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

[thefinaljedi]

[And Luke leads the way into a simulation, a large, open air bathhouse. It's nothing spectacular, but it is a slice of home. Sort of. Luke liked Mon Calamari. It was a nice world.]

Alright, lets get him into the water.

[pokeboy]

[ It's actually a curious sight to Red - he's never been to a bath house before. But it's not a day - or time - to be thinking about that.

He's been holding both of his pokémon's balls in his hands the entire time, and now, he lets out Snorlax right into the water, the beast of a pokémon coming out --

snoring.

But it's not his usual kind which, if it were, it might be more funny of a situation. But Red can tell by his pokémon's face that it's a reluctant slumber, and he goes to the edge of where he rests, kneeling down beside him. He puts a hand against the side of his head, pressing his forehead upon the short fur. Then, he places Venusaur's ball down so he can wrap a hand around the pokémon's neck. ]

You did good, okay Snorlax?

[ 'Sorry I didn't.'

And sorry for forgetting other people, Luke. He doesn't linger too long, moving himself away with a crouched step from Snorlax and then picking the pokéball back up, then looking over to Luke. ]

I can clean up Snorlax. Is there a cooler room you can look at Venusaur in? She won't like the heat.

[ Warm rain was nice, but this was likely to be too much for the plant pokémon. She would deal it without fussing, but as her trainer, Red would rather she didn't have to at all. ]

[thefinaljedi]

Yeah, the Mon Calamari prefer a cooler environment for bathing, or they turn bright pink. I'll take care of her, if you want. You work on Snorlax.

[He holds out his hand, offering to take the ball, while his other points across the chamber to a different set of baths.]

The way this place is laid out, hot is here for Quarren, and the cool is over there for Mon Cals, but they want to be able to talk to one another, so I'll be right there.

[pokeboy]

[ He hands the ball as Luke speaks, then nod once he's done. ]

Do you know how to open a pokéball?

[thefinaljedi]

[Luke nods.]

Professor Oak showed me.

[Though the mun forgets how.]

[pokeboy]

[ This player just makes it up. ]

Okay... thank you. [ He gives Luke a grateful look, and begins to roll up his sleeves.He'll want to get in the water and scrub off that sludge well. ]

[thefinaljedi]

[And while he does that, Luke sets to work not far away.]

So, is Snorlax actually poisoned? Do I need to get the poison removal kit?

[pokeboy]

[ A removal kit for poison? That's something Red's never heard of. ]

He's fine. [ But of course, he's still going to clean him off, and just help Snorlax along with feeling better as much as he can. ] He's sleeping it off.

How's Venusaur? Does she look okay?

[thefinaljedi]

Good.

[Poison removal was a pain.]

And she seems just fine. A little beat up, but nothing serious.

[pokeboy]

[ Luckily, Snorlax was one of those pokémon who could naturally endure a lot. Probably going to be more of a pain for Giovanni and his Kangaskhan. Red's relieved to hear about Venusaur though, falling in a thankful silence for that as he washes up Snorlax some more.

But there's perhaps something he should say, other than thanks and apologies. ]

...I didn't mean to make you come looking for me.

[ With the way it's said, it's somewhat apologetic anyway. ]

[thefinaljedi]

[He shrugs.]

It's alright. I probably overreacted, but your reaction was a little extreme. And if he's dangerous, then it's better that I was here.

[pokeboy]

I've only met him once in person, but -- what he does, what his people do too... they're bad. They all are.

[thefinaljedi]

Professor Oak told me a bit about them. What can you tell me?

[pokeboy]

[ There's a silence, just so Red can try and put it in a way that isn't overly childish, but as much as he knows about them. ]

...They're a group of criminals that run around back home. They steal and take whatever they want - especially pokémon. All they care about is themselves and money. They don't care about who they hurt.

[ He thinks back about what he knows -- back to his history with them. ]

I met them trying to find fossils on a mountain. Most of the time they're right pushovers, but they still do horrible things. Pokémon and people have gotten hurt because of them -- even killed. They know what they're doing is bad, and they like it.

[ Now, he tries to think closer in time. To Giovanni, as he met him. ]

They were trying to make money in a city and that's where I met Giovanni. They had a large hideout under a game building they were running. He'd stolen something from a big pokémon company, and I needed to get it to try and help a man in trouble in a tower they'd been in - there were ghosts everywhere, taking control of the people trying to calm them... and they were doing it because of what they'd done!

[ Another pause. Breathe. There's sounds of water moving as Red smooths a hand over Snorlax's stomach, the grime removed. Finally. ]

I don't remember what he said. He was waiting for me in some office. We battled, and then he left.

[ He makes his way back to the edge out of the water, his rolled up trousers soaked with water. Whatever. ]

That's all I know. Lance could tell you more - he says he's from the future and that he's from my world. Not just one like it. [ Like pretty much everyone else save one guy. ]

[thefinaljedi]

I'll...do that then.

[Luke doesn't have a lot to say to all of that. He just takes it all in, and bears in mind that the Giovanni he'd known was likely from a different world.]

Lance is a good guy. And as for Giovanni, I'll keep an eye on him. But, what was that badge he had?

[pokeboy]

It's a gym leader badge. It's what people who run pokémon gyms give to trainers who beat them.

A guy like him shouldn't have something like that. It's not just like being a trainer -- it's important. People trust gym leaders and look up to them.

[thefinaljedi]

Then why was it a surprise that he had one? Doesn't a gym leader have to have a public identity?

[pokeboy]

What do you mean? He's a criminal -- he's the last person who should ever be allowed to be a gym leader!

[ Possibly totally missed the actual meaning of that question. ]

[thefinaljedi]

[Totally.]

No no, doesn't being a gym leader require a public identity? Surely not just anyone can be one.

[pokeboy]

[ Oh. Uh. ]

Yeah, but... I don't know. I don't know how they do it; pick the people, I mean. Most of the gym leaders are really well-liked in all the ones I've been to.

But... there was one gym close to home that nobody knew the gym leader for either. They said he was never around.

[thefinaljedi]

It could be that gym, then. Maybe he went into hiding?

[pokeboy]

Maybe... [ um... ] But no one said anything about Team Rocket there.

[ For the things he does know, there's plenty he doesn't. ] You should ask Lance. All I know is that the police couldn't stop them. They had a lot of trouble with them.

[thefinaljedi]

And how often have you dealt with them, Red?

[pokeboy]

I don't know. [ He thinks. ] They were on Mt. Moon when I first became a trainer, then there were some in Cerulean City... and then they were in Lavender Town and in Celadon. So -- four times? I guess four times.

[thefinaljedi]

They sound a little prolific. Any idea what their goals are? Are they something doable here?