5. Video

[sleepallthewayhome]

[Apparently one of her pokemon is filming this because the camera is a bit further away then usual. You can see Newt sitting by a bed, and also off to the side there is an Eevee sitting on the floor. He is also holding onto a dolls head. It's for moral support.

Newt meanwhile looks at the camera.]

I have a question. If you're af...if you don't really like a certain type of pokemon that much. But you still want to get all the gym badges. Do you think it would be easier to get the gym themed for them over with first? Or should you wait and maybe you won't be so afraid of them in the future?

Oh and does anyone knows what this is?

[She holds up a Spell Tag]

Vasquez brought it back after Halloween but I'm not sure what to do with it.

Comments

[islandshore]

Hmm... That's a tough call.

[Riku tips his head down, arms crossed and a thin frown on his face.]

Guess it depends on the level of fear. And the level of your team.

[Since, well, a disadvantage strengthwise will make things trickier.]

Well, that, and where that fear comes from.

[But it's not his business, and he surely doesn't wanna pry.]

[sleepallthewayhome]

Some of them look like the monsters that killed everyone in my colony back home.

[Prying is if you ask about how she feels about what happened, the rest are facts.]

Not all of them scare me, and there's some in other types that look like them too. But the bug pokemon have the most I think. Or maybe I've just seen more of them.

But they scare me a lot because it makes me remember how scared I was with the real monsters.

[islandshore]

Ah, gotcha.

[That's... oof. He winces, looking away. What can he even say to that? It's a sorta trauma that completely justifies the whole situation.

Hmm.]

See, what I'd suggest is like... just gradually easing your way into being around them, I guess? Maybe find a trainer with some docile bugs to help you out.

But that's just an idea- last thing I want's to force it.

[sleepallthewayhome]

[She nods.]

I'm going to wait for the gyms and I've talked to a few people about maybe meeting some scary pokemon that people I know have.

I think if I tried it too fast ....it would go bad.

[islandshore]

Definitely. You push yourself too hard, and it might just add to the stress of it all.

[Hmmm... But if bugs are the particular issue...]

But if we're talking about easing in... why not start with smaller bugs? Stuff like Caterpie, Venonat, maybe something fluffy like a larvesta.

[sleepallthewayhome]

Well....the monsters back home started very small so I'm still afraid of some of the small ones. Especially if they look like they can jump on your face.

It's why I'm afraid of eggs here. The monsters all came from eggs and jumped on people.

[islandshore]

Ah, gotcha. That does complicate things...

[Man, what to suggest, then? Even something as innocent looking as a Venonat might be overkill in that case.]

Y'know, I wonder if movies would help. Pretty sure I've seen at least a few cartoons about bug types. Super saccharine, so it might help?

[sleepallthewayhome]

[She blinks for a moment.]

Oh, I didn't think about that. We...didn't have tv on the colony so I'm not sure how to use it that much. I bet I could learn though.

Do you think it would help?

[islandshore]

Worth a shot, right? 'specially since if it's an animated movie, it's a bit more detached from reality.

[Then again, sometimes even reminiscent imagery can be startling for some people, but... Well. Suspension of disbelief.]

Guess there's always storybooks, too. Like... what was it, the Hungry Caterpie?

[sleepallthewayhome]

I don't think I read that one. Maybe I'll ask at the next library I go to.

Thanks.. I didn't think of those things.

[islandshore]

No prob. Figured most people wouldn't think of it, since it's a less direct approach.

Plus, if a book's too scary, you can close it. No offended trainers, no hassle.