neverstudied | Victory Road IC Inbox

You were awake???

[Definitely a question, and very indignant.]

[Ok all of this is definitely setting off some kind of alarms. What kind? He has no idea because he's just woken up and everyone else sounds like they know a lot more than him.]

Did you guys have a secret conversation without me?

[He's not angry, just disappointed.]

[He runs his hands down his face.] Sorry, I woke up somewhere in the middle of... [He hesitates.] when you were talking. I swear I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I wanted to leave you two alone and thought I could get myself to fall back asleep again. But, uh. I couldn't.

...and then you started to wake up Ray and I knew I couldn't be too far behind. At that point it'd be more awkward if I kept faking it.

[Winston gives an apologetic look towards them, before turning to Ray.] I wasn't... participating, so I think it's best if they explained the rest.

[Egon falls quiet for a moment, seemingly frozen where he stands. He switches his attention from Ray, to Winston, to Venkman, then back to Ray.

After what seems like an eternity, Egon clears his throat.]

Er. Well. We were discussing the possiblity of marriage in this dimension. And I proposed that I would not be opposed to the idea.

[Please help him, Venkman.]

[A sigh.]

By that he means I talked about getting married at some point and he took it as me proposing, so we're technically engaged now. Figured it wasn't polite to leave you two outta the deal.

[He then braces himself for whatever Ray's incoming reaction will be.]

[And now he’s officially awake and god what a thing to wake up to.]

Aww Pete, you know I was the one who wanted to propose to you guys first! And now you accidentally propose to Egon while I’m asleep so I couldn’t even see his reaction.

[He sounds so sad help him.]

[Egon clears his throat, looking away from Ray.]

Technically, it was a result of me responding--

[Oh, forget it. Egon shakes his head slowly, closing his eyes.]

I was saying that--we could make it more official in a different setting.

Yeah, think of it as more like... a pre-proposal. [Winston scoots himself over so he can hold Ray's hands in his own, giving him some much needed reassurance.] So no need to give up now, you've still got your chance.

...and if anything, you missed out on Pete's reaction.

[On a calm, lazy afternoon in Cerulean, Venkman gets a voice message from Winston.]

Hey, Pete! I went out to pick up an egg from the center... and I figured, "Hey, it's a nice day out today, I might as well take a walk".

...and I'm glad I did- just found something real special on Route 25. For a moment, I thought about sending a picture, but I think you'd appreciate it a lot more in person!

[... That's a little concerning. Then again, it might only be concerning because of months stuck with Egon and Ray, and all the weird shit they've done and found in this dimension. Winston wouldn't call him over to come see something fucked up, would he? Probably not.

Probably.

Venkman takes a few minutes to notice and reply to the message, but he calls Winston back when he does.]

What kind of "something special" are we talking about here?

Aw, I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for you. ...but. I'll give you a couple hints: it's bigger than the both of us, shows up every single day, and we didn't get the chance to catch much of it in the caves.

[He sounds very self-satisfied as he recites this riddle to Venkman.]

Bigger than both of us in the physical sense, or in the more philosophical, "we are but atoms in an uncaring universe" sense?

[He shakes his head, a fond smile on his face, as he pulls a jacket on.]

Alright, alright. Where are you on the Route? I'll start heading that way.

Definitely the first. Maybe the second. Depends on your outlook.

[He lets out a deep breath that turns into a whistle midway through.]

Well... I didn't go into the woods just yet, so the second you set foot on the bridge, you should be able to see me standing right at the other end of it. You can't miss me- I'm the one in the baseball uniform. [He winks. Even though Peter can't see it, he can probably feel it. Spiritually.]

Nice and ominous, Winston.

What even are the baseball teams in this place? You found your new Jags yet?

[Off he goes! Padding along beside Venkman, flanking him on either side, are his Houndoom and Houndour. Not exactly acclimated to the water-dominated surroundings of Cerulean City, but it's been a while since he rotated the two to his team.

Zuul is fully leaning into her self-declared role as a guard dog, her lips curling back at every perceived threat and snarling deep in her throat until Venkman calls her off. Vinz keeps wandering off to chase Zigzagoon, barking excitedly, his stump of a tail wagging. Winston's probably going to see or hear him first, honestly.]

I'd like to say I have... but as it turns out, the Magikarp actually have a win record in the double digits for this season. [The Jags were really one of a kind- he'd be hard-pressed to find another team like them.]

[True enough, he hears the barking uproar coming from Venkman's hellhounds and quickly turns his head towards the source of the noise. Seeing Peter on the horizon, a contented smile crosses his face.]

Have to talk to you later- somebody with two unleashed dogs just got on the bridge.

[He hangs up, slipping the Pokegear into his backpack before walking back across the nugget bridge to meet Venkman halfway. Once he reaches the middle of the bridge, Winston stops to lean his back against the railing, crossing his arms, waiting to be approached.]

Gosh, I wonder what kinda jackass would do something like that.

[Zuul snorts disdainfully as she listens in to her trainer's conversation, and she barks once- a commanding, sharp sound that seems to echo. Vinz skids to a halt and immediately begins to trot back to Venkman's side, though he casts glances over his shoulder at Winston as he does so. Vinz licks at Zuul's face when he reaches her again, whining and yipping excitedly and telling her things neither Venkman or Winston can understand. The Houndoom's overall demeanor doesn't change, but her tail wags a bit in response.

Venkman reaches the midpoint of the bridge and mirrors Winston's casual posture, slouching on arm against the railing.]

Well, you got me out here. Mind telling me why?

[He's smirking, but he does look genuinely curious.]

It's cloudy out. [With those three words as Peter's only explanation, Winston tilts his head back to gaze at the sky of a setting sun.]

[The time is such that the heavens have become encompassed by a gentle lilac, a wide-reaching canvas of dusk. Ephemeral in its own right. ...but in this weather, it's only the canvas. A mere backdrop, thoroughly obscured by the countless clouds suspended weightless in the air- fluffy, formless masses of deep muted violets accented by vibrant streaks of piercing crimson painting their undersides. The further down a cloud floats, the brighter its body, the more it catches the glowing golden hues of both the bridge beneath their feet and the radiant sunlight still shining over the horizon. The shimmering river running below, a liquid mirror reflecting all of the above.]

[He breathes it in, taking the time in this moment to simply experience the feeling of fresh air filling his lungs, appreciating this entirely mundane, everyday action the same way something so routine and inevitable as a sunset can be cherished.]

[...and with a slow, steady exhale, his chest sinks. Pulling his hat off by the brim, a wry smile plays at his lips as he looks over at Venkman.]

...but I guess it's not that impressive. Now that you're here, it's only the second-best looking thing on this bridge.

... You dragged me out here for a weather report?

[Venkman raises his eyebrows and tilts his head to look up at the sunset. From his perspective, it's just... a sunset. He doesn't really see all the little details of it the way Winston does. Though, as dismissive as he sounds, Venkman does get the significance. It's sappy. Cute. He's about to say something along those lines when Winston speaks up again, and, for a brief moment, renders him speechless.]

... Scratch that, you dragged me out here for a weather report and compliments. Guess it could be worse.

[The faint smile on his face betrays him as also being a sap.]

[Winston gives a good-natured laugh, sliding a hand around Venkman's waist, pulling him into a one-armed hug.]

Yeah, I figured you'd want something more. Hang on, let's see, what else do I have to show you-

[With that very un-subtle hinting aside, he shrugs his backpack off one shoulder so it hangs at his side, reaching into one of the many pockets to dig out a travel brochure for Cerulean Cape, handing it over to Venkman. It has all the usual trappings of such tourist trap adverts- photos of notable attractions, claims of being "the perfect seaside getaway for you and your special someone", and one segment dedicated entirely to local pokémon listings.]

If you want, we could take a trip there right now. Of course, we'll probably need to stay the night if we do... it's already getting pretty late in the day.

Believe me, I'd love to see whatever else you have to offer.

[At his feet, Zuul huffs, as if to remind her idiot trainer that they're in public and to shut up before he says something stupid. Venkman barely notices.

Vinz has his paws on a low beam on the railing and gapes down at the water, panting.]

Hmmm. All night romantic getaway, huh? I seem to remember Ray getting jealous the last time I tried to keep you all to myself... But we can always make it up to him later, right?

You mean something like you joining in on our gameshows for a change? [He gives a smirk, kissing his cheek.] But yeah, no doubt we're gonna give back to him- it'll all even out with us.

[Although he already feels like this date proposal is a way of giving back to Peter for the time he spent separated from Egon and Ray. After all, if they're already trekking through the same places Venkman's seen before, they might as well stop to appreciate these parts off the beaten path that he didn't take in the first time around.]

[Winston tightens his hold on Peter and tilts his head a bit, looking over at Zuul first, then down at Vinz.] So, is the little guy gonna be alright around all the water? ...he sure looks excited about it. [The tone of that statement comes with an unsaid "but how much will we need to hold him back from running off into the sea" at the end.]

As long as it's not just game shows...

[Venkman actually never passed through Cerulean in the first place, instead traveling through the Diglett Tunnel. He did briefly show up here on a weird Friday, but not for long. So he's definitely never seen most of the stuff around Cerulean.]

Ehh, he'll be fine. He's got Zuul to keep him from doing anything too stupid.

[Zuul huffs. Unfortunately, she can't exactly deny that he's right.]

Ah, I see- he takes after his owner. [The corners of his eyes slyly tilt up.] In that case, we should be alright if we all stick together.

[With that said, the four begin their walk down the forest path together, sun setting ever more, their surroundings darkening to the point far-off branches resemble pitch-black shadows cast against the dimming sky.]

[Winston moves with Venkman as a single unit, holds tightly onto him as he looks around, taking in the tranquil beauty of the environment around them. ...quickly developing the habit of looking over his shoulder to make sure neither of Venkman's dogs get lost around the bend when they turn a corner. Of course, it's harder to keep sight of them in the dark- so ultimately he winds up relying more on his ears to keep track of them as the afternoon progresses further into night.]

[And as the night falls, his shoulders start trembling, shaking the arm he's kept slung around Venkman- his flesh becoming notably icy and his hairs standing on end. Winston gives a sheepish look as a particularly severe shiver jostles Peter a bit.]

...sorry, just a little chillier out tonight than I thought it'd be. [It's not like he's exactly dressed for the cold, either.]

You wound me.

[They set off on their little journey, with Zuul immediately coming to Venkman's side and walking in step with him. Vinz takes a few seconds to realize what's going on and plod after the three. As expected, he takes brief detours to sniff at things in the forest and stray off the path, but Zuul inevitably brings him back with little more than a huff.

Venkman notices the shivering, of course, and laughs softly.]

What were you thinking when you came out here, anyway? Can't've planned this, or you would've at least worn a scarf. Unless you're not always the infallible genius of our quartet...

[He shakes his head, and tugs the scarf off his own neck- white, with blue stripes. Wingull-patterned. He wraps it around Winston's neck and begins to work on tying it.]

[Some days Ray wonder if Halloween is cursed. Yeah, of course it's the day when the dead are most active, but sometimes he wished he could just have a nice Halloween of watching horror movies with the boys and eating leftover candy.

Sure, he's glad he and Venkman were taken by his building friend to stop the Aether foundation's plans, but he's so exhausted now, which is rare for him.

When they finally find a room for the night (or... day). Ray collapses in his bed and clings to the first person that's there.

Which happens to be Venkman.]

What a day, huh?

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sometime around 9/15?

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Post Halloween event