♕ 001 // Action for Route 29

[lackingbeauty]

What the 'ell is goin' on 'ere? Use this damn thing fer wha-

[The video feed flicks on to show a woman's face far too close up, brow furrowed, looking quite disturbed.]

ndklanadfnkla

[Switching from text to video, she apparently doesn't know what the hell to do with the Pokegear either.]

Dagger? Wendy? Peter? Jumbo-

[The video is shaky, and only shows... a rather ponderous bosom.]

Doll? Snake?

- Joker?

[She waits, as if for a response. But the only sound is wind rustling through the trees and grass.

Another minute, before the video feed moves too fast for the feed to really pick up- grass, grass real close, black.]

... I'm goin' mad.

Comments

[crackpotcrocker]

[Someone is apparently styling the black and white sad clown makup look today. One half of Crocker's face has black makeup, outside of outline a frown with some white makeup on that side and the white makeup side has a black makeup outline of the frowning painted on facial expression and a single black tear near the rim of his glasses.]

Looks as if you could use some help there.

I see you know Doll, Joker and Snake. So - WELCOME!

And no- you're not any crazier than I am!

[lackingbeauty]

[The sound makes her start, jerking the device back up from the grass to her face. The make-up would normally identify him as something familiar, but- she didn't know his face, he wasn't Noah's Ark...

Yet he claimed to know Joker? Doll? Snake?

She really was going crazy.]

Who the 'ell are you?

[And she was yelling at a small... Box. Yup. Crazy.]

[crackpotcrocker]

Denzel Crocker.

[There's something rather edgy-creepy when he says that with his voice.]

And you are Miss -?

As far as Joker and Snake are concerned, I can say they are here. What's that to you?


[His eyes seem to narrow behind his glasses.]

And Doll was here but she returned home - but that's besides the point!

video- tl;dr

[pipers_son]

[It's been... a day.]

[Just like he'd predicted with Jimmy, some young little lion cub lookin' things which seemed suspiciously similar to Lysandre's Pyroar had shown up. It's easy to be ecstatic, he's good at that... at first. But something inside him snaps and, well, that's why there are now 20 Litleo in his PC and probably being released en masse back at the circus. He hardly knows what got into him all that.]

[But... Alright, maybe that's a lie. Maybe he already knows why. Because when you think "lions" in a circus act, you inevitably think "animal tamer". And...]

[It's the longest he's ever been from his family. Even back when he was nothing but a kid who looked like he was made out of nothing but twigs or dirt, when they were all starving and lived in filth, they still saw each other just about every day. They still were with one another.]

[Here it's just him and Snake- Doll and Suit alike gone within just a few months, not nearly long enough for him, and the others... the others never here.]

[There's a part of him, admittedly, that hisses in his own mind that this is his punishment. He's only ever cared for his family, only ever been able to care for his family, so wouldn't it be fitting that this would be Hell for him? Maybe the good book was wrong. Maybe Hell isn't fire and brimstone, maybe it's being given everything you could ever need and want except you can't share it with the people who really matter. You can't make it up to them.]

[It's the kind of thinking he tries to run from; it's just too suffocating. Besides, it's not just himself he has to think about with these things. Angel always feels it too, and tries to get his mind off of it like now as she looks up at him with sad eyes and nudges the Pokegear into his hand. They've been with each other long enough that saying anything isn't necessary. He gets the idea. Maybe they can distract themselves. God knows the network has always been full of colorful characters.]

[But then he hears that voice and it feels like his heart nearly damn well stops. Joker isn't even sure he's breathing as he stares at the screen- he knows that voice. Those eyes. Shakily, without thinking, he raises a hand to the scarf around his neck. It's only at those final words does he snap out of it.]

[He hastily grabs at it, flicking on his own camera and trying not to drop the thing in his excitement. He probably looks a wreck- pale underneath his usual colorful makeup and possibly on the verge of tears.]

Beast! Beast, it's you- it's like a fancy telephone, it's- are ya okay!? What's the last thing ya remember!?

Cor, it's really you-

[lackingbeauty]

[There was a clown on her screen and that blasted device was talking at her. She was lost, in a town she'd never seen before filled with people dressed like she'd never seen, houses like she'd never seen, animals like she'd never seen, and she's alone.

Crying wasn't an option- she had to find out where she was, had to join up with the rest of her family again, finish their mission so they could reunite with Joker back at the circus and move on just like they had every other time.

That's what had to happen.

But instead she feels the pressure of the threat of tears behind her eyes even as she tries to figure out how to respond to the first voice, and then-

There's another one, and it's not just his voice, it's his face, and she's ashamed that after what she's done the first thing that floods her is relief.

He's alright. She didn't- nothing had come of it-]

Joker... ?

[Aware that he'd asked questions, and yet his name was the only thing that came out.]

[pipers_son]

[She's still there. She's really there. The name on the 'Gear says "Beast".]

[Besides him, out of view of the camera, Angel looks like she's going to hyperventilate. Her own eyes already have tears spilling from them- she's always been more honest about his own emotions than he's been. He has to remember to force in a breath.]

[Old engrained habits deep in his mind try to force the same usual smile to his face, cheerful and relaxed and comforting, but he can't. All he can remember is laying on the floor bleeding and heavy with the knowledge that he'd sent his family to their deaths. That he'd asked Suit, William, if they really had.]

[Another breath forced in. Joker manages to steady his voice even though it feels like his heart is stuck in his throat.]

Listen, I'm comin' as soon as I can, alright? I'll rush over there- but tell me yer alright, please.

[She's so shaken and quiet, is she from straight after then? Is that why? Nausea churns in his stomach. She'd wanted them to go and he couldn't have done that, he couldn't have, but maybe if he'd done something...]

[video]

[awesmazings]

[Well, it certainly has been a day. What with the lions showing up and all, Jimmy found himself not too surprised to find that Joker had gotten a fair few for himself. Perhaps twenty seemed like it was a bit overkill, but the boy didn't really think much of it, especially after their incident with the bats previously.

From his hotel room across from Joker's in Azalea, he hears a video come across the network from where his Gear is lying on the bed. He looks up from where he'd been stroking the top of his Noibat's head, waiting for the little one to drift off to sleep, stretching a long arm out to pick up the device.

When he hears her mention Joker, he freezes for a moment before answering.]

Hello? ..Joker is here. I've been traveling with him...

Who are you?

[video]

[lackingbeauty]

[Another voice, video, what have you-

This technology was far beyond Beast's world, far beyond even the reaches of her imagination (though she wasn't that imaginative to begin with). She bit her lip, holding the device alternatively too close or too far, trying to get a good look at the boy on the screen.

Though his question didn't seem to sit well with her.]

Who the 'ell are you?

[video]

[awesmazings]

[Jimmy's breath catches a little at Beast's tone, and it causes the bat hanging on to the front of his shirt to lift his head sleepily, letting out a soft squeak. He pets the top of his head again with his free hand before turning his attention back to the screen.]

Jimmy! My name is Jimmy, Jimmy Two-Shoes.

[video]

[solas_ion]

Nah, you're fine. It ain't unusual to think you're goin' crazy, though.

[video]

[lackingbeauty]

[No, she was definitely not fine.]

Sounds jus' like what a bedlam lad'd say.

[video]

[solas_ion]

Hah-! Tough to argue, when you put it like that. But I'm not...er, I'm pretty sure I'm not insane myself. This place is just impossible, it's nothin' wrong with you.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica had found a seat underneath a tree, her Eevee sitting comfortably in her lap, while her Murkrow chose to watch overhead.

You know who Joker is?

[So, more people from the same world then.]

[lackingbeauty]

[All these people claiming to know Joker is disorienting- almost as much as the place itself. It made her nervous. Didn't she know everyone Joker did? So who were all these-]

Fer all that it's yer business!

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Hmm.

[Veronica's brow furrowed, the stitches that lined her face stretching ever so slightly with the motion.]

Well, he's here. Just letting you know.

[video]

[codeforhope]

[That's a feeling he's familiar with. Wondering if he's maybe gone crazy, or he's dreaming, being here. Even after having been in Johto for several months, it's something Chihiro finds himself thinking about often.]

You're not crazy. I mean...if you were, then the rest of us would have to be, too.

...are you okay?

[video]

[lackingbeauty]

'ow is any a this okay?

[The outburst isn't because of or really at the person on the other end of the video, but that's what Beast had to say on that matter, her grip on the pokegear liable to break it at this rate.]

[video]

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro jumps, his grip on his own Gear slipping a bit at the sudden outburst.]

I-....

...i-it isn't. Especially if....y-you've been taken from your home...nobody deserves that.

...but...it's really...not that bad of a place, here...

[Especially if you're fortunate enough to have friends with you.

And he knows he's not really one to talk, since many people probably have better reasons for wanting to go back home. Whereas he has his reasons for wanting to stay.]

[video]

[soundmind]

No, you're not.

[Does Beast need a no-nonsense schoolgirl talking to her.

Well, too bad, because she's got one anyway.]

Miss, you're part of that clown's family, aren't you? He'll be happy to see you--then again, knowing him he's probably already found you. I can answer any questions you might have, if you want.

[video] HOURS LATER......

[lackingbeauty]

[Another video- another face, another voice. Though this one has the advantage of talking to her after she's spoken to Joker somewhat.

Her mind was whirling with impossibilities and nonsense, but. She tried to focus. To reply, her fingers rubbing a pressured circle in to her temple.]

"Any questions" sounds like yer about to commit to a lot.

[Seeing as.

She had a lot of questions. Who wouldn't?]

[video]

[soundmind]

Kind of, they expect you to live here and do a lot of tasks related to these Pokemon, and generally people that first arrive have a lot of questions on their mind. I've been in this place for a year now, so I've seen most of what it can throw at you.

If you need a moment, take your time, miss.

[Maka she already had a few hours.]

[venturesomely]

Dagger? Wendy, Peter, and Jumbo? Are those your friends? [ headtilt ]

[lackingbeauty]

My family.

[islandshore]

[On the other end of the feed? A young man, about nineteen wearing an apologetic smile. He's seen this kinda reaction time and time again over the years.]

Friend of Joker's, huh? Well, don't worry. He's around-- heck, he's kind of made a name for himself with his circus.

Video;

[puppetnurse]

A-ah! You know Joker-san...?

[Any friend of Joker's is a friend of hers.

Or well, it's someone she'd want to be friends with anyway.]

U-um...b-be careful with your Pokegear, please! I-it's very important...you need it to communicate with everyone...