5th | Video + Action + Audio | Violet City

[kyoukashotennis]

[video]

[There's a really worried Eevee on the network today. She seems to have a problem and is now seeking for help through the gear. Humans did it, so maybe she could be able to get some help as well?]

My trainer has been sleeping for a week in a row. I know humans need a lot of sleep, but... this can't be normal, right?

[She looks worriedly over at the bed that's behind her.]

I mean, we've tried to wake him up a few times, but it hasn't helped at all. What should we-- Oh!

[Sounds can be heard from the bed. The Eevee looks delighted! Shiraishi was waking up. He was alright after all-!

... but why did it sound like Shiraishi was... crying?

Without saying anything else, the Eevee flicks her tail and shuts the video off. It's best if no one sees this.]

[action]

[Shiraishi had always imagine that going home being away for a few months would be a happy thing that would make him smile a long time afterward. This wasn't the case this time. He had visited home, and while meeting with his friends and family had been a nice and good and happy thing... there had been things that weren't nice at all.

Their team... Shitenhouji had lost.

He had felt so happy when they had gone to the Nationals. Even happier when they reached the Semifinals... and then they fell down, or more like , they were thrown down. They didn't even win once. Rikkai just took three victories and that was the end of Nationals for Shitenhouji.

Somehow, Shiraishi had managed to keep himself composed when he had been there with his team. He had thought that they'd pull it through, somehow. There was always next year. These thought had been keeping him standing proudly at the other side of the court. He didn't show too much sadness in front of the other team or his own.

Then he had waken up and now that he was all alone, back in the Pokémon world, he let his feelings out slightly. He hadn't meant to... but it was hard not to. He hadn't felt this bad in months.

On top of feeling bad about the loss, he was also rather worried about Kenya, his best friend. He hadn't been his normal-self during his match and he was sure losing must have affected him somehow. He felt like he needed to be there to support him... but he wasn't.

A sound of a Pokémon startled Shiraishi away from his thoughts. Two of his Pokémon were on the bed, looking worriedly at him. Budew and Eevee. Shiraishi wiped his eyes and smiled slightly.]

... Hey. I'm sorry for worrying you.

[Budew looked Shiraishi, worried still, before making a determined nod and eating a Rare Candy she had been keeping with her for level up. Then there was a bright white light and instead of a Budew, a Roselia was standing on the bed. After a while she took a few steps closer and wrapped her hands around Shiraishi's arm.

Shiraishi wasn't really sure what to say in his confusion, except:] You're really beautiful.

[He was going to be fine, eventually, since he had such great friends beside him, even in Johto.

He just hoped it would be the same for Kenya in their own world.]

[audio]

[Half an hour later a new post comes to the network. It's a voice only though, as Shiraishi doesn't feel like he could do a video post today.]

It seems that I've been asleep for a while. Though how I got from Goldenrod to Violet during it is... quite a mystery. [He'd probably suggest sleepwalking if he was in the mood of joking right now.] Though it's weird that I was only away from Johto for a week. It felt like I was away for months.

[He'd also say "I think I visited home", but it's not a subject he wants to discuss right now.]

Anyway, I'm back and sorry if I worried anyone. [Pause.] I'm probably going to stay in Violet and find a job for now.

[And without any further notices, he'll cut the feed short.]


[After his audio feed he can be found from near Pokémon Center. He's pretty much in his own thoughts, but feel free to bother him if you'd like.]


(ooc: Back from his canon update! Replies to the video post can either be posted from Eevee or by Shiraishi with a half a hour delay as he sees it after he posts the audio part.

It's also okay to meet him between the two posts in the Center, if you'd like.)

Comments

[usedwrench]

[She's starting to feel like she should give you a hug. But hugging is a complicated thing, okay?

Swallow. Okay, she heard you crying, so what is she supposed to say to that? She recalls him coming from a normal world with abnormal tennis, but stuff happens in normal worlds without superpowers too.]

I ... hope it wasn't anything too bad. [like losing a family member or a friend!] Not that you need to tell me.

[kyoukashotennis]

[Shiraishi realizes that the air is a bit heavy... and that he should probably explain that it was just tennis. Even if it wasn't just tennis to him.]

It's nothing too bad, really. We just... [Pause. Silence.] We just lost. Against a better team.

[usedwrench]

[...oh.]

I'm sorry. [a pause.] I admit that I know nothing about tennis, but I know a lot about the situations when you worked hard for something for someone's sake... [...this example has obvious backstories, can you tell from her voice and pout face?] And then bad happens, and you'll have to more or less start all over again.

But we'll get stronger and become better when those things happen, right? [Trying to be optimistic here! With a little grin on her face.

...Can tennis and Ed destroying her precious work even be compared like that?! Well, she just compared them, but ... oh well.]

[kyoukashotennis]

[Shiraishi nods. These kinds of things happen to everyone and it was just a part of life. He knew that... but it was still hard to accept it and move on.]

It's just tennis, not the end of the world... as long as you keep playing, you can start over and become better. The same could be said about a lot of things, right?

[usedwrench]

I know it's not the end of the world, but I don't think it's just something either. It's important to you, right? You're kind of talking to a girl whose hobby became her full-time job, so... [Winry shrugs. She's been in the 'it's just' situation, and really, she knows how important hobbies can be.]

And the same could definitely be said about a lot of things. When someone breaks an automail, I'll just start over again and become better. [She might owe Ed a lot for that, she wouldn't be as good as she is if he hadn't always broken his automail arm...

Long silence from her part.]

Did you meet Miyuki when you were home?

[kyoukashotennis]

Well... yeah. Though I'm still not sure if I'm aiming to become a professional, but it is a possibility. [He just needs to see what other options there is.] I know it will be important to me for a long time, for sure. The same for you, right?

[He takes a moment as well and then shakes her head.]

I didn't even meet her brother... so no chance of getting to know her just yet.

[usedwrench]

Well, you can take all your time to decide it and whatever you'll decide is the best decision for yourself. [A smile.] Yeah, my grandmother's still on the business and she's ...old. [It feels weird to say 'old' after meeting Hohenheim, but whatever.] And I'll have a family business to run all by myself with the help from my friends once she's too old.

[...Oh. ...Oh. ....Winry reaches her hand to pet his hair. Yes, have some big sister-y treatment, Shiraishi.]

But you'll get there, eventually. You can still get to know her here, right? And it's probably weird - ummm, from what I know anyway - but one can never have enough friends. Especially here.

[kyoukashotennis]

It must be amazing to do the thing you love to do until you're really old... [Though he can't really imagine himself playing tennis when he's, like, sixty.

Shiraishi blinks at the pet... but doesn't really mind it. It feels comforting, after all.]

Maybe after the next coma, if there's ever one. [Haha.] But yeah. I've already talked to her a couple of times and I do intend to talk to her more... I just hope I'm not making her uncomfortable or anything.

1/2 | this is a good time to remember that today's automails have existed for 13-16-ish years by now

[usedwrench]

Yeah... [Sudden sad smile once she starts to think about her grandmother being all alone in the house at the moment. Well, not really, but it just feels like it while she's here after just getting back home in her home world.] Yeah, I really think that she thinks so too.

2/2

[usedwrench]

[...oh ...oh, she talked with Miyuki about this subject, not too long ago. Winry shakes her head.]

I guess not too uncomfortable. She does come to talk to you, right? If she was feeling all too uncomfortable or something, maybe she wouldn't do that. And she's strong. And it's not like it's your fault, it's just this place making things weird for everyone sometimes.

At least you're still from the same world.

[kyoukashotennis]

[Shiraishi nods slightly.]

Still, it must have been an awful feeling to realize that someone you know doesn't recognize you at all. [Except the surname.] Good thing she's strong. I'm not sure how I would have handled it.

Though you're right. We're still from the same place, originally. We know what the place is like.

[usedwrench]

Yeah, at least when you are in friendly terms with the other person on their time. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger - or so they say.

[Now, she'll lower her voice for these lines just in case of... Something.]

Must be weird to be on your side too. Been there, seen that. There are even two different versions of my world in this place. And when I was first here, I was so young [hah, kinda like you now, Shira] that I hadn't even seen much of our world. So it was confusing to meet people who I met later and people who were from that other Amestris. [Shakes head. It was kind of creepy back then.]

[kyoukashotennis]

[Shiraishi tilts his head a little at what Winry's saying. Everything about it sounds quite confusing... then again, Johto is confusing.]

Two different versions? That's pretty odd... are most people you know from the same as you are, at least?

[usedwrench]

Yeah, it's kind of like having a paraller world of your world... It's weird.

[It still feels weird to even think about it.]

Mmm, most of them are from the same version of that world as I am. I think only two of them are from the different world, and that's not so much right now when so many people from my world have gone home, but...

[Winry shrugs. Remembering how Archer knew her name still kind of gives her the creeps.]

[kyoukashotennis]

[Maybe if they had a paraller world, Rikkai wouldn't be so overpowered. Maybe.]

At least it doesn't get too complicated, then.

[usedwrench]

Yeah, it could be a lot more complicated... [Sheepish grin.] And you'll get to know her, here and in your world too. I guess you're just too young to know her, for now.

[Maybe he'll go into another coma and...]

[kyoukashotennis]

[Shiraishi nods.]

Yeah. There are even things she knows that will happen that I don't, so I guess I'm just... from the past.

[usedwrench]

Oh. We are in the middle of that situation too, Al's from way behind in our past and Ed ...is from the same day as me, just a little from my past.

But of course it's not as huge difference as your age stuff with Miyuki.

[kyoukashotennis]

Well, it must still be confusing. Even if the age difference would be same, not having the same memories... is just odd. [Really, really odd.]

Though it could really be more awkward. I could be younger than her...

[usedwrench]

Mm, and sometimes personality changes with age and situations too... [She's so different from the Winry that she was before... Kind of, and still the same, but ... Still different.] But yeah, not having the same memories is very odd!

[... that's ... an excellent point, Shiraishi!]

Oh, hey true. Even Ed could be the real little brother here...

[kyoukashotennis]

As long as the changes in personality aren't too radical... though they sometimes are.

The real little brother?

[usedwrench]

Unless it's very radical in a good way.

Well... He... was about this tall [Winry puts her hand somewhere below her neck] and his little brother was a lot taller until a few months ago. So, it's not like short boys really look like big brothers.

[kyoukashotennis]

Ah. I can understand what you mean. [Eve if he really hasn't encountered this problem.]

[usedwrench]

Speaking of siblings, do you have any?

[kyoukashotennis]

Yeah, two sisters. One older and one younger.

[Though his expression changes a little. It's not "I miss them", but more like "Good thing they're not here"... it's not that he doesn't miss them or love them, it's just... complicated.]

Do you?