silph_co | [video] some time earlier this week because what even is time

[video] some time earlier this week because what even is time

((OOC: Putting a big ol' content warning for discussion of parasites in here, because Doppio is very upset about Parasect.))

[The familiar scenery of Violet City is visible behind Doppio, who is in clear and visible distress. He speaks in a hushed tone -]

T... This is terrible! How is this normal? This can't be normal! Rosso... Rosso is dead!

[And then the scenery is mostly obscured by the Pokémon Doppio drags in front of him, a large Parasect. It stares into the PokéGear with its blank eyes, softly pinching at Doppio's sweater.]

Do you see that? He just evolved. So I checked the Pokédex, and it says... it says the mushroom is in control now? And if that's in the Pokédex, that means it's normal, right? But... But doesn't anybody else think that's awful? Isn't this place supposed to be family-friendly?! Rosso had a personality... He had likes and dislikes! And now this mushroom is just puppeteering his body around?!

[He seems to let that hang in the air for a bit, hugging Rosso close to him. Then he adds, in a tone that's more self-conscious than panicked:]

By the way, uh... Does anybody know if [Quieter still.] the higher-ups can cover for accidental damages while you're [And quieter again.] in plain-clothes? I... Pesci evolved right next to one of those bridges to that big tower.

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Jesus Christ. [This guy is probably someone's mole... but he really does seem freaked out by all this.]

I. Hell. I don't know what to do about him. If there's anything to do about him. If the mushroom doesn't take over until he evolves... maybe we could give Paras everstones to keep that from happening? But even so, this is. Ugh

You can keep Pokémon from evolving?!

[HOW IS HE SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE NOW]

[Okay, now Steven feels slightly awkward. He knows that this guy works for someone already, but he's really starting to think he's not a native—he just got suborned by the Boss or the Admins before Steven ran into him.]

Yeah. They don't always tell you about special items in training—I should have before. But there's this thing you can buy at the department store called an everstone. If a Pokemon carries it, they won't evolve.

Rosso...!

[Doppio turns his Parasect around and speaks directly to it, holding it firmly. Steven just has to watch this, unfortunately.]

If there's anything left of you in there, I'm so sorry... I had no idea! I'll keep giving you your favourite berries, I promise!

[Steven doesn't feel guilty, exactly, since it's not his fault that Parasect is such an objectively horrifying evolution, but the enduring awkwardness of this all is enough for him to want to say something to Doppio, mole or no mole.]

Hey, [he says, gently.] Doppio, it's not-- well. Not exactly okay, but it's really not your fault. You didn't know. I didn't know either until you told me about Rosso. And-- maybe we as a Team can do something for any other Paras we meet. Get a bunch of everstones to give out to them. I'll help you bullshit something on the requisition forms.

... Really?

[Doppio's head turns back to the PokéGear.]

Are you sure that's a good idea? It doesn't really sound like the kind of thing Team Rocket would be into.

It's not traditionally Team Rocket's thing, no, but, but the first thing you learn on the Team is that if there's a way to expense things to Team Rocket, you take it.

Which means we'll just have to think of a plausible reason for you to put all those everstones on your company card. Perhaps something to do with planting everstones on the pokemon of anti-Rocket activists, keeping them from ever evolving...?

... I am looking into this business about Pokémon going out of control... Maybe I could find a reason to tie it to that, too. It'd probably be less suspicious.

Oh hey, good point. Maybe it's an experiment to see if everstones have any effect on the Pokemon going berserk.

Great!

[Except--]

I haven't seen one of those for myself yet, though... so that excuse might not fly.

Hm. Well, I did. I was at that whole crazy thing at the safari zone. Maybe you could say I suggested it. It would even be true.

[He pauses for a moment, before adding,]

Actually, you know who I should introduce you to? There's this kid from back home, Shinobu Tsukuyomi--in the sense that he's college age, not a minor--and he can... not exactly talk talk to pokemon, not in full sentences or anything, but he can understand them? Maybe he can check on what's left of Rosso and talk to some Paras and ask them about the whole mushroom thing they have going on.

Gimme a sec. I'll send you a text with his contact information.

[And... sent!]

Depending on what the Paras say to him, I might be able to find some other guys outside the Team to help us too. I've got a couple friends who are, hm, budding Pokemon rights activists? [Also budding ecoterrorists but ssshhhh.] If we can convince them this'll help the Paras, we could potentially have a couple more people on the project.

[... Wow. This is... a lot more help than what he was expecting. Not that Doppio distrusted Steven - at least, not beyond the reasonable caution he holds towards most people - but... he's really going out of his way to do something about this, huh?]

Thanks. I think... this might be worth a try.

[But now he has his Serious Face back on.]

Still, we both need to focus on our jobs. I really appreciate the help, but don't slack off when it comes to what you're supposed to be doing, okay?... Er, not that it's any of my business! [His expression softens.] I just don't want you to think I'm slacking off...

No, no, I don't. I just--

[Steven sighs.]

It's the whole Fuschia City thing, I guess. Intellectually I know the best thing to do is lie low until the Jennies get complacent again, but I really kind of miss planning out heists.

Like, I love my cover job? It's great. But I've learned since I woke up at the base that I really love running capers too and while this isn't quite the same thing, it's close enough.

But yeah, no, I won't slack off on my shit to do this with you. I'm capable of juggling a lot of balls, don't worry.

Edited 2020-10-22 18:59 (UTC)

[And now he's outright smiling.]

So you kind of found your calling here, huh? That's pretty good!

I mean... I kind of figured that the news was my calling? Or, well, at least broadcast media. And I did that for years, but I lost that when I was stuck-- elsewhere. And now I'm finally getting a chance to do it again and it's rewarding to be in the newsroom and it'll be even more rewarding once I'm on the air regularly--

But. Well. I also can't deny that I'm pretty damn good at being a criminal and it's every bit as rewarding as being on the air.

So-- I guess maybe I found my other calling. If you can have two callings.

I don't see why not! So you like your cover job AND your real job... Now that's lucky!

It is! And I love the side-business that Tyler and I have as well.

Honestly, the 'cover job' feels like just as much of a real job as this one. I suppose this means I have multiple real jobs, but then none of them are full time, so that tracks.

If it says it's normal then it's normal. Are you trying to tell me that parasites aren't a naturally occurring phenomenon where you come from?

[ He's not trying to be rude, but he's not exactly trying to be friendly either. Really, it was more of a curiosity than anything; had he ever seen anyone this upset about a simple parasite? ]

Huh? They are, but... Doesn't it freak you out? Why does this place have parasites?!

[ That was met with a huff of a laugh from Diego, shaking his head just a little. ]

Why would a place like this be exempt from the laws of nature? It's crawling with strange creatures, the likes of which I've never seen before in my life...

[ A pause as he tilted his head. ]

...I think I'd be more concerned over the rock creatures before worrying about parasites.

Rock... creatures?

[Doppio has not yet had the pleasure of seeing a Geodude up close.]

What's so bad about those? Sure they probably look weird, but they're not the only things here that do, right?

Of course they're not, but I doubt that rocks were sentient where you came from, were they?

[ Rocks shouldn't move on their own, Doppio!!! ]

No, but still... [He tilts his head in thought. How should he put it?] I bet the rocks here mind their own business, right? They're not going around taking over people's bodies.

[ That was a sadly valid point, Diego frowning as he brought up a hand to his chin thoughtfully. ]

I certainly see your point there, but are you sure? I'll admit that the likelihood of it is fairly low, but I wouldn't discount the concept completely without some sort of proof.

[ He pulled his hand away from his face, offering a seemingly sincere smile to the camera. Maybe it was real and maybe it wasn't, he wasn't going to dwell on it. ]

Just because we don't see it doesn't mean that it can't happen, right?

[... Now he's honestly unsure if parasitic rocks are any more upsetting than regular old parasites already are. Does it really matter, though...?

Wait, it definitely doesn't! Rocks are nowhere even near the point of all this!]

Sure, but that's not what's bothering me! [Okay, well, the parasite thing in and of itself does inherently bother him, but--] If people can't even die here, why are parasites allowed?

Have you stopped to think about the entire concept of a parasite and host relationship?

[ He was trying to think of how he wanted to put it, quiet contemplation before continuing. ]

I'm not sure you need to be as concerned as you're making yourself. In theory the host is still alive, yes? If it were completely dead there wouldn't be anything for the parasite to gain, wouldn't you say? No nutrients, I would imagine impaired motor functions as well...

[ Here he goes again. ]

It's when the parasite is gone that you need to be concerned.

[For a second or two there, Doppio looks like he might be... just sort of... spacing out a bit.

Then he blinks, picks up his PokéGear and starts flicking through it.]

Well, it says here that the host is mostly dead.

And mostly isn't completely, yes?

[ That had been an interesting pause... ]

I... guess so...?

[But it's still upsetting to him! And, by proxy - if not for the same reasons - upsetting to someone else.

If Doppio knew how much his line of thought is stressing that particular person out, he'd do his best to cut it out, personal feelings be damned. But he can't know, of course. Even utmost trust has its limits.]

It's a yes or no question, if you've eaten most of your lunch it doesn't mean that the entire thing is gone. I think that should be easy enough to agree with.

[ He was picking on him too much, perhaps it would be fine to give him a break now and he let out a soft chuckle. ]

I'm not sure where your guesses are coming from but I suppose I can't really fault you for it. I can't stop the way you think any more than you can stop the way I think.

I still think being mostly a puppet is pretty awful, but...

[Well, this guy is probably right about one thing: neither of them are going to budge.]

Um, we haven't met, have we?

I'm sure it is, but be grateful you're not the one on the receiving end of it.

[ He could appreciate that Doppio had come to his senses, even if that part of the conversation had become little more than a stalemate. ]

But no, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before. Diego Brando, though you can call me Dio as well, I'll respond to either. Your turn...

[Dio? Doppio raises an eyebrow - that's kind of presumptuous, isn't it? But yes, his name -]

Uh, Doppio. My name's Doppio. Vinegar Doppio, but... just Doppio is good!

[ Don't you judge the name his mother gave him! Nickname? Either way, it came from his mother and he's going to use it! He paused again, unsure how he was supposed to react to the name being presented to him as well and he found that he couldn't stop himself.

It wasn't meant to to be combative and it certainly wasn't meant to be rude but out came the question regardless of whether it should have or not. ]

What sort of a name is Vinegar?

[ Vinegar...? Who on earth could be so cruel to their child. ]

[Okay, you know what? He wasn't going to say it, but you've forced his hand!]

What kind of name is Dio?

[Not that he's... offended? Or anything? I mean, who the hell knows who gave him that name in the first place. And it's not like anybody uses it, anyway... BUT THE POINT IS, BOLD WORDS COMING FROM MISTER "GOD".]

[ There wasn't anything particularly wrong with that question, Diego huffing out a laugh in response with a tilt of his head. ]

A pet name, I suppose, given to me by my mother. I would be doing her a disservice if I didn't continue using it...

[ Ha! Touché! ]

Ah... Sorry! I didn't mean any offense!

[... Like. It's still a weird nickname, but if it was his mother, then he doesn't want to show any disrespect??]

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[video] some time earlier this week because what even is time

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video; i'm sorry;

never be

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