When you've run into a wall with no place to go

[ Forward-Dated to the evening of September 15, Thursday, nearing twilight ]

[ The video turns on, and Miles looks concerned. It's just about nearing sunset in Goldenrod right now, the streetlights and store signs flickering to life, and the sky a deep red-orange overhead. He's alone. There is no sign of Ken Amada, but there is no comment on that. He just looks concerned. ]

Has anybody seen a Mareep wandering around Goldenrod? An acquaintance of mine recently departed from Johto and left me it's Pokémon Ball with Nurse Joy, but it was empty.

[ He's walking as he speaks, but he doesn't seem to notice the yellowish blob of something fluffy approaching him from behind. The camera catches the Mareep in question (and it's a very mean-looking Mareep, mind you) sneaking up to his new trainer, but Miles is not even looking at the screen. ]

... If you see him, please tell me and don't go near him. I don't think it's sa--

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee--

[ The video ends here. ]



[ Twenty minutes later. ]

[ It takes a while for the noise to fade from the screen. When the feed clears up, Miles is sitting up on a bed in the Pokémon Center with an Espeon (an Espeon! The Eevee had evolved just a few minutes ago!) on his lap. His hair is singed and there are bandages--definitely not a pretty sight. He sounds very, very tired as he speaks again. ]
  
... I found him.

[ ooc: it is late in the evening, tags might take awhile ;; ]

[ The feed turns on and there is one very upset Plusle. He'd been so excited - so excited! - about returning to Goldenrod and he and Rom and everyone can have fun! But this isn't the time for that anymore, because Goldenrod is the city of sleep for Rem's trainer and his best friend.

He whines, chorused by a small group of Pokémon huddled near a quieter Arcanine. ] Pluus.

[ More sad whining as he turns where he's standing, searching for his trainer. As the camera pans, it becomes clear that the feed is from inside Goldenrod's Pokémon Center, in one of the private wards. Has anybody noticed that - boy - these kids are here a lot? Because they are, and see? There's Miles, standing by the bed. He looks like he's fussing with one of Ken's Pokémon, trying to calm it down, but it's totally not happening it seems. Eventually he settles for letting it curl on the bed as he turns to Remus and takes the camera. ]

I've already heard of a few instances of this happening across Johto. It seems to be different from the week-long comas that were common back in the winter, since he woke up soon after. Does anyone know anything about it?

... Ken is.. acting strange. [ If he could be considered acting at all. He pauses before clicking off the feed. ]

[ Private Audio to Kisa ]

... The room is on the first floor. I thought you might want to visit him.

[ Private Audio to Mitsuru ]

He's not responding at all. I'll try to take care of him - Nurse Joy as well, but she's really busy - but I'm not su--

[ but he's hanging up before he can finish his own sentence. ]