<sub>[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.]</sub>

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...

<sub>[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.]</sub>

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.]}

<sub>[What tiiiiiiiiiiime is it?]

[.... GYM BATTLE TIME!]

[The feed, as often is the case whenever Heather actually films one of her battles, seems manned by the resident camera-crocodile, and airborne thanks to Honey the ever-patient Butterfree (although not quite as airborne as it was back in Violet City during the victory over Falkner-- Godzilla isn't exactly a little baby anymore...]

[Nonetheless, the fight is filled with the usual combo of snippy one-liners from Heather and NON-STOP ACTION, because man, if it's gonna be broadcast, might as well make it showy! The first half of the battle is largely dominated by Cujo-- but when Jasmine sends out her monstrous Steelix, Heather recalls the pup and turns briefly to the camera to smugly reassure the viewers--]</sub>

Cooj totally has this, but it wouldn't be fair to let him have ALL the fun, y'know?

_{[With a knowing grin, she promptly hucks a different ball onto the field-- releasing a dainty Ponyta.]}

GET 'em, Carousel!

<sub>[For something that had been a gangly little foal around Christmas, Carousel's done a lot of growing-- which is PARTICULARLY evident in the fight that she proceeds to put up against the metal snake's attacks, prancing and leaping to avoid most of the blows-- Heather had clearly been training her quite a bit during the month or so she'd been in Olivine by now.]

[Although, something a little odd-- which could of course be because of Zilla's filming, the Totodile doesn't exactly have the steadiest hands (claws?) when it comes to holding the camera... but... did Carousel suddenly get quite a bit BIGGER as she came leaping over the Steelix's flaming coils...?]


[... HUH. Well, whaddya know. What lucky timing!]

[As the Steelix comes crashing down to the Gym's sandy floor, rolling feebly to put out the flames, the audience is treated to a very artistic sideways view of the a set of long, snowy legs trotting over to their trainer, who is looking surprisingly NOT triumphant over her victory. In fact, she looks kinda... shell-shocked. Aaaand then the camera swings away again to show the defeated Gym Leader, who fortunately handles these sorts of things a LOT more gracefully than You-Know-Who in Goldenrod...]</sub>

My goodness...

_{[The camera shuffles a short distance away so it can get a good view of both trainers-- Zilla wants to give people the FULL EXPERIENCE, after all!]}


That was a quite exciting battle... Did you know your Ponyta was about to evolve?

Um...

_{[Shooting the now-Thoroughbred-sized animal beside her an unsure look, Heather startles sideways slightly when the Rapidash stretches her neck out to nose at the side of her face. Shuffling a step or two to the side, she pats Carousel's nose distractedly, more with the intention of pushing her gently away than anything else.]}

No...

Well! What a... lucky coincidence! ... I'm sure you would have done fine anyway, though... your Pokemon are quite the little spitfires! Please, um... take the Mineralbadge. You've earned it!

Thanks--!

_{[Too distracted to even snicker at the unintentional pun, Heather sloooowly steps away from the fiery unicorn and starts to head across the sand towards the camera to claim her prize-- which is where the feed cuts out.]}