023 [Video/Action for Ecruteak] {backdated to early evening}

[soggypastry]

[Hello, Johto; it's thankfully later than the last time this feed came on, but much noisier. The hustle and bustle of a Pokémon Center is pretty recognizable, as is Lightning's face as she prepares to speak; someone's got a phone call to make, only...there's a problem.]

"Excuse me. Miss Lightning Farron?"

Yeah. What is it?

"This arrived for you

Comments

[Video]

[tiercelet]

[Oh, Lightning...]

Are you going to be all right?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

[Second verse, same as the first, eh Merlin?]

Yeah. Not much else I can be. He's with his father again now.

[With the rest of their family. Safe. Hopefully, anyway.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

[He was in the same boat a while ago--he knows how this feels.]

Even if you know that, it doesn't make it hurt any less. [Hesitates.] I know we haven't talked much, but...d'you need someone to...you know... keep you company?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

No...no, it doesn't. Don't think it ever will. [Sigh, then a startled pause. It takes a bit, but slowly, a faint smile makes an appearance, and she shakes her head. Maybe they should talk more, but for now...]

I have someone with me, but...thanks, Merlin. For offering.

[Video]

[tiercelet]

All right. Let me know if you need anything.

Do you know if the rest of his pokemon have gone to friends?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

[A nod, then she takes a deep breath. Getting down to business will help. Always did before.]

I haven't heard anything about them. The nurses wouldn't tell me when I asked, either.

[If they knew, anyway. She'll be keeping an eye out for that team of Hope's...gotta be around somewhere.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

They might not know. I asked them when Arthur disappeared [both times.] but they had no idea where the rest of his team could be.

You know...they might have just....gone. [He hates saying it, but it’s true. That seems to be the case with most of the missing trainers.]

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Doesn't surprise me. Sometimes I wonder if they know anymore about what's going one than we do.

[And she wouldn't be surprised if they didn't, really.]

I know. They probably are. [Still...she hasn't given up all hope even if them being gone is probably the only outcome.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

It’s strange, isn’t it? The Professor, the Nurses, the Police, and the other people here...they don’t seem to care what happened to any of us.

[Sigh.] I’ll help you ask around. Which ones are you looking for?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

I don't think they can afford to. With some many of us coming and going all the time, getting attached would just cause them more trouble.

[A sigh of her own; it's not good, that's for sure.]

Every one of his team besides his Blastoise. I couldn't find any more of them.

[Video]

[tiercelet]

They don't need to...get attached. It's their duty to give help to anyone who needs it.

[Deflates, all the irritation suddenly draining out.] Sorry. You're the one who's lost someone, and I'm just letting my mouth run on.

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Duty means different things to different people. Would you help someone if you thought they might destroy your world?

[Headshake. She gets it.] I wasn't Hope's only friend, Merlin. Don't worry about it.

[Video]

[tiercelet]

Destroying...you think that's how they see us?

[Not exactly a vote of confidence. The Nurses, at least, had seemed so nice. Surely they wouldn't think that way?]

[Video]

[soggypastry]

They might. There have been fires in the Gyms that are started because of our teams, and they're always patching us up after fights. It wouldn't take much to start thinking we're the problem here.

[Maybe not, but Lightning has her suspicions. The Nurses are nice, sure, but that's the extent of what good she's seen.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

...I guess you have a point. [His shoulders hunch slightly.] It isn't like we chose to be brought here. Surely they can understand that?

[He pauses, looking torn for a second.]

[Video]

[soggypastry]

If they did, they don't anymore. Sometimes I get the feeling we've outstayed our welcome in their eyes.

[sigh. wouldn't be the first time she's thought of that.]