1st Pokeball - An Unwelcome Prank

[unbroken_chain]

The camera feed snaps on suddenly, revealing a creature somewhat like a fox staring directly into it before winking and placing a finger to its lips. It snaps to attention as a young-sounding voice calls out from behind it.

"Okay, Zoroark, time for rehearsal! Today it's Brycen-Man, okay?"

The outline of the fox-like creature - Zoroark? - shimmers and distorts, resolving into a strangely-dressed man. It walks away from the camera and takes up a stance across from a young girl in an equally outlandish outfit, who clears her throat before drawing herself up and pointing directly at the masked man the fox turned into.

"Hold it! The Messenger of Truth and Ideals, Riolu Girl, is here! Stop right there, Brycen-Man! I cannot allow your mischief!"

The masked man laughs at this. He snickers so hard, in fact, that the illusion drops, leaving Riolu Girl staring at him, completely unsure of what's so funny. Still snickering, the fox points at the video feed with one finger, the masked girl looking in that direction. Her eyes wide behind her mask, she scrambles for the table the COMP is resting on.

"AAAA! That's not funny, Zoroark!"

Staring directly into the video feed, she starts babbling frantically.

"You didn't see that! NOBODY SAW THAT. THERE WAS NOTHING TO SEE."

Comments

[square_cubelaw]

"Wait a minute. Pokemon?"

Robo is out of touch with the latest trends in entertainment but...

"Those things are called Pokemon?"

Yep, this place just hit another level of weird. He might not know them on sight, but he has definitely heard that name before.

"So it's kind of like your pet?"

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha raises one eyebrow at that.

"They're friends and partners, not pets."

[square_cubelaw]

"Friends and partners then."

Robo has no reason to argue that one. Plenty of people feel the same way about their dogs and cats.

"How many of them do you have?"

[unbroken_chain]

"Six of them came with me, if that's what you mean. I have more of them back home, but...well. You know."

She shrugs.

[square_cubelaw]

"I'm starting to understand more and more."

Thinking on how much he hates being forced into these sort of things, the idea they can return home gives him a choice. He's without a lot of his resources here.

Still, he hasn't left yet.

"So, are you sticking around to see how you can help?"

[unbroken_chain]

"Pretty much, yeah! I mean, I'm pretty much one of the top-ranked Trainers in the entire world, so it'd be pretty selfish of me to say I couldn't do this and leave, after all."

[square_cubelaw]

It'd be reasonable if she did decide to go home. Some people just can't turn their backs on problems, though. He has to give her a lot of credit there.

"Okay then, it sounds like we're here for the long haul."

There are plenty of issues to deal with back home, but there are entire teams he has trained to deal with them. Here, there's just him.

"Any idea on where you're starting? I am thinking about seeing what people have organized and decided what to do from there."

He's also not 100% how he feels about what is going on here, but if they are playing games with the lives of people something must be done.

[unbroken_chain]

"For now, I'm working on familiarizing myself with the terrain and finding a way to support myself outside of the stipend. I was planning on making my first network post a job search, but...oh well."

[square_cubelaw]

"Money might be useful all things considered. I'm not cheap to maintain under the best conditions."

And scavenging parts is not high on his list of things he wants to be doing.

"First, I should find out how many of my employees are around."

[unbroken_chain]

"Sounds like a plan! I'll see what I can do to help, okay?"

Kotoha is, as always, relentlessly optimistic.

"Meanwhile, I guess I'll keep an eye out for a strip mall that needs a new general manager or something...might as well play to my strengths."

[square_cubelaw]

She is a strange kid.

"I'll let you know if I see anything. I may just have to make due."