worktodo | 002 | Route 38 | Video / Action;

[It's a lovely afternoon on Route 38, just outside of Ecruteak City, and Albert Rosenfield is On A Mission. (All right, well, technically he's on two missions, but he's pretending it's only one mission because the other mission involves being a dogwalker for Coop's Houndour and his own Poochyena, and come on, that's just beneath him, do you know how many degrees he has.) In the week and a half he's spent thus far in Johto, he's read the literature and gotten the relevant explanations from a source he's inclined to trust as reliable, unbelievable though they may be, and so today he's out on the route to investigate the local plant life.

The Gear feed is mostly picking up up-close shots of various shrubs and berries, occasionally directed by a hand covered in a latex glove; it appears Albert is using his Gear's video function as a means of documenting the things he's finding, and every so often he'll snap off a small branch or twist off a berry and deposit it into a plastic baggie for later investigation.

Which is great, except that while he's busy examining shrubs, his Poochyena is currently bounding into the tall grass, having just spotted a wild Paras shuffling along minding its own business. Curious, she gives it a few pokes with its nose, which the Paras only tolerates momentarily before attempting to bid a hasty, skittering retreat from the sudden invasive prodding of this wolfdog in its midst. But Gandhina is having none of that, and after following it a few steps with continued, mounting curiosity, she finally darts down and snaps it up in her jaws, intent on proudly carrying it over to her trainer to show him what she's just found.

The Paras, naturally, does not take kindly to this.

A moment later, a cloud of Poison Powder erupts into the air.]

— The hell?!

[Granted, Albert may not instantly recognize what this cloud is, but he is at least sensible enough to realize that it's probably not something he really wants to be breathing. Ever rational, he prudently covers his nose and mouth and starts bidding a hasty retreat; Gandhina, on the other hand, begins whimpering and struggling but continues holding bravely on while the Paras, still locked in her teeth, starts to wriggle and scratch as it tries to get free.]

Gandhina, drop it!

[But fortunately for Gandhina, Albert isn't the only observer on the scene, and now it's Sheriff's turn to leap into action: first with a sharp, forceful bark that finally seems to shake Gandhina out of her (now poisoned) haze and makes her release the Paras, and then with a well-placed jet of fire that, being ridiculously super-effective against the offending Bug/Grass type, proceeds to drop it like a bad habit.

A moment later, the video goes dark as the Gear is hastily shoved into a pocket, and Albert's muttered cursing can be faintly heard in the moments just before the feed finally switches off.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[No, he was saying that Sheriff's namesake is an aggressive beast who solves his problems with his fists at the drop of a ha — okay fine the dog did good. Good job saving Gandhina, pooch.

Gandhina, meanwhile, perks up a little at the petting and gives Coop's hand a vague nudge with her snout, but she's largely just chilling after her ordeal, thanks. Awkward though it may be to have Albert carrying her around, at least there are no Parases blitzing her in the face like this.]

Before she got a faceful of poison spores? Some clippings and samples from the local flora. Granted, the chances of getting a decent toxicology report out of this treehouse probably would've been slim to none even if Ecruteak General hadn't been reduced to a pile of pebbles, but the guidebook claims the different varieties have effects on humans as well as...these things.

[He still doesn't like saying "Pokemon". IT IS A SILENT PROTEST.]

Worth looking into.

_{[Coop just kind of looks at him for a moment and then allows a small, fond smile. It's good to have him back, this man, despite his general contempt for most anything and everyone. In an odd way, it adds normalcy. And though it'll probably not be too long until Coop gets more regularly frustrated with him, that time is not this time.]}

There are a very large variety of them. It's common knowledge that they work, but I don't think anyone is too certain of how.

_{[So that'll be something for him to bite into, even with the stone-age technology.]}

[Frankly, it might almost be for the better that Albert's stuck with the stone-age technology (albeit not for the bystanders in his general vicinity), because the disgust for the primitive means of investigation at his disposal will really just make him all the more determined to arrive at his conclusions despite them, regardless of how creative he has to get in order to figure them out.

And he will get very creative if he has to. He wants answers, after all, and he will not stop until he has them.]

You'll have my findings on your desk as soon as I've got something worth calling one. You do have a desk, don't you?

[So maybe Coop isn't the only one looking for a little normalcy. Meanwhile, Gandhina thumps her tail again before settling down into what appears to be a fairly contented, albeit weary, sleep.]

Hn. Looks like I'll be keeping my eye on this dumb mutt for a while, too.

Standard issue in most hotels.

_{[He says it with a pleased grin, just a hint of too-sharp teeth in the easy stretch of his smile. He's happy to indulge, for a moment, in that little charade. Not that time, location or, well, world, would ever change the fact that they're co-workers and friends - nor would it change that Albert is efficient and keeps his promises.]

[Whatever he'll find, Coop is absolutely certain it'll be something new. And whether he gets it in a folder on his desk or not it'll be interesting to hear about.]}

Let me know if you need any spare Potions.

_{[Regarding the Poochyena, naturally. Coop had been sure to stock up when the Centers blew.]}

Nice job picking one that isn't decked out in hillbilly decor this time.

[Coop's lucky he doesn't have his hands free at this point, really, because that flash of too-sharp teeth also comes with the side benefit of reminding him that the Poochyena isn't the only patient he's going to be keeping close tabs on, and that afternoon stroll or not, Coop's not getting out of another routine physical this evening if Albert has anything to say about it.

Which he does.

Because of course, Albert always has something to say about everything. B) ]

You can bring one with you when you come by for your checkup tonight.

002 | Route 38 | Video / Action;

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