ardent | 001. Action for Goldenrod City/Video

001. Action for Goldenrod City/Video

[ACTION FOR GOLDENROD CITY]

[Well, if you're on the streets this evening in the general vicinity of the Radio Tower, you will likely come across a figure in what looks like a cross between a white gakuran and a military uniform (no, seriously, those boots cannot be school issue, can they?); he's got his arms folded tightly across his chest, almost as though he's cold despite being nothing of the sort, and he's staring rather intently upward.

Not at anything in particular. Just looking up at the sky.

However, if you're close enough (and you're probably close enough because he is pretty much the opposite of subtle), it'll be fairly obvious that he's probably not seeing much of anything despite the intensity of his gaze, given that he's got an impressive amount of tears going on. Like, "that should probably not be coming out of human eyes" levels of impressive. Holy shit. Tears. All over. Like he's seen the face of God or something.

Someone might want to poke him or make sure his brain hasn't just shorted out or something, he'll be here all night otherwise.]

[VIDEO]

[Hello, Johto! Sometime this evening you are being treated to some serious jittercam, courtesy of one of your newer arrivals (after he's come out of whatever trance he was in earlier because good lord almighty there is sky out here). It's not quite enough to make you seasick, but more than enough to make you wonder exactly how it is your life has come to this and who gave the complete amateur a camera before everything seems to even out. The video eventually seems to settle on a rather...uh, severe-looking kid with short, dark hair, red eyes and eyebrows that go forever, and whatever he's doing, he seems deeply annoyed with it, goodness. Who invited the spawn of Satan to the Poképarty...

And then he seems to figure out that he is, in fact, filming, and his response is so immediately joyful it'll give you whiplash if you are not properly strapped in. His grin is open and incredibly genuine, the expression entirely unguarded; he sets the device down on a table in front of him, as he appears to be outside still, and he immediately starts waving at it a bit - both through utter glee and trying to see if it actually is tracking properly.]

Ha ha ha - so it does work! This is excellent news, excellent! Now, if I can get it to -

[His voice is a bit odd - it's loud and enthusiastic, but it's strangely blunted, as though he hasn't...quite worked out how voice inflection works but dammit, he's trying. He reaches out while he talks, the conversation dissolving into rather pleased muttering to himself as he tries to turn off the 'Gear and promptly...uh, sends the video, good job.]

[VIDEO, TWO MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST]

[Well, Captain Eyebrows here seems to have gotten himself under a bit more control, though the amount of volume is still going to make people why he even bothered with a video - surely he can be heard in Kanto by now. He's clearly trying to sound authoritative; the effect is just...horribly shouty.]

My name is Ishimaru Kiyotaka, a student of the 78th annual class at Hope's Peak Academy! It's excellent to have a way to contact all of you, even if the situation that's brought it about is very weird indeed!

Whoever is responsible for this turn of events, I would like to both thank you for your generosity regarding the situation, and yet express my general confusion at what it is you expect me to do here! It would be appreciated if I could thank you in person - or...speak to you properly or knew who you were...hm.

[He...seems to have lost himself for a moment, hang on - ]

At any rate - if I've learned anything in my studies of others, it's that cooperation is the best way to ensure success! If you could introduce yourselves and tell me where it is you come from, I would be very grateful - let's make the most of this weird situation by working hard and working together!

[End feed!

...Ishimaru, please...]

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[ When Naegi is checking the new posts on the PokéGear and comes across Ishimaru's video, it's like he discovered those chickens in the garden all over again. Except this time Ishimaru is the metaphorical chicken he just found and he has no idea whether he should believe his own eyes or not.

He can't keep his hands from shaking when he plays the video again from the beginning just to make sure it's actually right there on the PokéGear and not something his mind just made up.

For the next five minutes or so, the only thing Naegi manages to do is to stare at the recording. ]

[ Oh, right, he should probably actually respond instead of just watching the same thing over and over again. To accurately describe what he's feeling and every thought he's thinking would take a few hours. He's a little nervous but happy all the same, because if it's real then it's nothing short of a miracle. A miracle in the shape of the loudest hall monitor in all of Johto but he sure as hell isn't complaining. ]

I-Ishimaru-kun?

[Well, if Ishimaru sees anything weird about this (beyond, you know, everything, because this entire situation is very, very weird but you know what he means), it's not registering in his response; his expression is a little on the subdued side when he answers the device, but he brightens immediately when he sees who the response is from.]

Ah, Naegi-kun, is that you? How good it is to hear from you, and to see that you made it here also - !

[He laughs a bit, because oh thank god; the grin he offers is that same sort of ridiculously open expression he tends to get when he's pleased.]

Have you heard from the others? Apparently Oowada-kun arrived just recently as well!

Um, no, I haven't... [ It takes a second or so before the last sentence actually registers in his brain and he only barely manages not to drop the PokéGear. ]

Oowada-kun's here too?! How? Are the two of you okay?

[ He leans closer to the Gear, quickly glancing over what he can see of Ishimaru for signs of injuries. He doesn't look like he got hammered recently. ]

[Um.]

...I don't think either of us can answer the "how" yet, we've only just arrived...

[...huh.]

But both of us are fine! The situation is very strange indeed, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of immediate danger.

Thank goodness you two are okay... [ And, you know, not dead. He prefers his friends alive!! ]

The situation really is strange, but I haven't seen Monobear at all in two weeks so we don't have to worry about him. I don't think I've gotten used to it all yet but it's better than being inside the school, at least.

I'm glad to hear it! It's one less thing to -

[...wait.]

Did you say two weeks, Naegi-kun...?

[What.]

That can't be right - I just saw you a matter of hours ago, back in Hope's Peak! There's no way it's possible!

I've been here for two weeks, Ishimaru-kun! I don't know how it's even possible, but it's the truth.

[Well, that sounds...Really Not Okay, doesn't it. I mean, there are several things here that are Very Okay, but that is Really Not Okay.

First things first, though.]

Have you been all right otherwise? You said that Monobear doesn't seem to be here, yes, but has there been anything else that's been troubling you or proving to be a problem?

[ Try filing your complaints to Arceus, Ishimaru. ]

I'm fine, really. Some things about this world are really bizarre but those aren't exactly a problem... But I'm worried about the others. They're still trapped inside Hope's Peak, after all.

[In triplicate, if needs be. >:| ]

...That was my thought as well. We should keep an eye on this...network we've been given access to, in order to see if any of the others arrive! In the meantime, the most we can do is try to gather information.

[...ah.]

Where are you, anyway?

Yeah, I agree. That's probably the best course of action until we know more about this place and the situation we're in.

I left Cherrygrove the other day, so I'm on Route 30.

Cherrygrove...?

[Well, that gets a bit of an odd, hesitant noise out of him, as though he was strongly considering saying something and managed to bite it back at the last minute. Ahahahaha smiling and flailing is go!]

O-Of course! Oowada-kun and I will surely meet up with you eventually, and we can discuss what we've discovered in person then! Not to say that we shouldn't keep in contact until then, of course!

Huh? [ That was certainly an odd noise. Of course, this is Ishimaru he's talking to so maybe he shouldn't be surprised. ]

Um, sure, let's do that. Where are you two? I can backtrack to Cherrygrove and wait for you if you'd like to meet up there.

[ He's assuming that they woke up in Mom's house like he did. ]

[Yeeeeeah, that little assumption about Mom's house? It's a good assumption! It's a very good assumption! Shame it's kind of the entire problem here!]

Ah, you see, this place has brought us somewhere a bit...different from most, it seems! An honest mistake of some sort, I'm sure!

Different? What do you mean by that, Ishimaru-kun? [ Holy Monobear on a cracker what is even going on here anymore ]

[Nothing! Absolutely nothing it's not like he's been affiliated with criminals or anything - ]

I'm guessing you woke up in New Bark Town? That's where I'm told most end up at the start. We didn't.

We're in Goldenrod City right now; there's...a reason why, I think, but...ah, it's not something that can be talked about so openly! It can wait, I think, but - the important part is that we'll meet you in Goldenrod City, whenever you arrive!

I did. There was this woman who claimed to be my mother and she told me that "all boys leave home someday" because they said so on TV. [ A+ parenting, PokéMom. You are the parent of the year. ]

A...all right. If there's a reason for it, you don't have to tell me. It will probably take me about two weeks or so to get to Goldenrod since I have to walk.

We'll certainly still be there then, don't worry about that!

[Ahahaha. Haha. Ha. Oh god.]

Although this...woman you're talking about sounds disconcerting - she claimed to be your mother and immediately told you to leave? Is it possible she knows anything about what's happening, or...?

That's what happened. It's likely that she knows something because I spoke to someone who said the woman told her the same thing. I think she does the same thing to everyone who wakes up in her house.

She locked the door so I couldn't go back inside and ask her, though.

Well, it's definitely suspicious - I'll make a note of it when I'm back inside!

[Because you know he's going to have some sort of tremendous and utterly unsubtle chart to document this crap all over his wall by the end of this.]

There are things that we're looking into here as well - I'll keep you updated with any progress that's made!

[...]

...I-It really is good to see that you're here as well, Naegi-kun.

S-same to you, Ishimaru-kun. It's a relief. [ He's smiling, albeit a bit awkwardly because... well, the fact that this conversation is even happening is weird as balls since Naegi has no idea how or why Ishimaru managed to return from the dead. It's basically one big ball of "What the gently caress is actually going on here where is Kirigiri-san when I need her" on Naegi's end, honestly. He wants to outright ask him about it but asking someone why they're not dead probably wouldn't fly well. ]

I'll try to get to Goldenrod as quickly as possible, so let's share our findings there. I'm sure we'll be able to shed some light on the situation.

Is it...?

[I mean, he's happy to see you too, as awkwardly as he managed to word that, but what on earth is that look for - though his attention is quickly drawn away by those latter assertions down there, so no harm done, clearly!]

Ah, but that sounds excellent! I'll be sure to let my brother know of these plans of ours - we'll work this out together, I know we will!

001. Action for Goldenrod City/Video

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video; 2/2

video forever!

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