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

[around 4 or so this morning, Sora had been lying in his bed in the pokécenter, awake, not very comfortable, and bored out of his mind. not a whole lot was going on over the network, and Sora didn't want to wake Hope or Rise or Puddles or anybody else nearby. there were, however, two people he had no problem bothering: Riku got a smattering of text messages full of bad puns-- hey, he needed to practice them on someone! right? but shortly after he sent Kairi a text asking if she was awake, and where she was, a new message popped up on his pokégear screen:]

error: this number is no longer in use.

[... and that's when he silently swung his legs over the side of his bed and grabbed a few things-- including his pokémon asleep in their balls and his notebook-- and for the first time this entire week, Sora creeped out of his room and successfully snuck out of the Goldenrod Pokécenter.]

[first things first-- Sora lurched his way over to the closest vending machine and picked up two bottles of soda. he... made an honest effort to chug them, but wound up dumping the contents of the second bottle into a nearby sewer. it wasn't the soda he was interested in, anyway. next, he walked over to the radio tower-- he couldn't really see the ocean over the fence nearby, but he could hear it... seems no matter where you go, the ocean always sounds the same. he sat down, leaning against both the radio tower and a newly hatched Dratini for support, and began writing.]

( ooc cut: letter to Kairi )

[when the video feed clicks on later that morning, the sun's out in full force by the radio tower. the sound cuts in right in the middle of Sora saying something.]

--tini, could you throw this in the ocean for me?

[the Dratini nods, and wraps its tail around the neck of a bottle with a note carefully rolled up inside. with a grunt, it chucks the bottle right over the fence, and both Sora and Pokémon watch as it soars, then plunks right in the ocean. please don't berate them for littering.]

Thanks. I-- [and Sora turns, noticing Bell pointing his gear at him and recording. he still hasn't actually been out and about Goldenrod wearing something other than his pajamas, but he at least thought to put on some shoes and a jacket this time. he steps a little closer, looking down at the 'gear and Bell-- he's smiling genuinely, but there's definitely a tinge of sadness somewhere in there.]

Morning, you guys! I kind of have an odd question. Have you ever been on a date before? I think we're going to set Puddles up with Whitney's Girafarig today.

[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.]

[Sora's taking a break from traveling on Route 30 this morning to train a brand new friend he'd captured a few days ago in the Dark Cave-- the feed turns on, the camera focused up on Sora and a silly old bear, who is currently wobbling on his tiny feet and trying to mimic his trainer's pose.]

Is it on, Dapper? Good! Hey, you guys!

[he waves-- this is becoming the customary pokégear greeting for Sora. the Teddiursa at his feet waves a stubby little arm, too.]

I thought I'd show everyone out there training some warm-ups I learned from a good friend back in Traverse Town. They're called stoutness exercises, and they always helped me loosen up before a long day of fighting! Ready?

[there's an enthusiastic "Weedle!" from somewhere off-camera. oh look, Mr. Crankypants is going to try it, too.]

All you need to do is stretch your arms waaaaaay above your head, hold it there, then bend down and touch your toes, and hold it. Just stretch as high as you can, Dapper, okay? Do that ten times! Up, down, touch the ground!

[they slowly go through the motions of ten reps-- the Teddiursa is trying his darndest, but is having some issues actually touching his toes, and somersaults right onto his back on the last attempt. Sora bends down to help the little guy back on his feet, managing not to laugh.]

Good job, everyone! And now we eat.

[ooc; BONUS VIDEO]

[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.