garbagechild | 001. [Video/Action for Goldenrod Rocket HQ]

[Video]

_{[Victims of motion sickness beware, because there's about to be a good two minutes of jerky, dizzying footage of the floor, the ceiling, an upside-down bed, and what appears to be the foot of a small child. The telltale sounds of hands grappling with a PokeGear are what dominate the audio feed, but murmuring in the background are what sound like deep, rumbling growls and a youthful, high-pitched voice-- probably belonging to the owner of that foot.]

[And then all at once the camera stops and gives everybody a great view of a pair of nostrils and, somewhere above them, a slightly more pleasant-to-behold pair of bright blue eyes.]}

--ink... I think it's a toy.

But not the kind you chase.

The other kind.

Um.

A puzzle.

_{[The screen jitters again-- now it's mostly tangled black hair on the screen, and a bony shoulder poking out a shirt that's way too big for it. Behind it is an expanse of leathery-looking flesh probably belonging to whatever's doing all that growling.]}

Ahuh... yeah, it's definitely a puzzle. I can tell 'cause it's got a lot of buttons.

_{[A chorus of deafening beeps sound as the kid promptly sets about trying to solve the puzzle by PRESSING EVERYTHING until the PokeGear is gently removed from his grasp by a set of bulky, blunt-clawed hands. And then, at a proper angle for the first time in this entire broadcast, a Kangaskhan's face appears in front of the screen, rumbling softly in greeting. She knows what a PokeGear is for! ... But then almost immediately a pair of pale little hands pop over the Pokemon's shoulder and try to grab the camera back.]}

No, no, I wanna solve it! I wanna solve the puzzle! Please? Please! Pl-- whoa!

_{[Standing all the way up, the Kangaskhan holds the camera in front of her and starts to plod across the small, undecorated dormlike room they're in, presumably towards the door, and presumably with her pint-sized trainer dangling from the 'puzzle'. Aaaand after some jostling, the feed cuts.]}

[Action for Rockets]

_{[In a building full of sneaky people, another sneaky person doesn't really stand out unless they're particularly bad at sneaking.]

[It just so happens that Wrath is not exactly the best at this.]

[Give him trees or bushes and sure, he can creep around like a good little let's-not-run-into-this-thing-in-the-dark. But all these winding hallways are slightly more alien territory, and there's only so many ways you can hide behind a corner without getting spotted. Especially when your GIANT KANGASKHAN STARTER KEEPS ON MARCHING STRAIGHT DOWN THE HALL LIKE SHE DOESN'T EVEN CARE IF THEY'RE SPOTTED.]}

Mama!

_{[This flustered hiss comes from behind an open door, where Wrath had ducked upon seeing a couple of much-taller Rocket Grunts go strolling past. Now he's peeking out, expression somewhere between frustrated and oh my god WHAT ARE YOU DOING AAAA]}

Don't do that, they'll see you!

_{[HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE. Only that they're humans, and they're wearing uniforms. Uniforms that are drastically different from the ones he's used to seeing, of course, but he's had precisely one (1) significant experience with dudes in uniforms, and it was a really bad one. MIGHT AS WELL NOT TAKE CHANCES.]

[The Kangaskhan, however, has other plans. She's marching towards the Mess Hall and seems a little exasperated that her trainer isn't following her. :I HUMANS.]}

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[Al blinks in surprise when Khangaskan comes into view.] Ah, you're his starter, huh? He was trying to use a power he had back home...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make him hurt himself.

[Then he sighs and shakes his head.] Wrath...I'm sorry, but this is how it is. Your Pokemon will do her best to help protect you, but you'll have to get used to this. There's no other option for any of us.

_{[GOODNESS. The Kangaskhan lets out a snort but seems to accept that explanation at face value The kid on the screen seems sincere enough. If only Wrath were so easy to convince...]}

I... I don't understand, turning human isn't that easy! If it were that easy, we wouldn't need Master! And my other arm'n leg wouldn't LOOK--LIKE--THIS--!!

_{[With a snarl, he chucks the 'Gear away. It's not FAIR! Becoming human was supposed to be a triumph, not... not this!]}

Wrath!

[Al winces and wait for the 'Gear to stop clattering around before he speaks again. Really, he doesn't blame Wrath for reacting like this--it was hard enough for Al to understand when he first got here.] Wrath, I know it's hard to understand. Whatever did this, it has power that none of us could comprehend, not even Dante.

You're WRONG! She's more powerful than anything!

_{[... Wait a minute HOW THE DINK DID HE KNOW ABOUT DANTE?]

[You know what, he doesn't even care. He's just kind of rocking back and forth and half-gnawing on his hand now, which Al can probably see, albeit sideways, from where the 'Gear landed. SO MUCH IS HAPPENING AND HE HATES IT.]}

[Oh, he knows plenty about that bitch, but he knows Wrath wouldn't listen to half of it right now. Maybe later, after Wrath has calmed a bit and settled in, but not now.]

She's only human, Wrath. One that's lived far longer than most anyone else, but still a human with faults and limitations. She's not a god. [Al says it softly, sympathetically. He doesn't want to scare Wrath, but he does need to understand this much.]

NO. No, no, no, no!

_{[He knows she's human, but she's also so much more.]

[How else could she control the Homunculi so easily? How else would he be so afraid of her?]}

She'll make you all pay for this, you'll see!

She's already tried back home. I didn't let her.

[He does his best to not let his anger about that whole...everything slip into his voice. God, but there was not enough pain he could bring to that woman for all the hurts she had caused.]

She's not here, not right now. Maybe someday in the future she will show up, but I hope that isn't the case. You shouldn't have to bow to her or to anyone, Wrath.

SHUT UP! Shut up!

You're trying to make me bad and I'M NOT LISTENING!

_{[... And with that, in true I BELONG IN A SECOND-GRADE CLASSROOM EATING PASTE AND READING DR. SEUSS BOOKS fashion, he plants his hands over his ears, shuts his eyes, and starts to hum loudly.]

[>8( NOT GONNA LISTEN TO THE BAD INFLUENCE. NOT TODAY.]}

[Al just...sighs, rubbing at his face. He should probably stop before Wrath decides to punch the 'Gear or something.]

...I'm sorry. I'll go now, but if you ever want help, just call me, okay? I don't want to be your enemy.

[And with that, he clicks off the feed.]

001. [Video/Action for Goldenrod Rocket HQ]

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