video + secret text message

[fingersandteeth]

[It's evening when Steven posts his message on the private import Rocket channel of the pokegear. He's still in his work clothes, although his tie has been loosened and his top-buttons unbuttoned. He's sitting at what most of the more experienced Rockets will recognize as Jack's kitchen table

There's cooking sounds in the background, although the camera and Steven are positioned so that you can't actually see who's cooking.

There's also a trio of eggs by him.

As Steven starts talking, he'll also be signing his words concurrently, because he's not leaving you out, Tyler.]

Right. I've got a couple things I wanted to talk to people about.

First of all, as you can see, the mysterious production of eggs has again happened at our house. I found these in Conchita's stall when I went to visit her this morning. I can only conclude that the father is one of the Rapidash--which means that whatever's inside is either going to be a Mudbray or a Ponyta of some variety, either of which will grow up to be a good riding pokemon.

[Actually, they're all three Mudbrays, thanks rng, with the starting moveset of: Mud-Slap, Rock Smash, Stomp, Double-Edge, and Toxic.]

Osomatsu, Diego, since you're the two newest on the Team, I thought I'd give you each the right of first refusal with two of them, but that still leaves at least one more that's up for grabs for anyone. If nobody wants them, I'll save them for trading later.

Secondly... [and here he looks somewhat chagrined] I don't know how many of you are familiar with Sento Kiryuu, self-proclaimed genius physicist--he's the one who doesn't think Pokeballs are flashy enough--but the man caught me in the process of looting some unconscious marks in Violet this weekend, so we all might want to lie low when it comes to crime in that particular city for the next little while. Luckily I was wearing my gas mask and I teleported away as soon as he walked in on my little mugging, so he shouldn't be able to identify me, but all the same: be careful in Violet.

Thirdly and lastly, you might have heard me talking a little about an upcoming large-scale heist that I've begun planning. I don't know how many of you have been to Blackthorn yet, but there's a mine there. A mine that produces evolution stones in all different rarities.

We're going to steal them.

Obviously, the more people who come on the heist, the more we'll be able to bring back, so I've decided to open it to everyone on the Team who wants to come. Don't worry if you've got lower-level pokemon--my plan's got roles for all experience levels.

Now, I can't make a lot of promises on rewards, but if we pull this off, the admins are likely to be decently generous and I wouldn't be surprised if among everything else we earn, we all can keep a stone or two. But again, no promises.

Anyway. Since I'm hoping to invite everyone, that means doing this when everyone can make it. I know people have things like Victory Road and heists of their own upcoming, so I thought if we scheduled it for the end of August or beginning of September, that would give everyone enough time to clear their calendars. Let me know when's good for everyone.

[The video switches off.

HOWEVER, the following text message will pop up on everyone but Jack's pokegears a little after Steven finishes his video message.]

Hey. So. I wasn't going to talk about this where he could overhear it, but this upcoming Thursday, July 23rd, is going to be Handsome Jack's 55th birthday. Obviously, I've already got some things planned for the two of us for that day, but if any of you want to wish him "Happy Birthday" over the pokegear, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. (If it matters, he prefers chocolate cake.)

Comments

[Voice]

[wonderland_vogue]

Pft, this is why you don't do shit where you can get caught. But I suppose that's more my thing than it is yours. [He can probably hear the shit-eating grin on the other side of the 'gear even without video.]

And I suppose I can get involved in that mess, it's not as if I had anything in particular planned otherwise.

[As for that last thing... Steven, you fucking loser.]

God, he's old as fuck for a human, isn't he? I can't keep track of their life spans anymore.

voice

[fingersandteeth]

[Honestly, there's some dry amusement of his own in his reply.] We have two very different styles of crime, yes.

[Also,]

Human lifespans are dependent on a lot of things, like technology level. So that would be old as fuck where you come from, but merely getting up there where I'm from and right in the prime of middle age where *Jack* is from.

voice

[wonderland_vogue]

I'd say mine's a little more effective~ [Don't do this here in public, Lydia, god.]

Hey, hey you don't know shit about where I'm from. Technology isn't in the stone ages or something, god. Either way, gross.

Re: voice

[fingersandteeth]

[Oh Lydia.] Yours is heavily dependent on fleecing gullible old straight men, Lydia. I'm the wrong sex for that.

Okay, you're right, I don't. I was just assuming that you were accurate about human lifespans in your world.

voice

[wonderland_vogue]

You say that like there aren't gullible old gay or bisexual men out there, Steven. You just have to know where to look.

It depends on what the human does, I guess. Adventurers obviously have a shorter lifespan than, say, an inn keeper or a trade worker.

[Voice]

[zenryokubatankyu]

I'm not gonna turn down a free Pokemon! Thank you!!!

But I'm in for the heist! Sounds fun!!!

[Then, after that...]
Oh!!! Happy birthday! I don't know him yet, but happy birthday all the same! And to many more! :D

Re: [Voice]

[fingersandteeth]

Great! I'll see about dropping off the egg the same way that I did with your new clothes. Do you have any fire-type pokemon? Because sometimes if you have them with your egg, it'll encourage them to hatch faster. Otherwise, I think these take about a week?

I'll pass on the birthday wishes come Thursday!

[zenryokubatankyu]

Luckily, I do! Charisma Legend! My Vulpix! She'll help out!!! Thanks again.

[fingersandteeth]

No problem! Good luck with your egg!

[video]

[yay_heiress]

[London's bubbly grin appears on the screen.]

Ooh, ooh! Can I have an egg, too?


[In response to the text:
Wow, that's old! I bet he's even older than Moseby!

Re: [video]

[fingersandteeth]

[Steven grins back. He's got a soft spot for London, despite her flightiness.]

Of course, London! I'll drop it off on my way to work tomorrow.

It's not quite so old for the future, really. I think in his time he's still middle-aged.

Re: [video]

[yay_heiress]

[She releases a happy gasp.] Yay!

So about these rare stones: If I agree to help out, do I have to dig?


I guess it's not that old compared to someone whose

dubble that.

[Auto correct can only do so much.]

Re: [video]

[fingersandteeth]

Oh no, the miners will have already done most of that. We'll be primarily stealing the stones they've already dug up.

Exactly.

voice;

[amaure]

Really Steven, you ought to be more careful when you choose to indulge in such ruffian behavior. Little should we pay for your sloppiness, but your warning about such a self-elected hero has been duly noted.

[As if he could sound any more condescending...]

As for your little heist, at least you are not without some halfway decent ideas. Dirk will be heading out ere long—for Victory Road I believe it is named—and I do suppose that would indeed free up some of my time. Should you have an ample plan, then I should be glad to support it.

Do be thorough, would you? I do not think we can afford suffering all of us getting captured due to under-preparation and a poorly conceived scheme. But, as they say, high risk ever gives high reward.

[And he has nothing to say about Jack. No surprise there, probably.]

Re: voice;

[fingersandteeth]

[You can practically hear his eyes rolling.]

Don't worry about that, 'Solus.' My heist preparations are always very thorough. Just ask Tyler--we've partnered up on our fair share of them.

And I suppose that would free up some time for you. How ever are you going to fill it?

[You know. Besides two-timing Dirk.]

[amaure]

Oh have you now? Well, I guess I will just have to see for myself if your standards are aught near mine.

Never you mind about that, I always find a way to fill it. After all, some of us are dedicated to our work and are not wont to lengthy vacations. Not that you would know anything about that.

[You can practically feel the smirk he has.]

[fingersandteeth]

[Another eyeroll.]

Do you mean while I took all that time off to fly poor Entrapta from Olivine to Azalea so she could reunite with her traveling companion when they got stranded? So that she and poor Winter wouldn't have to otherwise spend weeks on the road? I'm sorry. I had no idea you were monitoring what days I was in the office and what days I wasn't.

Really, 'Solus,' you needn't go to the trouble.

And I'm sure you do find ways to fill it--though not, I suppose, if you throw your ways of filling it away.

[voice]

[bendyandthepinkmachine]

[Oh, a heist? She had a lot of fun on the last one...]

Oh! Pick me! I wanna go on a heist!

Re: [voice]

[fingersandteeth]

Don't worry, Spinel! You're coming too!

It's going to be a while away, though. About a month. We want to give Dirk time to get back from Victory Road.

[voice]

[bendyandthepinkmachine]

Yay~!

Aw, a month is far away. But I guess I'll wait on Dirk.

Re: [voice]

[fingersandteeth]

It's not really that far when you think of it. It seems like it now, but you'd be surprised how quickly time passes.

text;

[antipatheia]

Ah, the eggs, someone explained them to me before so I thought it was just a matter of time before I had my chance to nurture one.

[ nurture? diego, why? ]

I appreciate this more than I can possibly express, it would be foolish to refuse such a generous offer.

As for your planned heist, so long as it gives me the chance to excel I'm more than willing to spare my time. We'll all get something out of it, correct?

Re: text;

[fingersandteeth]

Yes! Traditionally at the end of heists, when we hand in our loot, is when we make our requests of the admins and then they quick confer with each other to see what we get. We don't always get what we ask for, but if they refuse we'll still usually get something. Cash bonuses are pretty common. So is keeping one of the things you stole--either an object or one of the nicer Pokemon. That's how Lydia got her first Arcanine and Tyler his Machamp. And usually that's when you'd ask for a promotion if you did something particularly impressive--though they don't ever promote anyone after their first big heist. I got promoted after my second, but I'd masterminded that one.

Where do you want me to send the egg?

[antipatheia]

I think I can find a way to be comfortable enough if they decide that a cash bonus is the best way to go, I'm certainly not going to complain about it. I'll take it one step at a time, then, it seems simple enough if I'm looking to advance.

As for where to send it, I haven't traveled all that much yet so I don't know that I could really tell you where. I was told that it would be better to make my presence here known away from Goldenrod, but I haven't quite sorted out the direction I plan on going in. You've been such a help, if you don't mind I would like to hear any route suggestions you might have.

[fingersandteeth]

Personally, I think I'd head out towards Violet and Cherrygrove. If you can get registered for warps there as soon as you can, you won't have to make excuses to people why you don't have them—and if you'd come from Fake Mom's house like the others, you *would*.

If you're still in town, I can mail it to your nearest pokecenter branch.