poly_chromatic | [#008 (video/action)]

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pocket monsters: best wishes! - nobori

[#008 (video/action)]

[Nobori is standing outside and not in horrible weather for once! He's recording by the fountain, while Chandela watches the water shoot through the air, flames dancing as it flits from left to right and back again, perfectly cheerful in stark contrast to its grim-looking human companion.]

The City feels congested once more. It remains to be seen whether or not these guests are of the dangerous sort. Are we to play dispatcher again?

I wonder if we've done something to offend these so-called deities... unless someone else has a better explanation for so many curses in rapid succession. I cannot wait for the last stop; I've grown tired of counting off the miles.

[He's too uneasy for the usual "all aboard!" closing, it seems?

He adds as though it were an afterthought:]

Look both ways, listen, and proceed with caution.

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It's best to not engage the 'tourists'.

Ah, might I ask why, Mr. Valentine?

Do they turn hostile? Multiply?

They can. But it's usually a triggering of unwanted emotions the doppelgängers cause. Sometimes appear in multiples, too.

Who do you think you are? The police?

And that was the third time.

[He sounds rather bored.]

What was the third time?

That was the third time someone's taken me for a police officer.

Maybe you should reconsider the uniform.

[There's a man in wet coveralls and a flat cap eyeing your companion, Nobori. Probably not the first today, but it's caught his attention well enough to keep him from moving on.]

What in the blazes is that?

I do believe it's a fountain, Sir.

[He knows what the man is really asking about, but he's gotten this question too many times that always giving a straight answer's gotten boring.]

My Pokemon finds it very captivating.

[For a brief instant, a dark expression passes over the man's face. Then he grins and laughs.]

Clever. Now what's this, ah... Pokemon, you said?

My partner is a dual Ghost and Fire Type.

[Well, aren't you creepy?]

[What, no, not at all. Look at this friendly face, listen to that friendly laugh.]

Can't say I've ever seen such a partner in all my life...and I've seen some strange things, boyo. Does it have a name?

[Boyo? He looks unimpressed for but a moment.]

Chandela. [Chandela floats over to introduce itself.] Shandela-shan~!

[She is somewhere between amused and irritated by this display. Which is fine with her, any reaction other than boredom is at least a reaction. And she's curious about Chandela. Though doesn't draw too close. She has her hands protectively over a very pregnant belly.]

Is this your job?

Old habits die hard, Madame. [He acknowledges her with a nod, arms now crossed behind his back.]

I am Nobori and I was one of the two Subway Masters of the Raimon City Underground. My only job here is to keep track of new arrivals, however I doubt the permanence of your stay. There's too much of an influx, today.

[He does glance down briefly, but avoids staring.

Chandela, sensing the third person's arrival, abandons its fountain-watching to fly towards her in curiosity.] Shandera-shan~? [It certainly seems friendly!]

There is a hospital in this City should you feel the need to visit one.

[Subway worker. She doesn't know why he says that with such pride, but then she's always been a judgmental little rich girl.]

I will be going there shortly.

[She disliked this interdimensional travel business. Some of the girls she had gone to school with had powers of that variety, it struck her as unpredictable at best. It concerned her what it might do to an already rather unstable pregnancy.]

Why keep track of arrivals?

[He's Japanese! Even train pushers take their jobs so seriously that you'd think the entire subway, no, their entire country depended on how well they did their jobs.]

Take care of yourself.

Because another keeps track of departures and I hate for a job to be done halfway. [Also, the man likes paperwork a little too much.]

What does it matter who comes and goes, if it is so frequent?

What are you, a bloody crossing guard?

A conductor, actually. [Can't get this one angry.]

I don't see many cars or trains here, if any.

[Marik leans closer to the screen]

You mentioned deities though... Care to explain further?

Edited 2013-02-17 05:02 (UTC)

This place is ruled by so-called deities who have absolute control over everyone here. They're the ones who pull us— you, included— into this place to afflict with any curse they so desire.

In short, we are test subjects in a large, densely populated cage.

Sounds like a plot to a bad movie... One Bakura would like. Because he likes stupid things.

I believe I shall get the attention of these so-called deities! We can decide who is better fit to rule this place through a children's card game!

I don't believe I've had the good fortune of meeting that person.

[He's... just going to stare for a while now. Maybe blink once or twice, but he won't say anything.

Is that a joke?]

He's a limey bastard with white fluffy hair. Best you don't meet him.

[IT'S COMPLETELY SERIOUS, MAN WHO BATTLES WITH ANIMALS]

[Touche. Then again, there's never been any battling with animals while riding on motorcycles.]

A relative of yours, I take it? [Well, Malik's hair looks pretty fluffy to Nobori!]

[Let us not mention those motorcycles.]

No. He's more of a sidekick.

[I win!]

I don't suppose you fight crime.

We make crime!

[hey bro hey bro guess who]

"Follow the rules and drive safely!" But this seems a bit much, even if safety does come first.

So everyone's lines are a bit chaotic today. We've all gotten a little turned around. That doesn't mean you have to be so down about it!

[Strange new city and a sudden change of surroundings? Taking it coooompletely in stride.]

[His initial reaction a look of great suspicion, largely subdued, and quickly masked by a downward glance as he reaches up to adjust his hat, the other hand waving in a beckoning sort of way, attracting Chandela's attention.

However, those words bring him out of it rather quickly as he quickly looks back up again, Chandela happily waving its flames at Kudari in greeting.]

[He's smiling quite happily now. Better?]

Very true— well said, Kudari!

[He's heard before that time stops for those who aren't within the City, so he won't burden Kudari with the details of his three-month stay here; to him, it will be as if they've never parted.]

"Don't forget to smile!" Particularly useful in a disorienting situation such as this. [Standing in a way that allows him to block his injured arm from view (he still hasn't patched up the small tears in his sleeve that show the bandages around his upper arm), he gestures animatedly with the left for the first time in a while.]

[He waves a cheery hello back to Chandela and matches Nobori's smile easily with a grin of his own, even if he is studying his brother with some small amount of scrutiny. Concern, mainly, because of the earlier suspicious look and reaction... It might be a bit hard to hide that for long.]

Right, of course! There we go. We'll find our way around this platform yet, won't we? No matter how strange.

[Speaking of...]

Say, what was that about deities and curses?

[Hiding things from him isn't so easy, is it?

He will try! For his brother's sake.]

Allow me to explain, Kudari.

I have been reliably informed that this place is ruled by deities who kidnap unwilling persons to this City for their own reasons, the details of which are not known. The residents of this City are then subject to strange afflictions they dub "curses." Such curses range from harmlessly juvenile pranks to more serious problems, but they rarely last longer than a day.

[He isn't lying, really! He's never seen the deities for himself, only heard about them.]

[This is his brother we're talking about here. His twin brother, no less. Good luck.]

Sounds like you know a lot about all this then! Muuuch more than me, at least. That's good! We'll know what to expect down the line. Well. Sort of.

[aaaaand he's not going to question the outlandish claims because one, they are kind of here after all, and two, Nobori has no reason to lie to him right? Right. Though this curse business sounds a bit silly, honestly!

Gesturing with his left arm, though? Nobori tends to favor his right, usually...]

Your arm, did something happen? It can't have been too long, but still, it did take a while for me to find you in the crowd! And it's likely something could've occurred in that time, especially for you to be so well-informed.

...

[Spin yarn, Nobori. Just keep it close enough to the truth that it doesn't take too much time to come up with, nor would it sound completely unbelievable.]

... ah, one of the more permanent curses of this City. A monster took me by surprise and attacked me. We dispatched it and I even had time to reroute to the hospital, not far from here. [His tone is matter-of-fact, entirely unaffected, and wholly convincing. The pointed avoidance of eye contact and the fist at his side, fingers curling so tightly that his nails would be cutting into his palm were he not wearing gloves, were sadly less so.]

It was promptly taken care of and is nothing serious, rest assured.

[neither the tone nor the body language are very convincing at all when the explanation involves hospitals.]

That doesn't sound like 'nothing serious.' You had enough time to do all that? Unless you were here for longer than I was, but that wouldn't make any sense.

What sort of Pokemon was it, anyway? I haven't seen any here other than Chandela!

[Dear little brother, why can't you simply accept his explanations without question? If he's trying to delude the only person he trusts so completely, it could only be for the purpose of protecting you.
... Kudari won't remember this, will he, when he goes back?
Remembering that, Nobori yields.]

I have been here for quite some time, yes. [Nobori knows exactly how many months, weeks, and days it has been since his arrival, but he won't overload his explanation with unnecessary details. Short and concise.] It was not a Pokemon. There are no Pokemon here, only "animals." The one who attacked me was neither, a monster in the bakemono sense. Changed and corrupted. It was soulless, but driven by a singular desire to kill.

You aren't likely to run into one now, just don't wander too far.

It was taken care of, so please don't worry. [He relaxes some now that the's given his explanation, giving Kudari a smile.] It cut me rather deeply, so it's going to take a long time to heal. That is all there is to the matter.

[Hey, he accepted the deities and curses explanation well enough! It's just, things pertaining to the well-being of those he cares about are different.]

It was taken care of. Right. [He takes a moment to shake himself out of the faintly shocked state Nobori's words put him into and beams, determined to be positive about this.] You've passed that station by! Just, with an unwanted souvenir or two.

[The only thing now is that Kudari knows he saw Nobori just this morning, but. Something tells him the answer to that question won't be very satisfying either, so he won't bother. More doing things, less useless questions!]

So! How far is too far?

I have.

[It's no surprise that the revelation's left him shaken, but Nobori feels guilty and responsible for it all the same.]

Stay out of the Underground. Aside from that, you're free to travel wherever you wish. [He doesn't really want to let Kudari go, but he doesn't want to come off as needy either.]

... also, please check your pockets. There might be a communicator of some sort that will link you to the Network. You can contact others, myself included, if you need help or simply to communicate. Mine is a cellular phone, but they come in different forms.

[He wonders if Kudari's noticed the constant ticking sound that grinds away in the mind of everyone here, increasing in severity the more time one spends alone, or if he's been here for too little time and/or is too much of a chatterbox for it to ever become too much of a bother. As for the communicator, in case Kudari feels the run off on his own, just hearing his voice would be enough for Nobori.]

Oh, you mean this? [He pulls out something resembling a white smartphone and spins it around in his hand once before re-pocketing it.] I was wondering where it came from, or whose it was! Since you mentioned it, I guess it's just something everyone gets then.

The Underground's off-limits, though? That's unfortunate. I thought it'd be a good idea to explore. But now, I think I have a better idea.

[See Kudari.

See Kudari grab on to Nobori's good wrist and attempt to drag him away from the fountain and toward whichever unspecified direction it is he's pointing at.]

You should show me around!

[That does take him by surprise (Nobori, how do you still manage to be surprised?) and he makes a small, startled sound, like a the start of a feeble protest that never really comes together. He makes no effort to stop Kudari, catching up rather quickly. Chandela drifts away for a little while to play with the fountain some more, before following after them.]

Very well. [He's trying to walk with some semblance of dignity restored. Secretly, he's thrilled Kudari's not going to wander off without him. He's been warned this isn't likely to last very long, so against advice and better judgement, he's going to enjoy this reunion to the fullest!]

There's the Carousel; it's always moving and has been for as long as anybody knows. All the apartment buildings are arranged centrifugal to it, numbered from one to twelve. Chandela and I are staying in that building over there. [He points at it as he walks.
Twelve buildings revolving around a central point, the place is even built to look like a giant clock face.] There's also the Welcome House and the Hall of the Missing not too far from here. [That is almost the full extent of his knowledge of this place! He doesn't wander outside very much, ~~preferring to bury himself in paperwork of his own design~~.]

... ah, come to think of it, I do believe I have a map of this place. [On his own cell phone, which is predictably black. He loads up the map for Kudari to have a look at while they walk.]

[What, he hasn't resigned himself to a complete loss of dignity yet? Surely, having been around his brother for that long... Besides! Kudari spent time looking for Nobori, why would he just up and wander off as soon as he's found him?

At any rate, he sets a fast pace. It'd be called brisk if it weren't for the fact that Kudari isn't exactly carrying himself like he's on the job- quite the opposite in fact; boundless enthusiasm is apparent in every movement, though he tilts his head to look questioningly at Nobori when the carousel is mentioned.]

But if it doesn't stop, then how does anyone board it? [Said while walking, hand outstretched to receive the phone.

It doesn't take him long to find where they are on the map; it takes him just a moment longer to figure out which direction they're heading in. Let's see here...

That's a lot of buildings and labels.]

Ah, so many stops! You've been here longer than I have, are there any you'd recommend we visit?

One cannot board it, Kudari. I doubt it would be a pleasant ride, even if it were possible to get on. [If the rest of the City's oddities are anything to judge by.

Of course, it is the fear of losing him again after such a long absence that prompts him to think this way. (Of course, he will not resign himself! His dignity will go out in a dignified manner; now, please don't point out the paradoxical nature of that statment and the sentiment it represents.)

To be honest, Nobori had little interest in exploring this place on his own... and what little interest he had was snuffed out entirely by the more horrific curses; therefore, Nobori's usual haunts were restricted to his apartment, his workplace, shops, and... that was it, really. He holed himself up and worked, rarely venturing out to investigate a possible way out or purchase food.

(Yes, his life without Kudari mostly consists of work. This is a problem.)

He's so disinterested in places of amusement that he can only think of two names off the top of his head (he doesn't want to admit to not knowing any of these other places to Kudari!):]

... the Blue Light.

[The bar-slash-jazz-club, Nobori?

The only other place he knows about closed for repairs because it was apparently set on fire. Good job, Nobori.]

[He 'hmms' slightly in contemplation before saying:] That would explain a lot, actually.

[...Explain a lot about what, exactly?

Just don't question his logic, it only invites trouble. That train of thought followed a logical enough track anyway, so long as one could figure out the point of departure.]

So, the Blue Light, right? Sounds fun! [You know, barring the fact that the only thing he knows about it is its name, but.]

You'll have to lead the way; let's go!

[Hey, it could stand to be so much worse! He could have taken Kudari down to what is essentially the City's answer to a red light district. ~~Now, if he'd done that, Nobori would not hold it against Kudari if he decided to disown him as his brother right then and there.~~

Fortunately, this place is not too far off and they'll reach it after not too much time spent walking! It's pretty clean for a bar. It's... nothing fancy, kind of forgettable and unimpressive in appearance, but at least it's inoffensive? Okay, it's actually kind of tacky-looking (there are too many poorly arranged posters and are those records hanging on the walls? It's faux-artsy or faux-retro or maybe it's just faux decor in general), but hey, it's clean, there's places to sit, a modest selection of food to eat, and good music.

Actually, the musicians are genuinely talented and the music's pretty much the best thing about this place. Kind of makes up for the lackluster look of the place, huh?

Chandela doesn't seem to approve much of this choice of scenery and spends all its time since stepping foot into this place nudging its trainer, looking annoyed, and turning to look longingly at the door.] Shandela-shan! Shanshan...!

It must be hard, if you're already tired.

[Did that voice come from this small fluffy thing? Hmm.]

"It," you say? What are you referring to?

[He looks around, before looking down.]

Ah, a strange... Chillarmy of some sort? No, an Eevee of a strange colour? What are you?

[While he's busy trying to figure out what he's speaking to, Chandela cuts in between them, flames flickering menacingly.] Shaaaan!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[#008 (video/action)]

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action!!

[Action]

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video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

action;

[1/2] action;

[2/2; eeeeee! *3*] action;

perma-action, permaction, something;

[permaction sounds funniest]

parmesan it is;

[Persimmons too!]

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[2/2; eeeeee! 3] action;