1st trick; (video/action for goldenrod base)

[trickyoutwice]

[Yeah, losing sucked. Losing sucked ass, especially when it involved watching a guy's miraculously recovered captain getting beaten by some snot-nosed brat. And sure, Niou didn't have anything against snot-nosed brats in the general sense. The one on his tennis team was pretty cute as far as they went — extra gullible, which made his whole determined to the point of stupid schtick endearing instead of just a headache. Niou'd been called one himself plenty of times, and the whole brat thing just meant people weren't smart enough to stop him from doing what he wanted — and as far as he was concerned, that was their problem, not his. But this had been a snot-nosed brat from another team, so he had objections on principle.

Not to mention it sucked even more when he'd gotten snatched right out of the bus on the way home from losing the tournament and woken up to find himself literally in a video game — and cannon fodder for the lame bad guys, at that. He'd have thought it was some a dream or some elaborate joke, except who would bother (besides him), and he'd figured out pretty quickly that he got hungry if he didn't eat and that it hurt if he pinched himself, hoping he'd wake up, that he'd just nodded off against his doubles partner's shoulder.

So, not a dream. Literally stuck in Pokemon Land with no way home. At least being part of a secret evil organization came with a few perks. He didn't have to worry about the usual tropes for the scenario like finding food and somewhere safe to sleep or getting chased by a man-eating monster for comic effect. It wasn't that bad — except for how having to do all the mind-numbing busywork was making him so bored he was actually thinking of the practices where they'd had to run until they puked with something disturbingly like nostalgia. Niou'd kept his head down and played by the rules, hadn't planned to make any waves until he'd figured a little bit more out about Team Rocket. That is, he'd planned to stay out of trouble, but he honestly thought he might die in his sleep just to stop being so bored if he kept being the good, hard-working grunt for one more day.

These idiots thought he'd be happy about suddenly having some drill-camp schedule and regulations and a job? Especially when that job was to go around and do someone else's grunt work because they couldn't be bothered to get off their own asses and do it? It wasn't even like he'd signed up for this the way he had for tennis club. At least with tennis, running suicides until he thought he was actually gonna die and listening to his captain's bitching meant he could play in games. This place, it was all go mop the floors, go run some sketchy as hell game center, go find a toothbrush and scrub your boots and don't even THINK about having fun, and for what?

Nothing, as far as he could tell. Just get more orders and more snooze-worthy things to do and actually be expected to do it if you let them start thinking you were an obedient little errand boy. Yeah, well, he wasn't gonna sit around anymore and play by their stupid rules like some loser. It was their own fault if they couldn't even deal with a little bit of trouble coming from inside the ranks. Sure, Niou could play the thoroughly-cowed Rocket grunt like the best of them, when he wanted to, but that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun on the side. All he had to do was make sure not to get caught.

For being the headquarters of an evil organization, the base was really way too easy to sneak around. If he ran into someone, he just had to pretend he actually had something important to do and walk a little quickly and no one gave him a second glance. It was pretty convenient that the members were supposed to be up to nefarious deeds, really. When he asked for a few supplies that would've gotten him suspicious stares back home (well, maybe that was just because back home they actually knew him), the poor sap he'd stopped for directions had been only too happy to show him where he could find any number of very useful things. Hell, even the fuzzy fox thing he'd ended up with seemed pretty into the idea of pulling one over on these clowns.

Team Rocket thought they were the biggest baddies around? Whatever, he'd start small. Time to go have a little fun. When he was done, they'd never know what hit them.]

—

[The video that shows up on PokeConnect seems off center — or at least the guy in it is, the view tilted like the PokeGear is propped up on something slightly off to his side. He's a lot more interested in whatever he's fiddling with offscreen than addressing the Gear, anyway, and his attention's focused on whatever it is that's out of frame. If anyone happens to be walking by where he's snuck off to in the Goldenrod Rocket HQ this late at night, they'd find him with a fairly impressive array of tools spread out around him as he does... something to one of the public water fountains. Sitting attentively beside him, his Zorua is watching what he's doing with eager interest and perked ears.]

Give me that screwdriver— no, not that one, the other one— yeah.

[It seems like he's addressing the Zorua since she wags her tail and noses the desired screwdriver over to him. Niou takes just enough time to flash her a thumbs up before he gets back to making his adjustments. Absently, he addresses his Gear as he works.]

So, all you people out there trapped with me in Pokemon Land... What's with this place? Are we really stuck here like some bad Saturday morning cartoon where we've gotta go questing for truth, justice, and the way home? Gotta say, I'm really not wanting any lesson of the day crammed down my throat for five seasons.

[He pauses, momentarily distracted by the water fountain. Apparently something's gone right, because now Niou's looking quite pleased with himself. When he speaks again, he turns his head to grin at the Gear, sardonic and a little mocking.]

Come on, not everyone's drunk the Kool-Aid, right? There's gotta be someone who doesn't think this whole getting dropped off at summer Pokemon camp is all totally normal.

Comments

[trickyoutwice]

Man, and I thought Pokemon Land was weird enough on its own, now you're goin' and adding in aliens and parallel worlds and all that shit.

[Oh, well. The weirdness of being in a video game hasn't really worn off yet; he can roll with a few more punches like aliens, especially when they're the helpful kind.]

How often do you get people from the same worlds, then? You'd think this wouldn't be that common a thing or everyone'd be pitching a fit.

[timelymaid]

Ah, and nothing really weird is even happening right now! Sometimes it does, you know.

[ Lucky Niou, getting the troll most inclined to be helpful on a daily basis on his first go! Just wait until he runs across the other trolls. ]

Ah...pretty often, really. There are a few cases of people being the only ones from their worlds, but in most cases there are at least one or two others. And those people always seem to know one another - that is, there's no one from my world who I am not on some level acquainted with, even if it's just "I know they exist", which Kayneth - someone I talk to regularly - found to be similar for others he spoke to. It's a weird thing, I guess!

[trickyoutwice]

What's weirder than getting kidnapped into a video game with aliens?

[Because man, he came from a world where the craziest thing that happened was poisonous health drinks for tennis practice. He's genuinely curious what could be weirder than this.]

Good to know, I guess. I'll hope that if there's anyone I know, they're not the annoying ones, then.

[timelymaid]

...Ah, that's pretty much what happened to me at home, so I don't know that I can comment on it?

[ Like this is so par for the course she can't bring herself to really mind. At all. ]

Oh! You should contact the Breeding Centre - they give newbies a free egg.

[trickyoutwice]

What, so I can start building an army of the things?

[He says it jokingly to give himself a little time to process that first statement, because really, that was just weird that this kind of thing would happen enough to anyone that they'd be used to it. At this point, it's hardly worth it to be surprised by any of it. He's in Pokemon Land after all. If she's used to it, he might as well see if there's anything useful he can get out of her.]

You must be pretty old hat at all of this, then. Any tips for the newbie to accidental interdimensional travel?

[timelymaid]

That depends on how you want to go about it! Some people don't challenge gyms or anything at all.

[ She really doesn't mind the interdimensional travel, and...actually has to think about that. ]

Hm. I suppose just take happiness where you can find it, and focus on what you can do instead of what you can't! Keep busy, and don't sulk about where you've found yourself!

[trickyoutwice]

Wow, you're just a regular ray of sunshine, aren't ya?

[He doesn't intend it to be mean, even if it sounds a little mocking. It's not like it's bad advice, even if he'd rather not be stuck here in the first place — it just kind of sounds like something straight out of one of those uplifting, believe in the power of friendship series his brother's into.]

I've been wondering something, by the way. How long does it take to get used to the music?

[timelymaid]

Well, it's a lot better than being dead!

[ A ray of sunshine, yes! Until she says something like that. Well. ]

I think it depends on the person! I don't notice it any longer unless someone points it out, and it only took me a few hours, way back when...but I have friends who are still bothered by it. It's always there, so I think getting used to it is pretty easy, though.

[trickyoutwice]

[Yeah, that one he's not gonna just let pass. Aradia gets a very nonplussed stare for her comment.]

Whaddya mean "dead?"

[timelymaid]

I mean dead! Being alive, regardless of where that happens, is preferable to that, right? So I think being cheerful about it isn't that hard.

[trickyoutwice]

Well, yeah, being alive is always preferable to, you know, being dead. I'm more stuck on the way you're implying you were, you know, dead at some point and now you're not.

[Because seriously? Seriously?]

[timelymaid]

Oh, I was! For a very long time. But I got better, so it's okay!

[ ...Sometimes it's best not to ask, Niou. Sometimes. ]

[trickyoutwice]

[You know that saying about curiosity and cats? Yeah, Niou's the cat that keeps getting away and thinks it doesn't apply.]

How do you "get better" from dying?

[timelymaid]

I died again, and came back to life! It tends to give people headaches, so you shouldn't worry too much about it!

[ Or she's just really bad at explaining. Either or! ]

[trickyoutwice]

[Well, if she's not gonna be concerned about it, he's not.]

Is that a thing that happens a lot where you're from or should I be making like I'm all freaking out and worried now?

[timelymaid]

[ She definitely doesn't seem the least bit concerned! ]

Death doesn't seem to be particularly permanent at my home sometimes! So it's not something you should freak out about, especially since it isn't really relevant here!

Oh, but that does bring up one point: you can't die here.

[trickyoutwice]

Huh. No shit? So, what, if you go jump off a cliff you just float the whole way down?

[timelymaid]

No, from my understanding you're just warped to a center before you actually die. Pain is still a thing, as is getting hurt! Several of my friends have gotten concussions.

[ ...gdi friends. why do they seem so incompetent as a group. ]

[trickyoutwice]

[Yeah, sorry about that Aradia, he picked up on that.]

...several? Whadda they do, take turns headbutting walls?

[timelymaid]

[ She has to shrug. She can't begin to understand what John and Jake do to themselves. ]

I'm not...sure. I just know that they have each ended up hitting their heads on things here and it is slightly worrying.

[trickyoutwice]

Have you thought about a leash? Maybe some of those kiddie harnesses and a stake out in the front yard?

[timelymaid]

That has actually been suggested! I may have to look into it.

[ She's joking about the second part, but not the first. ]

Still, overall this place isn't too dangerous so long as you're smart about it.

[trickyoutwice]

I'm kinda worried if I'm not the first person to bring it up, ya know? If this place isn't all that dangerous, how do they keep running into it?

[timelymaid]

I think it's just the way they are! Back home I saw one of them get stabbed no less than two times.

[trickyoutwice]

...you sure they're not, ya know, doing it on purpose?