006 - Video

[nastyboy]

[The feed opens up not on Dimitri's face, but simply his knee, because sometimes you forget how you should frame your video. But there's certainly his voice.]

So, I have been informed that certain behavior from my Rattata and Raticate is odd. I had not noticed, so I was hoping to seek a secondary opinion.

[The video shifts, revealing that Dimitri is sitting on the edge of an inn bed, and focuses on where Gremlin the Rattata is happily cuddled up in a small nest of pillows. He has another Pokegear in front of him, which his little rat hands are happily slapping away on. It sounds like some sort of video game.]

[Nothing seems out of sorts for a moment, which allows Dimitri to take the time to get a nice close up on where his little Rattata is located. It doesn't seem like whatever he's talking about will happen... But Dimitri knows his Pokemon. He knows how Gremlin gets.]

[And then it happens.]

[Gremlin's eyes start to bulge out of his dang head.]

[And they bulge rhythmically too, a constant twitch and spasm that keeps his tiny Rattata eyes in motion. With how close Dimitri has gotten his Gear's camera, it's possible to hear a soft chewing sound as well, and Gremlin's teeth peek out from between his lips a bit.]

[Despite how absolutely weird it looks, Gremlin... doesn't seem to be much affected himself. His little hands just keep slapping away on the other Pokegear, completely absorbed in his game.]

[Dimitri's voice, soft and careful, breaks through.]

Oh - Sooter is doing it now as well. Please hold on-

[The video becomes a little blurry as Dimitri gets up onto his feet off of the bed. Soon, the camera focuses on a small pile of Raticate. One of the Raticate, who has a normal amount of rat fluff and some tiny bandaids on his little rat hands, is laying down on the floor, and is surrounded by three other Rats.]

[Two are fellow Raticates - one of them the well known Hob with her many blue bows all along her slick coat, and the other being Knocker, whose long tail has some scarring. They are both busy picking through and nibbling the fur along Sooter's shoulders and the back of his neck, taking care of his grooming.]

[The last would be a very tiny Alolan Rattata, perched on top of her larger cousin's head as she sniffs and works through the fur on his head, inbetween his large ears.]

[And Sooter is, indeed, also bulging out his eyes as he lays there for some affection.]

[Dimitri keeps the video focused on the little rat pile for a moment, just letting people.... take this all in.]

Do anyone else's Paliens do this...?

Comments

[Video] Actually no Im tagging this now

[bigsadwolf]

[Hello Dimitri, it's Legosi on your screen. As much as this sight might alarm anyone else, he doesn't look that surprised at all by what he's seeing...if anything, his usually placid expression carries a sort of "oh yeah, that" edge to it.

You know, somebody who has started watching small-herbivores much more closely than he probably should...and that includes rodents, rats, and mice of all variety.]

Mochi does. Though I don't catch it happening very often. I think maybe because she isn't quite as...obviously rodent-like.

[He'll lift up his Azurill into view so Dimitri can see, incredibly round and blue. She lacks the large incisors that both Ratatta and Raticate have, which is a main difference.]

Small-breed herbivores- rodents in particular- do this when they are content. It happens when they are grinding their front incisors together. The slang term I have heard for it is "boggling"...I suppose because of the way it looks.

[You can imagine in a more human-like society it probably looks even stranger, but again, it's about as normal as a person blinking or breathing for that species.]

a million years later

[nastyboy]

Oh, hello, Legosi.

[It's always good to hear a familiar voice, and Dimitri listens attentively. As he does so, the camera stays focused on Sooter, even as Dimitri reaches over to gently rub behind his years. The eye motions continue.]

Boggling... I see. What a charming word. Somehow, it seems to match the action perfectly, don't you think?

[bigsadwolf]

[Legosi nods, exhaling a soft, amused sounding huff as he brushes a hand over the top of Mochi's head.]

It might be a bit childish sounding, but I can't think of a better word to describe it. It's quite literally a play on the way you might describe someone's eyes "boggling" when they're surprised by something.

[Usually written in a more exaggerated, comical sense, this takes the meaning of that word quite literally.]

It doesn't hurt them at all from what I understand. It just looks a bit...strange.

[nastyboy]

I thought that was the case, because they have done it plenty of times before, and never seemed to be in any particular pain. If it were any physical injury, then I imagined that the use of a potion or a trip to the Pokecenter would have healed it.

Still, it occurred to me that I had never asked. I am glad that I now at least have a name for it.

[bigsadwolf]

Of course. If you ever have any other questions about animal behavior, I may be able to answer them...Pokemon are similar to us in a lot of ways, depending on the species.

[Some Pokemon are just dogs, birds, cats, etc. Legosi can immediately draw paralells there.]

[nastyboy]

Then.... Hm.

[Dimitri falls silent for a moment, reaching out to pet Jackie's little head now. No boggling this time, but she does close her eyes contentedly.]

Is there a certain length to rat teeth that is too short? I know they all have to chew on things regularly, so that their teeth do not become too large and cumbersome, but I am worried that we may overdo it.

I don't suppose you would know the answer to that question?

[bigsadwolf]

[A certain length...Legosi has to stop and think on that for a moment.]

Well...that I think depends on the rodent. Some need longer teeth, like beavers...while others much less, like most mice I would assume.

[He rubs his cheek with a finger.]

But I think it all comes down to instinct. Your Pokemon should be able to sense when their teeth need grinding, and they wouldn't go so far as to hurt themselves. If that were happening, there might be a deeper problem...anxiety related, maybe.

[nastyboy]

I see... So it all comes down to trusting them to know what's best for themselves. That's good.

[Dimitri lets out a slow breath from behind the camera.]

As someone who works so closely alongside them, their trainer, I want to make sure I'm doing what I can for them, instead of just leaving them on their own... So it's good to know where that boundary is.

[bigsadwolf]

That doesn't surprise me. You've always seemed like a very good trainer, Dimitri.

[He's not sure he's met someone who is AS attentive as he is...and he'd say most people do try to give their Pokemon the best care that they can at all times.]

If your Pokemon are having any issues at all, they will no doubt let you know. I wouldn't worry too much.

[nastyboy]

Ah.... I can only hope so.

[For another living thing to rely on you to any extent... Dimitri only wants to do right by them. It's just one of many things he needs to do in his life, honestly, if he wants to repent properly.]

Still, thank you for the reassurance. You seem quite knowledgeable in all of this yourself.

[bigsadwolf]

Well...I am an animal not unlike these Pokemon. I would hope I knew a little something about how our species' worked.

[Even if he's not, like. A rat.]

I have...er. A special interest...in small breed mammals. So I know a lot about them other carnivores may not.

[nastyboy]

[That is sure a way to put it, Legosi. Dimitri needs a moment to process a lot of the words there. The animal information is - interesting, although at least he's not a tree, but the way of phrasing..]

[Well. Perhaps he is simply an awkward type. It is an air he gives off, and Dimitri if that has anything to do with him being an animal in a human body, or simply his personality.]

[Either way, Dimitri will just smooth over that awkward wording.]

May I inquire what kind of animal?

[bigsadwolf]

[Legosi doesn't...quite seem to notice how bad that sounded. He might later? But for now he's been trying to give Less of a Fuck about his unique...interests. It's his business, after all.

It's true though, Legosi is awkward as fuck. Maybe that's all it is?]

M...most of them, actually. But...rabbits in particular.

[nastyboy]

I see. [Quite an interest for a... carnivore, he called himself, right?] Is there a reason for rabbits? And do they deal with the same issues as rodents?

[Dimitri does not know what he could be unleashing here]

[bigsadwolf]

[Legosi lapses into a brief silence.]

Some do...but not all.

[He's not ashamed of Haru, nor of their relationship. He supposes he might as well tell him so he isn't wondering what on earth he's talking about.]

My girlfriend, back home...she is a dwarf rabbit.

[nastyboy]

[Oh! Then that explains it, and Dimitri smiles.]

I see. It sounds like you care for her a great deal. I am glad that you have found someone so precious to be around.

[In Dimitri's brain, he's absolutely thinking that Legosi got into herbivore knowledge because of how he dated his girlfriend, and not, like, the other way around]

[bigsadwolf]

[Please continue thinking that forever, Dimitri. Remain Pure.]

Haru...she means everything to me. I miss her a lot.

[He exhales, trying his best not to let thinking about her make him sad. She wouldn't want that, if she were here.]

We had only just started dating, but...we had been good friends for some time.

[Though, can he even really say that? He was so wishy-washy with her, gave her so many mixed signals...

It was Complicated, okay.]

[nastyboy]

Of course... I understand a good deal. There are important people who I miss dearly as well.

[More people than he has fingers, really.]

Still, even if she is not here... At least you got to meet her at all. Silver linings, yes?

[bigsadwolf]

Yes...silver linings.

[It's hard, but...he knows Haru wouldn't want to dwell on the fact he can't see her right now.]

S-sorry, I know that was...probably strange to have come up, suddenly.

[nastyboy]

No, no. It is fine. Sometimes, conversations meander and lead to places quite different than where they started.

I once tried to teach a friend how to use a polearm, but we began to discuss religion, for example.

At any rate, thank you for your knowledge, Legosi.

[bigsadwolf]

[Sometimes, man. That's just how it be.]

Of course. You're welcome to contact me any time if you have any more questions.

[ron_factor]

What the other dude here said if ya need a second opinion. Boggling is pretty normal with rodents. I've got a pet naked mole rat back home, I'd know.

[nastyboy]

[The camera jostles a little bit as Dimitri straightens up just to yell off-screen.]

I TOLD YOU IT WAS NOT STRANGE, FELIX!

[Not a single rat on-screen stops what they're doing. This is, of course, normal.]

[A little more jostling as Dimitri sinks back down behind the camera.]

Thank you for the reassurance, then. Is a naked mole rat something native to your homeland?

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

...

[H...uh...]

I...don't think I've ever noticed anything like that before? But...they don't seem bothered by it happening...

[And Dimitri is, despite having used them as ammunition against Rockets in the past, a man who takes very good care of his rats, so obviously it's not an indicator of something he did.]

If you are very concerned, Dimitri, you can always ask one of the Nurse Joys at the Pokemon Centers, but they both seem okay to me.

[Video]

[nastyboy]

Oh, no. They are never bothered by it, as far as I can tell. Gremlin especially seems to do it when he is absorbed into his games, but I have noticed the others do it when they are relaxing with one another.

[It is a miracle Hob's stay in her skull at all, when she's cuddling up to Cofgodas.]

They all do it so regularly, I think I noticed when I first arrived here, and then... simply never thought to inquire about it. But Felix was rather surprised, and it occurred to me I should ask.

It is called 'boggling', apparently. A charming name for the action.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

Boggling...

[She thinks about that for a minute.]

...Oh goodness, that is a perfect term for it. Hopefully they do not feel at all boggled while boggling, though.

[Video]

[nastyboy]

Since it is natural, I imagine not, and neither Gremlin nor any of the others have complained about it. They're normally quite vocal when it comes to voicing their displeasure, Gremlin and Hob especially.

That is the nice thing about Paliens... They are intelligent enough to let you know when they are hurt, so that they can get help.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

I like that, too. It would definitely be harder to live and work so closely with them were they not able to express themselves.

[He keeps on with Paliens...Jane doesn't have the heart to correct him. Look what you've done Dimitri, you've stopped an incredibly stubborn woman from doing an annoying thing.]

[Video]

[nastyboy]

Have any of your companions put you in this situation, then? I mean... When they did something that you thought peculiar, and didn't understand right away.

[Boggling seems to be a rare occurrence for anything not a rat, but he imagines there have to be other things.]

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

Hm...well, I would have to say that everything new I learn about my Pokemon has been confusing at first. Or for a long, long while. Or even now. But I guess I just learn to live with it if they're not in trouble.

[Video]

[nastyboy]

I suppose in a place like this, that's the best you can do, isn't it? To simply adjust, so long as they are not hurting or in distress.

I do worry, however, that some may try to act tough, and hold their pain in when they don't need to... Humans often do the very same, after all.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

Hm...well...in that case, it's important to continue to get to know them, and learn their tells. Just like with your friends, you know? You look out for each other.

[Video]

[nastyboy]

Indeed. I suppose that much is no different.

[Another couple of scritches, now along Sooter's muzzle.]

One gains a bit of wisdom after living here for so long, don't they? I am glad I have you to rely on for such things, Jane.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

I suppose they do.

[She still has people she knows she can look to for advice - even if she isn't super close with the people who've been here nigh on a decade, they're still here, still rocks in this weird little community of misfit pieces.]

At least that kind of inevitability is welcome.

[Video]

[nastyboy]

I suppose it is. In a place like this, where so much is unknown... At least we have that. It is something.

[Another little rat ear scritch.]

And rats can boggle. That is another something to enjoy.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

[Pffft]

And rats can indeed boggle.