silph_co | Arrival… (Video)

Arrival… (Video)

[The screen turns on to show a confused and frustrated teen, sitting on the edge of his new bed. He’s on the edge of it because it seems that his Skarmory has taken up most of the bed and isn’t interested in moving. This is a problem because Narancia has already spent the day in training and needs to take the chance to rest, but he wants to get this video out first.]

Alright, what the fuck is this and how do I go home? I was in the middle of something before all this, so I can’t stay here and keep doing your Team Rocket training stuff!

[Narancia’s current working theory is that a Stand brought him here, somehow. Why he was sent to some sort of Pokemon world is a mystery, but right now his priority is getting back to his friends at the Coliseum.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[UH OH. OH NO!

Carly comes flying in pretty quick to say the least. Wow, looks like they....finally have someone new again?? Oh dear.] Uhhhh...Hoo. Okay! Either you slept in or they really pushed you into training fast didn't they, oh boy...

Ahhh...welcome to Team Rocket, I guess, it's not really the best way to get here...er.

Unfortunately, this is home now? ...Not. The dorm obviously, once you're out of training it's pretty easy to get another place...Actually I could probably lend you some things- AHEM-

There's no going back to wherever. ...Sorry.

...Erm...

Time's probably not really moving at least? I mean, not technically anyway, Jolyne's got her great...great something grandparents here and it's definitely not done anything weird to their memory so...

What?! [Excuse him, he’s going to need a moment to process that there’s no way home.]

Oh man, if time’s not moving then they won’t notice I’m gone, but… [But this isn’t where he wanted to be.]

…Damn it. How long have you been here?

A few years! But don't worry, [She assures him, adjusting her glasses.] I'm sure it's pretty spooky, waking up this way- honestly if you ask me the usual guys have it worse, they wake up in a house with someone calling themselves their mom before getting kicked out to the road for a pokemon journey, hihhh...- but I know it's spooky, but it's easy to work out once you're all collected ok!

And honestly, it's uh...it's pretty great. I mean, I have a houseboat, my own little business...There's no way I'd manage that with the kind of set up they have in the world back home!

Are you saying we get more explanation than the people who get to have a normal journey? [He can't believe this. And yes, it's spooky, but at least he has a handle on the fact that he's in a gang. Not the one he willfully joined, it's not Passione - but it is a gang and that means that he has some idea of how this works.

Doesn't mean he has to like it, though.]

Whoa, you got to have all that? That's actuall- ow! [In the background, his Skarmory nudges him, apparently trying to see what he's doing.]

Ehhh...yes and no?

Okay so- [Serious Carly Time.] If you read the letter, the Rockets from here mention a lot that you wouldn't get from the people in New Bark- because they complain about everything we'd normally ask. So everyone else er...well, they're stuck waiting for answers on this thing, on the open network.

...They also have a three 3 camping trip to any town with a store- more, if they take the ferry.

You~ however, like any of us pulled in, get a trade off! On the one hand, Team Rocket uh... ...I mean, honestly I can't really say we're the mob, it's really...basic? [How does one explain how petty crime the crime organization is.] Buttttt we also get resources~!

The pay won't be good- but if you play your cards right, you can get a lot through work expense; clothes, for the sake of blending in, is a big one, [she points out.] I got new glasses that way!

I didn't even need insurance! Or...or a doctor! [WILD.] And the cafeteria! Camping out got way easier with tupperware bowls of that...

[............oh hey-] Oh~! A skarmory~!

So we're in a gang, but we get stuff that the others who aren't don't. [Honestly, the fact that it's a (petty) gang isn't bothering him as much as the fact that he was yanked from his own world for this.

Meanwhile, the Skarmory is still slowly nudging Narancia out of frame, forcing him to have to push back to stay in frame.]

Hey, stop that- yeah, this is one of the Pokemon I had when I woke up! I named him Mr. Smith. [No, he's not explaining that choice of name.]

[Hand waggle.] It evens out pretty fast if I'm honest.

...

Also I'll be first to admit that most wouldn't think to handle things the way I did, [She adds, giving a nervous cough and a look to the side. Ahem.] Oooh~ Well nice to meet you Mr. Smith~ Let's see if I can...Aha~!

[On her own end, a salazzle slowly comes into view.] This one is one of my first two~ Meet Misty~

Ah, and I'm Carly, by the way! Carly Nagisa...Kujo! [She adds after a brief pause, grinning a bit stupidly when she does.] If you have questions about this place feel free to ask by the way, I mean...heck, I probably qualify as someone in a mentor position, or a supervisor...I can't say boss, I don't really have any grunts under me right now uh...

How did you handle things- [Then Misty comes into view and Narancia drops that train of thought in exchange for reacting to the Pokemon.]

Whoa, what kind of Pokemon is that? Oh, hang on- [Narancia puts the gear down, looking for where his other Pokeball went, but only for a moment.]

-Here it is, this is the other one I got. This one's Volare. [And out comes a Houndour, who hops up on the bed to sit next to the still peeking at the screen Mr. Smith. Narancia is now perched on the very edge of the bed, doing his best to accommodate both of his 'mons.]

My name's Narancia. Uh, what exactly do we do here? They talked a lot about theft and stuff, but...

[He just wants to know what he's being dragged into here.]

Salazzle! They're originally from Alola, it's like Pokemon Hawaii. ...I've never been, we uh...we can't really leave the Johto-Kanto region most of the time, though we did get a small visit to Sinnoh the one year! [She remarks with an excited point.]

...It's kind of a shame, but at the end of the day they made some pretty reasonable allowances and restrictions for uh...a pile of people who came from nowhere. Literally. Besides, it seems that a lot of pokemon from outside the country are becoming more readily available while here...

[~~God only knows what'll happen when Hisuian variations become a thing.~~]

Okay so- here's your first tip. The theft isn't actually required. Team Rocket asks you to bring in a pokemon every two weeks- but they don't actually check to see that you stole it, AND for that matter, they can't actually access the voice logs. So our conversation? No recording, no nothing.

What I'm saying though, is you could just catch a pokemon and trade it in- the pokemon gets an incoming trainer, and Team Rocket doesn't have to worry about a paper trail, win win right?

The main problem is uh...they want one every two weeks, and it can be pretty tricky to handle that right off... Hmmm...

...You know, honestly I could probably transfer you some pokemon I still have in my PC. I'm...not likely to bring them out honestly, I didn't expect to get a full-time position before I finished trading them in for quotta.

[Look, he doesn't recognize most of these region names, but he's going to assume these are pretty much like different countries or something.

What's more important is the fact that not only does Narancia not have to steal every two weeks, but apparently Carly can give him Pokemon to hand over???]

You can do that? And they won't notice that they weren't stolen? [He's willing to go through with it if he has to, but taking someone's pet/battle partner is still a mental hurdle.]

Nnnnnope.

Honestly they don't really check things like the 'OT' with much ah...focus. So you'd be fine~!

Though you should reallllly learn how to catch some on your own still. I can give tips!~ It's good to build a party though. And get your own stash ready, just in case.

You can? That's great! I haven't had the chance to try yet, but I'll have to catch some more later!

[It's just a matter of when he's finally allowed to go do that, given that Narancia is going to be stuck in training for a while.

The cons of being a brand new Rocket grunt: the mandatory week of training. He'd better hope nothing interesting happens in that week...]

Of course~!

And there's some pretty handy options just around the city too, so really take advantage when you're on the field for the week's training okay? Especially around the electronics stores, some Rotom like to hang around there.

I'll try! I don't know what lives here, but I'll have to look and see.

[Does he even know what a Rotom is? Probably not. He's likely to try and catch the first thing he sees when he has the chance to do so. Not that that's a bad thing, since he does need to fill out his team, but that's probably what will happen.]

Hmhmhmmmm good luck then~!

Oh, and don't forget to reference your pokedex as you go, okay?

[A pause and she adds-] Ah- Actually, you know what? If you've got questions for anything, go ahead and message me back for that too- I think I'm uh. I think I'm the one who's been in Team Rocket longest that's still here now.

[And compared to the other 'vets' of the gang...hm. ~~Well at least one might still be helpful but yeah~~]

[He nods, listening to the advice. Narancia is about to ask what else lives in the area besides Rotom, only to be cut off by Carly’s comment about having been in Team Rocket the longest.]

Wait, you are? What happened to everyone before you?

Well there was one rocket from another world here before, but he...well, I think he went home, basically.

Sometimes it happens here, there's not really warning... But most people don't wake up through team Rocket, they wake up through New Bark! ...And well, it's not like any of us in Team Rocket uh.

Advertise that.

How'd that happen? Him going home?

[He was bound to latch on to that, given just how new he is and all.]

And yeah, I doubt anyone would advertise being in a gang, that's asking for trouble... [How would you know that one, Narancia?]

[A slllllooooooooow shrug.]

It just kinda...happens?

Anyway, good to see you have some sense~! On that note I'm going to look into who's handling your training. ...No offense meant to whoever is right now, but for cases like us it's...a little more beneficial to have other 'import' Rockets handling it.

[For empathy reasons, or something.]

Alright! I don’t think it’s someone who was brought here like us, though.

[And he has to put up with this for a whole week, too…]

I hope this week goes fast…

Ooof. It probably wouldn't be I guess...

Uh, hang in there, and I'll do what I can from this end okay?

[Oh, hey. It's not that often that they get new videos on this line, and it looks like this one's coming from a complete newbie. A newbie who... Doppio feels like he might know from somewhere? He's lost in thought for a couple of seconds, only realising he should probably say something once a blue sort of blob (that apparently has painted lips??) wobbles in his direction and bumps into his side.]

Um! Wasn't there a letter somewhere in your room? It's been a while... I could be misremembering.

Yeah, I saw that. It just said what to do and that they can't turn off the music and stuff.

[What is with the music? Narancia would like to know.]

I just want to know how to go home and all that. [Yes, the note also said that they didn't intentionally kidnap him, but that doesn't answer his question.

...It hasn't really yet occurred to him that he might be stuck here.

Meanwhile, his Skarmory leans forward to watch the Wobbuffet wobble in. Narancia glances at the Steel type, but doesn't do much about it.]

Edited 2021-09-03 07:40 (UTC)

I don't think you really can yet, sorry. People say time's stopped back home, though! So... At least you're not missing anything important.

[That made it a lot easier for him ~~- and a certain someone else who is clearly not paying attention to this conversation right now -~~ to accept his continued presence here, personally.

Anyway, the Wobbuffet headbutts the camera, or... at the very least lets its head bounce onto it. Doppio quickly wipes it with a purple sleeve.]

If you say so... [He's clearly not quite okay with this, but if he can't leave for now and time's not moving back home, then he might as well try to get used to this place.]

...How long have you been here, then - hey, Mr. Smith! [Mr. Smith, apparently curious about the PokeGear and the Wobbuffet, is now pecking at the screen a bit much to Narancia's annoyance.]

[The Wobbuffet, in turn... stares?? Back?? It's a little hard to tell if it's staring, with that strange expression on its face... What Doppio can tell is that the kid he's talking to isn't too into it, so... he nudges the Wobbuffet with its Pokéball.]

Hey, Gomma, how about you rest for a bit? [And in it goes, after a mysterious "Wohhhhh." ANYWAY...] Uh, I think it's been... something like a year now?

[You can tell by the look on Narancia's face that he really doesn't know what the heck that was. A Pokemon, definitely, but beyond that? He's clueless.

Mr. Smith, for his part, seems disappointed that Gomma is gone and settles down again.]

...Damn, that's a long time. [Even if time's frozen back home, he's uncomfortable with potentially being stuck here for that long.] How did we even get here, anyway?

[He's still blaming Stand BS, but if this guy's been here for a year, then maybe he knows something.]

[Poor Mr. Smith. Doppio only called Gomma back for Narancia's sake, he swears! Perhaps one day they will see each other again.]

You know... I'm not sure. I've heard people say Arceus - that's... some kind of Pokémon that's also God, or something - did it, but then how do we end up in Team Rocket?

[Maybe one day...

But as for Narancia's reaction to this new info-]

Are you saying there's a fucking god Pokémon and that its hobby is kidnapping people?

[He's not amused about that. And given this is Narancia, he's likely to hold a grudge about that regardless of the circumstances.]

I... guess so? I don't know why it does that. It kind of feels like people don't talk about it enough!

[Like, is it just accepted as a normal part of this place now...??]

Damn it, this sucks. [Then, more quietly, Narancia mutters something, presumably at his Skarmory instead of the Gear. He’s not really intending Doppio to overhear, but it’s possible to overhear something about his Stand being gone if one listens close enough.

Then, more loudly and actually to the camera:]

Does this Arceus guy take stuff away, too? [He’s trying really hard to not reveal he has/had a Stand, but he wants to know.]

[... What was that he just said...?]

What kind of... "stuff"?

[Frankly, even if Narancia hadn't muttered, chances are Doppio would have asked anyway. It's in the Boss's best interests for him to keep an eye on everything and everyone that could eventually become an ally or an enemy.]

[Crap. Now he has to explain something.]

Uh, I had a Stand, but it's gone now.

[He's not saying what the Stand was, given his wariness of telling others about himself.]

A Stand?

[So, that IS what he thought he heard. But... Wait. The hamster wheel in his head is beginning to turn again. He does know this kid from somewhere, doesn't he? But if he knows him, and he's a Stand user, that would mean...

Tragically, Doppio does not pull a poker face out of his pocket in time to stop his eyes from going wide.]

[Narancia might not be the smartest one around, but he does notice Doppio's face and reacts by immediately going on his guard.]

What do you know about Stands, huh?

[Behind him, Mr. Smith notices Narancia's change in attitude and looks at him in surprise, apparently wondering what's going on.]

[Shit. Was that too obvious? Luckily, he has something to fall back on!]

T-They're some kind of special ability, right? I've talked to another kid in this place who had one.

[Two, actually (and alarmingly), but that's not the point right now.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Arrival… (Video)

VIDEO

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject