keychained | 022; [video/action for Goldenrod]

[closed captioning and consideration for this video feed is brought to you by a certain camera-Teddy-- though really, Teddy is more providing commentary than he is relaying the conversation, chirping in whenever he sees fit. a studio audience, if you will. Sora is right outside the pokécenter in Goldenrod, crouched down on one knee so that he's face-to-face with a Poliwag. a Poliwag who's standing up straight and proudly bearing a fedora atop his head. ... and a paper beard across his face.]

[it gets better.]

Y'know, you're getting really good at solving mysteries, Douglas! But this one's gonna stump you for weeks, promise. You'll be so stumped you won't even know what hit you. [a squeak from Teddy, which sounds an awful lot like an "ooooh." "OH NO TRAINER DIDN'T."]

I call it "The Case of the Missing Bow Tie." Or, the case Puddles would be really mad at me if he knew about... Because someone's stolen his bow tie! ["OH THE HORROR, NOT THE BOW TIE! Hey Trainer, I'm totally going to tell Puddles on you."]

Luckily, though, I've managed to scrape together a clue that may help us find the perpetrator. I need for you to find me a treasure chest that doesn't have any kind of lid or keyhole on it. Think you can do that?

[Teddiursa makes a noise that sort of implies that he thinks Trainer is crazy-- what would you do with a treasure chest that you can't open?-- but Douglas stands on his tippy toes and squeaks in determination! he can do this, Trainer! he has a namesake to live up to!]

[that said, if one's wandering about Goldenrod, he or she may bump into Sora as he follows his sleuthing Poliwag around town, along with a teddy bear gleefully taping the whole thing.]

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... Douglas?

[Kairi's turn for a headbutt in the shins. Douglas hops up and down as best as he's able, squeaking loudly. MYSTERY. MYSTERY.]

What were you doing, anyway? [ she doesn't speak Poliwag, but she gets the sense of urgency well enough. ]

Oh, Douglas is solving a mystery! He's named after a detective, so he wants to be a detective, too.

And we're not helping him by standing here.

[ she bends down a little to offer the Poliwag an apologetic headpat. ] I'm sorry. Can I help, too?

[that gets a happy little squeak and hop out of Detective Douglas-- of course you can help, Princess!]

We're looking for a treasure chest! But it doesn't have a lid or a keyhole or anything.

So, like an open box?

Not quite open. Not yet, anyway.

Then we need to narrow the search down. Right? Since we don't have a map to go by.

Where do you suggest we look first, then?

Hmmm... why don't we let Douglas pick?

[to that, Sora glances down to the ground at his poképal... who looks a little horrified at being in charge at first, but then Douglas puffs out his chest-- face?-- and starts waddling down the road. where's he going? WHO KNOWS, though in Sora's experience following a pokémon has generally led him to where one might find pokétreats.]

We have a direction!

[ which is Kairi's cue to follow. ]

[so far, so good! although Sora's inkling is indeed right; Douglas is waddling toward the Department store. there are definitely pokétreats in there.]

[ Kairi definitely looks amused, but she'll be linking arms with Sora and following! ]

022; [video/action for Goldenrod]

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