[video]

[candyapplechild]

[ Video messages or voice messages are easier for Eri, who is still learning how to spell and whatnot. First off, let's list off how Eri's time here has been so far. She arrived at 'Mom's' house like everybody else, got plopped down outside with her starter (A Galarian Ponyta), somehow made it to Cherrygrove (helped by the fact that it's a very simple route), and met up with Ochako.

Honestly, meeting up with Ochako was the best thing that could have happened. There was no way this poor six-year-old was making it anywhere past that on her own. With this, she was at least supervised and not on her own... and boy, having someone familiar with her definitely made this whole thing much better on her.

In any case, though, it would be good to make it known that she was here, right? Since apparently Deku-san and a few others from home were here as well, after all. So, with Ochako holding the Pokegear and recording her... ]

Um, hello! I'm Eri, and I'm here now! So, um... hello!

[ She just said 'hello' twice, and you might hear Ochako trying and failing to hold back giggles in the video's background audio. Eri definitely notices it, though, being the one looking directly at her, and pouts a bit... which is honestly cuter, to be honest. Still, whatever, they need to finish the video. ]

I'm six years old, here with Uravity-san, and—AH!

[ She's suddenly cut off by her own surprised yelp as she spots her Applin off to the side... but only after it's found a way to try and catapult itself offscreen and into Eri's arms. Unfortunately, it's aim isn't the best, and it's actually headed straight for Ochako.

There's a brief moment of shouting, the mixed voices of Eri and Ochako filling the audio for a brief moment, but long story short... there's a loud THUMP as Applin collides with the Pokegear in Ochako's hands, and after the screen blurs as the camera flies out of Ochako's hands, the video cuts out.

And that's the post, everybody. Say hello to the newest baby here in the Pokemon World, and... surprise for all the MHA's! ]

Comments

[PRIVATE now. Sorry Eri, no eavesdropping for you]

[floatsaway]

I'm aware of that.

[Ochako is very much already crunching numbers hard in her head and going over her...very limited funds and how to properly budget for food, clothes, necessities for their Pokemon, travel expenses, hotel and inn stays... and yeah, teaching Eri as much as she can on her own. Ochako's not a teacher, either. It's going to be very, very hard and she's going to have to fight and actually win against opposing trainers on her journey to make money until she can fight the next Gym, pray to whatever Poke-God she wins again, and get more money.

There's also the very real possibility of falling back onto bad habits, too. Skipping meals, letting Eri eat when she doesn't, just so the girl can have proper nutrition. Meal prepping while she sleeps so they have time the next day to study, practice reading and writing... It's...not something Ochako is unfamiliar with, unfortunately. Growing up poor as she has instilled these sort of skills into herself from a young age. It's shameful, but it's what she's got to do until she can get a savings going, or a steady way to earn money and simply make time to sit down with Eri one-on-one. In fact, this is more incentive than ever to get her hands on a Meowth when she gets to Goldenrod. It...may actually have to beat out getting an Eevee there, in fact. She needs the money more.]

I will, I promise. [Ochako lowers her voice a bit, moving to step away a bit so she's not right in earshot of the girl.] Thank you, Hawks-san. If it gets too much, I know I can count on you all - my Heroes, ehehe. I really appreciate it. I think taking a little break in the city after this one might be a good idea...just so Eri-chan can get some time to learn essentials there.

[Reading, writing, all that sort of thing. It's going to put her behind the others but...it's not like this is a competition. There's no time limit to the Gym Challenge. Besides, Eri's needs come before Ochako's desires. That's just how it is.]

[feathersfly]

I figured you would be, but hey, I'm an adult. I've got a daily quota of fussing to meet. [He cracks a grin.] But I know no one who's training to be a hero at a school as prestigious as UA is going to be clueless here. And you guys already have some experience with Eri-chan, right? You probably know better what's best for her than I do.

A break would probably be good for you, too. Just to settle into how you're going to handle things under the new circumstances, you know? [The new circumstances, of course, being Eri.] So I'm going to agree with your instincts again. You've got good ones.

[floatsaway]

Mm, she was being held by the faculty there - mostly Aiz--ah, I mean...Eraserhead was seeing to her education and training with her quirk. Togata--er...Lemillion was her caretaker sometimes as well as other members of the Big Three at UA.

[It's weird referring to people she knows fairly well by their Hero names when not on a mission, but Hawks probably knows these people better by referring to them that way. He's not exactly an alumnus of UA after all, he'd be more aware of who she's talking about on the Hero Network by their aliases.]

She comes to stop by our dorms sometimes, but not often, since, um...since we still have our own work to do, too, but...a lot of us do have siblings, sometimes even younger ones around her age, that they used to look after when we were still living off campus. I don't have any myself, but...um. I-I'm going to do my best!! [FIST. PUMP.]

[feathersfly]

[Hawks appreciates the effort. She's right, too - Hawks knows these people by hero names, not really knowing them on any personal level at all. It makes it much easier to follow what she's saying.]

Don't worry, you'll be great. [He says this with confidence. A girl with the kind of grit he saw at the sports festival - with that level of determination and inventiveness - is one who'll make a good showing out of tackling any challenge. Full-time babysitting is a high hurdle to clear, but then, so is becoming a pro hero. The way Hawks sees it, they may not be the same skill sets, but they're probably comparable in difficulty.

So if he thinks she's got what it takes to tackle one of those things, he'd need some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary to doubt that she could tackle the other.]

So what about your pokémon? You have any that could help you out with all this in any way? Seems like there's one for almost everything you could imagine as it is, so I feel like there have to be a few with some useful talents as far as looking after kids.