~05; action | video

[tinytactician]

[Action]

[Oh look, it's everyone's favorite earnest, well-meaning, kind-to-all-living-creatures blond kiddo, just chilling in the park with his Pokemon buddies...

...including the absolutely enormous Steelix who's dozing and giving out gravelly snores. In fact, Armin and his little Pokemon friends -- including Nim the Mareep baby and the just-recently-hatched Espurr baby who insists on being held at all moments -- are sitting on top of Gertrude-the-Steelix's head. So anyone trying to approach...best tread lightly.

Armin is clearly in a mood.]

[Video]

[Not so much that he doesn't turn on his Warp Band and ask, shortly, with one of the most grim expressions he's ever worn:] Is anyone signing up for this Tournament?

[...the creepycute baby Espurr sort of ruins his brooding aura, tbh.]

Comments

[ video]

[makeitquick]

[ She shifts the video back to herself now to better see his own video - but the camera is still off-center and given how close she has it pulled to her face it's probably as off as this current icon. Oops. But then she walks away from the Charmander, just... in case it can hear in it's sleep ]

Out in the Scorched Forest. I guess its parents must not have been fully evolved, because I think they got eaten.

[ video]

[tinytactician]

[Cue horrified look.]

Oh no. Poor thing! Was it still in an egg, or had it hatched?

[ video]

[makeitquick]

Kinda... both? I think it had started to hatch but stopped for some reason, unless Charmander eggs normally have the tails sticking out.

[ Which hell, maybe they do. She doesn't know ]

[ video]

[tinytactician]

Hmmm... [BACK TO THE BOOK, flipping through the pages rapidly.] It...doesn't say anything about their hatching habits. Perhaps their tails hatch first, so the flame has oxygen to keep it going?

In any case, it's definitely a good thing that you found it.

[all_onis_are_true]

[He shakes his head.]

Quite all right. The situation was... uncomfortable. May I ask why you were asking about the tournament, by the way?

video;

[sturzflug]

They sure do....

[ Jean is so unenthusiastic about that. It's been one static zap after another. ]

I'm just lucky she's still too weak to paralyze me or anything, now that would suck.

[tinytactician]

Because...because I think it's a bad idea.

video;

[tinytactician]

You just have to teach her differently, that's all. [Armin says this like it ain't no thing -- probably because his own Mareep is gentle and friendly, crawling around on his shoulder and nibbling at his hair.]

[all_onis_are_true]

[Well, that catches his attention. Hiroshi and Takuro look at each other, then back at Armin.]

What leads you to that conclusion?

video; GO TO THE DOCTOR, JOLEE

[sturzflug]

I'll try... Ugh, worst case, I'll just hand her off to my ma.

[ At least Milly seems to have no problem... falling asleep on Jean. ]

[tinytactician]

[Armin shrugs a little, fidgeting with his hair.]

We...don't know very much about this "Team Evolution". It doesn't seem wise to pit ourselves -- and our Pokemon -- against them.

UR NOT MY REAL MOM

[tinytactician]

[Have a frowny-face, but Armin has Parental Abandonment Issues, so ignore him.]

...well. How goes the whole... [Vague handwave.] Ranger. Thing.

YOU'LL DO AS YOU'RE TOLD, YOUNG LADY

[sturzflug]

Well, Eren got me to apply. I dunno how the application's gonna go yet, but my record's better than his, so it should be a piece of cake.

Action

[ladyofluminosity]

She is.

Can I ask you a question?

Re: Action

[tinytactician]

Of course. You can ask me anything.

Action

[ladyofluminosity]

Have you been taking care of yourself all right?

/cries

[tinytactician]

I'm sure you'll all do fine. You're more than qualified, and courageous enough.

Action

[tinytactician]

[Pause that is juuuust a bit too long.]

I...yes?

[ video]

[makeitquick]

Oh, that's a legit theory. Particularly if they die without them - no use burning themselves before they get out. ... But yeah, the little guy really lucked out for me to find 'em. [ A beat ] Or well, Slugger to, more like.

[all_onis_are_true]

It is just a tournament, is it not? Surely they have to act within the rules of the tournament. And it's just a friendly competition.

[tinytactician]

[Have a frown.] Do you really believe that?

[ video]

[tinytactician]

Yes, they're quite vulnerable at that age. Lots of larger Pokemon prey on the babies. Do you know what you're going to name him?

[all_onis_are_true]

Should I have reason to believe otherwise? The Council okayed this, did it not?

[ video]

[makeitquick]

No idea. For either him or for her-

[ And then she shifts the camera again - to focus on a rather contended looking female Machop baby who is wearing a King's Rock which is ill fitting on her head ]

Got any ideas?

[sturzflug]

Aw man. Th-thanks, Armin. I dunno about courageous, I'm pretty much a huge fucking coward, let's be honest.