neku sakuraba

[today, fine citizens of Johto, we find our hero loitering around the edge of Violet, under a tree on Route 32. he's just sitting there, looking at the 'gear to make sure it turned on, then away for a second (presumably to check on his team, but they're behaving for once), then back to the screen.]

So what does everyone do when they're not training? It's been, what, more than three months since some of us got here, and there's still nothing to do.

[pause. a slight frown, but he recovers!]

Nothing to do that isn't centered on Pokémon, anyway, and if no one's found a way to go home that isn't disappearing randomly... Well, nothing really happens. I guess this is more literal than I hoped getting stuck in a video game would would be.

If there's someone up there with a handheld, they're pretty bad at this.

[another pause, and then he clears his throat and looks away because really, Neku, what the hell are you saying. awkwardly:]

So, uh, yeah. What do you do when you're tired of training?

[so that pond by Sprout Tower. Neku is at it, because 2/3 of his Pokémon are water types and they like to swim about. anyone nearby may witness him just chilling (except not because it's hot out) on the edge of said pond, while his endearingly derpy Quagsire, Fish, swims around and occasionally bumps into Fish 2 -- which is easier to do now, because 2 ~*just recently evolved*~ into a lovely, disgruntled Gyarados.

he's a very impatient giant sea monster, actually. so after the tenth time being smacked into by Fish's forehead, he turns and swims towards the edge of the pond opposite Neku, who perks up only when he realizes what's going on.]

Hey! Where are you -- come back here!

[the Gyarados actually obeys, if only to swim over to where Neku is, tower over him for a moment, and then lift his tail to knock his master into the water. while Neku is busy sputtering, the Gyarados irritably just. leaves the scene.]

( TEXT: TEN MINUTES LATER )