6th Recovery Δ Audio/Action for Violet City Φ Forward-dated to this evening

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[He's sticking to audio because he doesn't want anyone seeing him right now, but his Pokemon are mobbing him and he'd have difficulty keeping his hands free long enough to actually type anything.]

Uh, hi there. I, uh, I don't know exactly how many people I spoke to the last two days... [Mostly because the thing possessing him was stoned 90% of the time and he can't remember much of anything.] ...but in case I said any different, my name is Spencer. Spencer Reid, actually.

Speaking of, if I, uh, if I was acting out of character? I was sort of possessed by an animal called a Yamask. Turns out a Haunter thought it would be amusing to steal this Yamask's mask, and then put the mask on me. Said Yamask would actually like to apologize for, uh... rebuking anyone who took her for a man; she didn't realize she was actually in the body of a man. [She's totally not apologizing for anything else. Reid's the only one who gets apologies. Damn kids.]

And... I'd also kind of appreciate it if someone could possibly explain what I did, because I don't really remember all that much? And I'd like to give a blanket apology for offending or being rude to anyone. I'm not--usually, I'm really not like that. So I'm sorry for anything I did or said.

[Private to Albert]
I'm, um, not really sure how reliable my memory is this time, but if what I vaguely remember is real, then thank you. And I'm very, very sorry.

If my memory isn't accurate and you don't know what I'm talking about, please disregard me.

Comments

[video]

[paladinlost]

I've no idea how this particular ghost made you act, but do not worry overly much. Such incidents happen often enough that most know not to blame the human perpetrators.

[Permanent Audio]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

This is a common thing?

[That's vaguely concerning.]

I'm not completely sure how she made me act either, but whatever she did, it's made my animals very hostile towards her and very excited to see me. [Also, it's given him bronchitis, burns, piercings, and a tattoo, but like hell is he admitting that one.

Speaking of, he breaks into a fit of coughs.]

[forever video]

[paladinlost]

The local ghosts universally enjoy tricks. Rarely on such a large scale, but enough for people to accept them as an explanation for unexplainable events. Especially since our other Pokémon can usually tell that something's wrong.

[Ah, but that last part doesn't sound so good.]

...Whatever she did, it certainly did not involve wearing a coat appropriate for the season.

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Nope, it involved smoking, and a lot of it.]

Like I said, I'm trying to figure out what happened. At least most people don't seem angry, though--the locals in Violet all completely excuse me for whatever I did. Apparently, I was really rude to people.

[paladinlost]

Considering that possessions often end with physical or emotional attacks, they must have found mere rudeness to be a great relief. Or they could have a great tolerance for rebellious spirits.

[video; | private]

[worktodo]

[Albert's actually got a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth when the answering call connects, a testament to just how much he's been on edge over this whole possession thing.

And Reid's explanation isn't helping.

What the hell kind of place is this, that it can just unleash things like this and how the hell are you supposed to fight something like this and —]

You got free of it. How'd you do it?

[— important questions first.]

[video; | private]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Alright, he owes Albert video. Or... he thinks he does. He's pretty sure he owes Albert something or other.

He flicks on the video, and actually, he doesn't look too bad. He's sitting on a bed in the inn, back in his nerdy collared shirt and sweater vest outfit. The earrings have been removed (though the holes need more time to heal), he doesn't have tattoos readily visible with his clothes on, and the only indicator of physical injury is the bandaging around his wrist. He's currently mobbed by Pokemon--Flora is cradled in the crook of his arm since she would be on his head otherwise, Elle is sitting in his lap and pawing at him when he stops petting her, and both Yang and Nate lie at his feet while Missy flies in circles around his head like a gray satellite. There's another PokeBall besides on the bedside table, but Reid doesn't acknowledge it.

The only concerning things are that he looks tired, pale, and disoriented (possibly because he's on the tail end of being high--his eyes are still bloodshot). And he won't stop tugging at his bandaging without noticing he's doing it.]

I... actually, I think that it wore off on its own. I think that the mask just reemerged from my face and fell off, and then I was me again. [He covers his mouth and breaks into a coughing fit. Damn it, Amanda. You gave him bronchitis.] I wasn't even totally... I-I guess some part of me was vaguely aware that things weren't what they should have been, but I was pretty out of it for the last two days.

[Also, he sees that cigarette. And he's not a profiler for nothing. He hasn't seen Albert smoke much, if at all, the whole time he's been here, so something must have triggered a stress response.]

[video; | private]

[worktodo]

[Well, on one hand, the kid's in one piece and that's never a bad thing in this business. Tired, pale, and disoriented aren't necessarily immediate causes for hyperconcern, either; who wouldn't be, after what Reid's been through, and more importantly, such is the life of the dashing FBI agent. Weary days and sleepless nights. However, the bandage — from what Albert can tell, anyway — is a good one, and that means Reid's menagerie probably managed to get him some decent help in due speed, and that's kind of a relief, too.

On the other hand, Albert's cranky. He's cranky in the way he's always cranky in moments like this — not just his usual exasperation and unpleasantness, but a higher level of irritability that comes with big problems and a dearth of answers. The supernatural bothers him; he walks a fine balance between refusing to buy into the mumbo-jumbo and yet likewise refusing to delude himself into believing he didn't see something he did. He's seen a possession before and he can't explain it. These kinds of enemies aren't the ones that are within his expertise to fight.

And that bothers him, because Albert likes to have answers, concrete and rational and dependable, and there aren't any answers here. He's run investigations on trails gone stone-cold before, but those usually come with at least a starting place — and where do you start, with a ghost?]

Pretty out of it is an understatement. It was a mask? These things floating around, their masks — you put one on and that gives them control over you?

[MENTAL NOTE TO SELF: MAKE COOPER WEAR A HELMET. Which is really something he should've done long ago anyway, but...]

[video; | private]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Well, there could be answers. Reid caught Amanda when she tried snatching her mask (and he chose to keep her in a ball until he figured out why the hell he looked like a punk rocker and where the hell he got the tattoo on his back), so if there are questions to be asked, they can be asked.]

That's my understanding, through experience and through research. They're actually the spirits of dead humans who've taken on the form of Ghost-types. [And that means death exists on some level. He's not sure if this is good or bad.] I was lucky; the Yamask who possessed me wasn't violent... I think. [He's not totally sure. He still doesn't know why he has a burn on his wrist, because seriously, ow.

But the fact that this once was a person does raise questions. Once Reid's gotten this Yamask to tell him about anything else he might have done over the last two days, he intends to release her, since it wouldn't feel right to keep a human soul in a ball.]

[video; | private]

[worktodo]

[Well, he may not know where that burn came from at the moment, but he's about to find out.]

The bitch put out her cigarette on your arm to prove a point. You tell me if that's violent or not.

[Naturally there is no mistaking Albert's position on that particular point, given his tone.]

Looks like she took you for a ride.

Text;

[remainingtwin]

[She's actually sitting outside his door, knees pulled up to her chest]

You're really okay now?

Text;

[leftinbasketforfbi]

Yeah, I'm fine. I think. My mind is kind of sluggish at the moment, but I've been told that I was smoking something for the majority of two days, so I think that's the reason.

...Why are you texting me?

[Why aren't you using audio or video or just walking into his room? He's very concerned, because now he's wondering how he treated you in the last two days.]

Text;

[remainingtwin]

You were smoking a lot. It smelled weird.

[There's a long pause between that text and the next] I wasn't sure if you were 'you' again. Sometimes possessions don't go away, they just are dormant for a while before they pop out again. I wasn't sure it was really gone.

[Another short pause. And if that had been the case--] And I didn't think you'd want to see me.

Text;

[leftinbasketforfbi]

No, she's gone now. Really and truly. I have her in a PokeBall, and she doesn't seem to want to possess anyone any time soon.

Of course I want to see you. Why wouldn't I?

[Another implication of Mio's issues with ghosts and possession. He wonders what happened in her world.]

Text;

[remainingtwin]

Okay. I'll come in.

Don't let her out. [A pause and she adds as an afterthought] Please.

[With that said she stands and brushes herself off, quietly turning the knob and peering inside as she opens his door. Mio hovers in the doorway a moment or two, watching him carefully as if expecting him to suddenly change his mind. But when it doesn't come she enters quickly and stands beside his bed, expression worried]

Spencer-- Do you need anything? [She chews on her lower lip, wanting to be useful]

[Audio]

[canthearyou]

[He heard enough of that to get the gist of it.]

YOU'RE SAYING A POKEMON DID THIS?

[Yet another thing to watch out for in this place.]

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE OKAY, REID.

[Audio]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Let him clear his throat, because he'd like to actually talk to Gordon instead of typing.]

YES, SIR, A POKEMON DID THIS. I THINK SHE'S ACTUALLY THE GHOST OF A DEAD HUMAN GIRL. SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE WASN'T IN HER OWN BODY.

[Ow ow ow shouting is not good with bronchitis give him a second to have a nice coughing fit.]

YEAH, I'M OKAY, THANK YOU. DID WE TALK WHILE I WAS POSSESSED? IF WE DID, I'M SORRY ABOUT WHATEVER I SAID.

[Audio]

[canthearyou]

I THINK YOU WERE POSSESSED BY A YOUNG WOMAN, OR A POKEMON PRETENDING TO BE A YOUNG WOMAN.

[Gordon really didn't catch the first two sentences of Reid's response, so there's his hypothesis.]

SHE WAS LOOKING FOR A TATTOO PARLOR, BUT I THINK I WAS ABLE TO THWART THAT. SHE WAS SMOKING AS WELL, SO THAT WOULD BE THE SOURCE OF YOUR COUGH. THERE'S NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE EITHER. YOU WEREN'T YOURSELF.

[Audio]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Reid should really be used to this by now.]

YES. SHE WAS A TEENAGE GIRL. I THINK SHE WAS SIXTEEN OR SEVENTEEN.

[Also, he unfortunately does have a tattoo, but at least it's only one. He appreciates the effort.] THANK YOU FOR THAT. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT SHE HAD PLANNED FOR ME. AND I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE ANYWAY, SINCE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SHE REALLY DIDN'T LIKE ANYONE WHO RESEMBLES AN AUTHORITY FIGURE AND WAS PRETTY EXPRESSIVE ABOUT IT. [But luckily, Gordon used text, so he didn't get the whole 'I'm a rebel so that means I must contradict everything you say' treatment.]

[Audio]

[canthearyou]

IT WAS A YOUNG WOMAN. PROBABLY A TEENAGER. AND I HEARD YOU ASK ABOUT PLANS. I THINK SHE WAS PLANNING TO GO TO THE POKEMART FOR SOMETHING. POSSIBLY DRUGS.

[Video]

[friendyousohard]

You too?

[Twilight looks... exhausted, there's no other word for it. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, she just looks like something drained her out, completely.]

[Private Video]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[...Okay, he can stand to give Twilight a video.

He turns on the video, and he is currently being smothered by his Pokemon who are all very enthusiastic about having him back. He looks similarly to Twilight--utterly exhausted, and even a little sick.

The only really visible physical difference the possession left behind is the fact that Reid's wrist is wrapped in bandages right now.]

Yeah. A teenage girl. What did you have?

[Private Video]

[friendyousohard]

[She takes a moment to quickly glance over him, taking note of his state. Yeah, he looks about like she thought he would... Except for those bandages. Those have her concerned, but she'll ask about them later. For now, she's got another issue to talk about. She shakes her head at his question, and her eyes drop down and to the side, making her look somehow even worse than before.]

Not me... Fluttershy. Some sort of performer took her over. I didn't... even realize what had happened, at first, but I could tell within seconds that something was very, very wrong.

[Private Video]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Reid's brow furrows, then he closes his eyes, thinking. It's hard to think when he's still under the effect of drugs.]

I...

...I vaguely remember that. We had a fight over the network. We had no idea who we were, and it got to the point where we were just flinging insults. [He's still working on not referring to it as 'I'.]

[Private Video]

[friendyousohard]

Not you. They. That was not her, and that was not you.

[Twilight takes the moment to be very, very adamant about that particular issue, her voice quite a bit firmer than it usually is.]

It was... disturbing, to see her like that. I'm sure I'd have felt the same way about you if I hadn't been too distracted by her to deal with anything else.