02X - Reintro. [Text/Locked Audio to the Rocket Frequency]

[explosivecombat]

[TEXT]

[Well! Those of you on the network today will be greeted by a bit of audio late this morning, from a device ID that's been bouncing back all attempts at contact for the last several weeks.]

...Oh, that's cute.

[...well, if that wasn't the most triumphant return ever, I don't know what is.

At the very least, however, he seems to get over whatever he's almost audibly linefacing at long enough to realize that the device is recording something; he promptly switches the thing over to text - he's never really liked talking at the machine when he's addressing all of Johto.]

My, it seems this place does still have its sense of humor, doesn't it? And here I thought that perhaps I'd only lost three days at worst - it was a bit of a surprise to find out otherwise.

Ah, but that's neither here nor there, is it?

[Kimblee, hon.]

There's not much to report from home, unfortunately; however, it'll be a pleasure getting in contact with all of you again - hopefully you've all been at least reasonably well.

[Oh, well. At least he doesn't seem too off-put by the whole disappearing-for-a-month-and-a-half thing?]


[PRIVATE AUDIO - TEAM ROCKET FREQUENCY]

[...At least, not until the audio message that goes out over the private Rocket network a few minutes later; Kimblee's voice is cold and clipped, and the amiable "tone" from the text earlier is completely absent.

He has no idea if he still holds his rank or not; he suspects he doesn't. Like hell if he won't throw it around anyway. He's a bit displeased at his life basically being a .gif from Community, and he's going to figure out what in the good hell is going on if it kills him.]

This is Team Rocket Beta Solf J Kimblee, reporting back in for duty; to my superiors, I admit that I don't know what happened, but I assure you that it won't happen again.

To the rest of you - check in with me immediately, particularly if you're one of my subordinates. I'm receiving a lot of "ID Not Found" nonsense, and I need to know who's still present; given that and various things that I've had to hear about secondhand, I expect a full report regarding what happened here from someone, I'm not feeling particularly choosy right now.

New members to the organization - welcome to it, and you have my personal apologies for the disarray. For now, you're welcome to introduce yourselves; it'll serve you well to know that I'm good to those who are good to me. Again, prove yourself useful and you'll be rewarded.

None of this is a request. Allow me to make that much clear.

[...oh dear. Well. At least he's not in much position to actually do anything at the moment - this is Team Rocket we're talking about, and if somebody's on the network very vocally overstating their importance and/or competence, that means it's pretty much a day ending in Y.]

Comments

[text]

[enjoymyatelier]

I had thought the same, but apparently not.

Oh, of course. I haven't the foggiest idea what to do with Pokemon I receive from trainers whose training styles I'm not familiar with, so I'll return him to you as soon as possible.

video - locked;

[kingbowser]

Gwa ha ha ha! Tryin' to boss me around? Well, you've got guts. I'll give ya that.

[Cue one grinning Bowser, currently in what appears to be... some place made up of bricks and not much else. The music from Cinnabar volcano seems to be playing in the background.]

Anyway, I'm still here, and I'm not leaving any time soon. This place has already had a lack of villains lately.

[explosivecombat]

Exactly, though I wouldn't say it's so much a matter of what one values as it is a matter of what one is able to comprehend in the first place.

Though I suspect you're referring to something different than what I'm used to, as I would hardly call these things "summons."

[explosivecombat]

Good to know, really.

What are you planning on doing with yourself now, through curiosity?

[explosivecombat]

Well, I can hardly disagree with that, can I?

I do appreciate your reporting in here, however, though I'll be blunt and say that it would have been better if you had less unfortunate news for me - but that's neither here nor there, nor is it anything that you can really do anything about. Is there anything else, before I start trying to get things settled?

[explosivecombat]

Interesting...I ask because humans tend to find an inherent sense of wrongness in killing an individual - most wouldn't murder a stranger in cold blood, even if they stood to benefit from the killing, and someone they know is even further out of the question. Humanity seems designed to find killing repugnant for some reason; it seems a bit counterproductive to me, but that's just how it is.

However, put them on a field of battle, tell them to annihilate an entire race of their own kind, and you would be surprised as to how quickly that moral indignation fades. Some will still have problems with it, of course, but in general, soldiers specifically take on a job that requires them to kill en masse and it's suddenly seen as abnormal and undesirable for them to be unable to kill their fellow man.

Basically, humanity is odd in that it's unacceptable to kill one or a few people, but killing on a large scale is war. Killing on a massive scale (such as committing genocide) is either simply a statistic or otherwise unfathomable - generally unacceptable but something that we're willing to turn our heads away from as long as it's not happening to us at that exact moment.

It's an interesting distinction; I was curious as to whether you had any sort of boundaries like that. It's understandable that you wouldn't, and most likely preferable that way, given that it avoids the general morality issues that come with figuring out where the lines should be drawn between acceptable and unacceptable.

[text]

[explosivecombat]

[Honestly, it's likely for the best that you didn't touch him, because he probably would have done something nasty to you on sight. Hunter is generally very zen but he would remember you, buddy.]

Excellent, then; consider it appreciated.

I expect life has been going on reasonably normally for you otherwise? Not that I imagine this place to have gotten any more hospitable in my absence.

video - locked;

[explosivecombat]

[...oh...goodness, this one again. Well, let's see what can be done here.]

I wouldn't call it "guts" so much as I would "seniority." Clearly no one else has taken charge in my absence, I've far more experience in this organization than most, and from what I understand there's been complete radio silence - if you'll forgive the unintentional pun - from those higher up the chain of command. I'm a soldier back home, and I remain a soldier here; in my experience, if there's no one else willing or able to take command and you have any idea what you're doing, you take command. Simple-as.

[He doesn't sound annoyed by that, though; if anything, he's smirking a bit. Things are insane here for the time being, yes, but it's something to do with himself.]

And dare I ask what you've been up to lately? Given our lack of villains in this place and all - hopefully you've been managing to hold the fort at least somewhat.

[itsjustdust]

Yeah these guys are on a different intelligence plain for the most part, but I'm not gonna risk underestimating them because they can learn human when they want to. Not to say that's a crowning glory or anything but it puts them above stupid animals too, you know?

[explosivecombat]

Oh, I'm aware that they can comprehend basic things in terms of speech, simply because there would be no point in issuing commands to them otherwise. And I'll go so far as to grant them the general understanding of intent behind certain actions.

However, I don't think they're quite as advanced as some claim - after all, back home even dogs could understand love and loyalty, and no one was trying to imply that they're anywhere near on par with humanity. Those who claim these creatures are anything other than weapons or perhaps pets are deluding themselves.

[strongestoftheturks]

In general.

[They let out a few rumours with grains of truth in them, just to keep people on their toes.]

[explosivecombat]

Former military, former government employee here.

I'm well aware of how it goes, believe me.

[itsjustdust]

What? No no I meant talking human. And I can't say anything about talking animals back home cause we have animals that talk there too. I mean sure, their grounding is in something less intelligent, but they can be pretty skilled so... I guess I come from a different basis because this is a step down from what I'm used to instead of a step up?

[text]

[enjoymyatelier]

[...sometimes he is very faintly lucky

this is one of those times]

As normally as it can, I suppose, though it's frankly quite absurd how much you can get used to after being here over a year.

[text]

[explosivecombat]

Oh, believe me, I know; now, are you going to elaborate or are you really going to make me ask?

And congratulations on your anniversary, by the way; those are always a delightful mess around here - I'm familiar with that as well.

[licentious]

[ So blatant? Well, it came equipped with a standard backhanded compliment. ] That's as blatant as it gets so don't get used to it.

[explosivecombat]

[Said as though there's anything else?]

Don't worry, I think I know better by now.

[licentious]

You've always been a quick learner.

Speaking of quick learning, I feel like there's going to be a lesson of sorts coming up soon. As you know, the Commander is currently incarcerated.

[explosivecombat]

I've heard as much, yes.

I do hope you aren't intending to leave him in there for the next seven years; somehow I doubt he's as resilient as I am.

[licentious]

Of course not. I'm not that cruel. I only imprison the very best, so they don't leave. [ Kimblee and Lust: masters of the twisted compliment. ]

I'm planning a road trip down the lines, but I believe a unification of those of us that are less than wholesome is in order.

[text]

[enjoymyatelier]

Hearing about new and bizarre alternate universes and barely feeling like they're strange at all is certainly the biggest part of it, though.

That and the fact that I'm still here; I think "a delightful mess" is something of an understatement.

[explosivecombat]

And just where are you proposing I would have gone, hm? [Aw, come on, baby, don't be like that.]

But at any rate, I'm listening; what are you suggesting, exactly?

[strongestoftheturks]

[Finally, someone who understands!! Everyone else that he's met in Team Rocket is either a delinquent/moody teen, a comic character or a drama king; he was starting to wonder how Team Rocket was even taken seriously.]

Someone who understands.

That's a relief.

[licentious]

I'm sure there are other places in the world that would love mercenaries with talents like yours. [ Say what you want about Kimblee but he be a destiny's child approved soldier. ]

I believe it's time that Johto's naughtiest unite their powers under a single legion. We can call it, "The Phalanx of Villainy" [ lust ur old go home. ] Or something else. I've been trying to narrow the possibilities.

[explosivecombat]

Of course. I take it you've met some of our more...ah, interesting members? To put it lightly.