ohmyarceus | Test Drive Meme - January & February edition

Not since my so-called "partner" made off with my breakfast this morning, and the other one tried to eat a monster that's twice his size and is a land animal, which is both amazing and amazingly stupid because said partner is a fish!

[IV's bond with his partners is ...special.]

See the ball they're housed in? If they get hurt too much they can simply retreat there and stay in suspension until you get them to the next hospital or similar. They also recover really quick. Take a look around. Are you seeing many cars or other things that move on wheels?

Ok, so both of those things are legitimately annoying. I retract my last statement.

[Those stories vaguely remind Reki of his relationship with his boss's pet fox Sketch. The little guy was deceptively cute, but had a large attitude. He would totally swipe your food if he wanted.]

You have to take them to the hospital?! That's not making this sound any better, dude.

Uh, not really. So does everyone just walk everywhere or bicycle?

Edited (I'm so sorry. I even proofread then kept typoing anyway.) 2023-03-01 05:51 (UTC)

Just make sure that yours are better trained than mine. I went straight from 'how the hell do you expect me to do this' to 'they're capable in everything, except listening.' It's almost as bad as with the real dog I once had.

[He adds an emoji of a sad headshake.]

Eh, it's not that bad. From what I understand they can fix even the most grave of injuries within a day or two here, and it's essentially for free too. And you can call them back and end the battle whenever you think things are going too far, too. It's still very different to the kind of battling that I'm used to. Pretty much, yeah. There's also some trains and ferries, but most people use their monsters to ride or fly on them. But you need monsters that are strong and well-trained enough for that, naturally, and some badges that are like the local version of a driver's license here. At least that's the nutshell version of it as far as I'm understanding. I haven't been here for that long yet, either.

That could be a problem, I've never really had a pet to train before. You got any tips?

[It never hurts to ask, right?]

They don't work on people, do they? [As someone that has incurred plenty of injuries from his hobby of choice, Reki could use some free, instantaneous medical care.] Still, if your animal breaks a leg or something that's going to take a few weeks to knit, right? [He's not getting how this works] You used to battle before? That might explain why you're here but outside of S.... [The letter was tapped out before he remembered that he should keep the super secret skateboard races a secret..] I mean... I just skateboarded in a few competitions here and there.. so I don't know why they bothered bringing me here.

[After a pointed pause, he tapped out more of a response]

Unless this guy can lift 10 times his own body mass I don't think he's going to be carrying anyone, anywhere.

I might actually, depending on what you have and what you'd like to teach to them. I'm currently stuck in Goldenrod City due to a bit of bad planning on my end, but I'll gladly answer any questions you have. The name's IV by the way. It's read and pronounced like the number.

[Never let it be said that a member of Team Rocket can't be helpful as well.]

Do I want to know what you're asking about hospitals for people already? You're not planning on climbing up something and jumping off of there as a hobby, are you?

[He sees that typo(?) and quick retreat, and makes a mental not to himself.]

Exactly. They tend to get bigger and stronger the higher a level they are, so who knows? Your partner might be able to carry you later on. I've got a working theory on what connects most that seem to have been brought here, but I don't think you'll want to hear it. Why not just enjoy this absurd pg-13 ride while you can?

I have a.... well.. it's a small sort of fox-like creature? [The newness is almost painful, but he has not in fact tried the pokedex feature yet] Being housebroken would be a good place to start, but I don't really have a house.. so kind of a moot point. [What else is there to teach? Pets eat, sleep, and play on their own schedules] What about teaching it a few tricks like how to sit or play dead? [So so new] .... So that's.... 15? [Roman numerals aren't his forte either] Weird name, is it like a nickname or your real one?

I never plan to get injured but sometimes it just happens! [~~Or you occasionally skate against a sociopath that delights in injuring others~~ but that shouldn't be an issue here.]

[Luckily for Reki the information can't cause much damage. Not unless someone manages to report it to the Okinawan police]

Maybe, but I'm not so sure about that yet. How much bigger can he get? Even if he's a kit, it couldn't be that much more.

Now I'm just going to be curious. How bad a theory can it be?

4. Four. It's a stage name, but I'm so used to it that I'm responding to it more naturally than my first name by now.

[If this mistake with his name would have happened in private IV would have had Reki's head for it, especially if he would have any reasons to suspect that that was intentional. But since written text is patient and Reki's speaks of just a lot of confusion, he can let it slide. For now.]

They generally already know how to take care of the basics like good house manners -- the 'my food, your food' case excluded. Try asking it to do those things. Most of these monsters seem to understand the human language good enough for at least basic communication. What kind of noises does it make?

[The naming senses of this world are so weird, but at least they can be useful sometimes.]

We-ll, I noticed that an alarming number of people were badly injured before they arrived here. Myself included.

Oh! That's a 4! My bad. [It's a good thing there was a universal translator here or there are so many other foreign words he could mix up.] That's cool, I have a lot of friends that go by nicknames more often than their given names. So if you have a stage name does that mean you've been in a tv show or a movie?

[Reki has no idea how lucky he got!]

Hey, I'll take it. So usually these little guys are low maintenance from the sound of it.... unless they get into too many scrapes.

[Eventually he's also going to have to learn that his "little guy" is actually a "little girl" too... sigh.]

Kinda sounds like.... Fen na kin? Fennikan...Fen....

[He types it out as his pokemon speaks to him, and sends all his attempts]

Are you saying, you think we're all dead?! [Oh what a terrible thing to tell a fairly superstitious person that has an aversion ~~fear~~ of ghosts] No! I couldn't be dead! Just from skating against Adam, once?! I just broke an arm... I got better! [The mental scars were far worse than the physical ones, anyway]

No worries, it's all good. [About as good as calling Cherry Peach or Spinach would be, that is.]

Nah, I'm the Asia Champion in the competitive sport I'm doing. Not that that means very much here. So you're not going by a nickname like your friends do? Yeah, that's right. They're a lot like your summoned Duel Monsters, if they were actually real. The sound it makes is most likely what it's called. You can use that little pocket computer they gave you to check. And I told you you wouldn't like my theory. At least I don't think we're dead yet. More like in a version of a limbo.

[Sometimes just calling Cherry, Cherry is a dicey situation- if it's during the daytime working hours.]

A competitive sport?! No way! Which one? [There were so many sports to choose from, but Reki clung to the hope that he might have found a kindred spirit in this bizarro world.] Not currently, no. A nickname is usually something you just kind of earn.. [As he types that out he has a bitter memory of being called "that redhead that comes here with Snow". Let's just not mention that one..]

Ok, you're losing me again. What's a Duel Monster? [As for the pocket computer, he'd give it a look-see in a minute.]

You weren't kidding! We better not be either! [Dead or in limbo. There were still so many things he needed to do with his life, and what about his mother and his sisters?! What would they be going through right now?!] There has to be a way out of here.. or a way to check. [He gives himself a pinch, and it does sting so... isn't that proof that he's alive if he can still feel things?]

[Cherry is just a dicey, snappy cat, period, it seems.]

I Duel. And I see. That's a pity. If it's any consolation, I didn't pick "IV" for myself either. It just sort of became a thing that whoever pulled the lot that'd put them up against me had "bad luck" and went from there.

[That's half a lie; while people had taking to joking like that easily enough on their own, it was actually his father who had renamed him from 'Thomas'. .....but that's too sorry a tale to tell, isn't it?]

It's part of an augmented reality game that I participate in. The effects aren't real, the consequences often are if you're doing it the professional way. Haha, does it bother you that much?

[.. but that doesn't prevent Reki from committing the same faux pas repeatedly. Pray that he doesn't do that to your name IV]

With like swords and pistols? People still do that? [Please excuse him as he quirks up one eyebrow at that. What IV's sends next doesn't dispel the violent image that's forming in this kid's mind.] I hadn't even thought of it like that, what with the roman numerals and all. [.. and being a superstitious sort, he should have. "Four" ie. "Shi" in Japanese could also mean "death". Just what sort of person was he talking to here?! A duelist whose nickname is synonymous with death?!] Remind me not to get on your bad side.

[It would have been a weird one to relate too. Like whose father would rename them that way?]

Augmented.. reality? Sounds like.... something Miya would know more about.

[Where is your gamer nerd friend when you need him. This ~~slime~~ guy, is clueless]

Shouldn't it? If we're actually dead, then I actually have a HUGE problem with it!... Why don't you?

[Doing that could quickly earn poor Reki an invitation to some private fanservice.]

Sometimes. But I usually do it more high tech - Augmented Reality and stuff. The weapons and monsters aren't real, but you still get some feedback shocks and the competition's steep. It's quite a popular sport back home.

[He nearly adds that he is trained in at least one kind of armed combat, and capable of quite more if you accept dirty street fighting into that kind of skillset. Life in the orphanage has taught IV all the wrong things.]

But don't worry, I'll gladly do that. Most of this IV- thing is just a public persona anyway, so no worries. The only times I bite is during a contest that both sides have agreed to first. Who's Miya? Your girlfriend?

[Most definitely not, but IV wants to tease him a bit back. That's what you get for messing up his number, kid!

Thinking about the answer to Reki's question gives him a pause. After some delay, IV simply types what all his complicated feelings on that matter boil down to.]

Because I have faith.

[And sadly- he tends to get drug into that kind of fanservice in his own dimension so it would probably happen.]

Wow, sounds pretty intense... and this is something competitors engage in publicly?

[Then why does S have to operate on the downlow? Even though he technically knows the reason it doesn't make much sense when reading this.]

That's good to know. I mean, when you're a celebrity it's not like anyone really knows the real you. When I think of it that way, I guess you have it pretty tough too.

Girlfriend?! Not even! You are so lucky that Miya isn't here to see that. He's just a friend of mine.

[And Reki is completely oblivious to this strike back]

In?

[Reki. Don't do the whole Adam experience again with this redhead, Reki, just don't.]

Yeah. I'm sure it's done in private as well, but I'm usually doing the public matches. The payout's better and I need the money to feed my family, you see?

[It's just a joke, although the money and fame he's brought home from his matches has definitely aided his family.]

Sometimes it can be a bit much, yeah. But I really love my fans, too, and I'm glad if I can do my little bit to lighten their days. I'm just a sports idol at best, as far as celeb rankings go, anyway. Oh, I see! I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, in that case.

[Nicely rolled with the punch, for all IV knows.]

My family and the ones close to me that are still back home. They wouldn't just leave me here if there's a way to get me back -- that and that I was neither dead nor dying before I arrived here. You have somebody who'd be looking for you if you suddenly went missing too, right?

[Look! It's not like he would be actively trying to obtain that goal. He currently still has nightmares about that encounter... or daymares. Either way. Facing another Adam is not something he wants to even think about.]

It's kinda cool that it's so mainstream- ya know, feedback shocks aside. So you're working to support your family too..

[Just like Langa supports his mom. This only makes IV seem more endearing tbh.]

Wow, that's .. you're really something else. [To be that invested in his fans as much as his family must be exhausting but it was something to be admired. Why was Reki always running into all these incredible people? There were times when he felt like he could never measure up to someone like that.] Don't sell yourself short. Most my idols are sports idols!

You better be! Besides, he's way too young to be thinking about things like that so it makes it even worse.

[At least he could laugh about it behind the screen. As the subject turns a little more serious, Reki thinks on that for a bit.]

Oh yeah, totally. My mom and my sisters for sure.

[Langa too, if he hasn't noticed the growing gap between their skill levels..... ]

Test Drive Meme - January & February edition

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haha, no worries! I've been there too, sometimes grammar and co just hates us

It's too true!

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.sorry been sick since the 9th x.x

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