Sixteenth Flight. [audio/action for travel party.]

[newberktown]

[Among the background bustle--familiar sounds for anyone who's set foot in a Pokemon Center--there's a small whine from an Eevee, almost like a prompt for Hiccup to speak. After another second or so, he does.]

Uh... Has anyone ever, uhmm. [There's another pause. How should he put this...] Lost...half their pokemon? [He clears his throat before continuing, quicker this time like an excuse.] I still have all their pokeballs, and those are registered to all of them still, according to the people at the Center. But I can't find them anywhere...

[Hiccup sighs, and there's a subtle clunk as he moves his hand to the 'gear to shut it off. Before he does, though, there's one last mumble.]

I can't believe this is happening again...

Comments

[audio]

[divinewind]

[Oh that...that doesn't sound good at all.]

Perhaps...perhaps they will return soon? They must have come back the first time this happened.

[audio]

[newberktown]

[There's a small pause.]

The first time it...wasn't pokemon. It happened back home.

[audio]

[divinewind]

Oh...your dragon friend, you mean?

[He's not really sure what to say about that, if he's guessed right. Hiccup seems like a good person, so why would his dragon leave?]

There must be some reason for them to have gone.

[audio]

[newberktown]

[And somehow, Hiccup's voice manages to become even gloomier.]

...Yeah. Toothless.

If there is a reason, I don't know it. And I don't know if they're going to come back.

[audio]

[divinewind]

But if you don't know the reason, then there is still every chance that they might.

[Spoken with all the surety of an optimist.]

[audio]

[newberktown]

[Hiccup wishes he could be as optimistic as you, Temeraire.]

I guess... [Slight pause.] Have you ever thought about it, back home? Running away, I mean.

[Since you're a dragon, and all.]

[audio]

[divinewind]

No, never. I would rather be with Laurence than have all the nicest treasures in the world, I would not run away from him for anything.

[There's a pause, and he sounds gloomier himself when he starts talking again. He misses Laurence so much it hurts.]

But if I ever did have to go somewhere he could not, I would try to explain first...and if I could not, I would hope that he knows that I would return as soon as I could.

[audio]

[newberktown]

[And then Hiccup is quiet for a bit because he can't figure out if that makes him feel better or worse. Not taking into account for his time in this world, it had been three days since Toothless had left. Who knew how long his pokemon would be gone?

Oh well.]

What was he like, if you don't mind me asking?