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

The wind is really picking up today.

[The first post in quite a while. Between his part-time job and the increasing number of Pokemon in his small travel group, he'd forgotten about posting with the gear for a few weeks. Even today, he'd only been viewing the network before his attention turned to the growing snowstorm outside and a curiosity struck him.]

It never snowed in the city where I grew up. [sans game 2 case 3 and Hazakura Temple] Winter doesn't get this cold in southern California.

... How was the weather like for everyone else's world?

[ 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 ;; ]

( Cut for some action. )

[ July 14. 1:13 P.M. ]

[ The audio message reaches the network in the early afternoon, a short, quiet transmission from that bench by the sea. ]

I think there was a number of people she spoke to while she stayed here, so this is a message to anybody who knew her: Franziska von Karma has returned to her world.

[ He doesn't like it. He's scared for her. He's going to miss her and he already misses her. She was family. They were closer here than he was with the younger Franziska back home. It was like losing Gregory all over again. Somehow it hurt more than anybody else whose disappearance he learned of.

He'd been out here for hours now, but he feels no motivation to get up and return to the hotel as of yet. Anybody who comes looking for him, or passes by, will find a grey-haired boy sitting against the railing, his back to the sea, with Pess, Pip, and another, bigger Growlithe--Sirius, the second Pokémon Miles met during his whole time in Johto, and Pip's father--all sitting around him. ]

Plus plusle! [ The cheerful cry of Miles' Plusle that rings out on the network today is accompanied by an equally cheerful and grinning Remus waving something small, purplish, and shiny in front of the camera. Any Pokémon watching the feed would be able to understand his cries of excitement to be "Look! Look guys we did it!"

[ It becomes obvious what exactly Remus was so delighted about in just a few moments, as when he finally calms down a little and stops waving his arms crazily it's now possible to identify that purple blob he was holding to be...

a Fog Badge!

And does Remus look proud, though standing a little behind him is Miles' unnamed Eevee - unnamed still because she absolutely loves giving him a hard time and is picky about her own name, and doesn't like any that Miles suggests to her - who looks unimpressed. ]

Vee... [ She's so unimpressed - "What are you acting so proud about? It's not like you even-- " But Remus isn't listening as he goes on and on. ]

Plusle! Plus! [ "And then we fell down into that bottomless pit thing on the way back, and now we're going to go to the onsen and the ladies at the inn helped us put these on--!!"

These by which he means the yukata he has donned. A short distance behind him and the Eevee, a small group of Miles, Ken, and Romulus the Minun are watching the hyper Plusle bounce around. Miles is looking pretty calm, but he also looks better than his last video post... a little more self-assured, or a little proud. He and his Pokémon did win that badge after all. ]

 

Let's go, Remus. Make sure you turn off the camera.

Pluuuus! [ Remus needs no second reminder to get to the baths. In his excitement though he forgets the second part of Miles' commands, and he leaves the camera recording when he scampers after his trainer and his trainer's best friend.

Way to go, Remus. Jason the Cubone slips on-screen just for a moment when he, being more responsible than the Plusle, reaches up to turn off the Gear, but not before-- ]

Plugh!

[ Remus is shown tripping on the hem of his yukata in his haste and he goes falling flat on his face.

And the feed finally cuts. ]

[[ ooc: the badge was mod approved!

In other news, today there is a graduation I must attend. Tags will be replied to when LJ stops being a jerk and I get back from that. ;; ]]

[As the camera flickers on and adjusts to the dim light inside of the Ilex Forest, let us all start with an overview of what has been going on in the last few episodes of Shotas in Johto days of Ken and Miles' lives.

First of all, there have been lots of wild Pokémon. Lots of them. It started off with a hoard of Paras snatching Remus and Romulus away. Then a Bulbasaur had attacked Ken (after he stepped on her). Pip has also ATTACKED WITH FIRE every other Pokémon that ever appeared in his path; this usually resulted in poor, fainted wild Pokémon or more burns on Miles' fingers. And Ken facepalming like no tomorrow.

There has also been a lot of wandering. Utterly lost and failing to remember that Miles' eight foot tall dog has a wonderful sense of smell that could un-lost them in possibly a few hours, the two boys have been wandering through the forest for a good nine days now. Nine days of wandering, camping, and encountering wild Pokémon. At least they were together. Oherwise they'd be in a lot of trouble.

For example: ]

--!! O-ow.

[Now.]

Hold still, Miles - I'm almost done.

[The camera is finally adjusting to the darkness, and the screen shifts in the arms of whatever Pokémon is holding the communicator this time - a small grunt of "Plu" and "Minu" soon indicate who they are - before coming to focus on the two little boys by the campfire. One is seated on a fallen log, shoulders hunched and his face scrunched into an uncomfortable grimace as the other stands over him, biting his tongue in concentration as he keeps his eyes on... whatever he's doing with the top of Miles' head.

It appears that the said top of Miles' head is moving.]

Really, Miles, how did you even manage this? [Ken is grumbling - he doesn't seem angry, but the amusement is blending nicely with exasperation.] I could understand getting leaves or twigs in your hair - it's getting really long too - but.... Zubats?

[....that's right, Johto. Zubats. Zubats! In Miles' hair.

Don't. Even. Ask.

The wild Pokémon just flaps its wings wildly, yanking on more of Miles' grey hair, and the boy winces, hand flying to the back of his head. Ken swats it away though, shaking his head and continuing to untangle the bat's claws from his friend's hair. Miles just grimaces more, sighing at this new misfortune... then scowls when he sees the camera recording.]

Remus. Romulus. Turn that off.

[[ooc; Hello Route! Remember how Miles dropped his Gear down the well and totally decimated it? Well, it's still broken, hence the post via Ken's Gear. There will be replies from both shotas! :D ]]

[The feed turns on this fine Tuesday afternoon from a Gear that hasn't posted in quite a while. The camera adjusts, focuses, and then shows a disgruntled looking child sitting - legs crossed, leaning back in the chair, with a serious line face - at a table in what looks like the café at the Goldenrod Hotel. A newspaper held in one hand, the other holding....

.....a cup of tea. That he drinks out of.

Good afternoon, residents of Johto, Miles Edgeworth has woken up and he snuck out of the Pokémon Center last night, too, but that's another story.]

Plus!

[The sudden voice is accompanied by the invasion of Remus the Plusle, who hops onto his trainer's lap and takes the cup of tea from him, sitting down and cheerily gulping down the warm drink. His moody expression brightening slightly into that of amusement, Miles gives a soft chuckle and lowers the paper, turning his full attention to the Gear that Remus must have turned on earlier.

First, he sighs. And then he glares at the camera.]
[Oh boy, is he pissed.]

Upon my waking up just last night, I was informed of your ill-mannered conduct upon your arrival in Johto. You acted rudely and immaturely, and - surely - as one who aspires to succeed that perfect Manfred von Karma, being able to civilly interact with those you meet would be an important skill?

First of all, I have done nothing to be called a coward by you.

Secondly, yelling my name into the network was an over-the-top, yet sufficient way of getting in contact with me. However, I was indeed asleep for the last few days, and refusing to believe the tale when told so was foolish of you. Proceeding then to snap at these people and antagonizing them is even worse.

[A pause, as he takes a breath and rubs his temple.]

As your older brother, and the reason why you ended up acting so disrespectfully to those who simply wanted to help you, I suggest that you rethink your actions carefully and apologize to them soon. Your father stressed the importance of perfection in every aspect of life - and if you are still aspring to fulfill that perfection, it would do you good to start by acting, at least, like you know how to speak without angering every face you see.

[Another pause, and then he looks away from the camera looking a bit squicked out.]

... I don't think I'll ever perfect imitating Mr. von Karma's way of talking.

[He reaches over to drink the tea, but the cup must have been emptied by Remus. He stops, sighs, and sends the camera another look.]

I'll be waiting for your call, Fran. That is all.

... I hope you're doing all right.

( In which Miles doesn't act his age and is a general depressfail aka TL;DR TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT. )

[Forward dated to Monday morning.]

....Wright.

[The video turns on and shows that the boy is standing in a hotel room. The lights are on, and... it looks like the room was in use until just recently. The camera - held in trembling hands - captures the sulking figures of three Pokémon sitting on the messily made bed.]

---Wright.... he's gone.



[[ooc; -- With permission from our dear Gumshoe-mun, who dropped (SOB), Miles will be taking care of Missile from now on... but Gummy also had two other characters and y'all should ask Officer so the poor babes can have homes. ;A; ]