IC Contact

[offtracks]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, NOBORI.

FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 17.128.903.472

*** NOBORI has joined 17.128.903.472

<NOBORI> Hello! This is Ingo!
<NOBORI> How may I help you?

Other Handles: Wayward [anon]

Comments

[offtracks]

Oh, yes, I know how that is!

[Ingo snorts self-deprecatingly - we all know how he is. He'll hand over a glass of juice, having taken the request rather literally, and peers down at the book as Emmet puts it back in order. That's a lot of pictures!]

What is this? Did our...parents make this to help you communicate at this age, before we learned to sign?

[He's a little doubtful; this book does not look handmade. But it's also a very specific item!]

[i_am_emmet]

[Emmet started to drink some of the juice, then he put it down and handed Ingo the book so he could look at it.]

Nope, the person who worked with me then made it. They didn't think I would have the motor skills to sign for a while. Everyone was quite pleased when I caught up there.

[offtracks]

Like a tutor?

[Ingo flips through the book, scanning through the pictures. They all do seem suited for a young child to communicate needs, wants, or feelings! He doesn’t spend a great deal of time with children quite that young...but he supposes it woukd take them a little while to learn to sign intelligibly.]

Bravo, it seems quite useful!

[i_am_emmet]

It was, I would get frustrated because I would need something, and Mom and Dad would get frustrated because they couldn't figure things out and I would get more upset because it should be obvious what I needed.

[offtracks]

[Ingo hums thoughtfully. He's a little surprised that it sounds like he couldn't translate...but he was also very small then. And, he supposes, Emmet usually signs now when he is not up to speech. He's not sure how good he'd be at reading him without that!]

It is lucky that they were able to hire a tutor, then! We do not have anyone like that in Hisui, really...no teachers who are not responsible for teaching all of the children together. But older Clan members would help if needed! Things were more...collective, there.

[i_am_emmet]

Yup, she was verrrry good. Our insurance covered her working with me and she figured out things really quickly with us.

[Then it hits Emmet. Ingo must be thinking she was like...a general education teacher?]

She was less of a tutor and more of a...therapist?

[offtracks]

Why on earth would you need a therapist?

[Ingo is only really familiar with the concept of a therapist from people saying things like "everyone in Ryslig needs a therapist to help them with the constant horrific trauma." So obviously he's immediately alarmed that Emmet had one as a small child!]

[i_am_emmet]

Because she knew how to get me to respond to my name and things.

[It is just now hitting Emmet how much 'I remember nothing but my name' means]

And she figured out you weren't just mimicking my play.

[The way he says this has a bit of a tone of 'This was important!']

[offtracks]

...I'm sorry, I don't -

[Ingo glitches again, this time turning into a Sneasel-manticore much closer to Emmet’s current height! He sighs - he's been plainly disappointed every time he returns to a monster form - but goes on. This sounded important to Emmet?]

I don't know what you mean.

[i_am_emmet]

[Emmet reaches for the feather. He frowns a little.]

Have you ever noticed, things that seem to be normal to us don't seem normal to other people-including Gladion?

[Emmet wasn't sure how to approach this!]

Like how it is verrry fun to talk about Joltiks or trains and it seems like we hardly mentioned it because there is so much to it but people say it's too much? Even though its really cool and fun and interesting and you want them to know about it to have fun too?

[offtracks]

[Ingo’s feathered ear twitches reflexively, but he doesn't move his head away.]

Ah...well, yes, I know I can be long-winded. You are not! Though I do not mind if you want to talk more about Joltik!

[i_am_emmet]

You're not long-winded.

[Emmet was trying to find the words. It was like describing Pokemon to someone who has never seen one, how to explain the color red to someone, you just point and say red.]

[He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment.]

Long-winded means you just want to hear yourself talk or you think someone is dumb and have to explain it. Not trying to share everything fun. A lot of people don't get that. You and I are wired differently than most people, yup.

[offtracks]

I suppose? I've never thought of it like that.

[Ingo knows he can be irritating, but Emmet's right - he never does it for those reasons!]

[i_am_emmet]

Have you watched children play with toys, and ever go- it would be nice to make them into a nice long line, neat and straight, like a track? Everything may be crazy with children screaming, or throwing things, but you got that line and it is nice to look at.

[offtracks]

Oh, yes! I do enjoy making things organized!

[He has no idea where we're going with this, but whatever! Talking with Emmet is fun!]

[i_am_emmet]

Lining things up is verrry nice. But- it isn't what most people would consider normal for children. You and I were like that, finding fun sounds to mimic, or finding it stressful if you stared into someone's eyes so you learn to stare at the tip of their nose or their cheek so they know you're paying attention.

[A sigh.]

Not what most people would consider normal or correct, but Mom and Dad didn't mind, they worked with me and eventually you when it was discovered. Because we are normal and correct for us.

[offtracks]

Irida says that I should stare into people's eyes less. I have been working on that! It is easier if you time it out!

[Ingo, the entire time he is speaking to you: 👁👁]

But ah... [Ingo is sort of worried about what to say here, actually!] Do you mean that...well, I do not like to bring it up again. But when we had that fight as children, or rather when I shouted at you, I do recall...well, the concept of "normal" came up rather a lot that day...

[Was that because they weren't normal?]

[i_am_emmet]

[While Emmet avoids eyes and thus why he mentioned it.]

Yupyup, because you tried really hard to act like everyone else, you always have. Even though it is uncomfortable. It's exhausting.

[Emmet wonders for a moment...]

Waaaaay back when, I know people used to think children like me to a greater extent than you- were actually not human. That a Pokemon like a Zoroark would come in and steal the real child and leave one of its own in its place.

[Even more reason why Emmet hated being called a Zorua when a child! It was disgusting and cruel.]

Eventually, people got smart and realized that wasn't it at all. They have a condition called 'Autism' and it is a verry wide spectrum. But most people don't think it is normal.

[offtracks]

Emmet...

[Ingo moves towards him automatically at the Zoroark talk, but hesitates. He isn’t sure what to do; this body is too unfamiliar. He ends up doing nothing.]

So...you are saying we both share a condition. [Is that. Bad. It sounds bad.]

[i_am_emmet]

[Emmet looks down at the book and pulls up one of the pictures, enjoying the ripping sound of the velcro.]

You were always worried about the stigma around it. Even though there is nothing wrong. Mom and Dad always thought you were mimicking my play, trying to show me how to talk, if you see someone with a broken leg, you think the person with the sprained ankle is okay.

[offtracks]

...are you okay?

[It's making Ingo a little uncomfortable - something about the apparent difference between them. They've always been different, in that they are different people, but this feels...well. Not like that.]

[i_am_emmet]

I've always been okay. It has been everyone else that isn't.

[Emmet sighs a little.]

From Mom and Dad expecting different things, you always fighting to be what everyone expects you to be, friends not taking the time to understand even if they accept it, to people who don't even try because it doesn't fit in a nice line.

[offtracks]

[Ingo makes a short uneasy noise before leaning forward to butt his head into Emmet’s chest. Cat brain is the only one with any kind of idea how to physically express itself occasionally. He's still not sure he entirely understands, but:]

I'm sorry.

[i_am_emmet]

[Emmet leans into it, wrapping his arms around his brother.]

Not you're fault. I worry a lot about you. It is tiring to try and be like everyone else. I never understood why you wanted to do it.

[offtracks]

[Prompted by the hug, he puts his little Sneasel arms around Emmet in turn.]

...I do not know what to say. I suppose I remember a fraction of what I thought when I was young, now, but I should like to think that is not representative of how I felt before the wormhole!

[As to how he feels now? Ingo isn't sure. This is a lot of new information!]

I have not...well, I suppose I have tried to be polite, since. In not speaking over people and the like! But I am not sure I know what you mean exactly. [.....] I...do recall trying to practice smiling properly. When we were young.

[Which at this point almost invariably means "when we were thirteen and I was an asshole."]