008. [Anonymous Images + Text/Action for mid-Route 36]

[explosivecombat]

[ANONYMOUS IMAGES/TEXT]

[Today, Johto, you're in for a treat - clearly, someone has decided that there aren't nearly enough photographs shot from hipster angles on your Gear. Don't worry, that will be remedied shortly. After all, a series of images has hit the network this afternoon!

Granted, the images are a bit...unusual. A couple of unconscious NPCs, shot from incredibly close up. A few glimpses of the Rocket uniform on the person pinning said NPCs against the ground for the sake of the images. A set of Pokeballs in gloved hands, the telltale red R visible in the background, emblazoned across the clothing of the person holding them - anyone who's familiar with the organization can infer that said Pokeballs have been stolen.

...oh.

No glimpses of the face of the Rocket who's done the stealing; the images have been submitted anonymously. Accompanying the last image - the stolen Pokemon, the red insignia - there's a line of text, equally anonymous.]

We're still here.

[ACTION]

[A short while after the text goes out, there's another attack.

There's some poor sap of an NPC on the ground, having come out on the losing end of their confrontation with a member of the criminal organization; the Rocket has his boot planted firmly in the center of the NPC's upper back, pinning him down at the shoulders. At a distance, the Rocket looks similar enough to the rest of his organization: dark hair of indeterminate length - it's either very short or tucked up under his hat, it's a bit difficult to tell; long gloves and knee-high boots, pale grey and sharp-looking over the dark clothes; the red R emblazoned over the chest. He's rather thin, and his shoulderspan is incredibly narrow, and there's an odd, shaking tightness to his posture; there are a couple of stray locks of hair at the front that have managed to work themselves out from underneath the hat, falling down into the man's face.

He isn't bothering with the mask issued for official work; his face is visible. Were he in Goldenrod this would be different, but now...why bother? It isn't as though there are usually many people on this particular route anyway.

He's smirking like a madman; his amber eyes are alive, the pupils constricted. Get close enough and you can hear him laughing a bit, though the sound is quiet today. Controlled.

Welcome to Route 36, a couple of days outside of Violet City; Kimblee's been a bit overstimulated lately, that's all, the stress of playing nice for the last two and a half weeks finally getting to him.

It's nice to let some of it out.]

Comments

[Text]

[meatysoviet]

I thought this fact went without saying.

[Though now he thinks about it, you might be onto a good idea there Kimblee. He could really punch things right about now.]

[text / anonymous despite the munfail / filtered forever, good sir]

[explosivecombat]

Yes and no; when was the last time this organization constituted any sort of valid threat?

[Filter is go.]

[meatysoviet]

True, have been doing little since train fiasco.

Is shame, had fun on that trip~

Other than posing for camera do you have anything else in mind? Perhaps I can... Assist in some manner.

[ACTION FOREVER]

[determinator]

[A message went out to the network not all that long ago asking what to do about an unresponsive travelling partner. Archer recognized the voice as one of the two Kimblee was travelling with and set out immediately. He could hear Emmy in the background of the message, which meant that Kimblee was the unresponsive one.]

[He's currently riding on his Onix's head like a boss and fiddling with a Pokéball. He has his main team of five and the Onix obviously, though he really shouldn't run into trouble. From the sound of it, Kimblee just stopped functioning - he wasn't attacked or anything.]

[Still, it's better to be safe. Archer can't see much from twenty-eight feet in the air, but the Onix draws to a halt a good distance away from the action. Archer sighs and orders her to let him down. Might as well figure out what's going on--]

[He'd recognize that uniform anywhere. Team Rocket. What the hell are they doing all the way out here? From the looks of it, it's just one man. Archer rolls his eyes and goes to greet the other Rocket. The Onix follows shortly.]

Having fun?

[Now that he's closer, he's definitely aware of the laughing. It... It sounds like Kimblee. But Kimblee was...?]

[explosivecombat]

[That greeting seems to snap Kimblee back into himself; he recognizes the voice immediately. It's a bit difficult for him not to, after all; with the exception of these past two and a half weeks, he's been hearing it for months. Archer. Kimblee turns to face him, kicking the NPC's unconscious body into the ground one final time for good measure as he does so.]

Archer.

[He's smiling a bit. It's not a nice smile.]

I'm having quite the nice time, actually. So good of you to join me.

[Filtered Text]

[vengefulyears]

Well, that's quite a dramatic way of getting the job done.

[Filtered Text / Anonymous]

[explosivecombat]

There's nothing wrong with dramatics once in a while. Senseless, perhaps, but it tends to leave an impression.

[text]

[exeggutorhead]

so your team isn't completely useless after all.

[Envy approves of this! That NPC is nobody he knows, and Johto could use something interesting happening.]

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

[...oh, Envy...]

Oh, believe me, far from.

[text]

[snapandscoot]

[[Upon seeing the pictures flash up on her Pokegear, Emmy is so angry that she hops off her bike so she can respond properly.]]

Not for long!!

[[It's all the justification she needs to know her choice to join the anti-rocket group was the right one.]]

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

[...really now.

Really now.

Miss Altava, you have just amused him more than you can ever know. And somehow you are still managing to be so quaint he's gonna die; how have you not simply imploded under the force of your own quaintness, he cannot.]

I wouldn't be so confident, were I you.

[Filtered Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Excellent work whoever you are!

[Filtered Text / Anonymous]

[explosivecombat]

Ah, somehow I thought you would approve.

Consider it appreciated!

[text]

[darkenedgales]

[Oh. Well, if it isn't a clear message from Crow's least favorite criminal organization... He can't say he's missed them, not just because most of their run-ins somehow ended with Crow landing in hospital, but mostly because the crippling feeling of helplessness at the sight of the unconscious people (the fact he didn't even know them didn't matter) was really unbearable.]

yeah? too bad, I was hoping you went extinct or something.

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

[...goodness gracious, everyone he knows either is a Rocket or has a raging hate-on for them.

He really shouldn't be surprised that this is Amestris II: Electric Boogaloo in that regard, but.]

You must be terribly disappointed, then. Would you like an apology?

[Text]

[subtlecoruscate]

Did someone accuse you of disappearing?

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

I wouldn't put it that way, no.

Once in a while it's nice to remind them of our presence, however.

Text

[soggypastry]

That much was obvious. It would be too easy for you to just disappear.

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

I'm not going to disagree with you; just know it's not nearly as much of an insult as you intend it to be.

Steadfastness is a virtue and all.

Text

[hintcoinplz]

[Oh, Luke remembers seeing something like this a very long time ago. Watching a Team Rocket member named Rhode beat and tie up a defenseless trainer just to take his Pokemon.

This is leaving a very bad taste in his mouth.]

Yeah well don't think you can get away with this sort of thing for long!!

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

[...wait a minute.

The name registering on the screen is a bit...unexpected, when he looks into it. Luke...Triton? But he's well aware of Luke Triton's presence; he's a loyal Rocket member. What in the world...?]

Big words. Care to tell me who I'll be facing down, then? Assuming you think you'll be able to stop me.

[Filtered text. That said, I want to be able to privately text anons IRL, too.]

[shakespearealien]

[... Images clearly meant to produce fear. Much like the day-nightmares that Trauma would generate in his opponents.]

How artistic. Bravo.

[Filtered text / Anonymous - wouldn't we all.]

[explosivecombat]

So glad that you approve.

Text

[nasa_dreams]

Cute. You know you've just sent every able bodied trainer after you, right? You don't stand a chance.

[Anonymous Text]

[explosivecombat]

Nice to see you have so much faith in your investigative abilities. After all, so many of us were hunted down and arrested after the incident on the train.