victory_road | [Video] [Action for New Bark Town]

_{[There is a cough from off-camera as Ralph tries to steady his Poke'Gear. His hands are shaking and the view of New Bark is one the people of Johto have seen hundreds of times by now. A shiny Growlithe with enormous eyebrows bounds into the frame and yaps excitedly.]}

Ahehm! Aheherhum! Is this thing on? Heya ah...hello! Hi. Hello there. My name is...Do-Right Ralph. And I'm...new here.

_{[The Growlithe on-screen stops bounding around and tilts his head. His bushy tail stops wagging.]}

The handbook that everybody gets said I should probably introduce myself! So! Hello! Uhm...

_{[A nervous cough.]}

This is my starter. Carter. Does anybody have any...

.....

..........

...tips?

_{[Suddenly a Snubbull with a big red bow on one ear toddles into frame leading a fat Sandshrew by the paw. The Snubbull is waving around at all the sighs and chattering excitedly.]}

STEVE BOSSY NO! GET OUT OF THE SHOT! You're ruining it!

_{[The duo jumps in alarm and Bossy wheels around and bristles as much as something without any fur can bristle, chattering several poke'profanities at her trainer. Steve, meanwhile, just looks hurt.]}

Oh...oh, no, Steve. I didn't mean to yell. You're perfect, you're beautiful, you two go have a good time.....ah, nuts.

_{[Ralph finally flips the 'gear around to reveal himself. It's the same old Ralph, not some newbie--but there are some changes! For one, he isn't wearing his overalls. The boy's gotten himself a RIGHT AND PROPER PAIR OF JEANS. For another he's wearing a shirt advertising the TM Brick Break. There's a green bandanna around his neck and Nelly, his Slurpuff, is stuck to his shoulder. She isn't officially part of the outfit, she's just kind of there.]}

Aw, who am I kiddin'? I was never cut-out to be an actor.

_{[He scrubs the back of his head. Great. Now he's gotta explain himself. Ralph sets his jaw and loses the bashful look in favor of a stern one.]}

But I am serious about the Do-Right bit. I don't wanna hear Wreck-It any more! I'm not gonna wreck anything else if I can help it! Unless it is in a designated wrecking area. And I'm gettin' paid. That'd be kinda nice actually...

ANYWAY!

I guess...I guess what I wanted to say with this video and this get-up is I'm startin' over. I have a confession to make. Since day one of my being here, I've been part of a certain organization because I believed that's all I was good for. I let people tell me that for thirty long years back in my own world and I just let it keep on happenin' here. I tried to fight it at first, y'know? New world, new rules...but eventually I let the same old voices get me down. I wish...I wish I could apologize individually to every person I've hurt or stolen from. Pokemon aren't just things. And I know wishin' isn't going to get anything done. All I can do is promise from here on out things are gonna be different.

If anyone who's known me all these years feels differently about me now...well...I can't blame you.

_{[Steve, Bossy, and Carter move into the frame behind Ralph.]}

But if a numbskull like me can eventually figure out that you decide what kinda role you play in the world, I think anybody can.

Thanks for listnin' I guess.

_{[He quickly raises a finger.]}

And don't try to arrest me! I've already done my time, thanks!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He'd been wondering where Ralph had gone to! He'd known the big guy hadn't disappeared on them (he'd checked), but he'd certainly missed seeing him around the circus. For all they got off on a pretty bad foot, Ralph was his friend now.]

[And also an ex-Rocket. Huh. THAT was new information...but it's not like it's something that would change someone like Envy's opinion. Ralph never stole from him or probably anyone he knew, so no big deal! More important than that is the also-new fact that Ralph had felt like he'd been stuck there--something Envy can understand entirely too well.]

[It's hard for a bad guy to change their stripes. And even harder for them to decide they want to try.]

There's nothing quite like the freedom to do what you want, is there?

_{[For a moment, Ralph bites his lip. Here was a familiar face. He lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding when Envy doesn't disown him.]}

You can say that again.

[Video] [Action for New Bark Town]

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