united_one | let's get on with it already [action]

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let's get on with it already [action]

[Paprika is perched on the steps of the Nacrene City Pokemon Center, definitely looking a little less perky than usual. She's holding what appears to be a dark blue hairband loosely in one hand, and is propping her chin up with the other. Seated on her Trainer's lap, Nugget croons in encouragement, but receives only a halfhearted pat on the head in return.]

Man, I'm sorry, I totally suck at this, don't I?

[Despite obviously not being in good spirits, she still laughs weakly and manages a good smile. Somebody's just learned firsthand why Lenora is so infamous amongst Unova's Trainers.]

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Girlfriend, dude! It's not like we go into mating season or whatever and then go all like, "let's make magic lesbian babies!" and stuff!

[Ah yes, nothing like a clueless N to cheer yourself up.]

Oh. That's right. [It's a concept that still evades him. But he smiles a little, glad that she's apparently feeling a bit better.]

You said it... "Just popped up"? Hm. It seems it is a phenomenon happening to more people than I thought. [He nods to the crown.] I came by this in the same manner.

D'you think people are like, sending us stuff through the Entralink?

[Pointing to the crown, she adds a little tentatively,]

So is that thing actually yours, or is it somebody else's like what I got?

That seems to be the most likely explanation. Though I fail to understand why anyone would send this to me, other than to humiliate me... [Paprika's item seems to be a reminder of something positive, unlike his own.]

It was mine. [Hesitantly, he picks the crown up, holding it in both hands. He runs his thumb over a slight dent that's been made in it-- the result of a miniature tantrum he had.] However, I suppose it technically no longer belongs to me.

It's yours? Are you, like, a king or something?

[Appraising N, she can't exactly see him fitting the "king" bill. Awkward teenage genius, sure, but king? Not so much.]

Or, er, were you a king, I guess is what I should be asking.

... I was. Yes.

[He looks at her uncertainly. He remembers what happened the last time he gave away information about himself to Paprika. But he knows her better now, and he can't imagine how such information would be useful to anyone. He places the crown on his lap.] I was not... much of a king, though. More of a figurehead. I suppose the one that this truly belongs to is... Ghetsis.

That's... Dang, man.

[Suddenly getting your butt kicked by a Gym Leader doesn't seem so bad.]

Woah, woah, hold up! Ghetsis like your dad Ghetsis, or Ghetsis like some other dude whose parents were big enough douchebags to name their kid that?

[He smiles slightly. ~~It just always amuses him to hear Ghetsis being called foul names.~~]
Ghetsis as in my father, yes. He is the one that decided my coronation.

So does this mean I have to call you, like, Prince N of Unovadom or something now?

[Suddenly, the whole "homeschooled" business makes a lot more sense.]

[He chuckles.]
No-- Of course not.

The crown is not mine to wear, anyway. I am just N now.

I mean, I guess if being a king wasn't working out for you with your douchebag dad and all, I'd just wanna quit, too.

[Wait.]

Hold up, so does Unova just like, not have a king anymore, or are you guys just like the British Royal Family where you don't actually do stuff except have huge-ass weddings?

[He has to think about that for a moment.]
Ah, well... I don't believe Unova as a whole has any sort of controller any longer. Even I did not get that far-- Becoming champion was meant to be the first step to gaining influence over the region, until I was... [He pauses, realizing what exactly he's trying to describe. Maybe he should be more secretive of it? But it's Paprika. Maybe it's better that she does know?] ... defeated.

It is better this way, though. I doubt I would have had any power at all, even if my reign hadn't been interrupted. I would have been usurped by Ghetsis.

[She catches his hesitation, but has absolutely no idea about the magnitude of what's behind it.]

Yeah, I guess that would kinda suck, huh? Like if you just became the President and then your VP came up outta nowhere and was like, "nope just kidding you're fired", only then you realized being President sucked in the first place.

[Reaching over, Paprika thumps N on the shoulder congenially. Suddenly her loss seems a lot more minor in comparison to how royally his ass must have been kicked.]

But if you got out of being Champion, that means your dad couldn't do his whole evil dictator schtick, right? And you get to do whatever you want instead of being stuck ruling, so it seems like a pretty sweet deal in the end. At least, I think so.

[He raises an eyebrow at her analogy, and gives an almost comical squeak when she hits his shoulder. He rubs it absently as he considers what she's said.]

I... suppose that is true. Had I not been defeated, it would have been much simpler for him to take control, and there perhaps wouldn't have been an opportunity to overthrow him completely. [He smiles slightly, but then it disappears again.] I wonder if he has the same intentions in this world...

Well if he does, we'll just kick his ass!

[She sounds pretty confident, not at all stopping to consider what exactly Ghetsis might be capable of.]

I mean, you know what's coming, so if he tries to pull something, you could just, like, call him out on it, right?

[Suddenly nervous, he averts his eyes.]
Yes, but... I don't know if I could confront him myself... [Last time he saw Ghetsis, he panicked, sprinted the opposite direction, and climbed into a tree. Yeah.]

[Smiling in what she's hoping is a comforting way, Paprika puts her hand back on N's shoulder with a lot less force.]

That's what we're here for, right? Like, me 'n Dragonite 'n Hilda. We're like your Charlie's Angels of beating up shitty dads and stuff.

[He recalls Hilda saying similar things, and they give him the same worries that they did before.] I-- don't want him to hurt any of you, though. You don't know what he's capable of, and neither do I, really, in this world. [He fidgets.]

But I'm... glad that I'm not alone. [He offers her a slight smile.] ... And who is Charlie?

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