89. [Video/Action for travel group]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[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.]</sub>



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

Comments

[video]

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[Which is part of the reason he looks away. He knows about facades crumbling, has seen it happen several times, and it's never pretty nor pleasant.]

[Heather is strong. Moreover, she knows it. And she doesn't like being the opposite. He gets that, because she's already sacrificed a lot of that image in front of him.]

[Then, there's ... well. He can't really do anything and he doesn't like it. He likes this video thing, it's technology he never thought he'd see, but it can only do so much for comfort. ... but even if he was there, he's not sure he what he would have done.]

[He really never was that good at comforting people. So he remains quiet. He doesn't know what else to say, but ... he's still there if SHE knows.]</sub>

[video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[At this point, attempts at comfort would probably make it worse. Words just can't make something like this better. Neither can hugs, not really. Only time can, and obviously no one can give her that.]

[She can tell he's looking away and she sort of appreciates that, but even THAT'S not much of a comfort.]

[Covering the microphone with one thumb, she turns away from the screen herself and just sort of... takes a few minutes to try and compose herself.]</sub>

[video]

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[He lets her, remains quiet on his end, petting one of his pokémon off-screen. Allows himself the familiar sadness he couldn't help but pick up from his favorite teenager, because it's right there in the silence.]

[The world is a large and interesting place - but unfair, too.]</sub>

[video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[After a time, Heather finally appears back on the screen, the sound returning with a scrape as she uncovers the mic.]

[She's still scrubbing at her eyes with one hand.]</sub>

I don't-- I don't think I can talk right now.

[video]

[tapestodiane]

Okay.

_{[He doesn't look back to the feed immediately.]}

If you need to, you have my number.

[video]

[foolishwren]

Yeah.

I'll... yeah.

_{[She nods a little, mostly to herself.]}

... I'll talk to you later.

_{[And then she cuts the feed.]}