explosivecombat | 006. [Text/Action for Goldenrod City/Northern Route 34]

[TEXT]

While I suppose it matters relatively little in the long run, morbid curiosity compels -

Exactly how driven are most of you to complete this 'challenge' that's been set forth, and what drives you to complete it in the first place - what do you have to return to?

[ACTION]

[A short time after that text hits the network, Kimblee can be found just outside of Goldenrod City, on the northern end of Route 34; if the question is at all related to anything he's currently doing, it's not obvious in the least...outside of the part where maybe the Pokémon he's dealing with might be making him not want to live on this planet anymore.

Basically, his Yanma evolved.

Fortunately for him, the hellbug she has become seems to have retained her personality despite the evolution. She's honestly always been more like a dog than an oversized dragonfly; now she's just...well, a sufficiently larger dog. As such, she's bringing Kimblee a decently-sized stick to toss off into the nearby cluster of trees for her to chase; Kimblee is complying with her, albeit warily - he's never had much of a poker face, and while he seems generally calm, it's reasonably plain that he's half-expecting her to do something odd.

Like snap his arm off to get at the stick. Or maybe bring him back a person, or something.

Either way, he's clearly wondering what the hell his life has become. Good afternoon, Johto, it's been a while.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Which question would that be?

Well, for one thing...morbid curiosity, as I said.

For another, you know that I like to form an understanding of those I'm surrounded by. Get to know them, if you will.

[ PIMP'S GOTTA EAT, KIMBLEE.

PIMP'S.

GOTTA.

EAT. ]

To be truthful I really prefer things here. [ Sheepish smile. ] I don't see myself working there forever, even if I do go back. I've only been there half a year. Eventually I'd like to go to college.

[ LOOK AT HER JUST RAMBLING AWAY ASDLKFJASDF ]

Exactly what's so important.

[WELL YES BUT CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING LESS SKULL-CRUSHINGLY BORING TO FEED SAID PIMP]

And what do you plan on studying there?

[please tell him it's something awesome

otherwise you are just so quaint

he cannot handle how quaint you are

oh my god your existence trolls him]

What is your answer to the question?

[He doesn't do too well with formalities either, if that reassures you.]

'Well enough' is an accurate description.

[He lowers his head pensively for a moment. When he raises it again, he's not looking at Kimblee, but rather at some undefined spot that seems to be past him.]

"The scientist is born as a poor imitation of the alchemist". Anonymous. Your thoughts.

I have no interest in this challenge to begin with, so the rest is more or less a moot point.

Not jumping at the opportunity to explode everything around you again?

[Oh look, a Kimblee text. They've had similar conversations before, so Archer doesn't bother answering it; instead he begins an immediate search of the surrounding areas for Kimblee. They'll be leaving soon, so it's safe to assume he's out training somewhere. He finally locates the alchemist and approaches. If that bug is around, he hasn't noticed her yet.]

Taking a break from your training to question Johto as a whole? Dare I ask why?

[Archer is obviously teasing, though that doesn't lessen the curiosity any.]

To summarize? "Anonymous has no idea what he or she was talking about." Alchemy is a science, Gorthan, albeit one that most from other worlds seem to see as unconventional. It isn't magic, as some would have you believe, nor is it anything that doesn't revolve around laws and principles, as most "conventional" sciences do.

I suppose it depends on the world one originates from, but in mine that comparison wouldn't have been made in the first place.

[ . . . Trollollollolol? ]

I think I'd like to major in psychology, to be honest. I'd much rather study people than flowers.

[He would have been surprised if you had answered that one, to say nothing of a bit linefacey - that would have been incredibly redundant, and he doesn't feel like playing therapist for you right now besides.]

Surely you can't fault me for wanting to get to know those we're surrounded by, Archer; you never know what will prove useful eventually.

[The bug is off rooting around for the stick somewhere, as she seems to have lost it; Kimblee is honestly hoping she comes back with something less than a full sapling or something.]

[Seriously, the last person he talked to that was this quaint is at least a martial artist so there's some element of -

...oh, wait, that was actually sufficiently interesting, hang on.]

Oh? Psychology is something of an interest of mine, though I admit my interests lean more toward the philosophical than the study of...say, disorders and abnormalities.

Is that all?

[You don't mind the most skeptical look ever, do you? Because really? Like hell that's the only reason you're asking people just whether or not they want to return home.]

It almost sounds like you're having doubts about returning home.

Work, mostly, so I can afford to stay in my hotel room and feed myself everyday and whatnot. I also train my Pokémon when I have the time, not for the sake of fighting Gym Leaders, but so I have proper protection against wild Pokémon and unnecessarily violent trainers. Not that I've run into any yet, but I'm sure they're out there.

Yes and no - the chimeras here seem rather capable in that field, so at the very least this place isn't a total loss.

At the same time, if I were to claim that I didn't miss my alchemy any, that would be a blatant lie.

[He smiles at Kimblee's comment - it's actually a pretty genuine smile for his standards.]

So can I safely say that I am dealing with a fellow scientist?

Well, then, I suppose it's fortunate that it only almost sounds like that, isn't it? Really, Archer, I don't see why I would.

Of course.

[Mm, this sounds interesting...]

Dare I ask where you're going with this?

I don't either. Care to tell me why you really sent that text, or were you genuinely that bored of training?

[Come on, Kimblee, don't fall behind! We have to power-level to defeat all the Gym Leaders!]

[ None of that here. The only fighting Aya's ever done is battling psychotic bug Pokemon with her bare hands. That was totally out of necessity. ]

Really? Me too. I like to try to understand what makes different people tick, I guess you could say. Have you studied it yourself, then?

Am I to assume that you have no interest in leaving this place, then?

I haven't taken any formal classes on it, if that's what you're asking; it's been more independent studies than anything else.

Are you calling me a liar, Archer?

[You had best not be calling him a liar if you know what's good for you.]

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006. [Text/Action for Goldenrod City/Northern Route 34]

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