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]

[paladinlost]

Normally I'd wonder how they'd be able to tell in the first place, but in that case the people involved were very long-lived and remembered each other.

action;

[lightofheart]

Well, if that's the case, then that's all the more reason to do it, right?

[ Gosh, Riku. Always know how to fluster her. ]

[for_realsies]

...You know there's a girl with that name, right?

That'll get confusing, maybe I should call you foofy hair.

[heartdive]

I shoulda brought myself one too.

[ but he didn't. so Sora just snorts and goes to sit down on the docks. ]

[islandshore]

They're not spelled the same, if it helps. Just... think of it as a coincidence and try not to stress it too hard.

It's not like we're twins or anything.

[islandshore]

Tell you what.

[He'll follow suit, taking a seat right next to him.]

I'll buy you one later. Deal?

[video]

[islandshore]

Huh. Then they must not be humans. That, or some kind of magic's kept them going.

[for_realsies]

Yes but "Riku that isn't spelled the same as Rikku" is a bad nickname. Takes too long to say, doesn't really help when spoken.

Boyku? Hmm. Silverku? Foofyku? Rikardo?

[video]

[paladinlost]

Not human. And possibly magical. It sounded rather complicated.

[heartdive]

You're on. Don't think I'll let you forget either.

[ swinging his feet now. ]

You'll see 'em again, you know.

[earthshattering]

[ A moment of thought before he continues. He briefly wonders if this is how master felt...]

Even so, it's alright to be sad over it. Don't try to hide your feelings, Riku, it'll only make things more painful to deal with later on.

[ This time, on Terra should take his own freaking advice....]

[islandshore]

If I do forget, you have full permission to get in my face about it.

[He jabs Sora with his elbow.]

And it figures you'd say something like that.

[heartdive]

[ JABS RIGHT BACK ]

Hey! You know I'm right. You've got sooooo much catching up to do.

video

[gochuugoku]

Which is exactly why I did not say, "At least she may come back."

This place is cruel sometimes, but... You must not just look at the bad.

[Video]

[babel_hacker]

So you just want to keep on moving.

[He gets that. Atsuro would prefer diving into his work first before travelling.]

[video]

[ex_aeroga402]

I know it's a bit different, but...when Hope came back that one time and didn't remember anything, I worried too. But we ended up friends just the same.

There're just things you might have to tell Xion about herself, and about her time here.

[video]

[islandshore]

Yeah, I know. And it's not like it changes who she is, but starting over just gets exhausting after a while.

I've already had to do it with Sora and Kairi more times than I can count.

[video]

[ex_aeroga402]

I know what you mean. Hope's the only one who wasn't like that, except the one time.

But I'll help you, if she doesn't remember things.

video;

[namelesshero]

There's only so much that a higher level will do for you. Was it really luck or strategizing around your team's advantages and disadvantages over the opponent?

There's no written law that the "strong" will always win.