handydecisions | Action/Video (backdated to 6/2 during 4th wall)

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Action/Video (backdated to 6/2 during 4th wall)

Action for Clementine and Ushio

[Between suddenly having to be on guard for walkers again and now looking after not one but two little girls, one of whom hadn't lived through the apocalypse with him before, it's understandable that he both notices and doesn't register Laguna's absence. He gave him the benefit of the doubt on Saturday, but now it's very early Sunday morning and he's still not back.

And now he's sitting awake making sure that the cleaver he's been using as a walker-killing knife is still clean and functional, although that's almost an unconscious action at this point, thinking over what he's going to do now. His 'Gear is sitting next to him, but it's not registering Laguna at all. He's not sure what he's going to tell the girls.]

Text; later that same day

If anyone hears from Laguna Loire, tell him Lee Everett is looking for him. Thanks.

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How long have you been unable to find him?

[Doesn't ask if he thinks Laguna is missing--it's Laguna "My sense of direction is lost" Loire. Of course he's missing.]

Now that I think of it, I haven't seen him since yesterday.

[He should've noticed sooner, he knows, but he was too busy keeping a militant eye over Clem and Ushio. Even though the walkers were easily dispatched by the pokemon who followed their little trainers like bodyguards, Lee wanted to keep a decidedly human eye out for them as well.]

[Yesterday--huh. Probably got yanked around the same way she did. Lee must be new.]

He'll show up eventually. People have been disappearing and reappearing for a couple of days now, but they always show up again when things settle down.

Don't be surprised if he ends up across the region from where he was before. This kind of thing happens often enough.

[Not really that new, but comparatively, yes probably.]

I've noticed.

He's offline on the communicators, too. Radio static, not just going to his voicemail.

If that's the case we might not find him until next year.

[This is, after all, Laguna.]

[Radio static--oh, hell no. Not again! There's a bit of a delay before she responds: she had to check for herself.]

Or at all. If you can't get through to his gear, then he's gone back to his world. That's how it works here.

Not that kind of radio silence. It hasn't been disconnected, it's just like it's out of range. Or broken. I think he's still here.

Besides, his team's gone with him. That doesn't happen if you go back.

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I've known teams that stay entirely, while others disappear when their trainers do. There's no pattern to it.

But knowing Laguna, if he is still here he's probably gotten lost in a cave and broken his gear. Next year might be a generous guess.

I'm not going to give up hope until I find out for sure. Weird stuff's been happening, and I don't want to write him off just yet.

You're right about that, though. Me and the girls are going to start looking for leads as soon as things calm down. I'll keep you posted if we find anything. And if you hear from him first, will you do the same

[Uh.]

Sorry, I didn't catch your name.

Lightning. [That's it. No last name. She's like that. whoops.]

I'll call you if I find any trace of him or get a call from him, Lee. Try and keep yourselves out of trouble in the meantime.

[He might've questioned that if he hadn't gone months without even knowing the last name of his arguably-best friend.]

Are you a friend of his from his home?

Sure thing. Thanks for the help, Lightning. I'll talk to you later.

Something like that. It's a long story. Have him tell you when he gets back if you're curious about it.

Good luck.

I'll keep that in mind. Among many other questions I'll have for him, I'm sure.

Thanks. You too.

[Ushio had noticed something was odd. Well, other than Laguna's disappearance. Apparently he'd gotten lost again. Hopefully he would find his way back alright. She'd spoken to him, but he didn't know where he was. Other strange things were happening too. She'd even spotted someone familiar. A younger version of herself.

...and she'd mentioned both her mother and father. Did that mean she had succeeded after all? She hoped so. These...'walker' things though, she wasn't quite sure what to think of them. Luckily, her pokémon were more than strong enough to protect her from them. Between Nakama's brute strength, Aoi's capability to fly, and Nukumori's fire, she proved to be pretty capable of defending herself and her friends. She even seemed to be coming out of the slump she'd been in since she woke up.]

Do you think those things will keep coming after us?

[Lee is a little startled by the small voice at the doorway, and he sets both the knife and the rag he was using to clean it down, turning in his chair to face her. His own team have been doing a good job, for their part, in helping protect them as well, but by and large the walkers ignore the 'mons and beeline for Lee and the girls, so Lee prefers to stay armed and ready, just in case.

He motions her closer.]

For as long as they keep showing up, probably. But I think things'll go back to normal eventually. Usually, they don't just...show up, like they have been.

Did Clem ever tell you about what the world was like, back where we came from?

[Throughout all of this, Ushio had remained oddly calm. Maybe it was just because her thoughts had been elsewhere. Or maybe it was simply because stressing over it wouldn't help.

She comes closer, her Flareon at her side, rubbing against her leg.]

I've never seen them before now. Something strange has been happening.

[She shook her head at the question.]

I never really asked all that much about it.

[It was okay to be able to stay calm in the face of danger. Hell, he wouldn't expect a kid to panic the same way an adult would, simply because kids have a different sense of fear.]

Yeah, I know. It's been real weird, hasn't it?

[He didn't figure she had, but he might as well ask.]

Those things are from our world. We call them 'walkers'. They used to be regular people, once. Which is why I think they're gonna go away soon, because they're just appearing, they're not making the people here sick.

Mm.

[Things had been weird. Strange people showed up, some had powers, and other bizarre things were happening too. She'd even seen a few lights.]

I see. Do they normally make other people sick?

[Lee hesitates for half a second, remembering the hot fever racing through his blood like poison.]

Yeah, they do. And I don't know what would happen if they got hold of someone here, so that's why we're staying away from them. If you see one, you let your team handle it and come find me, alright?

[He doesn't necessarily like the idea of weaponized animals killing walkers, particularly because the idea of having to Old Yeller a seemingly-sentient little fire-breathing fluffball is not an appealing one, but loath as he may be to admit it they get the job done.]

Okay.

[Ushio nods. She couldn't fight, nor would she want to, but her pokémon would defend her. She was sure of it. She would make sure they helped keep Lee and Clementine safe as well. It helped that most of her team was almost obscenely strong.]

Nakama and the others will keep us as safe as they can. Do you think Laguna will be okay?

[He gives her a smile when she assures him that her team will do their best.]

I bet they will, sugar.

I think so. He's a grownup, and wherever he is I bet the walkers haven't chased him all the way there. He's probably trying to find his way back right now.

As soon as the walkers disappear, we'll start trying to find him ourselves, you, me, and Clem. Sound good?

Hopefully his pokémon haven't destroyed his map again. That sounds like a good plan, though.

I don't think we'll have to wait very long. I hope I'm right.

[He chuckles reassuringly, mostly because he wants to believe that she's right. It doesn't feel the same as it did back home, that's for sure.]

I hope you're right too. Don't worry, we'll find him eventually, map or no map.

Or with any luck, he'll find us.

There's that too.

[But this is Laguna we're talking about.]

But we'll start looking anyway, just as soon as we're sure the walkers are gone.

Okay.

I'll just help hold down the fort until then.

And believe me, the help is much appreciated.

You're up pretty early. There something else wrong?

I don't really follow a set sleeping schedule.

[Comes with the territory of living in a world where the concept of time doesn't exist.]

Not really. I just felt like doing something helpful.

Yeah, I can understand that.

You hungry? I better get started on breakfast, it's about that time, isn't it.

[He's not the best cook, but he's far from the worst, either.]

A little. I'll keep watch while you cook, okay?

We're safe inside, we'll hear 'em coming for sure. Cherokee's watching the door, too.

Alright then.

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Action/Video (backdated to 6/2 during 4th wall)

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