It's wrapped in some green wrapping paper with garland and baubles and your normal Christmas nonsense. And is just. Box in a box in a box in a box until you're ten boxes in deep and finally get to five different boxes that actually have things in it.
There's also a note before those boxes that's written in pretty nice hand, oddly.]
Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate.
Enjoy your shenanigans!
From your Secret Santa
[There's no other notes or a name on there.
In the boxes, however, one of them is an album of what is very, very professionally taken dragon butts. Primarily ones of kingdra, appletun, hydreigon, kommo-o, tyrantrum, and a shiny salamence.
Pick up the phone Doppio~! Man, normally you're really on the mark for these this is kinda worrying. You alright over there?? Everything okay at base??
Anyway I heard we're going to be on the same heist~! There's something really great going on before that in the city we're hitting, so call me back~!
[If looks could kill, especially over the phone, Carly would be getting a big ol' death beam right as Doppio gets around to seeing what the hell THIS call is about. But then he hears her voice, and... Oh. Calling back now!]
Carly! Sorry about that, I think some shady advertising agency got ahold of my number and they won't leave me alone. What did you want to talk about?
That's a ways down there huh...the teleport's handy though, you get to skip right over Ilex.
Ahem. That said.
There's a cooking show happening~ Well, a contest really. You get to enter with one pokemon, and cook any kind of dish together~! I'm thinking of going in with Solitaire. We already make ice cream pretty regularly, so.
But you could enter! It's something to do, AND a perfect alibi~!
It's really huge yeah, I didn't want to take the chance either. Probably for the best, apparently some folks get stuck for weeks!
Back to what's important though! You're in luck~ These sorts of contests, it's almost never just about skill. They're practically entertainment rounds- you could go in doing your own thing and come out on top if the audience felt like it.
So the best thing to do is treat it as a free chance to have a good time~!
...Honestly, I would just have fun with it, make something you like to eat...or even just something you've wanted to try making, I mean, they have fully stocked fridges there! May as well take advantage...
I think so? There's normally a prize of some kind yeah. Sometimes they have 'special' prizes too, but I don't know what they'd hold those for with a cooking contest.
Prizes from these sorts of events are normally offers, like 'now that we know who won, we can arrange a vacation' or a restaurant deal, stuff like that. Any objects are kind of...not bottom of the barrel exactly, but they're not really huge either, y'know?
[It takes a little while after Dimitri's battle for him to, uh, remember that he meant to pass on his encounter with the Ecruteak gym. In his defense, everything happens so much.]
[Which is part of why this is text. The other part is that Dimitri knows this makes it easier to study.]
I apologize it has taken some time to get back to you on the matter of Ecruteak's gym. This month has decided to finish with quite a bit happening on my end. However, I just recently was victorious in my own challenge, and so can fulfill my promise.
Morty's three Pokemon for his average team are a Haunter, a Misdreavus, and a Gengar. This encounter has taught me that the status abilities of such creatures are the biggest challenge when fighting them. They also have a unique encounter with Normal types and abilities associated with such, and vice versa. Apparently, the two cannot interact with each other in any way. Fighting has a similar issue, although certain moves allow one to ignore such a challenge. My Emboar was able to do as such, for example.
The Haunter was the easiest foe in my experience, disregarding that it was the lowest level off the team. Its most troublesome abilities were a move where it become stronger if its opponent was slower than itself or was called out of battle, along with an ability that took advantage of its moves that put an opponent to sleep. In that state, it could do even worse damage, and recover its injuries.
The Misdreavus had a more fearsome ability than any of the others, however, called Perish Song. It instills something within the opponent and itself, cutting the battle short in only a few more attacks as both faint. If you change out your attacker, then this appears to break the curse's hold. The trouble arises when it is used in tandem with other abilities that put one to sleep or confuses them.
Finally, the Gengar was an impressive opponent. That one held all the strengths of its teammates, including Perish Song. If you allow this one to put any of your team to sleep, that could very well mean the end for that particular member of the party. The good news is that Gengar, like every Palien, has its weakness. Dark type moves seem to work well against Ghostly opponents, but I finished up with other types, and can tell you that, for all a Gengar's offensive capabilities, it only takes some well thought out and powerful moves to get past what seems to be a weak defense.
I hope this helps you when you eventually face Morty. Please let me know how it turns out.
[Oh. Oh, wow, he... Dimitri really did it. And not only did he really do it, he was... really thorough about it. This is way more than Doppio expected.
... And then, of course, he gets to the word "Palien" and it feels like a punch to the gut. He REALLY should stop feeling so surprised by now.]
Wow, thank you so much! I think I've got Dark moves covered... Maybe Morty won't be so bad then.
I wish you the best of luck when you make it there. The status moves really do seem to be the biggest threat. Once you make it past that, whether with a rapid fire offense or items, the battle becomes easier.
Let me know if my observations helped, when you finally make it to Ecruteak.
How are the Rocket bosses enjoying this new heroism found by their pink-haired employee? Hopefully well, because it's just going to get bigger from here on. Attached to this text arrive some screenshots: they're Staryutube comments on Jaskier's uploaded recording of Manaphy's summon. And it isn't just any comments, oh no, Jaskier has chosen them specifically for these shots: they all talk about how brave and heroic Doppio was for saving Phione. They also keep calling him one thing--]
[Oh. Oh lord. Ohhh, Jesus. Doppio was never prepared to be Staryutube famous. Staryutube isn't even a THING back in his world yet. What can he even say, other than...]
Ah, but you were ready that day! It's already happened, it's not something coming your way that you should get ready for! Embrace your new hero status, it shall bring you fortune! Admirers! Discounts! Fame! Gifts! So many doors will open for you from now on!
[Look, don't get him wrong. Compared to getting found out and potentially kicked from Team Rocket and wanted by the police, this IS the better alternative. He knows that.
He just... wishes he could have had the BEST alternative, instead.]
But none of that is really my thing I mean the discounts are ok but... The REST isn't really my thing.
Well, I suppose you can turn down the gifts, but it's a little too late to escape the fame. You better start wearing a hat then, because that lovely shade of pink that you carry on your head will make you instantly recognizable everywhere.
Excuse me? I am NOT taking down my video! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Besides, this made the news! Probably the history books as well! It's incredibly naive of you to think my video alone could have make them all remember and forget.
Why would I joke about something like this? People got to talk to a Legendary Pokémon! Questions were answered, mysteries were solved! That temple is an important part of architectural history! Of course experts will write papers on it!
You may've not had anything to do with the beginning, but you surely were a big part of its end! And a story cannot be told without an ending, especially such a happy one~
[... Doppio suddenly gets the strange, overpowering feeling that he has to be careful with the answer to this question, because it may very well decide his fate.]
[Some young children are always full of questions, inquiries about the world they're discovering around them. Louie isn't usually like that, himself, but today is different. He woke up not only in a strange place, but as a strange... Thing. And he got some information from Armin, who lives in here and apparently knows him, but even at age eight Louie isn't willing to trust that so easily. He wants confirmation.
It isn't terribly difficult for him to figure out the Pokegear, though it's not simple either. He's going off what he figured out playing with Gladstone's smartphone the last few times they saw each other. It would have come quicker if Uncle Donald had a cool phone like that, but there's a lot of stuff Donald and the boys don't have that other people do, Louie's started to notice.
Anyway, he manages to find his way to a contact directory, and he picks one of the marked numbers to call... Though the listed name gives him pause, leading to an odd greeting on his part:]
[Some children eventually learn to keep their questions to themselves - or, perhaps, to one single, close friend. Here, in a strange land that seems nothing like home, they have no other option. They don't know any of the names on this weird gizmo. There's nobody they can rely on other than themselves, so they have to figure out what's happening on their own--
And then a call comes.
One doesn't want to answer. Curiosity gets the better of the other one.]
... Um...
[He kind of regrets answering the phone now, if only because it'll be really hard to exchange notes while talking to someone else.]
[He's not going to ask about the animals, because that's... pretty obvious by now. Though he isn't entirely sure he ISN'T being messed with, either...]
[Sure, it sounds weird. SURE, he could still be getting messed with. But... well, the two of them are a little weird themselves, aren't they? Maybe it isn't impossible...]
Still... Doesn't that make it more likely that Louie is telling the truth? If he really wanted to mess with him, he could say anything he wanted, up to and including any unbelievable claims about traveling the world on a houseboat...
... So maybe he does live in a storybook and he just doesn't know it?
They could just be dreaming, he realises. If that's the case, he kind of wishes this dream was a bit less confusing.]
[Louie feels considerably more trusting, by now, in this phone call than he was with Armin. Sure, he's determined Armin must actually know him, but that whole thing is still weird. This is just some other young person. And he seems very smart and reasonable. After all, he agrees that being stuck in a boat is bad; that boat should go places.]
There's somewhere I wanna go... My brother told me about it.
[Chitchat may not be the most productive thing to do at the moment, but... it's not like either of them have any better ideas. And neither did he, the last time he checked in with him.]
A place called Cape Suzette. Everything there is boats and planes, and I think that sounds pretty fun. With all those people going through, it's got to be interesting, right?
[There is silence, except for what appears to be the faint sound of a pen on paper. Silence again. A brief, quiet and skeptical "Hmmmm." Pen on paper again. A few more moments pass, and finally...]
I live in Sardinia, but I'm not telling you exactly where, okay?
[On his end, he's making the uncomfortable, self-conscious face of a kid who gets that a lot. But this is a voice call, so what effectively happens is that, after a few moments of silence, he says:]
It's not weird to be careful when you're talking to strangers.
Well, yeah, we can. But kids don't like to each other so much, I think. Like, it's normal to lie to adults to get out of trouble or something. But kids don't get a lot from lying to each other, unless you're tricking someone into giving you something I guess.
[After an accidental video call with Allura, Min-Gi is starting to get to grips with how the PokéGear works. Sort of. Mostly he's just calling random people and hoping maybe they have answers that Ryan and the strange animals they'd found don't have.]
Hello, this is Min-Gi. Do you know where Powell Lake is?
[On this end of the line is a young boy who looks downright startled to have answered the call at all. His green eyes watch the screen with suspicion, and when he speaks, it's with all the intensity of a child guarding a secret.]
... I've never heard of that.
[This isn't the secret he's guarding though. He genuinely has no idea what the heck a "Powell Lake" is.]
[It's downright impressive. Here's what the question accomplishes: first, the boy looks into the camera like he thinks it might bite him. Then, he puts the PokéGear down and turns away, and...
And, well, a little time passes. If the boy is saying anything, it's hard to hear; the Gear isn't picking it up, and the camera's pointed at his back. But then he turns to face it again, picks it back up and finally answers:]
You wanted to know where I live, right? I don't wanna be too specific... but it's probably alright to just say "Sardinia!"
[Did his eyes change colour just a bit? Surely not.]
Min-Gi isn't sure what's happening, so he just sits there. Waiting. He doesn't want to interrupt whatever is going on because that would obviously be rude, but he does look uncomfortable when the other boy finally turns back.
If he notices anything strange about his eyes, he doesn't say anything. He probably just misremembered or something.]
I haven't been there.
[Which in this case may be another way of saying "I don't know where that is" without actually having to say it.]
[Min-Gi's face falls quickly at that. His little headshake of admission is almost imperceptible.]
No. That's why I've got to get home. Ryan said it's a dream, but maybe it's not...
[Nothing about this place feels any more real than it had this morning, but this is so much more vivid than any dream he's ever had. It also feels like it's gone on a lot longer. He's starting to have his doubts.]
My friend thought it might be a dream too... but I dunno if I've ever met someone in a dream who also thought they were dreaming.
[Besides, how much did he really think this was a dream, if he freaked out so badly when another kid asked him where he's from, huh?! Maybe both his friend and this other guy's are in denial.]
It would be weird for so many people to think that...
[Much as he hates to admit it, that theory is starting to feel less likely. It's just scarier to think it might not be, and there are no other explanations that make more sense.]
Min-Gi has to ponder that, and... He can't fault that logic. There's still a look of trepidation on his face, but he nods bravely.]
Okay. I'll do it.
[He breathes in a deep breathe, rolling up his sleeve to expose some of his arm. Tentatively he reaches down to pinch a small bit of flesh between his fingers.
Judging by the way he yelps and winces? Yep. That hurt.]
[It wouldn't be correct to say Louie's been putting this off. In fact, he's often forgot about his and Doppio's conversation during the whole time warp, age shift thing. Working on things for the JKBA had nearly driven him a little mad for a while there, and then more weird things, plus looking for coins with Gilt... And with all that, of course he'd just wanted to relax while Armin and Angel were off on their honeymoon.
But when he does think back to the very odd conversation he had with, presumably, a younger Doppio-- It bothers him. Mostly because it seems off in a way he can't place! He's used to sussing things out pretty well, but... Well, this he can't do that with. It isn't sitting right with the teen.]
Hey, Dops, call me when you get a chance. Everything's cool, I just wanna talk.
[... Huh. That's weird. What could Louie possibly want to talk about? Not that Doppio can think of anything bad... but he does still appreciate the reassurance that there's no reason to worry.
It doesn't take very long for Doppio to call Louie - he does it right after dinner on the same day.]
[Louie doesn't even need to think about it, he goes into his business deal mode; smarmy but in a detached manner. If he hasn't figured out one bit of Doppio's... deal...?through sharp observation yet, he doesn't think he will any time soon. But jumping right into the questions won't do. He has questions, sure. Doppio said some really off things when they last talked! But that doesn't mean it's a big deal, so there's no reason to make it one.]
What've you been up to? I don't think we've talked since that weird time stuff, right?
I was a little kid and I called you because you're in my contacts. You were younger too, and you got all excited to hear I lived on a boat. Then we ended up talking about lying and secrets... It was weird, but I didn't think it'd be, I don't know, block it from your memory weird.
I just thought, you know, this was such a weird thing it might stand out.
[Louie, on the other hand, is not convinced Doppio isn't lying. That conversation had been just suspicious enough that this feels a tad convenient. Not to mention lying and having plenty of reasons to do so was what Doppio had been saying during it!]
I guess it would if I remembered it, but I don't, so...
[The fact that this is a video call probably isn't helping. It's kind of hard to discern exactly how Doppio is feeling just from his voice; he seems, if nothing else, to be deep in thought.
Because he is. He's thinking, and he's still not entirely sure he should mention this, but... Well, it's the first thing that comes to mind, and maybe Louie will understand.]
To be honest, I don't remember anything from when I was a kid at all... So that might be why I don't remember this either.
... Huh? [Doppio, for one, seems more confused by Louie's sudden withdrawal than anything else. He expected more questions, not... concern, or regret.] N-No, I just... don't remember! I don't know about repressing stuff or anything.
Man, you just get harder and harder for me to wrap my mind around.
I mean--! Okay, it sounds super creepy like that, but it's just that... I don't know, I'm usually pretty good at getting an idea of what a person's like. I've known you for years now and I'm still not sure.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Pidgey mail!
It's wrapped in some green wrapping paper with garland and baubles and your normal Christmas nonsense. And is just. Box in a box in a box in a box until you're ten boxes in deep and finally get to five different boxes that actually have things in it.
There's also a note before those boxes that's written in pretty nice hand, oddly.]
Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate.
Enjoy your shenanigans!
From your Secret Santa
[There's no other notes or a name on there.
In the boxes, however, one of them is an album of what is very, very professionally taken dragon butts. Primarily ones of kingdra, appletun, hydreigon, kommo-o, tyrantrum, and a shiny salamence.
The other boxes contain a nice pair of glasses, a pokegear case, and a t-shirt that somehow is the correct size.]
no subject
BZZ BZZ VOICE DIAL
Pick up the phone Doppio~! Man, normally you're really on the mark for these this is kinda worrying. You alright over there?? Everything okay at base??
Anyway I heard we're going to be on the same heist~! There's something really great going on before that in the city we're hitting, so call me back~!
no subject
Carly! Sorry about that, I think some shady advertising agency got ahold of my number and they won't leave me alone. What did you want to talk about?
no subject
I didn't even know call-scam-spam existed in this place! Yeesh, guess no utopia can be perfect..
Anyway anyway. There's an event going on juuuuust before the heist that would be perfect for cover~
And I'd bet you haven't really gone anywhere since Christmas' big bang, if you're in the base for that matter...
[She squints, as if doing that at the screen on a voice call will reveal Doppio's location.] I'm assuming that's where you are anyway....
..If not, then hey, glad to hear you're getting out~!
no subject
[If only because hey, the badges are a pretty objective indicator of his skill in Pokémon battling.]
So, uh... What's up?
no subject
That's a ways down there huh...the teleport's handy though, you get to skip right over Ilex.
Ahem. That said.
There's a cooking show happening~ Well, a contest really. You get to enter with one pokemon, and cook any kind of dish together~! I'm thinking of going in with Solitaire. We already make ice cream pretty regularly, so.
But you could enter! It's something to do, AND a perfect alibi~!
no subject
A cooking contest? Oh, man. I'm not much of a chef, but it WOULD be nice to have a better alibi...
no subject
Back to what's important though! You're in luck~ These sorts of contests, it's almost never just about skill. They're practically entertainment rounds- you could go in doing your own thing and come out on top if the audience felt like it.
So the best thing to do is treat it as a free chance to have a good time~!
oh no my typo up there fdgfdh
[... Even if there IS a part of him that recoils at the idea of being on camera in any capacity whatsoever.]
ohhhhh wellll
...Honestly, I would just have fun with it, make something you like to eat...or even just something you've wanted to try making, I mean, they have fully stocked fridges there! May as well take advantage...
no subject
no subject
I'm doing the same thing honestly, easier on the stress.
no subject
no subject
...
Other than maybe 'worst dish' anyway.
no subject
no subject
Prizes from these sorts of events are normally offers, like 'now that we know who won, we can arrange a vacation' or a restaurant deal, stuff like that. Any objects are kind of...not bottom of the barrel exactly, but they're not really huge either, y'know?
no subject
[Still, no harm in asking...!]
no subject
But hey, who knows. Maybe one day we'll be able to steal something cool from these guys after all...
2/22
[Which is part of why this is text. The other part is that Dimitri knows this makes it easier to study.]
I apologize it has taken some time to get back to you on the matter of Ecruteak's gym. This month has decided to finish with quite a bit happening on my end. However, I just recently was victorious in my own challenge, and so can fulfill my promise.
Morty's three Pokemon for his average team are a Haunter, a Misdreavus, and a Gengar. This encounter has taught me that the status abilities of such creatures are the biggest challenge when fighting them. They also have a unique encounter with Normal types and abilities associated with such, and vice versa. Apparently, the two cannot interact with each other in any way. Fighting has a similar issue, although certain moves allow one to ignore such a challenge. My Emboar was able to do as such, for example.
The Haunter was the easiest foe in my experience, disregarding that it was the lowest level off the team. Its most troublesome abilities were a move where it become stronger if its opponent was slower than itself or was called out of battle, along with an ability that took advantage of its moves that put an opponent to sleep. In that state, it could do even worse damage, and recover its injuries.
The Misdreavus had a more fearsome ability than any of the others, however, called Perish Song. It instills something within the opponent and itself, cutting the battle short in only a few more attacks as both faint. If you change out your attacker, then this appears to break the curse's hold. The trouble arises when it is used in tandem with other abilities that put one to sleep or confuses them.
Finally, the Gengar was an impressive opponent. That one held all the strengths of its teammates, including Perish Song. If you allow this one to put any of your team to sleep, that could very well mean the end for that particular member of the party. The good news is that Gengar, like every Palien, has its weakness. Dark type moves seem to work well against Ghostly opponents, but I finished up with other types, and can tell you that, for all a Gengar's offensive capabilities, it only takes some well thought out and powerful moves to get past what seems to be a weak defense.
I hope this helps you when you eventually face Morty. Please let me know how it turns out.
no subject
... And then, of course, he gets to the word "Palien" and it feels like a punch to the gut. He REALLY should stop feeling so surprised by now.]
Wow, thank you so much!
I think I've got Dark moves covered... Maybe Morty won't be so bad then.
may doppio be haunted by paliens forever
Let me know if my observations helped, when you finally make it to Ecruteak.
no subject
It might be a while though... I haven't even fought Whitney yet.
no subject
[That Miltank will make someone see god, by way of murder]
no subject
I've trained a lot, but I should probably make sure that's not all I have going for me...
no subject
no subject
That's good to know, but.
He... He HAS to ask.]
Hey, no offense but...
You know that's not what they're called, don't you?
no subject
Chip calls them that.
no subject
Well yeah, but they're just a kid, right?
So it's fine, since they don't know any better.
no subject
no subject
But they’re not reading this conversation, are they?
no subject
[The internet may be a new thing for Dimitri, but he's sure caught on quick to matters of privacy and permanency in regards to it.]
Besides, if I let my resolve falter simply because they are not there to see it, will that not weaken it in the long term?
no subject
no subject
Still, I hope that answers your curiosity. Would you like to hear more about the Olivine Gym, when I arrive there?
no subject
no subject
no subject
I guess I got it confused with another one...
no subject
no subject
That's awfully nice of you.
no subject
I will keep you updated.
Text | A couple of days after Manaphy
How are the Rocket bosses enjoying this new heroism found by their pink-haired employee? Hopefully well, because it's just going to get bigger from here on. Attached to this text arrive some screenshots: they're Staryutube comments on Jaskier's uploaded recording of Manaphy's summon. And it isn't just any comments, oh no, Jaskier has chosen them specifically for these shots: they all talk about how brave and heroic Doppio was for saving Phione. They also keep calling him one thing--]
All hail Doppio, Protector of the Egg~!
text
Wow
[This'll wear off, right? ... Right?]
no subject
The world chants your name and calls you their hero, and that's all you have to say about it? "Wow"?
no subject
Anybody would be overwhelmed!
omg that art is wonderful
azfdsgdf thank you!
He just... wishes he could have had the BEST alternative, instead.]
But none of that is really my thing
I mean the discounts are ok but...
The REST isn't really my thing.
no subject
no subject
[IS HE GONNA HAVE TO START WEARING HIS UNIFORM EVERYWHERE??]
What if you delete the video?
People are gonna forget sooner or later, right?
no subject
no subject
You're kidding, right?!
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[Is that closer or farther from the truth than what people seem to THINK he was doing, though...?]
no subject
Are you saying you just happened to grab it when you were near and had no idea of what was going on?
no subject
Well I knew what was going on...
I just wasn't thinking about what I was doing.
no subject
So your instincts told you to protect the egg! And you still want to deny any heroics?
no subject
I just don't think it's that big of a deal!
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
But you ARE, aren't you??
no subject
[Doing it on purpose so historians get to talk to him? Nah, just your imagination.]
no subject
[The Legendary Seekers don't count.]
no subject
no subject
Are these the historians?
no subject
no subject
Thanks.
[Air quotes implied.]
no subject
You're quite welcome.
[voice, july 30]
It isn't terribly difficult for him to figure out the Pokegear, though it's not simple either. He's going off what he figured out playing with Gladstone's smartphone the last few times they saw each other. It would have come quicker if Uncle Donald had a cool phone like that, but there's a lot of stuff Donald and the boys don't have that other people do, Louie's started to notice.
Anyway, he manages to find his way to a contact directory, and he picks one of the marked numbers to call... Though the listed name gives him pause, leading to an odd greeting on his part:]
Is your name really Vinegar?
[voice] wheezes, crawls back in here a week later
And then a call comes.
One doesn't want to answer. Curiosity gets the better of the other one.]
... Um...
[He kind of regrets answering the phone now, if only because it'll be really hard to exchange notes while talking to someone else.]
Who's asking?
oops same hat... no problem tho!
[He sounds pretty disappointed by that question.]
Louie Duck. I was hoping you already knew that... Well, do you know why we're here, maybe? Or are you supposed to be here? 'Cause I'm not.
no subject
Is your name really Duck?
no subject
no subject
[There's the sort of trailing insecurity of a child who is used to being messed with.]
no subject
no subject
[He's not going to ask about the animals, because that's... pretty obvious by now. Though he isn't entirely sure he ISN'T being messed with, either...]
no subject
no subject
There's only one way this makes sense.]
Did you live in a storybook?
[Sure, it sounds weird. SURE, he could still be getting messed with. But... well, the two of them are a little weird themselves, aren't they? Maybe it isn't impossible...]
no subject
How would I live in a storybook?
no subject
You live in a boat?!
[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS NOW SORRY]
no subject
no subject
[His disappointment is palpable.
Still... Doesn't that make it more likely that Louie is telling the truth? If he really wanted to mess with him, he could say anything he wanted, up to and including any unbelievable claims about traveling the world on a houseboat...
... So maybe he does live in a storybook and he just doesn't know it?
They could just be dreaming, he realises. If that's the case, he kind of wishes this dream was a bit less confusing.]
Is your houseboat just on land all the time?
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[Louie would probably get in trouble if he tried to sail off all by himself, right? Right. He can't just suggest that.
... But he kind of assumes it's crossed Louie's mind at least once.]
no subject
[Louie feels considerably more trusting, by now, in this phone call than he was with Armin. Sure, he's determined Armin must actually know him, but that whole thing is still weird. This is just some other young person. And he seems very smart and reasonable. After all, he agrees that being stuck in a boat is bad; that boat should go places.]
There's somewhere I wanna go... My brother told me about it.
no subject
[Chitchat may not be the most productive thing to do at the moment, but... it's not like either of them have any better ideas. And neither did he, the last time he checked in with him.]
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Um... Can you give me a minute?
no subject
no subject
[There is silence, except for what appears to be the faint sound of a pen on paper. Silence again. A brief, quiet and skeptical "Hmmmm." Pen on paper again. A few more moments pass, and finally...]
I live in Sardinia, but I'm not telling you exactly where, okay?
no subject
You're kinda weird, huh?
no subject
It's not weird to be careful when you're talking to strangers.
no subject
no subject
... Not that I think you are! But if someone wanted to be really careful, they might not trust you just because you sound like a kid.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[Hmmm. Maybe duck kids just don't lie as much as human kids. That seems to check out, frankly.]
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
It's a secret.
no subject
Are you up to something?
no subject
[And there's definitely no reason to doubt that after all that's been said!]
no subject
I think I'm going to hang up now.
video;
Hello, this is Min-Gi. Do you know where Powell Lake is?
video
... I've never heard of that.
[This isn't the secret he's guarding though. He genuinely has no idea what the heck a "Powell Lake" is.]
video
It's in Canada. Do you know where that is?
no subject
[Is that where they are?? The idea doesn't seem to put him at ease.]
no subject
[Technically it's in North America, but look. He's six. His geography isn't that good yet.]
no subject
I don’t live there.
no subject
[How does this child make a question sound so accusatory...?]
no subject
And, well, a little time passes. If the boy is saying anything, it's hard to hear; the Gear isn't picking it up, and the camera's pointed at his back. But then he turns to face it again, picks it back up and finally answers:]
You wanted to know where I live, right? I don't wanna be too specific... but it's probably alright to just say "Sardinia!"
[Did his eyes change colour just a bit? Surely not.]
no subject
Min-Gi isn't sure what's happening, so he just sits there. Waiting. He doesn't want to interrupt whatever is going on because that would obviously be rude, but he does look uncomfortable when the other boy finally turns back.
If he notices anything strange about his eyes, he doesn't say anything. He probably just misremembered or something.]
I haven't been there.
[Which in this case may be another way of saying "I don't know where that is" without actually having to say it.]
no subject
[Reiterating it for good measure.]
I've never been to Canada either.
no subject
[And okay so he's here without them, but it's not like he meant that to happen.]
no subject
[He looks... a little more worried now. Chit-chat is nice and fun, but he can't just forget something weird is going on.]
no subject
No. That's why I've got to get home. Ryan said it's a dream, but maybe it's not...
[Nothing about this place feels any more real than it had this morning, but this is so much more vivid than any dream he's ever had. It also feels like it's gone on a lot longer. He's starting to have his doubts.]
no subject
[Besides, how much did he really think this was a dream, if he freaked out so badly when another kid asked him where he's from, huh?! Maybe both his friend and this other guy's are in denial.]
no subject
[Much as he hates to admit it, that theory is starting to feel less likely. It's just scarier to think it might not be, and there are no other explanations that make more sense.]
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
...I don't want to.
no subject
no subject
[Duh.]
no subject
[The logic is flawless.]
no subject
Min-Gi has to ponder that, and... He can't fault that logic. There's still a look of trepidation on his face, but he nods bravely.]
Okay. I'll do it.
[He breathes in a deep breathe, rolling up his sleeve to expose some of his arm. Tentatively he reaches down to pinch a small bit of flesh between his fingers.
Judging by the way he yelps and winces? Yep. That hurt.]
Owwww!
[Honestly, he didn't even pinch that hard.]
no subject
[He's just assuming Min-Gi went way overboard, okay. He can be charitable like that.]
It does mean you're not dreaming...
no subject
[You know. Because of the whole dream thing.
But. Hm. If this isn't a dream...]
Does that mean you're real?
no subject
Of course I'm real! What kind of question is that?
no subject
[Obviously!!]
no subject
[Even more obviously!!]
no subject
[There's definitely a hint of irritation here.]
no subject
[He's real, and so is his friend! No matter what papa says.]
no subject
[A wild concept he hadn’t considered up until now. Can they both be real? If they are, this whole thing suddenly makes a whole lot less sense.]
no subject
[How is that the last thing you consider, frankly.]
Text
But when he does think back to the very odd conversation he had with, presumably, a younger Doppio-- It bothers him. Mostly because it seems off in a way he can't place! He's used to sussing things out pretty well, but... Well, this he can't do that with. It isn't sitting right with the teen.]
Hey, Dops, call me when you get a chance. Everything's cool, I just wanna talk.
Sorry it's been a while.
Voice
It doesn't take very long for Doppio to call Louie - he does it right after dinner on the same day.]
Hey. Is this a good time?
Voice
[Louie doesn't even need to think about it, he goes into his business deal mode; smarmy but in a detached manner. If he hasn't figured out one bit of Doppio's... deal...?through sharp observation yet, he doesn't think he will any time soon. But jumping right into the questions won't do. He has questions, sure. Doppio said some really off things when they last talked! But that doesn't mean it's a big deal, so there's no reason to make it one.]
What've you been up to? I don't think we've talked since that weird time stuff, right?
Voice
Time... stuff? You mean when that fossil lady sent us all to the past? Geez, I could've sworn we talked after that...
[They are not immediately on the same page.]
no subject
no subject
I must have missed that one somehow, because it doesn't ring a bell.
no subject
no subject
[Doppio doesn't sound like he's being evasive. He sounds genuinely clueless.]
no subject
I was a little kid and I called you because you're in my contacts. You were younger too, and you got all excited to hear I lived on a boat. Then we ended up talking about lying and secrets... It was weird, but I didn't think it'd be, I don't know, block it from your memory weird.
no subject
... Nope. I don't remember that at all.
[And another.]
You know... My memory's pretty shoddy.
[He doesn't think Louie is lying. He wouldn't have a reason to, would he?]
no subject
I just thought, you know, this was such a weird thing it might stand out.
[Louie, on the other hand, is not convinced Doppio isn't lying. That conversation had been just suspicious enough that this feels a tad convenient. Not to mention lying and having plenty of reasons to do so was what Doppio had been saying during it!]
no subject
[The fact that this is a video call probably isn't helping. It's kind of hard to discern exactly how Doppio is feeling just from his voice; he seems, if nothing else, to be deep in thought.
Because he is. He's thinking, and he's still not entirely sure he should mention this, but... Well, it's the first thing that comes to mind, and maybe Louie will understand.]
To be honest, I don't remember anything from when I was a kid at all... So that might be why I don't remember this either.
[It makes sense to him.]
no subject
So you repressed stuff? I mean, you don't have to explain that, it doesn't matter, uh... Sorry.
no subject
no subject
[There's relief, at first, but wait. What?]
So you just can't remember stuff from being a kid? For no reason?
omg you edited this JUST in time
[Normal Doppio things!!!!]
no subject
I mean--! Okay, it sounds super creepy like that, but it's just that... I don't know, I'm usually pretty good at getting an idea of what a person's like. I've known you for years now and I'm still not sure.
no subject
Good.]Maybe that's just because there's nothing all that special about me, you know?
no subject
I don't know. I guess I'm kind of rambling about it, sorry.
no subject