Brightness in a Time of Tragedy (SG/Open)

[Prince Pony Age]

The Pokemon Shelter was crowded as it never had been before. Not with unwanted Pokemon but for unhoused people, survivors of the bombing whose houses or apartments or dwellings were now unlivable. The atmosphere was thick with despair and warm, humid breath.

It really was the last place Yukiko wanted to go, considering those factors, but... they were giving free food, a roof overhead (probably) and apparently a blanket to sleep on. Considering the past few months, this was living in luxury to her.

All memories of her life just a few years ago, at the manor, have been pushed to the back of her head for ages. Now, the tattered remains oh her last outfit were stained by mud and rain and was that a spot of blood there? The bottom of her pants and shoes were caked with dried mud and while Yukiko occasionally knocked as much as she could free, she never had the energy to work it all out. Her face was a pale shadow of what it once was--while she was once a pale, porcelain beauty with soft skin she now sported a sickly pallor, skin crinkly and dry and crusted with pimples and scabs from trying to pop some of those pimples and really it was a terrible sight.

If anyone had known her before, though, her eyes were likely the most striking difference. Of course there was never a literal "light" in her eyes, but she had once been alert, calculating, aware of things around her.

Now she simply looked down, heavily lidded eyes trying not to draw attention.

The suppressing warmth of the people made her nauseous, and Yukiko tried not to be sick as she made her way to the counter. When she got there, she chose to wait in a female helper's line rather than any of the males, specifically for gender reasons. When she got to the front, the lady gave her an odd look, but didn't ask any questions--simply dished Yukiko a bowl of slightly more than lukewarm mystery soup and a blanket, and explained that they had no beds so she'd have to find a spot on the floor to sleep.

Yukiko nodded and thanked the lady for the soup and blanket, and found a spot by the wall that was slightly less densely packed than otherwise.

As she was sipping at her soup, her phone rang. With a look of confusion, wondering who even had her number--she had not been called in literally months--she answered the phone with a tired "Hello?"

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric was nearing the capital at last, the sight of the towering castle having long-since entered the horizon. Boxer was exhausted, but he would not complain, and Alaric kept assuring him it was only a little bit more. In the meantime, Alaric had been calling pretty much every contact in his phone with whom he was on even half-decent terms with, even if he hadn't talked to a particular girl (and they were all female; the only guys in his phone were for strictly business purposes (which is to say there were three or four maybe) or family who he knew the whereabouts of already) in months or even years- as was the case with most, given his glorious habit of not really keeping in touch well at all with much of anyone despite keeping all the numbers and essentially never forgetting who a contact was.

He'd been out on the streets of Orion late Saturday night, having just returned from another of countless exploration treks, when he'd noticed the streets more abuzz than usual by far, and in a pretty uncomfortable manner. Eavesdropping proved his first news of something about 'bomb' and 'capital', prompting a small state of panic in which he'd rushed home to check the news and found the full story.

Immediately he'd called his family, of course; Black Friday wasn't something that tended to mean much to nobility, but he'd had to make absolutely sure they hadn't decided to go this year or anything of the sort. After that, though, the rest of the night and the full next day was spent mostly in shock, debating what to do and what to even make of it. He simply couldn't wrap his head around how anyone could do something like that- and worse, every explanation made equal sense to him. He hated them all. Everyone and this stupid war. He just wanted calm. True peace was probably an unattainable goal anywhere, but was it too much to ask for calm?

Finally, though, he'd made up his mind on at least that doing nothing was... well.. doing nothing. He was sorely worried for all those he'd cared for at any point in the past- and for most everyone, really, but those one knows always hurt worse. He wanted to make sure they were all okay, but at the same time he was terrified of potentially discovering they weren't. Still, he'd finally decided knowing the fates of a few had been grim was better than not knowing if all might have been.

So that's what he had been doing, along with riding into the capital to personally check a few things if need be and possibly help a little with relief efforts if he could. (He cursed the fact that his car was back home home; it would have made it so much faster than Boxer.) Some two or three dozen numbers thus far had given no response, making him worry harder, but he told himself he would keep calling back as there was every chance their phones just weren't at hand. Some two dozen more numbers were out of service or under new owners, and though it pained him he resigned to simply hope for the best for them and not dwell on it. In one case, a mourning boyfriend (or husband? something) had answered to confirm the worst. Alaric felt horrible- moreso due to the guy's obvious confusion and mild rage at who the hell this strange guy was calling for his dead girlfriend- but he pushed his grievances aside for now. She'd been a girl he'd barely known in the long run one of the many he'd not spoken with in over a year, anyway, but that didn't mean it wasn't sad.

Reactions among the rest varied. A few here and there were excited to hear from him, and seemed to hope he may be calling for more than confirmation of their safety, though those were promptly let down at least for today; he'd mentally note each and think about that later- much later, most likely. Plenty were surprised but mostly just found it a little strange, telling him they were fine, or fine enough, and moving on. Some didn't seem to remember him very easily and some not at all, many of them finding his calls incredibly creepy, and a few just found them creepy anyway and/or were just angry: who did he think he was calling all of a sudden after this long suddenly acting like he cared? It was enough to know they were alive, though, even if some were pretty banged up, so he really didn't mind the negative feedback (though with a few the numbers were promptly moved to his 'bad terms' contact list). In fact, he was sort of used to it.

But at any rate, he was nearing the end now. He'd saved those friends-- really, normal people may call them casual acquaintances, but to Alaric they were the closest things he had to 'real' friends aside from Kael, whom he'd called just a few hours after his family-- for whom he cared the most for last. If he did end up discovering the worst, he hadn't wanted too much to try to deal with after taking the hardest losses. For these he was concerned with more than just living; if they were at all injured he wanted to help.

He'd just recharged his phone (courtesy of Honey- infinite cell phone life was just one of the many perks of having an Electric starter!), and next on the list appeared to be Yukiko. A few remained after her- such as Bianca and Riku- but not too very many. He was never really sure why, especially considering Yuki had always been approximately the farthest thing from interested in him that it was possible to be without outright hating him (though he was certain he'd made her consider it sometimes~ ... The hate, not the interest. x3), but she was always just... special. He supposed much of it came from her courage in leaving home and what was really probably mostly stubborn pride, but what he liked to see as dedication. She was also quite brilliant, and it was always so lovely to find someone with whom he could hold an intellectual conversation.

Yes, Alaric would have dated her in a heartbeat-- like actually dated, which unlike most things made this significant even for him-- though last he'd seen her she was in a relationship (and mildly emo 'gothic', hehehe). He wondered how that had turned out or how it was going, but he wasn't calling to chitchat, and he supposed he'd just have to try to maybe call a bit later after finishing his list if everyone else was okay. It would be a bit less awkward now, considering that he would have only just talked to her if only briefly as opposed to the long gap.

'Hello?' The voice was weary, but it did sound like "YUKIKO<3" The word was almost sighed with relief, though a certain bright, adoring quality laced it. As if his fathomless voice shouldn't have been distinctive enough even after a year and a half, he explained, "It's Alaric. I'm so glad you answered, are you okay?? I've been so worried about everyone since the bombs and you're okay aren't you??"

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[Prince Pony Age]

Yukiko sighed. She thought she recognized his voice before he stated his name, but couldn't place it. The--ah, yes, him! She hadn't expected to hear from him again.

"Better than usual, to be honest," she answered. "With the shelter I don't have to dig around in the trash for food anymore..." She blinked, and realized that wasn't usually something you just sort of casually told someone. "Right. So I am probably the only person who's life is better now..." Yuki's voice was low, as she certainly didn't want to act as if she was entirely uncaring about everyone's losses. She was only mostly uncaring, but she wasn't impolite enough to show it.

She intended to say more, but she paused to take a drink from her soup which almost certainly gave Alaric time to react before she could continue.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Said reaction would come in the form of several sputtered incoherent syllables, seeming to fade in volume toward the end, followed immediately by a loud crashing sound. Very, very distantly, a deep voice may have cursed loudly and yelled something to do with 'hang on'.

In his shock, Alaric had actually dropped his phone and- praying it wasn't broken- had to stop Boxer and hop off to go grab it. In fear that she may leave if he took too long, he actually sort of divebombed the ground as he got closer in order to cut a whopping second and a half off of his response time. "YUKI are you still there?" he asked a bit frantically even as the phone was en route back to his face. Once it was more positioned, he could still hear background noise and quickly went on as he stood up to head back to his Rapidash. "Where are you what shelter?" He couldn't believe it she'd said-- ....M-m-...maybe.. that was a joke? .. Ah.. Yes! Of course! She was just messing with him it was just delayed payback for his teasing her that was all there was no way she was actually... okay Yuki had no such sense of humor last he'd seen her she might have done something sort of to that nature but not really like-.... Oh God she was really eating from the garbage wasn't she his poor sweet Yuki. ;-;

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[Prince Pony Age]

Impatient as she was, months or years ago Yukiko might have hung up when there was no response for so many seconds. But now, her reactions were slowed--not quite sluggish, but at her energy peak of the day she was still on the slow end.

As it was, Yukiko hadn't even thought about hanging up by the time Alaric asked if she was still there. "Yes." He probably didn't hear her, though she didn't know that, as he was readjusting everything. Also she said it rather softly, not changing from her somewhat-louder-than-a-whisper she'd used for 'lol I'm doing better than usual thanks to the bombing!!!' bit.

To his other question, which came in a few more moments, she answered in a matter-of-fact tone of voice (albeit still rather softly), "The Pokemon Shelter and Exchange in the Capital. They converted it to a refugee shelter after the bombings for those who lost their homes in..." She paused while speaking, and would have facepalmed had both her hands not been occupied. "Please don't tell me you're going to come find me. That is something you'd do isn't it.." Yukiko felt a little arrogant saying that--well, okay, a lot arrogant--assuming that this person who she hadn't talked to in years and was only passing friends with even then would want to come find her and save her as if she were a damsel in distress--however, that is the sort of thing she remembered him loving to do, aside from just the gut feeling that things were going to happen like that regardless of what she said or how she felt about the situation.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric's fear for her situation was slowly turning to anger- outrage, even- that something like this could happen to his poor little Yuki. How long had she been living like this and what had happened to put her in such a bind and just why?? He mounted the Rapidash once more- who had on actual tack for once despite Alaric's general laziness affinity for bareback due to the prolonged ride and need for greater control and better grip to allow more speed- all but fuming at the thoughts; it was giving him a headache already.

Despite all this, though, he couldn't help but crack a smile at her response. "Well, you notice you didn't really make that a question." He knew she never believed him that she was special and yes there were a fair number of others for whom he'd also drop everything and really in a situation this bad he'd probably make some effort for most anyone if he had the opportunity but still. "Of course I'm coming to find you."

He shrugged even though she couldn't see it, and teased, "Unless you don't want a free hot proper meal?" He imagined refugee food couldn't be too extravagant. Like, at best maybe... some fast food joint with one dollar-sandwich for everyone or something, or at worst even bread and water or something. He did hope she was eating well enough already but he intended to treat her to all she could eat, and if she got sick from suddenly eating so much it only proved she needed to eat all the more often and he would gladly take care of her and then feed her some more; he was not going to have his sweet Yuki starving.

Hopefully this had only been going on for... well... He'd like to say a week but realistically better than 'usual' would have to mean at least ah... maybe a month? Yeah that was still far too much but that was his hope that she was going through a rough patch but had something planned and was about to be out of it and it wasn't as bad as it sounded. All the same, he had to check.

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[Prince Pony Age]

Yukiko sighed at his response to her admittedly-not-a-question, and answered him, "I--well, yes. That is, no. I mean--that would be really great." She smiled, wearily and sadly, to nothing in particular for a moment--despite thinking less happy thoughts such as 'At this point there's probably little I wouldn't do for a good hot meal. Well... aside from hurting people or pokemon or selling my body. I'll die before I do those but...'

After a moment, she continued into her phone, "Oh. I only have probably about five prepaid minutes left on this phone so I've really got to go."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric blinked a bit before realizing what she was saying. "OH, uh-" Right prepaid that was a thing that some people did he didn't forget that that was a thing or even forget what his own plan consisted of since it was just always-paid or anything like that of course Alaric handled bills like a normal person and didn't pay up for year increments in advance that would have been ridiculous and over the top and why would he do that. "I'll buy you lots of minutes too then! Like all of the minutes! Just ah-- try to be near the entrance so I can find you quick okay?"

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[Prince Pony Age]

Nodding at...nothing in particular, Yukiko replied, "I'll see what I can do. I'll probably be standing... or sitting... well, I will see you when you get here so I'll find you I guess. Unless you look different?" She... somehow doubted he looked too much different. "Your radiantly gold hair will at least be the same, I assume. I'll...call to you when I see you. And yes I'll be by the entrance."

Hm, was there anything else to say? Not anything she could think of, so one last question...

"What's your ETA. Er--Estimated Time of Arrival. Rough numbers are fine."

[[don't need an actual answer there I guess it's just...what I'd say and all and yeah]]

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric couldn't help but laugh as she continued to fumble, as well as at her comment on his hair. It was a bit longer than she remembered, but otherwise of course it was the same. Actually it may also have been slightly brighter because what he did not enhance it in any way whatsoever no shut your Goddamn mouth this shit is fucking natural bitch it just was, er, maybe lighting yes that must have been it. "Soon," was the only response to an ETA. Technically that wasn't a rough 'number' but ah well. "I just came into the outskirts of the city a few seconds ago, so it depends on how much more I can get out of Boxer. He's pretty tired but we'll see."

Suddenly Alaric recalled Yuki's Ranger sort of mindset and was certain he was about to get berated for pushing his poor horse too hard, as well as probably assured she didn't technically need him at all much less immediately and he should take the longer route and just walk and let Boxer rest uh... Yeah. Without giving her time to reply, then- or cutting her off if she was starting to, he was rushing a bit and tuning out if she was- he quickly added, "But right okay I'll talk to you when I get there bye." Click.

Ah yeah. So smooth~

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[Prince Pony Age]

Wow, there sure were a lot of sighs coming from Yukiko tonight. This time, it was of the disappointed sort. She really only barely started to say 'you' before he continued, and--oh well okay that...was that, she supposed.

Yukiko did motions that the author doesn't feel like describing in detail to end up with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders and her soup back in hand. With that, she started to make her way back towards the entrance.

She pondered stealing the blanket from the shelter, but realized this was Alaric picking her up. He really did have a habit of spoiling people. [Girls, but she didn't consciously realize that.]

Anyway, she'd leave her blanket by the door as she left, but it was still a damp and cloudy day, and it was so nice...

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Some fifteen to twenty minutes later, Alaric found himself outside the Shelter. Boxer had made it most of the way before he had felt the poor horse straining to maintain his stride. Finally deciding it was close enough, he'd recalled him and walked very briskly- only just keeping himself from running- the rest of the way. Well, this was more discreet at least... He'd felt more than a few people eyeing him oddly when he'd dashed by on horseback.

Upon entering, Alaric was oddly a touch surprised to find he wasn't really out of place. Of course, most of these people were only made homeless two days ago; they just looked like people. He didn't really know why part of him expected it to look like an Oliver-Twist-esque shelter; probably too many movies and novels playing on that.

He thought to take Boxer over to the Center for a quick refreshing, but turned to realize they were in no condition to be taking on every minor case. Boxer would be fine with rest, but some of the trainers to that side looked concerned whether their partners would live. Shrinking away a bit, he said a quick mental prayer for them all and turned his attention back to the crowd.

Skimming over it, he thought he recognized three or four people, though he couldn't really be certain. One of them looked to be one of the girls who hadn't answered her phone, making him let out a small sigh of relief and cross her off his figurative list before he returned to search for--

His eyes finally set on some distinctively sky blue hair near a wall, and Alaric's heart plummeted. ...That couldn't be Yuki, could it? ... No, it... but.. Finding his hands were shaking slightly, he dipped in his pocket for his phone, and rigidly redialed her number. He didn't want to waste her last precious minutes, but if she reached for her phone...

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[Prince Pony Age]

This soup was lovely, Really lovely and amazing and it actually tasted like food and oh wait is that Alaric inside? When did he get here? Yukiko waved at him and called out, but was drowned out by all the noise. She shrugged to herself, and looked for a trashcan to throw away the empty cardboard cup that her soup was no longer in, found one not too far away, and wandered towards it. She'd planned on making her way towards Alaric as soon as she threw it away anyway, but just before she got to the trash her phone rang.

She took the few extra steps to the trash to throw away the cup, then looked at the phone to--that was the number from earlier she was sure of it that was Alaric. While the previous post implies that even reaching for her phone would have been enough to alert Alaric to the fact that this was totally Yukiko, she herself didn't know that so just called and waved to him again, with an occasional beckoning motion--really the motions were more important, as Yukiko's voice was not nearly as loud as it would have had to be to be heard over everything happening in there.

In the meantime, she also tried to force her way towards Alaric to try to be less of a pain she guessed.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric's hand and still-ringing phone slowly fell away from his face. For a few moments, he simply stood there, crushed at the sight of her. Then when she began to move toward him, he quickly saved her the trip, closing their distance in a few desperate bound before throwing his arms around her and clinging tight. It really didn't matter to him at the moment that Yuki wasn't fond of hugs or that she was kind of filthy; he had to hold her and that was all there was to it. He'd not even remembered to put his phone away.

"I'm so sorry.." he whimpered, tears welling but holding. "I had no idea.." He knew it was kind of dumb to apologize, but in his mind he should have found a way to prevent this. She felt so weak in his arms he was almost expecting her to just crumble at any time, yet he could not bring himself to loosen his grip.

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[Prince Pony Age]

"Euogahwha," or something close to that anyway, came out of Yuki's mouth as she was hugged. The moment her nausea creeped back at close quarters and warm and slight smell it doesn't matter what the smell was at that point any smell at all as Alaric hugged her and oh god her stomach. She tried to wriggle free but couldn't, really, and man she was tired he'd let go soon enough, she'd just have to keep her mouth closed until he did.

And then she wanted to tell him he had no reason to be sorry but preferred leaving him unresponded to rather than vomiting on him that would be so disgusting. Instead, she motioned towards the door with her head she at least needed a breath of fresh air because this was so many shades of terrible tight now.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric didn't really get the actual intent of the motion, but did notice it. He at least let her go, then, but remained very close. His throat burned with his urge to cry as he gazed down at her. Her face had been gaunt before but this... Just.. Everything about her was pretty much exactly the opposite of how he ever wanted to see anyone look ever. ... Okay, so, her hair was still the same pretty color and she didn't seem gravely injured just really sick-- dammit that wasn't the point. She looked horrible and he didn't like it. "Y-..you're coming home with me," he suddenly announced. A day of pampering simply wasn't enough to fix this; he was going to make absolutely certain she got better or his name wasn't Sir Lionheart the Brave (or Awesomeman or even Alaric for that matter).

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[Prince Pony Age]

Phew. Okay they weren't outside but she could maybe talk without vomiting this was good enough for her. As for what he said, she just replied with a resigned, "Yes... okay." She double-checked to make sure that all of her six Pokeballs were safe and sound and still on her person--they were--and so she was basically ready to go, then.

"Lead the way or whatnot, then. I'll... well, don't go too fast."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

In response to her initial answer, Alaric half-cut her off with, "I know you don't- wait what." When she confirmed in asking him to lead the way, he just... stopped. She... wasn't protesting at all. Not even a sign of reluctance. How was this his Yukiko when did this happen. Not that it wasn't.. technically a good thing that she'd apparently learned humility and to be more receptive of others's generosity but...

Some ten seconds later and he finally visibly snapped out of it. "Erh we-..." He sighed. "We should really feed you first." That was the original intent after all, and she looked as though she was about to waste away, and it was a long trip especially if they had to wait for Boxer, and that would kill some time for Boxer to rest. All his words had been strained and rather higher than usual, but in his next bit he seemed to falter even more. "Wwhat do you want? ..Name anything. We'll find it."

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[Prince Pony Age]

Shaking her head, Yukiko tried to protest, beginning "I actually just had the soup they have here. It was good. ...Granted, I hadn't actually eaten since yesterday morning, but you know, hunger is the best spice and, well, anyhow uhm. I don't... really know what I'd want to eat eat anyway. ...If you don't mind, though, getting some food for Persephone and the others with me would be.. really great." Yukiko was lucky that the majority of her Pokemon fed on ethereal energies, or else she'd have had to release at least some of them some time ago. She had started battling on occasion, a while ago, but that was only enough to feed Persephone and Demeter really, the others didn't need it so much. But poor, poor Aphrodite--she shared and lived on the emotions of, well, Yukiko herself--even moreso due to their...relationship, question mark? They never...well, anyway, the point here was that Yuki's poor physical state didn't help her mind or ease the fact that she was making negative progress towards being a ranger or even helpful to anyone ever, and also her Pokemon would likely be better off with a trainer who hey hurt them in battle every now and then also made sure they were happy and healthy and least of all fed and yeah Yuki fed them as often as possible, but gave herself the short end of the stick, but that in turn hurt poor Aphrodite and--

where did this monologue come from it doesn't belong here.
"And--maybe we could find someone happy so that even if it's not her trainer my Aphr--my Gardevoir can get some positive emotions to be around her."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

"You--" He started to comment on her eating, but quickly bit it back to let her continue. In the end, he wasn't even sure what was breaking his heart the hardest: that she hadn't eaten in so long (and who knew how long it had been before that), that she was so worried about her Pokemon despite her own condition, that she couldn't afford to feed them, or that bit about 'even if it's not her trainer', which somehow hit especially hard even being relatively unfamiliar with Gardevoir. In the end, that was the line on which he chose to focus, even if primarily just due to it being the most recent. Forcing a smile even as his tears came through, he placed a hand against her face. "Yuki," he whimpered, then giving a small almost-laugh. "I am going to make you so happy your Gardevoir will feel better than she ever has." He'd find a way to do that it if killed him, dammit.

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