teachingsofaspiration-blog

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

There certainly did seem to be a lot of connections between Lumiose City and this "Paris" place. Even if one were to ignore the obvious connection of the famous landmarks for each place, this city was much more like Lumiose than any Cheren had seen in Unova- and while his home region may be on the other side of the world compared to Kalos, it went without saying that Paris was much farther away. Still, despite the similarities, it seemed like wishful thinking to believe that there would be indications about the way back to Lumiose at the- what did he called it?- Tour Eiffel. 'Tour' meant 'tower', right? He couldn't remember any French word like 'Eiffel'. Was it a name, or was the short extent of his knowledge of the language shining through? Anyhow, unless the tower was able to connect worlds somehow, he doubted it would be of much use to them. Still, there wasn't another option, was there? And odds always remained that, perhaps, Phantom R knew more about these things than he did.

"I don't see any alternatives." He admitted, and withheld a sigh. It's a good thing he had matured a bit over the years, and didn't continue to act quite as sour towards people who had done nothing to deserve seeing that pessimistic side of him. Still, it was never entirely restrained, and continued to be obvious at times. "You've made a fair point. I think I'll head over to the tower and take a look around. I'm sure you have your own business to attend to, though. I've taken up a lot of your time."

Phantom R did not have to turn around to see what Cheren talked about. There was only one monument that towered all of Paris at such height, the tip in the clouds, the iron lady itself. Foreigners were joking about how every window in Paris opened on the sight of the Tour Eiffel, but it was not far from the truth, as it cuts the skyline into two distinct parts, between the downtown and the outskirts, the blue sky and the gray smogs. But it was only polite to look at it anyway. So it confirmed his suspicions: Lumiose City was some alternate version of the city he was all too familiar with, down to its most known landmark. And though some things were different if the man’s direction was to believe- Paris existed well before the tower was built, and thus was not the very own center of the crossroads, it was obviously the same city. Yet that sounded… little. Insignificant details, at least to warrant a city a new name in an entirely different world. What were the real differences? What made some people exist in two verses, and others, not? That was not to Cheren to ask, as he was a stranger to Lumiose as well.

“Yes, the Tour Eiffel and this Prism Tower are basically the same monument. There is also a traffic circle around our tower, though most of the branching streets are for pedestrians. It’s not at the center of the city, but it might as well be. Well then,” he clamored, clasping his hands together. “I can’t be sure, of course, but maybe there are some indications about Lumiose at the Tour Eiffel. If they really are like sisters, it’s our best guess, isn’t it?” If only things were that simple!

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

The possibility that he could be there for a while? That was something that he had already considered and come to terms with- as much as a workaholic like himself could come to terms with something that was keeping him from properly doing his job. There didn't seem to be many ways of avoiding these situations, however. They would come upon him whether he wanted them to or not, and even the most careful planning could be destroyed by another surprise visit to an alternate world. To think that just a year ago, he hadn't believed in magic beyond the 'scientific mysteries' behind Pokemon abilities- and now it seemed fantastical things were happening all the time, even when it was unlikely any Pokemon had an influence at all.

"I was beginning to suspect that myself." He responded, now feeling a bit relieved. It definitely sounded as though the other was aware of the true extent of how strange this situation really was. Perhaps he could speak a little more freely about these oddities. "Lumiose was built around a tower in its center called the Prism Tower. It resembles that one, actually." He pointed towards the iron monument in the skyline. "It's a bit different in appearance, but they look very similar. The Prism Tower is Lumiose's most famous landmark. The area around it is like a traffic circle, but on a much larger scale."

Phantom R just nodded politely to indicate he was listening, though it did not help him, for he never heard of Aspertia City nor Kalos- the theme naming sounded familiar, but only because he heard of Lumiose City before. And while he knew it must have been their verse’s Paris, it was no landmark compared to the rest of that strange world he was describing. If he had to make a wild guess, Kalos would be their verse’s Ile-de-France, or even France; as for Unova, he had no idea if it was south or east; all-around was he lost, which would be a problem if there was some sort of point one could go from here to there. There was to hope Cheren was not on his way to someplace important, because as far as he knew, he could be stuck for a while. Oh, wasn’t that an idea?

“Well, I don’t know where those places are, but I believe… Lumiose and Paris are somehow connected. Like sister cities,” he added- not that he was afraid to sound crazy, as it was now obvious that man had a faint idea of the situation he was in. He was trying to convince his own mind he was not. “I’m not sure, though. Are there any landmarks in Lumiose for us to start with?”

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It wasn't Cheren's place to inquire about this 'friend' of his, and so he shrugged off the reluctance behind the word as Phantom R's business and his alone. It was hardly the main subject, anyhow. Right now, instead of asking questions, he would answer them, and then following that he would decide the best course of action. Considering his situation, the latter part would not be as easy as the rest. In previous situations, there had been nothing he could do to initiate or avoid his return to his own world, nor his departure from it. If powerful Pokemon of legends were truly behind these occurrences, he couldn't imagine what their intentions were, or that they were being anything more than mischievous. But it didn't seem likely he'd find the answer to these mysteries anytime soon. They would just continue to be a bother.

"Actually, Unova is a region. To be more specific, I'm from a place called Aspertia City, in the southern area of Unova where new developments are being made. Lumiose City is in the center of a region called Kalos.

 “A… ‘friend’ of mine comes from there,” he zigzagged. Charlie was the opposite of a friend- and it was pretty much the sole thing they would ever agree on- but the details of their relationship did not matter. The fact was, that Charlie he was referring too was not the one he knew, for they had a very obvious difference he made without being aware of it; thus, it was clear that Lumiose City was not located on one or the other side of the blue planet. But in another dimension entirely- ah, he missed the vocabulary to get his ideas across. Maybe Cheren had an idea of how the travel through worlds worked. More likely, he did not, or else would he not be in Paris right now, but it was worth the shot. What was he going to do with that information, anyway? There were so many possibilities, he had not one to clear up; it was simple curiosity. Besides, it was not like he had something better to do, and he could hardly let that stray boy wander in an unknown city.

“Yes, you told me, you’re from… Unova, that is? But I’ve never heard of that one city. Is it located in the same… country, by any chance?”

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Cheren was just about to pipe up about the other's comment on not being of much help, which wasn't at all true. He had made it clear what was going on, whether he did so intentionally or even was aware of it or not. His thanks was sincere. But before he could say any of this, the redhead had managed to say something that took him off guard. He's heard about Lumiose City? Then he must also be tied into these strange crossing worlds somehow, even if meeting someone who spoke about Lumiose was the extent of it. But he couldn't know how much Phantom R knew or how much he could say without sounding absolutely crazy. Or perhaps it was better to say 'being mistaken for someone crazy', because it was impossible not to sound like you've lost your mind when you talk about these things.

"I see. I'm surprised you've heard of it, if that's the case. I'm not from the city myself and this was supposed to be my first time visiting, but I'll answer any questions that I can."

He took no offense from his sigh- he would be a bit annoyed to be stranded in another world entirely, too. It was not like he could just escort him to the nearest airport or harbor or bridge to another world, because, as far as he knew, there was no door to the other verses but the ones one stepped in by accident. He would gladly suggest to Cheren to just walk back on his own footsteps, but something told him it would not be that easy. “That’s okay,” he so shrugged. “I understand. I haven’t been of much help, after all.” Though he was curious about that Lumiose City he was referred to twice, and seemed to have striking similarities to his Paris, down to its inhabitants. And he had nothing to lose, for his tone of voice seemed to indicate he had even a faint idea of what was going on- and if it was not the case, could he always pretend to do so.

“But you may clear up things for me too. About this Lumiose City… I’ve said there is no such city in France, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t heard of it…”

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

Well, it was fairly easy to come to a conclusion from the information that had been given to him, and the realization came hand in hand with a sigh from the teacher. It didn't seem incredibly likely he'd make it to that meeting after all. No, because Phantom R had no idea where Lumiose City was- as well known of a city as it was- and he himself had never heard of Paris before. It had been over half of a year now, but he had been through something like this before. Several times, actually. It seemed that he had ended up in another world. Again. And at the most inconvenient of times, as well. Hopefully, his absence wouldn't cause too many problems in the meantime, but it was certainly a set back. He had an important role in representing Unova today, after all, and it didn't seem he'd be able to play that role out. What a disappointing gym leader he must seem to be, even if this was beyond his control.

"Sorry. I don't mean to seem ungrateful for your welcome. Thank you for your help. You've cleared things up for me a bit."

Lumiose City, his mind echoed. Now he recognized the peculiar pattern in names, for he heard that town’s name before. From a certain Charlie Vergier, actually, and this quickly made him draw some conclusions. The first one being that Lumiose was not on this Earth’s map. Though his knowledge in geography was just average, it had no relation to that: the Charlie that talked to him about it- he hand-waved it at that time, because said detective wanted to drill a hole in his chest with a soccer ball, and the idea was not to his taste- was not the one he knew, but an alternate. It was probably their verse’s Paris, but even in the event that he could say it without sounding completely crazy, he had still no way of guiding him back where he wanted to be. He weakly chuckled to Cheren’s attention before explaining:

“To be fair, I have no idea where that Lumiose City is located, except it is not in this country. You’re in Paris, France. I think the proper saying is: bienvenue!”

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

For a moment, Cheren thought that the other wouldn't accept his handshake- but when he did and agreed to answer his questions, he smiled slightly. How fortunate for him, he didn't seem to be bothering anyone, and now he could figure out a thing or two about where he was. He was supposed to be in Lumiose City, but one could easily tell from the setup of the roads and the mere appearance of the huge tower in the skyline that that was not where he had ended up. It was a good thing he had decided to come so early too, so that he'd hopefully be able to find his way there before he misses that important international league conference he was supposed to attend.

"I was intending to go to Lumiose City, but ended up here instead. If you could tell me where I am and which direction Lumiose is in, I would appreciate it."

From Unova? The sonority sounded familiar, as well as that accent, as he had heard a similar name in pattern before- but, as it tended to be when he was thinking back about it, that memory escaped him. He did not dwell on it for long, because the stretched hand took him a bit aback. People usually did not bother with that old gesture- and, to be fair, for the number of people he met those last days, he did not either. But he was quick to shake it, to chirp a “Pleasure’s all mine” with highs that would break glass, before Cheren pursued. He shook his head.

“I don’t mind. Ask away!”

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

An interesting alias, and one that he had never heard of. If this guy ended up being someone well known around here- enough so that he would use the title for casual conversation in the streets- then it was a shame Cheren had never heard of him when listening to others speak about the Kalos region.

"Cheren Heilian, from Unova. It's a pleasure." He offered a handshake to the other before continuing. "If you're familiar with the area, would you mind if I asked you a question or two?"

“A performer? Yes, you could say that,” he chuckled under the shade. Well, stealing was a performance in itself, right? “Oh, but I did not introduce myself. Phantom R, at your service. And you are…?”

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"Hm? Thank you. You have an interesting fashion sense yourself. Are you some sort of performer?"

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"I like your sense of fashion, monsieur.”

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"That-"

Alright. That much had gotten a reaction from him. One of shock that had taken over his expression before he had so much the chance to stop it. Get a hold of yourself, Cheren. Letting things like that get to him wouldn't get him anywhere. A straight expression and a focused mind would be the key to the truth.

"So then, what do you think you're proving? If you can reach my mind to send these messages, then who knows what other doors you can open? If initial shock is all you have in your court, then you won't convince me easily."

You may not be gullible or stupid, Cheren, but... Don't you think your mother would be concerned that you're not sleeping enough? You work soooo hard, Cheren. When's the last time you called her? It's been a few days, hasn't it?

She really shouldn’t continue pestering him, but it was just so much fun.

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

And just as he had mentioned the girl, she chose to open the door and stick out her tongue at him. There was that childish behavior from before, but what had caused it to suddenly disappear for that moment of time when this voice first made itself heard? Either way, her appearance and immediate disappearance, in his mind, neither confirmed nor invalidated his previous thoughts. Not when he had no idea what the specific connection was, and especially not when her actions lined up so much with the moment she was bought up.

"Then be offended. I'm not gullible, nor am I stupid. What ever is going on- I know it's not that."

Oh, how incredibly observant of him! To catch on so quickly. Except… he hadn’t quite caught on, had he? No, all he had was speculation. Maybe if she… actually left. Pretend she was in the bathroom or something. She passed by the room, sticking her tongue out at him as she did so. Maybe if he saw her actually leave and go across the street, he wouldn’t quite suspect her.

W h y   C h e r e n !   I   a m   o f f e n d e d ! I   a m   m e r e l y   p a r t   o f   y o u ! Y o u   d i d n ' t   t h i n k   y o u   c o u l d  i g n o r e   m e   f o r e v e r   d i d   y o u ?

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

Was it just him, or did this girl seem to agree and listen to him far too easily? After the childish behavior before, she just obeyed so quickly, and without so much as a word to him? It was suspicious, to say the least, and something to consider more when he figured out what exactly was causing him to hear this horrible voice. It hardly seemed serious anymore, shaming his cow. He didn't have a Miltank.

"If I'm hallucinating, then I wonder why you sound so immature now." He muttered once the girl had left and the door was closed. Wouldn't want anyone hearing him talk to himself, would he? That was surely how it would seem. "If that's not the case, then I wonder what your connection is to that girl who just left."

Oh. He wanted her to scoot on out so he could address the voice. No problem. She feigned a smile, nodded, and bounced right out of the room, only to slip around a corner out of sight. She could have gone across the street. Across town, really, if she wanted to, but she wanted to hear him squirm. What she was doing was inappropriate, but… Ah, well, it was all fun and games, right?

O h   C h e r e n ~   Y o u ' r e   s u c h   a   f i b b e r !   S h a m e   o n   y o u ,   l y i n g   t o   s u c h   a   s w e e t   g i r l .   S h a m e   s h a m e   s h a m e .   S h a m e   o n   y o u ,   s h a m e   o n   y o u r   f a m i l y ,   s h a m e   o n   y o u r   c o w !

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

Why did that voice sound like it was getting some sort of childish amusement out of this now? Another glance was sent in the girl's direction. She was just standing there now, looking all too innocent and unoccupied despite her previous behavior. Well, he'd need for her to get out. Maybe if he was just by himself for a bit he could address this and get rid of the problem... somehow. It was probably just exhaustion, right?

"Miss, I'm going to have to ask for you to leave. I need to get this room ready for the next class." That seemed like a good excuse.

Nope. She’s not even going to react. She’s just gonna sit and twiddle her thumbs while looking around. Why was this so much fun? She normally prided herself in her ability to remain mature during most situations, but… Teasing him was far too fun.

C h e r e n ~   Y o u ' r e   h e a r i n g   t h i n g s a r e n ' t   y o u ? ~   Y o u ' r e   h e a r i n g  t h i n g s   a n d   y o u   c a n ' t   i g n o r e  m e ~   T h e   l o o k   o n   y o u r   f a c e   i s p r i c e l e s s ~

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

Okay. No. If there was a possibility it had only been a momentary imagination, then the odds of that being the case had dropped to zero. He wouldn't have heard it again if that were it.

It's fine. We're cool here. Just an odd voice telling him it was going to eat his soul. Okay, no, that wasn't cool at all, but he couldn't act like he was hearing this if no one else was. He would just have to casually look over at the strange girl periodically to see if her expression changed. As casually as possible without looking incredibly frightened.

Maybe if she kept a straight face, he wouldn’t realise it was her. That look, though. The look on his face was priceless.

W h a t ' s   t h e   m a t t e r   C h e r e n ?   Y o u  l o o k   s o   s t a r t l e d ~ ~

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What was that? If it hadn't sounded so clear, he'd assume he had just imagined it. As disturbing as that thought was, it wasn't as bad as the idea that he had really heard that. He spared a glance around. The only one nearby was that girl. That- No, it couldn't have been her, could it?

Well, he certainly wasn't looking at her like she was a child anymore.

Ignoring a psychic, huh? Let’s see how well that works out for him, shall we? 

I ' m  g o i n g  t o  e a t  y o u r  s o u l ~~

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

Nope. He's done with this. Back to work for him.

    ♘❝I don’t have time for this. If you’re here for something, out with it already.”

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

Never mind. The children in his class were far more mature than this girl seemed to be.

"I don't have time for this. If you're here for something, out with it already."

    ♘❝If you’re going to be this childish, maybe you should go sit with the children.”

[teachingsofaspiration-blog]

"If you're going to be this childish, maybe you should go sit with the children."

    ♘❝’least I’m not a nerd!”