49 - text;

[islandshore]

[It's been months since they last talked. Months since they'd even seen each other. And with Terra wide awake now, Riku decides enough is enough and shoots Ven a message via PokéGear.

But the ID no longer exists. Riku instantly feels the weight of a thousand boulders rolling over him.

He tries again to no avail. And again. Maybe he shouldn't be surprised. But still, for one of his most trusted friends to leave without even a chance to hang out for one last time...

There's a reason why he's writing this message in text instead of video.]

Ven's gone.

I don't know how many friends he actually made here, but I figured I'd pass the message along. It's probably what he'd want, right? And it's not like this place ever gives people a chance to say goodbye. Why change things now?

You'd think that after every other disappearance we'd all be used to it, but it never gets easier. Not with the people who really matter. But Kairi's left about a million times now, and I've lost plenty of other friends. Guess it was only a matter of time before he waltzed off, too.

Just... let me know if you wound up with any of his Pokémon, okay? Otherwise, I'll be around.

And no, nothing's wrong.

Comments

[text]

[chosen_light_child]

Wait? Ven's gone?

[That... didn't even seem possible. This was VEN, one of the leader's of the Guardian Corps and someone who had been here even longer than Hikari is.]

It's kinda hard to even imagine...

[She's not even going to ask if he's okay, she knew that if Riku wanted to say it, he would. If she knew him enough to know that if he was bothered by this, she wasn't going to be someone he'd tell.]

[text]

[islandshore]

It's always hard to imagine when someone's practically been a constant here. Ven was one of the guys who jump-started the PGC, and he's stuck around almost as long as I have.

It's one thing if someone leaves after a month, even just one year. But those who stick it out... well, it almost feels like they're here to stay. The moment they're gone, it just feels wrong.

[That was more rambly than he intended, but Riku's really in one of those venting moods. It's a good distraction to boot.]

[text]

[chosen_light_child]

Yeah. That's what I meant.

I'll check to see if I have any of his pokémon, but we haven't really talked much these last couple of months, and I don't know how this place even decides how that works in the first place.

But even if we haven't really talked all that much lately, I'm still going to miss him...

[text]

[islandshore]

Just because you don't talk to somebody that much doesn't mean you don't care. I'd say you've got every right to miss him.

As for how people end up with others' Pokémon, I haven't got a clue. Not like this place is short on mysteries, though.

[text]

[chosen_light_child]

Yeah... I know. It just... it.

[Never mind on that tangent, it didn't make much sense anyway.]

Yeah. You're right about that. We still have no idea how most of this even works, after all.