ALL FOR THE LOVE OF YOU

edgy teen voice .

[ TEXT ] I wouldn’t have given it to you even if you asked.

Ah, there’s that so-called honesty again.

But at least they’re being truthful this time.

[ TEXT ] who cares if it shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here but I am anyway. Nobody’s trying to ship me off to Unova just cause that’s where I was born.

Maybe the delibird had gotten lonely and sad when it was before.

Or … maybe …

[ TEXT ] it was a man named ghetsis. He’s been nosing around town a lot. I don’t like him. He’s scary. Boss don’t like him either.

May as well tell everything.

[ TEXT ] he’s from Unova. Hilda told me he’s the leader of team plasma; and bad news. Aiden told me that I shouldn’t go messing around with him.

An honest response deserves one in return.

【 TXT: I thank you for the care you showed the 'Delibird'. But your friends are correct. It is not your place to retrieve it, and it is within your best interests that you let it go. 】

【 TXT: You do not currently have the expertise to care for such a species. You have no understanding of its capabilities. 】

Unfair though it may sound, Aldrés wants only to secure Ree's - and Alola's - continued safety. It had witnessed firsthand what Paradox species are able to do unprovoked, and while an Iron Bundle has less lethal capabilities than an Iron Serpent... It cannot be underestimated. There is a reason they remain confined within the Crater, forever under the AI's careful supervision and endless monitoring.

It cannot risk another human meeting their demise at the fangs and claws of the Professor's failed dream.

Ree is a bit thrown off by the question, but — it also upsets them, incredibly. Why do people keep asking about this and getting upset at them? They didn’t even do anything wrong???? Can’t Ree just wallow in misery about it for a while and everyone leave them alone????

…

no, that’s not fair to say. Turo isn’t a bad person. He helps people. He wants to see them thrive.

Ree takes a breath and lets it out sharp.

[ TEXT ] no. Someone took it. [ TEXT ] and before you ask, I didn’t steal it. I found it in the woods. [ TEXT ] and I’m not going to go after the gig that stole it and make a big fuss or anything. He’d kill me if I tried.

… the first sentence of that last message is a lie, but turo doesn’t need to know that.

【 TXT: Thank you. I appreciate your honesty. 】

【 TXT: It is... unfortunate that the Delibird is no longer accompanying you. I had hoped to resolve this issue posthaste. 】

【 TXT: I was aware you did not steal it, though the nature of its acquisition is proving troubling nonetheless. Such species should not be in Alola. 】

Shouldn't be anywhere outside of Area Zero, to be precise, but sharing that detail may raise more questions than it's authorised to answer. Aldrés knows the Iron Bundle was not of crater origin: the present number of Bundles has remained stable since the time machine shutoff, and it would be alerted immediately were there to be a rogue escapee. So how--?

But that is not something to burden young Ree with. They won't know.

Rotototo! It's an incoming text! 【 TXT: I have some questions for you. I expect your complete honesty. 】 【 TXT: Are you presently able and willing to engage in this conversation? 】 【 TXT: It is important. 】

Professor Aldres Turo.

Ree hasn’t actually met him before, but that’s the name that flashes up on their phone when it dings. Ree glances at the screen, and reaches to take it and read the message.

Aldres Turo is Arven’s dad. They remember that much. And Arven doesn’t have a good relationship with him, and …

There was something else, they think. They don’t remember. Ree types out their reply as quickly as they can.

Blunt as always, Turo. It waits a moment - an eternity, for one so used to instantaneous communication - before sending a second, perhaps more reassuring message.

【 But I do not believe your transgressions were intentional. 】

Under most circumstances, Aldrés wouldn't bother with such messages. It would merely inform the Administrator of Area Zero and pass the responsibility along to them. It would, in ideal circumstances, be up to them to consider how much of the information should remain classified and what may be shared.

But this is Ree. A child who, despite their tendency for impulsiveness and to act without thinking, likely doesn't even know what Area Zero is. He'd certainly be stunned if they could recognise such thing as a Paradox Pokémon by appearance alone.

WHY WE DO THE THINGS WE DO IS TRULY HALF THE RIDDLE

                MAYBE YOU WERE LIVING PROOF:

Hey! I know I’ve all but dropped off the face of the earth lately. I’ve been very sick and bouncing every day between different specialists and having tests done. I’ve been on medical leave from work and racking up a lot of medical bills, which isn’t a great combination.

My partners are trying to help me out, so we’re offering crochet and art commissions, as well as stickers, magnets, and pins to help raise some money for these bills. The crochet one makes a wide variety of things, they can even make Pokémon (I have a Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Espeon, and Jiggly Puff from them) and various other animals. One of their other specialties is a line of varying pride flag themed bees. The other one is a digital artist and has a tier list of prices depending on what you’re looking for

Photos and more info under the cut. Please help out or signal boost if you can.

Mike; R. Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress -- I spent time then soothing Mike down trying to make him happy, having figured out what troubled him ... loneliness. I don't know how a long a year is to a machine that thinks a million times faster than I do. But must be too long.

Cecil; Welcome to Night Vale -- All this time he had lived for the future. The future had been the firm ground he stood on, and the present was only the slight haze in the air. But now he understood that the future was a joke without a punch line.

David; Prometheus (2012) -- I can do almost anything that could possibly be asked of me. ... I can carry out directives that my future counterparts might find distressing or unethical. I can blend in with your workforce effortlessly.

David; A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) -- Think about this. If he was created to love, then it's reasonable to assume he knows how to hate. And if pushed to those extremes, what is he really capable of?

B-12; Stray -- I felt like I was trapped in my lab's computer system again. All alone. But you came back for me. I can't believe it. You're a good friend.