☮ 062; [text/action]

[vulpesvivus]

[Olivine was nice, Otacon couldn't argue that point. It was peaceful and calm as far as he could tell, and the breeze coming off the ocean was nostalgic in several ways--not all of them good. He'd been raised in a city not entirely unlike this, close to the sound of waves and the smell of saltwater.]

[It was familiar, and that made it painful. Maybe it wouldn't bother him quite so much if--]

[If Liquid was here? He shook his head at that, sighing. It didn't matter, thinking things like that. Liquid, Sunny, Snake, Raiden...he was separated from them by god only knew how many parallel worlds. And years on top of that, in Liquid's case. No matter how much he thought about 'what if' and 'if only', nothing would change. The situation was what it was, and as always Hal Emmerich was left alone.]

[He stood on the shoreline for a while, long enough to lose track of time, quietly staring at the ocean and thinking things over. Olivine was peaceful, quiet...and Otacon was left feeling like he was a lost and lonely teenager all over again.]

[After who knew how long he'd spent staring out at nothing, Otacon took out his Pokegear and started typing. What else could he really do? His options came down to 'talk to someone' or 'go insane'.]

Nobody has to read this, and I really don't care if you ignore it or not. All I want is to talk for a while, and I don't have many people left here that I know would listen.

My name is Doctor Hal Emmerich, and there's only ever been two things I'm good at--computer programming and engineering. That's all I have and really all I can do. I left home when I was seventeen, and from then until I was twenty-five I was on my own doing nothing but studying and working with machinery.

Outside of this world I've only ever had one close friend. I don't have any family, and anyone else I've ever cared about...they're gone too. But in the year or two I've spent in Johto, I've actually had friends. That's not something I'm really used to, even now.

What I'm used to is losing people, and that's all that's happened lately. I've always thought I was cursed to have terrible things happen to anyone and everyone I care about, and I don't think that's changed. My closest friend from home and the person I loved are both gone, and I don't know what's left. All I know is that I don't want to be alone. Not again. But I don't want anyone else to disappear or get hurt just because they're associated with me. I don't know what to do, where to go, or who to talk to.

That's why I'm sending this message to the network in general. Maybe someone will know what to do or be able to point me in the right direction so I don't feel like I'm seventeen and just ran away from home all over again. Or give me an idea of what to do so I don't just lock myself in a hotel room and disassemble everything mechanical.

Comments

text;

[havemercy]

People don't leave because they're associated with you. People come and go from this place often. Do you really want to be held responsible for everyone's heartache when their friends return home?

text;

[vulpesvivus]

It's not just here. It's always been like that, ever since I was a kid. Everyone I care about ends up dying or in this case, disappearing.

text;

[havemercy]

Then you have befriended some of the unluckiest individuals in the world. That is all. Imagine all of the good you've done for them.

[Text]

[foolishwren]

where are you?

[Text]

[vulpesvivus]

Olivine, near the lighthouse. You still here?

[Text]

[foolishwren]

no but i'll fly out tomorrow

[text]

[leaveyourstarburning]

I don't know you, Doctor. But from one likewise "cursed" person to another - I understand your situation, and if you want to discuss anything, I'm willing to listen.

Sometimes it's best just to not be alone, if that makes sense.

[text]

[vulpesvivus]

It's okay, you can just call me Hal. Or Otacon, that works too.

I definitely think it's better not to be on your own. But I guess I don't know where to start right now.

[ Text ]

[usedwrench]

[So, while Winry loves everything to do with machines and she's used to drown herself into work while she's more or less alone, she doesn't think that you should lock yourself into a hotel room.

And this text just broke her heart. Really, why can't you be near, so she could give you a hug?

Okay time to reply something. Anything. Have a reply from one of the people who are willing to listen to you.]

Well, sending that message to the network was a good first step toward the right direction.

You are not alone here, at least you shouldn't be when there are so many people and so many chances to get to know them. You just need to let people become friends with you, so you won't feel like you're all alone. (Not saying that you haven't let them do that, more like saying 'don't stop doing that'). Everyone won't go away or get hurt, especially not because they associated with you.

[ Text ]

[vulpesvivus]

...I don't know. I mean--I know, I know I'm not alone somewhere like this. Logically, I'd have to be blind not to realize that.

But I'm worried that they'll all end up disappearing anyway. I kind of have a rough history with keeping people around.

[ Text ]

[usedwrench]

Well, true, though some people feel like they're alone even when they're in the middle of a huge city and everyone from the city are around that person.

I'm sorry for your history. But get to know many people and when one or some of them leave, the others will give their full support to you?

action;

[doitrockapella]

[Will it make you feel better to fourth-wall the hell out of an iconic 90's educational figure, Hal? Because it just so happens that she likes to think on the beach in Olivine, too, and she's wandering your way with a Spinarak on her shoulder and her red pumps dangling from one hand to keep the sand out of them.

The time has come, the Walrus said, to speak of many things — of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.]

It's an impressive view, isn't it?

action;

[vulpesvivus]

[Actually? It probably would. But that would imply Otacon knows how to keep a fourth wall intact for ten minutes.]

Hm--oh. Yeah, I guess it is. Been a while since I saw the ocean, at least.

action;

[doitrockapella]

[Good thing she doesn't mind being recognized.]

Oh? And is that by choice or by circumstance?

[usedfeatherdance]

Do you truly think it's your fault?

[vulpesvivus]

Not as much anymore, but...yeah, sometimes.

[usedfeatherdance]

So all the major things that went wrong in the lives of those around you was also your fault?

[Video]

[pianokeys]

No-one has to be alone, Hal. [He's sad that you had to be alone without friends or family! But here? You don't have to be.

Whether you text or voice or video, he probably won't leave you alone until you tell him to go away or he knows you're alright now, Otacon.]

[Video]

[vulpesvivus]

I know. I just keep worrying that maybe it'd be better for people if I was.

[Video]

[pianokeys]

[He frowns. He doesn't like frowning, but when he does, it's usually for a good reason.] Friends and family are what make us happy; it works both ways.

[text]

[used_trick]

Aw, don't be sad. I'm sure you still got lots of people left who care about you.

But if you're really worried, what you really need to do is figure out what you're doing that's making people disappear. Then you'd be able to stop doing it, and you wouldn't have to worry about your friends so much!

[text]

[vulpesvivus]

Um. What.

Re: [text]

[used_trick]

Well, you said a bunch of people you know've disappeared and stuff, right?

So if you look at what you were doing when it happened, you might be able to figure out if it's something you're doing or not. If it is, you can just stop doing it and then you won't have to worry anymore!

[This is obviously sound, scientific logic.]

[text]

[ortion]

And what is wrong with that? This Pokemon world has some very interesting machines worth dissecting.

[He's not even touching the rest of the post's content...because reasons.]

[text]

[vulpesvivus]

I've already taken apart and reassembled everything I can find here. Even for me, it gets a little boring after a while.