RED ALERT [text]

[conniemaheswaran]

Guys, I hate to bring down the mood, but we have a HUGE problem. Riku—you know, one of the very first trainers to arrive here, Aurora Leaguer, exceptionally powerful—that Riku apparently knows all about our operations in the Radio Tower. He's been keeping quiet about it, but with our increased activity and the organization of the Pokémon Guardian Corps there's a serious possibility he'll be conducting a raid in the future. He even mentioned it in a conversation with me, here's the proof.

[A video file containing a private conversation between Riku and Connie is attached.]

Everybody there, please please please PLEASE be careful (looking at you, Tio Steven) and see if you can't persuade the admins to move house or at least set up some countermeasures. This is bad news.

Comments

[asmywitness]

If we do, you might need to keep her in her ball or she'll get antsy and come find me. I hate putting her in the PC but if worst comes to it...

I'll happily take Acatl for you, that ought to throw the scent off you. Not that there was much there, really.

[And private in return:]

I can never tell if that's an insult or not.

[fingersandteeth]

I mean, at some point someone will remember that I *have* a Xatu and that he breeds with your Natu, since we *did* advertise their babies on the network that time. Better to plan ahead.

But right. I can definitely do that.

[Private:]

Only sometimes. Just *goddamn*. Your first instinct really *is* to throw hands.

(I'm smiling fondly, don't worry.)

[asmywitness]

You know Natu and Xatu aren't actually that rare, right? They were worse than Pidgey in Goldenrod, when we went down to Alph. It's fine that people know you have one.

[Private]

I don't like heroes. They deserve to get taken down a couple of pegs.

[fingersandteeth]

I know, I know. I just like keeping my ass thoroughly covered.

Riku's got a gym. If we don't have the PGC meeting there, maybe go after his gym?

[Private:]

I mean, that's legit. That's more than legit.

[asmywitness]

Look at you, already putting your insider knowledge to work.

[Private]

Seriously, though, I know how precarious your whole position could be there. There's a reason I specifically said you and Connie wouldn't be involved. At the very most, I'd let you know the date so you can be somewhere with a solid alibi.

[fingersandteeth]

I'm just doing my part.

[Private]

I know and I'm glad you're taking that into account. I kind of think what you're doing is a bit stupidly hotheaded and could end in disaster, but it's not a *guaranteed* disaster like the last crazy asshole stunt you pulled was and this time you're keeping me out of it instead of dragging me into it, so I figure I owe you one with this one. I'm not going to talk you out of it.

Just-- be fucking careful, okay? *I don't want to see you incarcerated*, holy fucking shit. Even if they only keep you in jail for a week for first offenses, going there in the first place is just-- the worst fucking thing they could *do* to you. It's fucking *psychological torture*.

Private

[asmywitness]

I'm not a Darkling, Steven, I don't have any issue with small enclosed spaces. Mine was a forest and a very literal green room. And if the only punishment for a first offense is being put in time-out for a week, that's not even a slap on the wrist, that's just dumb.

And if all Team Rocket is remembered as by locals is a team of idiots with too much time and nefarious ideas, might as well play to type.

Private

[fingersandteeth]

That's not a Darkling thing, Tyler. That's a *me* thing. And technically it's more of a 'please don't stick me underground with no lights on and no windows whatsover for long periods of time thing' than a small enclosed spaces thing.

... this is possibly also a Steven Spent Way More Of His Time At The Freehold Than Tyler thing, because... well, there's this whole attitude among our kind (at least at the San Diego freehold) that for one of us, death's a less cruel punishment than long term incarceration.

Not that a week is anything but short term.

Private

[asmywitness]

Well since death's off the table here, we're rather going to have to live with long term incarceration. I'd be more surprised it bothers you so much if you didn't mention that, though, I didn't realise you don't consider our entire existence here to be as much. The only difference between in there and out here is the square meterage.

Private

[fingersandteeth]

Maybe I should, considering that stuck in another world and mostly confined to a single landmass, but I've had so much freedom here to remake my *life* that it doesn't really feel like being imprisoned. Not to mention that *here* I'm not trapped in the closet (which admittedly I did to *myself* back home for the sake of my career.)