[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

[For once, Silver isn't in the forest to work his Pokemon to exhaustion. In fact, he left them back at the house, apparently granting them rare permission to rest. Instead, he's sitting beside a tree, head bowed and one knee drawn up to his chest. He's deep in thought, almost as if considering a couple things...things he'd rather not have to be considering.]

Damn it...everyone who says those things are wimps and bleeding hearts, but...

[He doesn't want to admit he's beginning to wonder if that's why his team is weaker than they should be. Why Golbat seems terrified of him and Sneasel picks on him so much. Why Quilava hasn't evolved despite all the training.

Was the man with the cape and the dragons right? Were his other self, Tracey, Lyra and all those other people right?

No, they couldn't be. Compassion is for the weak; that piece of advice was the only thing the old man had ever given him.

But the old man was weak. He'd run away with his tail between his legs just because some kid kicked his ass.

Silver buries his face in his hands with a frustrated groan. Stupid people making him think about this stuff!]

Comments

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

[During his daily patrol of the forest, Saleh spots the red-haired boy sitting by the tree. He looks depressed, but Saleh isn't one to bother complete strangers unless they were injured. That doesn't quite look like the case with this boy, but better check, just in case.]

[The sage slowly and silently heads in the boy's direction...]

[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

[Silver becomes vaguely aware of another's presence nearby, but still doesn't bother to look up.]

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

[Saleh moves closer still, kneeling directly in front of him to get a good look at him...]

Pardon me...are you well?

[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

[His head snaps up and he glares slightly at the man]

Fine. Just thinking.

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

All right...I'll leave you to it then.

[Whatever he's thinking about is none of his business, so Saleh begins to move on...]

[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

...wait.

[Maybe this stranger can help. Someone who doesn't know him or his reputation might actually give decent advice.

Of course, it pains Silver to know he wants advice.]

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

[He stops and faces the boy again.]

...Yes?

[Action]

[sketch_m_all]

[Tracey was just heading out into the forest with a sketchbook to see if he could find any wild life to sketch. What he was not expecting to find was Silver. The boy looks like he's troubled and for a moment, Tracey considers going up to him to see if he's okay. But then he remembers how their previous conversation ended and what it was about.

He really would be too soft for his own good if he went up to Silver now. So instead, he turns to leave. Sadly, his retreat is not as silent as he'd hoped, as he steps on a horribly inconvenient twig and causes it to break with a loud snap.]

[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

[Silver's head snaps up once more and he blanches at seeing who it is this time]

...oh.

It's you. [One of the people he feels especially guilty about.]

[Action]

[sketch_m_all]

[Tracey turns to face Silver the moment he realizes he's been spotted, but he won't smile the way he usually does when he greets someone he knows. Instead, he just gives a small frown in dismay.]

Don't worry, I was just leaving.

[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

[side-eyes him] You're not gonna gloat about how I deserve to be feeling like utter crap right now?

[Action]

[sketch_m_all]

[Tracey's first instinct is to question why Silver feels like "utter crap", but he manages to stop himself just in time. Instead, what comes out is:]

I don't gloat.

[Action]

[tsunsandsteals]

Well. Good. Cause if you did I'd have to punch you. [he can't even look at Tracey without feeling guilty and stupid and that makes him feel even more stupid. Why should he have even the smallest urge to apologize to the guy? Just because of one week in February...]

[myosotis]

[As has become usual with people who wander into the forest to sit peacefully - or to have fun! - Silver is being watched.

It's not like she's hiding or anything. She just came and chilled a few tree roots away. Whether he acknowledges her or not, though, she thinks she recognizes him.]

You are one of the humans who...keeps animal companions.

[Her jury is still out on this, mostly because how do they fit inside there?]

[tsunsandsteals]

[Silver just nods]

[myosotis]

They aren't with you.

[tsunsandsteals]

They're at home resting.

[myosotis]

[She thinks he's the other Silver. ...Whom she hasn't ever talked to, either. But they're a bit different in personality when observed, all the same.]

Do they go with you willingly?

[tsunsandsteals]

...yeah. They did. [Well, Haunter did anyway. He stole the other two but this person doesn't need to know that.]

[bravefighter]

[The forest is always a good place to wander around in! Especially if you're looking for your lost Pokemon. Which is exactly what Red is here doing!

While walking around, though, he wasn't expecting to hear anyone out here. And when he investigates, he definitely wasn't expecting to see Silver! ... Though, he doesn't really notice it's not the Silver he knows.]

Whoa, hey Silver! What're you doing out here?

[tsunsandsteals]

...who are you?

[bravefighter]

Oh! You've gotta be that other Silver, huh? I'm Red! It's nice to meet you.

[tsunsandsteals]

Yeah.

Hi. [not in the mood for idle chatter]

[bravefighter]

[good thing Red is always chatty!]

Heya! So, what are you doing out here?

[tsunsandsteals]

Thinking.