♕ 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]

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.]

[ossifragant]

[Let's just... ignore that.]

Did you tell him?

[sadisticwarfare]

...I didn't realize it until I got here. It took me a long time to figure it out for myself.

[Though he suspects Kimblee knew from day one.]

He's shown up here during those odd weekends several times. I... I told him during one of those weekends and he's remembered everything about this place every time he returns, so I believe he knows.

[They haven't talked about it though.]

[ossifragant]

[Greed's surprised that he didn't pick up on it until Archer accidentally let it slip in August. It's obvious, now that he knows.]

He can be a hard guy to read sometimes. It's difficult to tell what's on his mind.

It's only a couple months until one of those strange weekends is supposed to happen again, right? I'm sure he'll be here.

[sadisticwarfare]

He should be. I'll be mad if he isn't.

[Archer seems to have relaxed a bit though. He's back to smirking again, at any rate.]

The last time he showed up he ended up playing that knife game with Kimblee. I really should have figured for them bonding over something so stupid and potentially dangerous.

[ossifragant]

[That mental image gets him to smile. It's not distant or sad, so that's something.]

And here I was wondering if they would kill each other if they ever met. Of course they'd bond over something like that.

[sadisticwarfare]

I can't say I'm surprised, though I am surprised no one ended up losing a finger.

[He's also kind of surprised Kimblee didn't take the opportunity to kill Kimbley, since that is what Archer had ordered him to do.

...Look, it's a long, really dumb story, let's not get into that.]

[ossifragant]

Lucky them, I guess.

[....Does this have to do with that thing that Kimblee refused to tell him anything about.]

[sadisticwarfare]

I don't even know how they met and decided that was a good idea.

[...Probably.]

[ossifragant]

....knowing them it was probably an idea they both came to at the same time. Or one suggested it to the other.

[sadisticwarfare]

...That does sound like something they'd do.

[The things he has to put up with...]

Kimblee wasn't too pleased with our Kimbley's mullet. Apparently I failed to mention that to him.

[ossifragant]

[That gets him to laugh.]

I'll refrain from letting him know whose handiwork that was.

[sadisticwarfare]

So that was your doing? He refused to cut it all to one length which was a never-ending source of frustration for me.