video / text

[thatwasours]

{ VIDEO }

 

[a man in his late thirties comes onto the feed. his bag is open next to him with the contents ruffled through, and there's an open Pokéball on the ground. the lower left sleeve of his trenchcoat is also leaking blood from what looks like puncture marks (a bite wound?) and is slightly singed, but he doesn't appear to be paying it much mind.]

 

I read the handbook, but there's one thing I'm not getting. These creatures-- Pokémon --are they pets, or are they weapons? The information here contradicts itself. It says here that friendship is an important part of raising the things, but as far as I'm aware, you don't usually make nice with animals you're teaching to cockfight.

 

And what kind of anarchistic society is this that the person with the strongest Pokemon wins every possible interpersonal conflict? All right, so it's not that different from most third-world countries, or your average political standoff, but seeing that kind of thing on an individual, culturally-encouraged level is a little disturbing. [he lets out a snort of disapproval.] Might makes right, I guess.
 
 

 

 

{ TEXT, LOCKED TO SELF AT 30% }

 

LOVE DETERRENCE

 

[the clumsy, highly experimental nature of the lock makes it fairly obvious that this is someone trying to work out how to filter and hack.]

Comments

[cardboard_boss]

You got a dog too? [They both got dogs. Well, fancy that. Dogs of war.]

Mine hasn't tried to bite me yet. [Thank goodness. If it did then Boss would aim to defend himself or smack the puppy with his metal arm. None of which he particularly wants to do.]

I can help find your dog, Kaz. [Because he wants to, he really does. It can't be that ferocious, right? The people running this place wouldn't just give you a Pokémon that's vicious and nasty. Would they? It just didn't make sense. Snake looked at DD, who was now rolling around in the grass. Such a contrast to Kaz's dog.]

Never knew dogs could breathe fire. Who knows what mine can do. [Spout water? Who knew.]

[thatwasours]

Thanks, I'd appreciate it. Not sure I'd be able to catch the thing by myself.

We can talk over the details of how it's even possible for animals to do this later-- I'll meet you at the center of town.

[he pauses for a long second, and adds, in a bitter, pained tone]

Don't count on it taking as long as usual. Somehow, I got prosthetics like yours on the way here.

[cardboard_boss]

[You won't have to catch anything by yourself. How would you do it anyway?]

Yeah. Sounds good.

[Meet up in New Bark town centre? Yep, good plan.]

Huh? Who gave you them?

[Snake's surprised. Genuinely. How would Kaz deal with this? Since he refused prosthetics back at Mother base, since he wanted to feel the pain the dead soldiers went through.]

[thatwasours]

I don't know. Someone with a sick sense of humor.

[the answer is snapped, harsher than he means. so, the answer to 'how is Kaz dealing with having prosthetics that he refused in favor of wallowing in self-pity' is, seemingly, with a great deal of anger and bitterness. but the scenery in the background of the video seems to be moving along at a healthy pace as Kaz stalks towards the center of town, so the new leg must work pretty well.]

They were here when I woke up. I don't have my old leg, or my cane, or I'd have taken the leg off already.

Once I catch the damn mutt, I'm throwing the arm in my bag.

[cardboard_boss]

[Boss doubted that someone was playing a sick prank on his friend. It was more like the place wished to help Kaz more than anything. Heal him as it were.]

Maybe this place sought to help you. Not to piss you off. It doesn't know you don't want the leg and arm, Kaz. Maybe you should keep them, since they seem to be working just fine.

[He had to say it, since it was an obvious answer. It seemed plain stupid just to remove it because he was still angry over the whole incident in his past. Could he just let it go so that he could heal inside and out? Snake knew it would take the blond longer than that.]

You keeping the leg though, right? [That's something, yes?]

[thatwasours]

Didn't say I was throwing them away.

[because no matter how angry he is, he can't throw out something in good working order.]

As for the leg-- yeah. Have to, if I plan on walking anywhere. I'll look into replacing it later.

[cardboard_boss]

[Good. Don't waste such an opportunity like that, Kaz. It's not everyday you get free prosthetics given to you.]

Don't worry about it. Shall we meet up at the Pokémon Centre? [The one in Cherrygrove City. Sounded the best option right now. He was used to being alone on missions but he wasn't used to Kaz being out on his own without his crutch.]

[thatwasours]

I'll see you there.

video>>action;

[cardboard_boss]

Right.

[Snake made his way trying to avoid the long grass which hid Pokémon in and made his way into Cherrygrove city. It was a nice Japanese-looking town. Something he should expect right now.]

Kaz?

[DD ran ahead to the Pokémon Centre and barked happily. Yep, they made it. Ash was sitting atop Venom's shoulder like a pirate. He had the eye patch too.]

[thatwasours]

[Kaz looks, to put it mildly, irritated. but he waves, with his still-attached right arm. for now, he's keeping it on.]

I think the damn dog ended up that way.

[he points to the southwest, back towards Route 29, and off the trail. he's been looking for most of a day now.]

[cardboard_boss]

[Snake looked towards where Kaz indicated and nodded.]

Right. Let's have a look around and see if we can catch and muzzle him.

[The best idea, right? The dog was obviously wild and savage by the sound of it. Feral? Yeah. Snake had DD, so perhaps he could assist too.]

DD can help us if Havoc decides to attack.

[thatwasours]

[Kaz looks at DD. he's small. and a good dog. and does not deserve to get his throat torn out. besides, that would leave the Phantom defenseless.]

[then again, Pokemon battle to unconsciousness here? not death?]

[still, best not test it.]

Don't think that's a good idea.

[he doesn't elaborate, and heads off into the woods. there's the sound of a scuffle maybe five hundred feet away, and Kaz follows it.]

[cardboard_boss]

I'm not going to let you be open to attack, Kaz. Your dog is dangerous. Pokémon are here to protect us as well as be our companions.

[Right? At least that's what he got told by others here.]

I won't let DD die or get gravely injured, yet he'll defend both of us.

[He sighed and went to follow his comrade going towards the sound of the scuffle.]

[thatwasours]

After everything you've seen me do, you think I'll be in danger trying to catch an angry dog? I think I can handle it.

[is this about the limbs? does the Phantom think he's useless at physical tasks these days, can't fight anymore? even though he has two prosthetics on at the moment. Kaz bristles.]

I don't care if you bring your dog. But I don't need it to protect me.

[cardboard_boss]

[Snake sighed. He isn't trying to offend you, Kaz. He knows you're a tough cookie when you need to be. A better man than himself.]

I wasn't meaning it like that. [He looked down at his dog, who was looking up at his expectantly.]

Just don't want to see you get hurt again.

[thatwasours]

[flatly:]

If a dog manages to rip off my other arm, I don't deserve to have it.

[or anything less than four Soviets and a hacksaw, for that matter.]

Come on. I think we're getting closer.

[cardboard_boss]

[Snake just offered Kaz a look before focusing his attention on the distance where Havoc might be. He didn't want to think about his friend getting his limbs hacked off. It shouldn't have happened because he was still in that damn coma.]

Yeah. I can hear scuffling up ahead.