♕ FIFTH COMMAND | TEXT / ACTION [ILEX FOREST]

[determinator]

[An anonymous text has been sent out to all of Johto. All replies will be anonymous as well unless he screws up and anonfails which is highly likely.]

How do you deal with the loss of a close friend?

[For those of you in Ilex Forest, Archer is currently busy training his Pokémon. Or at least, that's what he'd like you to think he's doing. Every so often he'll check the Gear to see if there's a response to that anonymous text.]

[Today really isn't a good day. Archer definitely seems more distracted and agitated than usual, and he's been snapping at his Pokémon all day. Why? It's January 28th. Kimbley would have been twenty-eight today.]

Comments

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ ... wow, what kind of person is this? ]

If you don't mind me asking, is this a loss from Johto, or just a loss?

[determinator]

[...an idiot.]

Just a loss. He was never here in Johto.

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ Sounds it ]

I see... I'm sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, we can only honor their name, and try to be the good people that they would have wanted us to be.

[ ... OH THE IRONY. ]

[determinator]

[Oh Hughes. You don't realize how hilarious this is, do you? Give him a moment to try not to laugh hysterically - Kimblee's somewhere around here and that would just call unwanted attention to himself.]

[When Archer responds, the text is no longer anonymous. Whoops.]

He was never a "good person." He was imprisoned for war crimes and disobeying orders. The sentiment is nice, I suppose, but it doesn't do any good in these circumstances.

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ Sounds like Kimblee... ]

Well, no reason you couldn't still remember him.

[ .... A pause between texts. But then a second one comes through ]

And it never hurts to strive to be a good person, right?

[determinator]

I'm afraid it's a little late for that.

[He's not sorry at all, of course. ...And these texts from now on are no longer anonymous, not that he's realized yet.]

[derpsaboutfamily]

Are you trying to tell me you're a bad person, then?

[ ... He's not sure why you went un-anonymous for this part, to be honest. ]

[determinator]

Not necessarily bad. I've done things that certainly wouldn't be considered good by most people, but it's all been to serve my country, you understand.

[Because he's dumb and has no idea how to technology.]

[derpsaboutfamily]

Sometimes, things need to be done for the good of the people. Doesn't necessarily make you a bad person.

[ He's not sure what kinds of things, though, so he'll leave it at that. ]

[determinator]

Of course. That said, it doesn't mean I didn't get personal satisfaction out of it.

[I FUCKING LOVE WAR, MAN]

[derpsaboutfamily]

Personal satisfaction for doing something for the sake of the people? I see nothing wrong with that.

[ That just reminds me of Hipster Hitler... :| ]

[determinator]

That's not exactly what I meant. I don't do things for the sake of others. I do what I'm assigned to do.

[This comparison is amazing.]

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ No, really, Archer... why are you telling him this? ]

Personal satisfaction for doing what you're told? I'm not sure I've heard that one before.

[determinator]

[Because dumb, Hughes. Also bragging.]

I suppose there is a bit of that, but it's really more about what my orders are. I was placed in charge of instigating a battle back home. It was amazing.

[derpsaboutfamily]

Was it really? Sounds intriguing! Would you mind telling me a bit more about it?

[ .... Yeah. He might be baiting you now. Because, wtf, Archer... just... wtf... ]

[determinator]

Of course. There was a civil war in my country ten years ago. The people we fought against were mostly destroyed. The ones who lived settled in a little town named "Liore." The Fuhrer ordered an attack on the city and gave me command of it.

[That's mostly true! Except Mustang was there as backup, and that sort of ruined everything.]

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ Wait, what?

No, no. He's not going to let there be a pause in his responds. He's just going to keep trucking along. This is really valuable information.

... Kind of. Except it isn't even like he's part of that universe, from how he understands...

Pretending he doesn't know what Liore is... ]

An attack on the city? They must have been quiet unruly to warrant that.

[ Wow. If only every investigation went this smoothly. Seriously, Archer... what the fuck are you telling Hughes? AND DO YOU EVEN KNOW YOU'RE NOT ANON ANYMORE? ]

[determinator]

[Oh he wouldn't tell you any of this if he wasn't anonymous! ...He's totally anonymous, you shut up.]

There were riots earlier in the year after a religious leader was outed as a fraud, but nothing to warrant an all-out offensive. I don't know why the Fuhrer gave us these orders, but that doesn't matter. I was given seven thousand men to command. Things would have been much more interesting had the city not been abandoned when we invaded.

[Have we established that Archer is a monster yet?]

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ Yup. ]

I see. Seven thousand men against a city that sounds as if it didn't have many defenses. Sounds like quite the massacre.

[determinator]

It would have been had there been anyone in the city. Unfortunately, the place was mostly cleared out; they must have received word on our attack in advance.

[Probably from FullMetal. Ugh, what a brat.]

[derpsaboutfamily]

You must have been quite disappointed to have missed out on the chance to slaughter.

[ ... Please say no. Please say no. Pleasesayno. ]

[determinator]

I was. It would have been the perfect opportunity to show the Fuhrer just what I was capable of.

[Sorry Hughes!]

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ ............................................ Can he just go die now? ]

There aren't other ways of showing him this?

[ Like... I DON'T KNOW... DOING GOOD THINGS? ]

[determinator]

I've slaved for years over desk jobs and I haven't made it far enough. I intend to become Fuhrer in the future, but I still have plenty of ranks to make it through. This would have ensured at least another promotion.

[Sorry, Hughes! He's just all sorts of horrible.]

[derpsaboutfamily]

[ Wow. So you're just like Roy. Except you took the other route to get there. ]

What would you do in such a position, if you don't mind my asking?