Round 3 - Team Hairbeast Problems

[yanginthere]

[ Video | Open ]
[ Anyone tuning in to Yang's transmission today is in for a fluffy time. Literally. She is currently sitting on her knees between three largish Pokémon, that all barely fit in the already wide shot. Her proud Pyroar sits on all fours to one side, regarding the antics of the rather playful Arcanine who's enjoying Yang rubbing her tummy, and a majestic Ninetales is sitting with her back to the camera while Yang attempts to use the brush in her main hand to smooth out the post-washing curls. It's not working too well. ]

Okay, real talk! Does anyone have as much difficulty with grooming as I do with my crew? I mean, just look at them! [ A wide gesture, smiling and laughing as she does so. ] Do you have any idea how many brushes and combs I've gone through since I got here? I'm pretty sure I've spent less on evolution stones...

[ Of course, being the proud owner of a magnificent blond mane herself, she isn't about to let her Pokémon go with anything but the best in pet hair care. Yang resumes the brushing, much to the satisfaction of the Ninetales, who looks a little sleepy. ] Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of fun, but if anyone can recommend any tips or good places to shop for sturdier tools, I'm all ears.

[ Speaking of ears, she pauses briefly in scratching Rowdy's stomach to rub behind her own ear. ] —and can someone with a Joltik tell me if this kind of behavior is normal for them? I don't mind it exactly, but it's hard to keep track of her when she gets like this.

[ What is Yang talking about? Well, when she turns to show the back of her head to the camera, if one squints, it may be possible to see one very cheerful Joltik making itself cozy in the long wavy strands of Yang's substantial hairdo. Like she's building a nest for herself, almost... ]


((OOC: Here is a catch-all post. Action threads and continuations from here are welcomed there!))

Comments

[yanginthere]

Not when traffic's going both ways. [ A beat. ] Then again, I doubt that would be such a big deal here unless everyone had a car and was out all at once. [ Honestly, the relatively low population count around here bothers her but in other ways. Where was the rest of the world? Were two regions really all there were to it...? ]

Heh. Steelix sounds tough, but my little Joltik here? Not so much. [ Speaking of, she's going to reach a hand right into her hair to try and dig the little friend out. ] C'mon, where did you go now...?

[paladinlost]

Even if they did and were, surely there'd be room still. Though I suppose those wheels might damage the grass.

[Yes. Yes, they would.]

Ah, yes, most Bug-types do look easy to crush. Though I'd still not underestimate your Joltik's tolerance for heavy object approaching at high speed, considering some of the attacks they survive.

[yanginthere]

Haha, you're right about that. It makes me a little jealous sometimes.

...or, at least, it makes me miss my Aura.

[paladinlost]

Your... Aura? Is that a creature from your world, or a person?

[yanginthere]

Oh, it's me!

Err, I mean, it's a part of me. It's a ... well, basically it's the manifestation of people's souls. Everyone person a little of it back on my world, but they took all that away from us here.

[paladinlost]

Of course they did. They remove from us anything remotely magical, or merely unknown to this world. Though I suspect losing the manifestation of your soul is more alarming than losing a healing spell.

[yanginthere]

Tell me about it. [ She sighed. ] I'm still coming to terms with feeling relatively powerless. This world is super safe, but I still feel like I'm the one being looked after and that's not right.

[ Yang reached out to pet the head of her Arcanine, who was making quiet gruff noises. She smiled as she did so. ] Yeah yeah, it's nothing personal, you guys.

[paladinlost]

The feeling never quite fades away, I'm sorry to say. It'd not be so bad if we were allowed to keep our weapons, but with the laws as they are all we can do is improvise and try to hold our own if necessary.

[He doesn't sound particularly happy with that.]

[yanginthere]

That's why I'm glad they at least have gyms here made for people. Without it I'd have a harder time motivating myself to keep in shape.

...what'd they take from you, if you don't mind me asking?

[paladinlost]

Not much, compared to others: my sword and shield, a handful of healing and support spells, my ability to take hits for anyone I choose to protect... Perhaps also certain Lunarian traits, if I have any. Things I can live without, though Teleport would be helpful while travelling through caves.

[yanginthere]

Hah, if it's anything like what the Pokémon here can do, I can imagine it being convenient to have. The rest would probably come in handy but... I don't know anything about magic, except for what's in stories anyway.

[paladinlost]

From what I can tell, magic varies greatly from world to world. Ours is split between White, Black and Summoning, with summoning being quite close to using Pokémon in battle.

[yanginthere]

Summoning, huh...? My friend Weiss would know more about that than I would. This isn't quite how she described it to me, though.

[paladinlost]

Even an expert summoner could hardly expect a world where they are supposed to mediate an argument between their creatures over cake, at three in the morning. It's... not how it usually works.

[yanginthere]

[ Sorry dude, but she has to laugh at that. ] Oh man, I can't — well, okay, I've had my share of late night wake-ups here but nothing involving desserts.

[ She looked around her, wagging her finger. ] Don't you guys get any funny ideas!

[paladinlost]

[That gets a laugh out of Cecil in return.]

Don't worry, they hardly need to get ideas. Those'll come naturally, usually upon reaching the bottom of a cake pan. Sharing a dessert is simple when you have a handful of Pokémon, but when you have seventy...

[yanginthere]

[ Her eyes went wide. ] Seventy!?

Geez, and I thought that one lady that had over thirty was overdoing it...

[paladinlost]

Thirty is a good number to have after two or three years. But even seventy is not that much; we can train over a hundred, if we wish.

[yanginthere]

Mmm, I've been here about four months, and I'm fine with seven honestly. [ Yes, all the ones on camera, and the one snuggled into her hair, is all she "owns" here. ]

I guess that's because I think of them more like pets than anything. Not that there's anything wrong with what anyone else thinks!

[paladinlost]

Everyone sees their Pokémon differently. Pets, partners, friends, children... even weapons and employees, I suppose. But the size of our teams is rarely linked to such thoughts, between the eggs we sometimes receive as gifts and the Pokémon left behind by others.

[There's a slight touch of sadness as he finishes that sentence, but it's barely audible.]

[yanginthere]

[ If she picked up on that at all, she didn't want to dwell on it. Happy thoughts, dude! ] Heh. I'm too young to turn into a crazy cat lady just yet. But I get what you're saying, too.

[paladinlost]

Now, there's no such thing as being too young for that. Unless you'd rather be a crazy bird or fish lady, which in this world is also a valid option. Why stop at cats?

[yanginthere]

So, basically, you're telling it's okay to just — go crazy! [ Or BE crazy. Which is the part that's making her laugh. Again. ]

[paladinlost]

When in Eblan, do as the Eblanians do. If they happen to collect comrades like others collect scarves, who could blame us for following suit? If the world itself has its moments of madness, why not embrace it?

[Because common sense usually prevails, but let's not be a killjoy.]

[yanginthere]

[ Still grinning. ] You know, you've got a funny way of looking at it... but a good point. I can dig it.