closed audio, open "video"

[epitaffio]

[AUDIO, LOCKED TO TEAM ROCKET]

Hey, everybody! [Ahh, Doppio's chipper voice backed by the quiet murmur of a running river. Is there a more soothing sound?] I dunno about you, but I think it's been a while since we've had a proper headcount, so I thought I could get something started. I know we're not supposed to stand out and all, and it's not like I'm planning anything... but it's nice to know who's around, right?

[A perfectly fine pretext to update his running list of offworld members of Team Rocket and their ranks, right? Right.]

So, um, I'm just gonna introduce myself and say something about what I'm up to, and if you want, you can do the same thing. [There is a splash, and Doppio's next words are not meant for the people on the other end of the line:] Haha, hi-- Wow, you look rattled. Uh, okay, bye. Where was I? Right!

[BACK ON TRACK. He clears his throat and begins.]

My name's Vinegar Doppio, I'm a private, and right now I'm just outside Blackthorn City - not on duty or anything, I just wanna try and get the badge. Once I'm done here I'm thinking I'll probably--

[There is the sound of something whizzing through the air. Several somethings, in fact. And then, there is the sound of Doppio shrieking.]


[VIDEO, OTA]

[Only moments have passed, but in that time, Doppio has managed to a) leave the Rocket line and b) turn on the video feed entirely by accident while attempting to bolt. Not that the feed... shows much, aside from the characteristically shaky view of someone running for their life while holding a camera in one hand.]

Sorry-- I know I was in the middle of something but a situation's come up--! [The very next thing Doppio hears is simultaneously loud and clear & completely inaudible to anybody else -] Doppio, stop! You're not on the Rocket line anymore! [- which, oh, is an appreciated heads-up, wow he didn't even realise the Boss was on the line too, but also it gets him fumbling and umming and uhhing as he tries to redirect his speech...

However, he doesn't have to fumble for long. His pursuers soon chime in, giving Doppio reasons to reevaluate his priorities.]

Stop, dammit! I'm not done with you yet! [A man's voice, deep and imposing. For some reason, it's accompanied by the sounds of jingling metal.]

My apologies, sir, my legs aren't what they used to be - [An old man's voice, tired and pondering.] - but if I may, I believe you have nothing to fear, since...

I know I can't die for good, but it's still gonna HURT, [Doppio whines, before adding in genuine confusion:] Wait, you're here too?

[And then, just as a third man's voice is heard, Doppio abruptly stops running - and with the motion, the video feed captures the shape of the voice's very blurry owner.]

Will you pipe down already?

[Currently, Doppio has no idea what in the fuck is going on. The sound of a gunshot rings out. There are yet more specters approaching, though the rest are by and large indistinct.]

Comments

[crystalmaster]

[Radley stares at the feed, baffled.] Are you okay?! What's going on there?!

[epitaffio]

[The feed vibrates. Then it shakes violently. It seems Doppio nearly dropped his PokéGear.]

Who's there-- Shit!

[Well, great. He's broadcasting this to randos AND there's-- oh god there are several guys with guns and as he readjusts the camera there is an incredibly menacing-looking... goth... jester guy behind him...]

I-I gotta run!

[So he does. He definitely doesn't remember to turn off the feed first, though, which means the shakycam continues.]

[crystalmaster]

[Radley continues to be bewildered and concerned, but not knowing where Doppio is, he doesn't know how to help. The area definitely doesn't look familiar, though. He just watches, staring in disbelief whenever he catches sight of any of the bizarre people chasing Doppio. There's not much else he can do.]

[epitaffio]

[Does Radley stick around for long? Because this goes on for A While. A lot of running. A lot of Shaky Cam-ing. Many metal objects - not exclusively bullets - flying dangerously close to Doppio. Decidedly un-PG13 language.

But later, after the feed has been turned off - which, if Radley was still watching, happened somewhere around the fifth time the goth jester guy declared his intent to kill
Doppio, and conspicuously in the middle of a sentence - there is finally a reply. Through text.]

Everything's fine!!

[crystalmaster]

[Radley is still there. He looks at the text with a bit of confused suspicion.]

It's fine?! How did you calm them down?

[epitaffio]

It turns out they're just ghosts, so it doesn't actually matter!
Crazy, right?

[crystalmaster]

... That is pretty loco. Weren't they throwing things at you?! Are they poltergeists?

[epitaffio]

Luckily, those things were ALSO ghosts.

[crystalmaster]

... Weird. Yeah, this might be the wackiest thing going on here yet.

[And potentially traumatizing, depending on what kinds of ghosts show up....]

So ... are they still around or did you lose them?

[epitaffio]

[Unfortunately...]

I don't know how to make them go away, so...

[crystalmaster]

[Radley frowns. He had really expected that, but he had still hoped.]

Do you have any idea how they showed up in the first place? That's so random.

[And was he the only victim?]

[epitaffio]

Nope. Maybe it's something about where I am right now? I wonder if I should tell the Seekers...

[That, at least, he's being honest about. Right now, he has no idea that this happened pretty much because a Basculin hopped out of the water to give him a high-five.]

[crystalmaster]

The Seekers?

[epitaffio]

Yeah, the Legendary Seekers. They're this group I got roped into somehow.

[The specifics don't matter. Especially because the truth is that he's undercover for Team Rocket.]

[crystalmaster]

Ah. So I'm guessing they're trying to find Legendary Pokemon?

[After Prom, he wonders why anyone would want to.]

[epitaffio]

I guess it's all in the name, huh?

[crystalmaster]

Yeah, pretty much! Have they had any luck so far?

[epitaffio]

Not any more than your average guy, I guess.

[Which is to say, he's had disappointingly little intel to share with Team Rocket that they couldn't have possibly learned without the Legendary Seekers.]

[crystalmaster]

That sounds like kind of a boring organization to be in, then.

[But he gets that it would be hard to find Legendaries. After all, that's why they're legendary in the first place.]