacle to save some embarrassment all around, but after floundering for a few seconds, the kid responded, "Fine.  On one request. You're the one who comes with me." Well, the kid didn't seem to know how to respond either, so he just continued with the story. However, he only said Joanna's line, and left the Captain's line of dialogue unsaid.

Feeling compelled to continue the scene, Colress breathed a heavy sigh as if trying to make a decision, and stated, "Fine. I will come along." Then pointing his hand in a direction to the side he commanded an invisible person, "Lieutenant Bryant, you are in charge until we return." Then, bringing his hands behind him, he said in a quieter voice, "Get ready to disembark in 10 minutes, Joanna."

R2's hand had not moved from its spot on his forehead, and he felt more and more embarrassment for his trainer. Why did he have to do that? It was one thing for him to read aloud to his Pokemon, but to act along with someone he barely knew?  Despite all of these negative thoughts, a stray idea crossed his mind. What if this kid could be a friend? God knows Colress needed one.

The second the words are out of his mouth he regrets it and wants to smack his forehead into the book.  Oh, gods, he's an idiot.  Why did he do that.  Why.

The night is not done with its surprises.  Wally glances up and watches as the man exhales like the weight of the world is on his shoulders.  "Fine. I will come along."  He then half turns to the side, pointing to someone who isn't there, his voice firm and commanding.  "Lieutenant Bryant, you are in charge until we return."

For a moment the starry eyed youth can almost see it-- the grand bridge of the spaceship, the crew around them, the captain, the eyes all on him...

You have the leading role.

His acting partner clasps his hands behind himself, his voice quiet but not exactly subdued. "Get ready to disembark in ten minutes, Joanna."

This time he doesn't think.  Maybe it's the practiced ease with which the other acts drawing him in, maybe it's his own weariness of being nervous, or maybe it's because it's one in the fucking morning and few things seem like a bad idea when you're this tired.  

Either way he sets the book down open on the table in front of him as he moves from the couch, standing smartly to attention, saluting his commanding officer.  "Yes sir."  He stares a moment longer as Joanna does in the book before turning on his heel.

The script requires him to walk out the room, but instead he walks once around the couch, snatching up the book from the table as he passes by.  Next scene they are on the planet, and the two are standing side by side, so he continues walking until he is standing just a few feet away from Colress, one hand keeping the book open.  He scans the page.

The boy turns to look at the scientist, keeping his expression as close as he can to Joanna's--nervous, but determined.  "The radar said there are signs of intelligent life here.  We're far off any map, so we have no idea who may be living here.  Be on your guard.  According to Mimi, Bently disappeared over by the jungles..."  Pffft, Agent Mimi is probably the reason why Bently disappeared.  Wally's calling it now--the bitch backstabbed him and Joanna by trying her damnest to strand him there.

Probably wants Bently's position.  Jerk.  He bets she'll be after Joanna next.

The green haired boy responded quickly by placing the book down on the table, and he saluted smartly at Colress. "Yes sir." His acting partner held his gaze for a minute before turning sharply on his heel and walking back towards the couch.  He snatched the book back up as he walked around the couch, and stopped a few feet away as he glanced over the next page. Colress maintained the captain's posture until the scene change demanded it.

Still standing tall, he gave the library a quick glance around, as if he was searching for potential attackers, and in his mind he could see the lush flora of the jungles. Now the boy gives him a determined look with a hint of nervousness and states, "The radar said there are signs of intelligent life here.  We're far off any map, so we have no idea who may be living here.  Be on your guard.  According to Mimi, Bently disappeared over by the jungles..."

Ahh... Agent Mimi.  I feel so bad for her.. kidnapped and replaced by an imposter... Thankfully this incident is what gives the doppelganger away... he mused for a second before saying his next lines. "Duly noted. If that is what Agent Mimi reported, then we shall head to the jungles," he nods in affirmation. He decides to follow Wally's example of using a circuit around the couch to denote travelling between scenes.

Realizing that Colress was completely enthralled by this story and acting with the green-haired child, R2 decided to go do what they actually came here for. He wasn't familiar with how this library was divided, so he settled for wandering around. It wasn't long until he found that there was someone else in the library. OH COME ON. It's one in the morning, there is no way that there should be ANYONE in here.A tall humanoid pokemon with green hair and a long white 'dress' denoted a Gardevoir, and he was going to just pass the fairy by, until he recognized the spine of one of the books that was about eye level with them. ...Dammit. It was a book that Colress would be interested in, and the fairy was standing in such a way that he wouldn't be able to get to it without getting their attention.  "Excuse me, I need to get a book on the shelf you're standing in front of."

Something is off.

Standing amidst the tall shelves, surrounded by the smell of paper and printer ink, the Gardevoir blinks in surprise as emotions that are not his own nor Wally's slip into his head. The emotions are muffled--like someone listening to music on their stereo but doing so at a distance from you. But they are definitely there. They are new, too; Wally's have been there for some time now, playing softly in the background of Orion's mind. Truthfully Orion had not even been playing much attention to them; they were happy, and if that changed to anything intense enough that would require his assistance, he would have felt it.

Or at least, he should have. He curses himself. He has wandered way too far away from his boy; the emotions are so faint, that he would not have picked up a shift after all. Not at this distance.

And now it feels like someone else walked in with their own stereo of emotions, and added to the volume that was previously there with their arrival. Not just one other person, either. Two. The volume of emotions can only be coming from two people, no more than three. Who the hell even is that? It's one in the morning! 

And now, as he pondered all that, someone has wandered close. He can hear the music of their emotions growing louder as they draw closer. It looks like I'm about to find out. 

What steps into the isle is... definitely one of the odder Pokemon he's ever laid eyes on. Brown, with a very long, bell-shaped head and strange black markings that almost look tribal. Green, almond shaped eyes with brown irises. Three fingers on each hand; red, yellow, and green. They're wearing a coat.

The emotions are... not flattering. Disgust, aggravation, frustration. With a hint of crankiness. Aw, is someone up past their bedtime? 

All right, maybe that was rude. He might not be feeling that because of Orion's presence; something else may have set him off. Still, the negativity is not pleasant. He handles emotions that linger beneath the larger umbrella emotion of anger better than ones under the umbrella term of sadness, but it still doesn't make for fun times.

"Excuse me, I need to get a book on the shelf you're standing in front of." Okay thank god he didn't actually say the thing about the bedtime out loud. This Pokemon is being polite and that would have been a very jackass thing to say.

"Sure." Orion steps around him. Time to check on his boy.

He sticks to the shadows of the shelving, and it's not long before he has reached the entry of the library. From his place among the books he recoils in surprise-- Wally is accompanied by someone, as he knew he would be, but this someone is not what he would have expected. A man is standing alongside his boy, and they're... acting?

Hidden among the shelves, he watches. They're... very happy. Excitement and joy. Pure and simple. They're having fun.

"Duly noted. If that is what Agent Mimi reported, then we shall head to the jungles."

Wally flips the page, scans the images, then flips it again. All right... next several panels is a montage of them walking through the jungle... Ah, there it is. Next page with stuff written on it. "We've gone really deep..." Wally emulates the concern on the agent's face, body poised as if expecting things to go south at any moment. "Weird though; the jungle almost looks like it's getting thinner here... but I would have thought it'd only get thicker." Yeah, that is weird. Jungles get thicker at the heart of them, right? Why the hell is it thinning out?

He turns the page and- "Wait what the fu--" His "Joanna" voice drops in shock as the page shows the heroine pulling back a curtain of leaves to see a strange village of insect like creatures; green, with bug eyes and antennae. "I thought this planet was uninhabited- I mean, uh..." He moves his arm to mimic the drawing back of the curtain of leaves, clearing his throat, scrambling to regain the use of the voice needs for Joanna's character. "A... a village!? What!?"

"Sure." the fairy Pokemon responded to R2's request. They- He really couldn't tell the gender at this point- stepped away from the bookshelf and then walked past him. He kept an eye on the direction that the Gardevoir went, and he noticed that they were heading back the way he had come. If they're heading to the entrance, they might belong to that kid... He felt antsy leaving Colress alone if there was going to be an unfamiliar Pokemon involved, and even if the kid seemed nice, the Gardevoir could... What? Now R2 knew that his thougths were getting borderline irrational, but he was still worried. He floated up so that he could pull the book of the shelf and look at the front. The cover picture was extremely familiar, and R2 decided that Colress could use some more familiar reading. He was obviously having fun with that old favorite near door, so maybe another would do him some favors.

He floated back to the ground and decided to go check up on Colress. He really should pick up more than one book, but he wanted the scientist's input on any others. Also, if he saw where that Gardevoir went, it may help put his worries to rest. The Beheeyem walked through the spaces between shelves, and found the Gardevoir once again when he came close to the entrance. They were watching the pair of humans continuing the silly acting, and that made R2 nervous. He really hoped that the Pokemon belonged to the kid, and they were just observing their trainer being silly, but he needed to know that there wasn't something more sinister going on. In order to make sure he didn't disturb the humans, he whispered to the taller Pokemon, "Hey, is that your trainer?" while indicating the child.

The green haired child flipped through a few pages, and if Colress remembered correctly, that meant that the duo were still going through the jungle. His acting partner kept his stance of being prepared for anything, and then stated with concern, "We've gone really deep..." Then with acted and genuine confusion he added, "Weird though; the jungle almost looks like it's getting thinner here... but I would have thought it'd only get thicker."

Though the Captain should be mirroring Joanna's confused look, Colress's face was taking on a mischeivous smile. Oh, he's about to get a surprise in three... two... and he wasn't disappointed when the kid broke character and almost swore when he turned the page to see the village, "Wait what the fu--" The scientist brought up a hand to hide his smile and to contain his laugh as the kid continued, "I thought this planet was uninhabited- I mean, uh..." Then the child tried to get back into character with a wave of his arm to mimic what Joanna was doing. His voice tried to get back to the correct pitch as he said Joanna's next actual line, "A... a village!? What!?"

Colress had to take a second to regain his composure as well, for the Captain wouldn't be laughing at this part. Walking so that he was standing next to the kid, he mimicked the kid's arm movement, and said in a quiet, nervous tone, "This must be the intelligent life the radar reported earlier!" Acting as if he was scanning the area again, he did a quick look around, and added, "We' need to be careful... If they have Bentley, we could be dealing with hostile natives..."

The joy radiating from the two humans sends a warm sensation bubbling up from deep inside him as the happiness settles into his skull.  The fairy sighs contentedly, folding his arms behind his back as he watches his boy make an utter dork of himself.  That's my Wally. 

Anxiousness seeps into his brain and he blinks, but does not move.  Maybe it's the Pokemon from earlier?  The two humans are so happy; surely it can't be coming from them...

"Hey, is that your trainer?"  Orion starts a bit, snapping his head down and over to stare at the Beeheeyem.  When the fuck did they get there!?  "I... yes.  That's my human."  He clears his throat and smoothes down his dress, nodding over at the blonde man.  "And I assume he's yours?" 

Somehow the idea of the strange human man acting out a comic with his boy feels better if said human is accompanied by a Pokemon.  Why, he has no idea; it just does.  Screw logic; I have feelings.  And gut instincts.   Okay maybe that wasn't the best creed to live by...

Still, hopefully in this situation it applies.

"This must be the intelligent life the radar reported earlier!" Why does this village exist what the hell were the authors thinking!?  "We need to be careful... If they have Bentley, we could be dealing with hostile natives..."

Forcing himself to retain the Joanna voice, Wally gazes forlornly at the "village" (actually a bookshelf) before tightening a fist.  "Oh Bently... we'll find you.  Promise."

End scene.  Okay.  He flips to the next page and gives an apologetic look to his acting partner; there's only one person here.  And fucking hell; it's Mimi.

Walking back over to the table, he sits, and assumes the relaxed pose the picture portrays Mimi using at her computer.  "Yes.  Don't you worry; it's all going according to plan."

Flip the page and "What the hell.  What is this!?"

Mimi's image flickers, her hologram disguise dropping to reveal a character he doesn't recognize.  It takes a full minute of staring before he remembers he's supposed to be acting.  "Mimi can't throw any more wrenches into it."  Oh god who is this asshole where is Mimi what is going o-- that's the end.

He flips the page to find an interview with the author.

"What kind of ending is that!?"  Wally practically screams, throwing the comic to the table in disgust.  "I don't have the next one!"

Apparently the Gardevoir had not noticed R2 come up and started before responding to his question, "I... yes.  That's my human." The answer was all R2 really needed to hear for his nervousness to quiet down. The kid was having fun with Colress, so it was unlikely his pokemon would do anything to stop it. They cleared their throat and smoothed down their "dress" before nodding in Colress's direction and asking, "And I assume he's yours?"

R2 nodded as he said, "Yeah... he's mine." He simply stood in the shadows of the bookshelves with the fairy as he observed their trainers act like the total geeks they were. The Beheeyem found that he felt... content. It was so rare to see Colress happy... Deciding to not be a complete stranger, he added, "I'm guessing you guys thought the library would be empty now too?"

The scene that they can share ends with "Joanna" tightening a fist and promising,"Oh Bently... we'll find you.  Promise."  The scientist relaxed his position as he allowed Wally to continue the next scene solo. Colress was not going to lie. Since he knew this was the first time this kid had read the story, there was going to be a nice little cliffhanger, and he couldn't wait to see the kid's reaction. As the boy flipped the page and gave him an apologetic look, Colress had to control himself and not crack a knowing smile. The boy headed back over to the table to emulate Mimi at her computer. "Yes.  Don't you worry; it's all going according to plan."

The boy then broke character as his eyes moved across the page, "What the hell.  What is this!?" The reaction was perfect, and Colress couldn't help the chuckle that escaped or the smile that taking over. It was always fun to see others react to cliffhangers. It took almost a full minute before his acting companion remembered that he was supposed to continue. "Mimi can't throw any more wrenches into it." If he remembered correctly, that should be the end scene. "What kind of ending is that!?" Looks like he was right. "I don't have the next one!" Well, that was saddening, but it didn't bring Colress's mood down. He had to wait months before he got closure on that story arc thanks to a hiatus, and this boy pretty much had the same reaction he did.

"If it makes you feel any better, I reacted the same way when that issue first came out," he said with a smile. "Well.. if we can't find the next one here, I can tell you what happens next," He offered teasingly. There were two different ways the kid would take  the offer, and either one will be amusing. Either the defiant, "I'll wait." or the "Please tell me!" reaction and Colress wasn't sure which he'd prefer.

"Yeah... he's mine."   The sentence is all that's needed to set Orion at ease, the touch of tenseness melting from his shoulders as he leans on a bookshelf.  "I'm guessing you guys thought the library would be empty now too?"

Whoops.  He chuckles a bit, a hand raising to his mouth to smother the giggle.  "Actually, yes.  Oops?  At least they seem to be enjoying themselves."

Hopefully, it will last.  Goodness, does his boy deserve a break.

"If it makes you feel any better, I reacted the same way when that issue first came out," Wally glances up at him, still pouting over the stupid fucking cliffhanger.  Goddamn writers. "Well... if we can't find the next one here, I can tell you what happens next."

... Hm.  That is.  Quite the offer.

But he has to be a good fan, first.

"I gotta look through the whole library first."  Wally nods, cementing his resolve to look through the entire library.  And it would be the whole library, too, because god knows nobody puts the books back where they should be.  "Only then can you tell me.  Because I have to try to find out the right way, first."

It won't be as much fun if he's told, but he doesn't want to never find out!

The Gardevoir relaxed as they leaned on the bookshelf and watched their trainers continue to act like giant nerds. In response to R2's question, they lifted a hand to hide the fact that they were laughing. Their answer was about what he expected, "Actually, yes." R2 couldn't help laughing a little with the tension leaving completely; two seperate pairs of idiots having the same idea at the same stupid hour of night was too funny. "Oops?  At least they seem to be enjoying themselves."

Chuckling a little more, R2 admitted, "Yeah." Despite Colress's best attempts, he coud see the scientist's knowing smile, and it took him a moment to realize what it meant. If it was the story he thought it was... then that must mean it was the one with the epic cliffhanger that had made Colress rage. The boy's cry of indignation confirmed his suspicions quickly, and he couldn't help snickering to himself. God that brought back memories. Colress had been so mad over how that story ended, and then the next one took way longer than usual to come out. This had started a rereading marathon as Col looked for any evidence of foreshadowing and trying to figure out what would happen next.

The boy considered Colress's offer for a moment before deciding,"I gotta look through the whole library first." Colress's smile stayed in place as he chuckled a little more at the boy's determination to be a proper fan. The kid then nodded in his resolve and added, "Only then can you tell me.  Because I have to try to find out the right way, first."

Colress teased, "Of course," and then offered with his arm reaching behind his head, "I can help you look, but I'm still new here, so I might take a while." He then glanced around as he suddenly realized that his Beheeyem shadow was nowhere nearby, and while he wasn't worried for R2, it was surprising. "If you see the Beheeyem that was with me earlier, he can help look too. His name is R2D2, but I call him R2." He didn't mind sharing R2's full name with the boy, since it seemed highly unlikely that the boy would make a mean comment about the nerdy name.

"Yeah." Orion looked back at their humans with a grin. R2D2 sounded as pleased (and sheepish) with the happy accident as he did.  

"Of course," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "I can help you look, but I'm still new here, so I might take a while."

He glanced about a bit, looking a touch surprised. "If you see the Beheeyem that was with me earlier, he can help look too. His name is R2D2, but I call him R2."

"R2- wait, hold up, I know this one-" He frowned, face puckering in thought as he tapped his fingers against the comic book. "Don't tell me... Star Tre- no wait Star Wars! I've never seen any of the movies like ever but isn't R2D2 the little white and blue robot that looks kind of like a cylinder with a dome on top who wants to fight everyone at all times?"

"Ohmygod," Orion snorted, stepping out as he snickered into his hand. "You would phrase it like that."

"Well if the gifs I saw on the internet are true, he does! And the golden, humanoid robot, his best friend, is C3PO. And he's a worrywart." He was sure he had that right.