VICTORY ROAD IC CONTACT

[zukeini]

"Hey, uh, you just reached me and I wasn't around. It's Zuke. Leave a message or a text and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Comments

[demonpuppy]

[A letter arrives by Pidgey Post a day or two after Christmas, with a drawing of an odd little green creature in a santa hat below the text:]

Thank you very much for the snacks! They're really good!

Chip Abaroa

[zukeini]

[THIS IS GOING INTO HIS TREASURES this is so cute omfg.]

Backdated to some time after Christmas

[nastyboy]

[Dimitri may or may not have teared up when he retrieved those drumsticks from Zuke, well aware of how much thought must have gone into them, and how much more expensive they must have been.]

[So it takes him some time before he manages to figure out what he wants to say, visibly holding the sticks close to himself when he sends off the video.]

Zuke- [He really feels as though he should make this more formal, somehow, or more polite - the rigidity offers guidance in its own way. But that's now how they do things here, and he flounders for only a moment.]

I wanted... to send my thanks for this gift. This is more than I could have ever expected.

I only wish I had the proper talent to put them to use, but I will look into it as soon as possible.

;;

[zukeini]

[When Zuke turned the feed on, he seemed to be invested immediately. Because Zuke was doing some cleaning of various tools before he clearly decided this was more important. He was covered in dirt even. But the moment he saw Dimitri holding his drumsticks sincerely being held...he smiled brightly.]

They got to you safe, I’m glad.

[He listened to him say more.]

Look, skill always comes with practice. Practice comes from loving something enough.

I just wanted you to be able to jam, on your own terms. Then maybe we can jam on the drums together someday.

[ BACKDATED - 2/17 ]

[fortuna_tenax]

[ Pidgey delivery! Some lovely homemade macarons of various fruity flavors, alongside a postcard painting of the sunset from Violet City, specifically referenced from the passing holiday... not that. He'd know. But shh. ]

[ BACKDATED - 2/17 ]

[zukeini]

[...oh he loved this. All of it.

He made sure to keep the postcard close in his pack and the macarons are savored as long as they could be. Which was one afternoon and they were all gone.]

2/22

[nastyboy]

Zuke, have you heard of a band called Led Drifblim?

2/22

[zukeini]

[gasp oh no hidden geek unleashed]

Have I? I've been listening to them a ton since I figured how to listen to music here!

They're really great at using the blues for their roots. But going into rock, reggae, country, folk, and jazz? These guys are LEGENDS!

3/4

[nastyboy]

[Dimitri has been having such an End Of February. So much has happened. It kind of keeps happening? He'd like for it to stop. Ecruteak was supposed to be nice.]

[As it is, it's been full of secrets, and comas, and a small child suddenly running away because depression. It's been So Much that Dimitri almost forgets something that he wanted to do... but, as they're on the road and he's riding in the rat sleigh, it hits him again.]

[Right. He should start making some calls.]

[So after waking up from one of his twenty minute naps, Dimitri stays inside so that he can start hitting up people. Just... ignore the fact that it doesn't look like he's been sleeping at all. He has! Just, you know. Not great!]

Hello, Zuke - I apologize for this sudden inquiry, but would you be free later in this month? I was hoping that, as the weather would improve, a picnic could be had with those I knew, and I have been told that flower viewing is a traditional activity.

3/4

[zukeini]

[Zuke was! Doing yoga.

After traveling some more, he had to make some time to recover his own core energy and physical peace. He was in some rather comforting stretchy yoga clothes, sitting on a mat and enjoying the quiet.

Once the video clicked on, Zuke scrambled to get up to answer. Right about exclaiming to his crew that it was Dimitri on the line. It was a scene. A very natural space in a hotel with plants about, each of his Pokemon on their own mat.

Everyone was doing their best to make the Warrior pose. Nadia the Gardevior was flawless. Terbangan the Rilaboom was doing...okay-ish. Ketuk the Ariados and Tabla the Mudbray were, uh, lifting one leg and calling it a day on that. West the Slowpoke was in the Napping pose. May the Toxel was...playing with legos. Yes.]

Whoa, Dimitri-! Hey!

[He was brightened up now.]

What's about a picnic, end of the month?

[Ah, his face. Dimitri's face.]

...Yeah, picnic sounds great.

March 15th

[rollstoseduce]

[Good morning, Zuke! There's Pidgey mail waiting for you! Inside a perfectly wrapped box, there are two things:

1. A set of light-up drumsticks

2. A postcard with beautiful art on one side and Jaskier's fancy handwriting on the other showing a little poem written in gold ink.]

Now's a great age to take chances,
And do all you want to do,
Your creativity knows no bounds,
What you need is right in you.

Happy birthday, my friend!
🏵 Jaskier

text

[zukeini]

[...Oh. Incredible. He held these gifts in his arms for a moment. He couldn't help it. It was so thoughtful. The note, the art, and the drumsticks.]

Thanks, Jaskier. You better believe these will be put to use. It's beautiful.

[bestswordmaster]

[A package arrives for Zuke on the 15th by Pidgey Post. Inside there is a battery-powered appliance shaped like a Forretress; the top half opens up to reveal that it is a very small grill. A Forretress grill, designed to make two burgers at a time. There's also a note, written in what might be surprisingly fancy handwriting:]

Zuke,

Happy birthday. This thing apparently makes burgers quickly without an open flame. The convenience of this world is frankly unbelievable.

Anyway, I suppose I will see you at this picnic of Dimitri's.

-Felix

TEXT

[zukeini]

[Zuke couldn't help but smile. The convenience of the modern world. These medieval guys were just so endearing. Felix completely thought of something with sentimentality in usefulness. Practical, as ever]

Hey man, thanks a bunch. I can take a hint though. Guess I'll be grilling some burgers on the picnic day. ;)

backdated to 3/15 so we can pretend my memory functions

[nastyboy]

[With Dimitri recovered and most of their troublesome sick patients resting, he's had a moment to step out and get something for Zuke's birthday, after hearing it from Felix. Good thing that Elshot is big enough to carry a.... yoga mat?]

[Accompanying it is a little birthday card with a Snom and a cupcake. Inside is a message.]

Dear Zuke,

While looking for a gift, I was told that yoga is done well on mats. May this come in use for you and your Pokemon, especially while you are on the road.

Happy Birthday,

Dimitri

[zukeini]

[...Of course he would send something. And something heartfelt like this.

He didn’t know what to say. He really didn’t.

He would swing by a text later.]

Thoughtful as ever, thanks Dimitri.

BACKDATED NOW THAT IM NOT IN A FUNK ITS ZUKE BIRTHDAY

[fortuna_tenax]

[ Delivery! More macarons, another painting of the sky- this time an amethyst sunset with a bloom of stars- and... a very cozy-looking grookey-themed light jacket, perfect for the spring. ]

TEXT, and photo

[zukeini]

[GAAAAAAAAAAAAAASP. Zuke made hella sure he tried on that jacket, with sparkle eyes and everything. He snapped a selfie with Terbangan in the background, just showing off the match.]

Thanks man, this is awesome.

During the auction

[bestswordmaster]

what did you need the art for?
I’ve never seen you that competitive before.
it seems as though even you have something to fight for.
I’d like to know what it is.

[zukeini]

Whoa

Hey Felix.


Hmmm, well. I mean, I guess I did get heated before I ran out of cash. Tough fight you pulled.

I was hoping I could use the commission to design a logo for my band. Art for my poster for my first big gig I got and maybe, I dunno, my first record?

august 31, the mythical cat dial

[chirpier]

ldfkjscjkihschids
Pppmam’mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Text

[zukeini]

Uh


Hello?

Backdated to...sometime in late September

[vrdantwind]

Hey, Zuke, can we talk?

I know I've been pretty unreachable the past...while. Actually, probably a lot of us in our group have. And I don't know if anyone's let you know what's been going on with that, so I wanted to touch base.

Especially since a little birdie told me you haven't been doing so hot yourself. Am I wrong in guessing that's got to do with what we talked about?

[zukeini]

Oh, Claude, hey.

Listen, whatever you heard, I’m sorry. It’s not you, or anyone else, it’s me. It’s me trying to work this all out and I’m not too great at it. But I don’t want any of you guys to worry about that when you have your own problems.

[…and old habits die hard, Dimitri told him not to do this…]

But I didn’t want to pry either. Everyone has been really down lately, Felix especially. I knew this. But I didn’t know how to ask him. So I just tried to play by his rules. And I haven’t really seen him since.

Super backdated to second polycule talk, look, it's fine

[vrdantwind]

Hey, Zuke!

Listen, we were discussing things as a group today - specifically, how you've got feelings for some of us in the group - but there's kind of a roadblock. Grant doesn't know you're into him yet, does he? But...he kinda needs to know that for us to have a comprehensive discussion about it, you know? And I wouldn't feel comfortable telling him for you - I don't think that'd be fair to either of you. He deserves to hear it from you firsthand, and you deserve the right to handle it your own way.

So while I don't want to rush you into approaching a delicate subject before you're ready or anything...I do think you kinda need to talk this over with him soon. He needs to consider where he stands on it and how it'll affect our multifaceted relationship, but he obviously can't do that until you give him the information to work with, yeah?

[zukeini]

["How it'll affect our multifaceted relationship." This was so much to unpack. It took Zuke a long time before responding. He stared at the words and honestly felt the anxiety make him sick in his gut. Like now his lunch was trying to come up.

Maybe it was all a bad idea. But they said it wasn't a bad idea. Look how awkward they are talking to you.

This was Zuke's worst nightmare.]

So you guys really did go talk about it. Before I even had the guts to spill it all out.

Audio - Before the team disappearances

[ironchef]

Hey! I've been putting together my recipes for my restaurant, and I remembered I totally wanted your advice for Malay cooking and some teas. Let me know if you'd still be up for that! Thanks man.

[zukeini]

Oh yeah! I’m always game! I’ve even got a folder over here with a whole bunch of personal staples.


…Nothing fancy of course, but if you’re running a real joint then I’m sure you can give it some razzle dazzle.