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A confused 'huh' escapes Colton when the tracking tag and the device are handed to him by Audric. He appears slightly unsure of holding them, at least until the explanation is provided. "Wait, that's really smart," he compliments, now naturally more accepting of the ranger's gift.
[break][break]
He quickly moves to store it in his bag before they continue and push onwards, now with one less issue to worry about. They won't get lost this time around. He silently thanked Arceus for that, although the credit belonged to Audric alone.
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"I- Erm—" He doesn't notice it until Audric's Dewpider points at it, but when Colton does, he quickly takes a step back, careful not to step on the fleeing shadow. "We're all seeing this, right?"
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He doesn't wait for confirmation before looking back to check on his own shadow. Thankfully, it hadn't left him yet.
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"Wait, I think I got it!" A Pokeball is retrieved and promptly tossed to the ground, allowing Colton's Gothita to escape from within. "Hecate, can you--" he doesn't really know what to ask for, really, "..catch our shadows, please?"
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The urgency in his voice is recognized, and the Psychic-type is quick to do as asked, activating its SHADOW TAG to root everyone else's shadows in place.
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Audric's, however, escapes the Pokemon's grasp.
[break][break]
"It didn't work," he says quietly. "It didn't work!" He repeats less quietly.
[break]

---

[break]
🗺️ 24 become trapped by the use of 'shadow tag' or 'mean look'.

[attr="class","bottom"]Audric Black virgil roach Amelia Livy [break]

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A government-sanctioned job felt wrong. Colton loathed the idea of taking a patient who had therapy imposed on them, regardless of how delicate things were with them. He understood why it was necessary, but still. His only saving grace was patient-doctor confidentiality. Nothing would make him break it—so he had nothing to worry about.
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In theory, at least.
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It's a minute past noon when he rises from his seat and walks to his office's door.
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Eris's late. By only a minute, yes, but considering her age and history, how could he not feel concerned? He opens the door slowly, searching for anyone - anything - in the hallway. He really hoped she wouldn't bail on him.

[attr="class","bottom"]Eris Halla [break]

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Colton is absolutely not as brave as Lia is.
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As soon as the DISARMING VOICE reaches his ear, he stops dead in his tracks, terrified. Rattled. That's the voice of a monstrous beast, his mind tells him. He breathes in - deep - and before he knows it, his legs act on their own accord, forced to continue. He was in no state to challenge Lia's ultimatum, after all.
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He now half-regretted holding Lia's hand. They shouldn't be walking towards the source of the voice.
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"A-are you sure?" he most certainly isn't, "It could be, like, something..." Slowly, his voice drops to a sheepish whisper, "..evil.
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Roach's voice is barely audible in his ears until the mention of alcohol. It immediately distracts Colton and draws his attention, "I could so use a drink," he confesses, not in a whisper this time.
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Fortunately, they hadn't listened to him. The source of the DISARMING VOICE is discovered along with Audric Black himself, and the group reunites. They make it out not only alive-- but together, too.[break]

---

[break]

MRlVE3Vm

[attr="class","bottom"]Audric Black Amelia Livy virgil roach [break]

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Know who deserves to move on? I do.
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If only Roach knew how much Colton felt the same. His response is swallowed, kept at bay to allow the man to cool following Colton's speech. Nothing else he could say would help, and that alone was enough to convince him to hold his tongue.
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He doesn't notice Audric Black's disappearance at first. His mind is elsewhere, his eyes are practically glued to Roach, and it's only Amelia Livy's declaration that snaps him back to reality, where fear begins to trickle in slowly.
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It seeps past the fragile walls Colton had managed to build in order to steel himself for this experience, all the 'it'll be fine's and the 'I won't be by myself's. As soon as realization dawns upon him, he feels it all crumble.
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He's scared.
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What if Audric getting lost was only the start? What if he's dead? Selfishly, the man also considers the option that he might be next. This idea is the one that sends a shiver down his spine and makes him shudder. "I-I'm not sure," he half-whispers to Lia, "I wasn't paying attention! Arceus, where did he go?!"
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He seeks an answer in his Lunatone's red eye, desperately searching for help, "Nyx, do something! Try to find him!" Although a FUTURE SIGHT should solve the issue, the reading is blurry and cloudy, mystically obscured by The Border's fog.
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The only option left is... Lia. The one Colton perceives as the responsible adult here. He tugs at her sleeve akin to a scared child, "What do we do?! How do we find him?"
[break]

---

[break]
08 experience immense fear.

[attr="class","bottom"]Audric Black Amelia Livy virgil roach [break]

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Colton appears enthralled by Lia's telling of the myth, his interest and curiosity equally piqued. It's enough to help take his mind off all the depressing thoughts that surfaced to haunt him inside the border.
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At least until virgil roach picks up a fight with one of the ghosts that tagged along with them. That alone is enough to ground the man and snap him back to reality, "Roach, listen--"
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He's supposed to know what to say, but usually, he has more information to work with. But now, it's sudden. Unexpected. He didn't carry a notebook that explained what could lead to a fight between a stranger and a half-corporeal ghost.
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"..I don't know what happened between you two, and I'm probably overstepping here, but... Please. Whatever it was, it's not worth this. He's scared, alone, and it's not right."
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His lips purse before a frown deepens his already sombre expression.
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"You don't have to forgive him. If you want to live with whatever pain he gave you—it's your choice. But no one deserves to stay here alone. They all deserve to move on." Slowly, carefully, Colton raises his hand and offers it for Carson to take, intent on helping him board the boat along them.
[break]

---

[break]
🗺️ COLTON FALL's expertise as a psychiatrist must be pivotal in some way.

[attr="class","bottom"]Audric Black Amelia Livy virgil roach [break]

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Although Colton believed that the group he had joined was trespassing this realm, it didn't stop his traipsing; he continued to maintain the same leisure pace, relishing the view - for all of its eeriness - and all that came with it. When his eyes eventually fall upon a spectre, he resists the urge to immediately look away and, instead, searches for a familiar face in their distorted, half-materialized features.
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It isn't an easy task. His wish to find a specific person alarmingly seems less and less plausible now, and the more he accepts that these were no longer ordinary people. Audric Black's spirit orb friend is the final nail in this coffin, putting the matter to rest. It's not what Colton imagined or what he needed it to be.
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"..Or it's more like Limbo," he speculates out loud in response to Amelia Livy's musing, defeated and disappointed. He only wanted to help them find closure—he only ever wanted to help.
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In spite of the gloominess and how grim it may be, Colton pushes through. He forces himself to, for it's the least he can do for them. He's been taught to focus on the living, accept what cannot be changed, and let go of the past... but he cannot pass on an opportunity like this. It feels almost hypocritical, considering his ample advocation to avoid dwelling on such matters.
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But he carries on all the same, still. He's going to make things right, one way or another.
[break][break]
He has to.

[attr="class","bottom"]Audric Black Amelia Livy virgil roach [break]

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Colton's eyes widen in admiration coupled with shock upon crossing the rift into the border. He's unable to tear his eyes away from the luminous skies, despite the eeriness present in a skyline devoid of a celestial body. It piques his interest, confirming a sneaking suspicion for the man: he was right to come here.
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"I've... Never seen anything like this, yeah."
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The only Pokemon he releases is his Lunatone, Nyx, and he does so mainly to soothe his nerves. He's way out of his element. His mind betrays him; the idea of fleeing increasingly becomes more and more alluring, but he doesn't give in.
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Not yet, at least.
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"Oh—erm, Colton Fall. My name, I mean. My name's Colton Fall," he's definitely still nervous, "I'm also a tourist, yeah," he adds, drawing inspiration from virgil roach's own introduction. Icy, silver eyes shift between Audric Black and Amelia Livy briefly before a nod is passed along, "They seem friendly. Are those the..."
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He gulps.
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"..you know, spirits? Are they even real?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Audric Black Amelia Livy virgil roach [break]

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The ER is packed.
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As most people know, it's not too unusual for Hoenn... Especially following a catastrophe. Nevertheless, predictable outcome or not, the surfacing of certain memories - some of which he believed to have forgotten - makes his job and day a lot harder. It makes him want to bury himself alive.
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But he wasn't an intern anymore; he couldn't afford to have a meltdown that would ruin his career. He was here to see a patient, and he will do just that.
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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"So," Colton doesn't need caden maher to turn around to recognize his friend. They've spent too much time burying themselves in medical textbooks together for him to mistake him for anybody else.
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"It takes me coming here to see a patient for you to show your face, Caden? Tuh, and to think I thought we were friends."

[attr="class","bottom"]caden maher [break]