011 Bushels ❦ [Video/Action for Violet]

[buckyouup]

[Applejack is standing under a tree, her gaze locked on a single red apple hanging from a branch. She grits her teeth. Dumb human body. If she was a pony, this wouldn't be any problem at all. But damnit, she was hungry. She had to try.]

Alright, Applejack. It's just like back home. Nice an' easy, no problem.

[She backs up a couple steps, before running at the tree. When she gets close, she brings up her leg, forcing it into the trunk of the tree with all her might. She stays there, for a moment, glaring at the trunk, which hasn't budged an inch. The adrenaline quickly wearing off, Applejack yelps, rolling off the tree and grabbing her ankle.]

Dang it! Dumb apple, why can't you just fall!?

[Suddenly, shifting in the branches! AJ's eyes quickly dart up, smiling in expectation. She closed her eyes, holding out her hands. Soon that delicious ruby would be in her hands, and she'll finally be able to--OOF!]



[Applejack's eyes widen as the much-larger-than-an-apple pokemon lands on her chest. The Pineco's eyes narrow, growling.]

Uh, hey there, sugarcube. Let's not get too hasty...

[The feed cuts with the sound of an explosion.]

Comments

[video]

[darkenedgales]

[Crow lets out a small sigh, but then waves his hand dismissively with a smile.]

Yeah, I know. Don't mention it! Ain't your fault, after all.

So! How's your journey going this time?

Re: [video]

[buckyouup]

I ain't so sure yet. Some of my good friends from Ponyville are here, but we're headin' up to Goldenrod in the next couple days. My friend Twilight's says she has t'go deal with somethin' involving those Rockets.

[video]

[darkenedgales]

Goldenrod's probably a good choice, there's always something to do there as far as Johto goes--

[Wait. Hold up a sec.]

... Rockets? What 'bout 'em?

[filtered]

[buckyouup]

[She sighs, fumbling with the gear a bit.] She ain't gettin' specific. I'm worried about her, though. They're real dangerous.

[filtered]

[darkenedgales]

... Tell me 'bout it. [He's had way too many encounters with Rockets and none of them are fond memories, after all.

Crow lets out a sigh himself, scratching the back of his head.]

Well, if she's determined, you can't really stop her, can you? [A beat.] ... Keep an eye on her, though. And be careful. You never know what those guys might be up to.

[filtered]

[buckyouup]

One of 'em already poisoned my dear friend Fluttershy, an' who knows how many other people, too. I don't know about you, but I don't plan on lettin' them do anything to anypony ever again.

[filtered]

[darkenedgales]

Damn... Sorry 'bout your friend. [He's heard mentions of the incident, but none of people close to him got themselves involved in it (for once), thank goodness.]

Ain't that obvious? [He clenches his fists.] Those bastards have been running around freely for far too long, but they're gonna pay for this and everything else!

[The list of things Team Rocket has done to piss Crow off is very long, so there's no point in getting into details here, but one thing for sure: he means every word he said there.]

You've got my word as a duelist.

[filtered]

[buckyouup]

Duelist...?

[filtered]

[darkenedgales]

[... Two years and a half in this world and he still hasn't learned no one here will understand when he talks about dueling without explaining.]

... Right! 'S what I am, a duelist. Meaning I play Duel Monsters -- a card game from my world, that is.

[filtered]

[buckyouup]

[A card game? Like poker?]

Can't say I've ever heard of a card game played with monsters.

[But in this universe, she's not really surprised to hear anything anymore.]

[filtered]

[darkenedgales]

[Close enough, only more dangerous exciting.]

Doesn't surprise me. Seems like hardly anyone outside my own world has.

[Which is a shame, he thinks. They're missing out on so much fun.

Crow pulls out a few cards and puts them close to the camera for Applejack to see.]

These are mine!

[filtered]

[buckyouup]

[She leans in and inspects them. Woah, what kind of crazy writing is that?]

Real interestin'. I'd love t'learn how to play sometime, if you're willin' to teach.

[filtered]

[darkenedgales]

[Moon runes, man.

Okay, now Crow beams at the camera. Saying that he's "willing" to teach others how to play Duel Monsters would be an understatement.]

Sure thing! Anytime's good for me.

[Video/Filtered]

[friendyousohard]

Applejack.

[Twilight's voice and expression are both furious.]

[Video/Filtered]

[buckyouup]

[...Uh oh.]

I... wasn't supposed to mention that, I take it.

[Video/Filtered]

[friendyousohard]

[She groans and grasps her head, extremely aggravated by this. She's pretty sure Crow's trustworthy, but that isn't the point.]

AJ, I told you when I first mentioned that not to talk about it to anyone. That the group was a secret and needed to remain so. Those were my exact words. Don't you remember?

[Video/Filtered]

[buckyouup]

Y-yeah. I just wanted t'talk about how worried I am that you're goin' into this, after tellin' us specifically to stay away.

I just... let my tongue get th'better of me.

[Video/Filtered]

[friendyousohard]

Applejack, I gave you that information because I trusted you not to pass it on. What if that man's a member of Team Rocket? I mean, I don't think he is, but you never know. What if a member of Team Rocket is watching the network right now? What if they look back at your conversation with him and find out that way?

[She stops her lecture by biting her tongue, takes a deep breath, and sighs.] Look, AJ, I appreciate that you're worried about me. I really do. But the reason I'm being so secretive about this is to keep myself and those around me as safe as I can. You can see that, right?

[Video/Filtered]

[buckyouup]

I... yeah.

[She looks at the ground, feeling like a scolded filly. She honestly didn't mean it. It was some combination of worry, and trust, and memory problems that just... made it slip out.]

[Video/Filtered]

[friendyousohard]

Alright. As long as you understand.

[She sighs, and give the exchange another little once over.] It doesn't look like it's too bad. You didn't give them much of anything to work with except my name. Just so long as nothing else slips, we should be okay even if Team Rocket finds that message and takes it seriously. Honestly, with how many people yell at them and claim they're going to stop them every time they do anything, I should be lost in the pile.

Hopefully.

[Video/Filtered]

[buckyouup]

With all the bad things they do around here, I'd reckon half of Johto is after them.

[Video/Filtered]

[friendyousohard]

Which would be really useful if most of them could be counted on to work together. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. Most of them are just not that coordinated, plus they don't know where to attack. That's why the PGC exists.

[Video/Filtered]

[buckyouup]

A shame, too. If we got everypony to rise up an' go after them, they'd be out of our hair before the end of the night.

[Video/Filtered]

[friendyousohard]

Assuming we knew where to go. One of the biggest problems is finding their main base... or bases. They could easily have more than one.

[Video/Filtered]

[buckyouup]

Maybe you should have somepony on the "inside". Somepony in the rockets that can give y'all information?