ardent | 004. Action for Violet City/Video

[ACTION]

[Perhaps strangely for the late evening hours on a Sunday, there are lights on in the school in Violet City tonight; Ishimaru usually avoids coming here in the evenings for that reason - surely it would look suspicious if someone were to come by and see that, or notice someone wandering around in there through the windows - but he has been coming by here once classes let out for the day once in a while, and tonight...well. It's been a long week.

It had taken him some time to convince himself that being here was okay (it is public property, as far as he can tell, so he's not in danger of trespassing, and surely it can't be breaking and entering if the door is unlocked); he'd run into a janitor yesterday who didn't seem fazed at his being there, and didn't seem to mind as long as he left things as he found them. It isn't as though he does much here, anyway; he mostly just wanders around, enjoying the feel of the place. Schools have always had very distinct feelings associated with them, as far as he goes; even his time in Hope's Peak hasn't managed to tarnish that.

About the only thing it's effected is the way he makes sure to leave the windows open and unblocked by shades while he's here.

So he's clearly visible to passersby, should there be any this evening, though he's got his back to the outside; he's got chalk in his hand, quickly adorning the chalkboard in front of him with words written briskly in steady, straight lines.

Live with simplicity, fortitude and vigor.

The foundation of hard work is the spirit to succeed.

Sacrifice is freely given, not yours to demand; give freely of yourself when possible.

Do what you can with your life; it's the only one you've been given.

Do not tear down when you can build up; do not destroy when you can create.

Respect all life as though it were your own.

They're simple phrases, really; things to be kept in mind, thoughts that he needs to remind himself from time to time. He thinks for a moment before scrawling one more down, and then he steps back, surveying his work.

We are not dead yet.

It had struck him as horribly morbid, when he'd first heard it; it's still painful, but it brings with it a dark sense of comfort. We are not dead yet.

That one gets underlined.]

[VIDEO]

[Well, judging from the background of the video, Ishimaru hasn't quite left the school building yet -

...all right, he's not even in the process of leaving, as several of those lines are still clearly visible on the board behind him, but still. He'll wipe them before he leaves, definitely.

However, for the time being, he has something of a question; it's been bothering him for quite some time now, actually.]

A lot of people seem to have been brought here during times of stress or conflict in their lives - in fact, almost everyone I've seen has been like that! Is there anyone here from a world that's actually peaceful and in order?

[It hasn't quite hit him that this isn't just something you ask people, good lord.]

Of course, even if things are dark for you now back home, the focus shouldn't be on futility, but rather on hope and possibilities! Even if your world is a dark one and your circumstances are unfortunate, it's still nice to hear about the positive times, so if you have any of those, they can be shared as well, if you like.

I hope that today was good to you, and if not, that tomorrow will be better - anything can be overcome with hard work, inner strength and cooperation!

[...again, it's been a long week, and he tends to solve issues with his own sense of spirit by screaming encouragement at others; it usually works, for the most part.]

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It's nothing important. [Just to head off any worry...or so the idea is. He walks up through the room towards the blackboard at the front, moving slowly and craning his neck around to examine the room. There's a lot to look at.] I saw you from the road.

Ah, did you? I don't like having the windows closed off.

[He tips his head a bit, watching the kid taking in the room as a whole; you are so weird, man, but it's not really in a way that puts him off. If anything, it's a fairly obvious reminder that he needs to tone it down for certain people; it's helpful, in some ways.]

I told you about school, a few days ago; this is one of them. Mine wasn't quite like this, but it was similar - when I was younger, anyway.

...It's smaller than I thought. [The room, and the building overall. Maybe he's overestimating the actual number of humans around. It feels like countless thousands.

Dorumon stops for a moment when he gets his foot caught on a chair leg. While he disentangles himself, his eyes go back up to the blackboard, conspicuously reading the text that Ishimaru had been blocking his view of from outside.]

Well, apparently the children here are educated much less than they are where I'm from; they're only expected to attend school until the age of ten, it's much longer than that back home!

[However, Dorumon's...uh, being Dorumon manages to distract him before he can really get his self-righteous fury on; he hesitates for a moment before asking.]

...is...everything all right?

[He nods, giving the desk and chair an annoyed look and pushing them back into place with a bit more force than is needed. That done, he returns his attention to the blackboard. He's stopped walking at the second row of desks back to avoid any more stumbling in the narrow walkway.]

What are you doing?

Oh - just getting my thoughts in order, that's all! This sort of setting is familiar, and writing things down tends to help with that sort of thing.

[Another nod and hanging pause.]

Did you come up with these?

[...hmm...]

I remember being told some of them; some of them are more common phrases, I think, and others are just things I believe in, but I don't know if I came up with them or if someone else gave them to me - they've just always been there!

Does it interest you, then?

Sort of.

[He finishes the walk to the blackboard, tilting his head up at the words. After a moment, he points at the one about destroying and creating.] I like that one.

[...you know, he usually doesn't have much of a sense of this sort of thing, but...

oh no

you're cute]

Ah, do you?

[He looks at it for a moment, mulling that over.]

It tends to be one of the harder ones for me to keep in mind at all times; just the same, they're good words to live by - I like it quite a bit as well.

[Emphatic nod.] It feels nice to read. Even if it's hard to really do it, it still says "you can".

[smile smile]

Well, of course you can!

[Good lord, what does he do with you.]

Negativity and destructive acts are a choice, not anyone's destiny; there's always another option! It may be difficult to take that option, and it may involve sacrifice and hard work, but it will always be worth it in the end!

[....

you

oh my gosh

This right here, this is the biggest dumb smile that Dorumon has made since arriving in Johto. God even knows what you did, but you did it. Congratulations.]

...yeah! [The word practically bursts out of him, only marginally louder than his usual quiet way of talking, but much more...heartfelt.]

[Oh, well! That's...

...that's...

...kind of confusing tbh but okay!!]

Y-Yeah!

[just let him kind of

happy back at you??

why are we happy dorumon he just doesn't know]

[no time for reasons only happy now!!

Dorumon beams up at him for a second longer, then wanders away a little to poke around the room at bookshelves and cabinets, still exuding warm fuzzies. With the sound of a Pokeball opening, his half-sized Meowth appears on his back, blinking big eyes at Ishimaru and climbing up to curl around Dorumon's shoulders.

Hum dee dum dum.]

[...so. How do we...do this small-talk thing? "Apparently we kinda don't" is still an option, but it's not usually the favorable one; he just kind of blinks warily back at that cat for a moment because good lord where did that come from before he turns back to writing on that board again.

We acquire the strength we have overcome.]

What brought you in here this evening, anyway? You said it was nothing important, but that's still something, isn't it?

Oh. [That's right, he'd been thinking about something before coming in here. Dorumon pushes the book he'd been peeking at back into the shelf, then straightens up, his Meowth doing some gymnastics to stay perched atop him.]

I was wondering if you'd been to any of those Gyms. ...I thought I'd ask tomorrow. [But then you appeared, so.]

[...well, he's not sure what he was expecting but it wasn't that; somehow he has the hardest time picturing you actually battling, man...]

Well, I've seen the one here, but I haven't been in to challenge it just yet! Are you thinking of doing so yourself, Dorumon-kun?

[Nod.] Shelgon's excited for it. I really don't know what to expect, though.

[Hmm...]

Well, perhaps we can look into it, when it's not so late out! It would be good to know what I'm getting into as well...

Tomorrow? [He perks up a little, sounding excited in his own quiet way.]

I don't see why not!

[Let's do this thing.]

004. Action for Violet City/Video

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