pipers_son | 022 // Video

[To those perhaps familiar with Kanto, the camera opens up onto a view of none other than the beginning of Bicycle Road. Joker is posed on one of its namesakes, in fact, his one hand on the handlebars and his feet firmly on the ground. He's beaming at the Gear.]

There ya go, Elsie, perfect!

So we're gettin' closer ta Fuchsia now, after we met up with that Erika! Nice girl, by the by, took things in stride. Probably seen it all before, y'know how it is.

Anyway! There's a real long way ta the next city, but, as it turns out, there's this real handy road that takes ya there much quicker! S'just that ya can't use yer Pokemon or anythin' on it. Gotta use a bike. [He pats said bike proudly.]

Now, uh, I've never actually used one a these, won't be dishonest about it. But ey, I've ridden all manner a Pokemon while here, so how hard can it be? Ya just gotta- balance and the like-

[Way more wobbly than is in any way reassuring, Joker pushes off... right down a hill...]

[...Yeah, he's immediately falling off and crashing down the whole damn thing. Yelping, clanging, swearing- Elsie the Pyroar, the current cameralion of the day, jolts forward after him. In the chaos, one of her teeth nudges the Gear off.]

[SO THAT CERTAINLY HAPPENED.]

[He probably shouldn't have done this while it was raining.]

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[Guess who was standing just off screen messing with his bag when that happened? Unfortunately he wasn't close enough to actually stop Joker from crashing and burning, but he can be heard running down the hill- a hill, Joker are you trying to get a broken neck- with Leader at his heels.

The Manectric manages to beat Jimmy to the bottom, on high alert and looking over at Elsie just in case they need to combine forces to take him to a doctor or something.]

Joker!! Are you okay?!

Didn't know the Devil got inta the bike makin' business.

[It's a joke, because that was horrible.]

[By some miraculous fluke of fate, Joker is suffering from bruises and scrapes, but nothing really horrible. Right now, he's just trying to get the bike off him.]

Bloody hell, how do people ride these?

[Thank goodness. Jimmy sighs, reaching down to help pull the bike off of Joker to stand it upright again.]

I don't think anybody can ride a bike the first time they get on one! You gotta practice! And not go ridin' down hills first thing!

[You can do parkour later, Joker.]

Thought the momentum would help me more.

[Obviously it didn't.]

[Getting up, he brushes himself off and tries to ignore the small army of Pyroar around him.]

We got bandaids in the packs, don't we?

Yeah! Hang on- stay here boy, kay?

[Leader nods and promptly sits down in the grass, staring at Joker like he expects him to hop up onto the bike again and try for a second go. Meanwhile, Jimmy trots back to where he'd dropped his bag to rummage through it.]

How many you need?

Ah... Hold on, lemme count.

[It takes a bit of feeling his own face and rolling up his pants to see if there's anything beneath there. He'd check his arm, but... Only the one. Can't roll up the sleeve for it.]

Five, that outta do it, I think.

[If nothing else, Jimmy can just haul his whole bag over if Joker needs more bandaids. And Jimmy will cover him with as many as he thinks necessary, don't think he won't.

He returns with the bandaids, moving to hand them to him but then hesitating just briefly before he does.]

You want me to help with 'em?

Ah ha...

[He glances down at his one hand and then up to the little tabs on the bandaids.]

...Might be for the best, since Angel ain't here with me.

[Jimmy nods, quickly getting to work at getting Joker all patched up.]

You think we'll be able to take this route? I mean, we gotta use bikes and all...I'm okay with just flying, if you want to.

I can do it, no worries!

[It's hard to stay still while he's talking, considering that he's an energetic sort, but he's doing his best so that Jimmy has an easier time putting on the bandaids.]

S'just a balancin' act in the end, right?

Yeah, pretty much! Learning to ride a bike isn't too hard anyway...and they say once you know how, you can't forget!

Well, that'll be handy, won't it? Especially since I think this path comes up a couple times...

[But he's determined to conquer it. Fight him, Bike Road.]

[You can do it Joker, he believes in you!

...but he'll just have to remember to pick up more bandaids in the next town over. Just in case.]

Yup! I used to ride bikes all the time back home. Skateboards, too! Makes me wish I had one here, actually...

Maybe they have skateboards in one a the stores in the bigger cities?

Ain't no reason we can check once we're done with all this.

[Joker, this is something you probably do not want to enable, but who am I kidding this is Jimmy we're talking about.]

YES please! Oh man, I dunno why I didn't think of lookin' before, but that would be so cool if I could find one!

Then we'll get a good look at all of 'em when we get back! But for now...

[And he gives a wary look at the cause of his current trouble.]

Bikes.

Bikes.

[Jimmy echoes, stuffing the wrappers and plastic tabs from the bandages into his pockets to be thrown away later before reaching out to take one handle of the bike, pulling it upright again.]

This'd be a whooole lot easier if we had trainin' wheels, or something...but once you get the hang of balancing on it, I think you'll be okay.

[With a huff, Joker pushes himself up to his feet.]

Yep! I know I can balance, so there's that. S'just what ta do with the legs that are new.

You just gotta remember to keep the pedals moving! When the bike's going, it's easier to keep it upright. But...maybe we should stick with the regular route before we try going down hills, yeah?

Smart idea, very wise, let's go with it.

[He takes the bike back, doing his best to keep it steady with just one hand.]

I'll be lookin' ta ya for guidance on this one, Jims.

[Please don't die, circus dad.]

You can count on me, Joker! I'll keep a hold on the bike until you feel steady enough to go forward by yourself, if you want!

Oh yeah, that's a thing ta try, innit? Maybe we can go with that, then...

022 // Video

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