115. [Text/Action for Mahogany]

[foolishwren]

[TEXT-- PUBLIC]

General announcement here


I don't really know what kinds of contacts Dad kept here but for anyone who knew him, Harry Mason is gone. His stuff was mostly left to me and one other person so I guess that's really all there is to say about it.

Later.

-Heather


[ACTION-- MAHOGANY TOWN]



<sub>[Heather's always mostly let her Pokemon run free-- or at least the more reliable ones-- when the gang is bunkered down at a hotel somewhere. After all, not everybody gets to come along when they're between cities, so time spent outside of the box by default takes place mostly within walking distance of a Pokemon Center.]

[Today there can be a small cluster of Pokemon seen by the entrance of the Mahogany Inn. A Manectric, unusually subdued for anyone who knows her, gently licking the head of a Pikachu. The electric mouse has a slightly crumpled sheet of paper in her paws, and behind her, a Noctowl shelters a small, rotund Hoothoot with one wing while peering over the Pikachu's shoulder.]

[While it's little more than coos and soft canine whuffles to most ears, any Pokemon or person with a sensitive ear can probably pick up the quiet muttering coming from the group.]</sub>

It's okay, Hazel. My trainer went away too but New Trainer always takes good care of me. She even shares her lunches.

I-I know...

Just think though, now we can play all the time. I know we're sad, but that will be fun, right?

Now is not the time to be talking about playing, Tricia. Have some tact.


Okay, okay...


W-... where is Mr. Trainer's daughter, a-anyway? She just left after seeing the letter...

Up on the roof. Sunny is with her, so she will be fine... Probably. Come, we should go collect the others. She... will come down when she's ready.






[Tricia the Manectric, Hazel the Pikachu, Claudy the Noctowl]

Comments

[Action]

[no_ufo_ending]

<sub>[The sun was almost down when the sound of some ungainly scrabbling came from behind Owl Blanket and Heather. It's been a while since Henry has climbed anything but once he's topside he stork-walks along the roof and lowers himself down a few respective feet away from her.]

[He isn't taking any pains to hide the fact that his eyes are a little red.]</sub>

I'm gonna order some take-out for us later.

[Action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She hears him clambering onto the roof behind her, but doesn't look at him. Not because she's ignoring him. But her eyes feel glued to the horizon-- like they're just to tired to move anywhere else.]

[She's not hungry. Or at least, her brain doesn't think she's hungry. It's hard to feel hungry right now.]

[But even taking themselves out of the equation... there's a lot of Pokemon to feed. And Harry wouldn't have wanted either of them to sit there and starve because they were too broken-up to pick up a phone and order some food.]

[So she nods after a moment.]</sub>

N'kay.

_{[Her voice is dull.]}

[no_ufo_ending]

<sub>[Henry settles with his knees around his ears and fumbles with one of his shoelaces. He's not great with people--he never has been. But all those years of college socializing couldn't hold a holy candle to what Johto has done for him. This was the family--the puzzle that lopsided Henry fit in perfectly.]

[And he knows there isn't anything he could say that she hasn't heard before. He steals a glance at her hands, well aware of the faint scars that peppered her knuckles.]</sub>

There's a place on...the other side of town that does soup in a styrofoam cup that stays hot. It's pretty good.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Well, one reassuring thing about all this was that the scars had remained scars. There was no blood or bruises on her knuckles this time around... like there had been last time.]

[Once Henry's good and steady and not about to fall off the roof, Sunny slowly waddles over to sit between them, a few feet back. She is a good momma and knows when to give some space, but just in case anyone needs an Owl Hug (tm)... well, she's nearby.]

[Heather just nods, a little bit absently.]

[She's silent until it belatedly occurs to her that... hey, maybe she should actually give that one a verbal reply. Lifting a hand to swipe across her nose, she mumbles.]</sub>

... Yeah... I'm... not too hungry. But soup's okay. I guess.

text;

[ossifragant]

Are you going to be all right?

[Wait, no that's a stupid question.]

We don't know each other that well, but if you want to talk about it...

Just let me know I guess.

text;

[foolishwren]

i'm always all right eventually

<sub>[She'd typed like An Adult (tm) for the announcement, but now she just can't muster the effort to use punctuation, so it's back to typing like a middle-schooler on Neopets.]

[She's just so tired.]</sub>

but i guess in case you couldn't figure it out from the text harry mason is my dad

and i'll probably never see him again

text;

[ossifragant]

Yeah, I figured that out.

I know what it's like to lose important people and know they won't come back. I know that isn't much in the way of comfort, but I do understand.

text;

[foolishwren]

yeah i believe you

most people experience loss at some point

honestly i was lucky to be able to see him again at all


back home he's dead

[ text ]

[imthe_shit]

[ Snake felt a pang of guilt in his heart; he couldn't have known Harry would leave again, but knowing that Heather was without her father again... The kid had friends in Mahogany, but it wasn't the same. ]

Hey, kid.

You ever want to talk, you let me know. I'll make time for you.

[ The old soldier paused in his texting, thinking about what to write. She probably didn't want to hear any apologies, or questions on her well-being... No one was okay after something like this.

When Big Mama had died in his arms, Snake wasn't okay. Though Harry left, after what Heather had told Snake, it was the same as dying. ]

You just make the call, whenever you're ready.

[ text ]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Yeah, at this point, apologies... don't do anything. With previous losses, there was always something to be angry at-- whether it was Johto, the people who left, or even herself.]

[This time there's nothing. His presence had been a blessing Johto didn't have to give in the first place, and she'd had him for a good three years.]

[The absence of someone to blame doesn't make it any easier.]</sub>


hey snake

i won't lie my eyes are all puffy and swollen and i look like shit and i'm not fit to talk out loud




but we can still talk if you're okay with texting

you dont deserve to look at my gross been-crying-for-hours face, nobody does

that shit is literally considered a cruel and unusual punishment

you can look it up

it's there

<sub>[She's trying to be funny. Not because her heart's in it, but because she knows Snake feels guilty about leaving her behind. Even in times like this, where the circumstances are beyond anyone's knowledge or control.]

[And she doesn't want him to feel bad.]</sub>

[ text ]

[imthe_shit]

Hey, crying-for-hours is way better to look at than covered in bruises, bleeding and scar tissue, but don't worry, I won't force you on video.

[ He chuckled a bit, adjusting the sucker in his mouth. ]

You know what? Boxes are pretty good tools to use if you want to hide away for a while. And if anyone tries to find you, you can punish them with your puffy face.

[ Tone really doesn't travel well through text, but perhaps Heather would know that he was joking with her. ...Though he may have been serious about the box part. ]

Whenever I'm not feeling my best, a box is a pretty good place to sit and think. Just you and your thoughts; no one to disturb you, they won't even know you're there.

Sometimes that's good for a little while.

[ There were a few times when he'd pull the trick on Otacon... just to avoid getting scolded if Snake messed with his computer. Or if he wanted to avoid Sunny's eggs. ]

[ text ]

[foolishwren]

_{[Tonedeaf medium or not, she can tell he's playing along, and it does bring a smile to her face.]}

i didnt think of that but maybe i'll give it a try

though i guess people might be a little weirded out by a box making ugly crying sounds

[text]

[exeggutorhead]

[Fucking disappearances.]

I'm not going to ask if you're okay

[There is no point to that, he knows the answer already.]

but I can talk if you want.

[text]

[foolishwren]

_{[Yeah. The worst part is that she knows she's lucky she had as long with him as she did.]}

thanks

for both

[text]

[exeggutorhead]

you're not by yourself, are you? henry and whoever else didn't get teleported away after the weekend?

[text]

[foolishwren]

yeah i'm with henry

no teleportation this time around

text;

[majorcrotchgrab]

Sorry for your loss.

[He's not good at the comforting thing.]

text;

[foolishwren]

_{[Eh. It's okay. Even the most flowery speech won't make this situation any better.]}

thanks

it's something we all go through in this place

but i guess usually it's not with family members

text;

[majorcrotchgrab]

Who knows. Maybe he'll return someday.

[action] http://i.imgur.com/x2igv25.gif

[darkenedgales]

[If it was about anyone else, Crow would probably be at Heather's side already, trying his best to comfort her. He's lost friends and people close to him too, both in this world and his home, so he can sympathize with those who lose them as well, but... thing is, it isn't "anyone else".

It's about her father.

The duelist doesn't even remember his parents, and while he does know the pain of being left alone, he can't exactly claim the same about losing them. Of course, he'll miss Harry himself─ over the course of, well, years, he's grown to be like a father that he's never had to him. And if that's how he's feeling, then what is Heather going through right now? ... He's not sure if saying that he can imagine that wouldn't be a stretch.

So... How can he help his friend out? Comfort her? Is that even possible in a situation like this? Honestly, Crow can't tell for certain, but it's one of the rare times where he quite openly doubts himself.

But hell if this means he's not gonna try.

Having struggled with those thoughts and feelings for a better part of the day, it's already late afternoon by the time the duelist musters up the courage to look for Heather, though knowing her as well as he does, it doesn't really take him a long time before he finds her on the roof. He figures if she'd rather not have any company right now, she'll just tell him, but for now... he's here if she needs him.]

... Hey.

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Yeah. Words can't really describe what it's like to lose a father for the third time running, and specifically a father like Harry Mason.]

[The fact that he had become a father figure to so many others in his years here alone was a testament to the impact he had on people.]

[Heather doesn't want to be thinking about any of that right now... but she is anyway. How can she not.]

[She doesn't turn around when Crow speaks up, but after a second or so, she utters a croaky]</sub>

Hey, Crow.

[action]

[darkenedgales]

[There's a moment of silence as Crow finds himself at a loss for words. Truth to be told, he did see it coming─ as passionate his speeches can be at times, facing a situation like this makes it difficult to figure out what to say. Although, all things considered... it might be better not to say anything.

The duelist moves to sit down next to his friend, choosing not to look at her for the time being but rather stare at the horizon. Following that, he gently places his hand over Heather's, giving it a tight squeeze.

It's probably one of those moments when actions speak louder than any words he could come up with.]

[sitdownbecider]

Heather...

[She understands the feeling, losing her father. It's not something she'd wish upon anyone.]

Sugarcube, are you alright?

[Audio]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[AJ's soft voice coming from the speaker is exactly the sort of thing Heather should want to hear in a time like this, but doesn't.]

[She doesn't want to hear anything, actually.]

[But why, then, did she even bother making that post? It's not like Harry Mason got out much, or had lots of friends. Who really NEEDED to be informed of his departure.]

[Hell if she even knows anymore.]

[It's a moment before she replies. Her voice is tight and strained.]</sub>

Hey, AJ.

_{[No answer for the question. It doesn't really need answering.]}

[sitdownbecider]

[She's concerned, but really, it's best not to pry. AJ knows all too well about locking up her emotions.]

...Hey there.