033 [Video/Action for Goldenrod + Anon Text]

[soggypastry]

[Private Text to: Riku and Xion]
Team Rocket's list of targets changed. You're both on it now, so stay sharp and watch your backs. I don't know when they'll move on any of us.
[/private texts]

[It's been almost three months since he left, with only a letter to say goodbye. To say that Lightning hadn't been thinking about him as the day that would have been thier first anniversary drew nearer would be a lie, and she's taken it with remarkable grace when all things are concerned.

Or maybe she's just used to getting left behind. Who knows. All she knows is there's a house on the beach with too many memories and dreams, and she can barely look at Lucky or Strike without expecting him to be right at her side. She has to put that part of her past to rest if she's going to be able to lead the Corps in the best way she can, and so she's come to the seaside once more. Something a young boy once taught her matters more than she ever thought it would now.

Those passing close to the Radio tower will find her crouched at the railing, a lit sparkler in one hand and a bottle with a letter in the other as her Lucario stands guard nearby, gear in paw. Today would have been special, if he were here. But he isn't and it's just one more anniversary of loss. One more thing that needs to be shaken off.]

Turn it off, Sen.

[The Lucario in question yelps, but it's only in surprise, not fear. Lightning's voice is steady and quiet, and she rises to her feet as the sparkler burns out and leaves ash in the wind. She moves to the railing now, but Sen manages to end the feed just as the bottle that was in her hand drops out of sight and into the ocean.

A few minutes later, however, something else hits the network. The fact that it's an anonymous text may make people wary, but there's nothing untoward about this one. No, this one is the exact opposites of the others that have gone out.]


[Anon Text]
If someone gave you a chance to help protect this world and everyone who lives here from the people who want to harm it, would you do it? Or would you stand by and watch it burn like the Lighthouse?

Comments

text; not anon

[papasmellslikethis]

That'd depend.

text; perma-anon

[soggypastry]

On what? The options you were given?

[Action]

[impulsives]

Penny for your thoughts?

[Well, it wasn't often that he got to meet her, and while he's probably going to get an earful or two from her, it doesn't really matter; someone's down in the dumps, and that's not always a good thing.]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[Sen reacts to his presence first, whirling on his feet and growling with his fangs clear to see, but he calms at Lightning's touch. Shinn's no threat, after all. Well. Not to Lightning, anyway.]

It's just a bad week.

[Down in the dumps is an accurate description, but she's had her time to grieve. Going back to talk about it again...it's not going to help her or anyone else.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

[Normally Cecil would not comment on that sort of video, especially when it's not wanted. But in this case...]

...A bottle and a flame?

[video]

[soggypastry]

[Well. So much for the video being off. Ah, well...]

Something I was taught. [siigh.] There was a letter in the bottle. For Leon.

[HALP, CECIL. HOW DOES DEAL WITH FEELS!?]

[worktodo]

Right, because that's not a loaded question at all.

[soggypastry]

It's just a question. I won't do anything to this world even if you don't answer it, if that's what's bothering you.

[text]

[atrueheroine]

[[Page's reply to the anonymous text comes quite quickly after it's sent; this is right up her alley, after all.]]

I would dedicate my life to it. It's what I've always done.

[[That strange man who attacked the Lighthouse worried her quite badly; she didn't realise this place had such people, with such powerful weaponry.

It's typical, really. She knew the peace couldn't last.]]

[anon text]

[soggypastry]

[She remembers you, Page. Didn't peg you for the type, but...]

And what if I told you there was a group trying to do just that? Would you join them? Or would you work on your own?

voice;

[heartdive]

Of course I'd take it. I don't want to stand around and do nothing.

[perma-anon text]

[soggypastry]

So if someone told you there was a group that was working to try and protect this place, would you join them or work on your own?

Anon Text

[meikyuubutterfly]

It's complicated.

Anon Text

[soggypastry]

Is it really? Either you take that chance or you don't. It's your call, no one elses.

[Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Oh hello there anonymous text on the network. Let Cobra type out an actual response once he's done laughing at it.]

Neither. I'd be the one making it burn.

[Perma-Anon Text]

[soggypastry]

[Well. She should have expected this.]

And making yourself burn in the process. Playing with fire has consequences.

[Anon Text]

[beforethedarkness]

[Oh hey, he managed to figure out how to text back anonymously. After a few minutes of fiddling around with the pokégear he replies. Not that he knows what any of this is about, but it'll kill time while Hiruzen is resting.]

If it doesn't get in the way of my mission, I would. I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't.

[Anon Text]

[soggypastry]

[Anon text in reply to anon text? Now she's just on edge. Great. Keep it together, Farron.]

And what's this mission of yours? If it's finding a way back, you've already failed. We don't get to go back by choice.

action;

[eagletalons]

[He's pulling a double-duty right now-- making sure the anonymous filter is intact and will be intact for a long time, and making sure Lightning is okay in case someone decides to come over and bug her.

Palum sits at his feet like a big black fox while he watches both Light and his Gear.]

action;

[soggypastry]

[She stands at the railing for a few minutes, gear buzzing with replies to her question, but Hope is good at what he does. She has her moment to grieve what might have been before she gets back to work, walking to where Hope is waiting. Sen bounds on ahead, yipping at Palum to come and play, but Lightning only nods. Thanks, bro. She did need that.]

Text. Not Anon.

[chosen_light_child]

Yes.

video-locked

[soggypastry]

[The sudden change is probably a shock, and Lightning's frown is as stern as her voice. She knows you, girl. Knows that you haven't done much about this, either.]

Then maybe you should start answering calls that go out to the Corps, Hikari.

[Action]

[infinitejustice]

[This might be a surprise -- Athrun is finally back in Goldenrod. He hadn't told anybody he was coming back, he'd just done it. He'd been walking past the radio tower, giving it a long look, when he noticed her. He cleared his throat before walking closer, so he wouldn't take her by surprise.]

Thinking about the past?

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[Even if he hadn't cleared his throat, Sen is on guard duty and gives Lightning plenty of warning in his growl before getting a pat. Stand down, soldier. He's a friend...kind of. He gets a nod, at any rate, even as Lightning turns her gaze back to the water.]

Something like that. Thinking about what could have been.

[Text]

[tinymoonkid]

I'd probably help out, unless it was really super-dangerous or something.

[Perma-Anon Text]

[soggypastry]

Then you might not want to get involved. This isn't going to be peaceful in any sense of the word.

[Text]

[babel_hacker]

I'd do it.

[The answer came very easily to him. If he standby, people will get hurt, when there's a chance he could prevented it.]

[Perma-Anon Text]

[soggypastry]

Even if it meant putting yourself in danger and working with other people? You wouldn't be working alone if you go through with this, no matter how you feel about that.

[text]

[leaveyourstarburning]

That would depend on the methods used, and how much information there is regarding those who are behind the attacks.

[perma-anon text]

[soggypastry]

The methods we use are find out what they're doing and get there before them. Head them off, as it were, until we can get more intel on their long term goals.

[text]

[darkenedgales]

course I'd protect it.

[There's no question about it. That's what he's been trying to do for quite a while, after all, but... well, there's so much a single person can do.]

[text]

[soggypastry]

Even if it meant putting yourself in danger and working with other people? Working alone in this is just asking for trouble.

text; this is why he really should just stick to video... (...or is it?)

[dreamsofahero]

That is an interesting question to pose; I presume it must be provoked in part by the rather poor response by the local law enforcement to the incident? After all, it's rather surprising that they are apparently entirely ignoring the individual who captured and broadcast the images of the event in the first place, not to mention providing such commentary on it. Lacking a positive identification of the possible culprit may be a factor, I imagine, however, they still might have put out a notice for a likely or presumed suspect even so. Keeping though to your original question, or rather, returning to it, I should think that any decent person would wish to be able to protect the entire world, but speaking more practically, no matter how desirous it may be, it's a rather difficult goal, isn't it?

*....and this is why Sion shouldn't be texting, ladies and gentlemen.....*

text;

[soggypastry]

[Well. That was...rather long winded. Why the heck did this person use text for all that? Somebody's certainly bored.]

Not really. If it was just one person working alone, it would be, but there's strength in numbers.

TEXT - PRIVATE

[greatestcool]

Ooh, sounds like someone's mad. What, irritated that you couldn't be there to help out or something?

[Sorry, Lightning. Ryuunosuke just loves trying to troll. Trying being the key word here.]

The lighthouse explosion was beautiful. I don't have any interest in playing hero. Besides, wouldn't it be more fun to watch the world go down? Just imagine! You'd be witnessing the greatest cool!

TEXT - PRIVATE

[soggypastry]

[Trying is most definitely the keyword here. All it gets him as a reaction before she replies is a raised eyebrow and a sigh. Really?]

For all of five seconds, maybe. If the world goes down, we go down with it. Or did you forget about that?

[grapecape]

Of course I would help. I actively intend to.

[He's been thinking about the topic for the past week, even.]

[soggypastry]

What do you intend to do on your own? One person can't make much of a difference.

[roemance]

probably wwatch it burn

[YUP.]

[soggypastry]

[Well. She can't say she's surprised. Someone would have had to say something like that eventually.]

Just be careful you don't burn with it, then. Playing with fire never ends well.

[text]

[pinnedbangs]

[Though he hadn't said anything about the lighthouse publicly, it rattled him. He hadn't seen that sort of destruction before (save a few incidents). What bothered him were his pokemon's reactions, how the entire event played out like something from a movie... it was cold reality in a place as whimsical as Johto, and while it was different, it wasn't the sort of different he was looking for.]

I'd do it.

[perma-anon text]

[soggypastry]

Even if it meant putting yourself in danger or working with other people?

text/locked;

[islandshore]

Doesn't surprise me, after what happened in Saffron.

I'm guessing I should avoid butting heads with any Rockets for a while.

[At least over the network.]

text/locked;

[soggypastry]

What happened in Saffron?

[Riku what did you do? Is she going to have to start sitting on you, too?]

[text]

[enjoymyatelier]

[...Normally, Kayneth wouldn't care about this kind of thing unless it directly effected him. However... from experience, it's not too much of a stretch to assume it can't effect him-he was untouchable back home (at least in his opinion), but that didn't extend to his status here.

...besides, he was rather intrigued by the idea of potentially having a proper fight with the person from the Goldenrod incident. So-]

Given that I currently live here, I have every intention of protecting myself, if it comes to that.

[text]

[soggypastry]

Just yourself? So you'd stand by and let the world burn so long as you survived?

[Honest question. She could understand if that's what he chose to do, but...she'd like to know.]

[private text]

[ordalias]

"Both" of us? How did you find out?

[private text]

[soggypastry]

You and Riku. He knows already.

I found out because I was told. Someone working for Team Rocket sent me the list. It's changed since I was last told about it in May.

action | placeholder

[saxsongs]

[Ren's on his way to work at the Game Corner when he walks past the the Radio Tower. The Lucario is the first thing that catches his eye, but then he notices Lightning there as well.

What she's doing or why isn't really none of his business... but he still can't help but ask a question.]

Is everything alright?

action

[soggypastry]

[The Lucario reacts first, Sen spinning on his paws and baring his teeth in a snarl. It's a clear warning, and it doesn't really ease as Lightning steps up beside him. Things may not be alright, but she recognizes that voice and is still wary about this man. That's enough cause to shove her emotions away and deal with him first.]

Good enough. [slight frown.] I wasn't expecting to see you here.