Branch Chief Gorthan

Video/Action:

[It's the dead of night, and Gorthan is in a room at the Ecruteak City inn. If the scientist doesn't look happy in the least, it's because he is not. He is, in fact, very, very angry. Angry about what happened to the Kimono Girls and their theatre. Angry at the people who did it, whoever they are.

And most of all? He's angry at himself, for being part of something that allows and even encourages this level of horrible cruelty.

The video is a close-up of Gorthan's face, the focus being on his narrowed eyes and furrowed brow, his usual circular markings very visible.]

"O, be thou damned, inexecrable dog!
And for thy life let justice be accused.
Thou almost mak’st me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras
That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit
Governed a wolf who, hanged for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou layest in thy unhallowed dam,
Infused itself in thee; for thy desires
Are wolfish, bloody, starved and ravenous."

[As he recites the quotation, his voice is loud, deep and scary, almost a growl in some parts. At times his hands tremble with rage, making the camera shift a little. When that happens, one may catch a glimpse of Gorthan's Elgyem in a corner of the screen. And while it's hard to tell an Elgyem's emotions, it's pretty easy to tell that this one is seriously intimidated right now. It recoils away from its trainer, its eyes open wide and its colorful lights blinking wildly.

At the end of the quotation, however, Gorthan appears to regain a certain degree of composure. He sighs, throwing his head back a little for a moment, takes a few deep breaths and picks up his Elgyem, pulling the smaller alien into his lap. When he speaks again, it's clear that he has successfully managed to calm down.]

I have arrived in Ecruteak City. I believe I do not need to inform you about what has occurred here. All of you know by now, I am sure.

To the rescuers of the Kimono Girls - thank you sincerely. I intend to help out as well, now that I am here. If any of you are watching this, I ask that you contact me.

Private text to Minnie:

I must ask that you reach me here in Ecruteak. Even though the original plan was to visit you, I will be here a while. Something horrible happened, as I am sure you know, and my help is needed.

Private text to Descole:

Report.

[That is totally how it's done. On Evron, that is.]

[It's the dead of night and, judging by the scene being shown by the video feed, a certain scientist is very, very eager to show off his new catch - a Mareep. Even though the screen is mostly black, there is a yellow circle of light somewhere around the center - the lightbulb at the tip of its tail - and yellowish and blueish flickering sparks from the tiny Pokémon's fleece that make it instantly recognizable. The little sheep tilts its head from one side to the other as it tries to make sense of what Gorthan, who stands right in front of it, is doing. That is, simultaneously filming it and narrating a passage from one of his favorite books by heart.]

"For millions of years flowers have been producing thorns. For millions of years sheep have been eating them all the same. And it's not serious, trying to understand why flowers go to such trouble to produce thorns that are good for nothing? It's not important, the war between the sheep and the flowers?"

[A long pause. When he speaks again, he is still off-screen.]

From "The Little Prince", by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Now, I ask of you all - what is important to you? And how often, if ever, do you feel that most people's priorities in life are vastly different from yours?