these blood red eyes

game 010 | video - Goldenrod City

attrites — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 02:49:20 GMT

[ PART ONE: backdated to 12/17.

It's rather late in the evening when Akaya starts recording; he has Yagyuu's Vulpix, Masako, snuggled up in his lap. He is uncharacteristically despondent, and for somebody who wears all his emotions openly, it's pretty obvious that something really has him down. ]

... It feels like everybody from my team is leaving. You know, I was super happy that all of my team showed up, but... maybe it would've been better if they never came. If I knew they were just gonna leave me behind anyways. I mean, I know they should be back home where they belong, but it's just... [ there's a hesitation. For a few moments he just sits and pets Masako. ]

It's just hard, 'cause I never got to say good-bye, I guess. Like I didn't appreciate them enough while they were there.

[ ... ] Sorry, I'm being really depressing, I know. I'll be okay, I promise. Me and Masako here will work things out together, eheheh.

[ PART TWO: backdated to 12/20.

Akaya seems to be trying to make up for his last video by being relentlessly cheerful in this one! He's attempting to conduct his Pokemon into singing some holiday songs - while they're at least recognizable, they are far from Pokemon prodigies at music, but at least they're having fun (and are being awfully cute about it, too). ]

What do you think, guys? I was thinkin' about going caroling around Goldenrod. You think we're good enough or should we practice some more?

... Oh, and I need some advice. What kinda gift should you get for a girl? And... how much do you usually spend per gift? Should you, I dunno, try to spend about the same amount on each gift? Holiday shopping is kinda hard for me... usually I'd just ask people what they wanted first, but I'm gonna try to think up gifts by myself this year.

game 009 | text

attrites — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:11:10 GMT

[ late at night, a message goes out on the PokéGear - ]

do you think that if you try hard enough at something, then eventually you'll succeed at it? or are there some things that can't be achieved through just hard work? like, that there are somethings that people are just born good at, and that's something that can't be learned.

game 008 | video

attrites — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 05:21:26 GMT

Guys, guys! Guess what? My birthday is in two days! I'm going to be fourteen soon! [ he is positively beaming with excitement. ] Actually, I think it's been over a year since my last birthday, 'cause of Johto time being different from back home, but it'll be official on the 25th.

It'd be nice to get together and do something fun, but... I'm in Ecruteak right now, and most of my friends seem to be in other places, so I guess I'll just celebrate with the people I'm traveling with. [ it doesn't seem like he's really whining or anything - he's pretty happy with just that! Though to him, parties are more of a group thing than an individual thing, so he thinks the more people to share in the celebrations with, the better. ] Heh, it'll be really weird to not celebrate with my family, though...

Anyways... I'm pretty excited! Fourteen seems so much older than thirteen, you know? [ ignoring that he looks a lot older than that... ]

game 007 | video/action - Ecruteak City

attrites — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:29:22 GMT

[ when the feed comes on, Akaya and Shiraishi can be seen standing nearby - they’re taping via Pokémon today. Both of them have rackets in hand, and judging by the makeshift grass court in the background? It looks like they’re ready to play some tennis. ]

Hey, everybody!! There’s some people in Johto who’ve never played or even heard of tennis before... so we thought we should give a demonstration! And, I dunno, explain some rules and stuff. So Shiraishi-san and I are gonna play a practice match.

We’ll be explaining the basic rules while we play, since it’s easier to show what we mean rather than just try to explain all of it.

[It starts off as a normal practice match, with Shiraishi explaining the basics and doing helpful little recaps after each point was played out (and Akaya attempting to pitch in, of course!), but as the game goes on, things get more serious. Of course neither of them wouldn’t want to lose, even if it was a practice one. So quite quickly after the game starts, the two forget to do the explanation parts and are just fully concentrating on the game. But at least anyone still watching can enjoy themselves some Middle School tennis.

And by “Middle School” what we really mean is “holy crap do these people have some sort of strange ability to negate the laws of physics as we know them?” … An exaggeration, of course, but it’s still extremely intense. Partway into the game, anybody who’s paying attention to Akaya at all will probably notice his eyes have gone completely bloodshot - and he’s fallen eerily silent. Somehow, he seems to be moving even faster than before, and his returns seem to be stronger as well. Even if his eyes hadn’t gone red, that expression of intense concentration is almost scary in and of itself. He’s taking this very, very seriously - maybe a little too seriously for an alleged practice match.

Well, Shiraishi has noticed this and his expression turned more serious that it had been. His tennis, however, will remain as always; perfect, loyal to basics. Even if Akaya’s sudden improvement in strength does push him back a little bit.... but that only makes him focus more. Keeping your cool in a match is important, after all.

It’s a tight match, with a lot of push and pull throughout the game. Every once in a while, anybody who’s listening carefully might hear Akaya say things like, “Gotta keep it together... I won’t lose! I won’t!” But eventually, as it comes closer and closer to the end, Akaya is pushed back too far for him to pick himself back up, as desperately as he keeps trying to. ]

[ The game comes to an end. Shiraishi wins, 7-5. It was a close one and Shiraishi really enjoyed it. Even if the bloodshot thing had been kinda surprising and he’s curious about that... but he can ask about that later if he feels like it. Right now, he walks over to the net to see Akaya, smiling.]

You’re really amazing. I can see now why the call you their ace. Your skills are really good. [He really means it. All of it.]

The redness has mostly faded out of his eyes - although there’s still a trace of that intense expression there - and he’s fairly out of breath. Far from his normally rather upbeat self, he seems visibly disappointed and maybe a little upset. ] … Thanks. Next time... for sure, I’ll win next time, though.

Well, whenever you feel like having a match again, just ask. I’ll have a rematch with you anytime you’d like. May it be just a practice match or... [ Wait. Weren’t they supposed to be doing something. He looks over at the gear. ] Ah, Kirihara-kun? I think the videofeed is still on.

I forgot all about that! [ and he turns to look over at the ‘Gear... it’s still taping. ] Oops. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed watching even though we didn’t do much explaining...

Sorry about that, we got caught in the game...

Any questions, I guess?

[ ooc; Akaya's text is in red and Shiraishi is green; both of them will be tagging this entry. ]

game 006 |

attrites — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:36:15 GMT

[ Inspired by some strange pictures, Akaya and Bartz have decided to show Johto how drawing is done... with passion. Neither of them have drawing skills past stick figure level, but neither of them believe that this is something that should stop their true artistic spirits!! When the video comes on, it is focused on a series of drawings. Some of those stick figures might (extremely loosely) resemble people they know... ]

[ Then, as the camera pans through the various drawings they have made, at the very bottom, they have written a message for everybody: ]
WE THINK PEOPLE SHOULD STOP BEING SO HALF-HEARTED ABOUT THEIR STICK FIGURES!! STICK FIGURES HAVE FEELINGS TOO!!

p.s. we take requests!!
[ By which they really mean, if you respond to this you will get a stick figure portrait drawn of you. Yep. ]

[ ooc; both Akaya and Bartz will both be responding to this post! o/ ]

game 005 | video - Azalea Town

attrites — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:08:28 GMT

[ The camera is fixed on an egg that seems to be shaking slightly, then pans over to Akaya - ]

I think it's finally gonna hatch! Actually, I still don't know what's inside, but I'm pretty excited!

[ back to the egg: it's glowing now, and the shell breaks to reveal... ]

[ and Akaya promptly drops the camera as the Shuppet attempts to greet him by floating on over and circling around his head a few times. Akaya looks like he's about to pee himself out of fright, though: ]

OH MY GOD IT'S A GHOST WHY DIDN'T HE TELL ME IT WAS GONNA BE A GHOST -

[ and then, thankfully, the 'Gear's video feed shuts off. It might take him a few minutes before he replies. ]

game 004 | video - Cherrygrove City

attrites — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:32:12 GMT

[ What do you get when you put a group teenage tennis players in the same hotel room... with only one bed in it? Complete and utter chaos, that's what. But Akaya, for all his complaining about being shoved under the bed and being threatened with duct tape, is secretly okay with it because he is unbelievably happy that all his teammates have come together.

When the video feed flickers on, the screen is rather lopsided, but it's zoomed in on Akaya's grinning face. ]

Hey, everybody - ! All of my team friends from back home've gotten together in Cherrygrove City. It's - oof - [ he turns to yell at somebody off-camera: ] Who just kicked me?! Stop it! [ there's a muffled reply in response. ]

[ and back to the camera: ] Yeah, it's kinda chaotic but it's kinda fun, too. Anyway, if any of you are looking for Yukimura buchou, Niou senpai, Yagyuu senpai, or Fuji-san, they're all here too. [ ... ] Oh, and so is Sanada fukubuchou, but he's busy punching fire-breathing bears in the forest, I think?

But anyway, if anybody's in Cherrygrove stop by and say hi!

[ ooc information: this post will be tagged by Akaya here, Niou , Yukimura , Yagyuu , and Fuji , so if you'd like a specific person just say so in the subject line! o/ otherwise, you might get tagged by any/all of them. ]

game 003 | video - Violet City

attrites — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 01:59:28 GMT

[ Akaya looks like he's got a few minor burns (or maybe just smudges of soot?) on him - but he looks really pleased today! ] Guess who caught a Houndour today? It was pretty hard, 'cause Ace's stronger attacks wouldn't work on it, but eventually we got it! Heh, this brings my roster up to three now. Not bad for somebody who's only been here a short time, right?

[ ... ] Sooo, I was wondering. How come some types of attacks don't work well on certain Pokémon? I mean, I guess it makes sense that fire attacks wouldn't work on Pokémon living in the water, but I don't really get why Ace's attacks weren't working at all.

And is it okay to let Pokémon you just caught out of a Pokéball? 'Cause I kind of just beat it up two hours ago and, I dunno, it could still be pissed off. I don't want my Pidgey to be eaten or something like that... [ guess who didn't read the Trainer Handbook. Yeah, this guy right here. ]

game 002 | video/action - Goldenrod City

attrites — Sun, 29 May 2011 00:17:07 GMT

[ surprise! Akaya is in Goldenrod City today. If he were awake, he would probably be really happy to have magically gotten there so quickly, but unfortunately he is conked out on a street bench, napping away and completely oblivious to his changed settings.

What makes that really weird, though? Is that this Pokémon is sitting on top of him as he sleeps:

The Luxray will stare down any passers-by, but doesn't seem aggressive. Hopefully, somebody will wake Akaya up before the Luxray accidentally puts its weight in the wrong place and breaks a rib or something. ]

- - -

[ later, a video goes on over the PokéGear! The video seems to be a bit lopsided, but perhaps that has something to do with the Luxray biting down on one of Akaya's arms? ]

Ow - ! I tried to pet it and it - bit - me ow ow ow stop it! Stop it! [ he seems to have dropped the Gear; it takes a while before he picks it up again. ] How do I make it stop biting me? This - really hurts, okay!

And Sanada fukubuchou! ... I got here, so don't hit me, alright? I'm in enough pain as it is and I think my arm is actually going to - ow - fall off - ! Why do all my Pokémon bite me?!

game 001 | video

attrites — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:16:35 GMT

Heheheh, this is so cool - ! It's like being in a video game except for real. It even has background music and everything.

Hey, so, everybody can see and hear this, right? My name's Akaya Kirihara, I'm from Japan originally. And this is Ace! [ the screen shifts, the sudden change in zoom makes the screen a bit blurry at first, but it comes to focus in on a Girafarig before refocusing on Akaya. ] I guess we're supposed to run around an' train an' collect badges, right? I don't really get the point, but whatever, it still sounds really cool. I was wondering, though - will it take a long time? Has anybody managed to do it yet?

[ ... ] Oh, and this is important too. Does anybody here play tennis? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I'll actually be dead if I return home and tell my teammates that I skipped out on training 'cause I was busy battling Pokémon.