03 video

[pokeboy]

[ video ]

[ Nothing interesting on the video feed here, just a black-haired boy with his pikachu's head poking from the bottom of the screen. ]

Hi, my name's Red. I've got a couple of questions... I wanted to ask about first aid and the battle dome, and also if there's anybody that knows about fixing things? [ He looks away ] I don't have anything broken, but I wanted to have something looked at.

[ Right, anyway. Back to the screen. ]

But with the first aid... I was wondering if anyone had the time to help me see if I know what I'm doing? I got taught how to put on bandages a long time ago, but I don't think I was doing it right the last time I did it.

[ Maybe it had been fine, but a refresher would be good either way. ]

Anyway, then the battle dome - I wanted to know about what fighters train against in there. [ This was going to be hard, but ] I know people here have different abilities, and what we can handle is different too. I've tried creatures not from my world, but I guess...

[ What does he guess? He thinks, pinching his bottom lip in. ]

...I guess I just want to know if there's something better me and my pokémon can do. Everything's still challenging in the battle dome, but I want -- more? [ Um.

That sounds... bad? He fidgets, then shrugs. ] I don't know. I thought it'd be interesting to know what else we could fight on there. That's about it really.

Well... that's it. Bye.

--

[ Private voice to Caius (accepted) ]

Hey, Caius. [ He pauses, trying to think of how to continue... ] You fight with a sword, right? I want to practice with you sometime, if you've got the time.

Comments

[pokeboy]

[ Sitting here and sulking about it isn't going to do anything though, is it. Though he'll only go back to his apartment and do the sulking, but. Well. It sounds like an okay idea now.

He stands up, Pikachu still flopped in his arms, and takes a step forward. ]

I'm going.

[feistytrader]

[...Before Red goes, Silver places a hand on his head. Red hasn't exactly told him what happened, but he can wager a good guess.]

Take it easy, alright? You don't have to go up against guys like him alone. [Not here, anyway. What happens in his home is anyone's guess.]

[pokeboy]

[ He actually moves out of the contact, even shaking his head and frowning at Silver for it for a brief second. There's a meaning to it and Silver's words that he doesn't like, a reminder of his age, but he bites back that annoyance as best as he can. ]

I'm not alone. I have my team. [ He knows what Silver means, but at the same time, that's how it is. ] I won't take him on with anyone else.

[feistytrader]

[...There are a lot of responses he has for Red. It's good that he has his Pokémon to depend on, but it's okay to depend on people too. His father is dangerous, and he shouldn't go at it alone, especially if he doesn't have to.

...

But for some reason, it feels like that would all fall on deaf ears. Maybe he needs a different approach.]

You're free to take him on by yourself. I can't stop you. If you manage to defeat him, it's all the better. [That much is true, and he doesn't doubt that Red has what it takes to do it.] At the same time, it's my responsibility to crush Team Rocket. If he starts something here, I'm going to finish it, with or without your help.

[pokeboy]

[ What the heck is this. ]

I don't know what you want me to say. I'm not going to stop anyone getting in his way, and if you want to take him down, then fine. [ As long as he goes down, after all. ]

But I need to fight him myself. If he's your responsibility, then he's mine too. [ because Red said so, just now ] I don't care if he's the one I know or not.

[feistytrader]

Neither do I. [His world, some other world, it doesn't make a difference. Of course, he can't deny that it's Red's responsibility either. Not with what he knows about his own Red. Not with what he doesn't know about this one.] You better work hard on getting stronger if you really want to take him down on your own.

[Red's not planning on growing stronger alone too, is he?]

[pokeboy]

[ Sorta kinda depends on what 'growing stronger alone' means. ]

I will. [ There's no question about that. ] We're going to do whatever we need to.