~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

[sturzflug]

Shut the hell up!

[tinytactician]

I didn't say anything!

[sturzflug]

I can tell what you're thinking, and it ain't funny, okay!?

[tinytactician]

...you can? Really? I didn't know you were a Psychic type too!

[That would be a sick burn if...Armin weren't totally serious, oops.]

[sturzflug]

Savior, you're a dumbass. I didn't mean literally. I just meant-- that look on your face is obvious enough, alright??!

[ Now Jean feels really dumb. ]

[tinytactician]

I am not. It isn't my fault you're unclear.

[Ug, Jean, you're so rude.]

[sturzflug]

[ The rudest child. The rudest. ]

Armin, look at me. Do I look like a psychic-type to you? I've got wings and feathers comin' outta my ears.

[tinytactician]

[Squealing raging rudeass baby~]

You could be a dual type! That's entirely possible!

[sturzflug]

I... guess? But I've known I was Enlightened since I was born-- something woulda happened by now.

[ Don't tell him he's just 'Normal' he'll feel less special. ]

[tinytactician]

It could be a latent secondary trait? Like for Ralts's, how some males can still evolve into Gardevoirs!

[Is he helping yet?]

[sturzflug]

I really doubt it. Plus, I'm not gonna turn into a Gardevoir! Ralts actually start psychic. I'm. Flying. Nothing else.

Hell, I'm barely that. It's not like I can fly.

[tinytactician]

You might. Genetics are a very complex and tricky thing, you know!

...you can't fly? [Armin is literally the only person who will look sympathetic rather than amused. Well. More sympathetic than amused at any rate.]

[sturzflug]

Uh, yeah? My wings are too small... They're kinda just fluffy and useless.

[ It's a sore point. The sympathy is the only reason Jean answered with something that wasn't him being snippy. ]

I mean I'm faster than your average person, maybe a little lighter, but as far as Enlightened skills go, I'm kinda the bottom of the barrel here.

[tinytactician]

Oh...but...but you're still growing! Have you had any evolutions yet?

[sturzflug]

Nah, not really. I dunno if I will, though? It's weird. Enlightened don't have as much info as pokemon do, so I dunno if I'll ever evolve past this or not.

It'd be cool to get cooler wings... but I've been waiting on 'em for a while. I ain't getting my hopes up.

[tinytactician]

Which is really a shame, considering how many Enlightened there are in Union. Someone really needs to write a comprehensive guide. [Someone with a mind for SCIENCE.]

Maybe it'll be like the evolution from Magikarp to Gyrados. Maybe you'll grow ten more feet. I think that's proportionally accurate.

[sturzflug]

Yeah, maybe someone oughta do that... I dunno, I'm not an egghead, but it seems like something the council should get on, huh?

[ Shudder. ]

I really hope not. I wanna be cool and all, but something that different would kinda freak me out.

[tinytactician]

I've never understood that term, really. What do eggs and intelligence have to do with one another?

[That gets a gigglesnerk.]

You could end up with twenty-foot-in-diameter wings, then?

[sturzflug]

Uhhh... Eggs are high in... protein? if you've got a lot of protein, then you've got a big brain or something?

[ He's bullshitting 100%. ]

I guess so? I mean, I'm lighter than most people, so they wouldn't have to be super huge, but I remember I did the math or something at some point and it was kinda crazy.

[tinytactician]

Ohhh, of course. [Armin will accept this, but lbr, he's just impressed Jean knows that eggs have protein.]

The math and science don't hold up too well with many Pokemon, though. They defy our logic. Isn't that wonderful?

[sturzflug]

[ Of course he does, Jean's mom makes the best eggs in the city! ]

I guess so? I mean, if I do evolve, I'd like it to be something convenient. I don't wanna sprout wings so big I can't walk through doors or whatever.

[ These are things he's really thought about. ]

[tinytactician]

Ah, yes, that's a valid concern. Perhaps they'll come with some degree of flexibility, though I suppose that's directly correlated to your current level, of course...has anyone ever examined your current wings?

[And, judging by the sliiiiightly-too-interested look, do you need someone to?]

[sturzflug]

N-not... really? I mean, I have 'em looked at every time I go in for a checkup like anyone else, but I dunno if they've been specifically examined or whatever...

[tinytactician]

It could be useful. Perhaps there are clues within their structure as to the ultimate evolved form.

[sturzflug]

I feel like I'd know if there was.... I mean some pokemon don't even evolve, so it's not like I can say for sure.