[video / action for disaster island]

[meteorman]

[It's been a while since Ford has visited the island. Mainly this is because he was busy finishing up his badge collection, but it didn't take long after he got the Storm Badge for his natural predilection toward wandering kicked in again. With nowhere else he needed to go it was only natural to pick somewhere he wanted to go instead. He can't imagine anywhere nicer than somewhere surrounded on all sides by ocean that contains several of the people he now considers honorary family.

Of course he's still Ford and that means despite several guest rooms to choose from he's set up camp outside. His tent is settled among some trees near the beach. He's made a little fire pit just outside and dragged over some driftwood to sit on. It's not that he thinks he's too good for the house, he just likes it better outside.

He's staying on the Island for the foreseeable future, and he can be found:]

[A. Early Morning]

[Every morning Ford does what he's always done: he gets up early and goes through the intense mental and physical regimen that's kept him sharp and not dead in a space ditch for the past fifty-odd years. This consists of meditation followed by a physical workout. Despite the time he's already dressed in his boots, tactical pants and the tank top he usually wears under his sweater. You can't jog in a sweater. He has his limits. If anybody wants to join grandpa doing laps of the beach at the asscrack of dawn, they're welcome to. His Pokémon already have: Lawrence Talbot the Lycanroc easily keeps pace, as does Taxus the Sceptile, while Eviscerator the Pyukumuku is squidging along several lengths behind. She's doing her very best. Occasionally the other three all stop to let her catch up.]

For not having legs you're doing very well, Eviscerator.

Pyuu...

[B. Real Sand Hole Hours]

[I hope you're all fucking happy I swear to Arceus

Some of Ford's Pokémon are well-behaved and can be left to their own devices on the island without incident.

Some of Ford's Pokémon are Hot Sauce the Salandit, who began digging a hole under the porch early on into Ford's vacation and has since gone back to keep expanding it no matter how many times he's been told to stop. It has become almost an afternoon ritual to hear a very loud HOT SAUCE GET OUT FROM UNDER THERE FOR THE LOVE OF-- sometime between noon and three. Now the hole is actually big enough to fit Ford and his idiot lizard, and he can be found with just his legs sticking out trying to apprehend said reptile with frustratingly-little luck.

He is cursing the way only a man from New Jersey can curse: loudly and inventively.] 

[C. Video]

[It's time for nightblogging with grandpa! It's dark out; the main source of light is the fire he's made by his tent and the incredible array of stars in the Sevii sky. Berry, the Porygon left to him when Fiddleford left this universe, patrols back and forth in the background.]

Something occurred to me recently that I thought might be of interest. I've noticed that many of the natives of this world tend to only keep a very small number of Pokémon partners-- often not even a full team of six unless their day to day life revolves around battling, as in the case of gym leaders. By contrast I've noticed that those of us from other universes tend toward keeping a large menagerie. My own totals fifty-nine at the time of recording this. While ostensibly this is because I've been assigned the job of a Breeder and embraced it wholeheartedly, it isn't just those of us who were given a bandanna upon arrival that wind up with several party's worth of partners.

Why do you think that might be? The simplest assumption is that it's because Pokémon are novel to us as outsiders and we find the concept of working with them much more exciting than natives for whom it may have become mundane. But many of us were chosen by our Pokeémon-- they followed us home and demanded we let them in. Is it possible they flock to us in large numbers for some reason? Almost no Pokémon will let itself be caught if it doesn't want to be. This must indicate that for whatever reason, we off-worlders have something unique to offer.

[Or is he just overthinking things because he's Ford and that's what he does? INCONCLUSIVE...]

Comments

THE SAND HOLE

[shiro2hero]

[Some of the people in this house are trusted to be left to their own devices. They have free reign now, to basically do whatever they like with the house, so long as they don't demolish it. Or... you know... make it hideously uninhabitable. Because this is his first house. Something he never even thought he'd do.]

[So... please excuse him, standing on the porch, warily peering over the rail. There... sure are feet under the porch. In a hole. A sand hole. Going under his porch.]

[That he paid real adult money for.]

Ford...?

[Please tell him that's Grandpa Ford Pines and not some weird beach hobo making themselves at home under his new goddamn house.]

[meteorman]

[Why can't it be both?

The muffled swearing stops abruptly, just in time for Shiro to hear a sound that can only be described as an incredibly hissy cackle. Hot Sauce is having a great day. Ford's voice radiates up from right under Shiro's feet when he says:]

I'm sorry, I'm a little busy right now.

[Like that wasn't patently obvious.]

[shiro2hero]

[Because Ford is welcome. A hobo is ... less welcome.]

[That cackling sound is also less welcome. What in the world is burrowed under there? What kind of creepy thing invaded Ford's sand hole?]

I can see that.

[There's a beat.] Do you want Haunter to help? [Since his ghost can sort of phase through just about anything...]

C

[icecastlemadonna]

I guess that’s true, isn’t it? The trainers I’ve fought while traveling don’t have a lot of Pokemon with them... [Granted, Yuuko only has four Pokemon right now, but that’s still more than what the average Bug Catcher typically has.]

[meteorman]

They don't. And I would expect that of the younger ones who are just starting their journey or simply too inexperienced to handle a full team, but even adults often tend toward only two or three at most.

Of course this is supposing that not having a full team of six means they don't have any on standby in the PC, which may not necessarily be the case.

[Though he can't imagine why you'd confine half your good friends to a box if you didn't strictly have to.]

[icecastlemadonna]

A lot of the local trainers I’ve run into do tend to be pretty young... [Yuuko would really rather not have to fight kids if she can help it, but those young trainers are always so eager to prove themselves that in the end she doesn’t have the heart to refuse them.]

Maybe the older trainers only bring their strongest Pokemon with them? Or maybe they’re just more selective about the ones they catch. [Because if Yuuko had her way, she’d catch all the cute ones.]

[Video]

[agent3]

Prob'ly 'cause we need friends? Maybe they know.

[Thida's observation is basically "because they know we're not from here" but framed in a soft and personal way. She's sitting on a bench in front of the Pokemon Center in Mahogany town, the night sky blotted out by clouds. You can almost smell the rain coming over the feed, but it hasn't arrived just yet, and someone's enjoying that while she can.]

You're campin' on th'beach?

[meteorman]

[Haha. That is actually hitting a little close to home, because before here Ford didn't really have friends. There's... yeah. He can see the sense in that interpretation.]

Maybe they do. It wouldn't surprise me.

[ANYWAY]

And yes, I am! I prefer to sleep outdoors when the weather permits it and I've always liked the ocean. I grew up near one.

[agent3]

[THEY LOVE YOU, FORD, LET THEM LOVE YOU]

Ooh, cool. Ocean's a little...scary, but, I like mountains. Was in th'big one here for a while.

...A long while.

vid

[kscience]

Huh. I hadn't really been here long enough to notice, but you're totally right. Most of the people I've talked to so far have like, a huge number of Pokemon. Hell, I have six already! And I just got here, like, last month! [By the way, Ford, the eggs you sent Newt are doing well. The Gible egg is in his lap as he speaks, and the Clampearl hatched a while ago, and is currently playing with his Glameow. They're in the background behind Newt; the Glameow keeps trying to reach her paw into the Clampearl's shell and bat at the "pearl", and the Clampearl keeps snapping shut, narrowly missing the cat's paw each time. "Playing" may not be the right word, here.] It probably is a lot about novelty- I know that's, like, the big reason I'm so interested in the one's I've got, and why I'm so excited to get more. And, I mean, this place's got stuff like cats that can spit fire and giant dragons and stuff. Who wouldn't want that? Unless they're from somewhere where that stuff is normal, I guess. Which makes sense for your theory!

[meteorman]

[Eh, it's playing for a given value of play. Close enough.]

I admit there are quite a few I've sought out specifically because I read about them in the Pokédex and had to see one for myself. Imagine if every little kid could just waltz out onto the Sahara and make friends with a lion that they could put in their pocket. It feels a lot like that, functionally.

[kscience]

Dude, you're so right. I haven't really looked up a lot of stuff yet in the Pokedex yet, personally, but if I did? Holy God.

Not only that, but a lion that you can put in your pocket that's tame and will listen to you and can maybe even spit fire? Like, how awesome can it get?

[Video]

[maybeitsmabelline]

[Mabel looks thoughtful as she sits among her small hoard of Pokemon, two Helioptiles sleeping in her lap while a Sewaddle munches on a leaf from it's perch on her shoulder and a rather large Heracross fusses over a very fluffy Eevee behind her.]

Maybe we feel different to them because we're from a different world.

[She rubs her chin then let's her hand drop, beaming at Ford.]

Or maybe we all just get a little too excited about Pokemon.

[meteorman]

[Ah, yes. Enthroned amidst her hoard, just like her Grunkle. Ford's so proud.]

I think it may be a little bit of both. Pokémon need experience to grow, that's common knowledge. I think that they sense that we can offer them experiences no one native to this universe can. We have unique knowledge and insight. I know for a fact nobody else looks at the world quite the same way that you and your brother do.

[maybeitsmabelline]

[She's learned from the best!]

If everyone thought like Dipper and I nothing would be exciting!

[And everything would be much crazier probably. At least when it came to the Mabel influenced parts.]

You're probably right though! I bet they like that we're all from different places and have different ways of doing things! I mean, how many other people make sweaters for their Pokemon? [Insert a snort here.] Not many!

C

[pikapikajankenpo]

I must be the outlier then because I only have 6 pokemon. And I've been here for nearly two years now.

[meteorman]

Congratulations on your restraint, then. I don't know how I could possibly pick only six to work with. I think if left to my own devices I'd wind up with two of every species.

[video]

[fuelthefire]

[It's late at night, the stars are out, Krieg is chilling in his hammock on the porch of Shiro's new house. Can he actually see Ford's camp from where he's at? Anything is possible.

He's not wearing his mask because it is bedtime and he's not a savage. Or, well much of one. What can be seen of his face in the dark is extremely average; two eyes, one nose, a mouth, and a scar across the bridge of his nose that matches Shiro's. Anyway.]

I'd only have six but my friends keep leaving.

[meteorman]

[He probably can. It's a single glimmering light in the distance. Distant grandpa.]

Ah. Yes. Some have come into my care in the same manner. It's always an unpleasant surprise.

[video]

[paladinlost]

A team of fifty-nine Pokémon? That's a very good start.

[Cecil no, don't say that.]

It is possible that Pokémon seek us out because of our enthusiasm. Perhaps we are more interesting partners than those who take them for granted. Then again, that would not explain the eggs, or why we've managed to observe so many Legendary Pokémon.

[meteorman]

[Cecil yes. Encourage Grandpa to become a hoarder.]

I mentioned this to my niece, but I do think if we conceptualize 'experience' as more than strictly numbers, those of us who come from other worlds can offer experience that no one else can. They may on some innate level sense that and consider us desirable partners because of it.

That still doesn't explain the absurdly rare Pokémon that seem to flock to us and give us their personal attention, but I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that the demi-gods of this world might take a special interest in alien visitors.

Video

[starry_forehead]

[He seems to be thinking this over.]

Maybe there's something about us that's.... different from the people here. That pokemon can sense somehow. I mean the entire place still revolves around pokemon. You'd think if people had gotten bored with it, there'd be more....I don't know. Maybe like a splinter group or something.

[And now he's overthinking it.]

[meteorman]

[Nobody tell Dipper about Pokémon Black and White.]

We are functionally aliens even if we look like the native humans. Perhaps that makes us as interesting to them as they are to us. Who doesn't love an extraterrestrial?

SAND HOLE

[whatsacactus]

[Keith's gotten used to both yelling and cursing in his time staying here. Seeing someone hip deep in a hole under the house, though, that's new. He watches for a minute, before crouching down next to it, sipping his drink.]

Did you need a hand?

[meteorman]

Oh, no, I have the standard two already.

[Ford. Honey.

There's a THUNK from under the deck and another very colorful epithet.]

Actually I could use a foot. If you wanted to give me a real good stomp up there on the porch to try and scare him back this way I might be able to grab him.