text

[epitaffio]

[This post opens with a picture of a wonderfully purple-ish Murkrow, peacefully asleep in a comfortable blanket. Yes, it is absolutely in the right network.]

Look at him! Did you know birds like blankets? I had no idea.
I didn't know Pokémon could come in different colors either, but I'm guessing most of you DID already know that.
It's very rare, isn't it? These Pokémon, Murkrow... They're usually much darker.
But that reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask.

Some of you have more than one team, right? Since we're supposed to be incognito?
Right now, there's only one Pokémon I've made sure not to use when I'm out doing civilian things
You know, that little barnacle claw guy I got after that other big heist (he's grown a lot by the way! Kind of freaky how it stands like a person now, but I guess it's good for intimidation purposes).

BUT my point is... I need to decide what to do with Corvo, don't I?
(That's this little guy's name)
Since shiny Pokémon are so rare, using him in battle both on the job and out could let someone identify me...
But
Um.

[Okay fuck this is embarrassing but here goes.]

The admins won't make me hand him over if they see me using him, will they?
I like him a LOT and I think he likes me too!
I saw him hatch and all these toys and this blanket came with the egg...
Should I actually JUST use him for civilian things???

((OOC: ICly, Doppio's text is pink, I'm just defaulting to black because I don't want to force that on unsuspecting people :V;; I'll tag back in pink if I know you're fine with it!))

Comments

pink is cool for me

[fingersandteeth]

I haven't heard of admins forcing us to hand over any special pokemon we've ended up with. Emet-Selch still has his shiny Yamask and Dirk has both of his shiny Ponytas... they might be Rapidashes by now.

Actually, on occasion they even let us have shiny pokemon like him as rewards. Especially if you're the one who stole them, but every now and then they'll just let you have one. That's how I got Fiyero, my Cacturne.

i had a feeling :B

[epitaffio]

Oh
That's good to know.

Re: i had a feeling :B

[fingersandteeth]

And apart from being shiny, Murkrow aren't especially rare. I think you'll be fine. Dirk hasn't had Peaches confiscated either and Peaches can shape shift like a Ditto.

[epitaffio]

Really?
That sounds like it'd be really valuable...

[fingersandteeth]

Yeah, exactly.

I guess it's the whole honor among thieves thing. Either that or they asked and Dirk straight-up refused, because nobody makes Dirk Strider do anything.

[epitaffio]

[...]

Yeah I kinda got that impression of him.

[fingersandteeth]

He's got a strong personality.

[epitaffio]

That's a way to put it.

[Doppio doesn't trust him, and neither does the Boss, he's fairly sure, but... he knows something, so they have to cooperate. Until they figure out what to do about it, anyway.]

[fingersandteeth]

Then again, if you're as OP as he is every weird weekend, it's probably easy to be that confident.

[epitaffio]

OP?

[WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP THROWING THESE WEIRD ACRONYMS AT HIM...]

[fingersandteeth]

Oh right. You're from 2001.

Gamer slang in this case. It stands for overpowered.

[epitaffio]

Oh.

[And that might be that, if the thought of Dirk Strider being "OP" weren't... concerning.]

Overpowered how?

[fingersandteeth]

Oh, I'm not going to deprive Dirk the fun of explaining just how he's ridiculously outclassing everyone except Emet-Selch in terms of godlike power and influence.

Ask Dirk how he's OP. Tell him I told you to.

[epitaffio]

[... Why is everyone so GODDAMN WEIRD about Dirk Strider?]

Uhh okay.
I guess he trusts you, right?
If telling him you told me to ask is enough...

[fingersandteeth]

It should be.

[After all, he can see this. Please enjoy Steven setting you up for fucking with Doppio, Dirk.]

[epitaffio]

Do all you higher-up types like to mess with the new guys like this?

[he still counts as a new guy, right]

[fingersandteeth]

It's not so much messing with as I'm fairly sure Dirk wants to explain his deal to you himself, so as to be suitably over the top.

[epitaffio]

Doesn't that mean you're just letting him mess with me instead though?
That's practically the same thing!

[fingersandteeth]

Why do you assume that Dirk personally explaining how he's overpowered is him messing with you? Don't you believe he'll tell you the truth?

Look, Doppio. Let me level with you. I, a mere mortal (well, mortal-adjacent person), cannot hope to comprehend all the nuances of Dirk Strider's godlike capabilities. They're better expressed through the man himself.

[epitaffio]

[Does Steven seriously not understand how every part of that message reads like he's fucking with him? Or is he pretending so as to fuck with him harder?]

No I believe you.

[It's just that you can be truthful and still be messing with someone.]

Aren't you kind of playing it up though?

[fingersandteeth]

I suppose I might be. But, well, I don't know if you've noticed, but this is a *public* thread, Doppio. Dirk can read everything we're saying. So while I'm playing it up a little, it's only so I can make the corner of my friend's mouth twitch slightly as he reads this... which is, of course, the Striderian equivalent of a smile.

[epitaffio]

[... So they ARE both fucking with him. Good to know.]

I guess you're really good friends, huh?

[fingersandteeth]

Tolerably good. We've had our differences, but the worst were ironed out.

[epitaffio]

Really?
Then maybe there's hope for me yet.

[Yeah, right.]

[fingersandteeth]

Really.

[uber_marionettist]

The admins don't care what you do with what's yours as long as you pay them what's theirs. The lion's share to the lions. Or the devil's due, if you like.

[Lol.]

Now, onto the real question..... look, I know I keep doing this to you, and it ain't really your thing, but I'm gonna answer your question with a question.

Why do you care about being identified?

Honest question. This isn't a challenge, I'm not calling you out or anything. Some people give a shit. I don't, but maybe you do. Or maybe you just think you do. Old habits die hard. I know how it is. So think about it.

[epitaffio]

[For No Particular Reason, Doppio quickly answers a call before getting back to Dirk, and for No Particular Reason, the Boss remains on the line, partially watching the conversation.

It could be nothing, sure. But he hasn't gotten where he is by not being paranoid.]

Old habits?
I don't know what you're talking about.

[That's one thing Doppio can not-so-subtly fish for information on. The other, he is unaware of; it only resonates deep in the back of his mind and unsettles something raw and reaches all the way to Diavolo.]

But if we're not supposed to let people know we're in Team Rocket then I probably shouldn't be challenging gyms with Pokémon that stand out too much, right?