whateveryoueatliveitspart

[The video comes on to show an adult Vespiquen and Combee, along with 54 baby Combee, slowly flying over the surface of the Lake of Rage. Now and then one falters in the air, but quickly recovers and returns to its position in the flight. Fearow and Archeops (who has been thoroughly instructed that she's not allowed to attack any of the baby Combee) are escorting the swarm on the sides, wings spread to glide and only occasionally flapping in slow, graceful arcs. Apollo's following behind on the shoulder of his Golurk, as evidenced by the sound of thrusters in the background. The sun has begun to set, casting a golden red light over the scene and reflecting off of the lake's surface. Several Magikarp poke their heads out of the water briefly to watch the swarm fly overhead, and several Gyrados surface to watch as well, the roar of one off-screen echoing across the lake. Just before the feed ends, a Milotic leaps out of the water, sending droplets flying to catch the light and glitter, forming a faint rainbow in the air for an instant.

Apollo remains silent. He has nothing to add to this scene.]

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Shit, you have your own hive.

Does each one of those count as three?

It's their hive, I just helped prepare a good place for it.

[And he'll be getting some of the surplus honey as a thank you, though he doesn't realize that yet.]

I'm not sure. Combee - the father of the other Combee - never acted like three Pokémon in one. Or maybe all three of them always agreed with each other about everything. I haven't had enough time to meet all of the children yet, so I don't know if they'll all be the same or not.

Bee real estate, that's a growing market.

[Blake watches the little mutants buzz by.]

You want my advice, don't eat honey from anything with three faces. You might grow an extra.

[He's... just not gonna ask what that means.]

I've already had some of Combee's honey. The extra head is easy to cut off when it first starts growing.

[Said casually as if he's not saying anything weird.]

Shit-

[It takes Blake a second. It really does.]

[The kid's got a gift for deadpan.]

[Blake eyes the screen.] You're screwing with me.

[He's quiet for a minute, then has to ask.]

How was it?

[More that he thinks that he's making it more obvious that he's joking than he really is.]

It's really sweet. Kind of like that "soda pop" stuff, but even sweeter. [In other words Apollo has a low tolerance for sweetness.] I can't eat too much of it at once, but it's good.

[Should he? ...It's not like he doesn't have a ton of it sitting around. Why not?]

I have some jars of it. Do you want me to send you one?

Sounds like regular honey.

[Blake crosses his arms and broods.]

[He feels a tug at his pantleg and looks down to see Steve, who is gazing up at him with hopeful eyes. She loves sweets.]

...hell.

Sure.

But if I get magic bee leukemia or something, I'm blaming you.

I've never had regular honey before. I couldn't figure out how to get it out of the hive without breaking the hive or getting stung.

[He's not asking what "magical bee leukemia" is.]

Okay. I'll send you one through the PC once I'm done getting everyone settled.

[Wait, is he forgetting something? ...Oh. Right.]

What's your name?

[Because they haven't exchanged them yet and he can't just send it to "that one guy".]

That's why you get beekeepers to do it. They wear suits and all that.

[That is the limit of Blake's knowledge on the subject.]

[He looks up, surprised.] PCs can do that?

Wait a minute, how the hell do you not know my name by now?

[That's about when Blake realizes he doesn't know this kid's, either. He rubs the back of his neck.]

Carter Blake.

Uh. You?

[Not gonna ask what "beekeepers" are, since it sounds like a civilization thing that he wouldn't be able to use back home.]

I think they can. They can send eggs, so they should be able to send other things too.

[Or at least I assume that's true. If not we can just handwave that it arrived some other way after Apollo found out it wasn't the case.]

Because you hadn't told me before now.

I'm Apollo.

What Pokémon Center are you closest to so that I know where to send it?

Some other magic thing. Sure. Hell, I'm starting to take this shit for granted.

Can't make triple-headed bee honey any more radioactive than it is already. I'm headed toward...some fancy word for yellow. Chartreuse. No, wait, Goldenrod.

[The kid's name catches his attention.]

Like Apollo Creed?

Goldenrod? Okay.

[And when Carter arrives he'll have a nice, unmarked jar of raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey waiting for him. Sweeter than store-bought honey, with little clumps of pollen visible floating in it, and beginning to crystallize within a day or two of the jar opening. He'll likely question how sanitary it is, but it'll be harmless and delicious.]

Just Apollo.

Thanks- if it doesn't kill me.

[If it makes him grow bee wings or have a sudden mindless loyalty to a queen, it's your fault, Apollo.]

Yeah, I know. It's a good way to remember it though, by the character from the Rocky movie. You probably don't know Rocky movies though.

...tell me you know what movies are.

[You're too paranoid for your own good, Carter.]

They're... things that move?

[That would be a "no".]

[Blake groans] You're killing me, kid.

[He waves his arms in front of him] You know, pictures, they play on a screen, you go watch them and eat popcorn when it's balls hot outside and you have nothing better to do.

[Apollo starts to shake his head before remembering that Blake can't see him when the camera is being pointed at the Combee.]

I don't know about things like that.

Now that, that is sad.

Not even any of the crappy knockoff ones here?

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