1. [New Bark Town] Backdated: 11th January

[illusioning]

[When the PokeGear clicks on, it probably doesn't seem as though it should. Yes, this new trainer is in New Bark Town, like the rest of all the trainers. The question is, why is this so off?

If it even appears to be.

So, standing there, outside of 'Mum's House' is someone who looks like THE MIDDLE GUY. Cap and all. It's not the real one, mind you, but it's close enough. It just doesn't have the text on the front, plain black, nice and shiny and new. It's purpose is kind of ruined though, as Niou is not at the end of year party at all, instead he's in Johto.

Just in case anyone here will know him though, he's going to have a little fun. He takes a moment to tug the bill of the cap down a little, straight facing at the camera.]

Tarundoru.

Comments

[illusioning]

[So, so gullible as always, Akaya. Niou's eyes narrow a little, copying and trying to make Akaya as uncomfortable as possible. He honestly doesn't care too much if he's been slacking off - even if it is the rule of Rikkai.

Then again, a bit of a fright never hurt anyone. Which is why he purposely let's his hand twitch while in view of the camera.

However, the word 'back' is what piques his interest. Does that mean Sanada had been here before and left?]

Hn. Apparently so.

[attrite]

... Well, that's no good! It took you forever to get to Goldenrod City the last time. You want me to come pick you up? I got the Fly HM, so I can be there in less than a day.

[ He's not-so-secretly pretty excited about this - he would for any teammate, obviously. Even Sanada. ]

[illusioning]

[Oh, Akaya. Just wait until his secret surprise present is unwrapped. He might want to take that back.

He almost wants to laugh at the eagerness too. Not to mention trust Sanada to take forever getting there. Niou isn't really Sanada though, even if he's playing his part at the moment.]

I have already made the arrangements.

[He wonders briefly if Yagyuu's going to end up giving him up before he comes to pick him up actually.]

[attrite]

Oh. With Yagyuu-sempai, I guess? [ he's pretty sure Yagyuu borrowed somebody's Fly HM a while back... ] That's good, then. Although the house'll be pretty empty with him gone, too...

[illusioning]

Yes. [Niou has to wonder where the others actually are now, if that's the case. Not like he can really do anything about it anyway, more to sate his own curiosity.]

We won't take too long.

[He shuts his eyes, stern expression still in place. His back is starting to ache from the awful straight position stands in too. Like he's got a stick rammed up his ass.]

[attrite]

... Oh, hey! I just remembered, but I have one of your Pokémon from before. And also your hat. I've been taking care of 'em both, so if you want them back that's fine with me.

[illusioning]

[That actually makes the clogs turn a little quicker. Akaya had Sanada's hat? To hide the faint burst of laughter threatening to bubble up, he reaches up for the bill of the cap again, tugging at it a little. Just like Sanada might.]

That would be appreciated.

[He's not about to make off with either of them, but Sanada wouldn't ever deny his real hat, would he?]

[attrite]

Shank's gotten waaaay stronger since you left, too. I've been doing training with him! [ yeah, Sanada had a Pokémon named Shank... after the tennis term, but the other meaning adds a hilarious twist to it. Akaya named it. ]

[illusioning]

[Shank. Really? He has to resist raising an eyebrow at the name, if only because 'skank' is the second thing that comes to mind after that.]

Hn. You haven't been wasting your time here then.

[attrite]

Of course not! I've been working hard at Pokémon and at tennis.

[illusioning]

Good. [It's kind of boring to keep this up now he knows how easy it is to keep going, but at the same time... showing himself will be much better in person. He knows this.]

Yukimura will be pleased to hear that.

[attrite]

Yeah... I hope so. [ he seems a little down at Yukimura's name... ] Oh, and he's gone now, by the way. Since you two left at around the same time.

[illusioning]

[That pings his interest. They left around the same time, did they?]

Then we should keep up the work until his return.

[Those words taste kind of bitter in his mouth as well, but it's something Sanada would do. Drill them to the ground and all.]

[attrite]

Yeah... of course! It'd be bad if Yukimura-buchou came back and we were in bad shape, heh. [ besides, Akaya's own pride demands it. ]

[illusioning]

[He... doesn't want to think of the consequences if they did that.]

It would be unacceptable.

[attrite]

The law of Rikkai Dai even applies in Johto, huh? [ Of course it does, it's Rikkai Dai... ]

[illusioning]

The law of Rikkai Dai applies everywhere, Akaya.

[Yes... exactly. They all have that drilled into them.]

[attrite]

Maybe we should change the name, then. 'Cause it doesn't just apply to Rikkai Dai.

[illusioning]

It applies to the team, Akaya.

/obligatory threadjack

[usedlaserbeam]

As loath as I am to leave you and Marui-kun unattended in the house together, I doubt it's truly necessary to make Sanada-kun walk all the way to Goldenrod a second time. Try to ensure there's something still standing for us to come back to, won't you?

[attrite]

Hey now, we're not that bad! Geez... it's not like we're gonna burn the house down or anything.

[usedlaserbeam]

Perhaps not, and yet it's become something of a tradition that whenever I go away, however temporarily, I always seem to come back to some form of chaos.

[attrite]

Well, I wouldn't know anything about that! Most of the time I wasn't home anyways...

[usedlaserbeam]

That's a fair point, but a pattern is a pattern, and you can hardly blame me for having reservations.

[attrite]

The house'll be fine. I promise! Marui-sempai and I'll be good.