Victory Road!

<sub>[WELLP. Heather's on a rooftop at the crack of dawn. That always means good news!]

[Or not. Weirdly, it's... actually been awhile since she's had to do something like this. A good, long while.]

[Losses are nothing new. She's had dozens of them over the years, some close and some not. In a horrible way, they almost fade into the background after awhile. As long as none of your core group leaves, the way others come and go eventually stops meaning so much.]

[And no matter how long you're here, it's easy to let your defenses be lulled by the longterm presence of friends into thinking that they are in any way permanent.]

[Which is why Heather is up on one of the higher towers on Goldenrod, sitting on a deep window-ledge with Hurricane the Pidgeot roosting nearby, and the yellow fuzz of a Joltik nestled in the hood of her vest for moral support-- Mully's been with her for so many of these.]

[After popping the video on, she offers whoever might be watching at this hour a weary smile. She doesn't look like she's been crying... she just looks tired.]</sub>

What's up, Goldenrod City. And the rest of Johto. ... And Kanto.

I guess.

I feel like I only ever make my own videos anymore when like... something super emotional and serious happened. I'm gonna make a late new year's resolution to cut that out and start recording dumb stuff like reaction videos to the cereal running out or something. I dunno.

What that was a lead-in to was that if anyone out there knew Henry Townshend-- and a few years ago this might not have even been worth it, but he's been opening up and getting out a LOT more lately-- he's... gone.

I honestly never... thought it'd happen.

But here we are.

Unlike me, he actually had something important to do back home. Had to save the world from something pretty crazy that he didn't sign up for, that he had to spend years here recovering from because it messed him up so much.

He was always scared he wouldn't be able to do it, that he'd just crumble when the time came.

But after watching him grow, all these years? I... hope that everything he's done here will give him the confidence he needs-- deserves. I believe in him. If you only knew him as your... zest dealer, or the guy at the Pokemon Center, that might sound nuts, but I promise you, he's something special.

_{[Okay, she may not have cried before making the video, but her voice does crack a little on that last sentence. She lets out a sigh, lifting a hand first to rub the side of her face and then to gently scratch the Joltik's head.]}

My 'Oh no someone I loved is gone!' videos used to be a lot more explosive. One time I tried to smash a Pokemon egg on video-- this guy's egg, actually-- because I didn't have anger management issues, I was the anger management that angry customers ask to speak to. I don't know if that joke landed or not. Don't tell me.

Point is, I uh... handle things better, now.

So I'm not gonna smash anything.

But... I wouldn't be me, and it wouldn't be a loss video... if I didn't do a little somethin'.

_{[She turns the 'Gear a little bit so that she can lift up a large Sawsbucks chocolate-chip matcha frap with almost an entire extra cups' worth of whipped cream on top. Don't even ask her how she got it up here.]}

This is Henry's favorite Sawsbucks drink.

And to celebrate us being anti-authoritarian rebels sticking it to the man in various rude and awful ways forever, I'm gonna pour it out right over Main Street.

... And then drop some money down for dry-cleaning if it hits somebody. I'm technically supposed to be an adult now, and also my dad will probably see this video later and I think his dad powers might actually be strong enough to still ground a twenty-something.

_{[There's some rustling noises as she twists the 'Gear around to show the drop, and the sidewalk far below. She holds the drink out, top popped off.]}

To Henry... wherever you are. You'd better be killing God right now, you big stupid weirdo, or I'm gonna give you the wedgie of a lifetime the next time I see you.

<sub>[And then she upturns the drink.]

[It does not hit anybody. But it does leave a big green splat on the sidewalk that somebody's Lillipup immediately runs over to lick.]</sub>

... Sweet. Don't have to drop any money.

_{[The camera spins around again.]}

That was super satisfying. Now let's keep the train rolling. To everybody who replies, I will share a weird Henry story, because I am determined to laugh instead of crying. I've got tons and they're all great so even if you don't know him, you know you gotta hear about the stoner guy who once got picked up with the trash and rode all the way to a different city in a garbage truck one time.

<sub>[The scenery rushes by in a blur-- Heather and co are aboard the MAGNET TRAIN, because guess who woke up in Saffron after that weekend? Normally it wouldn't be a big deal-- but for once, Heather actually has obligations. The circus extravaganza is still on for a few more days.]

[But... the convenience had been too tempting to pass up.]

[Heather flashes a grin at the camera once it's on, and wastes no time in spinning it around to reveal...]</sub>

Soooo... this is Snitter.

_{[The Type: Null, roughly large-dog-sized, is hunkered down on the floor, luminescent eyes blinking deep inside the helmet. It's bobbing gently to the rhythm of the train's chugs. Not just the head-- its whole body.]}

... They, uh... weren't lyin' when they said these guys had quirks.

Hey, Snitter!

_{[The chimerical Pokemon's head snaps up, eyes locking onto the camera, but its bobbing doesn't even miss a beat. It's half-cute, half-spooky.]}

Do the thing, Snitter.

C'mon!

_{[It blinks. And bobs. And doesn't do anything else.]}

--c'moooon, buddy. You were doing it a second ago.

<sub>[Just at that moment, a loud mechanical squeaking can be heard as the hot beverage cart is wheeled past... and apparently 'Snitter' SUPER DOES NOT LIKE THAT NOISE because it stands up so quickly that its legs almost seem to be spring-loaded, and then... runs backwards, directly into the wall of the train and, in its panic, tips right over and slams to the floor so hard that it makes the seats rattle.]

[Heather's tone goes from cajoling to alarmed.]</sub>

Whoa!

It's okay, bud, it's okay! Bud--

_{[The 'Gear is dropped down onto the seat as Heather hastily leaps up to try and assist the mechanically-thrashing creature back upright before it damages something.]}