Caleb noticed Smeargle's gaze and turned to lock eyes with it again...
The Smeargle twitched its mouth, unable to hold back, and blurted out: "You…"
Caleb: "..."
A Smeargle that could speak human language and behaved exactly like a person. He had a rough idea of what was going on.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Nurse Joy glanced between Smeargle and Caleb. Curious, she asked, "Do you two know each other?"
Before they could answer, knocking came from outside.
Nurse Joy quickly stood up to answer the door.
Once she was gone, Smeargle looked at Caleb uncertainly and asked, "Player?"
Caleb: "...Yeah."
Hearing this, Smeargle visibly relaxed. It sized Caleb up and asked, "Your name is Terrence Jones too?"
The word 'too' was very telling.
Caleb met the real Terrence's eyes and nodded silently.
Smeargle looked excited, "What a coincidence! What are the odds, bro? My name's Terrence Jones too!"
Caleb didn't know how to respond.
Just then, Nurse Joy's voice came from behind them: "That's the situation. This child came to the Pokémon Center about an hour ago asking for help. He said his parents are no longer around."
Caleb and Smeargle turned to see Nurse Joy leading Officer Jenny over.
Officer Jenny, dressed in her police uniform, looked at Caleb with a solemn expression and said, "Understood. Leave it to me!"
"Thank you," Nurse Joy said.
Officer Jenny crouched in front of Caleb, meeting his eyes, and spoke softly, "Your name is Terrence Jones, right?"
Caleb nodded silently.
Officer Jenny smiled and ruffled his short hair, "Don't worry, we'll definitely help you find your home. But before that, can you tell me how you got here?"
Hearing this, Smeargle turned its head, curious to hear how this namesake of his would explain himself.
Caleb deliberately put on a slightly scared expression and spun a tale on the spot, "I… I was brought here by some adults."
"Adults?" Officer Jenny's brows furrowed.
Caleb hummed in confirmation and continued without batting an eye, "They put me in a van, tied me up with rope, and one uncle gave me a candy. Then I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was here."
He paused, glancing past Officer Jenny at Nurse Joy, and added, "Before Mommy died, she told me that if I ever got into trouble, I should look for Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center or Officer Jenny at the police station…"
Beside them, Smeargle's eyes widened. It discreetly gave Caleb a thumbs-up.
'Damn, bro! This acting, this ability to lie through your teeth... It would be a waste if you don't become an actor!'
Officer Jenny exchanged a grave look with Nurse Joy.
Child abduction wasn't just an ordinary case...
After a moment of thought, Officer Jenny said to Nurse Joy, "I need to file a report immediately and block all exits from Snowpoint City. With the roads snowed in, those people shouldn't have gotten far yet. I'll leave the child in your care for now!"
"Understood!" Nurse Joy couldn't stay calm in this situation either.
Officer Jenny didn't linger. She turned, mounted her motorcycle, and disappeared into the blizzard.
Nurse Joy looked at Caleb worriedly and comforted him, "Don't worry, we'll help you find your home."
Caleb replied politely, "Thank you, Onee-san."
...
With the snow still falling outside, Caleb and Smeargle had nowhere to go, so they spent the night at the Pokémon Center...
After learning that Caleb was also a player, Terrence stuck to him like glue, even following him to the bathroom.
Nurse Joy smiled at the sight and said, "Looks like this little one really likes you!"
Caleb: "..."
He turned and gave Smeargle a helpless look before pulling it aside to a corner sofa, "Do you really have to follow me everywhere, even the bathroom?"
Terrence, in his Smeargle form, looked aggrieved, "Bro, you can't abandon me! This damn Instance is too much. It locked my inventory! I can't even release any of my Pokémon!"
Caleb: "Really?"
Terrence nodded frantically, his doggy face full of pitiful pleading, "I'm not lying! Help a brother out, this form is so inconvenient! Once this Instance is over, I'll give you anything you want! My items, my TMs... just pick whatever!"
Caleb immediately changed his tune, "Alright, fine. I'll reluctantly take you along."
Terrence wagged his tail excitedly, "Yeah, yeah!"
Caleb glanced at him, then asked, "Can you use Pokémon moves in this form?"
Terrence nodded. Smeargle only knew one move, Sketch, which allowed it to copy any move it had seen.
On his way here, he had witnessed a Mamoswine and an Abomasnow fighting, so he had copied their moves.
Terrence thought for a moment and suggested, "If you think I'm too much trouble, you could just buy a Poké Ball and catch me. Seriously, I won't resist at all!"
Caleb: "...Don't forget, I'm just a three-year-old kid right now."
If Terrence couldn't survive on his own, he could always find some Trainer to freeload off of. But Caleb couldn't... he was still human.
Terrence sighed, "Ugh, what kind of messed-up Instance is this…?"
Then, as if struck by a thought, his expression relaxed slightly.
"At least this stupid Infinite World didn't turn me into a female Machamp!"
Caleb imagined that scenario and decided being a child was still preferable. At least he wouldn't have to worry about being harassed by wild male Machamps...
The two sat on the sofa, staring at each other in silence, until Nurse Joy's gentle voice called from nearby: "Alright, little ones, it's bedtime!"
Caleb hopped off the sofa, his tiny feet pattering in Nurse Joy's oversized slippers as he headed toward the room Chansey had prepared for him.
The two similarly-sized 'kids' walked past Nurse Joy in single file.
The sight was so adorable, that Nurse Joy couldn't resist stopping them, "Do you two want me to read you a bedtime story?"
Caleb and Terrence exchanged glances.
Caleb replied politely, "No need, thank you. I can sleep by myself."
Nurse Joy looked a little disappointed, but she still had night shift duties, so she didn't press further, "Alright then. Sleep well, goodnight!"
"Goodnight." Caleb calmly turned and retreated into the room.
Terrence flopped onto the bed, his paintbrush-like tail wagging in the air as he stared unblinkingly at Caleb.
Caleb, who was in the middle of pulling back the blanket, paused and looked back, "What are you staring at?"
Terrence, ever blunt, replied, "Bro, you're seriously cute like this. Can I pinch your cheeks?"
Caleb: "...No, thank you. Keep looking at me like that, and I'll curse you to spawn as a female Machamp in your next Instance, then get captured by a perverted Trainer."