"Kind of a shame, if you ask me. After you get a taste of the of 'unstable' it goes from being exotic and exciting to...." Chu-e blew a raspberry. It could very well be that both Cait and Chu-e were biased in some ways. It was kind of their jobs to deal with edgy shitlords, even if they were on the opposite sides for most of their careers. Never too much of a chance to stop and chat with the local baker or deal with simple worries.

"You think it was all those Trainer cartoons they played on TV when we were kids? I remember when I turned ten, I was so mad at my parents for not letting me go on a journey like the kids on TV do. We weren't even supposed to have any pokemon of our own till we were sixteen. Just the family's Houndour if we needed a pokemon for something." It had been hard sharing a pokemon with his two siblings, especially one that had been as lazy and grouchy as Mushu had been. He could remember Kenzi, his brother's best friend and also his friend via proxy, got a Swirlix for his 10th birthday. Chu-e had been so jealous he was furious with himself.

Ah, wouldn't Cait be surprised to know that he had been raised to keep his head down and stay out of trouble.

"They always made it seem like things would fall into place. Pokemon attacks would just be for comedic effect if they hit you, bad guys were always weak and easy to beat up... Way different than when you're really on your own. Maybe having to live through all this instability, the kids growing up now will want better for themselves." Briefly Chu-e thought to his conversation with that kid a few days ago, Hideo. He had been eager to learn about the world and gain his own independence but it was a more subdued kind than when he was that age. Chu-e had wanted to escape. Hideo just seemed like he wanted to learn about what had been denied to him.

"I think I just want some of the experiences I was denied when I was younger. But other than maybe the nine-to-five, I want all that stuff, too." He hummed and slipped off his shoes, pulling his feet into the chair. "My nastiest, raunchiest fantasy is getting some bastard trapped who I can shove my cold feet against in bed. Trick him into enjoying it. I'll make dinner but on the weekends he makes me breakfast. Picnic dates..." Groaning, Chu-e pushed his face into his hands, lightly muffling his next words. "Stop making me be so sappy, Alfric."

"Well, I guess I'm still technically married to one." That probably wouldn't be an issue to clear up, though. "Other than that.... No, I guess? I mean, there's a good chance some of my old 'coworkers' are still kicking but they would all think I'm dead. They also probably all scattered like roaches, so I don't know if they're alive, too." He wrinkled his nose like he smelled something nasty just talking about it. "Blackwell mostly just didn't like me. If he knew I was a double agent, who's to say he even told anyone? Like... imagine the shit storm if you found out, say, one of the Elite Four, or the Champion, or, hell, one of the Council was a Rocket all along. Especially if the public found out."

It would be a media circus. One wrong word and the whole region would be at the League's throats. Something like that would have killed moral in Rocket, too. Not that it had mattered in the end, he guessed.

"The ones In Kanto wouldn't give a shit unless I was there. The ones here," And he had no doubt that Rocket was still slithering in the dark like snakes, their leader being dead or not, "well, I can handle myself." He sighed and frowned. "I might have been doing it for a good cause, but don't forget I've done really fucked up shit." Ah, this was effecting his high.

"You know, I met a kid on my way to Fortree." A sigh, softly, and Chu-e glanced up at the ceiling, eyes far away. His finger found it's way to one of his longer strands of hair, twirling it lightly. "Name was... Hideo? He was, like, nine or ten, I think. Blind. I fed him lunch. We talked a lot."

"And, like... I think I would go back. To Rocket. As a spy. Reyes doesn't think I could handle it, like, mentally. But that kid only wanted to be able to have a nice life growing up. And I think about him, and other kids like him, and what happened in Kanto... I want to keep pushing. Then you talk about settling down and I know I'm not as good as I used to be, too. Is it wrong I still wanna push? Do you think?"

This was getting heavier than he had anticipated.

When he heard the first wave if illness, Chu-e snapped from his self imposed daze and slid to his feet. He padded slowly for the kitchen, worried for the woman. He reached her just in time for the first bubbling splash of sick to echo in the room. A small grimace at the sharp tang of bile and stomach acid that hung in the air but he approached anyway. Only hesitated a moment before gently trying to place a hand on her back to rub soothingly. The look on her face was one he recognized even if it felt presumptuous of him to even think. It was a hard fact of life that Rocket hadn't just upended his own life and had pressed rotting touches to others.

"Hey, you know," Because if what he thought had lurked in her gaze was true, then the best thing needed was a distraction. A proper one, not this dancing around subjects they had been doing. If they wanted to talk about the shadows that clung to both of their frames it could be a more pointed one. The pause lingered as he tried to think of what to talk about. "Isn't there supposed to be a Speed Dating thing soon here in Fortree?"

It was a jarring change of subject but it was supposed to be. Maybe if she knew what he was doing she would be upset with him. If she didn't, she would still probably be confused. Chu-e was willing to accept both of those scenarios. He leaned in a little closer, not on purpose, and flicked on the 'hot' side of the sink so that the mess could be dragged down and away. It couldn't be left there to fester in both the physical and mental sense.

"I kind of want to stick around and sign up. Even if I just meet some new people to talk to, that would be okay. It seems kind of a shame to leave when everything is about to get decked up for the holidays. This time of year was always one of my favorites even as a kid. My family, we observed Arceusmas but we weren't devout. My parents were from Johto so we lit a fire for Ho-Oh every year, too. Did you ever do anything like that?"

Chu-e knew full well he was babbling. Words pouring from him quick and fluid as he tried to fill Cait's head with nicer thoughts.

Well, the deed was done. If Chu-e knew her slightly better, he might have leaned in and bumped shoulders or something before Cait could pull away. Instead, he just pulled his hand back and let her get back to whatever she was doing. But, it was brought back around, and he met her eyes with a weak smile.

"I know."

And it left a lot in the air, about Rocket and his role in it and what he wanted to do, but it could settle for now.

He did look like he might argue, Chu-e didn't particularly like being pampered unless he asked for it, but he did reluctantly go to sit back down. "Since you're feeding me and making my plate, I'm helping with the dishes." It was the least he could do. While he may have been frothy he wasn't so useless he couldn't at least do that.

Speaking of, the food looked amazing. While Chu-e could cook for himself most of his own meals were fairly simple. He had been thinking of trying to get more into cooking since he would have more free time. (And needed to watch what he ate more closely.) There was no way he would be able to eat all of what Cait seemed to be putting on his plate but he was sure it would be delicious.

"Yeah, I'll be getting a bi weekly stipend for a while." He waved it off, glancing away and hunching over slightly. Talking about money was always kind of embarrassing; an old hold over from when he didn't have any. "It's more than enough. Plus, uh... Arthur was kind of loaded. I'll be more than fine as long as I don't go crazy and buy a solid gold toilet." The house and land it was on was in his name now and fully paid for. Granted that it was still in good shape, of course.

"You're going to cancel me? Damn, guess I can't let my followers down." It was dry but amused. Chu-e was about to pick up his fork when he noticed that Cait seemed to be praying. Chu-e did not pray to many gods, didn't see a point; the only times prayers left his lips were before bed to Cresselia so that she may bless his dreams. But, while he may not have been religious, he was respectful if nothing else. So Chu-e waited until she seemed to be done before he finally dug into his mashed potatoes. Light and fluffy and delicious; he hummed softly in delight.

"Oh wow, this is really good." Not that he thought it would be bad. "My pokemon are fine, promise. I actually gave them some stuff to eat not that long ago. I'll be happy when they don't have to eat the stuff from the shops. A few of mine would probably prefer to hunt and I can make better for them at home."

So, a few of his pokemon would also be free roaming and hunters. Only his more domesticated pokemon, like his Igglybuff, didn't like the more natural stuff when offered.

"Yeah. It was more out of the way, on a more rural part. Unless someone else has moved in, we only had two neighbors at the time. I kind of hope Mrs. Canta is still there; the ran a shrine to... Celebi? I think? Up the hill from my place and she made these amazing little candies." He sighed some at the thought. Those candies were delicious.

Still, as he spoke, while he only picked at the unfezant (it was good, just hard on his stomach), the mashed potatoes and green beans were quickly vanishing off his plate.

---

fun fact: i went back and found/read some of my ancient threads and the celebi shrine was there lmao. that wasn't planned, just a nice coincidence.

"It was a smaller shrine but really nice. It actually caught fire when I still lived in Mossadeep before. It wasn't too big, Arthur and me and another girl actually helped put it out; Mrs. Canta got it fixed back up pretty quick, too." He hummed. "I hope it's still there. It was really pretty." At the mention of visiting, Chu-e cracked a tiny grin. "I bet Canta would like that; the following on Mossadeep wasn't too big. Plus, it would give me a chance to cook you a nice meal."

Yes, this was all working out perfectly. As for the missing drinks, Chu-e honestly hadn't noticed. He shrugged it off and muttered a 'It's cool' between nibbles of the Unfezant skin. When it was offered, he did take a big sip and sigh in contentment.

"Not too much, but probably more than the average Sinnoh-born, Hoenn-transplant." He laughed softly at himself. "My parents were from Johto. They were more devout to Ho-Oh but we did a few things for Celebi." He could remember it fondly, even if it was faint. "'Voice of the Forest', right? My family, we did this thing, um... the 'Rite of Bells', I think? We would get these little clay bells and ring them on the last day of winter and the last day of fall. It was supposed to tell Celebi when winter was beginning and ending, so it could be safe in it's travels or... something." That was one of the more obscure things his family had done. "Does your family do anything like that? Or, just, know what I'm talking about?" He was pretty sure it was different religious contexts but Cait seemed knowledgeable.

Chu-e finished off what food he could as he listened. Cait seemed passionate about this and it was interesting to learn about; he had always had a casual interest in the types of things she talked about. So while he was quiet, he did nod along, ask small probing questions, and otherwise be an open and engaged listener. When she appeared to be finished, that small grin was tugging at his face again.

"It all clearly makes you happy and you take a lot of pride in it. Not a bad thing! In a way I'm kind of jealous." But he laughed and it didn't seem like this jealously would make some ugly monster out of him. "I know what my parents worshiped and all the common Sinnoh myths, but I never had that connection, you know? We only learned stuff about Arceus and the creation trio so we wouldn't stand out or get bullied in school. My parents were devout, but I grew up in a small town so we were the only ones who worshiped Ho-Oh. You could always tell the holidays and traditions, they were a little sad to be away from their larger families."

"Knowing where you came from, having that relationship with your spirituality... it's special." Chuckling softly, he finished off the last dregs of his iced tea. "I know that people here meet the Legends and Gods sometimes, so maybe you can meet Celebi someday?" Oh, if only Chu-e knew.