SEVENTH RIDE ✦ VIDEO

[diamondo]

[Guess who woke up inside the Team Rocket base today? Guess who's apparently been gone for at least a month? And guess who's currently staring at the camera like it's the source of all his problems?

If you guessed Mondo then congratulations!]

Okay, what the hell happened? Apparently I can't even go to fucking sleep without something stupid going down. Did I get sent home?

[He rests his elbow on his knee and then places his chin on his hand. It's apparent that Mondo is still in the base - to those who recognize the base, that is - and it looks like he only just got up. Somehow or other his hair is completely unaffected. Don't question it.]

I don't really give a fuck either way, but I've got a major problem.

[He reaches out offscreen to grab something that makes a high-pitched shrieking sound. It's revealed to be a Scraggy who is trying vainly to get Mondo to let go. Those of you who know the biker gang leader might remember that he had a really bitchy Scrafty at one point. ...Yeah.]

Ryder's de-evolved. Unevolved? What-the-fuck-ever. She's not a Scrafty anymore. And she's fucking level thirty. She was level 100 last time I checked! Does this shit happen here? I've never heard of it happening. So what the fuck's going on?

[He finally lets her go and she scurries offscreen. Mondo resettles and while he still looks annoyed, his tone is at least a bit more conversational.]

...So what did I miss anyway?

Comments

[diamondo]

Um, like breaking shit? I mean, fuck, I'd never forgive myself for hurting you guys.

[...]

'Specially not any of the girls. Though I don't think I'd do that.

[Not that he can really say for certain, thanks blackout episodes.]

[ardent]

[...you tried, anyway...]

...It doesn't matter, I think - everything's going to be okay now.

[diamondo]

...Yeah. I think things'll be just fine now. I'm not gonna go anywhere again.

[...]

Well, I mean, it's not like I had a choice there, but if I do have the choice I'm not going to-- You know what I fucking mean!

[ardent]

Well, at least we know it's a possibility now, both the coma and people just...leaving and then coming back -

[...oh god.]

...Nothing...happened to you back home, did it?

[diamondo]

Huh? No. At least, I don't remember anything happening. My memory's not that shitty, so I guess I didn't really go home, or if I did, time stood still or something? Shit, I dunno.

[ardent]

[Ishimaru stares at the device for a few seconds too long at that, as though he's trying to work through something in his head; whatever it is, he dismisses it soon enough in favor of relief.]

...I'm glad to hear that, then.

[diamondo]

...Is everything okay? You kinda hesitated for awhile there.

[He's not sure what caused that blip and he's not even sure Ishimaru knows or will tell him, but of course he's going to ask anyway.]

[ardent]

[And for the briefest of moments that's what gets him to consider freezing up a bit; his hesitation to discuss it is obvious, and he shakes his head after a moment, offering a soft noise in place of words before he manages to put together a reply.

It's happening less nowadays, but that particular reaction still happens once in a while.]

It's...everything's okay now, kyoudai, like we said. I was just worried about it, that's all.

[diamondo]

[That hurts for some reason he can't figure out; he's not sure if it hurts because Ishimaru's just dismissing it like it's nothing or if it's because of Ishimaru's reaction in the first place. Either way, he tries not to dwell on it for too long.]

...Yeah, it's okay. You... You know you can still tell me anything, right? Nothing's changed between us.

[...]

At least, I don't think it has. Has it?

[ardent]

No, of course not! It's just...

[...]

You have twenty-four hours, about. Before the trial.

[diamondo]

...Yeah.

[He doesn't want to get into that because he knows their opinions on it differ and he really doesn't want to risk upsetting Ishimaru.]

If anything happened, I don't remember it. You don't need to worry about that at least, okay?

[ardent]

[Ishimaru is quiet for a moment; again, the pause lingers a bit too long before he makes himself continue.]

I don't...want to argue with you about it. I just don't like the thought that you might have gone through that, and I'm glad you didn't.

[...is...that better...]

[diamondo]

I don't wanna argue about it either. But I think I get what you're saying; it's something that could've easily happened and that idea's kinda... fucking scary, right? But it didn't happen and everything's okay. I promise. I'm just fine, kyoudai.

[ardent]

...I think it's something we should talk about, but in person - if you don't mind, anyway.

[...]

Ah, but even if I'll be seeing you again soon, we don't have to discuss it so early - I just want to focus on having you back for the time being!

[diamondo]

[...but what if he doesn't want to discuss it...]

Yeah, I guess it'd probably be for the best to get it all out there. It'd definitely be better to do that in person.

...And thanks. I really appreciate that.

[ardent]

Of course, kyoudai!

I'll see you in a little while then, all right?

[diamondo]

Yeah, I'll see you soon, kyoudai!