2 ∅ [Video]

[callbacks]

[Whoa, what's this? A video post from our resident red-texter? The young man in the feed doesn't have much of a facial expression behind his shades, but he seems pleasantly keyed-up somehow, anyway--maybe it's something in the way he bounces as he flops into his chair.]

I was going to ask if there's some kind of survivalist secret Santa for birthdays around here, or if a Pokémon takes care of it. Like, maybe there's just a widespread anonymous cultural practice of delivering rope and hardtack to someone's door on the anniversary of their exiting utero.

[The corner of his mouth slides up a bit.]

But then I discovered the most important item I've yet received here in Pokéworld. Ladies and gentlemen...

[He turns the camera to reveal a Ralts in a scarf probably twice as long as it is tall. It's holding what looks like the kind of cheap wind-up Electabuzz toy you'd find at the bottom of a child's fast food box.]

The Happiny Meal^TM toy.

[Dave is so stoked. The Ralts, more bemused than anything else, winds it up and seems surprised when it rattles across the desk. It crouches to watch the toy more closely as Dave pulls the view back to himself, still practically bursting (you know, for him) with ironic amusement.]

Anyway, since I've got all this kit now, does anyone in the Violet City neck of the woods want to go check out those ruins? I know it's basically freezing and all, but they're not supposed to be too far out, and. [He shrugs.] They sound all right.

[Meaning he really, really wants to go see them, and it is his birthday.]

Comments

[voice]

[callbacks]

Yeah, but aren't I still more or less on the easy end of things out here? I've got a level twenty-five landshark dragon thing that could probably chomp my arm off if he weren't the cuddliest little shit imaginable, I feel pretty safe.

[voice]

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[A thoughtful humming sound.]}

Maybe you should check first. Does he have any attacks that are good against ghost-types?

[voice]

[callbacks]

Uhhh. Hey, Streex, what're you good at?

[A Gible somewhere makes happy Gible noises, none of which are apparently helpful to Dave.]

I dunno? We don't really battle much.

[voice]

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[A slightly more distressed noise.]}

I really wish you'd reconsider.

[voice]

[callbacks]

Come on, dude, how bad can it really be? This was designed to be navigable by seven-year-olds.

[voice]

[no_ufo_ending]

The ruins? I don't think so...unless you mean, er, the game.

_{[It's rare he even thinks to ask other people if they had the game in their homeworld.]}

[voice]

[callbacks]

Well, yeah, that's what I meant. But I mean, since the ruins are part of all that, it kinda goes without saying.

[voice]

[no_ufo_ending]

Now that I think about it...I almost forgot about the background music.

[voice]

[callbacks]

...

How.

[voice]

[no_ufo_ending]

I've been here for years.

[voice]

[callbacks]

And you're still scared of ghosts?

[voice]

[no_ufo_ending]

It's complicated. Just. Be careful, alright? This place is strange and it's always throwing something new at us.

[voice]

[callbacks]

Uh, sure, I guess. That's a bonus benefit to trying to get people to come with me, anyway.