foolishwren | 89. [Video/Action for travel group]

Current Location: Route 38

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89. [Video/Action for travel group]

_{[A short while after the singing wild Pokemon and egg presents had died down, a rather unfortunate discovery was made upon dialing a number she'd been meaning to dial ever since Claudia Wolf and Kaito Kuroba had disappeared from Johto.]

[Already on the road, the weather's mild enough (even with the wind picking up) that Heather decided that was pretty much a good time to pocket her Valentine's Day present and just head off for a walk. Because lord knows, she needs one.]

[It's not the first time Johto has given everyone the gift of a precious little egg, but it is the first time that Heather's found herself resenting it.]

[The video feed pops on, focused in on a tiny, pale yellow little egg hardly bigger than a chicken's, nestled in the palm of Heather's hand as dry grass goes past underfoot.]}

It would be so easy to just... crush it.

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_{[He's right. Heather may not always be the most honest person, but she'd at least FORCE something for the camera. Normally.]}

... Rise is gone.

[... He may not have known Rise, but the keyword here is "gone". Added Heather's current behavior and it's not hard to guess the two were close...

Crow takes a deep breath, not sure what to say at first. That it'll be fine? Hell no, it won't. That she should be strong and cheer up? Even his hypocrisy has its limits. That he's sorry to hear that? ... The fuck would that change?]

... Where are you now?

_{[That's the rub-- it wouldn't change a damn thing. People have been sympathetic, people have been unsympathetic... and it all adds up to the exact same result. Nothing.]

[It's an odd, rather abrupt question that he asks-- but she answers practically without thinking.]}

... Route 38. On the way to Olivine.

[Makes sense. After all, what else can a bunch of people who are many miles away from her do? Express their sympathy or lack thereof... and that's it. And Crow knows from his fairly recent experience no number of "sorry to hear that" or "feel better soon" can actually make a difference. Not right off the bat, anyway.

But, the duelist has other plans.]

Gotcha.

[He sets the Gear aside, not turning it off just yet. The camera catches an image not unlike what she probably remembers from just two weeks ago -- that is, Crow packing his stuff.]

_{[... okay wait what, no.]}

... Crow. That's-- ... no.

_{[Her voice is, appropriately, a bit of a croak when she says his name.]</sub.}

[Crow stops with his spare shirt still in his hand and looks up at the Gear from above the bag.]

"No" what? You wanna tell me this shirt looks terrible with this vest or what?

Crow, you went your own way for a REASON.

Don't...

[He makes a face and waves his hand impatiently.]

Yeah, so? I got what I came here for, if that's your problem. Can't see any other "reason" keeping me here.

... 'Sides, you're my friend. There ain't any "reasons" that would be more important than that.

... Crow, I'm not very good company right now.

_{[Hell, she feels sorry for her father and Henry right now. Because she doesn't even know how to deal with this kind of thing in the presence of other people. The closest she's ever come to something like this here, she's always been alone for it. ... And despite all previous thought... she's starting to think it might almost be better that way.]}

That's why there's no way I'm leaving you alone.

[Well. "Alone" being a somewhat relative term, since she obviously has Harry and Henry with her, but knowing Heather, she won't go to them to seek support... so the support must seek her. Logical, isn't it?]

And even if you tell me to fuck off and let you be, I'm coming anyway, so don't bother.

_{[... Well, no. She'd go to them. Harry Mason is her father, and the only person she ever had to go to for seventeen years. And now that she has him again, she's been taking almost painstaking care to never, ever grow as distant again as she had spent a few unfortunate years doing back when he was alive.]

[She'd go to them. Him specifically. More readily than ANYONE else at this point.]

[... But that doesn't mean she hasn't grown used to dealing with this... particular issue on her own.]}

... M'not alone.

... I can't stop you, can I?

[Still, Crow figures she could use some company of a person who knows how it feels when all their friends are gone within an instant.

The urge to roll his eyes is strong, but he decides against it. If they really need to argue over semantics...]

Fine. Then I'm not leaving you without someone you can cry and get drunk with.

Nope, not a chance.

_{[... That ALMOST gets a laugh. Said laugh doesn't really make it out of the 'thought' stage, but heh. Crying and getting drunk. Won't Dad be pleased...]}

... Would you even be able to find us?

[Two best things to do when feeling down, really.]

Sure, that won't be a problem.

[He makes a rather long pause, in which he wonders if he should actually bring up the other issue that's been on his mind since watching the feed. Finally, he speaks up again, his voice slow but firm.]

As for the egg... I'm probably the last person who has the right to lecture ya on that kinda thing, but...

Killing someone 'cause you're angry or sad ain't gonna make ya feel better.

... Pretty sure you know that much yourself.

_{[At that, she looks away.]

[He's right, of course... but she's just so angry.]}

[He can tell, but... he really doesn't want her to go the way he once tried to solve his problems.]

... Just. Don't do anything you'd regret later, 'kay?

_{[She thought she'd mostly gotten away from those dark feelings from Back There. But it seemed even with God destroyed and not physically polluting her body with its abominable feelings anymore, that old bloodthirstiness wasn't entirely gone.]

[Maybe it's just a part of her.]}

... I've already done plenty that I regret.

_{[Not that adding to the pile would make it any better...]}

[Crow looks up at the celling thoughtfully, letting out a small sigh.]

"Having regrets makes us humans, but you should not hold onto them forever."

... That's what a friend of mine told me once. I think... she was right.

[Of course, he's done plenty of things he regrets, too. But he's also learned his lesson a hard way -- the past cannot be changed, so he can only move forward.]

No matter how bad the past is, there's always hope for the future.

S'still not much of a motivation not to do something I regret right now.

'S your call, sure, but I'd rather you didn't make yourself feel even more shitty than you already seem to be.

... Trust me when I say that's the only thing you'd gain from it.

Hmrh.

_{[It's a dismissive noise. And with that... she hangs up. RUDE.]

[... But, well, she can't bring herself to really be polite right now. To anybody. Simply removing herself from the conversation is pretty much the best way she can express gratitude at the moment.]}

[Rude or not, Crow finds that behavior completely understandable, given the circumstances. Hell, he'd probably do the same thing in her place.

He watches the dark screen for a moment even after the connection broke, and lets out a small sigh.]

... Hang in there.

[With that (obviously undelivered) comment, he throws the Gear into the bag and leaves the room.]

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89. [Video/Action for travel group]

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