Ichiro the Baltoy - quest 2: A date
Ichiro tilts their body as they read through the requests the Guild has received… but internally, they're scratching their head in confusion. They eventually accept one of them and try to make some sense out of what it says, but that's only because they want to
try helping out more than anything. If they fail, they can at least say they gave it a
spin.
Some concepts that are mentioned in the requests completely escape them. And of course they do, Ichiro is a Baltoy. Their origin is still kind of a myth, they're a
rare breed of Pokémon, they're genderless too. But loneliness… is relatable. If anything, it's amplified by those traits.
And so, armed with the best intentions, Ichiro is able to comfort Bidoof for a while. They talk a bit about how their life is going, about the jobs they usually deal with - turns out Bidoof is a fledgling construction worker, and is very passionate about his job - and… seeing a little spark coming back on Bidoof's eyes feels nice. Considering that Ichiro is not a good talker and is essentially interviewing Bidoof, going by the very logical approach of 'as long as I keep talking he'll feel less lonely', it's almost a miracle that it's working. It's a miracle that is soon dispelled though.
It turns out most of the houses that Bidoof helps with building end up in possession of… couples, spouses, lovers… which is definitely a few steps above what Baltoy is being for Bidoof. As he keeps talking and putting himself out there, Ichiro dreads the moment when they'll have reached their limit of understanding. But… what Bidoof is trying to get across does sound nice…
When Bidoof finally gets to the point and mentions the word 'date', the Baltoy ends up replying in a way they didn't think would be possible for them. "You got me, right? I can try being your… date." They say, still not realizing what that means.
Bidoof still seems happy to hear that answer though. It's a little boost of confidence. They find themselves walking together through Pokémon Square, finally looking at the
other couples with different eyes.
Eventually Bidoof makes a move. He walks up to a flower shop and gets a small bouquet for Ichiro, which he delivers happily to the Baltoy before snuggling up against them. But Ichiro's reaction is lukewarm. This is already a problem - Ichiro saves themselves with a quick "Oh, thanks…" but it's clear that Bidoof is looking for something a bit different from a partner. Eventually they have to sort it out.
"I'm sorry for before, these flowers are objectively very nice. That is a nice selection of different species too!"
"Well thanks, I appreciate it… they really are, and I love…" Bidoof replies, seemingly thinking about something much more complex.
"So let me ask, did it feel… nice buying those flowers for someone? That's an important part of your date, isn't it?"
"Uh… I think so but, there's got to be more to it. Like… a date is more than exchanging gifts, isn't it?"
"I wouldn't know."
"I think it's more about feelings anyways. All the couples we passed, they were just… happy to be together without the need to do anything special about it, weren't they? But I keep failing at getting there… what do they have that I don't have?"
"Uhhh…"
Keep calm Ichiro! "Ok, noted. So you need to… just… sorry, not sure how to say it."
"Me neither…"
"Understandable."
Not much time passes and the two Pokémon are already waving each other goodbye, with Baltoy still carrying some flowers along. Or rather, making them levitate past them as they float away. They sure have a lot of things to consider here - because even if they were able to sort of deal with Bidoof's loneliness, they sure couldn't do much to sort out his unintelligible, bigger problem. Dates… are complicated.
Eventually though, Ichiro happens to spin past the flower shop where Bidoof bought them flowers. And he's still in the vicinity - close enough to be sensed by their Psychic powers - which means… maybe not all is lost.
"Pst… Drilbur…" they eventually make a move, inching closer to one of the Pokémon that's working near that stall. The small Ground-type is working on some flower pots, making sure there's enough topsoil for each plant. "There's… a Pokémon that likes you around here. He wanted to give you these, but he's still a bit shy."
The look on the small Drilbur opens up Ichiro's eyes. Figuratively. She's sort of blushing, trembling slightly, definitely wondering who's behind the nice gesture. Baltoy tilts their body in the right direction and bounces away… "happy to help".
