Video;

[amaure]

[When the feed cuts on, it's later in the evening, well after the first day of Rocket training, and thus Emet-Selch is not wearing his uniform while in his little dormitory. What he is wearing is far more extravagant. Yes, he took the time to put that thing back on, he wasn't about to suffer the alternative longer than what was necessary. Of course there are likely those who saw him in that most abhorrent uniform, if others were in training or aiding in the training that is. All of which he's been entirely quick in mastering, almost as if he's already...mastered such trivial skills. He has, and plus some.

Regardless, that's not what this is about. Well, it kinda is, actually.]

Good evening, I am Solus zos Galvus—your newest recruit to this fine organization of unscrupulous villains. Certainly prompt with the training, aren't they? That sort of rigid discipline I can most certainly respect—after all, with poor foundation, you cannot expect aught else but for everything to come crumbling down around you.

[He settles back in his seat, resting his elbow on the desk he's clearly sitting at, cupping his cheek with the palm of his hand as he lazily gazes into the feed.]

Regardless, such training is wasted on one such as I, but I understand rules are rules, and even I am no exception. [There's the slightest edge of annoyance to his tone, but it disappears as he continues.] Regardless, 'twould do us well to know each other properly, wouldn't you agree? So come, introduce yourselves to me. For I will know each and every one of you, as well as what rank you hold—what skill sets you have, and so forth.

If I am to familiarize myself with this team, to know which holes my expertise should rightly fill, then I must take your measure.

Comments

[fingersandteeth]

Oh, he most definitely does deserve it and not the least because he's been here longer than any of us. He's very experienced at dealing with the Admins and in managing people in general. Back home in his world, he had an empire spanning multiple planets.

Though, ah, I did help him a little with the front.

And, ah-- [His dark skin might be slightly darker around the cheeks now.] I wouldn't call it an 'arrangement,' per se. More of a relationship.

[Jack is not his sugar daddy, thank you so very much, Lydia.]

[amaure]

An imperialist, is he? Marvelous, 'twould seem he and I have more in common than I might have otherwise assumed. It well explains his success in this organization, but I fear that someone of his aptitude might be restrained by such meager limitations.

Perhaps the pair of you will be—if your assistance with the front is aught to go by. And worry not, whatever the nature of your relationship, 'tis no true concern of mine, for who am I to remark on young love, hm?

[Young love, sugar daddies. They're all kinda the same thing for some people.]

[fingersandteeth]

[... okay, but that makes it sound slightly less great to Steven who was raised with the idea of 'imperialism'='bad.' He'd prefer to think of his boyfriend as a space tyrant, which is pleasantly science fiction-ish. Still.]

Yeah, I won't lie. It's kind of annoying that we're only allowed to rise so far. I mean, I've still got a couple ranks to go before I max out, so I've got incentive to keep at it, but what do you do when you're already as high as they'll let you go? Just do heists for the sheer joy of crime?

And, ah, I don't know if I'd call either of us young, but... [Well. He'd definitely call it love.]

At any rate, we probably ought to meet in person while you're still in Goldenrod, so I can give you the overview of how things work here. [And also your Welcome to Team Rocket present, as is becoming traditional with him.] Do you know if you'll be sticking around here afterward or traveling?

[amaure]

[Oh Steven, as if there's much of a difference between the two, but by all means, reframe it till your heart's content!]

Mmm, it's a measure of control, no doubt. We're interlopers, after all, and it would not do to have are lot taking over. [But that doesn't mean he doesn't have his own designs to tear that apart. In due time, of course.]

Perhaps by your measure neither of you are quite young, but... [Look, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone or anything older than Solus.] Anyroad, yes. I do believe I will make for Ecruteak soon after this training has come to an end, but I have no designs to leave anon. If you wish to show me around, I will not deny you such.

[fingersandteeth]

[Oh, there's barely a difference between the two and well he knows it. Just-- we all have our little foibles and this is one of his.]

Oh, it's definitely a measure of control. There's no doubt about that.

And sure. We can do lunch tomorrow? This is my last week at the receptions desk at the Radio Tower, so I'll be done with my shift at work by the time they usually have the Trainees eat. I can meet you in the mess.

when u notice a typo...

[amaure]

[Absolutely, Emet has his own as well. Little lies he tells himself that makes the more...tragic things he deals with a little easier to swallow.]

Perhaps eventually, when they see stagnation in their most valued members, they will make proper accommodations. It is a fool's errand to allow brilliance to suffocate from indifference.

But yes, lunch sounds wonderful, consider it a date. [he pauses a moment, before giving a coy smile.] Well, you know what I mean.

Re: when u notice a typo...

[fingersandteeth]

[He laughs.] I do. But there's just one man for me now, I'm afraid. Once you've had Handsome Jack you really can't go back.

[amaure]

Yes, and little would I dream of stealing you from him.

[Mainly because he finds mortals disgusting, but look, he's not about to just say that!]

The more I hear of him, the more I find myself intrigued.

[fingersandteeth]

[Thank you!]

Well. He'll be around in this post shortly.

So I heard you tell Lydia that they gave you a Yamask--I'm intrigued. They're one of the ghost types that I still haven't interacted with much. Do you mind introducing me when we meet in person?

[amaure]

I shall await him with baited breath.

[Look, if he sounds like he's just flirting with everyone, that's...just how he talks.]

Hm? Oh, certainly. Perhaps you can tell me more about it than what I can surmise, even if you are unfamiliar. I imagine they share close enough approximates to others of their types.

[fingersandteeth]

They might, yeah. I'll definitely be reading up on them tonight if I can--as it is, I know there's a regional variant from Galar. [He'd thought of asking for one of those as his prom prize egg, but then he'd seen Galarian Corsola on the list and he'd wanted one of those ever since he'd first learned they existed.]

[amaure]

Galar? I take it that is the name of the province it hails from? Or perhaps the continent?

[At least the Galarian Yamask won't leave him bitter when he looks at it. Not that such bitterness is his current Yamask's fault or anything, but...he's a petty bitch at the best of times.]

[fingersandteeth]

'Region' is the general local parlance for any large geographical area. For instance, we're currently in the Johto region, but we could take a train to the Kanto region.

... most regions aside from Johto and Kanto won't let us transplants from other worlds visit them, I'm afraid. It's just these two and the Sevii Isles.

[amaure]

Regions it is, then.

[At the news of the clear xenophobia, he shrugs with a dismissive wave of his hand.]

I suppose I cannot blame them. Were I them, I likewise would not want such foreigners running amok within my country's boarders.

[fingersandteeth]

Ah. Well.

[He's going to have to disagree with you there, being the grandson of immigrants himself. But he also knows better than to pick a fight.]

At any rate, Galar seems to be home to a lot of the newer species of pokemon we've been seeing around. One suspects that they were recently imported here. [Probably by the stupid hair brothers.]

[amaure]

[The response is telling enough, and that's the sort of reaction he looks for. Clearly a place of disagreement, perhaps a bit of a sore spot. Something to dig into later. Unfortunately, Emet's specialty over the last...several millenia has been to create imperially inclined nations, help lead them to conquer foreign lands and subjugate the people there of and...yeah.

Emet's bad, actually.]

Is that often a trend? The importation of Pokémon from new regions, that is. I do suppose it makes things easier on us, when one considers our unwelcomed status within those other regions.

Just pushing on in here for a second

[wonderland_vogue]

Oh my god, Steven.

Literally no one cares about your relationship with him but you and him. It's such old news now.

damnit lydia

[fingersandteeth]

[He rolls his eyes at her.]

Look, how do you expect me to handle someone flirting with me where my boyfriend can see it? It's not like I can just say 'sorry, I'm taken.' He knows I'm taken.

[Bitch, that entire statement was 80% performative for the benefit of the man whose bed he sleeps in and another 10% just for the goddamn rhyme. Granted, the final 10% was sincere because holy fuck do their kinks align perfectly, BUT STILL.]

Can't stop won't stop

[wonderland_vogue]

[She can roll her eyes, too.]

"I'm taken and not interested." There, there you go. Short, simple, to the point and without mentioning your fucking boyfriend for the umpteenth goddamned time. At this point it's becoming absolutely tiresome as it seems every other damn conversation with you revolves around him somehow.

Everyone else may be polite about it, but it's really wearing thin.

I know you're more interesting than this, is the saddest part of it all.

[fingersandteeth]

[His eyes narrow.]

Lydia. If we're going to talk about this, can we not do this in front of the new recruit? Because whether or not you have a point, right now it looks like you're deliberately trying to humiliate me.

[Does she have a point? He doesn't fucking know. He's never had a boyfriend he could acknowledge publicly before this. Maybe he does mention said boyfriend too much because of that. He's never been able to before.

God, she's such a bitch. He bets she's from one of those lucky worlds where nobody cares who you fuck.]

not here; but still kinda

[amaure]

[Well isn't this fun! Please, by all means, go on. He loves good drama!]

[wonderland_vogue]

I've already said my piece, but whatever, you do you.

Merely voicing what everyone's thinking.

[Ahaha. If only he knew how dead wrong he was about that with certain groups and races. Steven, Steven, please.]

[fingersandteeth]

[NOBODY CARES ABOUT THEIR JUNK IS WHAT HE MEANS.

He almost says 'Because you're such a goddamn expert in what everyone on the team thinks.' He almost says, 'Fuck you, Lydia, I spent decades in the closet and I will gush about my boyfriend now that I'm out as much as I damn well please.']

Right, [he says tightly instead.]

[wonderland_vogue]

[FINE, WHATEVER. THAT'S FAIR ENOUGH. Mostly.

Honestly, she'd have prefer him to have said any of that. But she's absolutely taking notice of that tone and just smiling in that absolutely shit-eating manner she's so fond of.]

Don't take it personal, darling~

Or do, doesn't really matter to me either way.

[fingersandteeth]

[He shoots her a look that indicates that he is absolutely reliving that time he garroted her for science.]

Lydia? I say this with all due respect: please shut the hell up and let me talk to our new recruit in peace.