video

[pokemontrainer]

[Today Smash Academy, you get a video from one particular Pokemon Trainer. He looks at the camera, looking as if he is going to say something. Then he thinks better of it, and stays silent.

His eyes glance sideways to look at something off the screen, before sighing quietly. Perhaps it was better to say nothing at all.

Without another word, Red simply looks forlorn at the feed for a moment longer before switching it off.

The meaning of this message is up to you to ponder, dear viewer.]

Comments

[punchwaves]

[It was enough. There wasn't enough room on Red's chair for two, so Marie just leaned into his trainer, resting the side of his face against the top of Red's head. He moved his hand in lazy circles against the other boy's back and let out a shaky sigh.

Like it's the only word he remembers how to say, he mumbles again;]

Red... [A pause. And he finally says something else.] It'll be okay.

[pokemontrainer]

Hm. Yeah.

[The trainer relaxes into the touch, his concentration still focused on building what seems to be a replica Pallet Town. Replete with Mineshaft versions of everyone in his team and his mom. It's all far too detailed.]

[punchwaves]

[Marie gave Red's screen a brief glance. He vaguely recognizes the layout of their hometown, but he's much more focused on making sure his trainer's alright.

He feels a little awkward saying anything when Red seems content to be so quiet, so he's silent for a significant amount of time. Still against his trainer, save for the lackadaisical rubbing against his back.]

...It's not your fault they left. They'll probably come back.

[After all, they'd all left at some point now. Red had left twice now. Vinnie'd gone his own trip, Sasha went to the dojo one time, Koji went searching for his pod, and even Marie disappeared for a short period of time. Marie wasn't generally the most optimistic of the bunch, but he couldn't seem to fathom the idea of his brother and sister not coming back.]

I mean, they're still a part of our... family. Right?

[pokemontrainer]

...

[The trainer takes a deep breath, wondering where to start.]

I feel like I let them down.

[As a trainer, as a friend, as an everything. Of course they'd be part of the family still but having his Pokemon in Smash was a different story. He was always torn between being a big brother figure and taking a step back but this was just... this was just the icing on the cake that he doing things something wrong.]

[punchwaves]

[Admittedly, it was very odd being in this position. Marie was used to being on the other side; venting his problems and insecurities to his trainer, not the other way around. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with it, moreso that he was unsure of what to do. He wasn't the type to give out advice. That was more Vinnie's thing. He wasn't going to be able to calmly walk Red through his problems; although Koji would have been able to.

Marie unconsciously mimicked Red's deep breath. The hand against Red's back went still, and Marie leaned the bridge of his nose against the top of his trainer's head. He was silent for what he thought was probably a little too long.]

It wasn't you. You're a good trainer...