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[rocketman]

✆ Crystal | Messenger Bird | In Person

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[rocketman]

[He considers this a moment then sighs again and traces figures along the tabletop with his fingertip, chin in hand.]

No, it's no use.

I've seen it melt ground types before...somehow.

It's even battled a Latios to a stand still before.

A Latios.

[broceanic]

[once again, he finds himself dumbfounded.]

A single Pikachu? No, that can't be right. He has to be cheating, somehow.

[it even took may everything she had with her team to calm kyogre.]

[rocketman]

I thought the same thing but I've seen it with my own peepers!

This Pikachu is just that powerful! There isn't another one in the world like it!

[He blows out a breath.]

I've only ever beaten the beastie once in a straightforward battle.

[Well, him and Jessie did, but he rolls the two of them into one person in his mind when it comes to battling.]

Could you order me a dry martini?

1/3

[broceanic]

[broceanic]

[broceanic]

I'm gettin' you three of 'em.

[HIS TEAM LEADER HEART IS BREAKING...]

[rocketman]

[James opens his mouth to gleefully accept this offer but what comes out is...]

I say, old chum, are you all right?

[broceanic]

[he shakes his head with a snort.]

I'm fine, James. I'll be back in a moment.

[and he will be-- holding the three martinis, then disappears again and comes back with a god damn stein for himself.]

[rocketman]

[He lifts a martini glass in a toasting gesture.]

Here's to...

Uh.

[Long pause.]

I've got nothing, help!

[broceanic]

To...

[it takes him a moment, too, thinking it over.]

To... not... to not... bein' on fire?

[archie shrugs helplessly, then takes a long pull of his drink.]

[rocketman]

All right, to not being on fire.

[He takes a sip of the martini and settles the glass back down.]

Where did you say you met the Twerp again?

[broceanic]

In the middle of that fog we spoke of.

[he takes another drink, shrugs.]

He's the boucer here, though I guess he's not on shift tonight.

[rocketman]

Right...

Wait...

Bouncer? Here?

[James looks around.]

Why would they let him do something like that!?

[broceanic]

[archie puts a hand flat above his head. then out to the side.]

He's massive.

[rocketman]

Massive? The Twerp!?

[James boggles.]

You and I have very different definitions of that word.

[broceanic]

I mean, he was literally taller than me.

[it makes sense, he thinks. archie didn't think of the person james described as a kid.]

My memory's not that bad.

[rocketman]

You're not very tall, buddy, but you're not that short, either.

You don-

Ah

Hm...

[James drums the tabletop and his eyes become unfocused and his brow furrows. The gears are turning...

Turning....]

[broceanic]

Hey! I'm not--

[oh, it's dawning on archie, too. he takes another long pull of his drink, more interested in getting twatted than working this stupid mystery out.]

What?

[rocketman]

[Jame takes a slow sip and says, steadily....]

...We're thinking of two different people, aren't we?

[broceanic]

[he frowns into the distance over james' shoulder, unfocused.]

Maybe so...

[rocketman]

Just so we're clear...

Yours isn't a ten year old, right?

[He takes another sip.]

[broceanic]

[he puts a hand on his beard, appears very deep in thought.

...

...

...


...










....









...]

No. Unless... a disguise?

[rocketman]

I've never known the Twerps to wear disguises, that's more my shtick.

But...

[James also drifts into deep thought.]

...Hmm...

[broceanic]

It was very realistic. He really looked like a forty-year-old.

[archie taps his chin.]


...No, it has to be someone different... there's no way he could know you were here!

[rocketman]

There's no way the Twerp could pull off forty.

I can barely do that...

[But because he's too pretty, not because he lacks skill... At least in his own not quite humble opinion.]

Has to be a different Ash.

You gave me a fright.

[He takes a casual sip of his martini, not fully realizing he just confessed to being afraid of a ten year old.]