.004 Δ [Video]

[ratherbelocky]

Goooood evening, residents of Johto. It's a lovely, drizzly January day, and I've got a question you folks might be able to answer for me. Consider it an informal poll.

[York looks comfortable and cozy as he lounges around his house, still wearing his ugly Christmas sweater.]

Now, I understand that this place just isn't equipped to support a Grifball League, but there's got to be more to life than just hockey and baseball. Are there Pokémon Olympics or something I should tune into? And, hey, what kind of sports did you guys have back in your worlds? Were they fun? Would you recreate 'em here if you could?

[He rubs his chin for a moment, then adds:]

If anyone around Goldenrod's interested in forming some kind of low-key community sports team--y'know, something for people, not Pokémon--let me know. I might be able to help us get something set up before baseball season starts.

Comments

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

Ah, gotcha. Good, every team needs someone like him on it.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Yeah. He sort of ended up our leader. Like, we all pitched in info, but he made the final calls.

private text;

[grapeeater]

That... that's pretty terrible. ... 'Sorry' doesn't cut it, huh?

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

[That makes him smile.]

You don't happen to've met Carolina, have you? Redhead, rides a Tyrantrum around sometimes.

private text;

[ratherbelocky]

Hey, you're not him. And I hear he and the rest of the Project get taken down eventually. But the things we've done, the echoes'll linger for a damn long time.

Good and bad.

I'da liked to have done more while I had a chance, but it's good to know that what I did do mattered, in the end. I hope you manage to find some peace, at least, man.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

I don't think so. Was she your leader?

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

Uh-huh. Still is, in a way. North and I probably could've gotten along on our own, we're both grown men, but with Carolina here, well. Things just feel more right with all three of us around.

private text;

[grapeeater]

[It takes him a little bit to respond, because... what do you even say to that? He's totally not crying a little. Totallly.]

If the world's not destroyed after I go back, maybe.

private text;

[ratherbelocky]

Well, yeah, I imagine if everything's completely gone, then you're probably off the hook.

[York, what the fuck kind of thing is that to say??]

text;

[doitrockapella]

That's a shame.

You'll find a few around here, though. Mostly around Mt. Moon; it's supposed to be a favorite spot of some of the local aliens.

private text;

[grapeeater]

Yeah, though that means I didn't do what I was supposed to do.

'We stain our hands so others don't have to'. No one should have to clean up my mess.

text;

[ratherbelocky]

Uh. You mean like Elgyem?

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Yeah, I can understand that. It's easier for someone to just point you where to go sometimes.

private text;

[ratherbelocky]

Yeah. Well, sometimes it's unavoidable. Cleaning up others' shit, having to leave your own for others to deal with eventually. That's the world we live in, where we're all connected in ways we don't even know.

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

Yeah. That and, well. If Carolina was our number one, I was always her second. You know what I mean? If she needed something done, she turned to me. That's the kind of setup I work best in. North's sort of the same, in his own way. We need someone to support, and Carolina's good at forging forward.

private text;

[grapeeater]

True. But I've always been taught that people with power have a responsibility to face things for the people who don't have power.

... I don't know if that's the way to go anymore, though.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Yeah. I was always air support and intel, Ax was technology, Cassie worried about ethics, Marco was the cynic who pointed out weaknesses in plans, Jake was the leader and... and Rachel was the... main fighter...

[His expression darkens for a moment, before he pulls himself back.]

Anyway, we all had our skills.

private text;

[ratherbelocky]

Dunno if I'll be much help figuring that one out. That's sort of the whole idea behind maintaining a military force, you know? Protecting the innocent and so on.

I will say that a big part of my job was helping other people act with their full power, though. Would that sort of philosophy sit better with you, dude?

[bent_the_world]

Some stuff just won't work. It sounds like you've got an idea for another kind of sport, though...?

Well, we're thinking a bunch of different tests and things for skill and strength and special moves. And events where trainers and their team have to work together, to show off everybody's skill.

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

[York catches that, but, well. He's not gonna push the kid. He understands.]

Yeah. We were like that, too. We all had our specialties. Carolina was our leader and our best at CQC, North and Wyoming were snipers...

[He trails off, not for any difficult memory, but because he just. Misses it powerfully, sometimes. How good they'd been, when they'd been good.]

[ratherbelocky]

I haven't really decided yet. I've actually been hired on as an athletic advisor for the local baseball team--the Goldenrod Granbulls, if you heard of 'em--so I'm not hurting for sports in my life, but there's a difference between coaching and getting to play yourself, you know? Depending on who shows interest, we could have anything from some casual kickball games to crazy obstacle courses like Draculaura's been talking to me about.

But hey, that sounds cool! Definitely has an Olympian flavor to it. Sort of a way to show off without tracking down a Gym Leader, huh?

Action;

[usedlightscreen]

[North chuckles, deep and resonant, and leans back, draping one arm over the back of the couch.]

...I'm sorry, should I make it up to you?

private text;

[grapeeater]

... Maybe. I don't know what sort of philosophy I should believe in anymore.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Yeah we... usually just used different morphs. We just got comfortable with a role and stuck with it.

Action;

[ratherbelocky]

[No. Don't you touch him with those hands of yours, North, you are terrible and bad. >.(]

Why are you an icicle. Does it take longer for heat to circulate to your fingers because you have a giant's limbs or what?