video;

[sassymaru]

A race for small pokemon, you say? Well then. I must admit -

[Shadomwaru, at his beach cottage as always, turns with a dramatic flourish to his tiny yard. Where his pokemon are amassed.]

[Deerling, Yamask, Frogadier, Growlithe, Electrike... and Oricorio.]

[The dramatic flourish also includes a flash of glitter, thrown around off-camera. Like it's just falling from the skies. The dogs look entranced. Everyone else just looks tired of this nonsense. They're sitting posed in the most dramatic ways possible, and as soon as Shadowmaru swings the camera away from them, you can catch them breaking their poses.]

- you're all terribly outclassed already.

[He beams. Winks.]

I look forward to meeting you on the field, dear friends. Do try not to feel so terrible about your chances.

Comments

[sassymaru]

What? Why ever not!

Surely, our performance hasn't truly chased you away?

[He sounds downright baffled why anyone wouldn't want to participate!!]

[lordofthefries]

No?

[Well, maybe. A little bit. That's just too much glitter, Maru.]

I mean, I don't have any Pokemon that want to race. [And losing in public is never a good feeling.]

[sassymaru]

Wonderful. I would hate to think my friendly competition turned you away.

[Never too much glitter!!]

Mm, I see. Perhaps you'd want to borrow some? I do have others who enjoy competing.

[lordofthefries]

[Sir, there is certainly a point where there is too much glitter and you passed it about five miles back.]

No, thank you. If they don't belong to me, they probably wouldn't want to listen to me and I'll just lose. There's no point in doing that just to lose.

[sassymaru]

Ah... if you're certain, then I cannot force you.

But, please, don't think I would loan you teammates unwilling to pull their weight. A volunteer would be happy to work with you, if you chose -

[The Growlithe snorting around the camera from below, for example.]

[lordofthefries]

That's.. very kind of you, sir, but it still wouldn't be right. Like if I won, it would be your win. It's your Pokemon who you trained, so it would be because of you and them. I would just be a...

[Sasha rolls her eyes up to the ceiling, trying to figure out the right one to use here.]

Faker? [That's not quite right, but the closest she can think of.]

[sassymaru]

[Bold of you to assume he trains his pokemon, Sasha.]

If that's truly how you feel on the matter...

In my opinion, if I may say so, I could never think someone as a fake for merely accepting the offer of assistance. I do realize we have not yet met, but the concerns of your conscience speak volumes of your integrity.

If you do change your mind, my team and I would be honored to assist you.