victory_road | Where Angels Tread Once More (001)

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Where Angels Tread Once More (001)

01- Action

[The more things change, the more they stay the same. Angel wakes, knowing that it's been ages since her last arrival. She can tell by the way the sun shines through the trees outside of a window that isn't her own. It's summer, if she had to guess -- the last she'd seen, it'd been spring.

She smiles politely and nods along with "Mom's" antics. She shoulders the bag, maintains her composure for the length of time it takes to make it to a distant treeline, and then quickly tears through it until she finds the small sphere she's looking for.

Mari bursts forth in a ray of red light. She looks around, clearly confused at the change of scenery. It takes her a good second or so to turn around and notice Angel. Her pleased bleat chimes out perfectly in sync with Angel's own delighted yelp. The young woman gathers the pokemon in her arms, burying her face in the soft wool and hoping that the addition of a few tears won't end up shocking them both.

It takes a good few minutes, but eventually she's back on her feet. She approaches the start of the trail, sucking in a deep breath. She'd almost forgotten how it tasted.]

Well, Mari? [She glances down at the pokemon, then off into the woods.] Here we go again.

02- Video -- closed to fuelthefire

[She doesn't make it far into the woods, though. Once she's far enough out of the earshot of both the town and other travelers, Angel pulls out her PokeGear and settles down once more. There are a number of people Angel needs to reach out to, but no one ranks higher than her best friend. She holds her breath as she thumbs through the network, searching and searching until --

Until she finds Krieg. It took long enough to make her worry, make her heart ache all the more for the psycho she'd left behind. She felt bad enough, disappearing on him, and while she'd managed to earn a chance to say goodbye, she would have much rather stayed with him.

It worries her, the time she'd spent away. Krieg had progressed in leaps and bounds over the course of the year and a half they'd spent together. She would have liked to have hoped he'd kept progressing, that he'd stuck with the friends they'd made together and that he'd stayed strong without her.

But as she pulls up his contact information and begins a call, she can't help but worry what might wait on the other line. She does her best to put on a brave face, but her smile wobbles and her brows are tightly knit together. Off-screen, her fingers toy with her dress, at least until Mari notices and nudges them with a gentle bleat.

If nothing else, it reminds her that she can stroke the mareep's head while she waits. At least she isn't facing this alone.]

03 - Video

[When the call to Krieg has gone out, and after Angel has finally managed to dry her eyes, she turns the camera on herself once more. This time, her smile is a little stronger -- she knows Krieg is okay, and it'll only be a matter of time until they're reunited.

Still, it's hard to shake the nervousness. She worries about who she'll see, certainly, but it's who she won't see that troubles her more. Were Jean and Armin still travelling the pokemon world? Was Cissnei still off exploring the islands? Her stomach twists nervously at the very thought of any of them being gone.

And then there was the one person she hoped was gone. Handsome Jack, her father, the man who'd tried so desperately to endear himself to her over the course of her last visit.

She shakes her head and focuses her attention on the pokegear. Her forces her smile to stretch just a little wider, trying to ignore the sick, twisting feeling in her stomach that Jack always seemed to elicit.]

Good morning, everyone. I suppose the fact that you are seeing this video in your feeds says everything that I am planning to but... I can't help it.

It's... been quite awhile. Four months, if I remember my dates correctly. But it would seem that I'm back and that there are no shenanigans beyond that which brings us here occurring. It... seems safe to say that I am here to stay, at least for the time being.

I... hope everyone has been well. And I look forward to hearing from all of you -- not just those I knew before. It is... nice to be somewhere I belong again.

[She trails off, content to leave it at that. Realization hits her only seconds later, however, and she quickly finds herself stammering out one last sentiment.]

Oh, and -- ah. It's Angel. For those that might have, ah, forgotten. Or. That never had the chance to meet me in the first place.

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[Angel's message is heartfelt, but unfortunately it goes a little bit over Newt's head. He'd never met her before, of course, and he has no idea of anything that she might've gone through. Still- he feels like he should say something to the new arrival, even if she isn't exactly "new" here.]

Hey- congrats on somehow showing up here for the second time! I have no idea who you are, but I'm sure there's like, a ton of people freaking out right now to see you come back. That's what it seems to be like whenever people show up for a second time, at least.

I'm Newt, by the way- not the magic animal dude, he left before I got here, and not that cool little girl, she's still here and is very much not me.

[New Bark Town hasn't been the best place for business, and Jean is getting ready to pack up for the day. It's a town for newcomers, and that means they usually don't have much money but a lot of questions instead, so it's been a lot of talking and not much coffee-making. He doesn't know that he'll bring Fiddleford's Coffee and Banjos back here.]

[As he's shutting down for the night, Bean and Vigilance suddenly perk up. Bean hops off the windowsill, where he'd been tending to the mason jar window plants from Armin, and starts chirping at the door. Vigilance sneaks after him, and after a brief conversation, uses her claws to open the door and they both slip out.]

What the hell...

[Jean leaves Robbie to finish closing up and chases off after his wayward Pokemon, tumbling into the street on their heels.]

Where are you guys...

[He stops. The Pokemon are busily hurrying down the street, and Jean sees what they've seen, and his heart is suddenly in his throat.]

ANGEL!

[And then he's tearing down the street after them, laughing and definitely not almost crying at the same time, certainly not!]

ANGEL, YOU'RE BACK!

[Time in this world has taught Armin that not everybody stays. And when they leave, few of those ever come back. So when Angel had disappeared, the more pessimistic side of him had come to the conclusion that he'd never see her again, much like he'll never see Mr Newt again

It is something he had continued to believe until, well, right now.]

A-Angel?

[His voice cracks a little with disbelief and building excitement.]

Is it-- It's really you, isn't it?

[Angel recognizes the name, but not the person. At first, she thinks nothing of it -- she'd only ever seen the former, male Newt in passing. That the man speaking to her now wasn't particularly odd.

That doesn't mean she doesn't feel a pang of melancholy when Newt clarifies his identity. She might not have known him, but the man seemed to have had many friends in this new world. If nothing else, she can sympathize with their loss.

But, she'd think on that more later. The new Newt (though not the only Newt -- she makes a note of this fact for later as well) has struck up a conversation, and it'd be rude for her to spend it lost in her thoughts.]

I think you are right. About... People freaking out, that is. [A small, thoughtful smile crossed her lips. By now, she'd run into Jean, shed tears on Jean's shoulder, even. The mere thought brings patches of color to her cheeks.]

Still, it's never too early to make new friends, is it? It's wonderful to meet you, sir. I hope your time here has been pleasant so far.

Aaaaah!

[Did Thida and Angel know each other much before? It doesn't matter - they were both friends of Krieg, and that was what was important, because Angel's back. And once Thida knows, she knows that Krieg is going to be over the moon to see his friend again, and that makes her happy, too.]

Y'came back! People're comin' back!!

Ah- hello! Hail and well met.

[So, Angel, you are being approached by one (1) large, burly man, bearing the tell-tale signs of a new arrival. Namely the facial expression of someone desperately trying to be less hopelessly lost than they are, a shiny new backpack slung over one shoulder, and a young Lillipup snoring soundly in the crook of one massive arm.]

So- um, potentially weird question here- I mean, potentially REALLY weird, I'm not sure what the exact baseline for weirdness around here is-

[He pauses for a second, deciding how to unpack the everything of this situation.]

...Extremely nice but very much crazy lady calling herself "mom" and handing out camping supplies and pets, was that just me or is that like a regular thing here somehow. Also, how likely is it that this trail mix she gave me is poisoned. Like, scale of one to ten where one is no poison, ten is me dropping dead instantly.

Oh thank god. It is...it is so good to see your face, Angel. I...oh shit, I tell ya...

[Usually...people he wants to come back, don't. But here she is, on his feed, like she was never gone. Jack's almost hysterical.]

Yeah, sweetheart, it's been months. Long, long months.

[Part of which is a blur due to his late spring bender, but whatever. It doesn't matter. She's here, she's back, she's good. That's the important thing. He's been a wreck without her.]

You sure you okay? I uh...I can't come get ya, I'm real sorry about that sweetheart but I'm nowhere near New Bark right now. But ya know, feel free to crash at the Goldenrod place or the Blackthorn place, they're both empty 'cept Pokemon.

Yep! So far I'm on the way to... Goldenrod, I think it's called? From Violet City. Gonna try to get a job there for a week or two and then head out somewhere else. Haven't thought it all through yet. But yeah, so far it's been chill. I've got a couple baby dragons and cats and birds, so I'm having a great time.

[Angel spots the pokemon long before she spots Jean. Her first instinct is to hurry toward them, not because she recognizes them off-hand, but because she's worried about the trainer who might have lost them. It's only once she draw closer that familiarity overtakes her.

Her heart seizes for a moment. Both Bean and Vigilance had belonged to her at one point, but before that they'd found a home with another man. Her mind travels to him, and for a brief second she allows herself to hope that Anders had returned as well.

Seeing Jean isn't a disappointment, but her heart does allow itself a moment to ache as it realizes that Anders is likely still lost to the void.

And then her heart soars. She races forward, Mari hot on her heels, until she's met both Pokemon in the middle. She pulls Bean into her arms, holding the creature close as she peppers kisses to the top of its head. To Vigilance, she offers a warm smile, and after her embrace with the Chikorita has simmered down, she reaches a hand out to their third companion.

Once the poke-greetings are out of the way, her gaze lifts to meet Jean's. Her smile is wide, but wobbling, and her eyes are watery with tears. She reaches up to paw them away with a sheepish laugh.]

Sorry, I'm -- I'm sorry, I'm just so happy to see you again. [She sets Bean down, starts to hold out a hand to Jean, before ultimately thinking better of it and throwing her arms around him.]

I missed you.

[By now, Angel has met with Jean, and at least knows that one side of her favorite duo remains. She'd even managed to shed most of her tears in her conversation with the other man. That doesn't keep a droplet or two from streaking down her cheek, however, as she listens to Armin's voice.]

It... really is me. [She sniffs and wills herself to stop crying. She's starting to make a mess at this point.] It's good to see you, Armin. I've... missed you dearly.

[It doesn't matter whether or not Angel had spent much time speaking with Thida. She still recognizes the young woman, and that means she still feels a pang of delight in knowing that a number of familiar faces still remained.

Perhaps not everything had changed.]

It is... good to be back, Thida. How have you been?

[The sight of tears in her eyes brings the embarrassingly familiar sensation of tears gathering in his own. It's just-- whenever his emotions are below a three or above a seven, tears are likely to happen. He can't control that.

(though god he wishes he could.)]

I've missed you too. So much. And so has Bailey. She's here, with me. I've been taking care of her.

[The sheer size of Magnus is a little intimidating, at least considering Angel's own slight frame. Trepidation causes her breath to hitch, and it's only the gentle butt of Mari's head that keeps her from shrinking back entirely. No matter what happens, she's not alone.

It takes approximately six words for Angel to feel guilty for her snap judgement. The man in front of her seems perfectly amicable, and it quickly becomes clear that he's out of place and in need of assistance.

Whatever lingered of her earlier doubt fades, replaced by an amused smile as the man continues speaking. She nods along with his words, waiting patiently for him to finish.]

It's... only a weird question given the weird nature of this place. [She allows herself a small laugh, already easing into the conversation.]

It is... quite regular actually. So regular that it has happened to me three times now. After that many times, I think I can reasonably assume that no, the trail mix isn't poison. So. One? [She pauses, humming thoughtfully.] Unless, I suppose, you are allergic to nuts. That might pose an issue.

[The tone of Jack's voice, the desperation in his tone, arouses only the prickling sensation of anxiety. She glances away from the screen, staring instead at, well... anything other than her father's face.

She'd been expecting to hear from him, sure, but she wasn't happy to be right.]

She clears her throat when he's finished, just to buy herself a little time to think. She's not sure what she's supposed to say to all of that. What she wants to say would almost assuredly anger him, and the thought of what he wants to hear makes her stomach twist.]

I... might make my way there at some point. [She tries to stay as non-committal as she can without setting him off.] I think I may just travel for now, though.

You certainly can't go wrong with dragons. [They weren't her forte, but she knew plenty of people who found that they made great companions.]

Goldenrod is a lovely place, if a little busy. I personally prefer Ecruteak, though. Perhaps you will make it out there some day soon?

Oh, yeah, definitely! I was debating between going to Goldenrod or Ecruteak first, but I decided on Goldenrod just because it's bigger and seems to have a lot more options. I'll be sure to head out there when I can, though!

What about you? Like, you've obviously been around here before- do you have things settled for where you're gonna stay for now, or are you just gonna travel around?

[A breath escapes Angel, one she didn't know she was holding. In her experience, Pokemon were just as likely to flee back into the wild as they were to find homes with companions of the departed. That Bailey (or any of her Pokemon, for that matter) had found a place took a significant weight off of her shoulders.]

I'm glad she's with you and Amadeus then. [Now that she thought about it, no one else was more fitting to take care of Bailey than Armin was.]

How have things been, Armin? Are you well? What about -- [His name catches in her throat. She curls her arms tightly around her chest and sniffles.] Krieg. How has Krieg been?

You certainly cannot go wrong with it. I personally enjoyed all of the flowers, and the National Park is delightful. Though... perhaps that doesn't suit your fancy?

I... have a few ideas of where I want to go. A... few more ideas on places I want to stay away from. Right now, though, I am... trying to reach out and figure out which of my old companions are where. Once I have a better idea of that, I will be able to make my decision, I think.

Oh, okay, good- well, not SUPER good, that's actually pretty worrying, but, you know, at least it's a familiar type of bad. For some people.

[His brow furrows a bit as he turns over this information, but almost immediately returns to the most pertinent information.]

And- no, not allergic to peanuts. I'm pretty sure, anyway? I feel like that would've come up before now, if I was.

[For Angel, arriving in the poke-world, even on multiple occasions, was a relief. Where she went in the time between, where any soul in the same position as her went, was beyond her. Still, moving around, being with friends, was certainly better than whatever void she had been pulled from.

Under normal circumstances, she could perhaps empathize with her new found companion's plight. Jumbled up and emotional as she is, however, she can't quite comprehend where it is that Magnus is coming from.]

Worrying? [A brow slides upward.] Why is that, do you suppose?

[Krieg is not having a good day - so far. One minute everything was fine; all of his myriad monsters present and accounted for, everybody as happy as their various circumstances might allow, and the next...Mari was missing. And not in a "she just kind of wandered off" sort of way, but missing. He's never been a huge stickler for keeping track of his crew's Pokeballs, especially when he's visiting Shiro and the kids on the island. Typically he just lets everyone out and leaves their respective balls on the porch where they can get to them if they want them - Torch Dragon especially likes having that safe space to retreat to. So not only is Mari missing, he can't find her Pokeball.

Not even the resident island Voltorb gang has seen her, and they typically know where everyone is.

Krieg isn't exactly the kind of guy prone to panicking, even in a situation like this where he's pretty sure he's just lost one of Angel's remaining Pokemon, but he definitely feels like vomiting. He's not quite to that point just yet, and is reaching for his 'Gear with the intention of asking if anyone has ever had this happen, or if maybe someone, anyone, has seen or found his wayward Mareep, when it pings. Naturally, he picks it up, since he was going to anyway - Maybe somebody's found her already and they're contacting him to let him know?. He flips it open and accepts the call.

It's almost like his heart registers what his eye sees before his (admittedly reticent) brain does, and he experiences a feeling that is often romantically described as "one's heart stopping." It doesn't stop, of course, and it also doesn't get lodged in his throat, even though that also feels like something that is happening. After a significant pause that allows his brain to catch up, he brings the 'Gear right up to his face - a habit he's very nearly broken by now, except in some particularly outstanding situations, and his voice cracks when he speaks:]

Where are you?

[It's almost laughable, how easily Angel crumbles the second Krieg picks up the line. She'd spent the time it had taken him to pick up convincing herself that she could remain strong, that she could at least keep from blubbering for a few minutes.

The second she sees his mask, though, it's all over. The screen that she holds out in front of her begins to blur as her eyes start to burn. Her throat grows tighter, clamping around whatever words she'd been trying to form.

The only sign that she isn't actually upset is the still present, still wobbling smile on her lips. It's a smile that grows wider with each passing second.]

It's... It's you -- [She finally manages. In the grand scheme of things, she hadn't gone long without him. The time that had passed between her departure and her return had been but a blink of an eye. Rather, it's the fact that in that blink, anything could have happened.

Krieg could have just as easily been gone.]

She opens her mouth, but the words don't come right away. Instead, she motions vaguely, lets out a thick laugh, before finally swiveling the gear around to show the forest.]

Just outside -- the town. [She finally forces herself to say.] Where we first met.

[He's not sure how to interpret the combination of her tears and her smile. He thinks she's happy. She sounds happy, he's pretty sure. She's probably just...Overcome.]

Okay.

[...And she's not the only one. His voice cracks again, and he coughs to clear his throat, and repeats himself.]

Okay.

Are you okay? You're not hurt? You're safe?

[And then something occurs to him. It might seem a little crazy, that Mari would be whisked away just like that, but it's also a little crazy that it's possible to store living, breathing creatures in a computer, so. Of the two, the Suddenly Whisked Away scenario seems slightly less insane.]

Did you find your sheep?

[The catch in Krieg's throat is enough to send Angel into another tizzy. This time, her smile fades, and a wave of guilt rattles through her. It was out of her control, her departure from this world, but it was still hard to come to grips with the fact that she'd abandoned one of the few people who had stood by her since their first meeting.]

I'm... sorry I haven't been here, Krieg. [More than anything, she wants to reach out and wrap herself in his embrace. There's nowhere she's ever felt safer than with him.] But. I'm here. I am okay, I am safe and... I'll see you soon.

[Mari, having settled against Angel's lap for the time being, perks up at the mention of her moniker. Balancing against Angel's side, she pokes her head up just enough to blink at Krieg. The bleat that follows is one part apologetic, three parts overjoyed. It wasn't her decision to get pulled away from Krieg, but at least it was an important cause.]

I... suppose that answers your question, doesn't it?

[He shakes his head at her apology. It's not her fault. She'd never leave on purpose. But addressing that seems unimportant in the face of the much bigger, more pressing matter of rushing as fast as he can go to her side.]

Yes! I'm coming!

[It's a tremendous relief to see Mari's little face peek in at the edge of the screen and to hear her soft little bleat. That feeling on top of the swiftly rising joy as the simple reality of talking to Angel really hits home is straight up euphoric, and he grins widely under his mask.]

Keep her safe, Sheep-face! I'm gonna come get you both!

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Where Angels Tread Once More (001)

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