voice and action;

[stahlflugel]

[VOICE]

So. I actually managed to get some good information out of Napoleon, with some bribery. Damn stuck-up dinosaur. I told him if he told me everything he knew, I'd let him hang out in the breeding center for a while. He uh... yeah. Do I really need to explain it?

A-anyway.

It seems like some of these other humans from other settlements, whoever they are, installed the machines in the caves not too long ago. They used a "really stinky gross spray" to keep pokémon out of the way while they worked. Some sort of repellant spray, I'm sure. Then he said that horrible noise started and didn't stop until we destroyed the machine.

But here's the craziest part; he said he was a Tyrunt right up until the noise started. He said he wasn't really ready to evolve yet, but he's not complaining. I had to bribe him with a whole fancy tauros carcass to get THAT info. But I think it's worth it. Even if I'm pretty much broke now, ugh. I have half a mind to release his prissy ass back into the wild.

[ACTION; Closed to Jean and Marco]
[Another day, another dollar, as they say. Many of the Guard recruits had been moved from patrol duty to clean up and rebuilding, and Eren, Jean, and Marco are among them. It's tough work, but it certainly feels good to help people.

But Eren has other things on his mind. ]

... I'm going out training in the forest again this afternoon. Either of you wanna come?

Comments

[tinytactician]

It's okay. I'm okay. Everything's fine, Eren, don't worry about me.

[Momentary pause.] I...think they're real. Or, at least, I think things are better when we behave like they're real.

[stahlflugel]

You know I always worry about you anyway!!

Well, I'm just not sure. If they're real, where are they now? I guess they just don't like humans or something. Who knows...

[tinytactician]

I know, but...I wish you wouldn't. Especially now that you're getting more responsibility with the Guard and all that. You need to focus.

[Soft sigh.] Maybe they're...waiting. To see if we do things right this time around. I don't think time works the same for them.

[stahlflugel]

Yeah well... It doesn't matter how many responsibilities I have, you aren't getting off that easy.

Maybe... I don't know. [RELIGION IS WEIRD. Eren is never really sure how to feel about it]

[tinytactician]

I'm really okay, I promise. I can take really good care of myself and Meredith helps.

...even if the gods aren't real, it's still common sense to treat the Pokemon with kindness and respect, not try to control them again.

[stahlflugel]

[a groan from Eren. They fight about this a lot, but it's an unstoppable force/immovable object situation]

Right. That's the truth. The truth everyone can see with their eyes.

[tinytactician]

[They'll be bickering about it when they're old and grey and decrepit.]

Except some people aren't. Which...is scary.

[stahlflugel]

Or maybe they just don't care... Which is even scarier.

[tinytactician]

What...what will everyone in the city do? Do you think we'll get lumped in with people making bad choices and...and attacked?

[stahlflugel]

... Well, I sure hope not. But I'm sure innocent people back then got hurt, too. So we need to stop these guys. They're putting everyone in danger!

[tinytactician]

Right! [Imagine little serious face going right here. Then:] How do we stop them?

[stahlflugel]

Well, first, we gotta make sure to disable any more weird technology we find. Disable, but not destroy! Look how much progress stealing their stuff has brought us... and we don't stand a chance if we don't keep up. Then, we have to find their settlement, and bring them to justice!

[tinytactician]

Not destroy, right. [It's 95% likely that Armin's literally taking notes right now. But he pauses, to ask the hard questions:] How? What if they have a greater military force?

[stahlflugel]

Because if we destroy it, we can't use it!! [a pause] ... Mmm... well... I guess... we'll have to take them surprise?

[tinytactician]

I know, I know.

[Armin suddenly becomes very...very quiet.] Like...in a war. Right?

[stahlflugel]

[Eren is quiet for a while, realizing the implications of that. Then, he's much more somber] ... Yeah. Like a war. That's... that's where we're headed, it seems like.

[tinytactician]

[Armin's actually very happy there isn't video right now, so he doesn't have to hide how worried his expression is, focusing instead on keeping his voice even.]

If that's what's best...then it'll be okay. Everything will be all right.

[stahlflugel]

[Eren didn't mean to upset his friend. But... how is it possible to make war sound not scary? So instead, Eren just breaks out the confidence]

Yeah!! Everything's gonna be fine. These guys don't know what they're getting into, messing with Union.

[tinytactician]

[Armin chuckles a little, softly. The infamous Eren-ish confidence always makes him feel better.]

Well, how can they hope to win, after all?

[stahlflugel]

They can't. It's impossible.