garbagechild | 006. [Video/Action for Goldenrod Rocket HQ, morning of May 8th]

[ACTION]

_{[It's a normal day in the Goldenrod Rocket HQ.]

[Folks are lining up before breakfast to turn in their weekly finds, be they caught or stolen.]

[Among them is Wrath, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed despite the early hour. His sleep schedule is erratic at best and seemingly nonexistent at worst, but he never seems wanting for energy. He is brimming with excitement, practically bobbling in place as he waits in the line with a Pokeball clutched in his hands. He can't wait to get to the front of the line and proudly show off his brand new Abra, caught after hour upon hour of hunting through the long, itchy grass on the far outskirts of the city after receiving a helpful suggestion from Frank Archer. This morning is going to be a good morning!]

[Also among them is Rocket Grunt Carl, who can usually be found sitting by himself in the cafeteria because no one wants to deal with his snobbery and self-titled "meme lord" status. He is smirking broadly and tossing his Pokeball from hand to hand.]

[They are standing next to each other.]}

[VIDEO]

_{[It's very rare that Wrath addresses the camera directly without shaking it all over the place, and it's even rarer that he actually stages a shot.]

[But today he has.]

[He places the camera down on one of the cafeteria tables-- it's in the base, but there's nobody really around, and it could be ANY food-court type cafeteria really. He plops down facing the camera and stares straight into it.]}

Envy.

Envy, look.

_{[And then he lifts a gelatinous pink blob onto the table, where it quivers gently before blowing an enormous raspberry and spontaneously growing a large amount of long, spiky green hair. Then it turns into a ball with a crude, cartoony approximation of Envy's face on it, and rolls in a couple of circles, making snide squeaking noises.]

[Chest puffed out, Wrath folds his arms and delivers the smuggest damn smirk that an eight-year-old can muster.]}

You jelly?

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[... Okay aside from the incredibly stupid meme, Micchy is displeased for another reason. Sure, it could be 'any' cafeteria, but you never know what someone might piece together. He heads down to the cafeteria, his Absol in tow.]

Wrath.

[This is not the tone of a pleased fellow Rocket.]

_{[Jelly stops bouncing and lets out an alarmed burble.]

[Wrath is pretty oblivious, but he has the decency and self-awareness to look up, wide-eyed, and quickly turn off the camera. And then sit there, looking innocent.]}

What?

_{[wrath YOU KNOW YOU DID SOMETHING BAD. YOU CAN'T CLAIM IGNORANCE THIS TIME.]}

[He takes a deep breath. Exploding in anger isn't going to help here, so his first few options of replying aren't right. He takes a moment of silence to gather his thoughts before speaking. He does his best to keep his tone firm and not angry or displeased.]

Wrath. Never ever make a public video from anywhere in the base that's not something like a blank wall, okay? Someone could put together information and it's not like there's a ton of cafeterias around. Or worse, someone could walk past in uniform and then people would know you're with Team Rocket.

_{[If he'd been a puppy, his tail would be going directly between his legs right about now.]

[He looks up at Micchy guiltily. YUP. He knows he did a bad thing.]}

... I just...

_{[... Nope, he can't even think of an innocent-sounding excuse for wanting to rub his new Pokemon in Envy's face.]}

[... He sighs, and reaches out to put his hand on Wrath's head gently.]

I just don't want you to get in trouble with either our superiors or the law. Laws aren't that harsh here... but the higher ups could probably make life really hard for you if they wanted to. I was just worried, okay?

_{[Wrath can't help but flinch even at the gentle head-pat, squeezing his eyes shut. But when it doesn't become a strike or an alchemical assault, he tentatively opens one of them again. Micchy doesn't sound mad... but then again, Master rarely sounded angry either.]

[Even right before she laid down the law, painfully.]}

M'sorry... I was just excited... I didn't think anybody could tell where I was...

... I know.

[Getting mad... won't really solve anything here. Wrath knows he's not happy, so yelling at him more won't help. He doesn't intend to be soft, but... being rigid in enforcing things won't hep either. ... He's not really cut out to look after kids. He ruffles Wrath's hair gently.]

You just have to think a little before you broadcast, Wrath - especially if it's public. It looks like things are okay this time, but they might not be next time.

[He sits down next to Wrath so he's at least at roughly the same height.]

Now who's your... friend?

[If you can call a blob of jelly a 'friend'.]

A-all right...

_{[Seeming somewhat reassured (but scooting the 'Gear away from himself just in case), Wrath tucks his feet under him and gestures to the Ditto, which has reverted to its normal state, aside from the hair, which it still sports.]}

This is Jelly.

I was trying to catch an Abra like Archer told me but instead I got Jelly.

... Huh.

[He pulls out his Pokegear and turns it to the Pokedex - oh.]

A Ditto? I've never seen one in person.

Neither had I!

Actually, I didn't even know about them!

Carl told me what Jelly was. I didn't know any Pokemon could change forms like that!

It's not even an illusion like what n'vidya does.

[Carl? ... Oh right. That guy. He tries to stay away from him.]

... 'n'vidya'?

Oh.

Joker's big fox. His name's n'vidya!

_{[Or, you know, Invidia.]}

He's real nice.

I tried to pick his pocket on New Year's, 'cept he didn't have pockets. He wasn't mad, though!

Oh. Well I guess that's good. Was Joker mad?

No, he was real nice. He showed me card tricks and offered to be my big brother.

No one ever wanted to be my brother before.

I love him.

... Oh.

[He... can't exactly talk on the subject of 'brotherly love', considering... everything.]

Just be careful, okay? Don't let him know you're with Team Rocket.

_{[Wrath can't exactly talk on it either, considering how skewed his view of it is in general. Not that that'll stop him.]}

Oh, I won't!

I haven't told him anything.

When he caught me picking pockets, I told him it was just 'cuz I was curious.

Oh. Good. And you do seem pretty curious.

[... Not that it's really a bad thing.]

Ahuh!

I mean, it wasn't a lie.

Things that aren't lies are easier to keep track of.

[They just don't have to be the entire truth...]

006. [Video/Action for Goldenrod Rocket HQ, morning of May 8th]

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