~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

Action

[ladyofluminosity]

[Wow, that is a giant Pokemon, it looks pretty similar to Martha as wel--]

Armin? Armin, is that you up there?

Action

[tinytactician]

[Armin is lost in thought for the moment, so it's actually Murgatroyd the Cherubi -- who's frolicking along Gertrude's back -- who notices Lux first, launching himself at her with a gleeful "Biiii!!".

That gets Armin's attention, and his grim expression melts away.] Lux! Hello!

Video

[all_onis_are_true]

I was intending on doing so, but only because Takuro was insistent for some reason.

Action

[ladyofluminosity]

[Whoa, something flying toward her! She braces herself for impact, ready to catch Murgatroyd if needed.]

What are you doing up there?

Video

[heartstorage]

I was thinking of it...

[...]

You okay, Armin?

[YOU HAVE THIS...BROOD AURA]

Action

[tinytactician]

[Fortunately Murgatroyd is very small and bouncy, nuzzling against Lux's chest and making happy burble sounds. Murgatroyd is a ladies man.

Armin shrugs a little, trying and failing to keep from looking gloomy.] Thinking. Want to come up?

Video

[tinytactician]

I'm fine.

[LIES. The babies are distressed.]

Why do you want to? Be in the tournament, I mean.

Video

[tinytactician]

Really? Did you ask why?

Video

[heartstorage]

[BLATANT LIES. But at least he'll answer the question]

Well...it's a chance to prove ourselves, right? And it might fun to see how my Pokemon and I compare to other trainers!

[ voice ]

[makeitquick]

I'm going for it.

Action

[ladyofluminosity]

[Lux doesn't even pick up on that. Camille, however, grabs him by the stem with her mouth and escorts him away from her friend's bosom. No boobies for you, Murgatroyd.]

Sure, I'd love to.

video;

[sturzflug]

Not me. Sounds dumb as hell.

Video

[all_onis_are_true]

If I had to take a wild guess based on what I've observed of him, I believe he thinks it'll boost my self-esteem a bit if I actually have an experience where I'm commanding my own Pokemon.

video;

[tinytactician]

[Jean's bluntness is...actually appreciated for once, wow. Armin smiles a little.]

Hello to you too. Why do you say that?

Action

[tinytactician]

[B-But boobies. D: Murgatroyd makes a sad woeful sound, flopping against Camille woefully.

Armin, unaware of his tiny Cherubi pervert's activities, gently pats the Steelix on the head and murmurs to her. Gertrude grumbles a bit, but tips her head to make it easier for Armin to reach down and help Lux up.] Watch your step.

Re: Video

[tinytactician]

Ah. Yes.

[Wait for it...] Um. W-Who is Takuro?

[ voice ]

[tinytactician]

[It takes him a moment to recognize the voice, but then --]

Oh! Oh, hello. I never asked, what sort of Pokemon friends do you have?

Re: Video

[tinytactician]

...I suppose so. It seems dangerous though.

[Armin is wearing his Disapproving Face.]

[all_onis_are_true]

...Ah.

[He angles the Warp Band down. There's an Axew standing next to him, who mugs for the camera a bit. Hiroshi angles the camera back up.]

That's Takuro.

[ voice ]

[makeitquick]

Most reliable one's Sneak, who's a ghost.

Then there's Tiny, who's an Aron, a Magnemite I don't really get along with - those're those floating metal eyes you've seen around a little since the quakes, Slugger who.. I'll get on video in a bit [ NOT SURE WHAT THE SPECIES IS CALLED... ] and Lurks, who's apparently a "Croagunk." Guess I happened to get two babies recently too.

Video

[heartstorage]

Yeah, but so's training outside the Wall! Here at least there'll be referees and rules to make sure it doesn't get too outta hand!

Action

[ladyofluminosity]

[Strangely enough, as if she's done this before, she doesn't need much help climbing up, setting her hand in his but managing to pull herself up on her own. She rests a hand on Gertrude.]

Thank you very much.

video;

[sturzflug]

They're crazy jerks. They attacked our city then they think "oops, our bad" is enough to fix it? And then they want us to give us their weird torture machines back?

Why should we even do anything these bastards say?

video;

[tinytactician]

Their methods for training Pokemon are also...outdated.

[Armin huffs out a sigh, propping his chin in one hand.] Because there's more of them. It's simple numbers.

[Pause while the baby Espurr slooooowly pokes her head into the frame, accompanied by a gleeful-looking baby Mareep. Photobombing!]

Action

[tinytactician]

[Gertrude mumbles in her sleep. Armin looks impressed -- also filthy, like he's been sleeping outside.]

Have you met any other Steelix? There were probably others in the caves that were found...