memoryborn | [Video|Action for Goldenrod City]

[ The feed starts off shaky and wonky and upside down, but it pays witness to a Scizor smashing in the face of a familiar Miltank with one of his pincers. Whitney's scream of outrage and near bloody murder drowns out the poor Miltank's whimper as it sags to the ground, knocked out with a single hit. The camera rights itself and purposefully zooms in on Whitney's red face - it looks like she's been sobbing for quite a while now. She points an accusing finger at her challenger. ]

I can't believe you! You're evil! Evil fraternal twins bullying me with overpowered Pokemon!

I'm sorry. I know things have been busy with those fossils running around, but as it seems to be over and we've been holding off for a while--

Waaaaaaaaaaaahhh!

Will you stop it?

[The camera turns to the other person in the Gym. Ilya stamps her foot and looks quite firmly irritated. Outraged, in fact.]

What kind of conduct is this? You call yourself a lady? You're a disgrace!

Illya, we don't need to aggravate her any further--

Meanies! Evil, the both of you! Here! Take your stupid badge!

[ Despite the huge display of shaking and crying Whitney is showing, she manages to chuck the tiny badge over Xion's Scizor and smack the thing squarely against Xion's forehead. She continues to cry, but this act prompts a roar from the holder of the Gear (which sounds much like a Hydreigon's roar) and her Scizor's wings to furiously flutter. ]

Ow!

Xion! Are you hurt?

[Ilya reaches up to check on Xion's forehead, and after a couple moments of satisfying herself that she's not bleeding from one of the pointy ends, turns back to Whitney.]

How dare you! I have a mind to... to...

[She seems to fail at figuring out what exactly she intends to do to Whitney, just standing there with her fists clenched and her eyes narrowed. At her side, a looming Dusclops glares with its one red eye.]

It's fine, Illya! It's nothing. [ As she says this, she's pulling on her hood to hide the little mark while bending down to pick up her badge. ] Let's go... Wait. Tiamat? Wait!

[ The feed is suddenly flying towards and behind Whitney. There's a Hydreigon head seen before it opens a mouth and bites down on poor girl's butt.

The shriek is almost ear shattering. ]

Eeeeeek! Owowowowowow! [ She swats angrily at the Hydreigon, who flies high up and stares down with the Gear. Then she gasps, looking back up at Tiamat then at Xion. ] It's you! You again?! You're the trainer whose Deino bit me in the butt!

I apologized!

[Ilya is desperately trying to reign in her laughter, but it's not... really working all that well. Meanwhile, her Dusclops is opening its mouth...

Oops, there's a second ear piercing scream.]

Ow ow ow! Orpheus, that was not a challenge to a screaming competition!

Illya, let's just go! We might get arrested at this rate!

[ Tug, tug. Everyone's just screaming and crying and yelling... while Tiamat just laughs her dark Hydreigon laugh above. ]

But I still don't have my badge...

[She does, however, reluctantly allow herself to get pulled away.]

Orpheus! Hepheastus! Come!

[With a roar and a groan, the Aggron and the Dusclops obediently begin following their trainer away from the increasingly frantic gym leader.]

Tiamat! --And please stop recording!

[ Xion realizes belatedly. At the call, Tiamat swoops over while obeying orders and cutting the feed after that. ]

[ Audio that happens half an our later: ]

Whitney's still the same. [ No kidding. Beat. ] If anyone plans to challenge her sometime soon, um... please be careful.

[ And then another audio message filtered to Minato and the Ninja Team: ]

I hope you guys have been okay from the fossil Pokemon attack. I think I'm going to travel with Illya for a bit. She wanted to visit Ecruteak for some information. If you guys need help, though, we could both travel back to you guys whenever we can.

And... sorry I've been quiet. A lot of things have been happening. Stay safe.

[ ooc: Badges approved for both! Whitney and Illya. ]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Hello, Saber.

[Her face is tilted up just a little, her eyes narrowed, and her jaw is already settling into a stubborn expression. She'd never admit it if asked, but she's the picture of a child (or teenager) who knows she's about to get a lecture and is not looking forward to it right now.]

I can't believe she went so far as to throw it at her! I'd heard some nasty stories, and even seen them over the network, but this was just ridiculous.

[ That snaps her out of looking at the ground long enough to glance at Illya with a start. ]

Er, I have? [ Even her voice is oddly detached, still moving away from burdening thoughts. ]

You really haven't noticed? [She raises an eyebrow in plain disbelief.]

You've been quiet, and kept to yourself... more than usual, I mean. I've hardly had a decent conversation with you since our trip to the department store.

Honestly, it's been... worrying. [Her expression softens a bit, and she gives Xion a very concerned look.] Like something really bad happened, but you don't want me to know about it for some reason.

A shuriken is also a small thing, and it still hurts. Did you take the time to earn the Zephyr and Hive badges before reaching Goldenrod?

I knew she could be insulting and take over people's afternoons, but physical assault should not be allowed, coming from a professional trainer.

Exactly! She's certainly no lady...

[Sigh.] But Xion's alright, at least. I double-checked her forehead myself.

That's good to hear, thank you. Hopefully she'll calm down before the next challenger comes.

Will it matter? She's still going to scream and cry at them at the end anyway.

[...

uggggh]

What a wonderful thing to look forward to... I think I may just wait a week or so before I bother with her.

[ When Illya looks back, her eyes glance to the side, almost ashamed. How to say this... she really didn't realize her mood had changed considerably since-- ]

It's not like something bad happened. It's just... A lot's on my mind lately. We did just survive fossil Pokemon attacking us.

Not the Hive one. I was in a traveling group that wanted to come visit around Goldenrod for the Bug Contests. I'll get to Bugsy in time.

She's always like this, to be honest. It's best if you just take your badge and go.

[ Calm, neutral tone here. Really, Xion and Illya just put Whitney through some humiliating losses in a row. ]

It started before then!

[It comes out in a snap, and she immediately regrets the outburst. Biting her lip, she lowers her eyes a bit, now embarrassed.]

Look, if you don't think you can talk to me about it, tell me that. But don't make up excuses, alright?

They say you should get these sort of things done with quickly... At least we don't have to worry about her anymore.

[ The slight outburst startles her enough that she pulls her hand back on instinct. Tiamat and Blitz look on in tense worry, and even Xion looks a bit dismayed. She didn't think Illya would pay that much attention to her changing mood.

She sighs. ] It isn't an excuse - I just didn't have a proper time to think about it. But, I understand.

Well, I suppose that with Axel in your team the exact date of your crushing victory matters very little.

Screaming and crying are neither illegal nor a threat to one's eyes. Though I suppose ears are another matter...

[She lets Xion's hand slide out of her own without resistance, her eyes still aimed somewhere around their feet until Xion tries to explain. Lifting them again to look her in the face, she bites her lip for a moment before answering, determined not to let her temper get the better of her again.]

If you understand that I'm worried about you, that's fine. Just... be more thoughtful next time, alright? I do notice these things, and if you're upset, I want to help if I can. I mean, I like you, after all.

Threat to one's eyes? What do you-

[The mental image of the badge going a bit lower abruptly enters her mind. Her eyes widen and she grimaces.]

Oh I didn't even think of that. That makes it even worse!

It might not help much, but I doubt Whitney thought of it either. Otherwise, her aim would have been more precise.

Xion, have you not gone through this before?

[ Everyone's had the Whitney experience in Johto, haven't they? ]

[ She just may be mimicking a certain other magus as she holds her face in her palm. ]

... You made it out alright, correct? That poor lady.

[ Xion's sometimes just too thoughtful - she just happens to not focus on certain things, ironically. She blinks at the "like" bit. ]

I... like you, too. But because I like you, I have to ask you to not worry over me so much. It's just something I have to think more on.

I'm retaking badges. I had to beat her sooner or later.

[ Her voice is casually neutral, but detached. ]

Page 3 of 16

[Video|Action for Goldenrod City]

video;

[video]

[Action]

[Action]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[Action]

[video]

[video]

[Action]

[video]

[Action]

[video]

[video]

[Action]

[video]

[video]

video;

video;

[Action]

video;