Level 19 [2 VIDEOS / ACTION FOR GOLDENROD / THE JUNCTION]

[rocketralph]

VIDEO 1

_{[The camera pans slowly across the rubble piled in the Goldenrod streets as Ralph makes his way out of town. He yawns loudly from off-screen.]}

Sheesh, and here I thought we had a wild party. You...guys remember that, right? Because I'm pretty sure I didn't do all this in my sleep...everyone alright? Ah--darn it, hang on. 'Gear's tryin' to give me some kinda alert.



VIDEO 2
_{[The feed flicks on again much later--again the camera is pointed at the path. Trees lay in great heaps and a few wild Pokemon scatter as the big man passes them by. As he walks, a chorus of Pokemon cries can be heard. The 'gear flips around to show Ralph's chin as he lifts his head and goes on the alert. He stops walking and the cries crow louder. It's a panicked chant of SU DO WOODO! SU DO WOODO!.]}

Oh jeez! The reporters weren't kiddin'!

_{[With a little fumbling, the ruckus is finally revealed. The Sudowoodo are in an uproar, flailing all across the path.]}

Comments

Action

[a_sin_for_him]

[It looks as though the city has been bombed. What in god's good name had happened while they were away? Whatever's happened, Lust doesn't like it. The rubble and damage - though her own home is fine - give her an uncomfortable sort of feeling.]

[But there's nowhere to go, exactly. The reports of blocked roads aren't exaggerating. Which is how she finds herself staring at a writhing mass of wailing tree bits. Oh good god.]

[She's sitting off to the side of the road, on an upturned tree, scrolling through her Pokedex when Ralph shows up, Guttle at her feet. She's actually wearing her own clothes, something she hasn't bothered with in some times. She's hardly made up or put together, but she's wearing her own clothes.]

[The trip to the moon, fuzzy as some memories are, had done her good.]

They're in a panic. I haven't the faintest idea what to do.

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph puts up his gear and jogs the rest of the way to the scene. It's then that he notices his moon-wrecking buddy. Something's off about her today and he doesn't think it's the best idea to mention it.]}

I can see that...

_{[He stops next to her log and rubs the side of his head. Oof. He's still feelin' some of those bumps to the head from yesterday...if it really was yesterday.]}

We can't possibly catch them all. Can we?

[a_sin_for_him]

There has to be an easier way. Maybe we could just....herd them?

[Her voice doesn't hold much hope for that. If they weren't in some grips of panicked madness, perhaps. But in this state?]

[She slips her gear back into her bag and stands up, lips tight.]

They're very upset.

[rocketralph]

Herd 'em, huh...

_{[Ralph strokes his chin as he watches the rock-types panic. He gets an idea. It's not a good one. Suddenly he throws his arms into the air and rushes towards them.]}

URRAAHHHHH! GET ALONG LITTLE DOGGIES!

[a_sin_for_him]

[They're going to try literal herding, alright. Lust has seen those prairies and plains films. She likes the men in the big hats, they tend to wear snug jeans and bulge out of their checkered shirts in the shoulder area.]

[She's had just enough of her daily wine to shrug and turn to the wailing Sudowoodo. She smooths her leggings and t-shirt before following Ralph's lead.]

[The only thing she can call to mind to shout is 'yeep yeep', which she's relatively certain is what the bulging big hat men yell at the herd animals.]

[This is a terrible idea.]

[rocketralph]

<sub>[It is a terrible idea.]

[As the cowpokes grow closer to the stampede, their hollering and waving arms only aggravates the Sudowoodo. Instead of clearing the path or simply choosing a direction, several of them lock arms to protect the few Bonsly that were also scurrying around.]

[And then, the begin using Rock Throw.]

[Ralph ducks where he stands, covering his head.]</sub>

Lust! I'm not sue this is gonna work! Ow!

[a_sin_for_him]

Oh dear god....

[Lust flings up her arms, recoiling from the rocks. In theory, that had been a perfectly sound idea! They're trying to help!]

Come on!

[She tugs at Ralph's arm - they've got to get off the path until the barrage stops!]

They'll stop eventually...

[rocketralph]

_{[He let himself be led and once they were out of rocking range, Ralph rubbed a slowly darkening bruise on one of his knuckles.]}

Eventually might not be soon enough. I've got Sonic with me...and he knows Watergun. But I don't really wanna fight 'em either.

[a_sin_for_him]

No...they're upset and frightened. Guttle has plenty of water moves himself, but...

[Fighting them just seems cruel. It's not as though they understand what's happening to them.]

[Lust sighs and purses her lips. They're upset. They're distressed. They need to be calmed. What could possibly calm them? Well. There is always the old standby, when it comes to soothing beasts.]

What if we sang to them? That always works in stories when wild creatures are upset.

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph makes a face.]}

Sister, if I sang to those Pokemon they might up and keel over...but you could do it! I bet you've got a great voice!

[a_sin_for_him]

I do, but I'd feel ridiculous doing it alone. You can't sound that bad.

[Or so Lust assumes. And she really doesn't want to do it by herself. Not with Ralph right there. She doesn't sing in front of other people. Not anymore, anyway, she'd done so sometimes where Scar could hear, but that had been different.]

[rocketralph]

I've had plenty a' people at Tappers tell me they lost hitpoints just from listening to me. Trust me, it's not pretty.

_{[Ralph frowns back at the panicked not-trees for another beat before his face lights up. He turns back to Lust.]}

Hey! Do you have a Pokemon that could sing instead?

[a_sin_for_him]

You realize I'm going to demand a demonstration, one of these days.

[No one can be that bad. She refuses to believe it. Out of tune, off note, but what Ralph's describing?]

And I do, actually, I have Chanteuse. We vocalize together when no one else is home. You aren't bothered by Jigglypuffs, are you? Some people are.

[Well, one person. But if one person's bothered by a thing, it stands to reason others might be. And Jigglys can be...odd. And off putting.]

[Video]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[It's been a little bit since Wrath woke up to a seemingly-empty house, so he's calmer than he was before.]

[Though his face is still puffy and red when he responds.]</sub>

... Those ugly trees are really mad!

[Video]

[rocketralph]

You can say that again, squirt.

[Video]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[...!]

[HE CAN?]</sub>

... Those ugly trees are really mad!

[Video]

[rocketralph]

_{[...oh. Right. This is Wrath he's talking to.]}

Anyway...I'm gonna see what I can do about 'em before someone gets hurt.

[Video]

[garbagechild]

_{[IT IS, AND YOU'VE GONE AND ENCOURAGED HIM. YOU FOOL. YOU MADMAN.]}

--are they hurting people?

What will you do?

Can Bossy fight them?

[Video]

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph's face falls.]}

Not right now. She's taking care of one of Blake's Pokemon. He went home...Steve is very sad.

[Video]

[garbagechild]

... Blake?

<sub>[Oh... oh, Wrath hadn't even thought about Blake when he'd been so upset about everybody being gone... Blake had just been a constant in his mind. Just as he was here to get into peoples' trash, Blake was also here to yell at him about it.]

[Except now he wasn't.]

[Wrath makes a noise somewhere between a dog whining and air being let out of a balloon.]</sub>

[Video]

[rocketralph]

_{[Uh oh. UH OH. Oh no oh no! Ralph cringes and hunches his shoulder, raising a hand to try and shush Wrath even though he knows it's no use.]}

Look, kid, I miss 'em too! A whole lot! More than I thought I would, actually. But...sometimes folks just go home. There's nothin' we can do about it.

[Video]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[U DUN DID IT NOW RALPH]

[Wrath starts to sniffle. He just got DONE doing all his caterwauling over finding the house empty, so there's not much left in his reserve of tears, but the rest of him can go through the motions.]</sub>

Why?

_{[Envy had explained the disappearances to him, but hadn't given him a reason for it. Largely because there isn't a reason.]}

[Video]

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph opens his mouth...and shuts it. He doesn't have an answer. It feels so unfair.]}

I wish I knew, kiddo...

[Video]

[garbagechild]

_{[At least Ralph won't be bombarded with lots of WHY WHY WHY-ing, Wrath just doesn't have much juice left.]}

... W-where's Steve?

_{[He liked Steve. She was soft, and a very pretty color.]}

[Video]

[rocketralph]

She's with me. Bossy's keeping her company right now. Would you like to come see her later?