foolishwren | 109. [Video/Action for Mahogany] Mid-afternoon on the 10th

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109. [Video/Action for Mahogany] Mid-afternoon on the 10th

_{[clop clop CLOP CLOP CLOP CLOP CLOP CLOP]

[A set of creamy hooves trot past, stirring up dust and leaves on the forest path, before the camera is adjusted by a big scaly blue hand-- and then, after a moment's though, plopped into the hand-owner's lap. It's a Croconaw, judging by the legs crossed in the bottom of the camera's view.]

[And the fiery hindquarters of a Rapidash and its rider are just visible, disappearing up the path.]}

She's getting much better, isn't she?

_{[The voice, which to human ears sounds only like a few happy chirps (but will be perfectly understandable to any Pokemon), belongs to someone off-camera-- and is answered by a much louder rumbling growl that is clearly coming from the camera-holding Croconaw.]}

I dunno... she's bouncing a lot, and when Carousel stops she pitches forward really sharply. She could fall off. And... and she's been so jumpy after she came awake in the middle of the night like that... I'm worried. Maybe I should...

_{[A tiny brown paw appears and pats the Croconaw's knee comfortingly.]}

Don't, she'll be fine! Carousel will take care of her. Just enjoy the nice weather!

_{[The speaker, a little Eevee with enormous flop-ears, pads into view and then stretches out on her belly in a dappled patch of sunlight, evidently happy as a clam. A rumbling, reluctant sigh follows from the Croconaw.]}

But... I... well, okay...

_{[Then he trails off into silence. They're apparently sitting on some pine-needle-covered boulders in the forested paths just north of Mahogany. The camera rolls in silence for some time, during which any Pokemon wanting to talk to Cheryl the Eevee or Godzilla the Croconaw will be answered!]

[Around fifteen minutes later, though, the hoofbeats sound again and the Rapidash comes trotting back into view with Heather aboard her back, holding onto a pair of makeshift reins. She's bareback but straightbacked and keeping steady-- well, until Carousel comes to a halt anyway. Then she can't help but pitch forward slightly before righting herself.]}

Whoof. Thanks for waiting, guys-- ... what, were you recording the scenery or something?

_{[She dismounts and takes the camera from Godzilla, giving his spiny crest a pat before lifting it up to her face. It's ruddy from the exercise, but there's also some dark, bruised-looking shadows under her eyes. Like many... she apparently did not sleep well last night. But when she speaks, her voice is the usual I-dare-you-to-question-my-enthusiasm volume. Because everything's totally okay, right? Everything's super duper okay right now.]}

This has been the Forest Zen Channel with Heather and Co. Hope we helped you all feel super tranquil and shit. Peace!

_{[Boop, end feed.]}

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[Course it is! Everything is super duper okay as hell. Ignore the dark circles under Blake's eyes or the way he keeps throwing glances at the Gallade sitting cross-legged beside him.]

[He ignores the chirping animals until he hears a familiar voice.]

Hey, Heather. [He lifts a hand in groggy greeting.] Been a while.

How's the horse?

Oh, hey. I see you got outta jail in one piece.

_{[Not that she ever doubted that... Poke-jail doesn't exactly seem hardcore, considering most of the people who go to it seem to be in for jaywalking more often than murder or arson.]}

She's good.

_{[She gives the mare a pat on the neck, getting a whicker in return.]}

Probably ready to get a decent drink, though, we were out longer than normal today.

Yeah, it's not so tough once you figure out the magic butterfly gang hierarchy. [He shoes his hand through his hair. It doesn't look real combed.] Nah, you know what they made me do? Pick up trash by the side of the road. Honest to god.

[He shifts his jacket on his shoulders.] I still don't trust riding on anything that's on fire.

Can that thing even drink water? Doesn't that put its head out?

[Shaun's starter, miss Susie the Floatzel, is the one to be intrigued by what they're saying.]

Trainer Shaun's been waking in the night more often lately... He's never slept well, but it's been worse for a few days. Maybe they're coming down with something?

_{[She snorts-- both at his description of jail and at the question.]}

She doesn't need to dunk her entire HEAD in to drink. Her mouth isn't on fire, y'know.

_{[As for trusting things on fire... well, she's still working on that part...]}

_{[The camera turns around clumsily-- now there's a worm's-eye view of the Croconaw's face, although his rather ample belly takes up a good deal of the bottom of the screen.]}

Our trainer... ALWAYS wakes up in the night. Sometimes more than once! ... But... yeah, this last one was...

_{[He trails off there, not sure whether he should bring up details... not that any human probably cares (or REALIZES) that Pokemon can spread secrets to each other, but somehow talking about it still felt like a betrayal.]}

[Susie glances offscreen, where Shaun is bent over his sketchbook with crayons scribbling away. The fact that he doesn't seem to notice and/or care about what she's doing is telling of his mental state. She knows he draws when he's upset...

...and boy has that sketchbook been seeing a lot of use lately. She turns back to her fellow water-type with a firm nod. She definitely understands not bringing up details, even if she knew all the details of Shaun's last dream. He's been quiet and withdrawn in a way that he hasn't been since she was still a Buizel and they were alone on Route 29.]

That's the same as Trainer Shaun.

I just...worry.

Trainer Shaun calls me Susie, by the way. It's nice to meet you.

Yeah, yeah. Just don't try to brush her. I think that's how the Chicago fire started.

[Blake's distracted. He looks over at the Gallade to make sure it's still there. That it is doesn't make him feel any better.]

[He cocks his head.] You been doing okay?

[She'll come back to find Harry has located her pokemon and her. Also part of the did not sleep well club. He offers a smile though, because dad's always have to look like they're not tired, or something like that.]

You could start selling nature footage.

[It takes a while for the Oddish to get the 'gear working properly, but eventually her feet get the work done.]

U-uhmn... I haven't known my trainer very long, but she doesn't sleep well, either! Do you think it's normal for trainers...?

_{[The Croconaw lifts a pudgy, scaled hand and waves a little, almost shyly.]}

My trainer calls me 'Zilla'...

_{[He's been leaving off the 'God' part. Because he realized awhile back that THAT SOUNDED PRETTY EGOTISTICAL. And might give off the wrong impression. :c]

[A furry brown head pokes into the frame as well, batting a tiny pink-padded paw.]}

And I'm Cheryl. Nice to meet you, Susie.

_{[Another snort. She's pretty sure no Rapidash has ever seen the streets of Chicago. But the mental image is great.]}

Yeah, fine.

Little overtired, but what else is new.

_{[Actually, she didn't start being overtired until sometime last night. She'd been doing okay for awhile there... no nightmares aside from the usual ones. And then something new had struck out of the blue.]

[But she's not about to say any of that.]}

Yeah, maybe I'll send Zilla to go sit by a stream and record babbling brook noises for two hours.

Then we can make copies and sell them on a loop to stressed-out yuppies.

_{[Cheryl toddles over to rub against Harry's legs in greeting.]}

_{[The Croconaw's bulky brow creases in thought.]}

... I don't THINK so... but... well, now that I think of it... neither she OR Trainer-Father or Sleeping Bag Trainer sleep very well... maybe it IS normal.

Oh... [She was really hoping this was normal.] I guess it's not easy to just ask them. They might not want to talk about it, either... I don't think I would, i-if I had nightmares.

Do they even have those here?

Stressed out yuppies, I mean.

[Cheryl gets all the headpats.]

[If it did, somebody'd try to catch it and sell it to the circus.]

Yeah. Everybody looks pretty beat today. Must be a bug going around.

[God knows Blake looks like crap, but he's not exactly fresh as a daisy at the best of times.]

[Susie's worried expression softened into the more friendly one you'd expect from a Floatzel. She waves at the two pokemon.]

Zilla and Cheryl. I'll remember you!

I think... that the trainers might be more resilient than we give them credit for. We just have to be there when they need us, and they'll be okay.

Edited (forgot to bold) 2013-10-14 06:16 (UTC)

[A huge Tyranitar face is taking up the entire screen; Chimera's looking down at the camera, since he can't hold it and had to put it on the ground. He looks worried.]

Your trainer was also having nightmares? Mine did, and so did his mate. I hope it doesn't keep happening, he's been very unhappy today...

_{[The Croconaw looks slightly put-out.]}

I HAVE asked her!

She... she just assumes I'm hungry and want food.

_{[In all fairness, his behavior as a hatchling and 'toddler' hadn't exactly set a good precedent for selfless tendencies, so Heather's assumption isn't without basis.]}

Have you tried asking in people talk?

[Because that'd be impressive, ngl.]

'Course they do.

You have any idea how many of 'em I had to deal with back when I worked at the Goldenrod Department Store?

_{[She imitates a nasal, high-pitched voice.]}

So can you tell me if these Super Potions are organic?

Y'think so? Well, 'tis the season, I guess.

_{[It had better not be. If it is, she probably caught it from Henry. He's always kind of sickly. She'll have to punch him in the shoulder later. >8I]

[At that point, Carousel gives her a gentle but insistent nudge on the shoulder, and Heather rolls her eyes.]}

All right, all right, I know, you're thirsty. C'mon, there's a stream down the path.

_{[She starts to head in that direction, but glances curiously at Blake over her shoulder.]}

What're you doin' out here anyway? Didn't think you were the type for nature walks.

That's what I keep telling him.

_{[The Eevee dabs gently at Godzilla's arm with one paw, patting it. But he protests--]}

Well, YEAH, but... what if we CAN'T be there? That's what I'M worried about!

Yours too?

_{[It seems a lot of trainers are having nightmares. This is VERY ALARMING to Godzilla. What if it's some kind of epidemic?]}

I... I mean, she has nightmares a LOT, but... but she doesn't USUALLY get shaken up... n-not like this.

_{[Nightmares are a regularity in the Team Silent hotel room. But it's all usually blown over by morning...]}

[Chimera nods, looking thoughtful. He's worried too; his trainer already doesn't sleep enough, what if it gets worse?]

I wish there was something we could do...what if it happens again?

[He pauses a few moments for some THINKING.]

Maybe a psychic type would help? I'm sure if they were asked very nicely they could do something.

_{[At that, the Croconaw just sort of stares blankly.]}

... you mean how trainers talk?

How am I supposed to do THAT?

_{[He has literally never witnessed any Pokemon speak human language before. .... Well. Except for Wren. But Wren doesn't count. All she does is scream 'FUCKHOLE' at unsuspecting strangers and then cackle like an old crone. And sometimes fly away with their jewelry.]}

I don't know! My trainer was watching a box, and the pokemon in that could talk like them. My trainer said it would be really useful if I could do that... It's really hard, though. I can't make the sounds like them at all. I thought maybe you could.

_{[There's a pause.]}

... We don't... have any Psychic types.

... WELL, there's that ... Wobuffet and Wynaut that Trainer just got, but they're new and I don't trust them, they seem irresponsible.

_{[Spoken like a true fogey. Even the eternally-patient Eevee sort of rolls her eyes a little.]}

_{[He looks dubious.]}

Oh, I know the box you're talking about... but lots of silly things happen on that.

One time there was a human in a cape flying around, but everybody knows trainers can't learn Fly.

Oh... I didn't know that. [Pause.] A-about the silly things! Not the thing about trainers.

[...She actually didn't know that either, but he said everyone knows that, she doesn't want to look like a foolish lab pokemon...!]

_{[Despite his best efforts, Godzilla can still be a bit of a snoot sometimes. Old habits die hard.]}

Yeah, Trainer watches it a lot at night.

It's all really silly, really.

_{[He says this as if he didn't spent half of his babyhood parked in front of the damn thing watching Barnaby the Shiny Charizard.]}

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109. [Video/Action for Mahogany] Mid-afternoon on the 10th

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