♕ FOURTEENTH COMMAND | VIDEO

[determinator]

[Good afternoon, Johto! Archer is seated at a desk, glancing over a list of papers when the feed turns on. He smirks at the camera after a moment and folds his hands.]

I have several eggs here that I'd like to sell. I'm willing to give anyone who replies on this channel half off. I can assure you, the eggs are definitely worth it.

[It's shortly followed by a list. It's missing ten of the eggs, but that's nothing you need to worry about~ The feed ends there.]

[Several minutes later a public broadcast goes out featuring the same list, plus ten other eggs.]

As you can see, I have quite a few eggs I need to sell. The prices and egg moves are listed, just let me know which ones you're interested and--

[He's suddenly interrupted by a Tynamo floating into the screen near him. Archer tries to shoo her away, but that just seems to upset her. She moves to latch her x-shaped mouth onto his hand and shocks him.

Archer yelps and tries to pull her off, finding it impossible. Clearly there's only one solution.]

Kimblee!

[...yell for his Kimblee, obviously. The feed cuts out there.

It comes back on shortly thereafter, with Archer looking even more pissed than usual. His hand is bandaged though the injury doesn't seem to be too bad. Tynamo aren't very powerful, after all.]

As I was saying, I'll send the eggs wherever you need them, either through the Centers or with one of my Flying-types. Thank you for your time.

[And end feed!]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

[Archer...]

I would suggest not letting our ambition get ahead of us; there may still be setbacks, you know.

[determinator]

Of course, why do you think I'm still planning instead of attacking? I won't let this fail.

[explosivecombat]

In my experience, that sort of mindset only leads to operations failing. You need to be flexible enough to account for failure - to be able to turn the situation around.

[...he really doesn't want to ask, but...]

How much combat experience do you have? I'm aware of the operation in Liore; otherwise...?

[determinator]

Well of course I am.

[And uh, that question...]

Unfortunately, Liore was my first time in the field.

[HE'S GOT AN AMAZING TRACK RECORD HERE... FIRST BATTLE, KILLED SEVEN THOUSAND. OF HIS OWN MEN.]

[explosivecombat]

[.................................]

I'm sorry?

[determinator]

You heard me.

[explosivecombat]

...so you effectively have no field experience, save for what you've accumulated here.

[His tone is more than enough to imply what he thinks about that.

So goddamn unimpressed right now, Archer. So goddamn unimpressed.]

[determinator]

[Archer hesitates for a moment, suddenly looking quite unsure of himself.]

...Yes.

[He doesn't follow that up with excuses or clarification. It's the truth, as painful as it is to admit it.]

[explosivecombat]

[All right. All right. This can't possibly be as catastrophic as everything Kimblee knows about combat, logic and generally common sense is making it out to be.

...this is going to suck.]

And when were you planning on informing me of this, exactly?

[determinator]

[Archer frowns at that.]

I'll prove myself in combat, Kimblee. I can handle this.

[He's fully aware that he hasn't answered the question.]

[explosivecombat]

You weren't going to tell me, were you.

[It's not a question.]

[determinator]

...No.

[Archer doesn't seem bothered by it, but he's making even less eye contact than usual. There sure is something really interesting out that window over there.]

[explosivecombat]

And why not?

[If you think you're getting off that lightly...]

[determinator]

[He tried...]

I'm not fond of sharing my... failures.

[He hesitates for a moment and then adds onto that.]

I am prepared for this, Kimblee. I'll be capable of handling myself. What happened with Suicune was...

[But he trails off there, incapable of finding a way to finish that.]

[explosivecombat]

[His eyes narrow considerably about that; he remembers that incident well.]

Go on. I'd like to hear this.

[determinator]

That wouldn't have happened if you didn't put yourself in danger!

[He's not quite sure where the anger is coming from, but suddenly he's furious and he can't explain it.]

You're constantly putting yourself in dangerous situations when you don't need to be! As long as you stay safe we won't have anything to worry about! Why can't you just let the Pokémon battle like everyone else?

[explosivecombat]

[...wait wait wait wait WHAT]

Archer, where on earth did this come from -

[determinator]

[Hell if he knows tbh]

You're completely reckless! We need to focus on winning not... showing off or whatever it is you think you're doing by constantly putting yourself in these situations!

[explosivecombat]

What does this have to do with anything we were discussing? You're derailing.

[determinator]

I wouldn't have acted like that if you hadn't endangered yourself like that! I thought you died!

[explosivecombat]

[...all right, clearly there's no being rational today. Just...let him join you over there, okay? Kimblee doesn't move to embrace him, but he does grip Archer's uninjured hand rather firmly.]

You need to calm down. Everything is fine.

[determinator]

[Right. Right, there's no reason to lose control like this. He returns the grip on Kimblee's hand and focuses on taking a few deep breaths, counting backwards from ten a few times to make sure he's calm. He can be rational about this. Definitely.]

Yes, I know everything is fine now. That doesn't change the fact that I reacted because I thought you were dead. I wouldn't have acted that way if you hadn't been in harm's way.

[There, is that better?]

[explosivecombat]

We've discussed this before, Archer; I'm going to fight, and that often includes being in harm's way. You're aware of that, and you can't afford to have that reaction in battle.

[determinator]

There's nothing I can do about it.

[The most sullen thing, goddamn.]

...Unless... if you're going to be that reckless in battle, perhaps you should be stationed away from me, where I can't see it.

[He has no idea if that would even work, and of course he'd be worried about Kimblee, but he doesn't want to witness anything like that Suicune battle again.]

[explosivecombat]

...if that's what you would prefer. However, I can't say that I agree with that course of action entirely, given your lack of experience otherwise.