Crow Hogan [ クロウ・ホーガン ] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
darkenedgales) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
route_10652012-02-18 11:35 pm
darkenedgales) wrote in route_10652012-02-18 11:35 pm
Entry tags:
a friend in need...
Who: Crow Hogan (darkenedgales) and Heather Mason (foolishwren)
Where: Route 38.
When: Afternoon of February 17th.
Summary: As Heather suffers yet another great loss (courtesy of Johto), Crow figures she could use some comforting in person. And a few days later, he provides.
Rating: PG-13 for language, probably.
Log:
There must have been some limit to how badly a different world with a terrible tendency to kidnap people treated its prisoners.
Sadly, in the past month or so, Johto had repeatedly crossed the line. It wasn't the wacky weather with random temperature changes that made traveling hard, or dozens of weird Pokémon no one had ever seen before singing loudly and marching down the routes, or even the fact everyone seemed to have received mysterious eggs, meaning somebody must have broken into each and every individual's room (a creepy thought indeed). No, it was the fact that over the past few weeks, nearly everyone in this world had lost someone close to them: a friend, a family member... or both, given the number of people disappearing. Crow couldn't help but feel like an idiot, having dismissed Nanao's warnings of the occurrence being suspicious. Not that it would change anything now that she was gone, too.
But two close friends disappearing in such short period of time? That was just low, Johto. Crow wouldn't wish that happening upon his worst enemy, much less a friend like Heather. He knew from experience that wasn't something that could be easily dealt with, which was why when he found out about Rise, it didn't take him more than a few seconds to decide what he needed to do. Granted, Heather had Harry and Henry by her side, but... okay, "the more the merrier" wasn't exactly a right phrase to use here, but the point was, he was definitely not going to leave her without support now.
A huge advantage of being a trainer of Flying Pokémon was that it allowed to cut down the travel time that would normally take weeks to mere hours, and it wasn't long since their last conversation until the duelist reached Route 38. The plain area made it pretty easy to find the person he was looking for, too -- and soon, a Pidgeot carrying one duelist would land near Heather, the passenger waving at her with a faint smile.
"Oi, Heather!"
darkenedgales) and Heather Mason (foolishwren)Where: Route 38.
When: Afternoon of February 17th.
Summary: As Heather suffers yet another great loss (courtesy of Johto), Crow figures she could use some comforting in person. And a few days later, he provides.
Rating: PG-13 for language, probably.
Log:
There must have been some limit to how badly a different world with a terrible tendency to kidnap people treated its prisoners.
Sadly, in the past month or so, Johto had repeatedly crossed the line. It wasn't the wacky weather with random temperature changes that made traveling hard, or dozens of weird Pokémon no one had ever seen before singing loudly and marching down the routes, or even the fact everyone seemed to have received mysterious eggs, meaning somebody must have broken into each and every individual's room (a creepy thought indeed). No, it was the fact that over the past few weeks, nearly everyone in this world had lost someone close to them: a friend, a family member... or both, given the number of people disappearing. Crow couldn't help but feel like an idiot, having dismissed Nanao's warnings of the occurrence being suspicious. Not that it would change anything now that she was gone, too.
But two close friends disappearing in such short period of time? That was just low, Johto. Crow wouldn't wish that happening upon his worst enemy, much less a friend like Heather. He knew from experience that wasn't something that could be easily dealt with, which was why when he found out about Rise, it didn't take him more than a few seconds to decide what he needed to do. Granted, Heather had Harry and Henry by her side, but... okay, "the more the merrier" wasn't exactly a right phrase to use here, but the point was, he was definitely not going to leave her without support now.
A huge advantage of being a trainer of Flying Pokémon was that it allowed to cut down the travel time that would normally take weeks to mere hours, and it wasn't long since their last conversation until the duelist reached Route 38. The plain area made it pretty easy to find the person he was looking for, too -- and soon, a Pidgeot carrying one duelist would land near Heather, the passenger waving at her with a faint smile.
"Oi, Heather!"
no subject
So it's with her hands in her pockets (and, oddly, that seemingly-eyeless little Tyrogue toddling along some ways behind her with the pale yellow egg in its hands-- apparently she hadn't smashed the egg after all) that she's tromping along through the somewhat bleak February terrain.
But at the sound of Crow's voice, she whipped her head up.
She'd known he was coming, of course... but seeing him in person was sort of another thing entirely.
Although she didn't return his greeting at first, she did pick up a slight jog towards the alighted Pidgeot.
no subject
But now that he was finally here, he couldn't come up with anything of substance to say. He knew nothing he'd talk about would make much difference, especially now that the wounds are still fresh. The duelist remembered all too well how difficult it had been for him to force himself to actually talk to people after Kaito's disappearance -- that, and the rising urge to throw his Gear to the wall every single time a message asking about how he's feeling came.
So with his Pidgeot back in its PokéBall, Crow faced his friend with a somewhat concerned expression.
"... How are you?"
Close enough.
no subject
Just slowed to a stop a few steps away, panting slightly.
... And then, without so much as a peep, closed the distance between them and threw her arms around him, letting her face smash against his shoulder. It wasn't graceful or even remotely dramatic. But it was what it was.
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Understandably caught off-guard, Crow needed a moment to process what had happened. Having more or less comprehended why he had one girl clinging to his chest, he looked down at her, his expression soft but worried nonetheless. With a small sigh, the duelist wrapped his arms around Heather tightly.
"Yeah, I know," he muttered, "I know."
He really did.
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Hell, even right now, she didn't need to.
But he was here and after the past few days, she really didn't want to talk, and the best thing to do seemed to be to just reassure herself that there were still some friends left in the most basic way possible.
If you can squeeze something in your arms, it's there.
She didn't reply-- nothing but ugliness had been coming out of her mouth lately, so maybe that was for the best-- just hugged.
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... The worst part was that somewhere inside, he wished one morning someone would have to post a message about him being gone...
Not having had anything in particular to talk about in the first place -- hell, he'd probably just mess up if he did anyway -- Crow didn't say anything more, unwilling to break either the silence or the embrace.
no subject
For a long time, Heather had more or less accepted the disappearances as just something that happened. She'd even been brusque with people over it. Don't like the disappearances? Well GOSH sucks to be you, here in Johto, doesn't it? Too bad this happens ALL THE TIME.
She felt sort of disgusted with herself for it now. Like that had been sanctimonious and condescending.
She'd been here for two years and in the space of a few weeks, had suddenly been reduced to feeling like the very first time someone important to her had left. That time, she'd busted both hands on a brick wall in a fit of self-loathing fury. THIS time, she'd threatened to kill an unhatched Pokemon.
She hadn't changed very much at all, it seemed.
They stood there like that for some time longer. Eventually, though, something had to be said.
"... I guess it's probably selfish to feel so bad about people going," she mumbled, not really making any effort to remove her face from Crow's chest.
no subject
But then those friends were gone and nothing was the same anymore.
There was no telling if they'd ever come back, and even if they did one day, no one could guarantee they would still remember either Crow or having been in this world before. Sure, he knew they went back to their worlds, which was probably a good thing for most of them... but at the same time, they just disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. As much as the duelist hated that thought, how was that any different from them being dead?
"Nah," he answered slowly, "It's okay to feel angry and sad when your friends leave. It's natural, y'know. But..."
He made a pause, gently placing his hand on Heather's head. Thinking back to the last duel he had played back in his world, and what he'd been told that time, he continued where he'd left off after a moment.
"... You don't have to live in sorrow."
no subject
When someone died, there was a body. Perhaps a grave. There was grief, but also closure.
When someone disappeared without a trace, only memories could prove that they had been there at all.
Under normal circumstances, Heather found head-pats condescending-- something to be ducked away from or playfully retaliated against. Right now, though, it was oddly comforting.
"... No... gotta admit, though... sometimes it seems easier to just stay there. Less distance to fall the next time someone goes."
no subject
But, there was one other difference.
When someone died, it was final: the end, once and for all.
When someone disappeared, though... there was still hope. Weak and fragile, but hope nonetheless.
Crow didn't reply immediately, which could be seen as a sign of agreement -- and although he didn't like it, Heather did have a point. That way, one could be prepared (at least in theory) for losing friends and perhaps it wouldn't hurt as much... Still...
"Not worth it." He'd seen it many times before -- people who fell to the bottom and never stood up. Too many times. "'Sides, there ain't any heights you can't climb back to."
no subject
"Hurts less to trip and faceplant on the ground than it does to hit the dirt after falling off a cliff."
It was pointless-- she knew she she'd go straight back to climbing. She wasn't the type to give up and never had been.
But there were times she wished she was. It might SUCK, but it still seemed a little easier somehow.
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"You're not a kinda person to do that."
Crow couldn't even begin to imagine Heather not getting up after a fall.
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Most of the time, no.
She was proud of who she was. Proud that no matter what happened, she would keep going.
... But she wouldn't lie. There were times that apathy looked very appealing.
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"I wouldn't let ya."
Of course, he wasn't the only one; her father and her other friends... obviously, none of them would let her fall and not spring back up. Not that Crow didn't think Heather wouldn't be able to do so on her own -- one the contrary, he'd known her long enough to expect the opposite -- but he was determined to give her all possible support, whether necessary or not.
"... That's what friends are for, right?"
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Sucking in a deep breath, she finally drew her head back a little so that she could actually see him when she spoke.
"I told Dad'n'Henry you were coming. ... Y'know, so that they wouldn't be all, like... 'wait what'."
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"Dammit, Heather," he said, his solemn expression suddenly replaced by a childish pout, "You ruined the surprise."
Not that he had ever been aiming for one, but it didn't really matter at the moment.
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"Believe me, if there's one person you DON'T wanna surprise... it's Dad."
The diminutive writer might look harmless, but he was a Silent Hill survivor, after all.
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"Oh, c'mon! Who wouldn't wanna be surprised by the great Crow-sama?"
Little did he know how wrong he was...
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Even BEFORE Silent Hill, Harry had been an outspoken advocate for gun ownership...
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"Alright, alright. No surprises in store for him!"
For the time being.
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"Good. Your state of physical well-being will thank you for it."
At last, she pulled out of the hug, rubbing the side of her face with one hand tiredly. Ever since they had left Ecruteak, she hadn't been sleeping very well. Every time she closed her eyes was a chance for Henry or her father to disappear...
"Well, anyway, they're back a ways. I was walking a little ahead."
no subject
That slightly stiff but otherwise kind responsible adult? Crow really couldn't believe that... although being a duelist, he should know better than to judge people by appearances.
Letting her go somewhat reluctantly, he studied his friend carefully. She'd looked bad back when still in Ecruteak, but now...
"... When was the last time you slept?"
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She shrugged, rubbing at the bags she knew were under her eyes.
"A little last night. It's sort of hard to rest right when I can't get the thought that any time I close my eyes could be the last time I see someone out of my head."
Henry and her father specifically.
Aoko's disappearance back in September had come back to mind sharply-- she'd left the other girl for a few hours, saying 'See you later for dinner'. And then she was gone.
"Maybe it'll be easier once we get to the city."
The mental image of waking up in a deserted campground with two empty sleeping bags next to her was a little too powerful to banish easily.
no subject
Perhaps being forewarned of a close friend leaving Johto wouldn't make it any easier to come to terms with it when it happened, but at least it wouldn't feel like being slapped across the face every few months.
"... I'm sorry."
To be honest, he wasn't even exactly sure what he meant by it -- whether he was apologizing for not being able to comfort her, or feeling sorry to see she's going through, or simply being sympathetic at the time of her loss.
Maybe all of the above.
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Then she spoke, voice soft.
"Don't. ... It's nobody's fault. ... 'Specially not yours."
There wasn't really... ANYTHING to say in situations like this, was there?
It happened over and over and all anyone could do was pick up the pieces and move on.