1st roar [ video ]

[adamant]

Hn. It's working. No, get away from it. I don't want you to break it.

[ The feed clicks on, revealing a very familiar voice; eventually the camera function starts up, zooming in and out on the neckline of a white t-shirt. After a few moments, the person holding the device seems to be satisfied that they've figured out all its functions, and the camera pans up to finally reveal one scarred, frowning face. The eyes are dark, the brow only slightly furrowed; while Leon's face is difficult to read on a good day, he looks particularly subdued today. Anyone familiar with him knows this is because he is royally pissed. ]

If the words 'Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee' ring any bells, now'd be a good time to speak up. I--hey, careful.

[ A massive metal shape comes into view--Skarmory's head, peering down at the camera. Those big blue eyes are bright and alert, seeming incredibly out of place in a face that looks like it could rip someone in half. Skarmory makes a raucous, curious noise, somewhere between a chirp and grinding sawblades. Leon gently but firmly uses his arm to push the bird out of the way. ]

Anyone with any clear information on what to do with--that-- [ He glances away from the camera; it's pretty clear he's talking about Skarmory. ] --would be appreciated.

[ A pause. ]

Thank you.

[ The feed clicks off. ]

Comments

[adamant]

[ Smart kid! Strong survival instincts. ]

It's--[ not fine, but he'll deal. ]--okay. Nice to meet you. [ Look! This one has manners! ]

Don't suppose you'd know what brought me here, Hope?

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

You too. [He gets it from living with soldiers and idiot heroes and just people with weapons far more impressive than his.]

No, I don't-- you're not the only one who's suddenly showed up here without warning. There are a lot of people here from other worlds, and we've all started out the same way-- and place-- as you.

[adamant]

[ He nods. This is probably the wierdest thing that's ever happened to him, and that's saying something. ]

What can I expect out there? [ You can never be too prepared. ]

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

I don't know about your Pokémon-- I haven't seen one of those before. But what you do with it is the same. You teach it how to fight and challenge other people to test how much your Pokémon's learned with you. There are balls in your bag-- you can use them to catch a new one in the wild if you want to.

We don't have any weapons or powers here. We all rely on the Pokémon to help up, even outside of fighting, so you shouldn't be leaving them behind.

[He's testing what Leon would say, because he knows Squall did that before, and his Cyndaquil and Gyarados were not happy.]

take two

[adamant]

Seems...odd. [ More like borderline abusive. What if it doesn't want to fight? Definitely Skarmory seems rather unsure about things so far. ]

I'm guessing they can handle the hurt, then?

[ Leon thinks over this bit of info. What Hope says makes a lot of sense, in which case it's in his best interest to make friends with the bird-thing. ]

And I wasn't planning to. [ He tilts his head at Hope. What does the kid take him for? ]

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

You don't have to do it if you don't want to. Some of them don't like fighting, and there's no reason to force them if they don't want to. [Shaking his head.] Some of them just want to stick to their trainers all the time because they like them.

[A+. Leon passes the test.] That's good.

[adamant]

...of course you wouldn't force them. [Just look at this thing. It could bite his arm off. ]

Why are you telling me this? [ Because you sound oddly prejudiced, kid. Ventus wasn't so full of warnings. ] Have you seen a lot of people leaving their--pokemon--behind? [ That's what they were called, right? ]

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

Squall left his Pokémon behind to hide in a cave. [And you look like him, Mister. Not to mention the name blatantly taken from his last name.]

I don't know his reasons, but none of them are good enough to be leaving a Cyndaquil and a Gyarados alone.

[adamant]

[ Okay, that's it. Gloves are off, kid. Leon can be an ass even when he doesn't want to. ]

For the second--and last--time, my name's Leon. Whoever you think I am? Isn't me.

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

I know you aren't Squall Leonhart, because you're obviously not the same age. I just wanted to be sure, because you're alike in a lot of ways.

You'll see too, when you get to meet him.

[adamant]

[ Wait what. That makes no sense. The same first name, he can get, but the same last name, too? No way. ]

Explain yourself.

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

His name's Squall Leonhart. He owns a gunblade, he has a scar down his eyes just like yours, and he might be a trained soldier.

[Rambling off what he knows.] Things like that can happen here. You'll find you've gotten a double you've never known about before, and they're from other worlds. But they're still just like you.

I haven't seen anyone like me, but I know three other people and their doubles.

[adamant]

[ That description sends a shiver up Leon's spine, because it's pretty dead-on. This explains Ventus' two Aeriths, as well. As much as he doesn't want to accept it, there seems to be a distinct possibility that he'll meet himself here, or a version of himself ten years younger. ]

...huh. Well, that's a comforting thought. [ Not. ]

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

[Shaking his head.]

I don't have my own, not that I know of anyway, so I cant imagine how it would feel.

[adamant]

[ Leon huffs lightly, looking away from the camera. Depending on how well Hope knows Squall, he might pick up on Leon being a little shaken. Skarmory pokes her head up in his space, gently prodding his jaw. The action makes his head turn. Skarmory makes a much softer noise this time, and Leon responds by scratching two glove-covered fingers at her throat. Her eyes close happily. Leon's expression softens imperceptibly, before turning back to Hope. ]

I'll tell you when I meet him. If I meet him. [ Dryly. ] I just hope I don't leave as bad an impression as he did.

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

[Hope smiles at the interaction. No, he doesn't know Squall well, and maybe what he knows is prejudice, but... he knows good people when he sees them.]

I don't think you'd have to worry about that.

[adamant]

[ Yeah yeah, like you're a decent judge of character, Mr 'let's-kill-Snow-Villiers-and-follow-strange-ladies-into-creepy-ruins'. Also Leon sees you seeing that interaction, and frowns. You didn't see anything, got it? ]

Good. How long have you been here, Hope?

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

[Well at least I take matters into my own hands and not rely on a derpy kid to save the world-universe. And he did see it, so did the Drifblim that just passed by.]

Kai, don't go too far.

[He gets a Driiiif~ in reply. Sigh, Pokémon.]

Three months. Almost four.

[adamant]

[ Blank look at Drifblim. What is that thing? Leon has a hard time believing that Skarmory and Drifblim are somehow part of the same wonky animal kingdom. Also-- ]

...you gave it a name?

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

A lot of us do. It's kind of a way for us to make them different from others like them. Besides, I like naming them.

[adamant]

They don't mind? Seems like something you'd do to a pet.

[ Skarmory starts making a hideous noise again, and Leon doesn't even think before reaching for her throat. Scritch scritch. Skrrrrr. ]

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

[Shakes his head.]

You nurture a pet, give them everything they need, let them out to walk, and don't think twice about bringing them to the doctor if they need it. Trainers do that too, but... I see them as my friends. They're like me-- they think, they feel, they do stupid things like other people, but I don't mind as long as they don't get themselves or other people hurt, because I like them and I care for them. That's the difference.

fjdkshfg i'm sorry this took so long this tag just wasn't speaking to me ;A;

[adamant]

I see your point. These 'pokemon' are definitely way more intelligent than any animal I've met back home.

[ They seem to actually understand verbal language, in a way that goes beyond responding to commands. At least, Skarmory does, even if her wants and needs seem simple to him so far. ]

She's told me she doesn't mind answering to 'Skarmory', so I guess that'll be it for now. [ Skarmory nods absently, before presenting her throat. Do that again, boss. ]

it's fine!

[airwinged.livejournal.com]

[Well then, Leon should have seen the animals back in Gran Pulse. Now those were smart and scary.]

Well, if she says so...

[adamant]

[ Leon's met Pluto, who was...scarily smart? /rimshot
Actually, Skarmory is probably level with Pluto in terms of cognitive ability, which is saying a lot. Leon nudges Skarmory to get her attention. ]

You don't mind not having a nickname, do you?

[ She blinks. Haven't they been through this already? She'll give Hope the same answer she gave Kay: a quick but firm shake of the head. She doesn't mind. ]

There you go.