keychained | 020; [action for Goldenrod/Route 34]

[if one is brave enough to venture outside in the cold and snow and ice and onto Route 34 today, he or she may notice a feral child just outside the entrance to Goldenrod-- Johto's very own Mowgli is sitting cross-legged off to the side, hunched over with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. surprisingly enough, snow is pretty chilly when one lacks a winter coat.]

[it's not out of not owning one, however; Sora's coat is actually laid out on the ground in front of him. no... wait, it's haphazardly draped across about the top third of a Dratini, who is curled up with his head resting on Trainer's lap. the coat isn't much, but it's all Sora's got.]

C'mon... We're maybe ten minutes away from the Center. You can do it! We've made it this far together, right?

[a pitiful whine from the Dratini. Sora's momentarily defeated expression is obscured by his hair, and by the fact that he's staring down at the ground. though it's probably equally pitiful, that defeat hardens into steel determination-- he and Pokémon hadn't trudged around out in who-knows-where for two weeks, and finally back onto the route to wind up freezing to death now.]

All right. [his voice is unsteady, but warm.] I think you've pulled more than your own weight lately... I'll keep going for the both of us. Okay? Hold still; I'll carry you.

[... how Sora intends to pick up and carry what is essentially a 6-foot giant worm is questionable, but dangit, he's going to try-- once he picks himself up and actually gets going, anyway. good thing Dratinis are on the light side for their length.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ You and Kay, what is he going to do with the two of you... ]

Where have you been, Sora?

[roll them up in bubble wrap! it's both practical and entertaining.]

I don't even know, Leon...

[ He just might. ]

How do you not--forget it. [ A slight exhale. ] You're not frostbitten, are you?

[this expression is the Sora equivalent of a scolded puppy. it's true that he doesn't know where exactly in Johto he'd been, just that it wasn't too far from Goldenrod-- he was able to walk back, after all. he's just embarrassed, and a little ashamed of himself.]

It's not bad. M'sorry, Leon.

[ Leon gives the kid a sour look. You're all deliberately trying to give him gray hairs, aren't you? ]

Everyone was looking for you. What happened?

[your hair is too natural looking to be a Squenix boy, Leon; we're only trying to help! Sora just deflates even more at that sour look.]

I didn't mean to-- He caught me off guard! And then I tried to use Dartanian but you know how helpful he is, Leon, and-- [and it might help if you started making more sense, Sora.]

Sora--stop.

Who's 'he'? [ He has an inkling he knows who it is, though. ]

[pretty much this icon forever, very tall big brother figure.]

Vanitas.

[ Leon's mouth smoothes into a very thin line. This must have something to do with Ventus' last post. Treading on thin ice here, Sora. ]

What happened.

[ Translation: Again. From the top. ]

[hitting the private filter on his 'gear right quick. hope you're ready to speed listen, Leon, because Sora's about to start chattering a mile a minute. this is probably pretty similar to how Sora explained everything that happened in Hollow Bastion right after they escaped back to Traverse Town.]

I was just minding my own business by the radio tower when all the sudden Vanitas popped up out of no where-- and I was in the middle of calling Ven but then he got a right hook in so I figured if Dartanian hates me, he'd really hate Vanitas--

-- But Dartanian really liked Vanitas. And as it turns out Vanitas is really good at throwing people.

[ Near the radio tower? Leon works there, he knows where it is and what that means. Leon breathes in, because--little secret--he doesn't know how to swim, and even though he knows that Sora knows, he has an idea of what happened and it just fills him with dread. ]

You went over the railing, didn't you?

Yeah. If it hadn't been for my Dratini... [and he glances away from the pokégear, presumably in the direction of where Nurse Joy is currently taking care of said Dratini. he's smiling a little, though. Sora owes that dragon his life.]

What about your other pokemon?

[he tilts this head thoughtfully at the question, trying to remember.]

Puddles was with Whitney's Girafarig... I had my Eevee and Dratini with me 'cause Eevee needs to get used to other people and I wanted to start training my Dratini. I think I had Teddy in his ball with me.

The rest were either at the hotel or resting in the Center.

020; [action for Goldenrod/Route 34]

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