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

[explosivecombat]

I'm certain it did.

[Somehow, Kimblee had imagined that it would, indeed, say everything; Archer is well aware of the fact that he does badly in caves, and he had taken the explanation the first time reasonably well - there hadn't been freaking out or upset posts on the network, just an understanding that this is something Kimblee does, and that Kimblee would likely explain himself when he came around, and that it would only be a matter of time until he did come around.

...Archer knows him disturbingly well by now. Kimblee isn't sure what to do with this knowledge.]

...why are you out here, Archer? We're a good distance from Goldenrod City.

[Logically speaking, the only thing remotely near this area that would interest Archer is the gym in Ecruteak - but no, he's long since passed the turn northward for that, assuming that he was coming from Goldenrod. Then why...?

...

Well. There's another option. Kimblee doesn't exactly like it.]

1 / 2

[determinator]

[He'd be quite pleased to know that; Archer still thinks Kimblee's damn impossible to pin down and figure out. That's quite alright, he does like trying to figure out how Kimblee works.]

[But for now he's busy with that question there.]

I... Well, I...

[Shit. Kimblee can read through his lies easily enough anyway, so he can't lie...]

2 / 2

[determinator]

[...But why should he? He's already apologized and he's been remarkably blunt about how important their friendship is, even if it's just to himself.]

[So after a moment of wide-eyed staring and panicking, he'll relax.]

...I was worried about you.

[explosivecombat]

[...well, that answer doesn't seem to strike him favorably at all. He folds his arms across his chest, looking incredibly skeptical as he does so; needless to say, he's not impressed, Archer.]

Well, I certainly don't see why you would be - concerned that Miss Altava had beaten me over the head and dragged me off by the hair? Or was it just that you hadn't been able to keep track of my every action for the last while? Getting to you, was it?

[determinator]

[Archer's hands tighten into fists but he doesn't look away. He's irritated, but shrieking at Kimblee won't solve anything. He's learned that the hard way.]

No. That's not it. I didn't stop to consider what had happened to you. All I knew was that you weren't responding. I wanted to make sure you were alright. That's all.

1/2

[explosivecombat]

That's...literally the only reason?

[...what? But that isn't...

Ugh, why can't you just say what he wants to hear for once? Don't complicate things like that.]

2/2

[explosivecombat]

[Okay, no. No. He isn't liking this, he isn't liking this at all. He finds himself retreating back into what he usually does when he encounters a situation he doesn't like: instigating. Pushing buttons until he can force a response he can be comfortable with.

Damn it, Archer, he doesn't want you to endear himself to him again; this hadn't ended well last time.]

And what were you planning on doing once you had made sure? Were you going to bring me back to Goldenrod with you? After all, no one else understands me at all. Right?

[determinator]

[Archer visibly tenses at that and he does look away, only to glance back up after he's regained his composure.]

...You must not have gotten my messages.

[He's not going to rise to the bait, Kimblee. He doesn't want to fight again.]

I'm sorry. I'm not sure why I felt the need to try to control you like that. I never had any plans on dragging you back. Like I said, I just wanted to make sure you were fine. That's it.

[explosivecombat]

[And there's a long moment of silence after that. Kimblee keeps his arms folded across his chest, though his grip has tightened significantly on his clothing, bunching the fabric of his sleeves in his hands; the shift is subtle, but definitely perceptible, and the gesture is almost defensive now. He seems aware of it after a while, turning away; he doesn't seem to be leaving, however, as he crouches down low to the ground a few steps away. Checking on that NPC, that's all.

That's all.]

How many messages did you leave?

[He keeps his gaze downcast when he finally does speak; Archer has been maintaining more eye contact than usual today, it's unnerving him.]

[determinator]

[Archer doesn't move. He watches Kimblee but even when he turns away, Archer makes no move to stop him. If Kimblee wants to leave, fine. Archer's said what he wanted to say. If that doesn't fix it, he doesn't know what will. ...Well, besides giving Kimblee things.]

...Quite a few.

[A longer pause.]

Fifteen.

[Not that he was keeping track or anything!]

[explosivecombat]

I -

[...wait.]

Fifteen, Archer?

[my god

a life

you have none]

[determinator]

[No he... really doesn't...]

...You heard me.

[Don't make him repeat that or explain why. Because he really can't.]

[explosivecombat]

I believe my gear ended up functionally destroyed about halfway through all of that, then...either way, I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or disturbed.

[...admittedly, his expression is leaning more towards amused, but details...]

[determinator]

[Hey, this isn't funny!]

What did you even do to it...? Never mind; I don't want to know.

[Lineface.]

Regardless, I apologized. I don't know what you want, Kimblee.

[explosivecombat]

[...yes, yes it is.]

Well, it's not so much what I did to it as it is what Isaac did to it; let's just say that it ended up a bit waterlogged and leave it at that.

[He should probably find that a bit more embarrassing than he does; as it stands, he is essentially just going to Kanyeshrug and move on with life.]

Ah, either way...I suppose I can appreciate that you've apologized. As well as the fact that you came all the way out here in order to check on my well-being; you really must have been concerned, given that this actually managed to get you outdoors.

[He's teasing, however; his tone makes that much obvious. He stands up then, turning away from the NPC on the ground to face Archer again.]

If you're returning to Goldenrod, I'm not coming back with you.

[determinator]

[...Okay, that sounds hilarious, but discussions of the Gear will have to wait for a better time. He's still very tense until Kimblee's suddenly joking and Archer finds himself trying hard not to smirk right along with him. Have some tsun, Kimblee. It's been awhile.]

Oh shut up. I wasn't that worried...!

[Obvious tsun is obvious.]

...I understand. Yes, I'll be returning to Goldenrod.

[Since what else is he supposed to do with himself? Other than be horribly pathetic.]

[explosivecombat]

Oh?

[Just. Have a smirk, you.]

That seems like a bit of a waste, if you ask me - after all, I believe there's a gym in the city just north of here. If you've given up on the challenge, then I suppose I could continue on alone, but...

[determinator]

[...Just pretend you didn't see the >8D expression there. He'll compose himself quickly enough!]

...Well, I suppose that is true. It would be a waste to have traveled all this way for nothing. I suppose I could keep you company.

[HE COULD HUG YOU, MAN. He won't, but thank you, Kimblee. Words cannot express his gratitude. So have some overly-smug tsun.]

[explosivecombat]

[...a million blindfolds, Archer; my god, that expression was horrifying.]

Excellent. Although I'm afraid my training regimen has suffered quite a bit lately, due to the lack of access to our...usual methods. Shall we fix that as well?

[determinator]

My training hasn't been doing any better. I do have a few other things I've been focusing on...

[...Wait a minute.]

How many new Pokémon did you get?

[Kimblee, you're getting the mightiest lineface in the world right now.]

[explosivecombat]

[We~elll...]

Don't worry, I've been good. I haven't caught any new ones since the fourteenth, on which I captured one. Ah, and two of the ones I owned previously were traded to someone else; you'll be pleased to know that at the very least, that horrible giraffe is no longer in my possession.

[...of course, that's just accounting for the ones that he's caught. Please be oblivious, Archer.]

[determinator]

Well that's certainly good news.

[Seriously. It was a horrible giraffe. How could you stand it?]

However that still leaves the Pokémon you purchased from the Breeding Center.

[Oh he's onto your little game here, Kimblee.]

[explosivecombat]

[Well, damn. He hadn't expected to get away with that anyway, to be honest, but still.]

Two from the Breeding Center. There was also an egg that I received on the fourteenth...oh, and that Shellder you bred for me hatched as well, so there's that. I suppose that makes five new ones within the last month, if we count the capture.

[Should he be bothered by this? He's not.]

[determinator]

[...Five new ones within the last month, huh? That's actually not all that terrible!]

[Besides, he really can't say anything. He has nine new additions to his team.]

Well, I suppose that's fine. What did you get? From the looks of things, that egg you got on the fourteenth contained a very rare Pokémon.

[You should have seen how much money he made off those Litwicks.]

[explosivecombat]

It's...certainly not anything I'd seen in Johto until now, that much is certain.

[...and since he suspects he won't get away with not showing you, he'll just be pulling out one of his Pokéballs and releasing...well.

A very cute brown baby deer. With flowers on its head.

Yeah.]