[Video]

[goingbythebook]

[The footage focuses on someone who looks extraordinarily like Louie, for those familiar with him, save this person is wearing red. He observes for a moment and then grins.]

Well well well, this is certainly a case of deja vu! I'm not sure how long I've been gone, and getting reacclimated to this environment certainly took a few moments more than if I'd been expecting it. But the point is, hello again Pokemon world! 'Tis I, Huey Duck! As new people may have surmised I've been here before, so I'm rather used to Pokemon, training, and the like.

[The astute may notice in his background is a Quaxly, meticulously grooming their feathers. Stop, look in the reflection from a puddle, back to work.]

But because there are surely people who weren't here the last time I was, I wanted to put an introduction out there. As per my ID I'm a breeder, so hopefully you can look to me in the future for aid with your Pokemon's care and general knowledge!

[He snorts and mutters to himself, however audibly still, "Research is definitely going to be a focus here!" Then he pauses and clears his throat.]

And Louie? If you're still out there, call me as soon as you see this. [Beat.] Huey out.

[End video.]

Comments

[goingbythebook]

Well, I suppose it could be put that way, sort of... It's not nearly as regimented as military training is, though. While scouting has some of the same structures, rather than being taught how to survive in a lethal environment, you're learning more generally applicable life skills.

But at the same time you're not completely wrong, either. There's doing things on a schedule, preparation for disaster scenarios, and ranks to rise up in based on behavior and satisfactory task completion.

[schachmeister]

It sounds like the sort of organisation I might have joined if it had been available to me. Though, well, I did join the military when I was about your age, so I've had some of the same experiences.

[goingbythebook]

You joined the military when you were 13?

[He looks conflicted, both surprised and in a way, sad. What sort of circumstances, what sort of world would have someone going into the military at so young an age?]

[schachmeister]

Twelve.

[Just a murmured correction, because it doesn't really matter much. Twelve, thirteen, it's all so young, isn't it?]

The longer I'm in this world, the more horrendous it feels, though I never thought of it that way when I was a kid. For us, that was normal -- join the Training corps when you are twelve, and the army proper when you turn fifteen. The army needed soldiers and, well, in terms of stability and access to food, there were few better jobs out there.

I don't know if it is any sort of comfort but I did join the training corps out of my own free will. In fact, they really did try to get me to drop out. I wasn't exactly a great soldier.

[goingbythebook]

Wow. I can't imagine what must be going on in your world but I'm sorry you had to deal with something like that. Even with leaving on your own.

[He pauses, sighs after a moment.]

It's not nearly on the scope of being in an army, but because of my uncle's misadventures I've seen more fighting and danger than I ever thought I would have. There's definitely times I miss just being able to be a kid, y'know? Even though it has been really good, too! Don't get me wrong.

It's just been... a lot.

[schachmeister]

No, I understand.

[Honestly, this subject is all a little depressing, and Armin truly didn't mean to turn his first conversation with Louie's triplet into this. Luckily, Huey's words have given him an easy change of topic.]

Louie has told me a little about the adventures you've all been on. Though, I'm not certain I've always heard the full story. Louie tends to focus on, uh... very specific topics.

[Treasure. Armin is talking about treasure.]

[goingbythebook]

I'm sure he has, and I bet I can figure out what that focus was on, too.

[Noting that this was said with all the affection in the world, and that was including the eyeroll that'd come with it.]

Well, if you'd like to know more about them at any point, you have but to ask! I wasn't there for all of them, but I could easily spin a yarn or two.

[He laughed after a moment.]

I only wish our Uncle Scrooge were here! He could really host a little "tell all." Though, he wasn't aways like that; ironically it wasn't until our own little adventure that finally goaded him into opening up about past ones. Though I could understand- ["I suppose"] -why he was so reluctant to do it before then.