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

[notvaljean]

[Jean hadn't realized how often Armin gets lost in his own head until they arrived here; before, Jean had usually been too busy arguing with Eren to pay much attention to Armin. He's getting used to it now though, and taps away on his communicator while Armin thinks.]

What's that?

[schachmeister]

... you told me to think of a name.

[Armin hunches over a little. Drat. Is that a dumb name? Must be.]

Just forget it.

[notvaljean]

You're thinking about calling your owl that?

[Jean considers it, setting his communicator aside and leaning one elbow on Blitz's head.]

That sounds good. What's an Amadeus?

[schachmeister]

[Armin shakes his head a little.]

It's just... a name I read somewhere before.

[Armin remembers the name, printed on the inside of the cover of his grandfather's old book. He never knew whether it was the name of the man who had written it, the man who had printed it, or just the man who had owned it before his grandfather had, but it had stayed with him. Like most of the things in the book had.

Not that he had ever discussed it with Jean. Discussing outlawed information while in the army didn't exactly seem like a smart idea to Armin. And besides, it's not like they had really been friends before.]

[notvaljean]

[Jean is completely ignorant about Armin's banned, forbidden book, and when he says he read the name somewhere, Jean just accepts it. Armin probably ran across it in the library somewhere.]

It's nice.

[A little fancy for Jean's preferred straight-forward naming conventions, but it works. He looks at the little owl on Armin's shoulder and addresses it.]

What do you think? Is that a good name for you?

[schachmeister]

[Maybe one day Armin will tell him. Maybe.

The hoothoot, Amadeus now, ruffles its feathers in a way that seems to radiate satisfaction, hooting cheerily. Yes, he likes his fancy name very much.]

[notvaljean]

See, there you go. He likes it.

[Look how easy that was, Armin, and look how little overthinking it required.]

[schachmeister]

[Armin smiles a little. Yes, that was quite easy. It still won't keep him from overthinking things in the future because that is just the kind of person he is, but it worked out this time.]

I'm glad he likes it.