ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

*noticing Dieter's a bit down, Sarah turns in Dieter's direction and asks* What do you mean Michael was right?

(I walked away from the scene before it could potentially escalate. I look at Tilly.) So you sense anything? (I hoped the water hasn't dried up yet.)

Several guards seem dissapointed, however noticing the looming threat of the Blue Cross, they similarly take off the shackles, pushing the Wailord back into the water.

Ed, meanwhile, hearing the news of his friends, is in shock. Unspeakable shock. He silently swallows, before swimming off, somewhere, silently.

Scilio sighs. Glad we got that taken care of.

Marion, noticing Dieter's confusion, but not hearing the part about Michael, pats him in the back. Its alright. I know it seems fast, but they were protecting Ed. They didn't want him to catch VA. And that was the best solution they could come up with. They were just very worried.

Dieter hears Sarah's question.

"I... I dunno. Maybe it's just with the circumstances, but..."

"He said he was for the will of the people. And I trusted him because it sounded like he was good. He's still doing them, but... with how quickly the guards were willing to kill him and what apparently happened with the advisors..."

"I... I dunno. Maybe Scilio's fine. Maybe it's circumstances. There's just something... off about this and I'm worried I got that Vibrava tied up in it."

Dieter looks at Marion. ...Was that really the best solution? How about just quarantining them? Helping find the source of all this?...

(Once Ed is free, Henry turns to Reggie.) Well, that was almost a disaster, huh? Poor fellow, almost executed for nothing that he himself did...now what do we do? (Henry asks, not hearing Dieter's concerns about him.)

edited 14th Dec '17 9:45:32 PM by kablammin45

[I just sort of stand here uselessly...again... So...they killed those two for showing possible signs of VA...and now I feel I have a reason to stand around uselessly...I shiver a little...I realize now...I about lashed out at the king earlier, I know now that my reason was slipping from me then...if the king ever got a hint that I may have it, he could order me to be...]

[My tail wraps around me, almost protectively, the brush-like bulb at the end laying low but pointing up like a sword at the ready. Should I engage with the others? Maybe I should...I don't want it to seem like I'm hiding something or anything. Dieter's talking with someone, I can tell he's talking about the ethics of this. Well, if I do get riled up, at least it would be justified, right? I walk closer to the two of them, chiming in as I close the distance:]

"He's got a point, y'know," [I say to the Raticate.] "Don'tcha think that's the kind of thing that gets people riled up anyway? I, I mean, what if the people heard about this?"

edited 14th Dec '17 9:51:11 PM by BlackMageAnolis

Reggie starts walking back to base, ushering Henry to follow him.

Marion sighs, and looks to Eliot and Dieter. I know that it wasn’t the best solution, but you need to understand these people are scared too. They don’t want their friends, loved ones, countrymen to get infected. So, yes, they were wrong in how quickly they did it. But understand it was no place of malice.

edited 14th Dec '17 9:56:07 PM by TacoBadger

(Henry eagerly zips off after Reggie.)

Dieter just kind of collapses.

"I... ehe... didn't mean it with malice... how many others like that..."

"I... This is why I really don't know how to feel about people like Scilio... The Blue Cross in general, really... I really respect them for how they keep people safe and what they want to do, but... They say things like this, but then do things like... I dunno... I really don't know... I probably wouldn't be any better..."

"That kid, though... he was sure eager for this... Is he gonna end up making decisions wisely... or just get overeager and mess up like this... ehehe he..."

[Oh, my lord, these people would not know how to handle chickenpox. I pinch the bridge of my muzzle, turning askew from her. I'm kinda disappointed in Dieter right now...he shouldn't be conceding on this so easily. I lean in close to the Raticate, remembering the sense of...urgency I guess?] "...y...you see the contradiction, right? If you kill someone with the disease, that's not gonna say 'we're trying to protect you'...that's saying 'if you get this disease which...we got no real way a'knowin' how it will spread and we find out about it, you will die'. Suddenly, their rights as h—as Pokémon are null and void because of a curable disease, and at any other point, they would've been protected?"

[I gesture my hands into the air.] "Hell, who's t'say we absolutely know who's infected? One a'those Slaking guards, one a'the ones who'us with us on our way here, coulda had it considering the way he treated us, but apparently, that's som'n that's—" [I accompany my next words—dripping with contempt and sarcasm—with air quotes:] "—'in his blood'." [I shrug.] "People get frustrated, and when there's a disease that y'get from outta nowhere that eventually makes ya goddamn homicidal, emotions're gonna be high!"

edited 14th Dec '17 10:14:28 PM by BlackMageAnolis

Marion just looks disapprovingly at Eliot. For the last time, I know that it wasn't the wrong decision. But a decision had to be made. And at least I'm not being hysterical about it. Keep acting like that, they'll think you've got it. Besides, I'm just the wife. I don't decide what they do.

In response to Dieter, she replies, Again, they are usually nowhere near as speedy with it, but they were of the belief that they were going to infect the heir. You have to understand this a very specific situation.

Justified my ass...since when was life ever this cheap, anywhere?! *Sarah remarks, fuming* A cannibal like Jillian fits right at home with these twisted ethical standards, y'know?!

*then as Dieter collapses, she adds* I guess like, all I can say is...methods that get results look great until you see what's actually going on.

*she then listens to Eliot's words, and remarks to Marion* Eliot has a point, plus...how can you be certain, without due process, that you aren't simply being manipulated to get rid of some like...political opponents of some rich guy, or like...some other so-called undesirable? *the level of distrust on Sarah's expression can't be quantified*

Marion is overwhelmed by Sarah, and starts backing out.

Scilio, noticing this, interjects. May I interject, my dear? After all, I feel much more aligned talking business. Would you mind coming to my tower? You're already sleeping there. We can talk ethics there.

Affluent Area

"I..."

"I appreciate your offer to put us up at there, but... right now I think I'd be able to sleep better in the streets. Maybe it's just the alcohol talking, but... I... I might be there tomorrow, if we're still here, then, but... I don't feel..."

Dieter tries to think of what to say, but ends up unsure and runs off somewhere in the direction of the docks.

edited 14th Dec '17 10:28:40 PM by CorvusAtrox

*Sarah shrugs and tells Marion* Sorry if I totally went over your head...you're just the messenger anyway... *before nodding to Scilio* ...yeah, I think I'm going to lose my second wind soon — really should sleep, y'know? Uh...

*noticing Dieter running off, she suddenly backpedals* On second thought, maybe I'll consult with the others first... *and she starts bounding after Dieter, shouting* ...hey, wait up!!

edited 14th Dec '17 10:33:11 PM by sarysa

Scilio notices the two run off, and scoffs. Sure. Talk big with the quiet and timid housewife, but once the real deal steps in, just run off. Christ. These guys really don’t know how to adventure. Come on, Marion, I’m sorry they did that to you.

He puts his arm around Marion, glugging down the dregs of wine that hadn’t spilled out, while Marion sobs quietly under him. The two walk home.

Wharfs

Dieter keeps running until they reach the wharfs. They look around for a place to lie down when they notice Sarah.

'"...Wait, you followed me?"

Wharf

I mean... *Sarah herself wonders why she chased Dieter so far...then says* ...don't you think this whole self-isolation thing is unnecessary? Believe me...I've been there...

*as an aside with lower tones, she adds* ...not to mention sleeping in the streets in such an fascist land...it's like you're asking to get arrested, y'know...

[...damn it, I should've stopped Sarah when that Raticate'd mentioned she was just a housewife. I mean, yea, she has connections, but...hell, I don't know...]

[I debate heading after Dieter, but I reason that Sarah's got this...I start walking back towards the tower, thinking of what I should do. I grab the strap of my bag...ohh, huh...I remember now, I wanted to Sketch Marlon's Leaf Blade or whatever...maybe once I get inside, I could do that...I don't recall seeing him do anything else since then...though...I may just have him do it for me, just in case.]

Mila has been following Finley quietly, trying to ignore the situation at hand. Right now, all she wants to do is leave. She doesn't like this place, and it's reminding her of the stories she'd heard from her family of communist rule. All she wants is for it to be over quickly so they can leave as soon as possible, especially now that they have to watch out for Niles' safety as a child.

Having been waiting for a moment for the conversation to pass, A familiar face with a glinting gem pops out from a cross-street and steps in front of Eliot before sitting down and grooming himself with a paw. Uryu glances over to Scilio for a moment and waits for him to gain some distance before speaking up with his characteristic purring voice.

Such a shame what's happened herrrrre. For all that Denalsi's sufferrrrred, they at least know how to go about things. I suppose it can't be helped, though. Information trrrravels slowly, especially to places like this.

edited 14th Dec '17 11:10:43 PM by Cabe_Bedlam

[Wait, who's...ohh, I remember this guy. His little speech, though affirming, does little to comfort me, considering the only other one here who seems to have some sense about this is another outsider to this place.]

"Uhh...Uryu, right?" [I look over to the docks.] "A'mean...this place ain't that far from..." [I chuckle at myself a little for having taken that so literally.] "A-anyway, I'd introduce myself, but, uhhh, you've seen me before. Couple a'times, a'think...you helped me out wi, with gettin' Niles over t'the Frau's mansion, that was a couple days ago..." [I pace around a bit, momentarily cleaning out my teeth with my tongue.] "So. What beings y'here to Slak Rock? Here cuzza the...the VA?"

edited 14th Dec '17 11:47:03 PM by BlackMageAnolis

Uryu continues to preen himself as Eliot speaks, his gem glinting slightly with the sun hitting it from a low angle. When Eliot makes his guesses, Uryu puts on the slightestand almost imperceptibly forcedsmile.

Most corrrrrrrrect, Eliot. That and the mess with succession that it has caused leads me to believe that therrrrrrre is ample work for a healer of my calibrrrrre. Not to mention you and yourrrr companion's excellent work around Denalsi leaving me almost out of a job! Not that I'm worrrrrried about that, of course. Doesn't every medic hope they will neverrrrr be required, after all?

Uryu's grin widens as he mentions the humanmon's past excursions with VA, though for a moment it seems almost Cheshire Cat-like

If I may ask, howeverrrrr, how are Mila and Niles doing? I do like to check in on my patients every once in a while, though I wasn't necessarily expecting to find you herrrre.

I try to catch up with the group. "Is VA incredibly common?"

edited 15th Dec '17 5:19:48 AM by chianticat10

Dieter hears Sarah's explanation,

"I... I don't know. I guess I wasn't necessarily trying to be alone, I just... didn't expect anyone to follow me."

...And, yeah, maybe it is safer, but I... right now I really don't want to be around the Blue Cross. I bet if I had taken Scilio's offer I'd end up somehow agreeing with however he phrased it, but... I dunno. If he just kept saying the same things as Marion, maybe not..."

edited 15th Dec '17 5:42:13 AM by CorvusAtrox

"Oh, both of them're oka—"

[Oh, right. I kinda forgot about that...] "Well, Mila's doin' fine, but uhhhhh...Niles got a-attacked earlier today, he had t'go t'the hospital and, uhh...well, he had t'go back becuzza...he had some kinda panic attack...and now, due to some managerial overlap, he got hit with some Devolve Orb and now he's, like, eight or somethin'."

[I sort of gawk a little when Wrench shows up, especially with such an inane question.] "Dude, if it were, everyone would be dead wi'them slaughtering one another..."

edited 15th Dec '17 7:55:01 AM by BlackMageAnolis