codeforhope | Voicemail

[Well, it's that time again. Time to check in and let Chihiro know he isn't dead yet. Only this time instead of a straight up call, Chihiro will find a video message waiting for him whenever he gets back to his 'gear.

The video starts off simple enough. Komasan can't be seen, but he's definitely heard as what looks like a Dunsparce slithers around the floor of the Violet City Pokemon center. She's just minding her own business, checking things out.]

Monge~ Noko-chan is so cute, zura~ Hey! Hey Noko-chan, zura!

[The tiny fat snake looks up at the feed.]

Show Chihiro your trick, do that thing you always do, zura!

[Immediately Noko sits herself up as she continues to look into the feed, then tilts her head quizzically much like a dog does. She even somehow manages to give a little snakey blush! Komasan absolutely loses it.]

Monge~~!! Isn't she the cutest thing in the world, zura?! Ohh, Noko-chan, you make me so happy, zura~

[As Komasan fawns over her, very publicly, the cries of Shiro can be heard in the background, his failed attempt to get his trainer to stop embarrassing him.]

Ah, okay, we need to get everyone their checkups now, zura. Noko-chan! Say bye-bye to Chihiro, zura!

[Noko, still balancing on her end, waves her little spear-shaped tail and smiles for the camera before Komasan turns the feed onto himself. Shiro can be seen floating behind him, still looking somewhat embarrassed. They're also joined by Hogosha, who makes up most of the background.]

Heh, that's all I wanted to show you for now, z-zura. This should be the last city before I hit THE city, s-so you can call me if you want to talk before I get there, zura! Um...bye-bye, zura!

[The video ends.]

[...that was quite possibly the cutest thing he's ever seen, oh my god.

Chihiro calls back straight away from where he'd been working at his desk. He has a notepad in front of him where he'd been jotting down some things- information for his next clutch- while petting his Flareon curled up in his lap.]

I hope I'm not bothering you in the middle of getting your Pokemon seen to, Komasan-chan. It's good to hear from you again. Noko-chan is very cute! You must have caught her while you were traveling, right?

[Komasan answers the call immediately, almost as if he were waiting for it.

...Because he was.

Just sitting there in the Pokemon center, kicking his feet as he watched his 'gear patiently, twiddling his thumbs. He's all smiles when he picks up, although chances are that isn't a surprise. He's just so delighted right now!]

Mhm, that's right, zura! [Gosh, Chihiro is so smart.] I found a monge~ cave for us to sleep in, and I guess that's where she lived, zura. Oh...she was so shy, but I think seeing the other Pokemon with me made her really brave, zura!

[His smile falters for just a second, almost unnoticeable really. He's still trying to get used to the idea that he's the human now, so it's kinda weird to have the adorable monsters be afraid of you...when you yourself are supposed to be an adorable monster.]

Heh, I just hope she'll have fun with me, zura. That cave was so dark, it was probably really boring, zura...

I'm sure she will. She seems to be enjoying your company already.

[He's glad to see that Komasan seems to be adjusting okay to the Pokemon life. And it's a rather good thing that his first Pokemon he caught is a relatively docile one, as well as one that doesn't seem to have minded being caught so much.]

Are you going to be training Shiro and Noko-chan a lot?

[Training? What does training have to do with raising Pokemon? Look at Chihiro, being so silly.]

I don't think I can carry a treadmill with me everywhere, it'd be too heavy, zura.

[That's...that's the only training he's familiar with.]

Edited (words are difficult) 2015-12-14 20:17 (UTC)

[...]

Komasan-chan, did you read the manual that was in your bag when you first got here?

Nope, zura!

[He was too busy trying to stay alive.]

[SIGH...okay, he's not sure what he was expecting, actually.]

Well, Pokemon aren't just companions, here. Trainers are called trainers for a reason. They train their Pokemon by letting them battle each other using their moves and abilities, and it makes them grow stronger. Not everyone trains, of course...but it is something you can do.

Oooohhhhhhh, that would explain why Shiro likes to fight so much, zura. I guess we were training and I didn't even realize it, he's already learned so many different moves, zura.

[Which is ...really surprising to him, truth be told. Youkai only know what they know, they never learn anything new.]

Hogosha has been helping us when something really strong comes after us, but for the most part, Shiro has been really good about protecting me, zura.

That's good! Most Pokemon do enjoy battling. It's a fun challenge for them, and helps them to exercise as well as grow strong. Hogosha is one of the strongest Pokemon I have, actually. He can't get much stronger than he is now.

Nooo! Don't say that, you shouldn't limit his potential, zura!

[HOW DOES ONE GAME MECHANICS?]

I don't! But...I don't think they can gain any levels higher than 100. It just stops there for some reason.

...How do you know what level they're at, zura?

[He didn't...see any numbers written on his Pokemon or anything.]

If you go into the Pokedex on your Gear and point it at your Pokemon, it will tell you things like that. Their species, level, abilities, moves and gender.

Monge... The Pokegear can really do all of those things, zura?

...

[Curious, he takes the 'gear, you know, the one he's talking with, and points it at...himself.]

[...child.]

...with Pokemon, yes.

Pokemon...Pokemon...Pokemon...zura!

[It just so happens that Komasan is in a Pokemon center.

Surrounded by other people's Pokemon.

Still incredibly curious, Komasan gets up from his seat, looks around at all his potential targets, then takes off like no one's ever taken off before. He points at and prods just about every trainer's Pokemon that happens to be out right now, no one is spared.

What follows is a string of confused and angry shouts from various trainers as a young man runs about poking everyone's monster for unknown reasons. This is your friend, Chihiro.]

Edited 2015-12-15 02:02 (UTC)

A-ah, wait-!

[But it's too late, Komasan is on a mission and there's no stopping him. He's not...hurting anything at least, he's just being very strange in a very public place...]

[Welcome to Shiro's hell. Once Komasan is finished with his, um, whatever you want to call that, he absolutely beams when he looks down at his 'gear, and incidentally the feed as well.]

Monge~ The Pokedex gathered so much information, zura! It's like having a little book on everything you find, zura!

[Technology is amazing. Sadly, no one else seems to share his enthusiasm, the sounds of a few disgruntled grumblings can still be heard in the background.]

[Shiro, he is so sorry for your...everything.]

Yes, it's...it's very useful. But maybe stick with your own Pokemon or wild ones for now, okay?

But wild Pokemon will try to bite me, zura.

[This way was much safer, and so much variety! He'd fill up his Pokedex in no time at this rate.]

You don't have to get quite so close to scan them. And your Pokemon will keep you safe if they get too close.

[You don't gotta get all up in their grills, Komasan.]

[BUT THAT'S THE FUN PART.]

I guess I could try that, zura... H-How... How many Pokemon have you scanned so far, zura?

[Because if Chihiro's scanned a lot with that method, then it's all the proof he needs to know that it works.]

Oh, quite a lot by now...I have almost fifty Pokemon of my own, but I've seen more than that.

[Woah. That's, like, more than ten. And ten was already a really big number to begin with, have you seen how many fingers humans have?! He still can't get over it, how do people keep themselves from counting for days???]

MONGE!! How do you remember all their names, zura?!

Voicemail

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]