♕ TWENTIETH COMMAND | VIDEO

[sadisticwarfare]

This is getting ridiculous.

[Well that certainly sounds like Archer, though he's not on screen. The background appears to be a very boring room in what looks like a hotel, with a window showing that it is indeed still raining dogs. Apparently it was fine while it was raining cats, but Archer has finally lost his suspension of disbelief at the dogs.]

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening? I was willing to write the sharks off as a freak storm, but this? It's been two days of this now. How long is it going to rain animals?

[The camera turns then to focus on two Espurrs sitting on the hotel bed. They look as traumatized as any normal Espurr, but they're sitting upright and clutching each other's paws for dear life.]

I have another question. Has anyone ever had a Pokémon that has simply refused to do anything without being accompanied by a partner?

[Archer moves into the shot, proving that he's not actually filming this. He reaches out and scoops up the Espurr on the left, pulling it away from the second one. Immediately both the cats start wailing. It's very loud and the both of them immediately attempt to reunite, the one on the bed clawing at Archer's uniform and the one in his arms squirming frantically. Archer sighs and drops the cat on the bed and the two quickly join hands again and go silent, staring up at Archer like he's committed the worst sin possible.]

I can't get them to do anything. I didn't even want two, but when I caught the first one the second one wouldn't stop following me and crying.

[He sounds annoyed, but it was really just kind of depressing.]

I've never had two Pokémon this dependent on each other. Has anyone else had experience dealing with something like this?

Comments

[sadisticwarfare]

...Oh.

[Oh kind of sums it up perfectly, doesn't it? Alphonse is definitely aware of Archer's interest in Kimbley, so he's definitely not going to be pleased to see Archer.]

I suppose that's just my luck. Kimbley always manages to make things difficult on me, even when he isn't here.

[ossifragant]

I don't know how it happened, and honestly I don't want to know, but Alphonse nearly died.

[Greed hadn't experienced Kimbley trying to get actual revenge against him so he doesn't know what set Kimbley off, but it was probably minor given the fact that Alphonse was fourteen.]

The only way to save his life was to turn him into the Philosopher's Stone.

[sadisticwarfare]

...I don't understand. If Alphonse was turned into the Philosopher's Stone, how did he survive?

[Let's just... not focus on the creation of that Philosopher's Stone.]

[ossifragant]

A very long story short: he's luckier than any of us will ever be.

[sadisticwarfare]

It certainly sounds that way.

[ossifragant]

[The Amestris population in this place is pretty villain-heavy...]

Listen, I... I probably shouldn't say anything at all. It's disturbing to talk about, I don't like talking about it, but I-- you...

[sadisticwarfare]

What?

[He slams down pretty hard on the word, expression cold. If Greed's going where he thinks Greed's going with this, then he really doesn't want to discuss it.]

[ossifragant]

[He stops himself at that, shaking his head.]

I don't want to be cruel.

[There's no way it won't be.]

Forget I said anything.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Curiosity almost compels him to ask Greed to finish. There's only one way this conversation could go though, and he knows it.]

...Consider it forgotten, then.

[ossifragant]

Yeah.

Listen, I...

[He falls silent again, clearly looking like he has no idea what to say.]

He was my friend too, you know?

[sadisticwarfare]

...I know.

[He's listened to Greed talk about him. Kimbley was important to both of them, which oddly enough is something he's okay with.]

He'll arrive here someday.

[ossifragant]

Yeah, he will. He'll be obnoxious to deal with on a daily basis but I'm used to it.

[sadisticwarfare]

It'll be interesting to have him around again.

[ossifragant]

One of us would have to pick him up. I don't think he'd survive for three days on his own without a route ending up entirely on fire.

[sadisticwarfare]

You're entirely right. I pity anyone who starts out in New Bark around the same time.

[Unless Kimbley is a Rocket, which is what Archer has been expecting, actually...]

[ossifragant]

[Greed doesn't know about that. Blissful ignorance!]

It'd be kind of funny.

[sadisticwarfare]

It would be, actually. I wouldn't want to leave him on his own for too long though; he'd probably get frustrated.

[ossifragant]

[...and lonely given that Kimbley seems to attach himself to one person and now you're his buddy, deal with it. But Greed doesn't say that because he's the same way.]

He'd find it hilarious that we get along.

[sadisticwarfare]

He would. I'm sure he'd enjoy that though; it means he can spend time with either of us without the other complaining.

[ossifragant]

Yeah, that's right.

[All things considered, it's a fairly cheerful conversation. He doesn't know why it makes him feel so sad.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Because Kimbley's not here? Because there's no guarantee that Kimbley will be here? Because of the whole betrayal thing?

Regardless, he feels the same.]

I do hope it doesn't take too long for him to show up here.

[It's nearly been three years and Kimbley's never been here permanently. His hopes aren't very high at this point.]

[ossifragant]

You really do love him, don't you?

[Sorry it's time for another round of depressing o'clock.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer flinches at that, expression tightening immediately.]

I don't. What are you talking about?

[Uh oh, is he really that obvious about it?]

[ossifragant]

[Well it's not like Greed hasn't been talking about Kimbley in the exact same tone or anything.]

I'm not going to make fun of you, Archer.

[Also you said as much last month.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[...this is awkward, isn't it...]

He was very important to me, yes.

[Is would be more accurate, actually. Maybe he could have moved on if Kimbley coming here wasn't a possibility, but it's not like Archer makes friends easily. The ones he does make aren't replaceable.]