bravenewworld | 18 [Action x2, Video x1]

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18 [Action x2, Video x1]

[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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Point. So what kind of knack do you got, again. Any talents I can barter over?

[ ... Wait though, she's being invited to his noble house, isn't she ]

[Well, to his semi-runaway noble kid apartment, but since Fai and Yuui secured and furnished it before getting their allowance cut, so it's a pretty sweet apartment?]

You mean, like, my Enlightened ability?

Fire, mostly. And sparkling and confusing people?

...For the regular abilities, um, I guess you don't take payment in personal stylist services?

Styling, I'll take it. Blank check me for that and I'm in. That same place as the gala, or you somewhere else?

No, that's my grandparents' place. I've been staying at Fai and Yuui's.

[He gives her the address.]

Oh.

[ She knows Fai's been missing. Is Yuui too? Probably? Maybe? Either way, she'll head on over there with two of hers in flank. Lurks the Toxicroak (of course) but this time the tagalong is...

A giant ass Aggron, who is in no way suited for stealth ]

[Jadwiga the Gardevoir opens the door and waves her towards the living room, where Feliks is on the sofa, reading a picture book out loud with an Eevee, a Dragonair, a Floette, a Togepi, and a Spritzee all vying for lap and shoulder space. The Ninetales and Gogoat at his feet are both paying attention, too, though the Ninetales is trying to act like she isn't.]

[The apartment is dusty and a bit cluttered, like it hasn't been properly cleaned in months. There are signs everywhere of the twins having been there -- but not recently.]

--told the evil king, "I'll find it for you, but if I do, you have to leave my village alone!" And the king was all like ugh, but who else was gonna do it? So...

[ Man, look at him, look at all of them. While Melaka and her frog come in quietly (with a little wave and a half-bow for Jadwiga (she has nothing but respect for the psychic type) and just intend to stand there and listen until they're noticed...

Tiny the Aggron (who is not, in fact, Tiny. He is quite large and quite fat) just barges in and announces a greeting for everyone! Hey, hey, hey the party has arrived! Hello friends! ]

[Well, it'd be hard to miss Tiny bounding in. The Pokemon react in a few different ways, from greetings to a fussy little "shh, he's reading!"]

[Feliks closes the book, coughing a couple of times and trying to downplay it. He picks up the Eevee and Togepi out of his lap, and kisses each on the forehead in apology.]

...And I guess we'll find out what happened next a little bit later!

Sorry, these two wanted a story... Have you been waiting there long?

[ He really doesn't look well does he? Less bad than he could, and perhaps it's the signs of evolution which stand out more (and make her a little jealous, if she's honest) but all the same, she comes in after her dinosaur and twacks him in the back of his head. He grumbles a little at that, but then is upbeat again, looking around for food.

Or metal objects.

Both work ]

No, not long - y'could continue if you wanted. I was gonna let you.

[He really doesn't. He's too pale, and far too thin, and looks like it's been ages since he slept. He smiles at her, though, and for all the exhaustion in it, his warmth is genuine.]

No, it's no big. A little cliffhanger now and then is fun, right? They can deal with it.

[Jadwiga the Gardevoir is just going to go make sure Tiny neither gets bored as their guest nor eats anything Feliks likes very much.]

Mmm, well, as long as they're all fine with it. [ For Melaka's part, brushing back her hair, she and the silent frog behind her make their way into the throng, so she can lean up closer to Feliks. In this case, given that her objective was to escape the Gardevoir, it's probably for the best that Tiny is distracting her, because it'll make the plan easier to formulate, let alone execute.

Assuming that even ends up being what happens.

Either way, this guy looks like hell, she can't quite mask her concern, even through her generally stoic features.

Meanwhile, in the land of the happy Aggron he has manners, thank you. ... Not much, but some - so like, for example, Feliks doesn't need these forks, right? Can he eat them? ]

Yeah, totally, it's no big!

[Jadwiga is distracted, but the others seem pretty unwilling to leave Feliks's side. He's been running off on them a lot lately, and they miss him!]

[In the kitchen, Jadwiga sighs. Well, the forks are nothing special, she guesses he can have those...]

Hah. Well, would it be a sap to say I missed seeing your pretty mug in his town?

[ She... wouldn't normally be like that, per se, but he looks like shit, so he could probably use the idle compliment, and ehe doesn't mind saying it. Leaning against he wall next to him, she give him a smile too.

BUT SWEET then he's eating these some of these look like they might even be silver chew chew chew... ]

Well, who wouldn't, right? [He coughs again. It really doesn't sound good.] Like, it must be totally drab around here without me!

It's just that, you know... [His smile fades a bit, in spite of his effort.]

...I've had stuff to do.

[He supposes there's no way to hide from her that, even though he referred to this place as being Fai and Yuui's, it doesn't look like anyone's really lived in it for months.]

Yeah, I bet. [ He doesn't know the details, but she knows Fai, at least, has vanished. and by the state of this apartment, there's been some other stuff going on. Also she won't question it - she's got her own issues too. ]

Still, I'm looking at you now, so I've got the requisited up level of pretty in my life now.

[ It's another snark attempt at this ]

[Feliks laughs a little at that, petting his Eevee's ears gently.]

You know I'm always happy to be your daily dose of gorgeous.

That mean I can hire you? [ Lurks, for his part, actually straightens a little at that. Not for nothing, boss, but this guy's types are making hm shudder a tiny bit. ]

[Feliks blinks, then snickers more, covering it with his hand when it briefly breaks into coughing.]

To keep things fierce? There's a business idea for when I start hanging out around here again.

[ When. Melaka frowns a little to herself, holding up her wrist and twirling around her warp band on it before she finally works up some courage to look over at Feliks and dares to ask, ]

That mean you're out again soon?

Well, yeah. Who wants to sit around waiting in the walls all day, right?

[He's getting better at lying -- it doesn't seem as desperate anymore. But what he really means is still pretty clear, under the circumstances. Who wants to sit around an empty home, surrounded by reminders of who isn't there, passively hoping they'll come back safe on their own?]

Not me. I'm never in my apartment.

[ but then, it's less than half the size of this one. But that's not going to be said, she just glances at where Tiny and the gardevoir went - is he still distracting her? He's pretty much done it, she's pretty sure ]

'Cause you have tons of cool ranger work to do! No shame in that, right?

[Feliks has more than halfway forgotten that she's here to try and rescue him. Honestly, he was sort of joking when he first mentioned it, and is just happy to have some kind of human company.]

Plus the place's just small - yeah I'm camping a lot, but 'm also at the Habitat with me and mine. Lot of mine lately, I swear.

Year's worth of Trainering.

I guess that's one perk of living here. Like, plenty of room for everyone!

I haven't been bringing a ton home lately or anything, but you know.

What, you offering to sell it to me?

[ This is a joke.

But it is deadpan, as she nudges her shoulder against Feliks ]

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