determinator | ♕ TWELFTH COMMAND | VIDEO / ACTION [MAHOGANY TOWN, TEAM ROCKET BASE]

[ VIDEO ]

[The video feed opens to Archer playing with a Venipede. Said Venipede is glaring at the camera - how dare it take his trainer's attention away!]

I've been in Johto for one year.

[Yes, this is a very important announcement. Archer doesn't look up at the camera, instead continuing to toy with Kann's anntenae.]

To those of you who have been here for quite some time, have you decided that you want to stay here? Why or why not?

[To those of you familiar with Archer, he seems quite a bit distant today. The fact that he's not looking at the camera is one sure sign, but he's also looking a little... down, for lack of a better word. He's not even trying to be threatening. This must be a first!]

I'd appreciate any opinions, even from those of you who haven't been here for very long.

[He gestures airily and the Alakazam running the 'Gear turns it off.]

[ ACTION - MAHOGANY TOWN, TEAM ROCKET BASE ]

[Should you find yourself in Mahogany Town today and you decide to explore the Team Rocket Base (which really shouldn't be all that difficult to find if you know what you're looking for), you'll find that the place is rigged with Voltorbs that will explode as soon as they enter a battle. They're not the only threat, however! There are five Psychic-types just waiting beyond there, all with orders to attack any intruders. They're also high leveled, but don't worry! They'll at least let their trainer know before attacking you!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to enter the base and either defeat the Psychic-types or persuade them to keep from attacking! Show them you mean no harm and they won't hurt you! After all, there might be something valuable or useful inside that base ~~probably not~~...

Archer is holed up in a room inside the base (Kimblee's old room, to be specific), still amusing himself by playing with Kann, the ridiculously powerful Venipede. Feel free to come bother him!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Archer's expression softens for a moment; he's quick to cover that, though. He understands far better than he's rather let on.]

I'm sure you'll return to them soon. Time doesn't pass in your world; small comfort, I know. You'll return eventually and you'll be able to help them.

Yeah...

[She still seems solemn; she doubts how much she'd be able to help even if she did go home. After a moment, though, she forces herself to straighten up]

Yeah, you're right, but... there's just one thing. How do you know all of this? I mean, if someone gets out of this place, it's not like they can hop back and tell us what happened to them.

They don't have a choice to return, no, but several people have left and returned here. Not all of them have their memories of their time here, but the ones who do have confirmed that it was as though no time had passed at all, no matter how long they had been here.

[Admittedly he's never heard this first-hand, but word of mouth and all that!]

...so, it's like a dream, then. Sometimes people remember them when they wake up, and sometimes they forget all about it. Except...

[shakes her head]

Nevermind, it's not important, not really. So, have any of your friends come back like that? [TOPIC CHANGE. Queen of subtlety right there, ayup]

[Goodness, all the subtlety of a brick to the face... but if you don't wish to discuss it, then we won't!]

No, none of my friends have. I haven't seen any of my friends return, unfortunately.

[Not that any of them were friends to begin with, but that's not the point!]

Oh... [Lowers her gaze for a moment, genuinely apologetic]

I'm sorry to hear that. Were they the kind of people who wanted to go back home?

Don't be sorry about it. They did indeed want to return home. Most of them had families and friends to return to.

That's something, at least - being stuck here is bad enough, but if someone who actually wanted to stay was sent back... [shakes her head] That would just be too cruel.

...sorry, I bet you didn't want to hear about all of that. But, what about you? Do you want to go back to your home, or do you want to stay here?

♕ TWELFTH COMMAND | VIDEO / ACTION [MAHOGANY TOWN, TEAM ROCKET BASE]

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