[017; video/action for Goldenrod, backdated to Monday]

[newhero]

[a few hours after watching Riku completely thrash Whitney in a gym battle, Sora's making the trek through the bitter cold back to the gym from the pokécenter. finally, his very first gym challenge? his very first badge? ... sure, why not

Comments

[action]

[restardom]

[ oh god, THAT WAS ADORABLE-- but Rise's on a mission to save little bro's ribs. Cue her heading in to pry Whitney off Sora. ]

[action]

[newhero]

[Whitney does indeed let go with some prying, but she moves on to cling to Rise instead, bawling and TRUE LOVE REALLY DOES CONQUERS ALL-- enjoy your new Whitney, Rise.]

[action]

[restardom]

H-hey!! Come on, it's okay to be happy for them without killing anybody else!

[action]

[newhero]

[Sora's... still squeaking a little, but he'll try to crowbar Whitney from big sis-- maybe she can hug the wall or something.]

Yeah! Come on, Whitney, we can't fall apart at the seams! We've gotta be strong for them.

[that calms her down a little. it calms her down enough to let go of Rise, at least.]

[VIDEO]

[usedninjathief]

[slhflasjf GIRAFFELOVEWHAT]

Hey! Maybe you can get her to give you badge through your thingies dating!

[VIDEO]

[newhero]

[sometime after he's saved from Whitney, Sora's scooping up the pokégear from Teddy.]

Hmmm... Would that work? I wonder if she can just give them away if you do something other than battle.

[VIDEO]

[usedninjathief]

Who knows! She thinks you're cute right. [She shrugs]

You could cozy up to her, talk about girafathingy babies, and be like, oh by the way I was gonna go for a badge, but I don't want to pit the girafathings against each other.

Only more eloquent than that probably.

[VIDEO]

[newhero]

Maybe... I wouldn't want to hurt Puddles' girlfriend; what if he gets mad?

Or maybe I could just battle all of her other pokémon!

[video]

[puzzlesitter]

Oh my, how ever so very sweet~!

[video]

[newhero]

[he'll escape from Whitney's clutches... eventually. and when he does, he'll be grinning at the pokégear.]

I'm just glad it went well! We've been worrying about that for weeks.

[video]

[puzzlesitter]

Well, I'm so very happy for you and your pokémon~!

[video]

[newhero]

Thank you, ma'am!

Ah-- my name's Sora.

[usedroar]

[ Is that...it is. It's a smile! From Leon!

BUT NO TEETH SOB. SO CLOSE YET SO FAR ]

Good work. [ Skarmory is triumphantly cawing in the snowy background, nudging her face over Leon's shoulder. THAT WAS AWESOME, PUDDLES' TRAINER! WAY TO GO! ]

[newhero]

[... danigt Leon, Sora is going to just bury you in puppies one day. Sora is all kinds of pleased, both with how well that went, and to be free of Whitney's bone-crushing grip.]

Thanks, Leon! Do I just... leave 'em alone now, or should I follow them?

[usedroar]

[ Leon's smile stiffens. He did not need to think about that, thank you. ]

Just...leave them alone. You wouldn't want anyone following you on a date, after all.

[newhero]

Well, no, but-- what if... I mean.

[... ...]

Leon... Should I have given Puddles a curfew?

[Video]

[radiantxsmile]

[Aerith will be applauding happily for Puddle's success.]

I knew he could do it! I hope he has fun on his date.

[Video]

[newhero]

Hey, Aerith! [he's grinning, but Sora is nervously fretting like a dad who just let his child go to prom.]

I hope so, too. I just... I hope she likes him. I don't know how she couldn't like Puddles.

[Video]

[radiantxsmile]

Hello to you too, Mr. Cupid~ [Oh, Sora. Aren't you a little young to be a father?]

Don't worry, Sora. If she didn't like Puddles, then she wouldn't have agreed to go on a date with him. I'm sure she'll fall madly in love with him before the date is over.

[Video]

[newhero]

[too young, yes, but that doesn't stop Mr. Cupid from fretting. and turning pink at the nickname.]

I hope so... Puddles deserves to be happy.