explosivecombat | 004. [Text/Action for Goldenrod City]

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[Three days gone, with no explanation.

Kimblee had awakened strangely on Tuesday, feeling as though he hadn't slept much at all, and throughout the day he'd been unable to shake it - it's the same sort of feeling he gets when when he's been overstimulated, maybe, or spent time on a particularly difficult assignment. He would have chalked that up to a simple failure at restful sleep - he's not immune, and it happens - but then he'd checked the Gear for the time and date.

Three days gone. No memories from those three days whatsoever.

That. Doesn't. Happen.

He'd spent most of the day more wary than usual; he doesn't like this any, nor does he like the fact that there's nothing he can do about it. Even the normal solace he finds in sound isn't coming to him; he usually finds the music in Johto to be a nice constant, but now it's just grating on him - hell, he can't even be sure that anyone else is hearing it at all, and that's no use to him whatsoever.

Bluntly put, he's been feeling disoriented, Johto makes next to no damn sense as it is, and this entire thing is leaving him just a bit irritable and not wanting to stay in one place for very long. So! Today he's out wandering around Goldenrod; he doesn't seem too terribly bothered by the snow, though the heavy coat he has on over his suit and the long, pale scarf he has wrapped around his neck and shoved into his collar is definitely helping, as are the gloves he usually wears. He's determined to find something to clear his head; after a while, he finds himself in front of a building that's both stupidly loud and gaudily done-up. He kind of tilts his head at it for a moment; the place is pretty much an exercise in sensory overstimulation, isn't it.

It's perfect.

He pauses for a moment before entering; the music playing softly through the streets is the same as it always was. He doesn't want to ask if anyone else is hearing it; that's just asking for trouble. However, there are ways to get some sort of response without asking directly. He pulls out his Gear briefly, sending out a quick message via Text before entering that...casino. Game Corner. Thing.]

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Has anyone been able to locate the source of the incessant stream of music, or is that another of those mysteries that we're encouraged to not think too much about?

[OOC: Action-wise, you're more than welcome to catch him outside the building itself...otherwise, he fully intends to spend the next good while wanting to kill a slot machine in the face, so he won't exactly be hard to meet up with if he's seen.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A Pikachu runs out into the street in front of Kimblee. He stops suddenly and cocks his head at him. He doesn't look like one of those NPCs walkin' around. And then....in the distance.]

GODDAMNIT, AURUM, GET YOUR FURRY LITTLE ASS BACK HERE!!

[The Pikachu grinned and ran to a pile of snow on the side of the road and made a little snow ball. He then beckoned towards the man in white. Distract his trainer, see him get another snowball in the face?

At that moment, Ed rounded the corner. There was still some snow clinging to his hair, and he didn't look too happy.]

Where are you, you little-

[He spots them.]

Aurum, get away from him, NOW!

[Oh, well, that's certainly new, isn't it? Kimblee will just be headtilting at the Pikachu for a moment; he's actually not terribly familiar with the species - it's obviously a rat of some sort, though it doesn't look like the...decidedly more ratlike purple thing that had been harassing Hughes a while back.

...however, Fullmetal's voice is rather obviously recognizable, and...oh dear, this thing is yours, isn't it. Given that it's both small and yellow, he isn't surprised - and judging from the snow, it's clearly got a bit of a mischievous streak, too.

Ed, he may not be fond of you, but he approves of your rat-thing already.]

Oh, come now, Fullmetal, you act as though I'm going to do it harm. Really, I think it would be capable of doing more to me than I am to it at this point - or have you forgotten how this place works?

No, it's not that. I'm more worried that you'll rub off on him than anything.

[Aha! His trainer is distracted with the white man! Aurum tosses the snow ball...

Which Ed just side-steps to dodge. Curses! He almost had three for three today!]

Nice try. Now get back here.

[The Pikachu huffs and returns to Ed, climbing on his shoulder.]

I got your message by the way. I think the only way to make the music stop is to destroy your own eardrums or invest in some good earplugs. I also noticed that I don't remember what happened the past three days either. It's like Johto decided to skip it or something.

[...well, we tried. Better luck next time, Aurum.]

Well, I suppose it's nice to know that it isn't being broadcasted directly into our heads, or something along those lines; it's not something I would put past this place.

[Although...]

As for this...time-skipping business - does it do that frequently, to your knowledge?

Don't give it any ideas.

I remember this happened before about six months ago. No one remembered what had happened then either. Maybe it's Johto's form of a natural disaster that happens every so often.

That makes as much sense as anything else, doesn't it.

[It isn't exactly a question, but that doesn't render the statement any less rhetorical.]

Are there any other bizarre occurrences I should be aware of, or is this about the worst of it?

The only thing I'd be surprised about now is if something actually worked out like it's supposed to.

Hmmm....[Ed puts his hand to his chin. Oh, there are worse things, but how much did he want to let Kimblee know?] Just watch out for the bug Pokemon.

[...the...bug Pokémon.]

Dare I ask why? Other than "they're monstrous", which isn't something I've personally seen but am assuming to be the case, here.

There was an incident where there was swarm of...what were they...Shedinja? They apparently have the ability to capture your soul. [Ed's going that creepy wiggly arm thing. Aurum joins him.]

...for the sake of doing what with them? Do you know?

[Because really, if it requires creepy noodlearms, it must be drastic.]

No idea. Just that it was like being stuck in a nightmare you couldn't wake up from.

[So. Having your soul captured and put into an And I Must Scream situation, is it? Kimblee really suspects he should be more bothered by this than he is, but he's had worse.

Or better, as the case may be.

...nothing is topping that Philosopher's Stone, okay; that was actually legitimately awesome, and quite the splendid way to go out if he does say so himself.]

This place really is charming.

With you here it's even better. [The sarcasm. So much sarcasm.]

What are you doing anyway? [You don't seem like you're up to anything, and Ed knows that if you're really up to something, you're not gonna share anyway. Still, doesn't hurt to ask, right?]

[That's actually amused him, Fullmetal. Good job.]

No one's going to die today, if that's what you're wondering; last I checked, there was no crime in enjoying the recent snowfall.

You mean being bored? [Goldenrod was a large city, but that didn't mean there was much to do. The library was full of books on Pokemon, which wasn't surprising, but Ed didn't have much of an interest in it.]

There isn't much to do around here. The weather doesn't seem to be helping.

[You are such a teenager.]

Oh, come now - surely you can find ways to entertain yourself?

[Preferably things that don't involve his lawn, damn kids, etc.]

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