[video - 003]

[onetwoboom]

[Gaige has, for the past week or so, been setting out on a trip to the Ruins of Alph without much in the way of broadcasting, but certain circumstances had brought her to needing the advice of the people, and so a video transmission pops up on the network.]

OKAY, hi - hi guys, it's me, your gal Gaige, etcetera, etcetera-

[She rushes through her usual routine to a shaky camera, and a loud crying in the background.]

So, you know those new Pokemon that started showing up? The ones terrified of, like, everything...? Turns out loud noises and explosions and basically EVERYTHING that makes me me comes under that.

[The camera shifts slightly as she tries to balance her 'Gear and something blue, amphibious, and crying in her arm. From what can be seen from Gaige's face, she looks tired, and trying really hard not to panic.]

It's been...uh, I don't even know - it feels like hours since he started crying? I can't get him to stop. [A weighted exhale, and the sobbing newt in her arms just accentuates her point.] I really want him to stop. I just, you know, babies aren't really my ball park? Kind of never really planned this kind of thing. I only ever anticipated robot children! I'm way too young to be a mother!

[Her voice raises in distress, which only makes the baby more upset. It's a vicious cycle.]

Look, some of you guys have got to have experience with this kind of thing, right? You gotta help me out here.

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[adandyinspace]

Put it in a box and tell it you won't let it out until it shuts up.

[Father of the year right here.

The massive skuntank that was napping behind him lifts her head in a panic when she hears her trainer say something so horrible, jumps onto her haunches and starts waving her arms wildly as she shakes her head. NO. Absolutely DO NOT do that!!

Dandy doesn't seem to notice.]

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[pkemeter]

[Egon is nearby working on calibrating his PKE meter when he hears her making the post. He digs through his bag for something, then sort of silently shuffles up alongside her to hold out a Twinkay.]

I believe small children enjoy snacks.

[That's. All he says. It's clear from his body language and clipped speech that he's outside of his element, as well.]

[onetwoboom]

[Cue one troubled expression.]

Are you - is that serious?

[She legitimately can’t tell.]

‘Cause that’s probably neglect, right? [She seems to be speaking more to the skuntank than Dandy for this one.] Sounds kinda like neglect.

[onetwoboom]

You ‘believe’?

[She puts the gear away, and usually she’d just be a little playful about Egon’s everything, but it was a dire situation.

She takes the Twinkay and just. Holds it. At the baby’s face.]

How am I supposed to - [She gently prods it at that crying mouth. It doesn’t quite go in, so she just jabs it at the area around the mouth, which prompts more crying.] Like - this?

[pkemeter]

Well--yes. But usually they stop crying.

[He looks somewhat troubled at the fact that he's indirectly caused this baby to start crying even more. He glances around, as if something might just appear that would help them solve this issue.]

What--What else do small children enjoy? Or reptiles?

[Said mostly to himself. He crouches down on the ground and picks up a stick. Chameleons like holding sticks, right??? He holds it out tentatively for the Sobble to take.]

Video;

[schachmeister]

What have you tried so far?

[Armin has a few suggestions, but he figures it is better to first ask Gaige what she has already tried. No sense in rehashing that which has already been hashed, so to speak.

Also, please ignore the weird bump under his shirt. It is not a tumah. There is no reason for concern.]

[onetwoboom]

...Toys?

[She’s still got the twinkay about an inch from the Sobble’s face and then - oh.]

...Or a stick. I guess.

[Close enough. He sniffles, and in a moment of quiet, reaches out a little hand to grab the stick. It by no means looks happy, but, having swapped out crying for waving the stick around, it looks like a success.]

Ho-holy crap Egon, you actually did it!

[onetwoboom]

[Don’t worry Armin, she’s got bigger things to focus on right now.]

Uhhh, let’s see...begging, pleading, attempted negotiating, aaaand snacks.

[She’s not good at this.]

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[ghoststanning]

You should try playing the little guy calming music. My Sobble seems to react well to it.

[Ray is currently cuddling his own sleeping lizard in bed.]

[forsaintcecilia]

Aw, poor thing... The little chameleon ones are definitely more sensitive than the other two. [Kazuki's been volunteering at the Aether Foundation taking care of all the baby Pokemon being brought in, so he's gotten used to their personalities.] So you made a loud noise and scared it? Did you show it that the loud noise wasn't dangerous?

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[lyingheart]

[ this is a problem she's become aware of herself in the past week, but more than that--enough people are responding at least one of them is bound to have an answer that'll work--she's curious about Krieg's genius friend.

by extension, she does need to try and offer some advice, anecdotal as it might be. ]

Don't know if it'll help your crier, but wrapping them up in a blanket and carrying them around or sitting somewhere quieter and talking at them may help.

[onetwoboom]

Ray. Ray.

[She looks at him, exasperated, touching a free hand to her forehead briefly.]

Do I look like someone who knows what peaceful music is?

[pkemeter]

I did?

[He sounds somewhat bewildered, but then clears his throat, trying to maintain a neutral expression.]

Of course. Physical stimulation is important to the growth of any adolescent being--

[And then he accidentally gets whacked by the Sobble waving around the stick. The twig snaps in half, attached to itself by only a single fiber. The baby stares at its broken toy for a moment, then starts wailing even louder, tears streaming down its face.

Egon looks uncomfortable.]

Oh. Um.

[ghoststanning]

Aww c'mon Gaige, it's not that hard. It's just music with harps and flutes!

[Oh that was a tiny bit too loud. Ray's Sobble stirs slightly and he shuts up for a few moments to make sure he didn't accidentally wake his baby up.]

One of the radio stations also plays calming music sometimes, so that leaves the guesswork out of finding calming music at least.

[onetwoboom]

[Oh. They were so close.

Gaige almost looks about to cry herself, now. But she’s a tough girl. She doesn’t cry. She just needs to punch something.]

AAAARGH!

[She can’t punch anything, but she’s still holding that twinkay, and it gets mercilessly crushed in her hands as it clenches into a fist. Full of cream, the thing gets...everywhere. Especially on the baby.

There’s a moment of shock from both parties, a stunned silence, and Gaige braces herself for the tears to start coming again.

Then they don’t. And instead, there’s a babble of amusement. Baby laughter.]

Is that - [She looks, bewildered, between the baby and Egon.] I’m NOT jinxing it this time.

[pkemeter]

[Egon just glances between Gaige and the Sobble, a bewildered expression on his face. A bit of cream seems to have ended up on his face. Carefully, he takes his pinky finger, scrapes the cream off his cheek, then licks it.

Hm. Vanilla.

The emotional responses of children remain an enigma.]

It seems to be placated by displays of almost slapstick humor.

[Said in a very detached tone of voice.]

Is this safe for Pokémon to consume?

[schachmeister]

Have you tried any music? A friend of mine had an Espurr who was very anxious too, and she always seemed to calm down when she listened to music.

Oh, and what about the rest of your pokemon? Do you happen to have any Pokemon with a very calming personality? Maybe they can help you too. For all we know, these pokemon never interacted much with humans before all of this happened. It could be that they'll find other pokemon more calming than us.

[The lump under his shirt wriggles a bit.]

Well, some of them, at least.

[adandyinspace]

[Said skuntank seems relieved when it looks like Dandy's talking to someone with reason, but it doesn't stop her trainer from pushing his amazing parenting strategies.]

I mean, if you abandon the box, I guess? It's fine, kids are crazy about boxes anyway.

Look.

[He turns the feed towards another corner of the room where his deino currently resides. She's standing on top of what was probably once a box, cardboard dangling from her jaws.

Dandy quickly turns the feed back onto himself when he realizes he's losing his own point.]

I guess...it doesn't really work when they can just bust outta the damn thing... But, it lets 'em know you mean business.

[badluckbabe]

Check with your other Pokemon.

Just like people some pokemon are more maternal then others. I've got a few that are really good at taking care of others.

[to give an Example she pops out her wobbuffet and a Togepi. The Togepi instantly squeals with delight and waddles over to the Wobbuffet who picks it up and cradles it adoringly.]

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[fuelthefire]

[Please enjoy this close-up view of Krieg's eye as he carefully studies the whole situation. After a moment he pulls his face back from the 'Gear so that the whole mask can be seen.

What sort of advice could this large, loud man possibly have for a crying baby--]

I bet the Robot Arm could help!

[--actually okay, that's pretty decent.]

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[keep_surviving]

oh. u got 1 of the crybaby 1s 2?

[onetwoboom]

yeah

wait

theyre ALL like this??????

[onetwoboom]

Nnnnnno. No I did not.

[She adjusts the baby in her arm, to stop it from slipping.]

I mean, generally? That seems like pretty bad advice. 'Cause those loud noises are dangerous. On the whole. Most of the time. [A pause.] Explosions. It was an explosion.

[onetwoboom]

[Gaige's reply comes a little late, because typing when trying to handle a baby is a bit of a task, but she gets back to Annie eventually.]

ok blanket. got it. knew i was missing something in the carrying thing. cause the quieter and talking to them thing sounds a little oxymoronic. is that a word?thats a word now.

[onetwoboom]

Harps and flutes are NOT hardcore, unless they spout flames or something. I can't bring a kid up on that!

[She's probably way too loud for this conversation too, and forcibly reels herself in.]

I- [She lowers her voice to a loud not-whisper. She still needs to be heard over the crying.] I guess?

[She tries to keep a hold of the crying baby, and tilts her head to Ray.]

You wanna lend me a hand?