Victory Road Inbox

[notvaljean]

Hi, this is Jean... [loud crackling in the background, the sound of sighing] ... and Blitz. We're busy right now and can't answer, so leave a message and we'll get back to you.

Comments

Text;

[notvaljean]

sure, I'd be happy to draw on the card

[It's a good thing this is text, or Armin would hear how completely delighted this request has made Jean.]

Why don't you get her a book?

Text;

[schachmeister]

[Bottle up those positive emotions, Jean. Ain't nobody gotta know that.]

I've considered it, but I don't know which kind to get her.
I don't think she needs any cook books for obvious reasons.

Text;

[notvaljean]

my mom really likes those books that are just a bunch of pretty pictures
like of flowers or birds or whatever

Text;

[schachmeister]

Like an atlas?

[Listen, that is the only real reference Armin has got for books that are mostly pictures. His grandfather had had real books, proper books, books filled with words and heretical knowledge like all books should be.

Also, cause he gotta share the things he has learned.]

Did you know Atlas was a titan?

Text; so many adorable new chibi icons!

[notvaljean]

no, just like a fancy book full of pictures

they were really expensive back home so she only had one, but she loved it

[Jean doesn't add how he'd made her several childish versions of coffee tables books when he was small, and how they'd been displayed just as proudly as the single fancy one she'd actually had. That memory hurts a little, but it's more a dull ache of homesickness than actual, stabbing pain.]

you mean like the Colossal or the Armored Titan?

Text; and there will be more tonight.

[schachmeister]

Not quite. It is something miss Athena told me about.
Where she is from titans are just old stories and myths.
Atlas was one of the titans.
After the titans were defeated by the gods, he was made to carry the world on his shoulders as a punishment for what he did.

Text;

[notvaljean]

be nice if they were just old stories in our world too

huh
seems like a good job for him

[Sorry, Armin, he's not as enraptured with this as you are.]

so do you want to go to the bookstore tomorrow? we could see what they have
and I'm almost ready for the second book in the series here

Text;

[schachmeister]

Maybe we need some gods to defeat ours too.

[No, he is not serious. Partially because gods don't exist. Partially because any god that could defeat a titan... they'd probably be just as scary, wouldn't they?

And really. Did Jean just ask Armin if he is ready to go to a bookstore? Does a bewear poop in the woods?]

I have nothing planned.
Do you want to go in the morning or in the afternoon?

Text;

[notvaljean]

the ones we have sure aren't doing the job

in the afternoon
I don't want you waking me up at ass o'clock to go as soon as they open

and I need to finish

sixty more pages

Text;

[schachmeister]

[Well, Armin knows all about how impossible it is to go to sleep with pages still unread.]

All right. In the afternoon then.
I'll let you finish reading now.
Good night, Jean.

Text; ==> Action

[notvaljean]

night

[Jean sighs and picks his book back up. Now that he's awake again, he might as well keep reading. Fat Ice Dog hops up on the bed and cuddles under his arm, and Jean pets the Spheal as he cracks the book open again.]

[The next morning has Jean getting up late, and he seeks out Armin almost immediately, finding him in the kitchen at the breakfast table. Jean stalks over and slams one hand down on the table top.]

I knew those Sneasels would be dirty traitors!

[Strong feelings, Jean has them.]

Action

[schachmeister]

[Armin jumps a little when Jean slams a hand down on the breakfast table, but honestly, there is no time to chide him for making such a ruckus in a common area. Not when there is books to be discussed.]

That's what I felt at first too. But then...

[He scrunches up his face a bit in thought, reaching over to move his bag off the chair so Jean can sit down.]

Don't you... don't you think it was all a little too convenient? Everything slotted into place so neatly. I'm not really sure they are capable of such well thought out plans.

Action

[notvaljean]

Yes.

[Jean slides in across from Armin at the table, ready for some Serious Discourse, not even noticing that he's all worked up over a book, of all things.]

Did you notice how the Voltorb Lord reacted when it all went down? He hesitated. Voltorbs don't hesitate unless they're taken by surprise. He didn't know the Sneasels were going to do that but then had to go along.

[Don't mind him as he grabs a piece of Armin's breakfast off his plate.]

Someone else is pulling the strings.

Action;

[schachmeister]

[Be glad he is not Sasha or he would've cut a bitch for this flagarant invasion of his breakfast plate. As is, Jean's got Armin well enough distracted with book discussions.]

That's what I thought too, but I can't figure out who it is. I'm not sure who'd benefit the most from breaking up the alliance at that stage. Wouldn't it have been better to gain everybody's trust and attack when they are at their most vulnerable?

[That is 100% what Armin would do.]

Action;

[notvaljean]

But if you'd gained everyone's trust, then you wouldn't need to attack and break up the alliance. You could control them from within.

[100% what Jean would do.]

Action;

[schachmeister]

I think that sort of thing would depend on what motives you have. Even using trust, you can only push people so far before they start doubting you.

[Really, they won't be getting any answers like this. They've only read book one in a series of ten. There is probably tons of plot points and characters that haven't even been introduced yet. The pokemon behind it all might very well be one they haven't even met yet. That means the answers must be somewhere in the other nine books.]

We need the second volume.

[Armin says this with the sort of conviction and force like a man dying of thirst in the desert would speak of water.]

Action;

[notvaljean]

We do.

[Jean stands up with a definitive nod and starts scrounging around for breakfast. The sound of him rustling in the cupboards leads to a charge of round Pokemon--Blitz, Donner, and Fat Ice Dog--all rushing in for their breakfast. Oh look, here's Meatball too, who has probably already been fed but thinks he can trick Jean into feeding him again.]

Let me feed the troops and myself here, and then we can go.

Action;

[schachmeister]

All right. There is no real rush.

[The book store should be open for several hours more.

And while Jean gets some fuel into himself, Armin'll finish off that last piece of toast that wasn't stolen by Jean.]

Action;

[notvaljean]

Right.

[Jean feeds the beasts--Meatball does not get a second breakfast, but he does get a couple of treats to lessen the sting--and then makes himself something. He eats quickly, then jumps up to brush his teeth and hair and change his clothes.]

Okay, ready.

[This is the fastest Jean has ever gotten ready for something since arriving in Pokemon Land.]

Action;

[schachmeister]

[Amazing. A miracle. Who could've guess that Jean can still get ready without preening himself in the mirror for two hours. Armin almost feels like this momentous occasion should be marked on the calendar.]

Are you bringing any of your pokemon?

[If Jean will, so will Armin.]

Action;

[notvaljean]

[Excuse you, there's nothing wrong with admiring fine art.]

Like I could get away without them.

[Blitz, Donner, and Fat Ice Dog are all at Jean's heels, waiting in a perfect ball-shaped row.]

Let's get out of here before Polo realizes we're leaving, or he'll want to go too.

Action;

[schachmeister]

[You are not supposed to get your hands all over the art pieces though.]

If we're lucky, Polo and Magellan are sleeping in a sun beam.

[You know. sprawled out all indecently and stuff.]

I'll bring Atty and Circinus then.

[They are small enough not to be a bother, and hey, Atticus can also sort of roll into a ball so he fits the theme?]

Action;

[notvaljean]

[Is Armin suggesting Jean is a piece of art? That's gay, bruh.]

[There's just something vaguely unsettling about giant cats who look like human wrestlers sprawling all over each other and cuddling, and Jean nods vigorously. Polo and Magellan are just too big to take on outings where they might get bored and decide to start throwing Uncle Blitz around.]

So we're going with the ball theme today. Nice.

[Jean approves.]

Action;

[schachmeister]

[Well, he certainly is a piece of work. Does that count for something?

Armin releases Atticus and Circinus from their balls to join the horde. Atticus signals his arrival with a trumpeting noise, before he cheerfully pats Jean's knee. Hello tall friend who sadly enough is not a cute girl but still pretty nice. How do you do?

Circinus, who has become a little less timid since his hatching just leans into Armin's leg. He might be less shy, but he is still the ultimate anti-Blitz.]

Well, for me, most of my other pokemon are too big to take out into town.

[What is he supposed to do? Take his steelix to the shops?]

Action;

[notvaljean]

Hi, Atticus.

[Jean reaches down to pet the little elephant, but only for a moment before straightening back up. That trumpeting noise could alert any other free-roaming Pokemon that something exciting is happening, and they don't want to attract a crowd.]

You do have a lot of really big Pokemon.

[You hear that smirk, Armin? You hear it? You should, because it's pretty glaringly obvious.]

All right, come on, cadets, we've got a fifteen mile hike uphill both ways to the bookstore. Are you ready?

[Blitz rolls his eyes, Donner sighs, and Fat Ice Dog claps his flippers happily. They all know damn well that it's more like a pleasant fifteen minute walk.]