7th Petal [Video, Goldenrod City]

[better2do]

[Today, there seems to be a very determined Floette handling a Poke'gear. She frowns, tilts the device this way and that, as if trying to prop it up on something, and through her tilting, you can see flashes of activity behind her - a blue Gastrodon holding a crayon in his mouth as he tries to help a Midnight Lycanroc trace his paw, a Xatu being particularly mobile as it pulls out pink construction paper from a stack. When the Floette is satisfied with her work, she turns and calls over her shoulder to the Xatu, who pauses in his work and comes over, drawing his wings in. There's a subtle glow of psychic energy in his eyes as he deigns to speak:]

Excuse me, humans. We would like to ask about the day of Valentines. [He looks to the Floette as she talks some more, perhaps helping him along with what he needs to say. Already he's shifting from foot to foot, as if uncomfortable with being straightforward.] Are we too allowed to give a gift to our trainer? We love him very much.

[The Floette nods in agreement. This seems to have caught the attention of the Gastrodon and Lycanroc, because they too come over, crowding the Xatu, who is now visibly uncomfortable.]

Must we...write his name on our gifts? None of us can write in the human language...but, we can try to draw his face... [The glow flickers as he closes his eyes and shakes his head, batting the Gastrodon back with his wing.] Ngh...t-that is all! Remember: pteronophobia is the fear of being tickled by feathers!

[He waddles off, to the dismay of the other Pokemon, and the Floette knocks over the 'gear as she turns to retrieve the only one of them that can talk to humans, turning it off.

Uh-oh...might wanna help these kids with their arts and crafts, guys. None of this can end well. At least they don't have glue?]

Comments

[11121_assumption]

[ Walter wasn't handling his gear; he was currently getting used to having his own house and was checking out the garden, since it was both bright and only a little chilly. That didn't mean the call would go unanswered. The video feed opens and reveals Doll, grinning at the camera. There's several Pokemon behind her, exploring the living room behind them and attempting to 'claim' space for themselves; notably a Honchkrow can be seen in the background, watching the conversation from his chosen perch. ]

Hi Gracie! I thought only romantic couples did Valentines things?

[ As she spoke, some of the Pokemon gathered to see who she was talking to; a Natu and an Audino, the Natu tilting her head with a curious twitch as the Audino smiled gently and sat down. ]

[better2do]

[Gracie nearly jumps for joy - or well, a close approximation for something that floats - when she sees her friend, and waves to the others she doesn't know.]

Hi Doll! We know that's something humans do, but, Asriel is one of us! We don't have to do things like the humans if we don't want to. [She looks back over at the Xatu, who is composing himself in the corner. He's not used to having to speak for others like this.] Flappy was concerned that he might not understand why we're giving him a gift, though.

[11121_assumption]

[ Doll grinned back, clapping together her cloth hands. ] That sounds cool. We don't have plans like that for Walter; except for giving him a hug. He needs some of those!

[ The Natu, Wisdom, tweeted in sympathy for Flappy. ]

It is harder to speak for others than it is to speak for oneself. Unless you all want to say the same thing.

[ Doll gives Wisdom a flat, confused look, while the Audino just looks politely confused. Thankfully, she speaks up next. ]

Why doesn't Flappy tell Asriel when you give it to him?

[better2do]

Oh, oh! Give him a hug for me please!

[Gracie is all about sharing love. Flappy, meanwhile, perks at the Natu's words, peering over his shoulder. He says,] It is easier to do so in an echo chamber.

[The Audino shall be answered by Gracie.] He doesn't think we need words to be said. That...love's a feeling, not a statement.

[11121_assumption]

[ Eileen smiled and nodded. ] That is true. My trainer has trouble 'understanding' why we like him so much. But he knows that we like him. We will give him a hug from all of you as well. Someday he'll accept it...


[ Wisdom piped up in response to Flappy, nodding understandingly. ] A statement of love does not lessen the feeling. Unless it is a statement of unlove, or loss love.

[ Doll gives Wisdom another blank look. Why is the weird bird here. Why did Walter name her Wisdom of all things. ]

[better2do]

[Gracie gives a little bow.] Thank you very much! Asriel will appreciate it, too. He hasn't seen your trainer for a while now. Is he okay?

[Now you've got Flappy's attention. He comes over slowly, straightening his wings, clearly a bit more comfortable talking to a psychic then into the ether.] We wouldn't wish such a thing on our Asriel if we could help it. He is a smart cookie - a wise chocolate cake. A brilliant pancake.

[Gracie's smile is a little strained. Yeah, the shitposting birds can be a bit trying, can't they? But they're agreed on protecting their trainer, and that's the important thing.]

[11121_assumption]

[ Wisdom couldn't help brightening at his words. ] I would like to meet the brilliant pancake. Have you meet our trainer? He is a soft and quiet. A slightly melted ice cream.

[ ...Yeah Doll is gonna bap the little bird away. Stop that. Eileen's smile dropped at the mention of Walter, speaking gently. ]

He's not okay...he tried to go to Goldenrod, to see Asriel and other friends. But a man named Henry Townshend attacked him. Assumption protected him, but he became afraid that Assumption would be taken away. He refuses to go near Goldenrod now.

[greatrage]

[enjoy the computer generated voice! This little rotom is just possessing the pokégear, nbd]

Bzzzzat! You guys are so cute, it's diiiiisssgusting! LMAO. But yeah, sure if you wanna be all sappy and stuff, go for it!! Humans like boxes full of angry beedrills, I hear.

[better2do]

[The one who answers next is the Lycanroc, who snickers into his paw.]

Nice try! Nobody ever likes an angry Beedrill! Except OTHER angry Beedrills!

[greatrage]

Oooh!! Smarter than you look, huh? [a snickering emoji shaped suspiciously like a rotom appears] Ok, ok. I'll help you for real. Trainers LOVE chocolate. They especially love this kind!

[beep! Another image appears on the screen]

[better2do]

[The Lycanroc tilts his head, a pondering look on his face.]

...I think he has candies like that already, but he won't eat them. He just looks at them!

[greatrage]

Whaaaaaat. That's stupid! Who just LOOKS at candy, huh?!

[better2do]

I dunno! I bet Gracie knows - she knows all the stuff about him!

video

[veggie_vamp]

Hey, like, I'm technically not a human, can I still answer?

[Video]

[better2do]

[The one who answers this time is the Gastrodon - they must be taking turns. Considering this is someone who can't speak Pokemon, though, he simply nods. Go ahead, they need all the advice they can get.]

[Video]

[veggie_vamp]

Okay, so! You can totes give him a gift! V-day is all about love, so like, if you love him you show it! And as long as you give it to him, I'm pretty sure he can tell it's from you.

[Video]

[better2do]

[The Gastrodon tilts his head questioningly. Does it really work like that?]

[Video]

[veggie_vamp]

[Thumbs-up!]

Absolutely! It's just that easy! No need to make it complicated!

[Video]

[better2do]

Stro...

[He nods in agreement - yes, making it complicated is the last thing they want to do. They just want to share love!

It takes him a moment to lean down and pick up one of the construction papers he's been working on. It looks like...crayon squiggle hearts...haphazardly colored in. The Gastrodon looks at Draculaura imploringly.

Does it look okay?]

[action]

[journalname]

Hey, kiddos.

[oh jesus christ it's splash. she's grinning and hovering outside the window for some ungodly reason, asgore please supervise your gyarados.]

You wanna know how to tell him it's for him?

[Action]

[better2do]

[Yooooooo sup Splash! Gracie goes over to try and open the window, but she's too small to do much else but unlock it. That's when Moon comes over to lift it up for her, and both stick their heads out to talk to the Gyarados while Flappy and Pie take their time coming over to join them.

Moon asks,] How do we do it? How?

[journalname]

You wait in the dark, and then JUMP OUT AND THROW IT AT HIS HEAD! That'll keep him on his toes!

[ha ha ha, gyarados laughter]

[better2do]

[Moon claps his paws and says,] That's PERFECT!

[Gracie looks a bit exasperated.]

[journalname]

I KNOW, RIGHT? HE'LL BE SO SURPRISED!

[better2do]

We should do that with all our trainers-

[Gracie is VERY quick to tug insistently on Moon's ear, reigning him in.]