18 [Action x2, Video x1]

[niepokonany]

[Action A: Mountains -- OPEN to CR]

[It's been months now.]

[His boots are getting holes in the bottom. Every item of clothing he owns is getting threadbare. And deep down, he knows -- with every day that goes by, his chances of finding the Flourite boys alive and well gets smaller and smaller.]

[Honestly, that's half the reason he's so reluctant to go home for even a full day recently. Someone's bound to bring it up, sooner or later, and the weight of that knowledge on him is an awful lot to smile and bluff his way past. It's exhausting, all the effort it takes to act like he's doing okay lately.]

[There aren't really any leads. They just disappeared all of a sudden, and any trail Emilia had picked up in the early days has long since gone cold.]

[He just keeps trying anyway, switching between the two Rapidashes and the Flying types he's bonded with to cover all the ground he can without any of them getting tired, going over and over every place he can think to look. Today, he's taken to the high reaches of the mountains, near the Ice Rock. He and his team are strong compared to the local Pokemon, but the winter itself is more formidable -- the relentless wind, the blinding droves of snow, the cold itself cutting to the bone, leading him to send his Pokemon back to the Habitat for their own safety and press on alone.]

[Finally, near exhaustion, he starts coming down the Union side of the mountain. Staying out here until it kills him won't save them, and he needs to get a little distance between him and the storm before calling out a Flying type to bring him home will do much good.]

[As he makes his way down, he comes across a certain overlook, with the Forest and Union spread out in the distance. Under the blanket of snow, he recognizes the place -- recognizes the way it looked in the spring, the day he brought Fai here.]

[Somehow, it's standing in that same place that finally hits him so hard he can't go on standing. He just sort of collapses into the snow, wrapping his traveling cloak around him, fingers drawn to the warmth of the Fire Stone necklace he wears.]

[He's tired. He's really, incredibly tired.]

[Even now, though, when he feels his chest crushed and his breath choked by the nearly physical weight of grief, when every part of his body feels heavy, he can't lie there forever. When he closes his eyes, he can see the adoring way Fai looked at him every morning, can feel gentle fingers brushing back his hair. He can hear Yuui in the kitchen, singing to himself as he cooks breakfast.]

[He can't give up on them.]

[A sudden rush of determination takes hold of him -- and as it does, as he pushes himself up out of the snow, the light of evolution starts to shine from him.]

[Action B: Union, that evening - OPEN to anybody]

[It's well past sunset by the time he makes it home -- though, as deep into the winter as they are, it's not really terribly late. A Noctowl swoops down from over the walls and makes for the nearest open area, landing with a soft, rather concerned hoot.]

[And off of his back climbs Feliks, looking rather the worse for wear -- and slightly different than before, the red at the tips of his hair having spread upwards and grown darker, more vivid. There's also the little thing where little red flames spring up at his heels -- though they burn out quickly, and don't appear to be hurting anything.]

[He blinks a little, then gives the Noctowl a grateful hug and starts sort of exhaustedly limping his way back toward the building where his mostly-abandoned flat is. It's not like he needs a medic or anything, right?]

[Video, the next day]

[Feliks is dressed in his warmest pajamas, with a very protective-looking Ninetales and Houndoom joining him in his pile of blankets and pillows.]

So, like--

[Wow, no, that isn't working. He clears his throat, trying to force away some of the hoarseness.]

Hahaha, lame. Can you believe that? Like, I evolve and look super cool, but then I go and get a cold the same day!

[A cold, possible pneumonia -- same thing really, right??]

I think Jadwiga's gonna stalk me around and teleport me back here if I don't stay put for a couple days, but I'm seriously gonna die of boredom. Who wants to help me escape?

[He laughs, and cuts off the camera when it turns into a coughing fit. Yeah, helping him escape might not be the best of plans.]

Comments

Action A

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna's favorite place to train was up in the mountains, no doubt about that. It was clean, clear, generally refreshing, and her Pokemon...while severely outmatching the majority of the locals, got enough out of it that she felt like stopping by was at least worth the time.

It didn't hurt that a lot of newer trainers were wandering in and out of the area, and she could keep a good eye on them that way.

And then there were days like today. where everything got crazy and there were wild lightshows in the distance. And that meant going to check it out. Hoyo the Aerodactyl shrieked as she whirled in the air and sped towards the light, and as they got closer she could see it was an evolution. But who or what?]

Hello?

[Not like they could reply yet, but may as well let them know someone was here.]

[niepokonany]

[A voice. Human? It sounded human...]

[The light was beginning to fade. As he blinked, he could see bright red blending upwards into gold in his field of vision -- was that his hair? Had it changed again?]

[His body felt the same shape as before, more or less. He took a deep breath, and pushed himself properly up onto his hands and knees, enough to lift his body out of the snow. It had begun to blanket him, too, but now it had turned to rising steam -- he must have let off heat when he evolved. His skin felt hot even now.]

I'm over here!

[It isn't very loud-- something's wrong with his voice. But if someone's here...]

[If someone's here, he could use some help, right about now.]

[rainsrespite]

[That voice and that outline? Is that…Feliks? Yuuna blinks and dismounts, patting Hoyo on the snout and starting forward.]

Feliks?! Is that you? It’s me, Yuuna! Are you hurt?

[Boy oh boy this was a surprise! Quite a surprise indeed.]

[niepokonany]

[He's not sure if he should be glad it's someone he knows, or sort of embarrassed that Yuuna keeps rescuing him. He feels like he must seem pretty weak to her, at this rate.]

Yeah? I... Yeah, it's me. Not... hurt?

[Not hurt, not substantially. A few scrapes from the ice here and there, a few stiff muscles and joints, but nothing worth complaining over in terms of injuries. No, the real danger wasn't that he was hurt, it was just that he was so completely worn down.]

[rainsrespite]

[She doesn't feel he's weak at all. He's saved her at least once. To her? It's just a mark of how far she's come, that she's helping someone strong.]

Gods, you evolved didn't you?

[Moving closer, Yuuna immediately goes for her medical bag, eyeing those scrapes.]

How do you feel? Tired? Hungry? Sleepy?

[Symptoms of evolution in her experience.]

Video

[my_father_is_a_tycoon]

Feliks...

[It's said in that tone Lenna employs when she wants to convey sympathy and admonishment at the same time.]

Video

[niepokonany]

Yeah?

[He's going to act as if he doesn't know he's done anything -- like he doesn't even hear the admonishment in her tone.]

Video

[my_father_is_a_tycoon]

Is everything all right?

[She asks, knowing the answer.]

Video

[niepokonany]

[Instinctively, and rather unconvincingly, he fakes a big smile.]

Duh, totally! Just, like, a--

[...Hold that thought, coughing fit.]

--a little cold, you know?

[That's the answer she's looking for, right?]

Action B

[celebrity_commentator]

Bliss?

[A certain Blissey had been waddling down the street with a few packages of carryout food when she noticed the human come flying in over the walls. She, naturally, chose to investigate, figuring her partner would be more curious than hungry, and upon recognizing Feliks and the state he's in, immediately rushes over.]

Blissey!

[niepokonany]

[Feliks blinks at her, slowing to a stop. He... He knows her, doesn't he? She definitely looks familiar, but he isn't sure from where.]

...Hi.

[That's... That's a sensible sort of greeting to give, right?]

How's it going?

[celebrity_commentator]

Blissey!

[For the sake of time, the full lengthy discourse of a lecture contained in those two syllables will not be fully translated here. Toyo does pull a small bell out of wherever it is Blisseys keep things that aren't eggs and try to cast Heal Bell on Feliks.]

[niepokonany]

[Feliks doesn't speak Pokemon, but Jadwiga has lectured him enough times that he basically gets what that tone means.]

Hey, what? I--

[Where did that bell even come from? Regardless of the answer to that question, Feliks suddenly realizes that the numb, frozen patches on his skin are gone, and the stiffness and aching in his joints is substantially lessened -- the part that comes from the general stress he's been putting on his body is still there, but the part that's from exposure to the cold is gone. Feliks has been healed of his Freeze status!]

...Oh. Uh. Thanks?

[Video]

[callmewhateveryuwant]

I don't think escaping would be the best option right now for you.

[Stay down man. If the mons can keep him down, more power to them.]

[Video]

[niepokonany]

Come on, don't be like that! [COUGH, COUGH.]

L-Like... Like, I'm Fairy type, they can't keep me in here, I'm seriously gonna die if I don't have something fun to do!

[As if he's done anything fun in months. Regardless, he's going to try making big, sad eyes at Yu... complete with sparkles, and an experiment in whether or not mild mind-affecting powers work over the network.]

[Video] I actually did RNG for this lol

[callmewhateveryuwant]

[...what the hell was he doing? Only Izanagi could pull that face and get away with it.]

It's still cold outside and that might make you stay in bed longer.

[Denied.]

Hmm, why don't I try finding books or games that can keep you busy and bring them over to you?

[Video]

[niepokonany]

[Damn, Fairy powers! What does he even keep you around for?]

...I mean, I guess that's better than doing nothing?

[It doesn't address the fact that he has places to be, though, which is really why being stuck at home bothers him.]

B

[toxicrevenger]

[Feliks isn't the only one to recently evolve. Pamela's skin is looking greener, and so is the sclera around her eyes. Her nails have become more claw-like and she's discovered that they're poisonous, so she's sporting gloves. That faint scent of her pheromones that seemed like a perfume that was designed just for her is stronger now without being overpowering.

She's just returning home from the lab when she spots Feliks and runs toward him.]

Feliks! Are you all right?

[niepokonany]

[Exhaustion and fever have taken a definite hold on him by this point. He blinks at her for a few moments like he doesn't even recognize her.]

...Pamela?

[toxicrevenger]

[Yeah, that has her concerned. Very concerned. She hasn’t visibly changed that much since her first evolution and it’s been over six months since that happened.

He must be delerious.]

That’s right.

[She presses a gloved hand up against his forehead and checks her own for comparison. That’s definitely a fever there…]

[niepokonany]

[Somewhat awkwardly and haphazardly, his thoughts managed to assemble themselves into something workable.]

[Pamela was a friend. His friends were worried, mostly, and he wanted them to not be. He had to smile.]

Wow, did you like, do something with your hair? I almost didn't recognize you!

[ Voice ]

[makeitquick]

[ Melaka has... not quite evolved yet. But she's a bit envious of everyone else doing it. Envious, but also more than a little bit surprised to see the guy looking so worse for wear, she responds: ]

What would I get out of it?

[ Might as well sound... okay she sound serious, but she's meaning it to be light ]

[ Voice ]

[niepokonany]

The--

[COUGH COUGH, dammit...]

...The pleasure of my company? And a small bribe, but like, nothing crazy, I have to buy new adventuring supplies and I think my grandparents are probably gonna cut my funding to try and get me home if they don't think I'm using it just to stay alive out there.

[The fever hasn't exactly done wonders for his Can't Shut Up Syndrome.]

[ Voice ]

[makeitquick]

[ Um???? ]

Not sure that sounds like it's worth doing for that kinda price.

[ Voice ]

[niepokonany]

That's super cold, dude. Like, the pleasure of my company alone should totally be enough!