determinator | ♕ FIFTH COMMAND | TEXT / ACTION [ILEX FOREST]

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♕ FIFTH COMMAND | TEXT / ACTION [ILEX FOREST]

[An anonymous text has been sent out to all of Johto. All replies will be anonymous as well ~~unless he screws up and anonfails which is highly likely~~.]

How do you deal with the loss of a close friend?

[For those of you in Ilex Forest, Archer is currently busy training his Pokémon. Or at least, that's what he'd like you to think he's doing. Every so often he'll check the Gear to see if there's a response to that anonymous text.]

[Today really isn't a good day. Archer definitely seems more distracted and agitated than usual, and he's been snapping at his Pokémon all day. Why? It's January 28th. Kimbley would have been twenty-eight today.]

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[And for a moment Kimblee is quiet, apparently content to watch Dorian and Maróczy and...whatever it is they're doing (playing? setting fire to the entire forest? who knows, and more importantly, who cares?). His gaze is still focused in their direction when he speaks again; he's smirking a bit, though the expression isn't a particularly nice one.]

You're terrible at keeping things from me, you know.

[The silence isn't a good sign. He's too obvious about all of this, isn't he? Archer glances at Kimblee when he starts talking, and immediately looks away again.]

...It's not something I should bother you with.

[...given that he knows what the issue actually is, Kimblee honestly agrees that that much is true. As much as he would like to avoid playing therapist for Archer, he often ends up doing so anyway; if he's going to be blunt, he doesn't want to deal with Archer's issues.

At the same time, if they're going to prove to be a hindrance, he's just going to end up dealing with them eventually anyway, isn't he.]

This partnership is based on mutual benefit, isn't it?

Yes. That's why I don't see how this will help you any.

[The point

his head.]

[...okay, let's try to not facepalm just yet.]

Perhaps, but at the same time, this arrangement is supposed to benefit you as well, isn't it?

Although if you must think of it in terms of how it will benefit me, it's keeping your head clear from issues that may prove to be a problem later. Your partnership will be less beneficial to me if you're preoccupied with upsetting yourself with things that can't be fixed right now, anyway.

[That... really isn't something he had thought about before. Hold on while he considers this.]

[So by not discussing it with Kimblee, he's essentially hindering Kimblee? He's bothered by this, which is in turn altering how he's dealing with Kimblee, that much is true. So...]

My apologies, then. I hadn't considered that.

[...That said, he's not going to launch into a discussion here; he's not sure how exactly to start.]

I thought as much.

[...and now we're just going to awkward at each other unless Kimblee fixes it somehow, aren't we. Um. Okay. Let's...start from the beginning or something.]

Has it been anything in particular, then, or...?

[...or just...generalized suck? how do we do this]

[Archer's silent for a moment before responding. He doesn't make eye contact or even look up, focusing instead on the ground, but not seeing it.]

...Today's his birthday. I've been trying to avoid thinking about it since arriving here, but it's been over four months since he died. He would have been twenty-eight.

[He doesn't elaborate for a moment, then finally picks up his train of thought haltingly.]

He... shouldn't have died. There must have been something I could have done. I don't... I don't know how to deal with this.

...I'm not the sort to be oversentimental about things like this; I won't tell you to do anything like living your life in a way that he would approve of in order to keep his memory alive, simply because if he's anything like me, I'm well aware that that's horrible advice.

Whether he should or shouldn't have died is an entirely moot point; the fact is that he has. The circumstances don't matter as much as your reaction to those circumstances. If you must do something to vindicate yourself, keep living. Doing otherwise is just ensuring that he died for nothing, which is a hideous insult.

That's... Again, that's not something I had thought of.

[He had never considered suicide, but somehow or other this answer makes things easier. Kimbley didn't die for nothing. Archer is silent for a moment longer before nodding to himself.]

Yes, that's excellent advice. His death won't be in vain.

[However, that's... not something he can really do anything about here...]

We're going to have to leave this forest soon, Kimblee. We have some badges to obtain.

[...good. Let's do this thing, then.]

Of course, Archer. I believe Violet City should be possible in a week's time.

Excellent. We'll defeat the Gym Leader there, then return to-- Azalea, was it? After that is Goldenrod.

[Great, now he has something to focus on doing! Not... that he wasn't focusing on it before... It's just good to be reminded why he's doing this.]

Normally I would question how much of a challenge we're in for...but given that Mustang was able to defeat the first five gyms in as many months, I doubt that the first few will give us much trouble. As ambitious as Mustang is, he isn't a miracle worker; given the length of time we've been here, it shouldn't be too difficult for us to take on the first several.

The majority of our time will be spent on the routes, then. We really shouldn't have any trouble at all.

[...Oh that's funny.]

[...oh, god, the routes. Can we not with the routes.]

I should imagine not.

Ah, though I do have some business in Violet City or thereabouts to attend to - someone I've agreed to meet up with. It shouldn't hold us back any, however; a quick meeting, nothing more.

Indeed? Who are you meeting? It shouldn't be a problem, as long as it doesn't hold us up.

[They've been here for four months and haven't gotten a single badge. They're just a bit behind Mustang here.]

[Who cares? Maybe Mustang will complete the challenge first. Then they'll know if it does anything, and if it does, they get a bonus - Mustang will be gone.

Really, Archer, you need to look at the bigger picture here.]

Her name is Emmy Altava; we met over one of her posts on the network. A rather charming girl, actually - she wants to have a battle whenever we meet up, and coffee afterwards. As I've said, it shouldn't prove too much of a distraction.

[But then that means that he'll beat them to getting home. He'll win. That's not acceptable!]

Ah, the young lady who was talking about a professor of some sort?

[She seemed nice enough. Well that's perfectly fine--]

[--Wait.]

...Is this a date, Kimblee?

[The most condescending thing ever, dear god.]

[...is it a...what]

No...?

Really? It certainly sounds like a date.

It's just a bit of friendly competition, Archer, that's all.

Besides, I don't see where it would be any concern of yours even if it were a date.

I'm merely curious, Kimblee. I'd hate to see you get distracted.

Do you really think I would be that easily distracted by a woman's company? Honestly, Archer, I'm almost offended.

[...Oh, he sees what you did there.]

I suppose I wasn't entirely sure. Most people tend to be distracted by that sort of thing. It's good to know you aren't one of them.

[...wait, wait, what did he just do]

I'm perfectly capable of staying on task despite any supposed temptation being thrown my way, I can assure you.

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