020. [Text/Action for Vermilion City, and one other thing.]

[explosivecombat]

[TEXT]

This seems to be a time of loss for many; while there are several who have joined us in Johto, there are several others who have left us. Some may have come as a shock; from what I understand, many had been here for years.

My advice to you now is to mourn, but not stagnate; acknowledge the loss without allowing it to define you or your actions. If this is the first time this has happened to you, take this experience and know that while it may be repeated, it is bearable. If you've lost many during your stay here, know that you will continue to survive, as you have in the past. Draw your strength from previous experiences.

This world won't stop for you, nor will it stop for those who are gone from it. Move forward, but don't forget. Never forget; the most insulting thing you can do with the memory of those you care about is to ignore or defy it.

And yet moving on is essential. Those you have lost can no longer have an impact on this world, nor will they be able to until the day that they return. The best thing you can do to remember them is continue to affect the world in their stead.


[ACTION]

[Kimblee can generally be found at the docks today; he seems to have given up on training for the time being, despite the fact that he's kind of in a tournament-deciding match tomorrow. He seems calm enough for the time being, though there are some signs of tension if you know him well enough; he's shivering once in a while, despite the weather not being nearly cold enough to warrant that, and his gaze is strange and unfocused - he's looking at the water but not seeming to see anything in front of him.

There's also a Pokéball he pulls out once in a while, for the sake of toying with it; he has no idea why he received this particular one, but it's been weirding him out. It's something he's wanted for a while, species-wise - the ball contains a high-leveled Magmar - though he has to admit the source surprised him; it seems his original assessment of this "Minnie" woman was entirely accurate, and she really was too giving for her own good.

However, for the time being he's content to not dwell on it; he'll just be relaxing(?) by the ocean today, trying to keep himself calm in preparation for tomorrow.]


[PRIVATE TEXT TO RYUUNOSUKE URYUU]

I trust you're prepared for tomorrow?

Comments

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[greatestcool]

Of course, sir. I've been staking out the place for awhile; there shouldn't be any issues.

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[explosivecombat]

Excellent. Although I do ask that you remain vigilant; bear in mind that even though you don't foresee any issues, they do know it's coming this time.

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[greatestcool]

You don't need to worry! I've got my escape route prepared and my Pokémon are ready to go. We'll do exactly as you ordered, sir!

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[explosivecombat]

[...oh boy

can someone remind him why he got the overeager puppy to do this...]

Good to hear it, then.

I won't be available for contact should anything not go as planned; it seems that I'm going to be competing in the match you're set to use as cover. Not exactly what I was anticipating, but it is what it is; should something go horrifically wrong, contact Kato. Mention that I ordered it; hopefully he'll do something more useful than be amused at you.

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[greatestcool]

[Because he's the best ofc!!!]

Will do! I really don't think it'll be necessary, but if something does go wrong, I'll definitely get in contact with him. Don't worry so much, sir! I've got this covered!

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[explosivecombat]

[...........................yep

yep this is going to go horribly

archer, we had a nice run of it, but tbh we're screwed]

No guarantees on that front, Mr. Uryuu, though your services are certainly appreciated.

Do well and I'll have gifts for you, I can assure you of that much.

[so very screwed]

[TEXT - PRIVATE]

[greatestcool]

[wow rude, senior, he'll show you!!!]

Oh boy, what will it be this time? Can I have a hint?

[Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I fail to see why you're consoling these people. I for one say good riddance. The less idiots I have to deal with, the better.

[Probably not too shocking that since Cobra Commander didn't like anyone who left, he's going to be a jerk about it.]

[Text]

[explosivecombat]

Perhaps. I've just never been one for dwelling and dealing with prolonged periods of mourning, I suppose; I find that there's a point where it ceases being meaningful and becomes disrespectful.

Re: [Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Oh, I see now. You're not trying to comfort them. You're trying to make them shut up. Why didn't I see that before?

[explosivecombat]

That's certainly one way of putting it. What's done is done; there's hardly any sense in continuing to complain about things that are beyond one's control, and Johto is certainly beyond our control, from what little we've figured out.

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Well, I could certainly see the sense in complaining if it were someone important, but that's hardly the case here, is it?

[explosivecombat]

Yes and no. I tend not to have much comment on matters of value and importance of others' lives; my personal belief is that no one is really any more or less important than anyone else, in the scheme of things, meaning that life may as well not have value as far as I'm concerned. However, if others want to place value on the lives of others, then it isn't my place to say that there's no value or importance to their lives - the fact that someone else finds them important renders them to be such, in some way.

...basically, what you can take away from that is that it's far easier to console them than to simply tell them to shut up. The latter tends to get a good amount more complaining and self-righteous indignant responses, and I really can't be bothered.

text;

[doitrockapella]

The real question is, are you simply dispensing advice, or speaking from personal experience?

[explosivecombat]

I believe I asked you something similar, a while back; interesting how these things come back around.

Although I'm going to ask you to clarify, before I answer for you - what aspect of it are you wondering if I've experienced? Loss in general? Periods of mourning? Having someone I was close to taken from this world? There are many aspects of it to touch on, you know.

[doitrockapella]

Having someone you were close to taken from this world. The others are a little too open to interpretation for this particular line of inquiry.

[explosivecombat]

In a manner of speaking.

One man that left a few months ago was my rival of sorts; we never agreed on fundamental issues and have had problems with one another for years, but he provided a challenge for me, intellectually. We had just decided to put aside our differences long enough to solve some matters that were important to both of us when he was returned to our own world.

One was my rival's best friend; he knew me back in our world, and he was aware of everything that I've done there, good and bad. Despite this, he treated me with kindness and dignity, and he was the first person to attempt genuine friendship with me with no ulterior motives at all; I respected him very much, have done so for years - his leaving was more than a bit of a shock.

Another was the first person I trusted in Johto with sensitive information. Yet another was a young lady I was mentoring, who considered me a surrogate for her teacher back home. One was a young man I spent a good amount of time with, doing reasonably normal things; he was good company when it was needed. Someone else was the second person I met here, whom I didn't always agree with but just always seemed like a constant because he'd been here so long. There was another who didn't know me well at all, but she showed me large amounts of hospitality when I was a complete stranger to her, simply because she didn't want to see anything negative happen to me.

My best friend is still here. So is my significant other. So I haven't lost anyone that most would consider truly close to me. However, I've lost several that I was fond of, several that I trusted, and several that I just came in contact with every day and may never see again, and that's not exactly something that can be shrugged off easily.

[doitrockapella]

[She has no way of proving any of the remarks he's made here, and she does take a moment to consider that it could all be a fabrication. Coming up with such an elaborate lie would be complicated, but not impossible, and Carmen of all people certainly knows that there's a difference between the two. Still...there's something that rings sincere about it, and that's. Hm. That's complicated in itself.

A best friend and a significant other. It's like committing the atrocities he does is a day job.

(And granted, that's not an entirely foreign concept to her, either, given her approach to thievery — but no, she's different, it's not analogous at all.)

In the end, she resorts to the simplest inquiry, since she's still processing the others.]

Your significant other?

[explosivecombat]

Am I to assume you weren't expecting me to have one?

We've been seeing each other for a bit over seven months now.

[ACTION]

[determinator]

[Hey, hey Kimblee, guess who's approaching?

That's right, it's your favorite cheerleader superior officer!!]

Shouldn't you be training?

[But it's just a question, nothing more. Archer takes note of the Pokéball, raising an eyebrow.]

Did you receive that from someone?

[There's a moment of hesitation. When he continues, he sounds a bit uncertain.]

...Did someone we know return home?

[The only person who would actually be a detriment to their plans would be Cobra, but there's no way Cobra's ever returning home. He's been here forever. So who could it be?]

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee's attention snaps up abruptly at the sound of Archer's voice; he doesn't seem too bothered by Archer's presence, though he does tense up a little where he's leaning up against the railing at the edge of the dock.

His voice is calm when he responds, however; he's just been a little ball of stress all day, don't mind him.]

I doubt it was anyone you knew; it was a person that I met in Olivine months ago and kept up correspondence with once in a while. I believe I told you about that woman who offered us somewhere to stay, should we require it?

[determinator]

[Archer thinks about that for a moment, nodding slightly.]

That's right, I do remember that. She returned home, then?

[He's not entirely sure if he should express his sympathies or not. Not that he's really sympathetic anyway, but it's the thought that counts?]

What did she leave you?

[explosivecombat]

She did, though I can't complain about the creature she left behind - Magmar, actually. Level 75, though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, given that she was here so long.

[...oh, right.]

And yes, it's female.

[He knows how you are with the breeding, man.]

[determinator]

Oh excellent.

[He certainly seems to light up at that! Magmars seems to be pretty rare - at least, he hasn't seen one anywhere. He'll have to look and see what they evolve into and what sort of crazy things they can breed with...]

I do know that it has an evolution; I wonder why she didn't evolve it?

[Maybe it's one of those mythical Pokémon that "doesn't want to evolve". Not like those really exist of course.....]

[explosivecombat]

[Don't ever tell that to poor Logan.]

I don't know, myself; she seemed the sort to let her Pokémon do as they wished, though obviously I wasn't familiar enough with her to be certain.

[He pauses for a moment, glancing back toward Archer.]

What brings you out here, anyway? Did you require me for something...?