To be a true hero, kid, is a dying art

[there are a few unusual things about this here transmission: first, Sora's sending out a few text messages. they're... not exactly his first choice for communicating; he prefers being able to see someone's face when he's talking to them. that and he's painfully slow with hunting and pecking on a keyboard. he's got a good reason for going the text route today, though.]

Is everybody okay? I know all kinds of weird stuff's happened, and I want to make sure nobody's hurt.

[-- and unusual thing number two. though Sora is not much of a typist, he does at least try to make his texts grammatically correct. oh screw it, typing with one hand is annoying.]

let me know soon. also if you guys have any empty bottles hang on to them. or give them to me and i'll hold them for you. ive got an idea

if you find my stuff please be careful with dartanian_

[shortly after mashing the "send" button, Sora tosses his 'gear in front of him on the bed and sighs. tries to sigh. Bell waddles over to to where the 'gear hit the covers and turns it over and over with her tiny arm stubs, prii'ing happily to herself. feel free to make a video call, though you may be chatting with a Togepi at first.]

[if you happen to enter the pokécenter in Goldenrod, you might hear Sora arguing feebly with a nurse and basically being the worst patient ever.]

[if there's one thing Sora here is really good at, it's comfort-- whether it be an enthusiastic pep talk, or telling a silly joke or making a silly face to get a laugh out of whoever needs it, Sora can and does deliver! he's usually pretty successful at getting a smile, at least, though he's better at comforting when he has an experience of his own that he can relate to whatever's happening with a friend.]

[and... he's been trying his best with his friends this week. today, however, Sora will be marching into completely uncharted territory experience-wise when he turns on the feed-- it's so unfamiliar, in fact, that he doesn't even recognize it.]

... There's something wrong with Puddles.

[at least, he wouldn't be able to recognize it on a Pokémon. the feed turns to show the edge of Cherrygrove and Route 30, where the aforementioned Girafarig is standing. just standing there. and staring off down Route 30 longingly. maybe he missed a patch of grass on the way down here?]

I tried taking him to the Pokécenter, and they looked at him... Then Nurse Joy just kinda laughed and told me he's fine. But he's not! Ever since we got here, he's just been standing right there in the same spot like a zombie. Puddles! C'mere!

[Puddles bleats in acknowledgment, but does not move, nor does he refrain from staring off down Route 30 like there's a special Girafarigs-only treasure down that road or something. Sora sighs.]

I don't get it.

[instead of his usual video posts, Sora's turned on only audio this afternoon on account of his hands are full-- the 'gear must be attached to his belt or something, because his voice sounds kind of far off, and almost drowned out by the sound of him shifting around a huge box filled with bottles and trinkets and who knows what else in his arms. as far away and soft as his voice is, he sounds positively ecstatic.]

You guys should see everything I just got at the mart! It's all kinds of good stuff! These are gonna make make fantastic prizes for games and whatever else on Monday. If you're running a booth or something, lemme know and I'll--

[gosh, it's a good thing he wasn't saying anything important, because he's suddenly interrupted by a deafening roar that sounds like it's only a few feet away from the pokégear.]

What the--

[crunch. there's the sound of kid yelling and Pokémon blaring its vocal chords, followed by two large thuds and the tinkle of shattering glass.]

[whatever hit him must have knocked the 'gear off his belt, because the video feed suddenly flicks on to show its view from the grass. he's sprawled out on the ground, the box and its contents broken and scattered all around, and Sora has suddenly found himself nose-to-nose with an enraged Pokémon, plumes of flames billowing in his jaws. someone is not pleased to have lost his original trainer, and is even less pleased to have been unwillingly passed off to this new trainer.]

[happen to be in Violet? it's not too late to fetch the marshmallows! watching the video feed? grab some popcorn and enjoy the impending boss battle-- luckily, Sora has some experience with dragons. sort of.]

[look out, Violet City Pokécenter, because not only has Sora's shift filing papers and such ended, but it's Friday-- pay day! he has amassed more pokédollars in three days than he's ever had in his entire life, and he is positively psyched about his new-found riches. pokémon and random town citizens alike scatter when he bursts through the door, his fist that's clutching the envelope pumped in the air triumphantly-- sorry if you happened to be on your way in; he might have just mowed you down in all of his victory.]

Ohhhh yeah! Who wants dinner?

[he's met with a loud chorus from his pokémon-- particularly the tiny little Togepi holding the pokégear. when Sora notices the feed's running, he bends down to look at it, grinning. hello, network!]

Hey, can I ask you guys something?

[ooc; Sora has lame victory poses. :V]

[well, this all started out innocently enough. after Dapper evolved into a Kakuna following a spectacular Caterpie smashing last week, both Sora and bug have been very eager to see how he turns out as a Beedrill-- so the past five days have been pretty constant training, stoutness exercises included! and now, after having finally gained a few quick levels, tada!! Sora is the proud new trainer of a very large and feisty Beedrill! and Dapper couldn't be happier; now he's finally able to carry out his one big, life-long wish.]

Dapper! Get back here!

[unfortunately, that life-long wish is doorbell ditching. it's the Teddiursa who's turned on the pokégear this time-- the feed displays the larger half of Cherrygrove, and a Beedrill gleefully fluttering to the closest residence, smashing the doorbell repeatedly with his stinger, then shooting up in the air to hover just above the doorway. poor Sora is not far behind, pokéball in an outstretched hand and his expression quite kicked puppy when he's suddenly left to deal with the residents answering the door.]

Hey, kid! Didn't anybody ever tell you you're supposed to hide after ringing the doorbell?

[Sora just barely manages an apology before he has to chase after Dapper again-- the Beedrill is even going into the Pokémart and center, ringing the bells at the front desks, then zooming off for his next victim. those listening to the feed can hear the Teddiursa laughing, despite himself.]

[it's been a rather eventful weekend, to say the least-- although in Sora's case, it was more eventless, because with the exception of one small time frame, he spent the entire weekend completely alone. dark houses, complete silence, no people, no pokémon, no functioning pokégear... nobody.]

[needless to say, now that Sora's caught up on his sleep, he's a little more than eager to see his friends, whether they're with him in Violet City, or spread out across the network. he turns the feed on, smiling and waving at the screen enthusiastically.]

Hey, guys! I was wondering, does anybody know if they have any festivals in Johto? If not, we should make one up! Or at least have a Johto-wide party or something, especially after this weekend.

[he runs his hand through his hair.]

Hey, Roxas? If you see this, I wanna talk to you.

[behold, Johto network: a Weedle! half of a Weedle's face, anyway; it's nested comfortably against the pokégear and is clearly not interested in its goofy-looking new Trainer trying to get it back in its pokéball. Sora's hand is visible every so often as he tries to pry the Weedle off of his pokégear, but that bug ain't budgin'- it even takes a few shots at Sora's hand with its stinger every so often, yelling out a "Weedle!" in warning. every attempt to plain recall the Weedle results in what Sora would consider some pretty impressive dodging for a giant stinging worm, if said giant stinging worm wasn't trying to dodge him. the pokégear is Weedle's territory now, buddy, best find yourself a new one.]

Oh, come on!

[completely cowed by a bug, fantastic! at least Riku isn't around to see this.. if one happens to be around Route 30/31, they'll probably see Sora scooting toward his pokégear on all fours, pokéball held out for a surprise attack. he got the bug in the ball once, he's going to do it again, gosh darnit.]

[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.

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