Level 17 [Action for Goldenrod Rocket Base] - SLACK OFF

[rocketralph]

<sub>[Good morning, Rockets! I hope you slept well. Somebody certainly did!]

[In fact, he's still sleeping. In really inconvenient places.]

[Ralph can be found throughout the base dozing in front of office doors, dorm doors, hallways, or the snack machines. You could try to wake 'em up...but he's a pretty cranky guy after all. Otherwise, I hope you don't have anywhere important to be for a while!]</sub>

Comments

[peridork]

[Peridot just wanted to leave her room to get some stupid food for her stupid human belly. What the hell Ralph.

She makes an inarticulate groaning/growling noise deep in her throat and scowls at him for a moment, contemplating the best way to go about this.

She'll try the obvious route first:]

Ralph. RALPH.

[She jabs his arm sharply with one sock-clad toe.]

[diosmio]

[Why is this oaf sleeping in front of the exit? Sure, there's probably another one over there somewhere, but Dio was going to use this one.]

Are you just going to sleep all day?

[He's not expecting a response, but at least he can say he tried before attempting to move him out of the way.]

[rocketralph]

_{[Peridot's efforts are rewarded only with a cavernous yawn and Ralph scratching his face.]}

[rocketralph]

<sub>[There comes a pause in Ralph's peaceful snoring. He shifts on the spot and for a moment it looks like he's going to give Dio an answer.]

[But instead he mumbles:]</sub>

Quarter...alert...

[diosmio]

[...what on earth is a quarter alert? This makes no sense to him, Dio.]

Wake up already you, you...

[He's about to kick Ralph, but rethinks it. That'd be bad. He doesn't want to lose his temper and get caught doing something like that to an unconscious teammate.]

On second thought, I doubt even that would work. This lout seems liable to sleep through almost anything.

[See, he's keeping his cool. He just wants to test that, that's all. So he'll give Ralph another chance to wake up, and if not, well, he's hardly responsible for what happens, right?]

[ojamameansfamily]

Hey. Move it.

[Some Rockets are actually trying to turn their starters into something not completely worthless, and that's pretty hard when there's a humanoid mountain blocking the door to the training area.]

[Chazz gives Ralph's bulk a small, futile shove when his initial efforts aren't immediately successful.]

Shove it, slacker! You wanna hibernate or something, the dorms are there for a reason!

[rocketralph]

_{[A single eye drifts open and something like a growl escapes the larger rocket.]}

Who'r you callin' a lout?

[rocketralph]

_{[At the shove, Ralph gives off a grunt before lifting his arm and rolling slightly so that he's facing away from him. And still blocking the door.]}

Take a hike.

[diosmio]

[Consider him surprised, here he was considering creating some sort of horrible racket with his Pokemon, and all it took was the right insult.]

Oh, did you hear that? It was merely directed at the person who chose to nap in front of the exit.

[And yet, as smug as he's sounding, he's still taking a slight step back away from him.]

[rocketralph]

_{[Oh, is this how it's gonna be?]}

I'll pass it along.

_{[Ralph shifts on the spot and makes himself more comfortable, arms behind his head.]}

[diosmio]

[Oh, so he's going to be like that? How dare he treat him, Dio, in such a manner.]

Really? Because it looks to me like you're sleeping on that job as well.

[He can do this all day, Ralph.]

[peridork]

[Well. That sure didn't work. Obviously she's being too gentle about this.

She tries a swift kick in the side next, winding up and then lashing out with all her might. WELCOME TO THE PAIN TRAIN, PAL!

...except not really because Peridot is puny and not very physically adept.

Also she just winds up hurting herself. Her foot bounces off, the impact rebounding back through her poor toes. Peridot shrieks and leaps back on one foot, hopping around and spewing out a slew of choice swear words that she's picked up from other people around the base.]

[ojamameansfamily]

I'm trying, there's a giant freaking trashpile blocking the path!

[Wait, no, that sounds lame. He's gonna pretend he never said that.]

You gonna move it, or do I have to move your fat butt myself?

[rocketralph]

I'm just restin' my eyes.

[rocketralph]

_{[The kick doesn't wake him up but Peridot's unhappy goblin noises do. He opens an eye and gives his teammate a squint.]}

Where's th' fire?

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph was about to doze off again when a double insult was blasted his way. He slowly leaned back up on one huge arm to look over his shoulder.]}

A fat trashpile, huh? Sounds like a personal problem.

_{[He slowly rocks to his feet.]}

A real personal problem.

[diosmio]

This hardly seems like the appropriate place for it.

[peridork]

[Gingerly, she sets her foot back down and levels a glare at him, teeth gritted in residual pain.]

Fire!? There's no fire, I was trying to wake you up because you're blocking my habitation suite like a clodding snorlax!

[ojamameansfamily]

Oh good, you CAN move.

[And. Just. Taking a step back. Wow you're a lot bigger standing up.]

If it's such a problem, maybe you should use the gym instead of just napping in the door.

[More insults are clearly the answer here, right?]

[rocketralph]

Oh, no, not my personal problem.

_{[Ralph looms and sleepily pops his knuckles. He's fighting a yawn but it looks an awful lot like a snarl.]}

Why go to the gym when I've got a perfectly good punching bag right here?

[rocketralph]

_{[A grunt.]}

Sheesh, would it kill ya to say somethin' nice once in a while?

[peridork]

[yes]

I don't care, would you just move already? I have important training to get to and I can't do that unless I cram my stupid human stomach full of nutrients first!

[IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, RALPH. THE BREAKING OF THE NUTRIENT FAST.]

[rocketralph]

_{[Wow, such rudeness!]}

Mmmmn....no.

[rocketralph]

My stump is worlds away, this spot's good enough.

[peridork]

WHAT?

[No really. WHAT. SHE IS SO TAKEN ABACK RIGHT NOW.]

F-fine, be like that! Keep laying there, see if I care! I'm gonna get out of this room one way or another anyway!

[And indeed, as she says that, she takes a few steps backwards, putting her head down like she's intending to charge and leap over him.]

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph was going to doze back off or at least keep an ear open to see if she said please...but now he has got to see this.]}

Go'head.

[diosmio]

Your stump?

[He almost doesn't want to ask and yet...he did.]

[peridork]

[Growling, Peridot tenses herself and then bolts forward at top speed with a nasally war cry, socked feet drumming across the linoleum floor tiles. She's gonna do it. She's gonna leap Mt. Wreck-It.]

NGHAAAHHH--

[Actually no she isn't. She's actually going to totally slip and faceplant onto Ralph's stomach! Really hard.]

Feel free to punch him

[ojamameansfamily]

[Errors have obviously been made here.]

Is that supposed to scare me or something?

[When in doubt, pile on more false bravado. But... shifting another half-step back, almost unconsciously.]

You don't like hearing the truth, then stay out of the way.

[rocketralph]

_{[Ralph doesn't see any cause for alarm until he notices that the apex of Peridot's jump isn't quite high enough. He puts out a hand.]}

Wait wait--WHOOOF!

_{[OH, ow, he's gonna feel that tomorrow.]}

Alright, ALRIGHT, that's enough of that!

_{[He reaches around and snatches her up by the back of her uniform as if she were an unruly kitten.]}

[rocketralph]

My bed. Home sweet home. Sleepin' in a stump is a lot more comfortable than you'd thing.

HERE WE GO

[rocketralph]

_{[The wrecker lifts a brick-shaped eyebrow. Wow. Just who does this little twerp think he is? Ralph's a lot faster than he looks, but instead of driving Chazz into the ground like a railroad spike he snatches him up with one hand and delivers a MERCILESS NOOGIE with the other.]}

Go bother somebody else, you little Goomba!

[diosmio]

Seeing as I can't imagine how it could be, I'll take your word for it.

[...so he sleeps in a stump and appears to be...well, he can't help but think this guy must be some sort of ogre or troll in his world.]

[rocketralph]

_{[Dio is not wholly incorrect.]}

Yeah, so if y'don't mind...

_{[He stretches his arms high above his head and makes himself comfortable.]}

[diosmio]

[He does mind, but even he, Dio, will admit this is a battle he can't win. For now.]

Fine, fine. Sleep the day away for all I care.

[He'll go find another exit over there. And no one better be sleeping in front of this one.]

[peridork]

[Completely livid at him and at her own failure, Peridot acts the part and hisses wordlessly in response, clawing at the air. It's very undignified. Her short little limbs are flailing everywhere.]

[rocketralph]

<sub>[Ralph watches her struggle for a beat before deciding something needs to be done with her. He slowly rocks to his feet and plods drowsily down the hall, occasionally bumping into things as he does. Finally he locates exactly what he's looking for.]

[A trash can.]</sub>

[peridork]

[Peridot keeps squalling like a nasally voiced demon and kicking with her little legs, her displeasure only increasing by the fact that he's now carrying her off to some unknown destination.]

What are you doing, unhand me at once!! Ralph-- RALPH ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!? RELEASE ME!!!!

[What is he even--??

...Oh.

The offended snarling noise she makes is so real, so vicious. Like a tiny rat dog growling. She takes a few swipes at him with her puny fists.]

Ralph don't you dare drop me in that rubbish receptacle, or you're going to regret this--!!

[ojamameansfamily]

[The sound Chazz makes is. Not EXACTLY a scream.]

[Screaming is usually a little more dignified, for one thing.]

[But that sure is a noise he's making.]

The heck is wrong with you, man?!

[Just. Kind of. Flailing ineffectually as Ralph's assault on his 'do continues.]

Lemme- augh! LEMME GO YOU FREAK!

[rocketralph]

I doubt that.

_{[CA-CHUNK! Ralph drops Peridot into her new home and slams the lid down. He's kind enough not to boot it down the hallway though, so you gotta give him some points for that. Dusting his hands off, the wrecker turns on his heel and plods slowly back to his napping spot.]}

[rocketralph]

_{[NOOGIE NOOGIE NOOGIE.]}

I oughtta ask you the same thing!

_{[Once he's positive he's left at the least a sore spot on the top of his fellow grunt's noggin, he lets him go none too gently, dropping him on the floor.]}

Now beat it before I lose my temper!

[peridork]

HEY--!

[She is not giving him points for anything. There's a lot of furious caterwauling and banging from inside the trashcan before she manages to knock the lid loose and poke her head out from under it, scowling like a less-furry version of Oscar the Grouch. She emerges just in time to see Ralph disappearing down the hall.

Still growling like an angry chihuahua, she starts punching her little fists at the air in an almighty temper tantrum.]

I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS, RALPH! JUST YOU WAIT!!!

[He really shouldn't be surprised if, in a few hours, he finds an angry rattata and houndour on his case. Peridot holds grudges.]

[ojamameansfamily]

That WASN'T you losing your temper?!

And I've been TRYING to beat it since I got here, you're in the way where I need to go!