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

[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.

[attrite]

I guess so... [ it still doesn't make sense to him, okay! :T ]

[illusioning]

[Silly, silly Bakaya. He'll get it... one day, maybe.

For now he just glares into the camera - giving his best Sanada!glare.]

Hn.

[It's not much to go with, but hey... this is Sanada he's pretending to be.]

[attrite]

[ that glare. ]

But, y'know, whatever you think is best works for me!

/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.