47th treasure [video]

[captainash]

I can't believe I never tried this before.

['This' being... a Smeargle, apparently. A Smeargle that's standing on Ash's shoulders, about two meters away from the Pokégear. Trainer and Pokémon look at each other quickly.]

Alright, Brushy, on the count of three. One...

[Brushy stretches all his limbs, a serious look on his face. Ash grabs his Pokémon's legs, a grin on his.]

Two...

[Brushy's tail twitches. Ash's grin widens, his grip tightens.]

Three!

[That tail twitch becomes a vigorous overhead horizontal spin, and the pair goes up! ...Up!?]

Come on, let's see if we can reach that bench!

[Ash is now fully off-camera, Gear forgotten. Luckily, another member of his team takes the opportunity to turn it off.]

Comments

[meteorman]

[holy shit]

That -- did you -- did you have your Smeargle Sketch Fly?

[captainash]

Yes!

[And it was the best idea he ever had.]

I don't think he'll be moving us between cities anytime soon, but he has flying over houses and crowds down pat already. Instant shortcut anywhere in town!

[meteorman]

Or an unexpected escape route.

[Battle goes south? FLY AWAY]

[captainash]

That works too! It'll be useful if Team Rocket ever gets smarter. Who would expect a weak, move-limited wingless species to be able to pull a grown man up in the air?

[...Everyone who's seen the video, at the very least.]

[meteorman]

If they ever get smarter. Frankly I highly doubt that's a possibility. It baffles me that a crime organization has managed to stay active for this long when none of them seem competent.

[captainash]

They have their successes and moments of competence, once in a while, but nothing that lasts long enough to explain it. Unless our arrival made that much of a difference in the locals' ability to fight back.

[meteorman]

It very well may have. I wouldn't categorize the natives of this universe as conflict-avoidant, but compared to some I've seen they tend to be less, ah... extreme. When almost all fights are settled with Pokemon battles, bringing in a large group of outsiders who have no problems simply giving a troublemaker the old left hook is bound to upset the status-quo.

[captainash]

It's too bad everyone's disarmed and deprived of their powers upon arriving. Between the mobile suits, the swords, the guns and the spells, the effect on the status-quo and Team Rocket's continued existence would have been... interesting.

[meteorman]

Interesting but perhaps too much of an upset to the social order. That kind of flux might have actually been detrimental; I understand why whatever mechanism by which this universe draws outsiders to it may include a failsafe to exclude anything too destructive.

[captainash]

That's a shame. I mean, I can understand why it would be needed, but having my mobile suit around would make travelling so much easier.

[A sympathetic noise from his side. It's okay, trainer; Brushy can help with travel plans now!]

[pipers_son]

Amazin' what Pokemon can learn that, huh?

[captainash]

It sure is! I mean, I knew Brushy could theoritically sketch nearly every move, but I wasn't expecting... well, that.

[pipers_son]

So any other heights ya plan on reachin'?

[badumtish]

[captainash]

Our next goals will be to fly over Mt. Mortar and surf all the way to Cianwood, of course. I wouldn't settle for anything less.

[Brushy would, though, if his sudden panicked shrieks are any indication.]

[pipers_son]

[Joker hides his snort into one hand.]

I think that might a bit too hot ta handle for yer friend there.

[captainash]

I have complete faith in his ability to handle both trips.

[A beat.]

I mean, my arms aren't strong enough to last for such a long flight, and I'd lose my balance and drown before even reaching the Whirlpool Islands, but I'm sure he could do it.

[pipers_son]

Well, that's why ya prepare innit? Wear a life jacket!

[captainash]

That'll save me from drowning, but it won't do a thing for my poor arms. ...If I were to attach a swing to his legs, though...

[Ash no.]

[pipers_son]

...Think he can keep it up in the air?

[captainash]

Maybe, depending on the way it's installed, its weight and how much he can train his lower body muscles. I'd have to try to know for sure, though.

[pipers_son]

I'd be interested in seein' that trainin' regimen, ha!

[captainash]

So many hours spent hanging off monkey bars, with heavier objects attached to his legs each day. If no one call the cops to report a suspicious man hanging around children's parks along the way, of course.

[pipers_son]

See, that's when ya get someone with a Zoroark ta cover it up for ya~.

[captainash]

I should get one of my own to train, really. Full-time access automatically included, plus their ability has plenty of potential uses.

[pipers_son]

And they're great company, too! Once they pretend ta be human, ya never know what conversations yer gonna get!

[captainash]

Sounds interesting! ...And terrifying, if it leads to a Zoroark/Chatot vocabulary-building team-up.

[pipers_son]

....I mean. Do ya got a Chatot?

[captainash]

A very clever one that hears a sentence once and brings it out three years later. A delightful little bird, that one.

[pipers_son]

Well, I got a pair of Zoroark, and I'm sure they'd love a new buddy ta chat with....

[captainash]

Interesting. But does their trainer want a colorful little bird that repeats anything it hears at the most inconvenient times?

[pipers_son]

I'm a performer! What do I got ta hide?

[captainash]

The secrets of your shows, exactly what you think of that regular heckler in the fourth row and the location of the last cookie in the house, of course.

[pipers_son]

Well there'd have ta be a bit more ta figurin' all that out besides just a bit of listenin~. Although I welcome a try, ha!

[captainash]

Enough to welcome a nosy, talky bird into your home, with all the egging on Zoroarks that would entail? Bold words. Famous last words, even.

[pipers_son]

Well, I'm technically already dead, so my famous last words've already been said~.

[captainash]

That just means you get to have a second set, with the knowledge that historians will argue about which ones are true and valid for decades. ...Which is a decent reason to go through with it, now that I think about it.

[pipers_son]

Well, confusin' people from the future does seem like my idea of a fun time~...

[captainash]

It's an absolute delight. Especially in a manner that so few could replicate, or would want to replicate for that matter.

[pipers_son]

Then it looks like we're decided~.