video - violet city;

[prayreturn]

[ The camera has a few Zigzagoon in the background from the swarm, Minfilia looking a bit tired as her female Meowstic tries to fight them. She holds up a badge - the Zephyr Badge! There's a warm smile on her face, tired but proud. ]

It was quite the interesting experience fighting a Gym Leader - I hope that the others end up as enlightening. I shall be setting out to the next city as soon as I can. But I've... a small concern.

[ The camera pans to show quite the crew. Her entire team are out and relaxing. Note the multiple cat-like Pokemon... ] Will they truly be okay in the box? I wish not to choose favorites, but I do know that some of them will do better against the next gym then others.

...Perhaps I shall need to spoil them when we get to Azalea Town.

Comments

voice

[epitaffio]

Congrats! Those fights can get pretty tough. It's kind of embarrassing, but I lost the last one I tried, to be honest...

[The voice on this end of the feed is youthful, soft. Don't mind him not turning on video, please; he's handling some important and very definitely legal paperwork as he speaks.]

I know it's weird, but apparently the boxes are just fine! I kind of had the same question about the Pokéballs at first, you know? But Pokémon are pretty smart, so they'll just tell you if they don't like what you're doing with them.

[prayreturn]

I thought I would lose at one point, as well. [ She remains on video, but she subconsciously puts a hand to the inert pearl in her ear. ] Yet, I trusted in my allies.

I trust their judgement with these boxes and balls, as well - even if we do not share a common tongue. Yet, I want them to be more then allies - I wish for them to be friends.

[epitaffio]

It's natural to get attached, right? Even if you use them to fight, Pokémon are kind of like pets.

[Of course, he may be biased. Mafioso that he may be, Doppio has always been a fan of little critters.]

[prayreturn]

I believe they're more then pets. They're as smart as any one of us.

[ said so firmly. ]

[epitaffio]

Oh, um... I didn't mean anything bad by that.

[Sure, maybe people don't usually think of pets as "smart," but... they can be pretty clever, right?]

[prayreturn]

It's okay. I... simply like to make sure that I respect my Pokemon as I should. I... it's complicated to explain why.

[epitaffio]

Is it? I think that's pretty normal.

[prayreturn]

My own reasons are complicated, I mean. It's not the simple respect between allies.

But, then again, I'd hope it were normal.

[epitaffio]

What do you mean? If you don't mind talking about it, that is.

[He has to admit she's making him really curious.]

[prayreturn]

Where I come from, there are less humanoid Spoken - similar to Pokemon, in many ways. However, they are treated like mindless beasts. Tortured. Run out of their homes. Forced to do horrible things in their fear.

...I still find it hard to believe how unified this land is.

[epitaffio]

[... The look on Doppio's face may indicate he wasn't expecting the conversation to get so real so quickly.]

Yeah, um... [He gulps.] This place is pretty peaceful, for the most part. I'm sorry to hear about... that?

[prayreturn]

[ There's a quiet pause. ] Is your land not like that?

[epitaffio]

Like what, this place?... Or yours?

[If this world is the point of comparison, the answer is easy. If not... he'll have to think about it a bit.]