[It is happening again. It is happening again.]

[Wrong canon. France has never seen The Giant, although he would probably confuse him with Goliath more than anything else. And, characteristically, that would make France return to his roots and completely freak out.]

[Still, it has some relevance here. The 'Gear seems to be picking up flashes of different cities and towns around Johto and Kanto, like someone is teleporting from one to the next without any real goal or direction.]

[After what amount to a few hours of this, the transmission seems to shutter, like the 'Gear has been fumbled, and panting becomes audible as the camera is turned to focus on a very wind-swept France whose expression is a strange combination of badly suppressed tension and far too much excitement.]

Has anyone ever noticed that all the towns around here look exactly the same? They have exactly the same shops and exactly the same standard layouts, just with some superficial topographical variations! I've noticed before, of course, but when you see them all together -

[He makes a wide, wild gesticulating motion with his free hand, unable to communicate how unsettling it is. Sure, France has planned cities, but nowhere is entirely planned like this.]

Also, what is with these crystals? They're all over the place!

[Prose]

( Two years. Two years in this place, and France has nothing to show for it. )



[Text]

I'm thinking of taking on some of the gyms to give my pokémon a challenge and the opportunity to grace Johto and Kanto with the beauty that is the Republic of France! What is the best advice you can offer to conquer the gyms?

[The broadcast starts with static. Stuttering, crackling static. This is legit static, guys. It's still a transmission of sorts, but nothing useful at all. It might even be irritating if you stare at it too long.]

[If you're patient or used to listening to static-ridden calls or a bad television reception (remember antennas?), you might be able to pick up the sound of a voice. A male voice.]

...lo...is this...any...

[More static. Finally, an image, mostly distorted but somewhat recognizable as France appears on the screen. He looks like he's standing in a window of a rundown building, the angle of the shot indicating he's probably holding the 'Gear as far out of the window as possible. From the way his lips are moving, it looks like he's shouting. His voice through the video, however, is rather muffled.]

Can you hear me now? There's something weird about the -

[The 'Gear's focus wobbles and then it becomes apparent that it's falling, the Bell Tower's outside momentarily visible before France's 'Gear crashes onto the pavement below. Anyone still watching will be treated to the no signal screen briefly until the screen goes blank.]