023. [Anonymous Text + Images/Video]

[explosivecombat]

[An anonymous text will be going out to the network today; the ID is consistent with the one that usually sends out things along these lines from Seth.

Surprisingly (and lbr, probably refreshingly), there aren't any images of Seth's "work" prefacing the text; it simply gets to the point.]

It's been a year since we first met. As predicted, I'm still doing just fine. Those who stated I would be caught before the year mark have officially failed in their task.

But as I've said before, I like to level the playing field a bit once in a while. It keeps things interesting for me. And since people in this place tend to like their anniversaries, I thought I would celebrate mine with an invitation for you.

I'm in Goldenrod City for the next week. If you want a battle, you're more than welcome to it.

I have eyes all over the city. Set up a trap for me and I'll know. But meet me as my equal and you'll be rewarded.

No tricks. No lies. Just battle.

Contact me and we'll see what can be arranged.

[The text is punctuated with an image, taken in what appears to be a mostly-dark meeting room; the focus of the picture is on a set of six Ultra Balls, shining dimly from what little light is illuminating the room. Visible behind the table they're set on is what's clearly a Team Rocket member, visible from the upper chest to about his hips; he's leaning against the table, gloved hands braced on either side of the set of Ultra Balls, and as usual, the red R insignia on his shirt is able to be seen easily enough.

The second attachment is a brief video. Though his face is still out of the shot, the Rocket in question seems to have seated himself behind that table; the Ultra Balls are still displayed in front of him, but a white card is obscuring some of them, pinned between two of his fingers. The card is handwritten in thick, blocky lettering, as though they've been written over repeatedly, obscuring the handwriting and making them less identifiable.

MY NAME IS SETH. A YEAR AGO TODAY, I BEGAN MY WORK.

AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE WANTED TO MEET ME IN PERSON.

He turns the card over slowly; there are two words written on the back, in the same style as the front.

ANY CHALLENGERS?]


[OOC]

[If there are any takers when it comes to this challenge of Kimblee's, there will be a log set up later this week to accommodate all your battling needs! This post is for the sake of arranging such things, should anyone be interested in trying to throttle the bastard. This isn't a plot so much as it is a post in two parts, so to speak.]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

The point remains that you're punishing me for doing exactly what you taught me I need to do to get through to you at all. You can't just move the markers like that, Archer; not without letting me know. You just assume that I'll know these things when I don't.

[determinator]

I never wanted you to press me like this! I never told you to do that!

And this is what I was talking about earlier; everything is always my fault. You don't even once consider that maybe you're taking things a little too far. No. Because I said that I would be difficult to deal with, that obviously means that you should press me about every single little thing and never give me time to figure out what to say or how to properly express it. I'm in the wrong. As always.

That pisses me off more than anything else you do, Kimblee. You never admit you're wrong. Yes, yes, you're proud and all that, but so am I. Look at the number of times I've apologized to you. Yes, I've fucked up more often than you have and yes, I have owed you the majority of those apologies. The ones I haven't? I've apologized because I'm sick and damn tired of fighting with you. I just want it to be over.

But I'm not taking the blame for this. Not when you refuse to accept that you could possibly be wrong. If there's even a tiny margin, you'll take it and place the blame on everyone else. That doesn't fucking work, Kimblee. How have you not realized that by now? I've realized it, and I can be particularly thick. You have to accept some responsibility for the things you do! You can't just blame it on everyone else!

[explosivecombat]

[...wait wait wait what]

...all right, semantics aside because I'm not getting into what you said and what you implied - I'm not blaming this on you in the first place.

[determinator]

That's what it's sounding like. You're blaming me for teaching you to treat me this way, when I never said anything about constantly pressing me for information. Yes, I said I'm difficult, but that's not what I meant.

I don't see how that's not blaming me.

[explosivecombat]

What I'm referring to isn't anything you said so much as it is the fact that every time I didn't press you, you would actively get angry with me, but that is seriously neither here nor there right now - the point is that that isn't what I said. You need to tell me if circumstances change because I won't understand otherwise - the fault there is with me, not you...?

[determinator]

No, but the way you worded it made it sound like you were laying the blame on me.

[...Admittedly, he's kind of looking confused as well now, um...]

Look, the point is that the way you word things makes it sound like you're blaming me, even when you're apparently not.

[explosivecombat]

I'm aware that my wording tends to be a bit strong sometimes, perhaps, but...no, I...?

[...what even has happened here]

[determinator]

I wouldn't be this angry about it if it hadn't happened before.

[His guess is as good as yours.]

[explosivecombat]

I'll...work on that, then, I suppose...

[no really what the fuck, Archer]

Can you at least tell me if something like this is that much of an issue in the future?

[determinator]

...Yes, of course, I just... didn't want to get into a fight with you because I figured that it was... not something you were doing accidentally...

[GOD THIS IS AWKWARD]

[explosivecombat]

...Archer, this argument is the first time I've heard nearly all of these complaints. I can't fix anything if I don't know what you're wanting me to fix.

[determinator]

Yes, I know that. I just really don't like fighting with you and whenever this sort of thing comes up, we usually get into a massive fight that results in you leaving.

[So pretending that everything is A-okay is a great alternative!!!]

[explosivecombat]

[OH MY FUCKING GOD ARCHER

HE THINKS HE SEES WHAT HAPPENED HERE

HE ALSO THINKS IT'S BROKEN HIS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS JFC]

...you...do realize that part of the reason the fights get so bad is because we don't say anything until we're thoroughly wanting to rip one another's heads off, don't you...

[determinator]

[.............................]

...And not discussing these sorts of things is why we get so angry in the first place...

[OH GOD

HIS MIND HAS BEEN BLOWN]

...Ah. Well. In that case, I apologize for... the misunderstanding...

[orz]

[explosivecombat]

So I...well. In summation...

[In summation, the gods of stupidity have just thoroughly pissed all over everything we hold dear.]

...we've said it before, but we seriously need to work on this whole "communication" business.

[determinator]

[THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP, YES...]

We really do...

[He has the biggest headache right now goddamn.]

[explosivecombat]

[You aren't the only one.]

...yes. Well.

[What a clusterfuck.]

I'm going to implore you again to please, try to temper your speech and control your reactions. I don't think you understand that I don't want to leave you; I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that I'm looking for any reason to do so, when I have the same difficulties you do when we're separated for too long.

[...................oh fuckdammit wait]

You...are aware of that, aren't you?

1 / 2

[determinator]

[JUST. THIS FACE. THIS FACE SHOULD EXPLAIN EVERYTHING.]

2 / 2

[determinator]

[OKAY WAIT HANG ON, LET HIM GET CONTROL OF HIMSELF...]

No, I... wasn't aware of that...

[...........]

What sort of difficulties? Overworking yourself or being incapable of doing anything? Something like that?

[explosivecombat]

...it's often the latter, though I'm not sure if it's being incapable - it's more through a lack of motivation to do anything than an inability. Beyond that it's...frustration, really. A need to harm things until it goes away; the relief from it never lasts long.

[determinator]

[........]

So that's why you attacked that random civilian that day...

[He had been wondering about that, to be honest.]

I understand entirely. I don't get that urge exactly; it's more like a desire to see others suffer rather than inflict suffering, if that makes sense.

[In other words, his training is particularly sadistic when Kimblee's away.]

[explosivecombat]

No, it does - it's not something I experience, necessarily, as it's more the act that I ted to appreciate, but I understand what you mean.

[...this is really surreal.]

Do you understand, then, why I say I leave for my own good and not simply to punish you? Even if I were to be angry enough to consider, punishing you in that way would be detrimental to me.

[determinator]

Yes, I understand now.

[And he does! That actually gets him to brighten up a bit.]

You really are leaving just to figure out what to do.

[...Like this really hadn't occurred to him...]

[explosivecombat]

...yes...you genuinely thought otherwise?

[determinator]

Well, I mean, it had occurred to me, it just didn't seem that it was bothering you quite like it was bothering me...

[...can you sense the orz?]