Fight to the last breath

[It's been quite a while since the last time Veronica posted on the network.... though something was amiss. This time, instead of a video, it's just text.]

If anyone was friends with Juniper Woods, and doesn't know yet, she disappeared a while ago. I'm pretty sure she's gone home, since I can't get an answer from her Pokegear..

[That was what Veronica hoped, at least. If she wasn't already dead, that is. She never considered asking.]

This isn't a joke, by the way. So if you suddenly got any of her pokemon, that's why.

That's all.

[...Damn. Actually, no it wasn't. While that unusually upsetting topic rolled through her mind, another nagging thought grabbed on. She frowned, paused for a short minute-- it was something she'd thought about for a while, so she might as well ask, as long as she was on the Pokegear.]

[Private text to Botan]

Hey, is it okay if I leave Goldenrod for a little while?

[Winter was here. Each day the outside world grew colder and colder. More snow fell on the streets, and Veronica could already see decorations being set up around Goldenrod, giving everything a much more festive look.

Christmas was coming, and it confused Veronica, for several reasons. Many questions had been raised for her: Where was she going to spend the holiday season? Where was she going to get presents for her friends? Did she have to spend time with her friends? Did she even have friends here in the first place?

These questions clouded her mind all day, and she was unable to shake them off. Clearly, there was only one way to fix this.

The anonymous function on her pokegear had almost never been touched until now. Veronica almost didn't know what she was doing before it started working and she was able to type out her questions.]

If you were going to get someone that had done a lot of good deeds for you a gift, what kind of gift would it be? Expensive? Hand-made?

Second, how would you give it to them?

Third... what do people normally do here, around this time of the year? I'm still new here, and I don't normall... celebrate Christmas..

[She almost leaves it at that, although something tugs at her that makes her keep typing.]

Also, has anyone seen a woman named Adorea around Goldenrod? I'm looking all over for her.

[It's morning, and from the position of the screen, it's clear that it's outside somewhere. It's zoomed in on a terribly scarred hand. In the palm of said hand, is a badge. It stays focused on the badge for a few seconds before the hand then moves away; the screen moved away with it, blurring out until it finally settles on Veronica's semi-happy face.

Considering how her last few posts had been her resenting the world around her, and suffering because of it, this was a step up.]

So, everyone is after these badges, huh? Frankly, I'm surprised how much I had to go through to get it. A few of my Pokémon ended up fainting...

[She continued to look the bad over for a second, and it almost looks like she's about to say something else until something peculiar happens. Veronica's cheeks are abruptly squished, the corners of her lips pushed up by invisible fingers to make it look as though she was smiling more than she was.

Sufficed to say, she is very surprised by this. So, obviously the right thing to do in this situation is to struggle against whatever had her by the face. To the viewers, at least, the answer comes when a set of floating eyes appear behind Veronica's head, looking straight at the screen for a second until a full, purple body forms around them. It was 2shade, one of her new ghost Pokémon. She giggles childishly and finally lets go of her new trainer, floating around her. Come on, new trainer! Smile because you did something good!]

...O-oh. Two-shade. [Veronica released a breath. There was never going to be a time where she'd be complete okay with having more ghost Pokémon.]

Anyways... I managed to get the badge, but I don't know how I can get that Hidden machine people talk about. Does anyone know where I can get one? Or one I could borrow, I suppose.

[Veronica looks like she's in a hurry, the screen jerking and shaking as she moves. The only sound for most of the video was Veronica's breathing, quick and hard, the sound accented by a chorus of animals.

It's about a minute and a half before the screen stops shaking, eventually settling and showing that Veronica had taken refuge underneath a tree. Her Pokémon were nowhere to be seen, save for Ako, who landed on her shoulder a moment after. A few seconds pass before Veronica finally says,]

It's happened again. There's Pokémon... Pokémon falling from the sky!

[Heavy rustling of branches draws her attention upward briefly.]

But, it's not the Pokémon from yesterday. This is different.

[Her confusion and surprise mixed with annoyance.] Does this happen often? Because it's a pain.

[More rustling from above, Ako takes off while Veronica dives out of the way, just avoiding the Furfrou that almost landed on top of her.

The feed dies.]

[Veronica's gaze was stern as she looked at the screen. There was an air of dignity around her, despite how young she looked, but that could have to do with the many scars on her face and neck, the most notable ones being the two lines that intersected across her face, making an "X". She stares down at her Pokegear with what looked to be a mixture of confusion and annoyance. This goes on for a few seconds until she finally opens her mouth to speak.]

Ah-

Mukrow!

[And that's all that's heard from her, because immediately after, the Pokegear is yanked away from her and the world becomes a blur. It's like that for a good minute or so before everything finally settles. The Pokegear is now, evidently, high up in a tree, the tiny town of New Bark sitting in the background. It's actually kind of scenic, until Veronica appeared, having climbed up quickly to retrieve her device.

She swats at the Murkrow that took it, leading to a brief scuffle before the bird Pokémon takes flight, letting her finally get the Pokegear back. She is notably less dignified than before as she finally starts talking.]

...This is ridiculous, all of it. [Annoyance in her tone barely contained.] Why do I have to go on this journey? Why is this even happening?

[The Murkrow from before caws loudly in the background, getting a flinch out of Veronica. She glances back, letting out a sigh and finally killing the feed.]