meistoshi

[meistoshi]

who up pocketing their monsters ? ibis, that's who. satoshi also ig. 🤸

[meistoshi]

not here, not away, secret third thing (revamp blog)

[meistoshi]

[meistoshi]

pspspspsps

[meistoshi]

it's satoshi & his chronic "i'm just a guy"itis against the world

[meistoshi]

a chuckle, putting both hands on his hips, an eyebrow rising.

❛ hope you're not insinuating i taught you anything. i just kept yelling encouragements in your face 'till you stopped denying 'em. the rest was all you & the actual people that put in work with ya. ❜

not to discredit his own contributions, he's rather proud of his pep - talks, but ... well, he really didn't do all that much, did he ?? even the internship thing, which satoshi may have been the messenger of, it was more - or - less the chairman's idea — satoshi just gave the spark for it by bringing the grunt up enough in conversation.

it's really not a big deal.

“Yeah. It was, like, the worst four weeks of my life. I was goin’ out of my mind, bein’ so bored.”

Seems like Ree and Satoshi are the same, that way. Ree was out of bed literally the moment they were allowed to, and they haven’t stopped since — for better or worse.

… — when Satoshi praises them, their smile crinkles, and their cheeks flush. It feels — weird, having nice things be said about them. Ree still isn’t used to it. But …

“Hey.” They knock a fist gently against his shoulder. “I learned from the best.”

[meistoshi]

there's a stricken moment where the only sounds are those of the waves outside gently lapping at the beach, & the ambient hum of the aquarium some steps away.

❛ are you sure ... ?? ❜

" positive. "

professor kukui's — chairman kukui, in this moment, — expression says nothing, in that it does not pressure one way or the other, his expression the same gentle smile he gives to students when offering an assignment, when waiting for them to explain their answer before giving his own opinion. satoshi knows that expression well — he's been on this side of it many times.

so many opportunities granted, so many doors opened, so many roads crafted ... & this — another.

❛ but ... i — what about kahuna olivia ?? ❜

" we wouldn't be having this conversation if i hadn't already had it with her. she seemed perfectly satisfied when i told her who i was considering to take her place. "

❛ ... she's the only kahuna in the elite four right now ... the others have their connections to the trials, but ... professor kukui, are you sure this is a good idea ?? ❜ the breath he huffs the question out with is caught somewhere between distress & exhaustion, shoulders moving in a helpless shrug.

" you completed the trials once. that puts you in the same league as kahili. & perhaps it's for the best the kahunas don't get bogged down by league politics, when their respective islands give them plenty of work as is. "

the chairman leans his elbows on his knees, hands loosely connecting where they overhang. satoshi feels himself nod along.

" it was good to have them as elite four members for the sake of easing the league's introduction to the region, but, well, the longer there's any kahunas in the line - up, the harder it is to deny rumor & allegation that the league's been trying to replace the trial tradition. "

❛ sure ... ❜ that ... had been a concern, actually — the whole tradition - replacement thing. part of satoshi was worried total removal of the kahunas might be interpreted as a symbolic replacement. but perhaps people would see it as a further distinction ... & if there's still trainers with close connections to the trials involved ...

satoshi shifts in his seat, gaze suddenly falling much easier on the action of petting pikachu's back in his lap.

❛ i'm still not gonna be around much. ❜

" i know. " there's a smile in kukui's words that tells satoshi he's thinking " it's you, i wouldn't expect any different " ; is thinking " same as kahili, again " . the fact of a set precedent does alleviate some of the now - former - champion's worries.

❛ i guess elite four members do get a lot more leeway with their responsibilities than champions ... ❜ it's said with a rather wry expression. it's not like satoshi was ever any good at sticking around for a lot of those champion responsibilities. he's awful lucky for a chairman like kukui, & a region so indulgent of their first champion. ❛ & ... i guess this way i could still keep an ear to how ree's doing ... & if there's trouble, it'd be easier to argue their case if i'm still part of the alola board ... ❜

he hears kukui hum, an affirming thing, hears the shuffle of him leaning back into the couch cushions. satoshi probably just reached himself what the chairman would have otherwise said aloud. maybe that's the whole reason he's doing this : so satoshi can keep a direct line with ree. so he can still feel like he's in a position to help his second home grow.

an awful, suspicious part of him suggests there's a lack of trust towards the new champion. the rest of satoshi stamps that idea right the fuck down fast as it arises. even if it holds any merit, he doesn't want to think he's being used as a sentry or something. especially not by professor kukui. especially not for a skull grunt. especially not ree. especially not by professor kukui, what the hell, he thought he was past this.

( his treacherous brain tripping on the thought of " being used " still has satoshi digging his fingers a little further into pikachu's fur. awful idea. awful, awful idea, who's in charge of his thoughts anyway ?? who invited paranoia to this discussion ?? )

he breathes.

kukui sits patiently, & pikachu buzzes beneath the pads of satoshi's fingertips, soft static playing at his palms & thighs.

❛ i want to think on this a bit. i've got ... there's some stuff i wanna consider before i give you my answer. that alright ?? ❜

he chances a look at kukui, seeing him through the curtain of his fringe. kukui nods, expression soft, perhaps satisfied. probably glad to hear satoshi's going to take the matter into deeper - than - a - five - minute - conversation consideration.

" take your time, kiddo. "

[meistoshi]

anyway

[meistoshi]

@skullkxd : They shrug, grinning lightly. “I had a lot of practice while I was in the hospital an’ when I got home. I couldn’t do much for a long while.”

❛ mmh, makes sense, makes sense. ❜ satoshi's never spent longer than a week stuck in bed, & even then he's tried to do the most unrecommended activities, but he supposes if he only had so much to hand ... limitations are good for encouraging improvement in the strangest ways.

his belt clips are full, so he just minimizes the friend ball & places it in the pocket of his jacket. that's one way to ensure he uses it next chance he meets a new friend.

he grins back. ❛ alola got itself a real talented champ. ❜

[meistoshi]

they’re not gonna ask why he rejected Hau. That’s Satoshi’s business, and — and ree’s just a kid. They’re learning to not get involved with grownup stuff.

Instead, they’re holding something out for satoshi. It’s —

“I made this for you.”

It’s an apricorn ball — a friend ball. Ree made it themself, and …

“When you find a new partner — use this for em.”

satoshi akiyoshi, a certifiable pro at forcing himself to move past any unpleasantness either external or internal, real or imagined, has placed himself in a far more lighthearted state than one a few hours ago. just needed a good run. & he may have walked into the sea to yell at himself from beneath the surface, which, awful idea, he scared pikachu half to death & its electric moves pack a serious punch when one is drenched in salt water —

but he's alright now. he's still got a good friend in hau, & it's not like satoshi's inexperienced in the art of ignoring his feelings while traveling with certain people, he will not let his own rejection spoil their jaunt. it's fiiine.

so, when ree hands him the friend ball, the whole matter is very far from the front of his mind, & he simply appreciates the gift.

❛ ēe !! thanks, buddy !! man, how'd you get so good at making these ?? i tried my hand like ... beh, a decade ago, i think, — could never get a hang of it. ❜

[meistoshi]

❛ well, at least things can't get more jumbled than they already are. ❜

things could, in fact, get more jumbled.

[meistoshi]

there's an uncertain skew to his expression at the claim at improvement, doubtful of how much he's actually improved on that front, & even more so of how well he can keep up even this increment. if he's gotten better about it in any measure, it's because he had a responsibility to keep up with ree's internship, & even then he went off the grid for months. since that's over ...

gods, & then hau has to go & say ... all of that ... satoshi's never been great at accepting a compliment, let alone such a convicted barrage of them. a hand comes to tilt the brim of his cap over most of his face. he might cry, or burst into flames or something, they're both in a vulnerable state right now what's the big idea being all extra nice & stuff seriously what the heck —

❛ hau ... ❜ it's a bit of a whine, some mixture of embarrassed & pleading, & satoshi would like to move right on thank you very much.

it's with a big breath that he draws himself up &, with some difficulty looking at hau, at least shows his face. it's burning.

❛ ... an - anyway ... !! i'm not completely off the hook here just yet, so. & i'm sure you've got loose ends on your ... end ... so, we can figure out departure stuff when nothing's hanging anymore. hopefully soon. right ?? yeah. ❜ is it too much to hope an ultra wormhole opens right under him in the next two seconds ??

There it is. The answer he'd been dreading to hear. Kinda feels like his blood ran cold, honestly. It's a weird feeling. One he'd rather never have again in his life, but...

"...That's not true."

Pushing his own sinking gut feeling aside for now, Hau can't let this one slide. Even without rose coloured glasses, one could see that the other was so much more than he thought he was.

"You... You're an incredible friend, Satoshi. Sure, you've been not so active when it comes to texting and calling, but— You've been better at that recently, no?"

Of course he understands where Satoshi is coming from, but people grow all the time. Even if they can't see it themselves. All the better for him to try and make the other aware of it. Even if he got rejected romantically, Satoshi was still a dear friend to him.

"You're charming. You're caring. You're funny. You'd do anything for your loved ones. You're good with Pokémon, and battles. You inspire people. You're just..." A vague gesture with a trembling hand. "...You're so much more than you think you are. I will accept your response, but... I just needed you to know that."

[meistoshi]

& there's the ice cold bucket of water to sober it all up,,,,

[meistoshi]

❛ ch — ch - cho — ❜ the mess of an ask to wait gets jumbled & caught in satoshi's mouth as his brain tries catching up on the info that's been dumped on him.

mostly such because it causes a torrent of thoughts & considerations to whirl within his mind, questions unconsidered & answers half - baked. a hand comes up to dig at the back of his neck, looking aside but for an entirely different kind of thought process.

in retrospect, maybe this explains a thing or two, but, regardless of the multifaceted revelations currently going on in satoshi's brain ...

❛ i ... can't ... ❜ the rim of his cap hides his eyes. ❛ we shouldn't, i mean. i can't. ❜ he makes sure to emphasize the last bit, trying to make sure hau understands. he still can't really look at them.

❛ i want to travel with you, obviously, i'm over the moon to do that, but — you know how i am, just with friends, even those close as family. we'll be side - by - side while traveling, sure, but, do you see me regularly talking to anyone i've traveled with before ?? heck, i forget to call home for months at a time, my own mama — ❜

he doesn't know a lot about romantic relationships. movies are unreliable, he had no life examples growing up, & his years on the road have proven ill more informative. but he does know that romantic partners are not supposed to neglect their loves. satoshi is as present as oxygen when he's in touch, close by, but, while on the road, without them in sight ... ?? ❛ you deserve way better than that. ❜ ( after all, the last thing either of them would want is to be stuck chained together, yet that's the only way satoshi's mind has convinced him he can measure up to one of those silly little ideals he's built up in his head. )

he chances a dreadfully apologetic look back to hau, letting the hand at his nape fall. ❛ even if i do — ❜ his throat fails on him. can't even say the words. that makes hau double braver than satoshi. all the more reason, in his eyes. ❛ ... you ... i'd suck to have for one, you know. what you ... might want me to be. i just barely manage as a friend. i know that much. ❜

Okay, so it landed... eventually. Thank the Tapu for that.

Hau stares back wide-eyed for a split-second as well, before he can't help but laugh at the dramatics of the scene.

"Well, yeah, you." His fingers nervously brush through their bangs as they glance away briefly, before forcing himself to look Satoshi in the eyes. "So uh... What do you say?"

[meistoshi]

it is so fucking rough out here lads

[meistoshi]

a pause.

❛ ... āa ... ❜

but it's clear it doesn't land. please hold ...

a date. like ... romantically. because hau likes him. likes satoshi. a lot.

... ... ...

‼️‼️‼️

his previously wandering - aside gaze now whips wide - eyed to meet hau's eyes. posture stiff. a single finger zipping to point at himself.

❛ ??? ❜

come on, you can use your words.

❛ o — me !? ❜ welcome back, voice crack of the century ...

Ah. Maybe the punching wasn't a bad idea after all. Gonna have to spell it out for him, huh?

"Y-yeah. Like. romantically?"

Man. Forgot how oblivious this guy could be. His hands are getting clammy, and he's flustered-- please get the hint.

[meistoshi]

#i rolled int for him to connect the dots & mother fucker rolls a NATURAL ONE (1)

Ladies and gentlemen, we've summed up 3 (4?) years of Ed's Satoshi in one tag LMAO

IT'S ROUGH OUT HERE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,