victory_road | (no subject)

Right. I should've told you about Team Rocket...

Team Rocket?

They are a criminal gang. Biggest one around. They-- well, they get involved in a lot of different crimes, but their main thing, or at least the main thing your average person is going to have to deal with, is that they steal Pokemon from folks. Usually, pokemon that are valuable or unique in some way, so either ones that are strong, hard to come by, or shiny.

Don't count on the police here to deal with them either. They are useless.

To what end? To sell them?

[It seems to her that anyone could just go out and catch some pokemon. But if they're only interested in rare and strong Pokemon. Well. She supposed there's bound to be people that want an easier way to get them. And that would be stealing or buying off a Pokemon black market.

Though this seems like a peaceful world, she's not at all surprised something like this would be going on. No world is perfect.]

I think so, yeah. Sell 'em. Keep the strong ones for themselves.

[Why waste time catching and training pokemon yourself when you could just steal them!

Except, you know, because you are a good person who doesn't do shit like that.]

Some people get really obsessed with these shinies. I don't really get it; it's the same pokemon, just a different colour. But you know how some people get when they can show they are more special than others.

Pokémon seem impressed with them too. At least Ori was when he saw Noodle. She seems to think highly of herself too.

[Bo-Katan doesn’t much care either, but she has a feeling she will lose ground with Ori if she doesn’t let him visit Noodle occasionally. Moving on!]

So is this what this “hypothetical” situation is about?

The hypothetical is just me being curious. Sometimes people get so stuck on something being "illegal" [fingerquotations and all] that they won't even think about what is the right thing to do.

[Like murder. Don't catch Riz with that 'murder is always wrong, killing a killer leaves the same number of killers in the world' bullshit. Killing can be the best course of action. Some people are too dangerous to allow to live.]

For the record, I didn't steal Sarge-- Or Chief. I'm still trying to decide on the name. I made someone a very mutually beneficial offer.

That’s true. I’ve seen it happen before.

[She’s not sure she buys the “just me being curious” part but she goes along with it.]

Even if you did, I’m sure you would have a good reason.

[No judgement.]

What kind of offer did you make?

All these two were interested in was hurting each other, so I offered them both some info to do exactly that with if they let me have the dog. It was a completely above-board transaction.

So you… gave them ideas on how to hurt each other more?

Not physically!

I just gave them ammo they could use in their stupid divorce battle. You know, hidden credit card debt and affairs, that sort of stuff.

[Even she has to raise a brow at this.]

Well, that’s one way to do it.

And I vote for Sarge. Sounds like that Pokémon has been through war.

I've gotten pretty good at that sort of stuff.

[Not because he wants to be, but because it's the easiest source of work for a private detective.]

Next time you drop by, you should come meet him. Hopefully by then I'll have figured out his name.

Once I come back from Lavender Town, I will.

[And… she should probably tell him about her plans.]

I’ll hang around until my Eevee egg is ready to be picked up in Goldenrod. After that, I may stay in Johto for awhile.

[Meaning they might not see much of her for some time.]

Edited 2023-09-23 12:25 (UTC)

Johto is a pretty decent enough place to explore. I need to head back there sometime to get a few more badges.

[But he'll do that whenever he happens to be in the neighbourhood or if he really needs the money. And it probably won't happen until after Winter, cause Riz is not scurrying through the snow.]

If you ever need help while you are in Johto, you should go to miss Jane in Goldenrod City. She has her own gym. She'll help you out. She makes good cookies too.

[There is a brief thought of inviting Riz to come with her, but she then realizes that of course he can’t. He has his own business. Din has a job. She’s on her own for all of this. Not that she couldn’t handle herself. Exploring this world has been interesting so far, but it has been a bit… lonely. She has her Pokémon at least, but being alone is not something she’s ever enjoyed.]

That’s good to know. I’ll keep it in mind. And I’ll be sure to keep in touch. Need to make sure all you boys behave yourselves while I’m gone.

[She’s joking of course. Maybe.]

Why, do we look like a crew that gets into trouble a lot?

[Don't answer that.]

Let’s just say I have a history of rescuing your dad.

No, you don't.

[Immediate. Blunt. Said before he even thought about how it might come out.

Something flicks over his face then, and he glances away, then back at the camera.]

I know you didn't mean anything by it but Mando is not my dad. He's never gonna be my dad. I already have a dad and he is super badass.

[A pause and a slight wince. She had seen how Din interacted with Riz and Boober, not unlike with how things were with Grogu, and well she had assumed. Wrongly, obviously, and instantly felt bad about it.]

Sorry.

[That’s all she could think to say. Riz was right, she hadn’t meant anything by it. But she definitely understood his reaction. So much she mentally kicked herself for it.]

It's okay.

[Riz isn't really upset. Not in a lasting manner.]

I know some people pick up dads like they are going out of style -- [Basically just Fig.] -- but I'm cool with the one I have-- Had... Have.

[What term to use for a person who is definitely very dead, but also kicking ass in heaven? It's complex sometimes.]

[Her expression softens as that definitely confirms her suspicions, that Riz's dad is no longer among the living.]

What was he like? Your dad?

[Her tone soft and sympathetic. She knows all too well what it's like to lose a father.]

He was so cool. When I was little, I thought he was like... an accountant or something [He shakes his head for a moment, with a fond smile. He had never been told Pok was an accountant or anything. That was just a conclusion his child brain had drawn.] but he was actually a secret agent. He'd sneak in places as a Goblin, just pretend to be a random underling and carry out whatever the mission was.

[And he still does it, just for Heaven now. But Riz can't talk about that. Nothing against Bo, he just has no idea if Kalina can still monitor everything he says and does. Who even knows how being in this world affects that particular clusterfuck.

After a short pause Riz adds]

He died when I was nine.

[Hearing him talk about his dad that way brought a faint smile to her face. Clearly Riz deeply admired him, and missed him.]

He sounds amazing.

[Riz had been so young too.

It was hard talking about such loss, she knew that. So she didn’t press him. Riz would tell her whatever he felt comfortable with sharing. So instead of prying further or changing the subject, she offered him a bit of herself in return.]

I was six when my father died.

Oh.

[Riz hasn't really met a lot of people who have lost their parents too. Fabian, yes, but that was when he was a teen. It was... different and not different all at the same time.

One thing Riz does know is that nothing you can say makes it better. If anything, a lot of what you can say can just make it feel worse. So, all he does say is]

That sucks.

[Because if there is one thing that is true when you lose your dad before you even need all your fingers to count your age is that is fucking sucks.]