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

[explosivecombat]

[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?

Comments

[explosivecombat]

[Ah, you can have a soft chiding noise for that, Archer.]

It's a bit unprofessional to discuss my personal affairs at the workplace, don't you think? I'll tell you more when I'm on break.

Believe me, it's just been a few...chats between friends, that's all.

[determinator]

We're the only two people here, and I really couldn't care less if you were unprofessional about this.

[Ugh, denying him deets? Rude.]

Indeed? Well, it certainly sounds like it's been interesting.

[explosivecombat]

Oh, it has.

She's been so kind to me, after all; she knows about so many of my...less-than-positive actions during the war now, apparently someone from Amestris told her - but she seemed to understand after I clarified.

I mean, my commanding officers were such wicked people, what with the crimes against humanity and all; someone had to stop them, right?

[determinator]

[Just... give him a moment so he doesn't burst out laughing. He can totally handle this; he managed to write Kimbley's escape off as something noble and justified with a (mostly) straight face, so he can totally--]

[Okay, no, he's just going to die laughing, if you don't mind.]

You're kidding. You told her about all that and she believed you?

[explosivecombat]

Oh, I can be terribly convincing when I want to be; remind me to tell you about Drachma sometime.

[determinator]

Drachma...? Oh, that's right, you mentioned fighting up there before. I get the feeling you neglected to tell me something important, then?

[DEETS DEETS DEETS DEETS]

[explosivecombat]

Drachma was a bit of a personal assignment. I've always been one for languages; my fluency level in Drachman is rather high, actually. It also helped that I knew exactly what they wanted to hear, and of course I simply didn't realize how outgunned they would be...

[And when he says it, his smile is very, very dark.]

Unfortunately, I didn't really fight too much in that particular battle, but that's because I was the one who orchestrated the conflict. In essence, I bought down a good amount of their army with words alone.

[determinator]

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.

[explosivecombat]

[He just smiles a bit at that.]

This really isn't the place, you know.

[determinator]

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.]

[explosivecombat]

[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.

[determinator]

[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.

[explosivecombat]

[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.

[determinator]

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.

[explosivecombat]

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.

[determinator]

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?]

[explosivecombat]

...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?

[determinator]

[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.

[explosivecombat]

[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.

[determinator]

[Archer tips his head a bit curiously.]

Why? I'm not sure how you got your hands on his notes to begin with, but why don't you just ask him? This isn't particularly difficult.

[But maybe this is some kind of test Hughes has set up for Kimblee for some... arbitrary reason. And Kimblee's far too proud to ask for help anyway... Though the fact that he's asking Archer isn't exactly much better. It must be serious, whatever it is.]

Well, the Hughes I knew kept everything coded around his daughter. The majority of that information was simply filler - it was mentions of the wife you had to look out for. Any time he actually mentioned her name was something vitally important. He wrote things out as if describing a story rather than a diary entry - his daughter would do things that couldn't be connected to anything that was going on no matter how you looked at it; but then the wife would show up and say something that would fit in with the story, but would still seem off somehow. That was the key; the wife's words were mostly a simple replacement of letters. I believe Hughes wanted these notes to get to someone in the event of his death. I don't believe he realized just how much danger he was in that night.

Of course, the notes you have may not be anything similar at all. I don't know how this Hughes disguises his notes. What is all this about anyway?

[explosivecombat]

[...oh boy.]

Lt. Colonel Hughes is no longer in Johto.

[His tone is straightforward, without hesitance; it's still obvious that he's displeased by it.]

He seems to have disappeared sometime shortly after the first of the month; this place seems to have seen fit to leave his notes to me. I've been in contact with Mustang regarding it; he wants to discuss it with me, in person, on the eighteenth.

[determinator]

Wh-what?

[The hesitance and wide-eyed staring say more than Archer would really like; he reacted badly when Sheska returned home, and this isn't any better. Hughes was actually decent to him, even after that horrible anonfail. Hughes wasn't from his world, but he made an effort to get to know Archer and even helped him through those weeks without Kimblee. He never did get a chance to repay Hughes for that.]

He's gone? How?

[He knows Kimblee doesn't have an answer to that. Archer nods numbly at Kimblee's words; hearing them, but not really taking them in.]

Right. So it's possible that he has information on what sent him home, then? Would you like my assistance?

[explosivecombat]

I don't know. I looked into several theories with him; we were following up on them independently. One of the primary ones involved this business with the Elite Four, of course, but there was something else we were questioning regarding patterns for those who are sent home.

We weren't sure if 'knowing too much' would be considered grounds to cause someone to 'disappear' from Johto - we believed it to be a valid theory, especially since some tend to return without their memories. If that's the case...

[He doesn't finish, but rather leaves the implication there. If that's the case, then exactly how much do they want to get into these notes to begin with?]

[determinator]

I... I see.

[Archer stares down at the counter, focusing intently on that as if it will give him some sort of answer. He doesn't want Kimblee working on this if that's the case - if Kimblee returns home, then what will he do? Everyone else here can return home and he'll be fine, but without Kimblee...]

...You said Mustang was going to look over the notes? Perhaps he'll be able to figure something out, then.

[It kills his pride to allow Mustang the chance to solve this before he can, but what other option does he have? He needs Kimblee here, and Kimblee needs him. There's really no other way around it; Mustang has to be the one to figure this out. If he returns home, then they'll know how to get back. It wouldn't be particularly difficult to figure out enough to be sent home, after all. But they can do it when they're ready.]

[explosivecombat]

...my thoughts exactly.

[He relaxes visibly at that; that smiling is back. Perhaps a bit too forcefully so, but it's an attempt at relative normalcy, whatever they may consider that at this point.]

Don't worry, Archer. I don't intend to leave Johto anytime soon.