callbacks | 4 ∅ [Video]

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4 ∅ [Video]

[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?

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AH! Oh gosh, he looks so cool! Look, look, Odin, you've got a brother in arms now!

[ Looks like Anna's got her own Gallade out, pretty hyped to show him off! What's up, fellow knight? c: ]

Congratulations! He looks awesome, really! The knightly Pokemon is really cool, it suits you well, Dave!

Ahah. Yeah, you think so?

[Wart, sensing that attention is still on him despite being off-screen, decides he'd rather participate in the conversation if people are going to be talking about him and cranes his head back into frame to see who this Odin fellow is. Dave pats his head.]

Dude, say thanks to Anna. She said you look cool, you know that's the ideal.

[Wart glances back at Dave, but then puts a hand to his chest and bows. Such gallant. So chivalry. Wow.]

[It's not a person who answers, but a Pokemon, a very bored-looking Kadabra staring at the screen.]

My species only has a single evolutionary path, but some of us have specifically chosen not to evolve and... informed our trainer of that fact, despite his objections.

[Oh, okay, voice in his head. Wart hasn't ever spoken telepathically to Dave, for whatever reason, and Dave blinks before responding.]

Oh. How come? I mean, like, is the process uncomfy or is it like an aesthetic thing or what?

[ Very noble!! Odin can't help but genuflect back out of respect for his peer! ]

Well, of course he's cool! He's gotta take after his trainer, right? ...It's okay if he's a bit of a dork, though. Mine's a bit of a lovestruck nerd...he has a real crush on Elsa's Gardevoir. He always has, really! But it's very cute to see!

As for making choices with evolutions, it's tough to say! Some of my Pokemon are still unevolved even though they're as strong as they can be. Like, Clefairy is supposed to evolve into Clefable...but I can't bring myself to evolve it, Noel is just so cute the way she is! And I can't exactly cuddle her as much if she gets too big for me to carry her in my arms, y'know? She's a little spoiled, so I don't think she'd like if I can't pick her up...

[ Anna's got her priorities in order. ]

I believe the term is because it 'annoys the hell' out of him. I am fine being how I am. The process is not uncomfortable, nor is it a matter of aesthetics. It simply frustrates him that I refuse.

[No, Dave hasn't turned faintly pink around the face. He totally gets called cool by actual princesses all the time, he's completely chill. Absolute zero. Frozen.]

S-so, looks are a part of it for you guys, huh. They get some stat boosts if they evolve, though, right?

Oh, so you like giving him a hard time. I can respect that.

Is that pretty common for you guys, not wanting to evolve? I sorta thought it was a cultural given, like growing up is for us human types.

[Let it go, Dave, let it go~ ]

They do, but stat boosts, schmat boosts! The way I see it, those are just numbers! At the end of the day it's all about the strategy! And the way you use the moves you have to your advantage! Besides, it lulls you into a false sense of security...

[It's a little hard to clap while you're holding a recording device, so in Elsa's place, the Gardevoir standing behind her claps rather enthusiastically. The both of them seem pretty happy with that transformation!]

Congratulations, Dave! Seeing one of your friends fully evolved for the first time is certainly a good feeling of accomplishment on both sides.

And as for your question... I think the most important thing is to keep what your Pokemon want in mind.

Well, Wart's been more gung-ho than me about this training and growing up and fighting narrative the whole time, so I knew this was the way for him. But can you always tell? I mean, how do you know if they're ready, or even want to?

It depends on the evolution type. Those that gain simply by more experience, it would be odd for those to not evolve. Some that evolve via the stones may just have not been in contact with those yet. Those sorts of evolutions that are considered more 'odd'... it depends. A Pokemon that evolves through bonds that has been with its trainer for a while would certainly been an odd sight, and one would question the Trainer, for example.

Touché, girl. Touché. Plus it probably ups the satisfaction factor when you whoop someone's Greater Dragon with a Jigglypudding.

[Dave is. So good at Pokémon. So good.]

What about the ones that did evolve, did you like, think about it first or did it just happen?

Huh, I guess that makes sense. 'Cause then it's like, okay, what's wrong with your relationship that it hasn't transformed your buddy yet... What about you, how do you evolve, then? I mean, if you wanted to.

Essentially. And to evolve to Alakazam, I must be traded to another Trainer. ... Why this is the case, I do not know. I can be traded back, of course. But I prefer being like this, because it irritates him.

Just ask. We may not be able to communicate with words, but... they'll find a way to tell you what they want.

With the ones that evolve just by leveling up, it's easy. My dragonair, Idunn... she didn't seem all that happy, the closer she got to evolving into a Dragonite. So I bought her an everstone, which will prevent pokemon from evolving, and she cheered right back up again!

Right, I get you. Huh. Only evolving if you get traded... I guess that's sort of like sports.

[How is that like sports?? At all????]

Or like that dumb saying, you know. Like if you love something you're supposed to toss it off a roof and if it loves you too it'll come back.

... I have never heard of that phrase.

It sure does! Plus, Pokemon that you keep from evolving learn stronger moves much faster! So that kinda balances it out! Usually I let them evolve if it happens just through training, because that way I feel like they see it almost as a reward for their hard work? But if they evolve through special conditions I like to let them decide! Like, my Eevee chose to become Espeon, or my Kirlia chose to become Gallade...

Magikarp into Gyarados, though, for example? That was just a happy accident.

Huh! I didn't know that was a thing. Like a never-grow-up thing.

[Maybe the whole evolution concept would be easier for Dave if he didn't keep equating it to growing up, but, well, you can take the kid out of Homestuck...]

Do you know why she didn't want to? Evolve, I mean.

Christopher Marlowe.

I might've paraphrased it a little.

What's a Gyarados.

I do not know who that is, either. But I must confess I do not read much.

[DAVE NO, poor Odin instinctively gets out of the frame knowing it's gonna have to make room...]

I am so glad you asked, my friend! You know Magikarp, right? Its red and it flops around and its kinda tiny and most people write it off because it doesn't know any moves other than Splash for a while. I'm sure youve seen it around. But you give it a little love and some patience...and, well, it goes a long way.

[Aaand out comes the 21 foot Beastie...who cuddles up to Anna like a giant puppy. Gosh..]

Say hi to Dave, Marlin.

Strange, isn't it? It seems that there's an item for absolutely everything here.

[Or well. Almost. Close enough.]

I'm not sure. Dragonite look very different from Dragonair and their first form, Dratini. Maybe she didn't like the idea of suddenly growing arms and legs and wings.

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