00?. [Action for Goldenrod City / FOURTH WALL EVENT]

[explosivecombat]

[Normal: Kimblee is hanging out on the outskirts of town today, wandering around in the snow.

Also Normal: His current activity is centered around forced population control on groups of wild Pokémon in the area; most call it "training," the local Rattata call it "horrifying."

Still Normal, If A Bit Disconcerting: Said population control involves

Comments

[eliciadaddy]

[ .... This.... sounds and looks way too familiar for it to be comfortable. It also reminds him of things that he really doesn't want to remember.

Maes is sighing, and keeping a safe distance, but just in sight range, and watching this all happen. ]

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee remembers those things just as well as you do, Hughes, if not better; after all, the human memory is a fascinating thing, designed to release and forget the most graphic parts of experiences that one finds traumatic. One still remembers, just not in detail.

Kimblee remembers everything. And he rather likes it that way.

That said, however, it's no mistake or accident that he survived those experiences; he's rather aware of his surroundings, despite the shrieking, manic state he's in, and he's rather aware that he isn't alone. And so after a moment he pauses, once it becomes obvious that Hughes is, in fact, going to stand there and watch as opposed to trying to ignore it and get on with his life; his breathing is heavy as he straightens up, his face flushed from the cold and the sheer amount of adrenaline coursing through his system.

He smiles, though his gaze continues to burn with a sharp, cold intensity; today is a good day, as far as Kimblee is concerned. A very good day.]

Well - good morning, Hughes.

[The greeting is

[eliciadaddy]

[ That's a look he'd never forget, no matter how much he wished he did... Maes may not have interacted much with Kimblee during the war, but there was no way any of them could have missed that look.

It's a little scary, really, to see that look again somewhere that wasn't a battlefield. Maes could understand fighting under orders. He was not immune to the rush of adrenaline whilst on the battlefield, knowing that it was either them, or you. But this...

He gives a weak smile. His Eevee, Elsie, is sitting by his feet, calmly looking in Kimblee's direction. ]

'Morning.

[explosivecombat]

[That strange smile still hasn't left, though he tips his head in acknowledgement of the greeting; he doesn't seem terribly inclined to attack Hughes, at the very least.]

I suppose I should apologize for my rudeness in disturbing you - it's just that Johto has been good to me today.

[He doesn't seem to realize how disjointed that sounds; the apology itself is insincere, though it isn't mocking - just oddly hollow. A formality, nothing more.]

[eliciadaddy]

[ Maes wouldn't call it... disturbing, exactly. But Maes honestly did miss the simpler times when all Kimblee had to terrorize wild Pokemon with were his own Pokemon... ]

... I can see that. What brought upon the sudden change?

[explosivecombat]

Something seems to have shifted.

[That's possibly the best way to describe it, but he's definitely lucid enough to understand that it makes very little sense, particularly to those who don't utilize alchemy in the same way that he does.]

The energy here is different than it is in Amestris; there's something about the way it flows, the way the world interacts with those inhabiting it. It isn't right, and to state the obvious, alchemy doesn't work.

I don't know what changed, but I'm very aware that it has.

[eliciadaddy]

[ yeeeeah... nope. Maes doesn't get that at all. He's just a normal person, not like you freak-show alchemists... ]

How curious... I wonder what caused it.

[ He glances curiously down at his Eevee. She doesn't seem any different. And, of course, he's not feeling anything different, either. ]

I wonder if...

[ He's more mumbling to himself, now, than talking to Kimblee. But perhaps this means there's a way home? ]

[explosivecombat]

"If"...?

[Kimblee isn't exactly interested in that first part; he has no idea what caused it, nor does he think standing around and discussing it is really going to get them anywhere. However, that latter part sounded like a theory in the making, and Kimblees like theories, oh yes they do.]

[eliciadaddy]

[ Well, Maes likes to think about things and get all the facts. That's how he got where he is, after all.

He takes a moment to think through this situation. Hmm... last he'd spoken to Roy, he'd only had six badges. Maes was quite certain that Roy would've told him if he'd gotten all eight. And Kimblee had mentioned that he hadn't started at all.

... Perhaps, then, it was one of the ones he hadn't had much interaction with? That Victor fellow claims that he'd been here a while... ]

I wonder if someone from our world has completed the challenge.

[ He rubs his chin thoughtfully. ]

Like, a door that's been opened, that's letting some of the outside air in. If that's the case, I'm assuming that we only have a limited amount of time to find the door and return, before it closes again.

[ A pause. Then, a shrug. If you'd want to return at all. ]

1/2

[explosivecombat]

[Well, that's...

...

...that's...]

2/2

[explosivecombat]

[Dear god, Hughes, he knew there was a reason he keeps talking to you.]

I see. That does make a certain degree of sense - if one had managed to access our world, then perhaps it would have some sort of lasting effect on this one.

...3/2

[explosivecombat]

[...waitwaitwait hang on, there are still holes here.]

Although judging from my discussions with Mustang, no one has even attempted to go up against this..."Elite Four" that would be central to completing the challenge. I'd think that if someone were making an attempt that looked as though it stood a chance of succeeding, they would have notified the network. After all, most post while they're in the middle of attempting to gain one of these badges - if the challenge were about to be completed, I'd think they would want to document either their success or their failure in proving these rumors that have been circulating.

[...Hughes, what have you done. Kimblees like theories, oh yes they do]

[eliciadaddy]

[ Ohoho... what is this, Kimblee and Hughes theorizing together? Bet nobody thought this would happen.

Maes takes some time to ponder this new bit of information. He's a little frustrated that he doesn't have more information on this world, yet. Unfortunately, information is incredibly hard to come by... it's almost as if... ]

I'd imagine that, whatever is keeping us here would not want us to figure our way out. Otherwise, they would be helping us reach our goals. This is only a theory, of course, but perhaps after you reach a certain level, you lose contact with the network. After all, if one makes it seem that going up against this Elite Four is simple, then they'd lose credibility.

[explosivecombat]

[Of course not, and they likely won't remember any of this later because this place is horrid and cruel like that, but for now? Kimblee is starting to look a bit overstimulated again. It's not in any sort of terrible way, given that it involves decidedly less blowing up, but he's very, very clearly excited - do you realize how long he's been wanting to explore thoughts on this place? They've been stuck in his head for practically forever, as Archer tends to handle this sort of thing with a response best described as putting his hands over his ears and screaming "I CAN'T HEAR YOU"; it's almost a relief to get them out.]That's been my thought from the start. Whomever brought us here is intentionally keeping us in the dark in several ways, and it's very clear that whatever their intentions are, allowing us to leave through our own will plays no part in them. Believe me, I know a prison when I see one - this particular cage just has some strangely-decorated bars

[eliciadaddy]

[ Ffff. Figures, the one time Kimblee and Hughes are talking on friendly terms, and they won't even remember it later. ]

I've been told that I've been here before, though I don't remember any of it. And I've heard of these sudden disappearances as well. It's almost too convenient, really. People disappearing and leaving no traces that they were ever here.

[explosivecombat]

"Too convenient" - that's certainly one way of putting it, isn't it.

[It's not really a question; it's clear that they're both on the same wavelength with this.]

I suppose the next question would be the means by which this is done, then - obviously the devices are one thing, since technology can be tampered with; it's the disappearances themselves that are a bit harder to explain away. From the sound of it, in some cases it's a matter of them disappearing in the night - their traveling partners simply awaken to find them missing.

The logical conclusion is that it's done the same way we get here in the first place, but that also has the unfortunate effect of raising more questions than it answers.