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 ]

[justanexpression]

Will do, first thing.

[A name. Now there's another problem. He tries to look up at the bird again, but again fails.]

Yeah, but I haven't figured out anything that fits yet. The rest of my team were pretty easy, but not her.

[She croons. He's such a sweet-talker, her boy.]

[ video ]

[colorsofthewind]

Hm. Perhaps you should name her after a flower?

[akito]

Un! Shark!

[ WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT, HUH? He'll call Shark over, too, and hold him up for Jack to see. It's obvious that the Gible is based in some ways off of a shark. ]

He looks like one, see?

[ and Akito gets his face licked for his trouble. ]

[video]

[trickyoutwice]

[Biding their time and plotting is very likely, this is true. Niou probably feeds them enough ridiculously overpriced seafood that they're willing to tolerate the super lame names for that alone, though.]

Pretty sure they like it better than stuff like Cernunnos and Narcissus.

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[That might actually be appreciated. Being lost in the woods for a week and a half has left him severely fun deprived.]

Why? Worried about her overhearing and getting ideas?

[justanexpression]

He, uh... [He snickers at the face licking.] He looks friendly.

[video]

[justanexpression]

Cer... what?

[He's not even sure he can pronounce that name. Narcissus he knows, sure, but only from the early-blooming flowers with that name.]

Think there's a middle ground, maybe?

[ video ]

[justanexpression]

[That gets Talim a flat look that's doing its best not to be amused. It's slowly failing.]

Gonna go with no on that, but thanks.

[video]

[justanexpression]

[Try being lost in the woods for half a month with a guy who talks mostly in math. Maybe they could share horror stories.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. Like a survivor's group.]

...No. [Yes.]

[ video ]

[colorsofthewind]

Oh come on! It's a good suggestion.

[akito]

No, he's really mean and super vicious.

[ says this with a straight face, even as Shark licks him again. ]

[video]

[trickyoutwice]

Sure, but then it'd be leaning too much toward the pretentious references side. Gotta average it out, right? Too much effort and the house'll be full of nothing but Shakespeare and stuff you can't even pronounce.

[The smile he gives Jack is downright conspiratorial.]

Gotta save the world from that, right?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Or orange.

Or blaring chartreuse.

Or salmon pink.

It could be so much worse.

[rapid_dash]

...My only question here is— can y'tell the thing t'sit on other people's heads?

[justanexpression]

Uhhuh. I can see that.

[video]

[justanexpression]

[Jack can't help but chuckle over that line of logic. It's certainly not wrong, but it is unusual.]

Think it might be too late to save the world from Shakespeare.

[ video ]

[justanexpression]

[He points accusingly at the screen. It's somewhat less effective with a fluff-bird on his head.]

You just want her to do this more often.

[Video]

[justanexpression]

Okay, okay! I get it.

[He shudders] Pink.

[justanexpression]

I...

[He face goes blank as thoughts of revenge flit through his head.]

I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.

[trickyoutwice]

You mean he's already escaped from his cage in the fiery pits of Mount Doom?

[Niou's shock is entirely feigned, but he's a pretty good actor even when he's not trying all that hard. Anyone not looking too closely might think it was real.]

[justanexpression]

[Between the acting and the Mount Doom reference going straight over Jack's head, Niou just ended up with one confused kid blinking at him.]

Huh?

[rapid_dash]

You've got perfect material for messin' with some people, yo!

[trickyoutwice]

Shakespeare. Loose on the world, ravenous hellbeast, imminent doom?

[He figures it's pretty believable after some of the worlds he's heard about.]

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Well, let's not be hasty... pink can be done well...

... But yeah, not on you, agreed.

[justanexpression]

I don't remember him being that bad.

[The guy, that is. Or the plays. They were kind of fun to watch sometimes. He's never read them, though, which is probably the difference."