Video 5: Now with Bonus Swablu Hat! (Action for Traveling Party or Azalea)

[justanexpression]

[For once, the feed clicks on and Jack looks, not happy or excited or even amused, but vaguely confused and unimpressed.

A large part of that may have to do with the Swablu cooing and preening his hair. It's wrapped itself over the top of his head like a hat, and while it looks a bit worn out like it's just reached the end of far too much traveling, it also looks supremely pleased with itself.]

So, uh... Akito? I think this is your fault?

[He tries to look up at the Swablu only for it to coo even more loudly and hunker down on top of his head, as if it knows he's thinking about trying to pry it off. He sighs, but it's offset by a tiny smile.]

I think I need some advice. Don't get me wrong, okay. It's cute. Like really cute. But...

It won't move. It hasn't moved, and it's been like an hour since it came out of nowhere and landed on me. It won't even go into a pokeball. Here, watch.

[He pulls out a pokeball, and the Swablu gets pulled in at first, but soon enough, the ball pops back open as if he'd tried and failed to catch a wild pokemon. The bird flutters straight back to his head, cooing an admonishment this time.]

So yeah. Advice.

Help?

Comments

[ video ]

[colorsofthewind]

... I'm fairly certain that means you've just been adopted, Jack. [ okay, yeah, that's pretty adorable. ]

Ah, I see. My starter is fairly calm as well, but he's always been gentle. [ which is a little funny, since Scythers tend to cut an imposing figure ]

video;

[cakelover]

Do you really want advice, though~? It's so cute! And it looks so happy!

[ video ]

[justanexpression]

I'm fairly certain I already was. Do I even want to ask what she's doing now?

[He can't see her, after all, but he can feel whatever it is.]

But Phil. He puts up with just about anything. Plus, he's a Dewgong now, so there's nothing much to groom.

video;

[justanexpression]

Wasn't really planning on 'cute' when I got up today, you know?

[yoctogram]

Yes.

[Sho pulled out his Pokedex and turned it about so that Jack could see it]

See?

[akito]

Ah, really?

We've been here since the ninth!

[video]

[trickyoutwice]

Well, Jack, casualties happen. Sometimes, it's just unavoidable if you wanna get something done right.

[There's a teasing tone to his voice. He doesn't particularly mind being played by the cats; it's obvious they're doing it, but hey, cats. He has a soft spot for them a mile wide, used to feed the strays back home, and pokemon aren't different enough for that to change anything about how he treats them — or lets them treat him.]

Have you named her? Hate to break it to you, I don't think you're getting rid of her any time soon.

[ video ]

[colorsofthewind]

Just giving you a present. That flower really brings out the color of your eyes. [ teasing you forever, Jack ]

I guess that's always an option. I still cast my vote for a stuffed toy of some kind, though.

[justanexpression]

We've been here a while, but I usually camp instead of staying in town, so we probably just missed each other.

[He's not always the hugest fan of the enclosed rooms, you see. Easier just to bed down and use Phil as a portable ice maker.]

[video]

[justanexpression]

[Now he laughs outright. This guy really isn't so bad. Minus the cats wanting to eat his bird, anyway.]

I'll keep that in mind, too.

Anyway, I don't want to get rid of her. I just want her to... you know... move a little. But no, I haven't named her yet. Nothing really seems to stick.

[justanexpression]

[She looks at the screen just as curiously as Jack does, trilling in approval when she sees it's her. She's apparently nearly as vain as she is hair-obsessed.]

Huh. So you already know that?

[Another trill. This one has the distinct flavor of 'duh' to it.]

[ video ]

[justanexpression]

...Just tell me it's not pink.

[She actually stops what she's doing to make the most disapproving noise ever. Of course it's not pink. Why would she choose pink? She has SO MUCH better color sense than that.]

Right. Stuffed animal. You can buy those here, right? We're outside Azalea. I don't spend much time in the shops except to grab food, so...

You don't think she's lonely, do you? Should I get another one?

[akito]

I like to stay in the town since I can keep all of my Pokémon with me and out of their Pokéballs without getting in trouble for it!

[video]

[trickyoutwice]

I could give you suggestions, but so far, I've been calling mine Things One through Thirteen.

[He hasn't exactly gotten into the spirit of being a loving caretaker to a bunch of fuzzy critters that aren't cats quite yet.]

Though if these guys could talk, they'd probably say you should call it Chow.

[justanexpression]

...You haven't been here that long. How many could you have?

[Even now, Jack only has six, and that last is thanks to Akito's gift.]

[video]

[justanexpression]

[He'll... forgive Jack for staring a little bit, hopefully?]

One through Thirteen? Really?

[akito]

...Eleven!

There's A-T, Mikura, Spitfire, Kushiro, Regalia, Atmosphere, Hanako, Kamaitachi, Kamaitachi, Nessie, and Shark.

[video]

[trickyoutwice]

[He knows how ridiculous it sounds, so any and all staring is kind of expected — and preemptively forgiven.]

Well, my partner names all of his for pretentious literary references. I kinda have to make up for it somehow.

[And so far, he's done that by putting in zero effort. It'll change eventually, but today is not that day.]

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[She grins broadly at him.]}

Hey, could be worse. At least it goes with your hair, right?

_{[IT'S A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.]}

[ video ]

[colorsofthewind]

I'm sure you can guess that no, it's not pink.

[ She ponders this a moment, before giving a nod ]

You can- they're fairly common, which makes sense considering that the pokémon are a pretty central part of the culture around here.

... Hm. I don't know. Have you tried asking her?

[justanexpression]

[He's totally not laughing at Akito right now. Nope. Totally not.]

Shark?

[video]

[justanexpression]

...Well, I guess they don't seem to mind much.

[Or they're just waiting to show their displeasure at the perfect and most embarrassing time. They are cats, after all.]

[ video ]

[justanexpression]

[Sigh. Just... sigh.]

Not yet. We were working on the 'sit anywhere else' part, first. I'll see how she acts with a stuffed animal, I guess.

[Video]

[justanexpression]

[The Swablu trills enthusiastic agreement. They go together so well!]

I guess she could be neon green or something.

[...Please don't let that give any of his friends ideas.]

[ video ]

[colorsofthewind]

All right, then. Let me know how it works out.

Are you going to name her?