[It's been a surprisingly explosion-free few days.

It's not that Kimblee doesn't enjoy having his alchemy back, as he certainly does. However, he doesn't have a proper outlet for it (..."proper") and there's that battle recently, odd and dreamlike and just kind of hovering on the outer edges of his memory - he suspects it wasn't quite a dream and there's been more than enough evidence to back that up, but really, there's not much to be done about it.

So he's restless as hell. Restless as hell is never a good thing.

Today he's got Ayanami out with him, and they appear to be exchanging blows; whether encouraging this with something that's actively tried to kill him in the past is a good idea or not is apparently of no consequence to him today, since he seems to be having a grand old time either way - the shocks she's sending at him are being countered with sharp snaps of his hands coming together and whips of energy detonating in midair when they connect with the electricity, and the explosions are loud and he isn't flinching at them in the least, and the look in his eyes is getting manic.]

Again - come now, you can do better than that!

[That's about the point when Ayanami decides to prove that she can, in fact, do better than that; she waits until the next time he fires off one of those explosive currents and promptly Mirror Coats him, and he's suddenly very, very grateful that getting kicked out of Johto for a month and a half seems to have done wonders for his spine because holy shit, nothing like having an explosion rebounded at you for double the damage, getting the hell out of the way is probably prudent.

But then the air clears and Kimblee is laughing like this is the greatest damn thing he's ever seen, and he's looking a bit of a mess but hey, at least he's happy, even if he's probably deaf as hell after that - ]

That's more like it; absolutely beautiful!

[...right. Well, either way, he doesn't seem to mind.]



[OOC: He can be run into just about anywhere because Johto is, as usual for these things, completely on the blink; he's going to be a bit...um, excited no matter where you happen to run into him because yay alchemy, but you are more than welcome to put him where you want him - he'll be ending up in Goldenrod after the event, however, so he'll definitely be there at some point!]

[AUDIO]

Goodness, it's only getting worse out there...

[Audio posts from Kimblee are reasonably rare, unless he's on...ah, "official business"; however, tonight he clearly feels like addressing the network as a whole for once. His voice is tight, though it's remaining controlled; there's a sort of quietness to the feed, as though he's indoors for the time being - god only knows exactly where, though, because judging by the BGM, he could be anywhere in Goldenrod.]

I've seen a few swarms in my time here, but I don't recall them being this bad in quite a while, much less this angry...perhaps this place is finally starting to strike back. I can't imagine the world being terribly pleased with how frequently the "foreigners" find their way here, after all; upset the balance too far in one way or another and the world will take notice, I've found, and if you think that will result in anything but a battlefield in one way or another, you're either idealistic or very, very sheltered.

[There's a clatter of movement in the background, a vague quickening of his breath as he speaks - heading down stairs, maybe?]

I've always enjoyed the notion that this world is built around conflict and the culture bred by the battleground; perhaps it's finally living up to its potential. Time will tell, I'm sure; while I suppose now is when it would be relevant to ask what sort of thing you're fighting for back home, I'll spare you the tedium - after all, the answer to that, when such times are upon us, is always obvious.

[A heavier thud then, and quickly-paced steps on even ground; whatever stairwell he's on, he seems to have seen fit to jump the last few steps, and his words are picking up speed a bit as he continues.

Those that are familiar with the way he is when he speaks will likely recognize overstimulation when they hear it; those who aren't...well, he sounds excited, at any rate. Excitement is good, isn't it?]

But for now, the hour grows late, and there's a battle to be had; perhaps I'd like to hear about some of your battles, myself. Not the reasons behind them - again, those are usually obvious and boring, really. But what victories you've won, if any. What victories you're seeking.

I'd prefer they be true, but you're more than welcome to make something up if you'd like. After all, it's not like I'll know the difference, right?


[ACTION]

[So. It's hideous o'clock at night, it's raining, and things are getting loud just past the northern borders of Goldenrod tonight. And not, like rampaging-Pokémon loud, though that's likely also pretty loud.

More like "shit blowing up" loud.

It seems Kimblee's finally taking the time to properly, uh. Bond. With his murderball of an Electrode. After all, if there's one thing they both can agree upon, it's that destroying things is ridiculously fun if you do it properly. Right now he's enjoying terrorizing the living hell out of the newly-local population of Anorith; this likely isn't going to make them any less mad about the state of the world, just saying.]

[It's been seven and a half months since Kimblee has arrived in Johto; seven and a half months since he's felt whatever restrictions that are on his alchemy here loosen and fall away, leaving him with sheer destructive power flowing through his body.

But today, he can feel it. Oh, can he feel it.

Today he's out on one of the routes, training. That isn't anything new.

What is new is the way the route has been ripped up, large swaths cut through it; Kimblee is standing somewhere among all of the destruction, his breathing jagged. Those 'fortunate' enough to see what he's doing will get a glimpse of dark red energy flickering between his palms, sharp and crackling like some sort of demonic lightning storm in miniature, before he drops down and forces the energy from his body, chaining together a series of explosive reactions that detonate somewhere deep within the ground, ripping up fiery trails of destruction that rip through the earth, destroying everything in its path. The explosion chains doesn't seem to be hindered at all by obstacles in their path; rather, they seem only to be spurred on, ripping up anything in its path as fuel for another detonation.

The sound is immense, as are the shockwaves in the trail of those explosions; they don't carry on forever, but they're certainly not caused by any sort of natural phenomena.

Needless to say, Kimblee isn't training his Pokemon today...

Though he's certainly in one piece after the explosions stop, Kimblee doesn't seem to be all right, exactly; he seems to be having huge amounts of difficulty controlling himself, shrieking and shaking with laughter, to the point that he looks damn near about to fall over. If one didn't know any better, they'd likely think he was intoxicated; however...]

This sound...the power...! It's truly been too long!

[Another burst of laughter rips out of him.]

After all this time...I still...

[...oh boy.]

I love this!

[...Kimblee, please...]

[ANONYMOUS IMAGES/TEXT]

[It's been a while since the last anonymously-sent post like this hit the network - images sent from an individual obviously from Team Rocket, depicting seemingly random attacks on NPC trainers and showing proof of the Pokémon that had been stolen from them.

Three weeks later, there's another set; judging by the content, your anonymous friend seems to be getting a bit bolder, given that these pictures aren't showing completely random NPCs anymore.

Those who have been to Ecruteak City have surely heard of the theatre near the middle of town, where the Kimono Girls put on quite the lovely show; from the look of it, it may be a while until they do another one. Two of them are depicted in the first image, lying unconscious, facedown on the floor; what's visible of the ground around them - and there isn't much - indicates that a battle had happened there minutes before the picture was taken. Obviously, it didn't end too well for the girls.

The following pictures are individual close shots of their faces, verifying that all five of them were "dealt with" (read: roughed up greatly); the angles are strangely aggressive, as though taken from directly over their unconscious bodies. The next is a shot not unlike one from the first set - a set of several Pokeballs in gloved hands, that familiar red R visible on the clothing of the person holding them; otherwise, any actual defining features on the individual holding them can't be seen in the image. The second-to-last picture is along the lines of the previous one, only decidedly more direct; the person is again holding things they've stolen, but this time the Pokémon have been released. Not all of them, as there are only two of them this time, as opposed to the several Pokéballs - but they're a pair of Eevees, obviously very young; they look...incredibly confused and kind of dazed, but generally unhurt. Anyone who knows what the Kimono Girls specialize in will likely get the idea behind this one being included - more proof of theft, really. And once more, no glimpses of the face of the person doing the stealing.

The last image is taken from further back, clearly from one of the seats in the audience; the stage is clearly visible, making it immediately obvious that whomever's sending the images wants to leave an impression.

There's a large, dark R singed into the stage. The flames were apparently quickly put out, as they're no longer smoldering; however, the damage to the stage is clear. The Kimono Girls have been arranged such that they're lying beneath the insignia; again, the last image is sent with a line of text accompanying it.]

We've been watching.


( Explanations (Or, How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love This Shit) )



[OOC:]

[You are more than welcome to do action/mingling replies re: the theatre, though Kimblee and Archer are long gone; the doors have been frozen shut from the inside, so it may take a while to break in - at the same time, it was intended more as a warning for them while they worked (they would hear the cracking) and a temporary deterrent, not a permanent sealing-off, so the ice isn't particularly strong and can be broken/melted from the outside.

Responses to text will come from either or both of them; one of them is minding the Gear at all times, so somebody will respond.

...also yes, assault on the Kimono Girls is mod-approved!]

[VIDEO]

[Aaaaaand when Kimblee's feed comes alive this evening, there are a few things that are immediately obvious over the video.

The first is the Pokémon curled up in the background; they're outside, and it's rather obvious that the poor bb is worn out from a recent training session, seeing as it's...completely and utterly asleep despite the reasonably early hour. It would be almost cute, were the Pokémon in question not a gigantic demon mammoth, but to each their own, really.

The second is that Kimblee is looking ridiculously smug today.]

You know, I'd been wondering if there would come a point when these creatures would stop gaining levels; it was logical to assume that point would come, of course, given that they stop learning new skills eventually, but at the same time, I'd almost feared that reaching it would be disappointing.

Believe me, it isn't.

[Seriously. Given that Kimblee's ego is usually strong enough to strike with roughly the force of a million gods, at this point you cannot grasp the true form. It's an Eldritch abomination that would make Pride flinch, and that's saying something on so many levels.]

I believe that means I'll be awaiting an eventual challenge from at least one of you, hm?

[That last part is actually aimed at Isaac, but if people want to take a shot at him for something...well. He's hit level 100 with two of them, not just Carlisle, this week; he'll be decidedly less inclined to tell them no.]

[ACTION]

[Anyone on the outskirts of Mahogany Town will likely come across Kimblee this evening; he doesn't mind the cooler temperatures up north and as such he'll be outside, alternating between chilling next to his sleeping murdermammoth and...playing with a rather adorable baby deer with flowers on its head.

You know. As you do.

Lizaveta will likely get all up in his business during video feeds, because he has yet to teach her the meaning of "being rude" and why we don't do it; he'll have to...work on that eventually, won't he.]