57 - text;

[islandshore]

PGC filer;

Lightning and Hope are gone, which leaves us without leaders. That also cuts our numbers down to ten.

So, my question for your guys is "what next?" I don't think we should disband; just a quick look at the network will show that goons like Cobra are still at large. Still, we're gonna need some structural changes. New leaders, possibly new squads, and, more importantly, new members.

I guess I just want to know what you think. I don't know every one of you personally, but the PGC is supposed to be a team, so everyone should have a chance at giving feedback. I think if we sort out our strengths and weaknesses, that could help us with restructuring. It might be better to have multiple leaders so that if anyone disappears, there's people to fall back on. Maybe each squad can have one, beats me.

I'm gonna throw up an anonymous message in a sec to see about gathering newbies, though. If you've got friends you'd like to recommend, might as well bring them up now.

[Shortly after the PGC message pops up, a second message appears:]

Anonymous;

What does this world mean to you? Do you think it's something worth protecting, or would you rather sit on the sidelines and watch it burn? This place is more than sunshine and Pokémon battles. If given the choice to make a difference, would you take it?

[He remembers Lightning doing something like this before. He'll just have to keep his fingers crossed that it works.]

Comments

[pinnedbangs]

[It was de ja vu. He had received a message just like that before, when he first arrived here. Was it really that long ago? It felt like ages. He remembered feeling mad - especially when that person pointed out how under-leveled his team was.

Well, his team wasn't any stronger now - Poochy was finally in the 50s and still didn't evolve, and he was still looking for a way to help turn his super cool Nuzleaf into a huge forest guardian.]

I can't sit around and do nothing if something bad were to happen. But I know that I'm not strong enough right now to do much fighting for it. ...I really like this world. So I'll do what I can for it.

[islandshore]

[Still anonymous for now, but Riku's hardly about to start dissing somebody based on their team. Any help counts at this stage.]

Do you think you'd do well in a group? Just having that drive's a good start.

[pinnedbangs]

[Group work? ...That wasn't exactly something he excelled at. But he was willing to give it a chance here. It certainly wasn't going to be hard befriending anyone the second time around. Hopefully.]

I've gotten better at it. So long as I get to really know the others, I think I'll do fine. They gotta know about me too, for it to work. Y'know, trust and all.

[islandshore]

There'd be opportunities for that. I can fill you in later, but first it might best to arrange a meeting. This network's not very secure, so I can't divulge too much right away.

[pinnedbangs]

Sure! I'll meet with you, mystery person.

[While it might be dangerous to trust this mysterious stranger, it really couldn't have been all that bad, right? Besides, he was confident he could protect himself if need be.]

Wouldn't setting a meeting right now be bad since it's not secure to text about it this way?

filtered

[islandshore]

That's what filters are for. Keeps the prying eyes away, so...

[Heh. Onto the main point:]

Name a time and place, and I'll see what I can do. And no, this isn't some kind of trap.

filtered

[pinnedbangs]

[Gotta like a guy who knows exactly how sketchy he sounded. Based on that alone, Rin was more than willing to give whatever he said a chance.]

That's reassuring! How does tomorrow sound like to you? After lunch by the Radio Tower in Goldenrod.

filtered

[islandshore]

Sure. Easy landmark, a short trip... Guess I'll see you then.

Just look for the guy with the black Charizard.

[Cinder stands out, so he might as well use her for the trip.]

filtered

[pinnedbangs]

[Probably a bad time to mention he can't remember what a Charizard looks like. He figures he'll remember when he sees it. OH WAIT HE DOES REMEMBER. He'll be expecting Charmander's big bro.]

Got it! I'll have Poochyena.