video/action | new bark town

[shotlocking]

[ Hello, Johto, you've received another new face! ... Er, one that looks pretty bewildered and more concerned than anything. She's not even aware that the Azurill she'd received is filming her, but Aqua does what Aqua does best: She gets information. Aqua makes her way around the town, doing her best to gather information. All the while, the Azurill is filming her... though, honestly, the camera's a little shaky. Um. More than "a little" shaky, because she's holding the camera with her feet.

... That sure is a thing that's happening. But she's trying, and that's what matters.

Several minutes pass before Aqua realizes her Azurill is filming her. ]

Oh! [ She kneels down next to the little one, smiling fondly (somehow, she notes to herself, because she's still getting used to the whole "not being trapped in the realm of darkness" thing). It's hard not to be in good spirits with such a cute critter, after all. ]

Can everyone see this? I've never encountered a device like this, but it doesn't seem too difficult to work.

Hello. My name is Aqua, and I've just arrived. [ ... ] I don't suppose I could easily find some sort of food for my friend, here. She does seem very hungry.

[ And sure enough, yup, that's the sound of the Azurill's tummy growling. At least she looks embarrassed about it. ]

Comments

[monge]

Oh... I knew that, zura.

[He did not know that.]

B-But it's usually best not to assume everyone you meet is human, zura... There's a lot of different kinds of people here...um, I'm not sure if anyone's told you that either, zura...

[awkward pause.]

You...You and your baby are really lucky, the weather's finally nice again, zura. When I got here, it was covered in snow and really cold, z-zura...

[shotlocking]

[ Aw... he's adorable. ]

No, not exactly. I've spoken with only a few people, but I'm still unsure of a lot of things.

[ The Azurill squeaks in agreement, and she's.... she's still bouncing. ]

You came here in the winter, then. Were you able to take care of yourself and your baby?

[monge]

Hm, no, I almost died, zura. But thankfully my friend was able to help me out by sending me a warm Pokemon, zura.

My "baby" on the other hand...

[He takes the feed and pans it over to a Vanillish in the corner of the room he's in. He's definitely not a baby anymore, but the point still stands.]

...is made out of snow, zura.

[shotlocking]

[ oh my god ]

--You weren't given any warm clothes or blankets upon your arrival?

[ she can't even focus on the literal ice cream cone right now ]

[monge]

Didn't you notice, zura?

[The sentient ice cream cone almost looks insulted that he isn't the focus, but the feed moves away from him so fast that he doesn't get much of a chance to object. Only his startled cries can be heard in the background when the video is back on Komasan.]

The lady kicks you out of the house right away, you don't get a chance to change clothes or anything, zura.

[shotlocking]

I did notice, but I had thought in the colder seasons, she would at least have prepared us better.

[monge]

I don't think she really cares, she doesn't act like a normal human, zura...

[Because he would've loved to be better prepared.]

I did eventually find an ugly uniform in my bag that was much warmer than my regular clothes, but I was still outside the whole time I was digging for it, zura.

[shotlocking]

That seems unnecessarily cruel.

[ Aqua's gonna have words with "mom." ]

I'll have to speak with her, if this is regular behavior.

[monge]

A-Ah, no, it's okay! You don't have to do that, zura!

[SHOOT, what did he start?!]

I think people have tried to talk to her before, but nothing happens, zura! P-Please! Just focus on taking care of yourself and your baby, zura!

[shotlocking]

[ That just makes it worse...!!! ]

... Then she'll just continue this, even if someone attempts to talk sense into her?

[ SHE'S NOT A VERY GOOD MOM. ]

[monge]

[Well, he wouldn't argue that, she's pretty bad as far as mom standards are concerned. But still...]

I-It's hard to explain, it's like she's not really a person, zura...

[It's like talking to a preprogrammed NPC robot or something.]

[shotlocking]

[ ... well that's not creepy at all. ]

Not really a person... In other words, it's a lost cause.

[ FRUSTRATING. ]