020; [action for Goldenrod/Route 34]

[keychained]

[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.]

Comments

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

Thalassa shells? Are they for good luck or something?

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

Yeah-- you make charms out of them. They're supposed to help protect sailors so they have a safe journey and can make it back home one day.

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Johto's got those... not that you'd be able to tell, with all the snow still.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

Even if Johto doesn't, we could always improvise! Or maybe they use something else for good luck.

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

-- Oh hey, I think I've got something!

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

Really? What is it?

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ Rise opens her bag, digging through the contents until she draws out a bracelet. It's nothing too simple, just two intertwining bands of black and gold, but she offers it to him with a pleased smile. ]

Here.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

[he takes the bracelet, turning it over in his hands as he inspects it. neat!]

Is this a good luck charm where you're from?

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

Nope. [ she says cheerfully. ] But I wore this for my first performance here, and that's when I met you, so I'm pretty sure it's packed with luck.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

[... Sora smiles, and draws it over one of his still very slightly frostbitten hands.]

I'll wear it every day, then.

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

... [ pfffft ] I don't think your luck's that bad!

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

I'm being extra cautious!

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

It'll be okay, Sora. You got through this in one piece, after all.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

Well... That was more 'cause I have good friends than it was luck.

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

And you're a trooper.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

And hardcore, right?

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

Definitely hardcore.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

Yeah! I bet I'm even more hardcore than Heather now!

[flexes RAWR I AM STRONG.]

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

And you didn't even need any scars. Girls like the hardcore ones, you know.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

Wait, so girls like scars?

[processing, processing...]

... How come Leon doesn't have girls hanging off of him, then?

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

Not all girls. And that's probably because he glares way too much for his own good.

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly! I've been trying to get him to smile really big ever since he got here.

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

... No go?

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[newhero.livejournal.com]

-- His new puppy got a huge smile out of him, so I guess that's enough of a victory. I'll take anything I can get.

M'gonna work on getting Lightning to smile really big next.

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[restardom.livejournal.com]

Good luck on that one. I've gotten her to smile, but they're always small ones.