Twelfth Sacrament: Ice Cream

[11121_assumption]

[ Hello Network, there are three birds sat in front of your screen. In the middle is a Xatu with vivid red markings around her eyes, flanked either side by a Honchkrow and a Decidueye. It seems the Xatu is going to be doing most of the talking thanks to her psychic abilities, although it's the Honchkrow who greets the Gear first with a nod. ]

Hello. My name is Wisdom; this is Darkness and Reed. Our trainer is Walter Sullivan. It is unknown when he first came into his first world. His parents did not care to take note of it, or of him. Like ice cream, left under the sun. Very soft and melty. But still good. Especially when you re-chill it.

We have taken him as our own, and put him in the fridge. He is still soft and melty. But we are very proud of our soft ice cream and his accomplishments. Very proud.

[ The two birds either side of Wisdom gave her matching looks. Darkness clicked his beak at her. She didn't bat an eyelid but seemed to get to the point. ]

We will be celebrating his birth on the 24th of this month. We would like friends of his to come. Brilliant pancakes especially, but syrup and berries are also welcome. [ She lowered her gaze seriously. ] Trash and Receivers of Wisdom are not welcome. And will be removed, so they do not ruin the Ice Cream Sundae. Bacon should also not come, because it does not go well with ice cream. [ Darkness tested his talons and gave the camera a menacing croak. Reed made a point of showing one of his feather arrows, testing it's sharpness. A Marowak; Assumption with his distinct 'Halo of the Sun' marking; came on and said something to Wisdom. She nodded and added. ]

He will be in Ecruteak City. If you wish to attend and see him, let us know. We will find you on the day.

And if you know how to make sundaes, inform us. Because we do not know.

[ Assumption also nodded and waved to the camera. So if you want to attend Walter's Birthday Party, as arranged by his Pokemon, get in touch! Or help them arrange a party because what do birds know about parties, the answer is NOT MUCH. ]

Comments

[Video]

[notmyrealname]

[Well isn't this the cutest thing she's ever seen?

Cissnei has an amused smile on her face when she comes over the network, her Murkrow, Rue, perched on her shoulder.]

Have you decided what sort of food you're going to have? And are you planning on decorating?

[Video]

[11121_assumption]

[ Darkness hopped forward. Sadly the language barrier rendered him less eloquent but given he wasn't using psychic powers to talk, it's incredible he was understandable. He cawed to Rue in greeting, before addressing Cissnei. ]

Walter likes bakery. Snickerdoodles. Whoopies. Cookies. Donuts.

[ Wisdom closed her eyes and nodded. At the mention of decorating, she looked between her teammates. ]
No. A plain box and a sparkly box are both boxes. And when they are empty, they are thrown away. But the thing inside the box remains, if it is a good thing, otherwise it is also thrown away with the box. Or is eaten, if it is edible and delicious.

[Video]

[notmyrealname]

[Rue fluffed herself up a bit and gave a low caw in greeting, just watching this trio of birds with interest.]

I could see if there's a bakery in Ecruteak that could supply some treats for the party.

[She may not be on that side of things but she can at least do something nice for Walter.]

Fair enough. A good assortment of edible things would be a nice thing to have for the party then. Bakery items and maybe something else. Does he have a favorite dish that isn't sweet stuff?

[Video]

[11121_assumption]

[ Darkness bobbed his head. He knows the one they intend to use, it's one Walter frequents. As for how they're going to get the food...well, Darkness has his resources.

His many, many, young resources. ]

Yes! Planned.

[ But not sweets. The group looked over each other again, thinking over the suggestion. Reed, the Decidueye, shook his head and spoke to Wisdom, who relayed it to Cissnei ]

We cannot make a dinner for everyone. Different people, different times, different tastes, different options-! [ She spaced out for a little bit, visually seeing every single possibility. Give her a moment it's quite a lot. Darkness took charge again. ]

No favourite. No cooking. Take-out.
Yes. But, why is it Take-Out, when it is Called-In and Delivered? Why are ready-made sandwiches not called 'take-out'?
[ True riddles of our time. Darkness rolled his eyes. ]

[video]

[beastofasister]

Awh, really? But I'm already on the road!

[Manaka sure is pouting at this information. Why didn't anyone tell her sooner, so she could plan accordingly??]

The twenty-fourth, huh... Well, I guess that's fine. I should be able to travel back by then, even if just for a day. [In an instant, she brightens up again, back to her usual sunniness.] Okay! That means I just need to find a present on the road... Mm, that shouldn't be too hard!

[video]

[11121_assumption]

[ Wisdom nodded ]

An ice cream needs sprinkles! And we knew he would not draw attention to it himself. It has never been celebrated, so we must make our ice cream feel happy.

...Back in his world, he only has rest to look forward to. If the epilogue is written, it will be unhappy and too long. No-one wants an epilogue that long and that empty.

[beastofasister]

Mm! I bet it'll make him really happy, having people wish him a happy birthday for the first time!

[To her, birthdays are a meaningless thing. Still, she can recognize why Walter might feel that way, even if she can't understand it herself.]

Ah, but, sundaes... [With a little giggle, she says:] If you mean the literal kind, they aren't hard to make. I could show you—if there was a kitchen around, anyway...

[video]

[keep_surviving]

[There's a confused Diana trying to piece together the actual useful information from the stream of nonsense a bird just babbled.

Meanwhile, Strut and his offspring sit upon each of her shoulders. The adult Murkrow seemed to get much more out ramble. He fluffs up his feathers as he address Darkness because, well, Honchkrow.]

A feast for your trainer? Such kindness!

[video]

[11121_assumption]

[ Darkness laughed proudly and nodded to Strut, speaking in Pokemon. ]

Yes. My flock will be assisting with obtaining the food from a local bakery. From what Wisdom has seen in our trainer's past, he has never had a birthday feast. So we must rectify that. We are seeking friends of his to also come, so he may feel cared for and loved on this day.

[ Meanwhile, because she hasn't spoken, Diana has to deal with Wisdom, tilting her head at her and telepathically speaking to her. Again. At her side, Assumption was also watching Diana carefully, holding his bone club. ]

You know our trainer.

[video]

[keep_surviving]

[Strut turns to Diana to caw at her.] Walt! Walt!

That part I got. Thanks babe.

[She rolls her eyes but gives Strut an affectionate pat on the beak anyway. Before jumping at Wisdom's 'voice' and knocking Pro from his perch. An act that his father finds hilarious and Pro find indignant if their squawking is to be believed.]

Yeah, I know Walt. So his birthday's coming up?

[She eyes Assumption as her birds bicker in the background and taps at her forehead to indicate his mark.] Didn't I see you with that walking bowlcut?

[video]

[journalname]

Oh...howdy, there.

[Walter is still around? When the child vanished, Asgore thought him gone back home like the other visitors. It sat uneasily with him, a child going back to such a situation, but what could he do?

...also, he thinks he's lost track of which parts of this were ice cream metaphors and which parts literally referred to ice cream.]

Well, do you have a place for the party yet? It depends on how many guests you are expecting, but you might have to find somewhere other than where you are staying.

[video]

[11121_assumption]

We have not. Our trainer is...reclusive. We are not expecting too many guests.

[ Assumption recognised his voice. This was the big white man who had met with Walter when he had been a small child, over the weekend. He urgently tapped Wisdom and explained it to her. She straightened up. Oh! What a surprise this is! She didn't expect strangers to answer this message. Assumption gave Asgore a wave. Hello! ]

Oh! You met a young boy. But that was when past and present and future all meet and dance with space. It is the boy's twenty-fifth birthday approaching.

You were nice to him.

[journalname]

[Asgore's eyes go wide at the news.]

...goodness. Those events are strange, but I did not know that could happen. I hope that didn't bother him?

[He's not sure it would unduly for him, but. Walter's childhood sounds like a hot mess.]

[Video]

[badluckbabe]

[Jinx may only know Walter through Diana, but this is too weird for her not to question.]

OK...this is super weird to me and that's ontop of all the other super weird stuff around here.

How many pokemon can talk psychically?

[11121_assumption]

I do not know every Psychic pokemon there is, was and ever will be. The ability to talk is determined by capability, training, individual ability, willingness to speak, whether one has something to say, if there is anything to say, it one needs to ask for more berries, who there is to talk to-

[ THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS HERE JINX. ]

...Normally I only speak with Walter. Times call for measures. Not desperate times, desperate measures. But there was a need.

Not all Psychic. [ Darkness added, tilting his beak up importantly. ]

[badluckbabe]

OK...ok I get it. That was a really broad question.

[But she's totally gonna be keeping an eye on her Jynx now to see if it starts behaving like some psychic pests she knew back home]

I mean if there was ever a good "Not desperate" reason to find your "voice" it would be for a party so...good job there.

Have you got any music lined up for the event?

Video

[dreamsofahero]

*the feed opens to... not Sion, actually, but rather the smug face of a serperior; evidently someone has hijacked his trainer's 'gear*

What makes someone a 'pancake'? Usually being flat is a bad thing for most people...

[11121_assumption]

They must be sweet. Fluffiness is also required. A pancake cannot be rough or coarse-
Please, do not encourage her.

[ Darkness cut in. He didn't mind stealing a gear; it's what they were doing right now. But don't ask Wisdom to explain her stupid metaphors, stranger. ]

[dreamsofahero]

Sounds like a regular cake.

*oh wait, was he not supposed to be encouraging it? Oh well; Flourish doesn't look terribly remorseful as he taps his chin with the tip of his tail*

Do you know my trainer?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Heather's not the one who calls-- the screen, in fact, is dark at first-- but moving.]

[Only once she's in the solitude of one of the hall closets does the caller reveal herself, putting the 'Gear down and nosing it to prop upright against the wall-- it's Warden!]</sub>

Hello, Wisdom. Hello, Darkness and Reed.

You have a strong tongue for metaphors.

By 'trash' and 'bacon', do you mean specific humans, or is it a more general statement?

OMG I MISSED THESE

[11121_assumption]

[ Assumption wagged his tail and took the gear to talk to Warden! ] Trash was specific! But I think bacon just meant people he knows but isn't really friends with? [ He looked over to Wisdom, who nodded. ]

And we really don't want any fights or anything upsetting happening. Wisdom looked through Walter's past, and he's never had anyone celebrate or give him a nice birthday. So, we want to do that for him.

[foolishwren]

That is very kind of you all.

<sub>[She can't help but be curious-- who is Trash?]

[But it's not proper to gossip.]</sub>

For obvious reasons, I'm afraid I will not be able to attend. But I'm sure you'll all make it a very nice day for him.

[Video]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Metaphors and figurative language tend to fly straight over Wrath's head.]

[So when he responds to the post, he's squinting as though trying to figure out a complex math problem.]</sub>

... Is the twenty-fourth a Sunday?

[11121_assumption]

[ Darkness hopped forward, shaking his head. ]

Saturday.

[garbagechild]

_{[:I HUH.]}

Oh.

Then what's happening on Sunday?