oo1; video|action for the rocket base in mahogany!

[useddeathbound]

[ A nondescript ceiling comes into view as the pokégear starts recording, with a nondescript lamp hanging from it. Any Rocket out there is free to recognize this as a standard room for grunts in mahogany town, while a hand fumbles visibly with the 'gear, as if the person in question is reaching for it blindly. Finally a teen comes into view as

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[video]

[usedvolttackle]

[He can't really manage any words. Yes, Mitsuru had told him about the whole time issues here. Yes that meant dead people could be here. But that doesn't mean he's at all prepared for this. So he just touches the screen lightly, dumbfounded.]

[video]

[useddeathbound]

[On the otherhand, Shinji, actually looking for the responses now, looks right back. With the look on Aki's face, he's not really sure what to say either. Any bets for eloquent greetings are definitely off. A long moment of silence.]

...hey.

[It's tentative by his standards. What to say to your best friend you deliberately died on?]

[video]

[usedvolttackle]

...h-hey.

[His eyes are huge, and when he was younger he might have been crying. But not now... and not due to the pure muleheaded stubbornness he'd wrapped around himself for the years after Miki's death. Instead he's a little older, a little tougher then he used to be. After all, crying won't change anything.]

Where are you?

[video]

[useddeathbound]

I... [You seem different-] don't know. Mahogany Town, if that means anything to you. Underground, I think.

You?

[Like it or not, Shinji realizes they have a few things to talk about. But that's not something they would do over some kind of device, it's in person or bust. They grew up together. He owes him that much, at the very least. Probably much, much more. Shinji's usual gruff calm seems only slightly shaken, but the fact that it shows at all already gives him away.]

[video]

[usedvolttackle]

Underground...? [he pulls out the map he got from 'Mom', spreading it out. That's... not a short walk.]

I'll come find you. [A pause as Aki looks around the path he's been camping along.] Not far from New Bark Town. Do you have a map?

[video]

[useddeathbound]

I'll check. [So he leaves his pokégear sitting on the bed for a moment while he rummages through his stuff. Meanwhile, his Togepi manages to waddle over. It hovers over the 'gear for a bit, waving its stubby arms at Akihiko and blinking curiously. "Piii~?" --before Shinji picks it up, places it offscreen to the side, and takes the pokégear again. Weird creature...]

No, I don't. How far off is that?

[video]

[usedvolttackle]

[Aki's own pokemon, a Pichu and a Pidgey, crowd the screen to talk to the egg, ironically all three cooing in various "Piiii"s]

It's not that far off... but I heard you can't get through the direct path from here, so I'll have to go around. It could be weeks.

[video]

[useddeathbound]

Maybe I can find a way out of here. Meet you halfway.

[It's only a suggestion. One sign to tell you he's sorry: He's not talking solely in statements.]

[video]

[usedvolttackle]

[Aki nods, holding up his map for Shinji to see. He points at a city about halfway between the two of them]

Head to Goldenrod, that's where Ken and his friend are too. I'll met you there. [Unlike Shinjiro, Akihiko talks in blunt statements. He doesn't want to argue about this... still he can't help a small smile of recognition: he's used to Shinji's little clues.]

[video]

[useddeathbound]

Wish I knew the scale of that thing.

Alright, will do. ...mh? [He looks off to the side, where Aki can now see a certain Togepi trying and failing miserably to climb on Shinji's lap. At least until Shinji helpfully pushes him up with his free hand. (The pokémon coos gratefully in response.) Anyway. Back in focus properly, lap is out of view again... what was he saying?]

Looks like lots of the others are here too.

Re: [video]

[usedvolttackle]

Yeah, Mitsuru, Fuuka and Yukari are here too, but they're pretty far off.

Heh... so is that egg yours?

[video]

[useddeathbound]

I don't know. It was here with me when I woke up.

...We're not seriously expected to fight with these things, are we?