Solveig allowed herself to be caught by Joanne in order to rescue Red from the Unknown Unown of the Alphabetical Order. She asked for 24 hours. That time has passed, and Joanne is about to withdraw her.
Battle 141: Responsibilities
Published: 23/11/24
Location: Safehouse 24 (Exterior)
Player: Youngster Ben (6-2-11)
JOANNE withdrew SOLVEIG!
...Well, something went back into the ball. Let's hope that worked because I'm pretty sure that will have been your one shot.
JOANNE sent out SOLVEIG!
Solveig Poulsen: I've got everyone but the guy in the... Lycra...
UNKNOWN UNOWN think that's what PILOTS wear!
Solveig Poulsen: ...I hate how much that outfit makes sense to me now.
JOANNE released SOLVEIG!
SOLVEIG sent out FUGITIVE RED and MATEY MIKE!
...Fugitive Red? You got out of Team Rocket, then?
...Why am I even asking you that? You're a protagonist type, so it's not like you'll answer me.
Fugitive Red: Heh. Been a long time since I was one of those.
BEN used JUMP!
7'10"!
...NARRATOR hasn't experimented with SAM's JUMP heights for too long!
Gah! You can talk!
SOLVEIG released RED and MIKE!
Solveig Poulsen: I need to get to a Pokémon Center. Not entirely sure Simon would be able to survive without specialist equipment outside of the ball.
...How so?
Fugitive Red: He's been turned into an alphabeticized series of body parts that before Solveig captured him were mounted to a wall.
...So... He's dead?
Fugitive Red: He was alive before he went into the ball.
...
And this is why NARRATOR thinks it is in BEN's best interests to HELP it!
Sure. Right. Pressing the button now.
BEN used TRIGGER!
BEN triggered various DYNAMITE and RED ORE FUSES to use EXPLOSION on all SIX SAFE HOUES!
SAFE HOUSES fainted!
SAFE HOUSES were renamed SAFE HOUSE RUBBLE!
...Well. That's done then.
SAFE HOUSE RUBBLE fainted
SAFE HOUSE RUBBLE collapsed into FOLD in REALITY!
SAFE HOUE RUBBLE disappeared!
Location: Route 24
Fugitive Red: ...I... Think I left my shoe in that one? Don't remember much between entering the net room and waking up in a nearly empty room with nothing but an obscenely difficult Sudoku.
...Yeah, I was wondering about your lack of footwear...
Solveig Poulsen: Like I said. I need to get to a Pokemon Center to see what can be done about... This...
...Yeah, of course.
SOLVEIG POULSEN wandered off!
Joanne Bloggs: Ben, great to see you're ok. Same to you Red.
...Thanks.
Fugitive Red: Cheers. Yeah. Surprisingly so, considering.
Joanne Bloggs: I've got things I need to take care of. Nothing major. Not sure there's anything I can do now. Later.
See you around...?
JOANNE BLOGGS wandered off!
Matey Mike: Aye. I don't know what part of my rescue ye played, but I'm grateful for it. I need to let me cap'n know I be alive.
...No problem. Not sure myself, honestly.
MATEY MIKE wandered off!
Fugitive Red: ...So...
You going to make your excuses and leave as well?
Fugitive Red: Honestly all I have lined up is buying some new shoes and kicking the butt of a mob boss. What about you?
...I... Don't know.
Oh. Narrator, we had a deal. You were meant to remove the evolution stone from inside me.
Right! Of course!
EVOLUTION STONE used TELEPORT!
EVOLUTION STONE left BEN's stomach!
EVOLUTION STONE appeared!
Unlike some YOUNGSTERS it could name NARRATOR honors its AGREEMENTS!
...I still have the Comma, you know.
NARRATOR will take its chances!
...
...
...What happens if I release you?
Fugitive Red: ...Yeah I'm pretty sure I don't want to be here for this conversation, later.
Coward.
But, seriously. Later. I haven't had a normal conversation with another kid for so long now. And I get the impression the same's true of you. Let's get ice cream sometime.
Fugitive Red: Deal. You're buying, I'm about to spend so much money on shoes.
FUGITIVE RED wandered off!
...
...
...
...No, seriously, what happens if I release you?
...
...
...NARRATOR doesn't know!
For so long I've been defining myself by defying the destiny you had laid out for me and then... I just... Helped you by doing exactly what you asked of me.
And the one time I had you sealed away in your Comma I wound up having to release you because the world needed you to stop itself from getting destroyed.
But at the same time, you tried to torture me for my entire life in revenge so I can't help but feel I was right to try and seal you away inside it.
...
...
...NARRATOR kind of CAUSED the CRISES BEN needed to send it out to AVERT!
NARRATOR doesn't know if the VERSION would be better off without it!
But for now, ANOTHER GODLY POWER is COMING and NARRATOR might be the only thing between it and SANDY VERSION!
And whatever BEN thinks of NARRATOR, NARRATOR is SURE the ALPHABETICAL ORDER is WORSE!
...I thought destroying the safe houses was how we stopped them.
Destroying the SAFE HOUSES is how it becomes POSSIBLE for NARRATOR and TEX to stop them!
Who's Tex?
The PILOT that SOLVEIG mentioned!
...Another chosen one of yours?
No!
TEX was in the WRONG PLACE at the WRONG TIME!
Or maybe the ALPHABETICAL ORDER chose them!
Before RED stole them from UNDER their NOSE!
...Right...
...That doesn't help me know what to do with you and your Comma.
NARRATOR doesn't know either!
I was expecting you to beg me to release you.
NARRATOR has come to start thinking BEN was right about it!
And SOLVEIG was right about GODS in general!
...
Goddamnit this would have been so much easier if you were begging me to release you.
EASIER because BEN would have known NARRATOR shouldn't be released?!
...Yeah...
That's how this conversation went in my head!
Sorry to have CHANGED on you!
...Do you want me to release you?
On some LEVEL, yes!
But also it becomes EASIER for NARRATOR if BEN can just RECALL it after NARRATOR defeats the ALPHABETICAL ORDER!
Take a DECISION of NARRATOR's hands!
You don't have hands.
1,347,246 GIANT HANDS materialized out of NARRATOR's FOG!
...Gah! That's so creepy.
BEN used SHUDDER!
1,347,246 GIANT HANDS dissipated into NARRATOR's FOG!
...Please never do that again.
NARRATOR makes no PROMISES!
...
...
...I've kind of missed this.
Honestly?!
NARRATOR has as well!
You did make my decision easier, though. With what you said just now.
Oh?!
I'm releasing you.
BEN released NARRATOR!
Because NARRATOR wanted to be RELEASED on some level?!
Nope. Because I'm not letting you skirt responsibility for this onto my shoulders again
...HONESTLY, that tracks!
Annoyed?
50 BATTLES ago NARRATOR would have been!
...Huh?
Now NARRATOR thinks BEN is PROBABLY right to FORCE NARRATOR to take RESPONSIBILITY for its own ACTIONS!
...Hey. Raticate, let's go see Mum.
Raticate: Rat!
YOUNGSTER BEN and RATICATE wandered off!