40 - video/action for Vermilion;

[islandshore]

[It was kind of strange, really. After their match in the tournament, Riku hadn't seen hide nor hair of Xion. He thought he might've kept missing her and that she was somewhere in town; the city's huge, after all, and with so many trainers, it'd be easy to lose her in the crowds.

But when he tried contacting her over the Pokégears, he got no response. Then, when he checked his PC, he caught several familiar Pokémon inside what would've been an empty box (the others were safe at the TC, after all). Then there was that note... Really, it didn't take much to add two and two together.

So, when he addresses the network, it's with a somber expression. There's an Arcanine bounding around in the background, but Riku doesn't pay him much mind. Making it to the semis in two cups is worth celebrating, sure, but not when he's lost a close friend.

He hesitates before, finally, he speaks up.]

To those of you that knew her, Xion's gone. I've got Bahamut and a handful of her other Pokémon, but if anyone else wound up with some her roster, could you let me know?

She probably wouldn't want us to worry about her. If anything, she'd probably want us to keep smiling, but I know she made a lot of close friends here. It's only fair of me to give you guys a heads-up.

[There's a pause, followed by a sigh.]

And good luck to everyone else in the tournament.

[With his message complete, he shuts off the gear and wanders out to the docks with Flare by his side. It's still mind boggling to think about. After over a year, he hadn't expected her to just... vanish. And after he beat her in the tourny, too.

How ironic... depressingly so.]

Comments

Video - Again Imogen eye is all the camera catches.

[for_realsies]

...What is with some of your hair, I mean the locals with hair like this I get but really!?

*Pause, oh, right, his friend is gone.*

I'm sorry... about your friend going. I mean-

*She'll just cut off her feed now.*

Video - A+ tag. B] Truly beautiful!

[islandshore]

[Riku blinks, raising an eyebrow. His dorky Arcanine, Burst, stops his marching long enough to wander over and see what's up.

Oh, hello strange lady! Woof! Riku rolls his eyes at his fire pup and nudges him to the side.]

Believe it or not, the hair color's natural.

[video]

[paladinlost]

...I had hoped that note was nothing but a misunderstanding.

[Hoped, but not really believed.]

She could have at least been allowed to watch the whole tournament and cheer everyone on.

[video]

[islandshore]

Seriously. Bad enough that we got put against each other the first round-- I wish she could've stayed and continued to fight.

[Sigh. If only, right?]

lights... camera~

[heartdive]

[ friends coming and going aren't easy. there's always a comforting thought though, for Sora anyway. he knows that even when the distance is great, there is still a connection. Riku probably knows this too, so Sora doesn't say anything about that.

what he does instead is hunt Riku down, with the best surprise that he can muster. doesn't take much to find him. if anything, Sora and Riku are very predictable people where the ocean is concerned - they'll always be at the docks or at the beach.

Sora doesn't say anything though. not yet, nope. he will just kind of reach up to drape on Riku from behind, shaking some - you guessed it - ice cream in front of his best friend's face. it's just starting to drip, so Riku might want to latch onto that real fast before it gets on his clothes or shoes. ]

[islandshore]

[The draping action and the ice cream both catch Riku off guard. Briefly, he just sort of stares before he finally reaches out, takes the ice cream in his hand and looks over to Sora with a weak smile.]

...Dork.

[Video]

[babel_hacker]

...Thanks for letting us know. I got her Excadrill with me.

[Atsuro's in the Pokémon Center, looking at his newest Pokemon in his care. Aubade is talking with Nalagiri, one ground type to another.]

[Video]

[islandshore]

Man, if only I had Fault with me. He'd probably wanna see her.

[Because derpy Excadrill affairs, doncha know? But, hey, at least she's in good hands.]

I probably don't have to ask you to take care of her, right?

[Atsuro seems like a chill dude, after all.]

action;

[lightofheart]

[ Kairi, within reason, has tried to spend time with Riku since it became obvious that Xion had left. She's given him his space when she feels he needs it, but this one time, she feels the need to step in. So she peeks into the room, Pluto and Hane on either side of her. Pluto seems a little eager to play with Riku's Arcanine, and she gives a nod, though as she folds her hands behind her back, the Espeon stays near her - almost tripping her, really. But it's fine! She catches herself and steps closer to Riku. ]

How are you holding up?

action;

[islandshore]

[Burst barks in greeting, butt wiggling and mouth hanging open. Playing is good! Playing is fun! He likes playing!

Yeah, he's pretty much a puppy still, despite his new, gigantic form. Flare snorts at the sight, leaning against a wall, while Deathclaw the Gliscor rolls her eyes and proceeds to trade punches with Axis the Metagross.

Riku, on the other hand, remains largely quiet, inching carefully towards Kairi.]

Could be worse, I guess.

[video]

[riastrad_ridire]

Wh-...

[A long pause.]

...nah, you're right. She really wouldn't have wanted everyone miserable, huh?

[video]

[islandshore]

Yeah. Xion's... she doesn't like others to take the blame. If anything, she'd probably feel bad if we took it too hard.

[A beat.]

You're Lancer, right?

[He remembers that drunken broadcast from a while back, but that's not exactly why she's asking.]

[video]

[soggypastry]

[That explains the note and lack of signal. "Take care of the others", huh? Dammit, Xion...]

Where should we send them if we find her team members? Celadon?

[he said something about Celadon before, didn't he? It sounds familiar to her.]

[video]

[islandshore]

Only if you want to. I'm not expecting anyone to send them my way; I've already got my hands full with my team, so as long as they're in good hands, that's all I could ask for.

[But to answer her question...]

But my Training Center's located in Celadon, so if you do want to send them my way, that or Vermilion's the best bet.

[Video]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Like Cobra Commander's going to pass up the chance to take advantage of someone's misery.]

She's gone? What a shame!

[He's being horribly sarcastic, in case it wasn't obvioussss.]

And here I was, hoping that I would be the one to get rid of her!

[Video]

[islandshore]

[...Hngh.

Despite his irritation, Riku masks his feelings with a yawn and an eyeroll. He's not about to let that jerk get a rise out of him! Not today.]

Call me back when you're actually intimidating. Or did you think I missed that broadcast about Crow?

[text]

[seasaltkeys]

...

I have her Typhlosion and Beldum.

[It's the second time in a short while that Roxas has cried. He misses her terribly as well.]

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

[Xion, the girl with the Zorua... Although not anymore. Sasuke frowns at the news before turning off his pokégear, and it doesn't take him long to come across Riku at the docks.]

Riku. Catch.

[Without further warning he tosses a can of juice to Riku, having taken a coffee for himself. It's the first time he's really talked to Riku since that incident but... It felt wrong to see him like this. And Sasuke doesn't exactly want such a strong opponent sulking and out of it before he has the chance to face him.

At least, that's the excuse he keeps telling himself.]

[Action]

[islandshore]

[He catches the juice, looking it over briefly before he pops the can open.

Though he doesn't say anything, Riku nods at Sasuke. Flare, meanwhile, looks over his shoulder and grunts. 'sup?]

video

[gochuugoku]

Xion? Ah, she seemed like such a kind-hearted girl, aru.

[China only spoke to her once or twice during his first stay in this world, but he remembered her. With that being said, he decides not to say anymore for now out of fear he may say the wrong thing without meaning too. He remembers how he felt when his family went back home and Ivan too.]

video

[islandshore]

She is. Always putting others before herself, even if it meant beating herself up in the process...

[His shoulders sag.]

Not that it's the first time people have disappeared on me... or their friends.

video;

[eagletalons]

[... Well.

Just. Well.]

I'm sorry, Riku.

video;

[islandshore]

It's okay.

[He shrugs.]

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

video;

[ex_cashcow493]

Ah.

[ Saber isn't pleased to receive the news judging by the solemn tone she takes. Having been here for so long in this world, she has trouble slipping the helm of solemnity back over her head whenever something emotional takes place. Xion once told her that she was like Saber in a way back home; that wherever they return to, they had no future ahead of them. This world was their future and so they had to cherish every moment they could here.

And it shows. How her chose to use 'gone' instead of 'returned home' like so many of the other messages similar to this. Swallowing hard, she tries to formulate a response. ]

So this is how it is, is it? [ Not the best and it shows when she cringes after. ]

video;

[islandshore]

Afraid so.

[His tone's soft, his expression blank. He knew the news would hit others hard, but Saber's reaction is like a bullet to the chest. Cringing/i> over it...

Not that he blames her.]

But... at least she left some notes behind.

[earthshattering]

I see. Thank you for letting us know.

[ a concerned frown ]

Are you doing alright?

[islandshore]

Maybe.

[He shrugs. Sorry he's being difficult, Terra. It's just one of those Riku moods.]

Don't worry about me.

[Video]

[strawberryredgrave]

(Oh, it's one of those. Dante went through something exactly like that just a few months ago. It definitely hurt that Trish left, especially since the two were pretty much inseparable since that whole thing on Mallet Island. There are very few things that can really hurt Dante...and that was one of them.)

You're right about that part; she'd want you to keep going regardless of what happens. It sucks to have your friends disappear so suddenly and there isn't much we can do to stop that. Best thing to do is at least spare a few thoughts for her once in a while.

video;

[namelesshero]

[the more often then not bowman makes a sudden appearance! admittedly he hadn't known anything about Xion, let alone Riku for that matter. but it was never easy losing someone you cared about. ...not that Archer intends to show sympathy that holds on strength to it. but at the very least,]

If anything, there's always a chance that you'll see her again.

[a chance and nothing more]

You're in the tournament as well I take it?

video;

[islandshore]

Yeah. Made semis in two of the cups, so at least there's that.

[The tournament is so much easier to talk about than Xion. It's an easy and welcome distraction, really.]

[video]

[ex_aeroga402]

Bell's with me. I wondered what happened, but...

[He's quiet a few moments. Riku probably knows some of what he knows about Xion's future, or he thinks Riku might. Xion cared a lot about him after all]

We'll see her again. Just gotta have faith.

[video]

[islandshore]

...Right.

[Ven's always good with optimism. If only Riku was so lucky.]

But she might not even remember.