009 - video

[nastyboy]

[You'd think that after so long in Johto, Dimitri would learn how to set up a video properly. Nope! Enjoy that close up of the junction between his forefinger and thumb before he pulls his hand away, everyone.]

[With his hand out of the way, it's clear that Dimitri is on some rocky beach spot that is undoubtedly near the mysterious water temple. Settled on his crossed legs, an Alolan Marowak is curled up. Fortunately, her bone club is unlit.]

[Is there the sound of something clicking against stone, in the background, past the sound of waves...?]

Greetings, everyone. It has taken some time, but my own group has finally arrived to explore what curious secrets this place holds.

[And boy is Dimitri glad! He can handle being a depressed mess himself, but it had hurt to see Felix, Claude, and Grant all in varying states of it. A little bit of lost temple exploring and rescuing some friends is just the thing they all need to wake up a bit. Maybe. He doesn't know.]

[The clicking is getting louder. Is that jingling?]

I must say, hearing snippets of people's adventures on the Gear has been truly fascinating, especially when thinking about how deep some have gone, while others have taken much more careful stock of the surface levels. Is it common to desire to explore all three?

At any rate... I would like to hear everyone's experiences and thoughts, if you would be willing to share it. It would be nice to share such things to my lover, Claude, as well-

[Click, closer- and oKAY THAT IS SURE A GIANT CRAB CLAW SMASHING DOWN FROM OUT OF SCREEN]

[ONLY BE TO BLOCKED BY ANOTHER GIANT CRAB CLAW]

[Dimitri does not so much as blink. Then again, he kind of saw it coming. Literally.]

As you can see, I have had an encounter of my own. Claude, Felix, and myself all sought to venture down into the deepest levels of the temple. We found- ah, you should be able to see him better now.

["Him" being the god damn fuckoff GIANT Kingler that is slowly coming into frame as it and the other giant fuckoff Kingler dueling it begin to move further away and not, you know, directly over Dimitri's head. The first Kingler, the attacker, is shiny in more ways than one - not only with the color of his shell, but all the shiny objects that seem embedded in there, to.]

[Grindy, Dimitri's own Kingler and challenger, is just the normal kind of shiny, and he seems determined to not let go this glittery bastard go unchallenged. After forcing the attacking Kingler back a ways, what is clearly a Crab Duel starts happening in the background behind Dimitri.]

[He ignores it. He's too tired to care, and, honestly...]

This Kingler had made a lair down in the depths, in an abandoned room. We managed to beat him back, and he seems to be quite old... We managed to retrieve some items of great import as a result of them being knocked free from his shell.

We caught him, in the end, but, well... It seems as though he is rather old, from what we can tell, and his instincts still go strong. He keeps... I believe he is attempting to eat us, whenever he is released from his Pokeball.

...He is keeping Grindy occupied, however...

[Dimitri's crab sure does love The Violence.]

Comments

[Video]

[maplecourt]

[DID SOMEONE SAY CRABS AND SUMMON SIR CRAB.

Okay, but Fitzroy is delighted by this absolute show and this old fuckoff giant kingler. Even if Snippers 2.0 is just a dim normal kingler on his lap while his crabominable is waving her claw punching fists around making a horrendous racket as she chooses violence, father.]

There was bound to be some sort of sea creature making a home down there and crabs acting like... that... isn't necessarily an odd thing. Though that size is certainly unusual. Almost reminds me of my darling Snippers back home, though he was gold and a magical construct more than an actual crab.

What do you plan on doing with him if this is how he'll always act?

[Video]

[nastyboy]

Yes, quite. Grindy, my own Kingler, is also quite large, but he is nowhere near his elder's size.

[Grindy used to be a tiny runt of a shiny Krabby, but enough tender loving care, lots of food, and a predisposition towards Father I Crave Violence can make a tank out of any crab!]

[But it is true - while clearly his youth and regular battle experience is holding up well against the other shiny Kingler, Grindy still manages to be a bit smaller. No doubt age has something to do with it.]

As for your question... I am not entirely sure. Since we went to the effort of besting him in battle and catching him, it seems as though it would be immature and reckless to simply release him again. He also may try to cause more trouble for other people down in the temple if let free, and that could bring harm to both parties.

I suppose we will simply have to work with him as best we possibly can... Unfortunate that we are not familiar with some sort of expert on these matters.

[You know. Like a crab expert.]

[Video]

[maplecourt]

[Hmm. Sorry, Felix, give him a moment while he tries to use the video to get a better look at the large old guy again.

He's familiar with training up scrawny things to make them amazing. Hell, he kind of did that himself. And if Snippers 3.0 is any indication, 2.0 is a fluke of personality more than anything else.]

I wouldn't necessarily call myself an expert on the matter, but if you wanted some help, I wouldn't object. Not like we're travelling all that much currently. [He pauses for a moment, Snippers 3.0 shoving herself into the screen to look menacing before being gently pushed away again.]

If nothing else, the old guy might prove a rather fun physical challenge for me than another Pokemon.

[Video]

[nastyboy]

Oh! Well, let me see...

[This man did say that he was familiar with his own, giant, glittery crab... Perhaps this means something?]

[And if their own group does plan on traveling, it might be better for this Kingler to have someone a little more stationary and stable. It might also be better for Dimitri's group, to not have to worry about depression and a giant hungry crab.]

Where are you located now?

[bestswordmaster]

Tame it and train it, what else would you do with a wild Pokémon?

…wait, I know you.

[…from Medusa, that’s where he knows this guy from. The pole acrobat. It takes him a second. What was his name again? Mabel something?]

It’s Mabel, right?

[maplecourt]

[SIR, WHY MUST YOU MISREMEMBER HIS NAME.

Not that he remembers his name either, but details.]

What's your track record with dealing with old as sin wild creatures that are huge? Genuine question, not trying to sarcastic.

[The pole acrobat, it's true. It's fine.]

Fitzroy Maplecourt. Fitzroy will do. Formerly knight of the realm of Goodcastle, but I've since retired that title. [THEN WHY EVEN BRING IT UP.]

[bestswordmaster]

Hmph. Dimitri and I have taken down plenty of demonic beasts and gigantic wolves. Wyverns and giant automata. We can handle oversized seafood.

[Just because Fitz has only met him in the context of burlesque dancing, doesn't mean he won't act like this man totally should have known that Felix is a career soldier, somehow, without being told.]

Maplecourt, right.

[Close enough.

Then he makes a vaguely disgusted face.]

Am I supposed to be impressed? Ugh, you knights are all the same. Glorifying the role as though it alone is an acceptable reason to take up a sword and shed blood for some dubious ideal.

[fingersandteeth]

My God...

[That's. That's certainly a thing, isn't it?]

... have you figured out a name for him yet? Because if not, I suggest Tamatoa.

[Look, Steven's current canonpoint is 2022. I have to.]

[nastyboy]

[It's sure a thing, Steven! A thing which Dimitri is ignoring because boy is he tired and cannot care about trivial matters like giant crabs trying to eat him.]

[Instead, he brightens a bit.]

Tamatoa... I rather like the sound of it. Does it have a particular meaning that you associated with him?

[fingersandteeth]

Ah... there was a film I showed my [dead, currently a ghost] sister and her, well, friend [ghost boyfriend] with a very large, very mean crab that had gold stuck onto his shell. He reminds me of the one in the film.

[nastyboy]

Oh, I see. Well, it would not be the strangest name a Palien has ever received...

I will have to see how he takes to it.

[There's the cracking sound of crab on crab violence.]

...Assuming he ever bothers to pay attention to anything I say, of course.

Voice

[fayblood]

"I thought Pokémon normally don't attack people?"

There's no video as per usual with him, but he does sound a bit worried. It's probably that 'attempting to eat us' bit.

Voice

[nastyboy]

It is better or worse that Dimitri also defaults to whatever the other party is using... On the one hand, it's harder to see the giant Kingler's attempts to eat him. On the other hand, there is still the clear sounds of chitin crashing against chitin in the background.

Dimitri doesn't sounds particularly concerned. "Normally, no... But things can still happen outside of the norm. From what we have been able to tell, this one is particularly old, and who knows what they have experienced in their life."

Re: Voice

[fayblood]

On the one hand, Dimitri definitely doesn't sound bothered by all this. On the other hand, Shrike can definitely hear all that fighting going on in the background.

"But isn't it trying to attack you?"

He likes Dimitri, he doesn't want him to get hurt!

[nastyboy]

"Yes." Dimitri can't... really deny that, after all. It was kind of caught on video. "However, they have not yet succeeded, and we are taking care to make sure we always have someone who can handle them. While they may be old, and evolved, my own Kingler, Grindy, outdoes them in terms of battle experience... so I am in good hands."

Pincers. Claws. Whatever.

"I am hoping that by working with them, they will slowly stop being so inclined to this sort of behavior... Certainly, we have to try."

[forsaintcecilia]

[Kazuki was wondering if he should make a comment about how openly Dimitri was able to say the word "lover," because he would certainly die on the spot if he said such a thing himself-- But then the giant Kingler claw crashes down and totally derails his train of thought.]

A--Are you sure he's really caught? It doesn't look like he's all that down with the idea...!

[nastyboy]

Well, the Pokeball certainly closed around him... And I do not believe that his constant attacks are signs that he disagrees, necessarily.

He just... seems preoccupied with the idea of eating us.

[Dimitri, why are you so calm saying that-]

[forsaintcecilia]

Dimitri, that's just as bad! I think this is something you should be concerned about!

[nastyboy]

Well, he has not succeeded.

[Dimitri]

[Still, he can see that Kazuki is getting upset, so Dimitri uses his best gentle voice to help reassure him.]

And so long as he has not succeeded, that means we have a chance to communicate with this creature, and work alongside him. It may be that he has never seen humans before, or that his hunger has simply driven him to strange choices such as this.

We will take the utmost care in keeping ourselves safe. It is why Grindy is here, after all, and he has not failed in defending me yet.

Video;

[schachmeister]

[Armin would be more than willing to compare notes on temple explorations and what had been found inside and what an amazing opportunity this is but there is kind of a giant crab battle going on.]

A-- are you sure it's wise to keep this one?

Video;

[nastyboy]

No.

Video;

[schachmeister]

There is nothing wrong with releasing a pokemon back into the wild if you realise you are a bad match. And it can be to the pokemon's benefit as well.

Of course, it's hard to know exactly what a pokemon is thinking, but generally, I'd say 'desire to devour my trainer' isn't really something felt by a happy and content pokemon.

[Video]

[mightdoriya]

[Oh

Oh my god??]

Is- is it really trying to eat you??

[Video]

[nastyboy]

I believe so, yes. It does not use the best attacks for the situation, usually, but rather just tries to grab us to pull closer to its mouth. Our Paliens seemed to agree that was the intent as well.

[Dimitri.... don't sound so calm...]

[mightdoriya]

[Please don't sound so calm Dimitri...]

You...aren't worried by that? Even Manual doesn't try to eat me...I doubt he even could, though...