FIRST ERRAND ➣ VIDEO / ACTION [GOLDENROD CITY]

[deaftly]

[ ACTION - GOLDENROD CITY ]

[Hey, Team Rocket, how's it going? Has the base been peaceful lately? Because it certainly isn't going to be today. In fact, if you're unfortunate enough to be walking the hallways, you might see a Grunt get tossed into a nearby wall (or you, if you're really unfortunate). Thankfully the poor guy's alright, just a little stunned, but the shrieking that follows implies that this wasn't some sort of horrible Pokémon-related accident.]

Give me some answers, fucker! I don't give a shit about Pokey-mon or whatever the fuck you're talking about!

[The guy doing the shrieking is... actually fairly tiny. He's about 5'8" and doesn't look like he could toss a guy his size down a hallway. He's wearing a white suit and actually looks presentable, if not a bit pissed off.

...Okay, "a bit pissed off" is a horrendous understatement.]

Are you working for the fucking doves? Is this some kind of a fucking joke? If you shitheads think you're going to capture me again--!

[Naki bends down to grab the poor Grunt by the collar, hoisting him up over his head without much difficulty. The Grunt tries to say something, but Naki doesn't even finish his own thought, much less let the Grunt get a word in edgewise. Instead, he turns and tosses the Grunt down the hallway. Again.]

I'll fucking kill you! I'll fucking kill you all!!

[...Someone please save that poor Grunt.]

[ VIDEO ]

[Well, it's almost a day later and it seems someone has finally managed to get Naki to sit down and listen to reason. Somehow. Now that Naki isn't in the base anymore, he's actually much calmer. The video doesn't reveal much in terms of background and is shot from a low angle, revealing the sky and... not much else. Naki is standing, leaning in a bit to look at the camera, and holding a Magikarp by the tail. He shakes the fish at the camera and glares into it accusingly.]

This thing sucks.

[...Thank you, Naki. Surely no one has figured that one out.]

What's the point of Splash? It doesn't do anything. That's all this useless thing knows.

[The Magikarp flops around a bit at the word "useless", like it's responding to being called by name. Naki looks disgusted and shakes the fish before dropping it unceremoniously to the ground. The camera follows the fish before turning back up to face Naki.]

Where do I get something good? If these things are our only weapons here, I want something powerful.

[Did you just miss the part about training Pokémon to make them stronger, or...?]

Oh, if anyone's got any information about getting home, that would be great too. I just got here so I'm still trying to figure this place out.

[...]

And what is with this stupid music?

Comments

[deaftly]

[Naki's hearing is absolutely awful, so when Henry drops his voice, Naki gets something else entirely.]

Wanton fan sea? What the hell does that mean?

[...Naki, did you even try.]

I've never heard of Plegia or Ylisse. I'm from Japan and I don't do much travelling.

[cawsforalarm]

...Nya ha ha! Sorry! [He jumps back to a louder speaking voice -- possibly a bit too loud.] I said "way too fancy". They have, like, a million layers of clothing and little metal knick-knacks everywhere. Armor is a fashion statement down there. [He shakes his head.]

I've never heard of Japan, either... maybe we come from different universes or something. [If Cynthia and her friends came from a different universe where everything is slightly different, then maybe Ylisse is called Japan in one of them, or something.]

[deaftly]

[Thank you, Henry, he does appreciate that.]

Armor? Wait, you mean like that medieval shit that knights wore?

[There is another possibility, but he figures he'd better play it safe and not bring up ghouls, just in case this guy is a human.]

Different... universes? Is that even possible? I mean, there's shit like that in movies all the time but... there's no way it's real, right?

[...Right??]

[cawsforalarm]

Med... what? [They don't have the word 'medieval' in Medieval Fantasy Europe.] Uh, yeah, knights wear armor. But clerics do too, over there. Like, why do you need armor? You're a cleric, your job is to heal people and then run away.

And nope, the universes are real.

[deaftly]

Well, maybe it's to protect them from getting hurt.

[...]

Wait, wait, what is this, some kind of video game? Clerics and knights... don't tell me you've got mages running around too. This is some serious Final Fantasy bullshit here.

[...Well, he's never actually played a Final Fantasy, so he's assuming it's some Final Fantasy bullshit. That's the only one he knows off the top of his head anyway.]

And how can you be sure the universe-hopping stuff's real?

[cawsforalarm]

I'm a mage! A dark mage, actually! ...They found out some way to sap out my power, though, so I can't show you anything. [Henry sighs.]

...And I can be sure because I've met my daughter from another universe! Plenty of other people in my group have, too. They all came together and jumped through a time-space portal or something, I never got the full details. But point is: it's a thing, mm-hm.

[deaftly]

...What.

[He's not even sure what part of that he's so fundamentally offended by, but it's probably the "daughter from another universe" thing that has killed his suspension of disbelief.]

You really expect me to believe that?

[cawsforalarm]

...Uh, no? You're some random stranger, I don't care if you believe me! But it's the truth.

[deaftly]

[Well, Henry does have a point. Why would he bother lying about something like this to someone he doesn't know and can't get anything from? So clearly he's telling the truth!!]

So you think the same sort of thing happened to us to bring us here?

[cawsforalarm]

I wouldn't be surprised. [Henry hums thoughtfully, putting one hand to his chin.] Whoever did it would need a buttload of power, though. I mean, they needed a god just to move a few kids over, yanno? So I can't imagine what these guys are pulling! Nya ha ha!

[deaftly]

A god? Just one?

[He's not very good at religions, but he's pretty sure a lot of people would be horrified of the idea of more than one god.]

But I guess it's possible. It's a better explanation than anything I've heard so far.

[cawsforalarm]

Yup, just one. The other god was kind of busy being channeled through a human, I guess, and also being super evil.

[Plegians are supposed to worship this god, Grima, but Henry literally could not care less. (Nor could most Plegians, for that matter.) It made things a little bit easier on him when some idiot tried to awaken Grima from its slumber and use it to take over the world.]

What else have you heard?

[deaftly]

[...Pretty sure that would get some peoples' panties in a twist, but sure, whatever!]

Well, that's just it, I haven't heard anything. The guy I was talking to just said it's something that happens here sometimes.

[Speaking of that guy... Naki looks around only to find he's long since vanished.]

Shit, I let him get away.

[cawsforalarm]

Aw, he's gone?

...Well, if you still wanna punch people, I'm right here! [He points at his face. Look how punchable that grin is.]

[deaftly]

[...uh]

Are you a masochist? Do you like getting the shit kicked out of you?

[Naki's looking very interested now, which is never a good sign.]

[cawsforalarm]

Normally I don't like ouchies, but for some reason my nerve damage is gone! So I can feel stuff again.

Come on, pleeeeeease?

[deaftly]

[He's not sure what to make of the whole nerve damage thing, so he'll just ignore that. He's not going to ignore the potential for violence however, and Naki takes a moment to crack his knuckles.

Then he throws a punch directly at Henry's face because he's awful like that.]

this is all i ever wanted out of CR tbh

[cawsforalarm]

Hrk--

[Whoa, that was a punch. Henry stands there and takes it, but he does stagger backwards into the wall, clutching his head... and giggling.]

Man, it hurts just to laugh, this is so weird...! Hee hee...!

well this can only end in stupid, sorry about your face henry

[deaftly]

[Naki throws back his head and laughs, moving once again to crack his knuckles. He doesn't go for another punch though, instead looking pretty impressed with Henry.]

Not bad! Most people can't take a punch like that and stay on their feet!

[That might be because he's not throwing normal, human punches, but apparently the thought that his punches have been weakened here doesn't even occur to Naki.]

nah it's cool bro

[cawsforalarm]

Well, I've got lots of practice, nya ha! [Spoilers: his nerve damage isn't a birth defect. Thanks, sadistic Plegian military school!]

[He's still grinning, though the novelty of the pain is beginning to wear off.] ...But I gotta hand it to you, I am getting one doozy of a headache.

[deaftly]

Well it's certainly no fun if you collapse now. Let's go see if we can find you some of that headache medicine you humans--

[.............wait.]

I mean uh... There uh... should be a store or something somewhere nearby that we can find the medicine at! C'mon, let's go get some!

[Naki admittedly has no idea how to get out of this base, but he picks a direction at random and starts walking.]

[cawsforalarm]

Mm? Sure, got it!

[Without question, Henry follows Naki's lead. If he noticed the part about 'humans', he doesn't say anything about it. Heck, there are not one but two nonhuman races that look almost identical to humans where he comes from, so maybe this guy is just a really strong manakete or something.]

[deaftly]

[Whew, he's never been more relieved. Naki is perfectly content to chatter aimlessly about Tokyo while they walk. He talks about the city rather than the issue of ghouls verses humans, but it's obvious that he's very fond of Tokyo.

He finally stops in front of the Pokémart, staring up at it.]

...Well, this certainly looks promising. Shall we check it out?

[cawsforalarm]

[Henry seems to be able to walk straight, which is good; significant cranial damage on day one of Grunt-dom is not something that anyone should aspire to. He toddles along behind Naki, listening interestedly to his talk about this 'Tokyo' place and occasionally making the appropriate awed noises.]

Gosh... your city sounds so awesome!

[And as soon as they move out into Goldenrod proper, he commences staring at everything else, too. By the time they finally stop by the Pokémart, Henry's eyes are the size of saucers. No response... just gawking.]

[deaftly]

...Yo, Henry, you still here?

[Naki waves a hand in front of his face, looking a bit concerned now. It would kind of suck if Henry suffered some permanent damage right off the bat.]