001; [video]

[keychained]

[When the video feed first clicks on, there isn't much in the way of visuals except blackness, interspersed with the occasional flash of dull light. The sounds are much more fascinating than the sights, as it were: something is snuffling at the pokégear, and after a moment there's a series of sharp thunks, as if someone were rapping against the microphone. Something is trying to eat it.]

-- Hey! Knock it off! Look, there's food in the bag if you're hungry..

[The feed swings around wildly as Sora snatches away and tries to wipe the pokégear off on his jumpsuit, then stops abruptly as he turns it over in his hand and stares straight into the camera, his expression bewildered. This thing looks more high-tech than the lifts in Hollow Bastion.]

Okay, I'm.. not really sure what I was expecting, but the everlasting Darkness is weird.

Comments

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Possessed me? What are you talking about, Sora?

[...This is just bewildering. Extremely bewildering.]

Besides, Kairi's here, too.

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

[the bewilderment is mutual there, buddy. why are both of his best friends lost to the Darkness? this was supposed to all work out in the end.]

What? But I released her heart! I saw it- she can't be stuck here, too..

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

[Augh. So he's still from the future? Is that it?

Give him a second to respond. He crosses his arms and lets out a faint groan. How to approach this...?]

What was that you said about darkness?

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

[by only a few months, if that makes Riku feel any better.]

Uh.. Well, isn't that where we are? The darkness?

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

No, it's called Johto. Pretty sure if it was 'darkness' there wouldn't be any stars, Sora.

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

Wait, wait.. I just went to an entirely different world? With-

[right on cue, the Girafarig sticks its head directly in the line of the camera's sight, snuffling.]

Hey! Puddles, quit it!

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

["Puddles"? Is he serious?

...Okay yeah, he's laughing.]

Puddles, huh?

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

Yes, Puddles. He looks like a Puddles! You see it, right?

[he guides the pokégear away from Puddles, though he seems intent on standing as close to Sora as possible and generally being in the way.]

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Not exactly.

[After all, it's a giraffe.

And by the way, there's a creepy, purple hand on Riku's shoulder now.]

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

[Sora was about to defend his naming conventions again, but that hand.]

Uh.. Riku? You might wanna move..

[Video] 1/2

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Now what?

[He glances to the side, and in that time, his Pokegear is SCOOPED out of his hands, and there's a niiiiice close up of this here creepy ghost, who opens his mouth WIDE and lets out a faint cackle.]

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

[And then the ghostie vanishes, letting the PokeGear drop to the ground. Luckily, Riku's got everything back under control now.]

... Should've expected that.

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

[Sora's expression is blank, and his face pale, like he just saw a ghost. ha-ha. Riku didn't hear him scream, either. nope. not at all, what are you talking about?]

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

[...Oh, Sora. Poor Sora.]

Relax. It's just another Pokemon.

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

Another what? That thing tried to eat you!

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Pokemon. Like "Puddles" over there.

[Tsk, tsk. He shakes his head.]

And I doubt he'd try to eat me, anyway. The most he'd do is lick me or mess with my hair.

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

... I thought Puddles was a giraffe. A very unique giraffe.

[well, Puddles is definitely a unique something! he's standing behind Sora, his head over Sora's shoulder and staring at Riku intently.]

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Not all Pokemon look the same. He can still be a giraffe and a Pokemon at the same time. They're basically this world's animals.

[And to demonstrate, Riku pulls out another Pokeball and sends out his Pidgeotto. The video focuses on Highwind in all his prideful glory as he peeks at the Pokegear and then gives an uninterested chirp. After that, Riku shrugs and sends him back inside.]

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

Holy cow! Where did you get that? I bet he could fly you anywhere!

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Heh, maybe. He'd have to practice first, though. I mean, it's not like Highwind's used to carrying people around.

[And, heck. Might as well humor Sora, so out comes his Nidoking, who kinda stumbles and lands on his stomach.

...Yeah, someone's not used to his evolved form yet.]

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

... ... Is that a dinosaur?

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Something like that.

[He shrugs. Meanwhile, Slacker gets up and stumbles over, letting out a grunt. Sora, you shrank. Why so little?]

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

... I want a dinosaur. Riku, where can I get a dinosaur? Where are you, anyway? Can we meet up?

[Video]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

[Here, have another shrug.]

Beats me. He was my first Pokemon, but you might be able to catch one somewhere.

[He's not going to mention that Slacker used to be a bunny...thing. That kinda ruins the effect.]

Anyway, I'm in Violet City. That's about a week and a half's distance from Newbark Town.

[Video]

[newhero.livejournal.com]

... Seriously? Aw, geez..

[but he brightens up considerably- despite being almost two weeks apart, because it's actually Riku, Riku here, and he isn't swallowed by the Darkness. in a bizarre way, everything feels.. normal. his very own giraffe? that just sweetens the deal, normalcy or not.]