VIDEO + ACTION (VIOLET)

[seacub]

[VIDEO]

[The video opens up not too far from Violet's southern exit, where the city immediately moves into the Ruins of Alph. Emporio seems to be pretty pleased despite the chilly weather right now though.]

Hahaha...I wound up in Violet again, [he starts, grinning a bit awkwardly at the camera.] ...It's been almost a year since I got here, and it feels weird to be here again. I haven't seen everywhere there is in this place, but I guess I just felt like coming by again? It's sort of nice...I didn't challenge the gym the first time I came, but I did later, so I guess I have a lot of memories in Violet already...

It's...a little weird how much it's like the first time, actually...it's just me, the pokemon, near the ruins...all that's missing is rain I think! I have a tent this time too, so it's a lot better!

[ACTION - VIOLET]

[Ultimately, Emporio wasn't kidding about where he's staying apparently. While he's definitely kept up some decent income thanks to a mixture of facing trainers and the occasional Rocket Grunt sent his way- please, people, he said no- he also wasn't kidding about...just camping around. Which to the people he's known for a while might seem fine and dandy- he's a capable kid, and for that matter, was cooped up in one place for far too long. He deserves to run around.

But, as nice as the tent is, stovepipe and all, it's perhaps a little unexpected to see a kid accompanied by a dragon, a giant owl, and a few others, stirring food in a pot over a fire.

...

He definitely noticed he was being watched.] ...Oh-

...Uh... ...Do you...want to join in?

Comments

[thenotchosenone]

[Overall, Neville is in pretty good spirits. After reaching out on the network and feeling a bit bolstered by it all, he'd finally left the inn he'd been staying at to go explore the rest of Violet- namely, Sprout Tower.

He's kinda just walking along, staring at the Pokeball in his hand containing his new Bellsprout, his first capture since he'd arrived back in December... which makes three overall, which feels like an accomplishment for him. So he's wearing a dumb grin as he stares down at it, only stopping in his tracks when he hears little "Togi" from Togepi walking along side of him.

Neville looks down, then follows Togepi's gaze to where Emporio is.]

Huh?

[Neville watches for a moment, at first thinking it's just a kid camping with his family. Nothing out of the ordinary, though he has to remind himself the tent isn't bigger on the inside the way it would be back home, so it seems a bit tiny... and then the longer he looks, he realizes there isn't a mum or a dad coming out of the tent, which means he's alone. Below Neville, there's a tiny flash of light that he doesn't notice, but he does notice when a voice speaks next to him.]

Neville.

You know what you must do.

[He's barely comprehended what's been said before it seems Emporio has caught onto Neville watching and he's being asked-]

What? Er, I- [Neville seems to look between Emporio and Togepi for a moment.]

To...gi?

[And of course, Togepi is right back to his high pitched, cheerful tone, though a little questioning, like what Neville? What ever is the matter?]

S-sure! I'm Neville... [he gestures to the pot of stew.] that smells interesting- I mean, nice.

[seacub]

[Well, Emporio definitely missed That Whole Exchange, but that just means he interprets any nervousness as being a little more focused on 'what is this kid doing out here with a big pot of curry'.

The answer-] Thanks? It's um...it's supposed to be a curry. I'm trying to follow a recipe so that I can share with the pokemon- apparently they do this a lot in 'Galar', which I guess is sort of like England?

[A bit of a nervous laugh.] ...I lived in the USA so I can't even ask to check... ...Um, it's supposed to be a little sweet though, if that's okay...

[....

...it occurs to him he should also give his name.] Oh! I'm Emporio! It's nice to meet you? [It might be a bit obvious that he's not spoken to too many people in person recently.]

[video]

[captainash]

It's always nice to go back to places you haven't visted in a while. Makes it easier to see how much you've progressed over time.

[Which, after a single year, he assumes to be 'a lot'.]

Did you bring along any Pokémon you caught around there?

[seacub]

A little I guess? [It's weird to think about that, but then again, travelling in itself is still somehow strange...

He's definitely not wrong though, especially given he's still a kid.] ...Oh- I did though, yeah! I met Robo here! They're not out of the ball right now though, Robo's pretty big...

[captainash]

There are species around Violet that grow too large for tents?

[He can't recall any, but it has been years since he last visited the city.]

Have they shown any interest in catching up with whatever family they might have around here?

[seacub]

Well, not right in Violet, but sometimes I guess the golett in the ruins of alph evolve faster? Robo was a Golurk- he was only level ten or so though, it was kind of weird...

...I have no idea if he would have a family...

[captainash]

A level ten Golurk? There's got to be something weird in the water there, because mine only evolved past level forty. But with the whole species being genderless, local relatives are unlikely.

[seacub]

Close to it at least...I don't know how it happened either, but the pokegear definitely wasn't reading him wrong...I don't think they'd mind though, not having a reunion.

[captainash]

It's pretty difficult to tell what a Golurk might feel, at times... Then again, Robo probably has ways of telling you whether or not a reunion might happen, so it's just a matter of listening.

[seacub]

[As the resident ghost whisperer, Emporio blinks.]

...Is it?

...I don't know...I guess Robo must be pretty emotive then..?

[They definitely aren't more emotive.]

[captainash]

...Might be? I mean, I've got two of them, and the only expression of theirs that I can reliably identify is 'starving'.

[Usually because by that point, they're just reaching into the fridge.]

[seacub]

Hahaha- starving? ...What kinds of things do they normally eat? I know Robo sometimes tries some curry but...

[He looks back to where Robo likely is off-camera.]

...I think normally he finds his own stuff.

[captainash]

Once in a while, Age-2 just... grabs a bottle of chocolate sauce and drinks straight from it.

[Ash sounds somewhat disturbed by that particular behavior.]

Even ghost statues aren't immune to the call of sugar, it seems.

[seacub]

J...

Just chocolate sauce..?

[He's not sure if he's in awe or if he's disgusted...]

video...???

[epitaffio]

[If Doppio is staring, it's for two reasons. One, he's trying to remember where he's seen this kid's face before; two, he doesn't have the foresight to stop staring before his Politoed pokes its head in front of him and straight up slaps the PokéGear into broadcasting this end of the feed as well. Why.

Maybe Reno was trying to help - after all, they met during that same weekend, and the reminder certainly helps Doppio connect the dots. On the other hand, uh... This is not ideal. Doppio was in uniform at the time, but this is still not ideal.

So he gasps and IMMEDIATELY tries to close the feed.]

doppio blease

[seacub]

[hey wait]

Huh?

Oh! It's you!

[S P O T T E D] ...You didn't mean to answer this huh...

[epitaffio]

H... Huuuuh?

[JUST BECAUSE HE RECOGNISED HIM... DOESN'T MEAN HE CAN'T TRY AND PRETEND TO BE A STRANGER]

Uh, no, Reno was just playing with the PokéGear... Sorry about that!

[seacub]

...You know we're the only ones on the line, so it's not like you're going to be in trouble probably...

[He seems so nervous...]

[epitaffio]

Trouble? What would I get in trouble for in the first place?

[... He's really trying to go this route, huh.]

[seacub]

[Emporio's expression is almost tired.]

...are we really doing this..?

[epitaffio]

[Oh, goddammit, fine. Are kids with stands smarter, or is he just really bad at this?! Either way, no matter how secure the line is or how vague he’s being, Doppio still replies in an urgent whisper:]

I’m supposed to be incognito…!

[seacub]

We're on a closed line though... [he points out.] ...I'm in the middle of a trail, and you're in a room alone- is it really that much to worry about right now..?

[epitaffio]

It's just easier not to get careless if I'm careful all the time... Is it really that odd?

[That, and he's just used to the secretiveness. Old habits die hard.]

Besides, anybody could pass by, or walk in here.

[seacub]

I guess?

Could they really? Do you guys not have a lot of privacy? If it helps, I guess you could always say you're working to 'bring me in'...Team Rocket keeps trying to recruit me lately, [he admits with a small laugh.] ...I'd thought they were mad because I did so well in their game corner, but I guess it was the opposite...

[Kiddo MAY have beat the house too well.]

[epitaffio]

... Really? I haven't heard anything about that. Then again, I'm not that high-rank...

[Plus, he's busy with his own assignment.]

Maybe they think you're more talented than me.