[004 - Action]

[ember_celica]

[Yang is in a park in the business district, leaning against the wall of one of the towers. While she does, she's idly tossing a ball up into the air, doing some impromptu juggling. While she does, though, a baby Mankey is crawling around.]

Awright, Punchy!

[She cheers at him. He barely walks, before he stumbles over onto his face.]

You can do it! Learn to walk! Go go go! C'mon!

[And the Mankey... stumbles over. Again. Yang's grin turns sheepish.]

...'kay, so I guess cheering you isn't magically teaching you to walk well all the time. Good to know!

Comments

[a_gentle_boy]

[Piyo looks vaguely annoyed, anyway, but Lucas will pat her on the head a few times to ameliorate any offense.]

Eheh... Right.

How long have the two of you been trying?

[ember_celica]

Just the last hour! So, you know, no reason to worry yet!

[a_gentle_boy]

Maybe it might help to try an incentive. Like... food or a toy or something. If you hold it out above him.

[ember_celica]

Huh... that's a good idea. Lemme see, here.

[Yang fishes around in her things, before she pulls out a wrapped up piece of candy. She nods and holds it up in front of the Mankey. He looks up at her, expectantly.]

Now... walk!

[Punchy stays put. So does Yang, which might be why.]

...come on, Punchy! Walk!

[a_gentle_boy]

[Lucas watches these proceedings for a few moments before hesitantly trying -- ]

Does he... actually understand what you're saying yet?

[ember_celica]

That... that might be a good point. When do they start learning that? Do you know?

[a_gentle_boy]

Um... Not really. We can sort of communicate without words, so it didn't really come up for me.

What if you walked in front of him holding it up?

[ember_celica]

Hey, yeah. Good idea, kid! Let's see...

[Yang does that. She's careful; Punchy takes to it, in fact, and in short order, she lets his arms go -- and then he's walking on his own for a few steps, before he stumbles. But then he's trying again.]

Awright! Go Punchy!

[a_gentle_boy]

I think he understands!

[Lucas looks excited as well and takes a few steps closer.]

I wonder if this is how Pokemon parents do it... Or maybe the children just figure it out themselves eventually.

[ember_celica]

I think they must, you know? Figure it out on their own. Seems like it'd be .easiest for them!

[a_gentle_boy]

Well. I guess we might be rushing things a bit, but it can't hurt to learn earlier, right?

If you give him the treat as a reward, maybe he'll follow it even better next time.

[ember_celica]

Oh, man, that's a great idea! He likes candy, but... I think I gotta give him something else, you know?

[a_gentle_boy]

...Ba...nan --

[Probably not.]

...The big Pokemon store in the Business District sells a lot of things for young Pokemon. I spent a lot of time there when Piyo first hatched.

[ember_celica]

Hey, I bet I could get a buncha stuff for my crew there! And I'm gonna have a baby Pikachu soon, too, you know?

[She grins brightly at that.]

So I'll need extra treats and toys too.

[a_gentle_boy]

A baby Pikachu? Those are the rare electric types out in the woods, right...?

How do you know what's in the egg already? Is there a way to tell?

[ember_celica]

Well... no, but me and a friend traded eggs our Pokémon had, and I have a good feeling!

[a_gentle_boy]

Oh, I see. ...I've never thought about doing that before! It would be like... trading Pokemon you don't want to actually give away. And you'd always think of your friend when you saw the baby, too.

[ember_celica]

Exactly! It's the sadness free option!

[a_gentle_boy]

That's really cool! Maybe I should try it, too...

[Lucas glances at Togepi meaningfully, who blinks back with her innocent baby Pokemon eyes.]

Er.

Probably with someone else.

...Actually, they're OK with it, right? It feels a little weird to tell my Pokemon to go... make eggs.

[ember_celica]

[For once, Yang looks a little serious.]

I thought about that. I think they are. They didn't seem to mind, and... I think it's how they're just kinda different than us, in some ways.

Different values, you know?

[a_gentle_boy]

[Lucas looks down at his... egg Pokemon again.]

I guess it's still a mystery, too, how it happens. I mean... maybe it's not what we think it is at all.

[Maybe the Egg Fairy brings them to Pokemon who become really close friends!!!]

1/2

[ember_celica]

[...wait does he not know how--]

[BIRDS AND BEES]

[WHAT DO]

2/2

[ember_celica]

[Then Yang laughs nervously like an idiot and takes a couple of steps back, holding both her hands up in the air.]

S-Sure, yeah, no clue, I'm sure it just... happens by magic or something, they'll explain some day, don't sweat it, sport, how about this weather!

[a_gentle_boy]

[????????]

Um.

The weather is... nice.

I think it's getting warmer. It's been pretty cold this winter.

[????????]

[ember_celica]

Heck yeah it's nice!

[D-Disengaged...?]