ghostytrainer | prank #19 | video / action for Dave if he's in the hotel room.

[For once, there is no smile on John's face when he turns on the video feed. Instead there is a look of tired, barely-restrained panic on his face. Also unusual are the stacks of books surrounding him. Someone went to the library. Someone found every book they could on ghosts and legends.]

[Someone stayed up all night reading all those books, and it definitely shows.]

[Barely visible on the couch behind him is a lavender-clad body laid out on the couch. The face isn't visible, but to anyone who knows her, the clothes should be recognizable as those of Rose Lalonde.]

Has... [His voice is the tiniest bit shaky. He's really trying his hardest to stay calm here.] Anyone figured anything out yet? About the people who were taken, I mean? And how to get them back? I talked to a few people about it last night but...heh, it's a different day now, right? [There's a very forced, weak laugh.] I read every book I could find...but they aren't telling me anything more than the pokédex did.

[It's a little late for "don't look in their backs."]

So...yeah. If anyone knows something, I would appreciate it.

[He gives the camera once last slightly desperate look before clicking it off.]

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[[Raising her head to look up at him, she nudges his chin.]]

And I don't want to fail again either. So. No sleep. And that's that.

[Sorry Guile, he's doing that thing where he's stupidly stubborn. He's a little caught off-guard by that last statement though.]

What do you mean?

[[She seems to sigh, moving to rest her chin on his shoulder now. She's restless.]]

[He's quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say as he averts his eyes to stare at the carpet instead of the purple pokémon.]

I don't know what else to do. I'm not tired. And even if I was, I just can't sleep for some reason. I feel sick. I feel useless. And about a million other feelings right now that I can't even name.

[[The Espeon's quiet as well, trying to figure out how to approach this. How does her mother do it? She always knows what to say. She always knows how to cheer John up, but she's not here right now. And as her Pokemon, well...she feels she needs to do something for her. And that means doing something for him.]]

[[She doesn't want to believe that, and hates admitting it. Ears loping back, she nuzzles his cheek.]]

[He curls up, hugging the Espeon closer to him as he does so and hiding his face in her fur.]

I just feel that way. And I want to know the minute someone figures it out. I need to be awake to hear it. I'll be fine.

[[John, she wishes there was more she could do for you. She simply resigns herself to nuzzling you as best as she can.]]

[He nods his head, giving her a tiny squeeze. He still doesn't plan on going to sleep, but the concern is nice. He supposes.]

Thanks, Guile. Rose is really lucky to have a pokémon like you.

[Swallowing the lump in his throat, he nods again. He doesn't say anything for a few minutes. Just sitting there in silence and clinging to the cat-like pokémon.]

...I'm the one who is lucky to have her.

[[She is more than willing to allow him to do so. As long as he needs.]]

[It's going to be a while.]

[He shakes his head. Sorry, Guile. But he respectfully disagrees.]

[[Just gently going to lick his cheek.]]

Yeah, therapist is the word. You're pretty good at it, though. But maybe that's just because of how much time you spend with Rose.

And I know she needs us, that's...not really what I meant when I disagreed. It was more that she... [He chokes up.] she's...she's always been there for me. Especially here. I mean...fuck. How many times has she saved me or taken care of me now? [He's trying really, really hard not to start crying.] And now, the one time she needs me, the one time I am supposed to be the one there for her? I can't...do anything! I couldn't even do something to stop this from happening, and I should have been able to!

[[Listening to the rest of what he has to say, she falls silent and rests more heavily against him. It takes her a few minutes to figure out a response, trying to decide on the words to use.]]

[He makes another choking noise, still trying not to cry, and nods again.]

You didn't fail though. You can't tell me that I didn't fail and that you did...you might be her pokémon but I'm her...she's my... [He takes a shuddering breath.] she's the most important person in the world to me. I am supposed to protect her from everything...

[Okay...that got him to stop clinging and hiding his face. He actually looks...kind of irritated? Annoyed, maybe? Slightly hurt too. He's that strange angry-sad combo.]

Yes. It is my job. Where we come from, when you love someone? You do whatever it takes to protect them. From everything and anything. Just because we're in Johto and pokémon are suddenly a real thing? That doesn't change that. I'm not going to stop trying to protect her from things just because she has pokémon now. You guys are great and all, and yeah, you are probably better at it than I could ever be because you have powers, but don't you dare try and tell me that it's not my job to protect Rose. Or try and tell her that it's not her job to protect me. Because I would...hope that if the situations were reversed that she would think the same thing.

[He's not 100% certain about that...but he can hope, right?]

[[She doesn't say anything at first, ears simply laying back further as she wilts in his grasp.]]

[And...now he feels bad for snapping. He runs a hand through his hair and sighs.]

Sorry...I shouldn't have said that. That wasn't really fair.

[[Just. Licking his cheek again.]]

Edited 2011-06-18 06:53 (UTC)

Well it's...not really your fault if it's something you don't understand. I still shouldn't have gotten that upset.

[He gives her another hug, nuzzling her face a little.]

[[Nuzzling his face in return.]]

I just...I don't know what to do without her here.

prank #19 | video / action for Dave if he's in the hotel room.

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