Victory Road Contact

[whatsacactus]

[Text | Voice | Video]

Comments

text | after Prom

[shiro2hero]

Hey so pro pokemon trainer tip:

Pokeballs hurt like a mother%$#@er if they hit you.

[whatsacactus]

and why do you know about that ?

[shiro2hero]

Big

stupid

jellyfish

[whatsacactus]

[whatsacactus]

what

[shiro2hero]

Those things that attacked after the prom

Heather and I thought maybe catching them would scare them off.



No such luck.

[whatsacactus]

what things

what

shiro

[the oNE TIME he stays inside and actually enjoys himself, he misses something big]

they attacked but you arent hurt ?

[shiro2hero]

Oh
good you didn't run into them.

[He is genuinely relieved though. Even... if he pauses before he answers.]

Kuro and I are both exhausted, I'm pretty sure the pokeball almost broke my jaw, but we're alive.

We're okay.

[And he'd gotten checked out by the Nurses, both of them. No broken bones.]

[whatsacactus]

[How did he miss this.]

i shouldve been out there

[shiro2hero]

No, you should have been right where you were.

Those things were too strong for all of us. Including Heather. And she's been training here for years.

[whatsacactus]

[He gets fed stories of helping fight to save the galaxy, but he can't stop his best friend from being taken and tortured. Or from collapsing and passing out. And apparently not even enough faith that Keith could help with this.

What kind of help is he in that future they told him about then?]

tell me about them ?

[He's not about to sit on his hands and give up in the face of feeling inadequate. No, he'll get as much information as he can and get better.]

[shiro2hero]

[You know, if you'd just say these things, Keith, he'd tell you why he's glad you were inside. Because then -- he wouldn't have gotten himself hurt. Or seen his Litten be hurt and beat himself up over that.]

[Or taken on the Jellyfish because he wouldn't let Litten do it.]

Ford doesn't think they were actually Pokemon. Or they were, but they were from some other dimension entirely.

Which was why nothing we did could really deal with them. And why they showed up |

[There's a pause. Gathering composure.]



Why they showed up with a bright light and a hole in the sky.

[whatsacactus]

[Because that would mean verbalizing what he already can't tangibly put into words.]

so


aliens

[shiro2hero]

[You need a translator, Keith.]

You know what



Sure. Jellyfish Aliens.

[whatsacactus]

[Or a psychic pokemon that can type.]

its what it sounds like !

[shiro2hero]

[... time to get you an espurr, boy.]

I'm

Not saying you're WRONG

[whatsacactus]

[It's a few minutes before he responds, starting to gather things on his end and rearrange some things around his room.]

ill make this right shiro

[shiro2hero]

What?

Make what right?

Keith, there's nothing TO make right. It's over.

[whatsacactus]

im not strong enough to help

[Hasn't been since Matt and Shiro got on that ship and left Earth.]

ill get stronger

[shiro2hero]

None of us were. Kuro evolved again wasn't strong enough.

This is nothing against you, Keith. It doesn't mean you personally are weak.

It means this was something no one here could have prepared for.

[whatsacactus]

shiro i cant

[God, how does he put this into words. He's Bad at this.]

i lost you once

i thought i lost you again here

and i cant even hel
i have to get stronger
i promised matt id stop everything from happening back home
i have to help here too

[shiro2hero]

Hey


Breathe. Okay? Take a breath. Is Litten there with you?

[Are you even in the house? They can talk about all those things just unloaded in a minute. He's got to make sure his friend is okay, first.]

[That clearly takes priority here.]

[whatsacactus]

she's here

[shiro2hero]

Okay.

I'll come talk to you in person. But while I get there, breathe a little. Play with her.

[Just chill a minute buddy.]

[whatsacactus]

ok

[He'll wait. Wait and pet through Litten's fur on his lap as she tries to get his attention. She can tell something went wrong with her trainer. But he's sitting on the back porch and waits.]