4 ∅ [Video]

[callbacks]

[The video starts on an unsure-looking Kirlia. He starts to edge away, but Dave--apparently behind the camera--speaks.]

Naw, go ahead, dude. C'mon. Don't be shy.

[The Kirlia sighs, extremely put upon, and then ballet-toes back into place. There's a Dawn Stone on the floor nearby; the Kirlia bends primly at the waist to pick it up, and:

Presto.

Wart the Gallade examines his arm-blades for a moment, then shoots Dave a look as if to say, "If we're quite done now." Dave chuckles quietly.]

Yeah, yeah, thanks for humoring me, bro. The moment has been secured for posterity. Duty discharged. [The relief on the Gallade's face is palpable before Dave turns the camera towards his own movie star mug. Hello, Johto.]

So, hey. I get that baby's first evolution is probably ancient headwear for most of you, but he's the first guy I got all the way to his final form. That's worth some kind of jokey home video.

[Yeah, because he's obviously being ironic about this. He's not Proud Dadding all over his starter, no sirree.]

Anyway, I've been hearing about a bunch of different evolutionary paths our Poképals can take, and, I dunno. I'm curious, I guess. If you ever made a choice like that, what made you pick one way or the other?

Comments

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[bent_the_world]

Not quite yet. I've kinda been holed up in a cozy hotel for the cold months and slacking on my training a little.

My Magikarp's getting close, though!

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[callbacks]

[Oh god he just learned about Magikarp.]

Those get really big. Just so you know.

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[bent_the_world]

They turn into *dragons*, they better be big!

I caught her as soon as I found out about them. Totally worth putting in all the work.

Video

[callbacks]

I heard they get kind of mean too if you don't treat them right while they're little.

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[bent_the_world]

What kind of jerks don't treat their Pokemon right?

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[callbacks]

Look, just saying. But I guess if you were that hype about her, you never would, anyway.

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[bent_the_world]

Yeah, you'd have to be a total jerk to mistreat your Pokemon. I love my Pokes, they're awesome. They're my friends. And Sentra's just as awesome whether she's a little fish or a big dragon.

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[callbacks]

[...That is so sweet.]

How many other ones you got so far?

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[bent_the_world]

I've got six right now, and a Vulpix egg that'll be hatching in a couple weeks. I started with my Growlithe, Iqniq. Then I caught my Magikarp, my Wooper, my Sentret and my Geodude and I hatched a Rufflet.

A really, really stubborn Rufflet. She's got Personality.

[Korra's tone clearly conveys her affection for her Pokemon.]

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[callbacks]

Oh, yeah, the fluffy eagle guys? I got one of those, too. He's dumb as a stump. I love him.

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[bent_the_world]

Yeah! Bullseye's grumpy and stubborn, but I knew what I was in for. I guess her parents were pretty hard to handle, too.

It's okay, though, we get along just fine. I can deal with grumpy and stubborn.

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[callbacks]

None of mine are like that. But I had a friend back where I came from who fits that description to a vertical-and-crossbar character.

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[bent_the_world]

I'm pretty sure there's people who'd say that about me....

She's really my only one who gives me any kind of trouble. Not that it's really trouble, I just have to coax her a lot.

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[callbacks]

Mm. Anna traded me a Gible all the way back like my first week here, and he doesn't listen to me much. He's not belligerent or anything, he just doesn't really give a fuck and I guess I don't care enough to force the issue.

[Also, no badges.]

And then the rest of my party excluding Wart here are babies and act like babies, so that's pretty expected.

[bent_the_world]

Oh hey, Anna's the one who told me about Magikarps when I first got here! She's pretty great, isn't she?

It's kinda weird how everything comes out of an egg, huh? I mean, I've only hatched a bird so far, but...I've got a fox egg right now.

[callbacks]

Anna's pretty much the best there is.

[And not just because she's a princess and, as a knight, he takes super-effective damage.]

And, yeah. Egg I got for Christmas, a sword came out of it.

[bent_the_world]

She's really great. My girlfriend and I are traveling with her and her sister. Except we're not doing much traveling right now, with the weather.

...wait, what?

[callbacks]

Machete.

[Dave turns away from the feed for a moment.]

Machete?

[While he's not looking, a Honedge drifts over to hover above his other shoulder, staring without blinking at Korra. Dave starts to turn back and then startles, then breathes out a laugh.]

Right. Ladies. Korra, may I introduce one Snow Cone Machete? Machete, Korra. She's cool.

[Machete keeps staring for a while, but eventually bobs in a shy little bow. Or something. Swords can't really bow. They're swords.]

[bent_the_world]

Whoah!

That's a living sword!

[She's even more convinced that Pokemon and spirits aren't too far removed. That is an actual living sword.]

That's so cool!

[callbacks]

You know, I'm not totally sure 'living' is the word. She's part Ghost-type, and the PokéDex entry says these guys are, like, departed spirits that'll suck the life out of you if you touch their hilts wrong or something.

[Which just makes her cooler, obviously.]

[bent_the_world]

I've heard about that...that some Pokemon are actually ghosts.

It really reminds me of some stuff back home.

[callbacks]

Ooh, home stuff. What kind of home stuff.

[Korra, you can't just say a thing like that and expect a man not to ask.]

[bent_the_world]

Spirit stuff.

Not all spirits are people who have passed on, most aren't, but some people choose to become spirits when they pass.

[callbacks]

Wait. Wait, if spirits aren't ghosts, then what are spirits where you come from? Like, nature spirits?

[bent_the_world]

Sort of. They're...everything. They're immortal and powerful and are tied to and represent basically everything. Some are a lot stronger than others. The sun and moon are spirits. Or...have spirits connected to them. The oceans have a spirit, important stages of life have spirits, even ideas. But not all spirits are attached to something like that. They just are, and always were and they live in the Spirit World.

But sometimes people can become spirits. Of their own choice, or if a powerful spirit rewards them with it. There's a ton of folk stories of oppressed lovers and abandoned orphans being turned into spirits.