one; video in New Bark Town

[notvaljean]

Okay, seriously, this is just stupid.

[For someone who had never seen a camera or a video until a couple of hours ago, Jean has taken to both rather quickly. He always did enjoy fooling around with things and learning about them through experimentation, and while the angle of the camera is distinctly unflattering—somehow stretching his long face out even longer while simultaneously giving him six chins—the sheer indignation in his eyes comes across perfectly.]

Everyone else gets something cute, or useful, or sweet or whatever. And I get this.

[The camera swings around, jittering wildly out of control for a moment, and then focuses on a round, red and white ball with glaring eyes. The ball’s eyes narrow further when it realizes the camera is on it, and it lunges forward with a crackling sound. Jean yelps and jumps backwards, making the camera swing wildly for a moment.]

See! He’s crazy!

[The Voltorb crackles ominously but doesn’t try to come any closer, watching Jean from where it hovers.]

So how am I supposed to make friends with this thing? Because that’s what we’re supposed to do, right? Make friends with them?

[Jean sounds almost condescending about the idea of befriending the Pokemon. Anyone listening very closely might notice how his voice is trembling the tiniest bit, betraying all his uncertainty that he will vehemently deny if he gets called out on it. His hand stretches into view, pale with callouses across the palm, and he extends it towards the Voltorb.]

You want to be friends, asshole?

[The Voltorb lunges forward again, and the camera falls to the ground, pointing upwards towards the sky, capturing cheery blue and recording the sounds of electricity crackling and Jean shouting.]

Ow! OUCH! You dick, what was that for?!

Comments

[abstounding]

Yeah.

[Vaughn can't help but chuckle a little at the Pokemon's reaction to its trainer's technological ineptitude, but he's sort of gathered by now that not everyone here comes from such an advanced time.]

You just have to follow the menu to where it says Pokemon. And check out your team.

[notvaljean]

Menu... right...

[Jean knows what a menu is! He's gone to restaurants before! Now if he could just find one on this communicator thing... The camera rotates around a few more times as he searches, and then it focuses on the long-suffering Voltorb again, as Jean offers it the communicator.]

Where's the menu, Blitz? I want to see my team.

[abstounding]

[And more laughing. A little less quiet, but still fairly restrained. This poor kid.]

Don't worry, I had to get help with it at first, too.

[He's soon shoved a little bit aside as well to make way for his weird dog, who notices the change of user on the camera and is very interested in striking up a conversation with the strange Pokemon.]

[notvaljean]

[Blitz's eyes narrow at the sight of the other Pokemon, but since it's not being aggressive, he keeps his crackling and electricity spitting in check in favor of conversation. Jean peeks over the edge of the communicator to see what's going on, and his eyes widen at the sight of the blue dog thing.]

Are they... talking to each other?

[How do balls and dogs know the same language? Wouldn't they be natural enemies?]

[abstounding]

[Only partially visible behind the Riolu's ears, Vaughn chuckles some more.]

Oh, yeah! Skagbait loves meeting new Pokemon. I'm pretty sure she'd walk up to a rabid... big, scary something and ask it how's it going.

[Indeed, she's olu-ing up Blitz as if they were old friends.]

[notvaljean]

[Well, she's cheerfully conversing with the most ill-tempered Voltorb in the world, and said Voltorb isn't trying to electrocute her through the screen, so she must be a pretty charismatic little Pokemon, Jean figures.]

Whoah.

[He watches the conversation with interest.]

Can you understand what they're saying?

[Is Jean going to have to learn to speak Ball? Is that even a language?]

[abstounding]

Oh, nah. I just figure they seem like they're having a good chat --

[He, on the other hand, shouldn't be jabbering, as demonstrated by Skagbait pausing to turn around and put her paw over his mouth.

He can't believe he's being shushed by a dog. But he laughs when she starts wrapping up whatever she has to say to the giant Pokeball, and he keeps laughing when she considers her task done and wanders off to the rest of his team. Fuck, he can't breathe.]

[notvaljean]

[Seeing Vaughn get shushed by his Pokemon is pretty damn funny, and Jean starts snickering too. And laughter is contagious, so when the two Pokemon have concluded their conversation, Jean is laughing right along with him.]

I wonder what they were talking about...