explosivecombat | 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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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?

[...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.

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?

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?]

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.]

...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.

[...You know him far too well. He's thankful for that.]

Yes, well. I suppose it would be better for you to stick around for the time being. We need to put that promotion to good use, after all.

[...He really appreciates it, alright.]

Mm, no, I agree entirely.

[...oh, Archer.]

[Sh-shut up.]

Yes, well.

[You don't mind if he just tsuns at you forever, right?]

...I'll see you at the hotel once my shift is over, then.

[THANK GOD, A SUBJECT CHANGE]

And how much longer is that? How long are you working here for anyway?

...ah, apparently there's a minor snag with that. I can't leave town for the next two or three days, lest they put out a warrant for my arrest.

[WELL, THIS IS KIND OF AWKWARD, ISN'T IT.]

If you'd like to stay, you're more than welcome, of course; I'll be fine either way. As for tonight, I only have another couple of hours, if that.

...They put out an arrest warrant if you leave work.

[DEAR GOD, JOHTO. WHAT ARE YOU.]

Well that's... something. No, I'll stay. I don't have anything pressing to attend to right away.

[As if he could do anything on his own anyway? Ahahaha, you have too much faith in him, Kimblee.]

Yes, that certainly seems to be the case. I think it's worth the extra 48 hours of annoyance, and as you said, I am getting paid.

[ahahahaha these issues

oh my god we are so fucked, archer

how did we even get this fucked because believe me, my friend, if something happens to either of us we are fucked]

As I said, don't spend it all on eggs.

[No idea, holy shit. But nothing's going to happen to either of us, obviously!!!!]

I'll see you at the hotel in a little while, then.

[And he'll be back tomorrow to torment you some more~!]

Of course, Archer.

[... orz ...]

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

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