1st Shot | Video/Action

[loveshiscity]

Video

--Yeah, yeah. I know that already.

[It would seem that Union was being treated to a fragmented conversation that the feed had suddenly started right in the middle of. No faces could be seen on screen yet, save for a gloved hand and the hemline of a white jacket. Off screen, a stern, feminine voice could be heard delivering a severe reminder about all of the paperwork that should have been done weeks ago, and how it was irresponsible of him to not have introduced himself to the rest of the community yet.

The owner of the gloved hand could be heard chuckling.]

And my family'd be ashamed of me too, right? [Then, the feed started to move as he continued in a more brisk tone.] Don't worry 'bout it, okay? I'm working on it right now. C'mon, J.

[But what about the--

The voice was promptly cut off by the sound of a door clicking shut, followed by a sigh. Then, the face of a young man with brilliant green eyes came fully into view on the feed. He offered an apologetic smile for the audience.]

Sorry about that. Some girls can really be demanding.

[There was a subtle rumble that was suddenly audible on the feed-- those who understood Pokespeak would recognize it as a quiet reminder from someone off screen. 'Daisuke. You're stalling.']

What? J, not you too!

[The blond at least had the foresight now to share the screen with his pokemon-- an inscrutable looking Beldum who was strangely clad in a brimmed hat and scarf. The humming continued. 'A man shouldn't try the patience of his coworkers or his audience.'

Daisuke sighed-- and actively closed out the feed.]

Action

[Later, people wandering through the downtown might find a slender blond man in a crisp white jacket hanging around the streetside food stands near the theater, nonchalantly scarfing down a bowl of noodles as if he had all the time in the world. But, don't let the ease of his manner fool you-- he's definitely paying attention to what's happening around him.

As for the rather fashionable Beldum? He's hanging around...somewhere. Daisuke isn't sure, but he suspects that the Beldum has taken to visiting the theater for reasons that only he would know.]

Comments

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna doesn't frequent downtown, but she does go there from time to time to get new supplies and have a decent dinner. which is, for the moment, her intent. She wanders into the noodle place with a Budew perched on one shoulder and a Porygon trailing behind her. Plunking down she orders something spicy and leans back to wait, casually plucking the plant off her shoulder and pruning it right there in the shop.]

[loveshiscity]

[Dai was sitting at the counter himself, idly slurping down his noodles while he watched the area for any trace of his errant partner, when the woman plunked herself down nearby and started tending to her pokemon. The little grass type was cute, for sure, and the odd pink one that had entered in with her was nothing short of intriguing.

--He hadn't seen one like that too often.]

That's a cute little one you've got there, [He said after she had settled in, striking up an idle conversation with the woman. A meal was always better with company.]

[rainsrespite]

[She looks up from Budew with a muted smile, not uninterested, just half focused on the actual task.]

Which? The Budew? Or Porygon?

[The Duck chimes mechanically, buzzing like a 56k modem for a moment. Someone thinks he's cute?]

[loveshiscity]

Both, honestly.

[Yes, little pink guy. Someone totally thinks you're cute.]

So, the pink one is called a Porygon? Can't say I've ever met one up close before.

[rainsrespite]

[He looks up and beeps again.]

Yes, this is a Porygon. They're from down in the Old City. A bit of a rarity there, but I spent a couple of weeks looking for this guy. Machine Pokemon are kinda fascinating to me.

[loveshiscity]

[Dai set down his chopsticks and held out his hand for the Porygon to investigate, should it so choose. It was only polite.]

I find them neat too. It's a shame that some people disagree just because they don't understand or can be bothered with figuring out what to do with pokemon like this.

[rainsrespite]

[He beeps and rolls forward on some...invisible wheels or something, and nuzzles his hand.]

Well, between this guy and my Magnezone, I've gotten pretty used to machines. Lots of Steel types are like that. But, even with that in mind, Porygon is sort of an outlying factor. He's like a little computer, from the time before.

[loveshiscity]

[That certainly did sound unique, even among machine types. Dai patted the Porygon's head before returning his attention to the woman.]

I've got a Beldum hanging out around here somewhere. He's...strange, but after a while these machines just grow on you. They're all very interesting.

[rainsrespite]

Haven't seen a Beldum around. I know they evolve into Metagross, but I've never seen the baby.

[Porygon chirps again and Downloads info on you, Dai.]

You're a trainer, then?

[loveshiscity]

[Download as much data as you want, Porygon. Dai's got nothing to really be ashamed of.]

Yeah, only started working with my partner in the last few months too. We'll need to introduce him to your machines sometime-- hope they don't mind theater. He's something of a fan.

[rainsrespite]

Um, no, I don't mind. One of my good friends is an actress there, actually.

[She lifts an eyebrow. The idea of a theatrical Beldum?]

My name's Yuuna. What's yours?

[loveshiscity]

[It was mostly an intellectual exercise, if anyone ever bothered to actually ask the pokemon about why he did it. Unfortunately, Dai had a little too much respect for his partner's privacy to ask.]

Daisuke. It must be neat having a friend who works there. Do you get in to see shows often?

[rainsrespite]

Regularly, yeah.

[Yuuna's more than happy to confirm that. And adds in...]

My girlfriend really enjoys them, so we go pretty often. Haruka's something of a pal, too, so we go to cheer her on as much as anything.

[loveshiscity]

Is that right?

[He had certainly heard of Haruka Tenoh in his meanderings around town. So, this is the sort of woman that the thespian would be friends with? Interesting. No wonder J is fond of Haruka's work.]

It sounds like a ton of fun. Maybe I should go and check that place ou sometime for myself, just to see it.

[rainsrespite]

Yep.

[Well, she just happens to have run into Haruka at the right time. And you can really blame Sky for that.]

You should, though, they do good work. It's entertaining.

[loveshiscity]

So people keep saying.

[It was, after all, wildly popular in town.]

[rainsrespite]

Yeah.

[She shrugs, taking a slurp of soup before continuing.]

So, what do you do?

[loveshiscity]

Oh, this and that. I talk to people, and try to make sure that bad stuff doesn't happen too often.

[Given how things stood with him and his job, he didn't exactly want to out his actual position right yet. That might have been taking things a little far-- unless Yuuna had caught his aborted warp band video from earlier that day.]

[rainsrespite]

[She had not, but she snorts a laugh all the same.]

Shame to have a job like that, with all the insanity lately.

[loveshiscity]

Heh. I'd rather things stay crazy and be out here-- it's better than having nothing to do but watch the news.

[And finally not have any good excuse to keep putting off the paperwork that should have been done yesterday.]

[rainsrespite]

You'd...rather have to deal with a group of insane experimental victims, mad gods, and having your body swapped with a man you barely know?

[...You are incredibly lazy, she has figured. But you are also a damn fool if you want all that to continue.]

[loveshiscity]

I didn't mean exactly like that.

[That was, after all, the sort of madness that wasn't cool, and actually detrimental to society.]

I just mean I'd rather be out here than inside.

[rainsrespite]

I'd hope not. Because none of that stuff was particularly fun.

[She snorts.]

I was involved in most of that. I don't want to have any more raging gods, y'know.

[loveshiscity]

Oh, really? Those were quite some messes, too.

[Even if most of those happened before he had actively started working with pokemon, it was hard not to catch the blowback from the various incidents. They really did rock the world.]

Must've been tough, even if they did teach us all something about our world.

[rainsrespite]

I'm a Ranger. I had to be involved, it was my job.

[She snorts a second time, reaching down to rub Renraku's head.]

But it is progress. And progress is good.