[video] break the dominos: ✓

[epitaffio]

[It feels like it's been a while since Doppio's made his own post, huh? Here he is, though! This time, he's set up in what appears to be an inn (people more familiar with Ecruteak may be able to identify it from the décor or the view from the window, in fact), sitting comfortably on the floor and smiling at the camera.]

I haven't been here since Halloween, I think! Way different atmosphere.

[Also, there are a couple of Swanna scurrying behind him, just barely in view of the feed. It's probably nothing.]

Oh, that's not what I wanted to talk about, though! I mean, not really. I don't think I mentioned it before, but I kind of got roped into the Legendary Seekers... They're these guys who really, really want to capture legendary Pokémon, but in a Bigfoot kind of way. And normally that's not something I put a lot of stock into, but...

[There is some Noise. Doppio does not appear to notice.]

Legendary Pokémon are actually real, right? But come to think of it, I don't know that much about them. Apparently, though, this city has a lot of history... I've heard some legends about the towers, but in a place like this, it's kind of hard to tell what's for real and what's made up. So I was wondering, if any of you guys had stories of your own, like actual encounters, maybe you could-- [And then there is a LOUD crash, like several pounds of very fine crystal breaking, which Doppio definitely hears.] Uh, just a sec...

[He gets up and he walks out of view. Seconds pass.]

THE DOMINOS!

[The next few moments are a blur. Vinegar Doppio unleashes a series of decidedly un-PG13 expletives, and the mention that he wanted to sell something or another is easily lost in the middle of them. A Swanna grabs his PokéGear in its beak and runs off.

Give him ten, fifteen minutes to get back to you, if you don't mind.]

((OOC: I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION feel free to bump into Doppio (literally or otherwise) if you're in Ecruteak too!))

Comments

text; un: r.n.

[ferraio]

If they're definitely real, why are they named as if it's in question? 'Legendary'...or is it meant to make them sound more godlike?

[ He is mildly concealing his name with his username setting, and he chose text instead of video for multiple reasons, but mostly...it hardly even occurs to him that Doppio won't know who this is.

Unless of course he recognizes his awful pedantic streak. ]

[epitaffio]

[Yeah, he can't really be sure who this is. Not yet, at least.]

I think it's something like that.
There's supposedly a "god" Pokémon and everything, and people say he's real.

[ferraio]

[ Woah wait what the hell is up with this font—

It's too absurd not to be deliberate, right? Perhaps it's simply something this world does in its never-ending quest to make this all seem childish... ]

Being in a world that runs on video game logic is, perhaps, a terrible time to question what is truly possible...but I also find it hard to believe rumors in a place catering to children's sensibilities.

[ On the one hand, there can't only be one person in this new world that talks like this. On the other hand, Risotto should probably just start signing these with his real name at this rate.

Especially when he continues. ]

Why does your font match your hair color? Does this happen to everyone?

[epitaffio]

Apparently even Santa is real here, so... honestly?
I don't know WHAT to question anymore.

It sounds like you're new here

[Buuut, if he's asking about the font color matching his hair, and whether it happens to everyone... that means he has white hair! Therefore, it can't be Risotto Nero!

... Look, Doppio is tired from chasing after Swanna for the better part of 15 minutes.]

But no, it's just a setting you can change in your PokéGear.

[ferraio]

...I'm guessing you know this from experience. [ Santa, huh. He... He doesn't even know where to begin. That's...

Can he leave yet?

Unfortunately, Risotto was concerned this was some sort of slow, insidious change occurring over time, because 'your font changes three months in and you can't switch it back' is honestly the level of punishment he'd expect from a place where you can't even commit murder. ]

So you personally chose to do that. [ Wow. Can you sense his judgment through the phone, Doppio? ]

I suppose at least it matches both of you.

[epitaffio]

Yeah.
Apparently he helped stop a heist last year or something.

[And that's as much as he's telling anybody who (as far as he knows) isn't in Team Rocket. Anyway...

Wait, huh?]

What?

[ferraio]

[ If Risotto's narration keeps repeating everything he finds appalling about this, there'll be no room left over for anything else. Safe to say he's going to need some time to recover from this revelation about Pokémon Santa Claus and his law-enforcing ways. ]

Pink. It matches both of you.

Don't tell me you forgot?

[ Risotto's incoming realization that Doppio was too busy screaming in pain to listen to him monologue is gonna hit him like a train once it finally happens. ]

[epitaffio]

[Is he seriously--?!

Wow Doppio can feel a headache coming on.]

What are you talking about?

[ferraio]

[ Hmm, alright. He actually should be a little careful with his wording here, if only because he's playing it close to the chest as to what he did back home, so drawing too much public attention to them being connected could always backfire...

As tempting as it is to ruin Doppio's secrets, doing so opens himself up to retaliation. So after a little consideration, he settles on the (surely entirely benign): ]

You and our old Boss have the same color hair. [ Guess who, Doppio. ]

video;

[necrodentia]

[ Rainer definitely wants to ask about the legendary Pokemon thing, but... ]

Uh... [ She laughs nervously. ] Are you good?

video;

[epitaffio]

[Yeah, she might have to wait a second. Right now, the feed - being held in a Swanna's beak, and thus at least three-quarters obscured - is very unclear, although a pink-and-purple blur does appear to be giving chase.]

Get back here with that! How the hell'd you even get in?!

video;

[necrodentia]

[ ..... ]

So, that's a no on the "being good" front.

[ That's okay. She can wait. ]

video;

[epitaffio]

[Good. That's good.

A few more minutes pass. There is a muffled "Goddammit" as, apparently, the Swanna attempts to drive the PokéGear further into its beak.

Then there is a scream, as well as fingers wrestling their way INTO the beak. Thankfully, they're still attached to their respective hand, but whether that's only because of the rules this place operates on is anybody's guess.]

It's not even food, you stupid...!

[necrodentia]

[ Sorry, pink haired stranger. This whole thing is just too funny to hold back her laugher any longer. ]

Hah..! You tell him! Grab that goose! Grab! That! Goose!

[epitaffio]

It's a fucking swan!

[The sound is muffled, and at any rate, a few more minutes pass while Doppio struggles with the Swanna, a fact that is only theoretically registered on camera because the feed is absolute chaos for most of it.

Eventually, though, things settle down. The Swanna's cries fade away. The PokéGear is tightly gripped in Doppio's hand. He stumbles back to his futon and slumps down, out of breath.]

[necrodentia]

I mean, technically, it's a Pokemon, right? So it's not a swan or a goose!

[ Yes, Rainer. This is the perfect time for semantics. When a man is fighting for his life against a Swanna.

But! Eventually he wins, and he returns triumphant to his futon. Rainer, the eager audience that she is, applauds generously. ]

That was awesome! You're a regular Steve Irwin! [ Fantasy Steve Irwin. ]

[epitaffio]

Huh? The crocodile guy...?

[If he's looking at the PokéGear like he's not sure if he heard her right, that's... probably because the second-loudest thing in the room right now is still his pulse. Turns out swans/geese/Swanna are just as formidable of an opponent as any mafioso.]

video

[nastyboy]

[Oh hey, look, it's the guy who threatened to make you swallow your own nose, Doppio]

[Only there's none of that feral rage from before. Just mildly concerned blankness.]

...Are you... well? Is there anything I can do to help?

[He was going to talk about the secondhand story he heard about Moltres, but he doesn't... Is that the time now...??]

video

[epitaffio]

[Doppio doesn't even see him yet - the PokéGear is moving, but it catches a glimpse of Doppio wrestling with another Swanna, who is ferociously flapping its wings in his arms. Fortunately, he just barely manages to see his device getting away from him, judging from the blur of pink hair flipping as his head turns -]

Where the-- Fuck! What is wrong with these idiot birds?!

video

[nastyboy]

[...So, not well. Understood.]

[Dimitri can't answer what's up with the aggressive Swanna - Elshot has managed to overpower most of them when he's sent him out, although he's quite annoyed whenever he returns - but he can' offer a solution.]

Electric move, Doppio! A pokemon with an Electric move! Flying and water!

i am,, so sorry

[epitaffio]

[The PokéGear is getting away from him, but Doppio clearly heard Dimitri, because he yells so loudly that he'd probably have blown out the audio if the device were at a regular distance from his face:]

I ALREADY KNOW HOW THAT WORKS, SHITHEAD, I HAVE A MORPEKO AND A GYARADOS!

[... Yeah, Doppio might need a moment for more than one reason at this point.]

i'm not

[nastyboy]

[Oh good, he can still hear him. Dimitri doesn't even think twice on being insulted. Felix has insulted him worse, and also he probably deserves it sometimes.]

[All Dimitri does is yell back.]

THEN GET THE MORPEKO BEFORE YOU LOSE FINGERS!

[swans'll do it, bud, dimitri is pretty sure of that]

[epitaffio]

I'm-- FINE!

[Doppio does not get the Morpeko, as far as the feed can show. Which isn't a lot, because between the Swanna's beak holding the PokéGear and the image getting even blurrier as Doppio then proceeds to try wrenching his PokéGear free, it's kind of hard to tell what's happening.

Things only settle down after a few minutes, after Doppio plops back down on his futon, exhausted. He drops his PokéGear on his lap and it captures an unflattering angle of his face before he remembers he's broadcasting and adjusts it some.]

Ow, ow, ow...

[nastyboy]

[Watching this mess makes Dimitri feel more than a little bit sick, but also, like... He can't look away. He is so worried for Doppio's fingers.]

[When things finally calm down..]

Do you need a moment to yourself?

...Are your windows locked and barred so that they cannot get in again?

damn gmail straight up ate this notif

[epitaffio]

I'm fine...! [He still doesn't sound very fine, but hey!

Although, now that he's settling down... Man. It's weird how concerned this guy is, considering, well... No, that's not right. It's not the concern that's weird, it's the contrast.

Doppio honestly thought Dimitri might kill him if he could, back at the heist.]

Um... Good call on the windows, though. [Even though he's on the second floor...]