Third Wrench: What Has Science Done?!

[sparkofgenius]

Video

[So, this isn't necessarily an abnormal occurrence really, but it has been a while since the last experiment went completely awry. Really, things have been working out pretty swimmingly for Lucca and her work since she came to Union, but she'd been trying something new, tweaking something existing, and...well...it hadn't quite worked as intended.

So, forgive her frazzled appearance when she pops onto the Warp Band today. There's a gigantic, Golurk sized hole in the wall behind her and her glasses are hanging askew...]

Hey guys? I was...uh...wondering if you could do me a favor. If you happen to come across Gato today, can you gimme a call? Like, as fast as possible? And don't touch him, or really get too close. Something kinda went wrong, and uh...his new belt might be a liiiiittle unstable. More than I initially thought, anyway.

Uh...thanks! Seriously! Call me if you see anything!

[And then she's leaping off the feed, the roar of a Rotomcycle gearing up the only thing audible anymore.]


Action: Union, Residential District and the Southern Gate


[Lucca wasn't kidding when she said Gato was a little bit unstable. The gigantic automaton doesn't seem to be completely able to hold his form properly. Walking through the residential district, the Golurk's size seems to be fluctuating with each step. One stride he'll be his usual nine feet tall, and then another? Barely a two feet. And then another? He'll be somewhere in between. The stone of his body groans and creaks as the stress begins to wear on him.

He's pretty heedless of traffic, stepping on carts and knocking over fruit stands, and walking right through crowds without seeming to notice. It's almost eerie how silent he is, and how careless the normally amiable Pokemon seems to be.

Eventually, unless stopped, the golem will pass through the southern gate and stand there, the lights of his eyes flickering as he stares up at the sun. There's something comforting in that it seems, because he stops moving, standing there and seemingly awaiting something. The light inside seems to be shifting colors, going from yellow to a sickly green, to a pale blue...and then repeating in an odd pattern.

Maybe this would be a good time to call Lucca?]

Comments

Action (with some video)

[brandnewshoes]

[That... that's a shifting size Golurk. Estelle's just gotten back to Union. The girl stops in her tracks and stares up at it -- and then recognition clicks into place. She tilts her head to the side, then her eyes widen.]

Oh crap! That's Gato!

[Then she grabs her Warp Band and yells into it:]

Lucca! Lucca! Gato's here and he's big. [a beat] Bigger! [a beat] BIGGER. [another beat] HE KEEPS GETTING BIGGER, LUCCA.

Video

[sparkofgenius]

Estelle?! Where are you?! He's unstable! I need to get there and get that belt deactivated!

[No time to parse that Estelle's back. She's already hopping onto her Rotomcycle, and even Swiney has no pranks to pull today. It guns, a rumbling rattle as she heads into the street.]

Seriously! He might blow!

1/2

[brandnewshoes]

That's me!

[She flashes a thumbs-up and grins down at the Warp Band, before what Lucca clicks into place in her mind: he might blow. The big, stupid grin falters for a moment.]

2/2

[brandnewshoes]

OH SHIIIIIT!

[...yeah, then Estelle starts running as fast as she can, away from the Golurk. A GOD OF WAR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.]

[sparkofgenius]

Where are you, idiot?! I can stop it!

[Seriously. That stupid grin. That...she knows what you're doing, Estelle!]

[brandnewshoes]

[She's running along, quickly as she can, and then she glances side to side -- and spots the street signs.]

Corner of Audino and Savior's Breath!

[sparkofgenius]

I'll be there in like...a minute! Distract him if you can!

[And along she will come! But Gato is continuing to walk.]

[brandnewshoes]

...Right, distract him, uh.

[Estelle looks up at Gato. She considers. Her face scrunches up. Then, she stands her ground, folds her arms, and yells out:]

Two Bidoofs are approaching each other! One left at 10:30 AM from Union, headed to Caldera, at thirty-five miles per hour! One left from Union at 11:45 from Caldera, headed to Union, at thirty miles per hour! At what time will they collide!?

[......math always distracts her.]

[sparkofgenius]

[Gato? Is undeterred. He doesn't even notice, really.

Sorry Estelle, he's too focused on getting out for this. And he doesn't know the distance between Caldera and Union anyway.]

[brandnewshoes]

Hey! Math's supposed to do things! I don't know what, but--

[She throws a rock at Gato.]

[sparkofgenius]

[The rock? Tinks off of Gato's shell. And the color inside him blinks from yellow to green...

He does not notice.]

[brandnewshoes]

C'mon, Gato! Look at me, buddy!

[She gets a bit carried away. Estelle walks over to a wrought-iron street lamp -- and yanks, pulling it free. She has to use her somewhat ridiculous Enlightened strength and a move, to do that. But then she swings it at Gato!]

Right here! ...Was this such a good idea?

[sparkofgenius]

[That...gets his attention. he stops and looks, his voice coming out low, almost sad.]

Lurk?

[brandnewshoes]

N-No, don't be sad, buddy! Just... um. Calm down so you don't--er--blow?

[sparkofgenius]

[Plod. Plod. Plod. Stop.

Gato looks at Estelle, head quirked to one side...and his form shifts to a golett sized one. slumping forward, he lets out what appears to be a sigh.

He doesn't want to hurt anyone when he explodes. you see...]

[brandnewshoes]

Aw... it's okay, big guy.

[She walks over to Gato and gives him a great big hug. It's cool. She's got this.]

[sparkofgenius]

[The flashing lights on his chest speed up a bit...

And it's about then that a Rotomcycle rolls into view.]

Estelle?! Did you find him?!

[brandnewshoes]

[Oh whew. There's Lucca. She waves a hand.]

Yeah! Right over here!

[sparkofgenius]

[Lucca leaps off the bike and barrels forward, practically shoving Estelle aside and grabbing Gato in a hug. The little machine makes a sad, sad noise and Lucca shakes her head.]

Thank goodness. Okay. Now. Let's get you fixed up, little guy!

[Out comes her multitool and she starts tinkering with the belt on Gato's waist.]

You...uh...might wanna stand back, Estelle. In case something goes wrong.

[brandnewshoes]

Y-Yeah, I'll definitely stand back.

[She moves a few feet back. She looks at Lucca -- checking her over real quick, making sure she looks all right -- and then back at Gato.]

What happened, anyways? If, uh, that's a thing you can translate to Estelle talk.

[sparkofgenius]

[A few feet might not be enough, but Lucca's hard at work, fiddling with a belt. Gato seems stable though, and the flashing slows as Lucca's fingers fly.]

He fiddled with the settings on his new belt. A bit too much. and it fried something inside, and reacted weirdly with his own power. Since you know he's an automaton and all. And he wigged out and ran off.

[brandnewshoes]

Aw, man! So the belt caused it? How does the belt work?

[She rubs her head, laughing.] I'm glad he's okay, though. What's the belt do?

[sparkofgenius]

Basically? It just uses the move Minimize to bring him down to Golett size. But...

[Click tink, clank...]

He tried to get smaller. And that doesn't work out so well.

[She knocks on Gato's shell.]

You got it buddy? I'm removing that function and adding an inhibitor switch. You can't do that again, you hear me?

[Gato nods slowly, making a sad sound and reaching arms up to hug her.]

Yeah, I know, Gato. I love you too...but seriously, don't do that again!

[brandnewshoes]

Yeah, Gato! I'm not sure exactly how Lucca's Amazing Shrinking Mystery Belt--

[...sorry Lucca, she named it.]

--works, but it's real dangerous. The shrinking. Sometimes uncontrolled shrinking hurts people. That makes sense.

And no one wants you to get hurt, you know?

[sparkofgenius]

Right. Well.

[Lucca stands up and scoops up the Golett Sized Golurk now]

He's all fixed now. No more explosions.

Which means now I get to deal with you. Are you back, back?