After suffering a head injury, Jean Kirstein gets trapped in a multiverse time loop. Every day, he wakes up in a new setting from the last, confused by all the elements that are different from the world he's known for the last sixteen years. Technol...
Chapter summary: Eren tells Jean about his connection to Cubone.
A/N: Pokemon cheat sheet part 2:
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Back outside, the blue and green Pokémon are still playing in the grass. Innocent giggles fill the air, turning Jean's heart to mush. It'll take a lot more for him to stop dwelling over Snubbull's condition, but this is a good start.
They roll around like spunky kittens, no awareness for their surroundings. Eren serves as a cushion when their energy overpowers the ability to stop. They tumble right into his shins, their charming laughs never fading. Eren laughs as well while Cubone darts behind him.
"Woah," he says, patting them both on the head, "easy, you two." He looks up at Mikasa and Armin, who make their way over. "What'd you feed them?"
The blue one jumps in Armin's arms and tackles him with a huge hug. Mikasa kneels down and pets the green one.
"These are yours?" Jean asks them.
Mikasa smiles as the green one nuzzles into her touch. "This one is. This is Chikorita."
Chikorita nods. "Chiko!"
"And Mudkip is mine," Armin says.
Mudkip shuts its eyes and sings its name with an open mouthed smile. It holds out a foot to Jean, prompting the cutest high five Jean's had the privilege of experiencing.
"They're adorable," he says.
His happiness is derailed when he notices that Cubone is still hiding behind Eren. He grips Eren's pant leg with both hands, his bone forgotten in the grass.
No one comments on it. Armin and Mikasa segue into discussing which Pokémon Grisha's healed today. Eren's attentive, though he slips a hand behind himself to pat Cubone's head.
If they're all treating Cubone's behavior as normal, then it's not Jean's place to mention it, at least not like this. But there's a story there. If the opportunity presents itself, he may want to learn it. He'll definitely have enough time with Eren today to scratch the surface if he chooses.
"I'm taking Jean to meet some therapy Pokémon," Eren says. "Do you guys want to join?"
"Sure," Mikasa says. Armin follows up with a nod.
For as spacious as the front lawn of Grisha's clinic is, it's five times as expansive behind the building. Pokémon are everywhere. Some run in the open yard. Some sit by or swim in a ceramic fountain larger than any Jean's ever seen. Some simply nap under a healthy sycamore tree. There's even a Pokémon playground.
What stands out to Jean is that no two Pokémon out here are the same. He wonders how many species of Pokémon exist in this universe. Maybe even a hundred.
Armin and Mikasa trail off toward the fountain. Mudkip instantly jumps in and shoots Armin the biggest smile. Mikasa sits on the edge, Chikorita in her lap.
