[Victory Road] Ic Inbox

[no_ufo_ending]

This is Henry Townshend, leave a message.

Old IC Inbox

Comments

August 19th, Audio

[foolishwren]

Hey, Henry.

I know we talked earlier and all, but something came up and it's important. Not an emergency, so don't freak, but call me as soon as you can.

[Audio]

[no_ufo_ending]

Hey, I'm here. What's going on?

[Audio]

[foolishwren]

_{[She cuts right to the chase. It's one of those subjects.]}

There's another cultist in Johto.

I don't know who he is, it's someone I've never met.

He said he wasn't interested in hurting anybody so I don't think there's any... immediate reason to worry. But I just... you know. Wanted to let you know.

September 1st, Action

[foolishwren]

<sub>[By the time Heather makes it to Goldenrod City, she's exhausted, jello-kneed from flying down a mountain at breakneck speed and then warping from Center to Center as fast as possible, and it's well past noon. One thing's for sure, if it weren't for the warps, she couldn't have even hoped to make it there this fast, but well, it's certainly taken its toll.]

[Looking windswept and frantic, she staggers into the police station with her bag in tow, the strap constantly slipping over her shoulder no matter how many times she clumsily adjusts it.]

[Making it to the front desk, she wheezes:]</sub>

I'm here for Henry Townshend, I have bail money. How much is it?

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[The Jenny at the desk looks up and puffs out a sigh.]}

You can have him.

_{[Another Jenny leans around from the little hallway leading to the temp cells to relieve the one at the desk, trading off jobs. She shakes her head and passes Heather the appropriate forms for her to pay for Henry's release. Once that's all said and done, there is a...commotion...from the hall.]}

Let go! Let me go!

That's what we're trying to do, you knucklehead!

<sub>[Henry is escorted in by two Jennies but once he sees Heather and his cuffs are removed, he hurries over to her, still dirty and a little bloody to throw his arms around her shoulders.]

[And then, as quickly as the hug had happened, he's already tugging on her arm, trying to fastwalk his way right out of the station.]</sub>

There isn't much time!

_{[He's still shouting--now it sounds more Friday Frantic than enraged.]}

[foolishwren]

_{[She's normally the one dishing out hefty hugs to unsuspecting loved ones, and Henry's sudden embrace catches her by surprise. It's only the quickness of it that stops her from staggering backwards too hastily-- still, she stumbles a little, off-balance. She's so wiped out that the world already feels kind of tilted, and the hug, while not unwelcome, didn't exactly help.]}

Henry, sl-- slow down, okay?

I haven't stopped moving since you called, I'm-- let me catch my breath.

_{[She drags her feet, shuffling to try and block his path a little. It's not that she wants to stay HERE, but as hotheaded as she is, she really doesn't like the idea of dashing straight into this... situation without a plan.]}

early September, Waltercon 2k16

[armoredsoul]

[So...he's home again. Envy had been really insistent that they get home as soon as they could (just as soon as he TRIED TO CHEAT AN EASY WIN OUT OF HIM--anyway), but he hadn't really explained why beyond 'Henry is in danger'. And much as Al is willing to help his housemate feel safe and secure, he still would like to know exactly what is going on.]

[Details, he's found, can be very important when dealing with things from other people's worlds.]

[It's not long after Alphonse has gotten home and set his things back away again that he goes looking around for Henry. He isn't in any of his usual haunts, so it takes a little longer than he expected. But finally he catches Henry coming down the stairs, and waits at the bottom with a concerned look.]

Hey, Henry. What exactly is going on? Envy wasn't really clear about any of it.

[no_ufo_ending]

<sub>[Henry rounds the corner with his Litwick on his shoulder and pauses, making direct eye-contact with Al.]

[In one hand are more musty-smelling candles.]

[In the other is a hammer.]

[This is the first time Henry has spotted Al since he got home and the photographer no longer has the dozy half-interested look in his eye than he usually does. Henry's shoulders are ridged and he's holding the hammer in a weird way--the windows are already boarded. This hammer is meant to go through a skull.]</sub>

Al, you're home.

_{[Henry descends the stairs, two at a time, oddly light on his feet for someone who usually moves so sluggishly.]}

Envy probably didn't know enough to tell you. That's my fault. Come on.

_{[He moves RIGHT INTO Al's bubble in order to squeeze by him and into the living room.]}

4th Nov, tfw your ex-ghost ex-roommate calls

[11121_assumption]

[ It's been about two months.

Walter still doesn't know why he's here. He still doesn't understand what people mean when they keep saying 'it's a new chance' or 'you don't have to be who you were' or 'you can be happy.' He doesn't understand how he's alive, why he can't feel Valtiel or why he can't see the Otherworld at all.

He knows that Henry is here. He knows that Henry has friends like Heather, who will happily kill him if he attempted to approach his Receiver. He knows Henry was upset with his presence, enough to fall into a mad rage. It's all a bit disturbing and unnerving, given how quiet and collected Henry had been while facing the monsters of the Otherworld.

So naturally, the best solution was to call Henry and talk to him. He uses the audio and visual option, appearing on the screen. For once, he's not wearing his coat; he's in his room, why would he be wearing it. ]

Hello Henry.
I did not intend to meet you under the circumstances we did.

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[Henry has not received a text from Walter before so he instantly mistakes the curt message as someone from the Pokemon Center he works at.]}

Oh hey is this about the Grimer that likes hugs? It's okay.

[Early January, like, January first.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Heather has learned about A LOT OF THINGS THAT SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY UNAWARE OF in the past forty-eight hours.]

[It's honestly tempting to just put her foot down and not confront any of it at all.]

[But ughghhhh... she has to.]</sub>

Hey, Henry?

_{[She's poking her head into the living room. She looks tired.]}

I need to talk to you.

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy and Heather may have already talked (and complained, at least on Envy's part) about their brand new, unanticipated connections to Walter Sullivan, but it had been...difficult to figure out the right time to actually inform Henry.]

[They hadn't wanted to potentially ruin Christmas with the news, or New Years...and it was just a tough thing to figure out how to bring up in the first place. "Hey, guess what, our Pokemon are joining a cult and also guess where all those birds came from!!" is such a bad idea that even the two of them hadn't even considered it.]

[But they can't keep it a secret forever.]

[Envy, for once, stays quiet behind Heather, just looking in over her shoulder--she knows more about this than him, she'd be better at getting this started.]

31st Jan, WWE, TUESDAY NIGHT RAW

[11121_assumption]

Life was...interesting.

Walter's explorations beyond Goldenrod had opened his eyes in many ways. Ilex Forest had reminded him of Silent Hill, playing and dancing in the woods were precious few people would ever see or notice the orphans holding hands and skipping in circles through the trees. The small jazz club he had found in Azalea had been peaceful, with soft music and a dimly lit atmosphere that was calming to him. Not too bright or dark, the gentle light remind him of a fire's glow. In Violet City he had visited the Sprout Tower and spent a day in the nearby Ruins, exploring the strange symbols and puzzles hidden underground.

In a way, it was a relief to return somewhere familiar. In another, traveling had made him realise that he didn't enjoy living in Goldenrod. It was too large and busy for his liking. But he had connections here that were important to maintain - such as Heather Mason. He still didn't know what to make of her personally. But Assumption clearly adored her Pokemon and he had no objections to their friendship. After a month away, the Cubone was partically bouncing in his arms, so eager and happy to be seeing his friends.

As he approached the park again, he found himself smiling and leaning his head to whisper to his Pokemon. "Soon, Assumption. Very soon." The Cubone cupped his cheeks in glee, trying to contain his excitement.

[no_ufo_ending]

If you go down to the woods today,
you're sure of a big surprise.

If you go down to the woods today,
you'd better go in disguise!

For every cultist every there was,
will meet his end out there because

today's the day the receiver is taking his photos.

Henry Townshend, who had precariously placed himself in the park's canopy to take a photo of some Sentret snoozing in a little hollow, quite suddenly descended from a nearby deciduous like a goddamned drop bear and landed directly on top of poor unsuspecting Walter Sullivan.

The sound he made was indescribable.

January 31st, about seven minutes after Walter flees

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Heather had been on the way to the park when she got it.]

[She'd literally been on the way to the park.]

[Running just a little bit late-- first, Wolf had changed his mind about three different times about which of his toys he wanted to bring to share with Assumption and had to keep on going back and switching them out, and then there had been a minor catfight between Cleo and one of the house's several not-technically-belonging-to-anybody-in-particular Eeveelutions that had to be broken up.]

[But it's amazing what just a little bit of lateness will do.]


[Pounding hoofbeats and an audible sizzle of melting snow are fast approaching through the trees and frozen stalks of long grass.]</sub>


HENRY!

[no_ufo_ending]

<sub>[In those seven achingly long minutes, Henry has had some time to think. Normally the sound of rippling flames and the crunch of diamond-hard hooves on snow would be something that would make a man cringe, but instead, Henry just gave Heather an apathetic grunt of greeting as he remained face down in the slush.]

[But he was going to have to get up eventually. He waited until Carousel had stopped before moving. With a groan he pushes himself up onto his elbows and slowly eases up onto his knees. His shaggy mop, now soggy from snowmelt, hangs in his face but it's not enough to mask the dammage. One side of his face is so swollen he's having trouble seeing out of that eye and all across his brows and chin are bruises and leaking cuts. His lip is swollen and his nose has luckily already stopped bleeding thanks to the snow.]</sub>

H-hnn.

_{[He lifts an arm as if to wave Heather away. Man, he didn't even get a chance to clean himself up.]}

May 15th

[exeggutorhead]

[It's later than usual when Envy gets home--normally he'd have wandered in and crashed on the couch or in his own room after the circus show ended ages ago.]

[And tonight, there's a croaking bundle tucked under one arm, with the end of a yellow beak poking out. Envy hadn't wanted to actually catch the Murkrow for himself, not until he'd figured out if Lyra would take him. And since he wasn't about to let the little guy fly off...wrapping him up in an old towel it was.]

[He announces to nobody in particular when he walks in the door:]

I'm hooome.

[Although he does spot the only person downstairs out of the corner of his eye, sitting in the kitchen, and adds on.]

Hey, Henry. Guess what we have another one of.

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[Henry glances up from a notebook he's been jotting down portfolio ideas in. He's already in his work scrubs but hasn't shuffled off for the night. It seems he has already left the house once to go grab a bag of Ronald McDewgong's though.]}

Hey, Envy.

_{[His eyes fall on the bundle. And the beak.]}

Uh oh.

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

Henry? Are you busy?

[Because Lust is bored and has had some wine and her go to for entertainment right now is that ridiculous dream book she'd found at Prom. It's open on her lap right now.]

Video

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[Henry's face flickers into view. He is in darkness--or as dark as a shitty fabric tent in a lit living room can be. His eyes are slightly bloodshot.]}

Hey, Lust. Nah. I'm just thinking. What's up?

Video

[foolishwren]

Hey, Henry, so get this.

The hotel me and Envy are staying at right now has these solar-powered lamps, right?

Normally Snitter gets real sluggish at night, but look.

_{[She shifts the camera to show the Null standing at attention in front of the lamp and staring intensely into the light.]}

Video

[no_ufo_ending]

<sub>[Henry was sitting at his desk and being thankful of that lull between the rush of everyone checking in their pokemon before turning in for the night and the rush of those weird trainers that loved to go fight pokemon IN THE DARK at ass-o-clock and come in with their bug-types all busted up.

He flips on his own camera with slight apprehension. He had not yet grown to like Snitter just yet.]</sub>

Doesn't that hurt his...does he have eyes?

[ Audio ]

[11121_assumption]

Henry. I would like to challenge you to a Pokemon battle.

[ Hello Henry, it's Walter and he's still got the social graces of a very clumsy Psyduck that's zoning out with an upcoming headache. ]

[ Audio ]

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[Background noise of a busy Pokemon Center meets Walter's ear before Henry's voice does. He's taken a moment to not fly into fight or flight mode in the middle of his break.]}

What? Walter? No. No, I don't want to battle you.

Christmas 2018

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Also not getting away without a gift.

Henry will get a package with some candy and some pokemon treats. Also an empty photo album and a book on photography Harry found in a bookstore.

Also a note.

"Merry Christmas, Henry.

You've done amazing things and I know you'll continue that way.

Love, Dad."