explosivecombat | 013. [Text/Action for Olivine City, also one other thing]

013. [Text/Action for Olivine City, also one other thing]

[ACTION]

[It's incredibly rare to see Kimblee out of that fancy white suit; it's rarer still to see him not wearing it for any reason other than "If I wear it now, I'll get it filthy", "I'm in prison", or "I'm in a hospital and on life support."

While he's not on life support, however, he certainly is in a hospital of some sort - and not as a patient for once, either! Those who enter the Pokémon Center in Olivine City will be treated to Kimblee wearing general hospital scrubs, his hair pulled back in the stupidest french-braid ever to be stupidly french-braided. He isn't terribly interested in trying to mess with the human patients - in fact, he seems rather eager to stay out of the way of those who actually know what they're doing in that regard, as he hasn't been seen back there at all; given that he's filed just about everything he can get his hands on, he's working in the front today, assisting those who bring in Pokémon injured in battle.

And by "working" I mean "today has been ridiculously slow, so he's currently leaning idly over the desk, playing the hell out of the Tetris app on the 'Gear."

At least he's making no secret of his answer to the question of "working hard, or hardly working?"]

[TEXT]

[However, there are some sorts of boredom that even copious amounts of Tetris can't alleviate; at some point today - most likely after Kimblee has realized that he's going to be shifting around falling blocks in his goddamn sleep and he's going to be humming "Korobeiniki" for the next week - there's a text thrown out to the network at large.]

In my experience, there are those who exist to create, and those who exist to destroy. Neither are inherently good, nor are they inherently bad - there are those who create weapons and those who destroy barriers, after all. It's all a matter of how one utilizes their talents.

For the sake of idle curiosity, I have to wonder how many of us that were brought to Johto find themselves drawn to creation, destruction, or something else entirely.

[PRIVATE TEXT TO COBRA COMMANDER]

Position secured. Clearance and access to relevant materials likewise secured. Window of opportunity opens tonight during shift change.

Permission to proceed?

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[If the red is catching his attention, then she's succeeded in her motive for wearing it; some old habits die hard, and drawing notice happens to be one of them, whether it's something as grandiose as a theft or something as simple as running a daily errand.]

Explosion, actually. I wasn't pleased when she learned the lesser of the two; I could've done without her learning the greater, along with it.

[She hands over the battered Voltorb, then retrieves three Pokeballs from her belt and sets them down on the counter as well. She'd have carried them in personally, too, but her Golem and Togekiss were far too big for it, and between the Koffing and Voltorb, the Voltorb was the worse off of the two.]

Unfortunately, this time the herd mentality got the better of her. It ended badly for everyone involved.

"Herd mentality"...

[It's muttered more to himself than to her while Kimblee goes about setting up; he's never been one for healing, and he's ridiculously new at any sort of employment that doesn't involve a military uniform or orders to kill everyone in the immediate area. As such, he isn't the quickest when it comes to exactly what the procedure outlines in the Centers entail, but at the very least he knows what he's doing in regards to these particular effects; he'll be thorough.]

Dare I ask what started the herd moving, as it were, or are they just the sort to enjoy that particular...ah, activity?

Ah, finally.

Something we come to disagree upon.

There are many, I have seen, that are there neither to create or destroy.

They are made to simply watch the world, and its idiots, burn- smoulder on their own stupidities.

But is just what I see.

Wouldn't think so! Come on; would you rather build a tower, or make it crumble to the ground? Weapon of choice, eh? That's a bit of a hard one! If I gotta choose one...probably a bomb; nice and easy to throw around the joint! Also makes a damn good dent in anything you throw it at, building or not.

Well, yes, that's true, though I do have to question whether passively allowing the world to destroy itself isn't a destructive trait in and of itself - the argument that inaction is still a decision comes into play at that point, I think.

That example is well and good, but doesn't take into account other factors like the reason for the destruction itself - take sadism, for example, which would make it perfectly acceptable to build a tower for the sake of confining someone and watching the isolation drive the individual mad. It's still destruction, but of a far more intimate persuasion.

Personally? I choose to do what suits me.

...however, I don't disagree with you on the bombs. Explosives are highly efficient, beautiful weapons; you have lovely taste.

[...what in the good hell is a Gible, it sounds like candy or something]

While I'm not familiar with the second one, I've raised the other two myself - they...certainly are good for biting things, I won't deny that much.

[She's watching somewhat intently as he works, not so much because of anything about Kimblee in particular, but simply because the procedure is interesting, and it's one she's not intimately familiar with, and the way to learn things is by paying attention to them. Besides, who knows when knowing the steps to work one of the Center's healing machines might come in handy?]

My Togekiss has a fondness for explosions. Once the first one went off, the others let their pride get the better of their common sense, and decided to contribute their own talents to the display.

[And there is probably a fairly scorched portion of the beach right now, to show for it.]

I see.

[And from the sound of it, he does; his tone is neither condemning nor approving. Just a statement.]

I find it interesting that there are some of these creatures that actually enjoy doing such things - the first one I raised that was capable didn't care for it in the least, but a few of my others are quite fond.

You... You started a war.

[Archer's expression darkens immediately; not quite to the extent of Kimblee's, but it's obvious that he's very pleased.]

Why didn't you tell me this earlier? This is fascinating. Tell me more.

That does pose an interesting quandary, in terms of training them. I'd much prefer none of my roster knew a move like that, and I certainly wouldn't ask them to use it on my behalf. But is it my right as a trainer to forbid them from using it?

[She leans a little on the counter, her tone taking on a rhetorical note.]

There's a fine line between protecting them from harm and giving them the freedom to make their own mistakes. I may not like it, but that doesn't mean they don't.

[He just smiles a bit at that.]

This really isn't the place, you know.

And again, there's no one here but us.

[But he'll stand back up and dismiss it with a wave of his hand.]

Very well. We'll discuss that when we return to the hotel. We'll also discuss just what you're doing here.

[The first part is decidedly calmer, and then the Tone starts. Kimblee hadn't discussed any sort of mission with him and that is making him wary. He knows Kimblee won't betray him and he knows Kimblee will only leave if Archer screws things up again (which he's certain he hasn't). Still, Kimblee didn't even inform him that he'd be working here. Archer's trying not to be overly controlling but... it's difficult, especially considering how dependent he is on Kimblee.]

To forbid them to use it and protect them from harm, or to allow them to use it and grant them free agency - surely you realize that you're creating a false dichotomy?

[His tone isn't accusatory, however; rather, it's vaguely amused.]

For example, it's disregarding the possibility of moderating their usage of it - suppose they were permitted to use it, but only in situations where it was appropriate and not for frivolous purposes? Forgive my saying so, miss, but if one owns a gun, they usually don't fire it off across their neighbors' yards, unless they want to be branded some sort of psychopath; rather, they do it for self-defense, or at a shooting range, or they find a field and set up cans if they're particularly hard-pressed for money.

Of course, it's also not taking into account that any damage incurred from these sort of moves isn't permanent, but that's destroying the spirit of the argument, isn't it?

[Kimblee pauses when Archer's voice shifts, the hesitation in his movements obvious before he turns back to that machine to check on how things are progressing. That tone is never a very comfortable thing, once it comes out; it's not uncommon for Archer to push him when he wants details, but there's a difference between being demanding and utilizing the Tone - that latter one means orders.]

Yes, Archer; of course.

[Good boy. Archer folds his arms and relaxes; he doesn't usually try to order Kimblee around without a good reason. Being insecure is totally a good reason, shut up.]

I haven't seen you out here before; what have you been doing? Work in the back?

[The topic change is abrupt and Archer's voice immediately goes back to the normal, snarky tone.]

At least you're getting paid for this. Don't spend all that money on eggs.

[Kimblee relaxes easily enough once it becomes obvious that Archer isn't going to continue to press him here; just the same, he's fully aware that they will discuss it as soon as he returns to the hotel - he isn't even going to try to get out of it.]

Of course, Archer. And yes, I've been primarily filing everything under the sun and being grateful that I wear gloves so often; I can just imagine how many times I would have cut slits into my hands otherwise.

Kimblee.

[...Suddenly linefacing!]

You really can't complain to me about papercuts of all damn things. My entire job for years back home was ensuring there were no mistakes in reports, which obviously was a glorified way of describing filing.

[...And then the's smirk's back immediately! He's just teasing~]

I can sympathize.

So that was your primary job, was it?

[He'd honestly been wondering about that, since the incident during the battle with Suicune; he hadn't really wanted to ask, however, knowing that the answer probably wasn't worth the number of blown blood vessels in his eyes that it would surely cause. However, his tone isn't angry or otherwise displeased; if anything, he's vaguely amused.]

I shouldn't be surprised, should I.

[Oh, well. Kimblee's not the only one amused, now, and he's certainly caught her interest; she's got a bit of a Socratic penchant to her, asking questions to provoke thought, but it's less often than you might expect that she gets a legitimate taker to that bait.]

I wouldn't say it's creating a false dichotomy so much as it is identifying the endpoints of a spectrum — which would make that fine line less of a division and more of a threshold between the two extremes. Where that threshold falls, though, seems to be something that every trainer needs to identify for herself.

[She's not particularly enamored with the idea of guns at all, even as a metaphor, but just because she's not fond of the analogy it comes through doesn't mean she misses the point he's making.]

And I'd say the damage incurred is a separate but still related issue, really. The damage may not be permanent, but it's fairly Machiavellian to suggest that having the ability to restore them to perfect health justifies whatever pain and suffering they're put through along the way.

No, you really shouldn't. I worked under Hughes, what were you expecting?

[...Speaking of Hughes... guess who missed Mustang's little public service announcement?]

...Hughes.

[He pauses for a moment; it hadn't occurred to him that maybe Archer doesn't know, but...

...well. That can wait for a moment, can't it?]

I assume Hughes met a rather untimely demise in your version of Amestris as well; he uncovered...information, shall we say, in mine - regarding the Fuhrer. Was that the case in your world as well, and if so, were his notes regarding the matter ever recovered?

[Archer's smirk darkens again at that.]

Exactly the case. His notes were indeed recovered - Sheska was working as his secretary at the time, and from what she mentioned, I assume he ordered her to burn all the research materials he'd been studying. She didn't.

[The smirk widens. You can see where he's going with this, can't you?]

Yes, the notes were recovered. But did you really think I'd hand something like that over to Mustang or the Fuhrer? Absolutely not. It took quite some time, but I was finally able to decipher his notes.

That's how I got Kimbley reinstated back home. Pride was just as easy to control as any human with the information Hughes left behind.

[Kimblee is similarly-minded, in that regard; he's always been quite the believer in leading the horse to water, as it were.]

Of course it doesn't justify any unwilling pain and suffering, but that's hardly the case here, is it? If they're doing so repeatedly, because they want to, and there are no adverse long-term affects, I don't believe that constitutes abuse on the part of the trainer - at which point it does become a matter of what that trainer is comfortable with, yes, but there's no point in trying to dress up one's own personal discomfort as concern for another's well-being.

[Oh, he saw where this was going from the start; while he is still a bit boggled at the usage of "Pride" to describe the Fuhrer, thank you for leading him exactly where he wanted this to go.]

So there was a particular code to it, then? I may require your assistance later, if that's the case - I need to see if there's something in notes he left behind by the eighteenth of this month; so far, I haven't been able to get anything out of it and I'm beginning to believe it's a waste of time, but it would be good to have someone else to check it over.

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013. [Text/Action for Olivine City, also one other thing]

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