gracefall | 002 ✭ video | action for violet city

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002 ✭ video | action for violet city

Question! [ Xiaoqiao is sitting next to an inflatable kiddie pool (it's wailmer shaped, with fins and everything, pink wailmer. she paid extra for the pink) while a few of her pokemon are training not too far from her. Shishi, her Lucario, darts on and off of the video as he dodges fire attacks.

...some of those Embers come pretty close to Xiaoqiao but she either doesn't notice or doesn't care. ]

So...is this normal? [ totally ignoring the kids behind her and instead fishes Xiao'yu out of the kiddie pool to show her to the camera. Xiaoqiao points at a few spots on the Feebas that seems to be...shining a bit? Xiao'yu is just very faintly glittering. it's so subtle it could just be water but she's been staring at it for days and knows it's not. ]

I thought she got something stuck on her or something, but it doesn't come off when I wash it.

[ ...how do you wash a fish? Xiao'yu seems to roll her eyes at the reminder of that particular event. ] Is she becoming discoloured? I hope she's not getting sick...but she still has plenty of energy.

[ she sighs, and she's about to put Xiao'yu back in the water just as a stray Ember attack is tumbling dangerously close. ]

You guys need to be more careful. [ oh, so she is aware of them. she could just step aside, instead she decides to flip the kiddie pool and at her two pokemon. Shishi is drenched, looks like Flaming Rabbit got out of the way though. ]

You should have dodged that! [ she spares a moment to turn off the gear (she remembered!) but it's back to training for everyone. except Xiao'yu, she can just lounge peacefully in the pool again once Xiaoqiao fills it up again. ]

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[Take 3. This time it's broad daylight, and if there's anything Xiaoqiao impressed upon him during their previous encounters it's this:

1. Speak up.
2. Don't sneak up on people.

Old habits die hard however. Although he's not stealthily watching from the shadows… he doesn't exactly announce his presence. He'd been meaning to approach like a normal person (!!) before… getting caught up in the sudden wave of water from the upturned pool. He's not soaked, just sporting some wet sandals.]

… Xiaoqiao.

[ oh hey, it's the young man with the glasses and very little facial expression. she tilts her head as if considering his greeting. ]

...hi? [ it's better than the last time! ]

Um...I guess you're not totally unlucky, but you don't really have good timing either. [ she could apologise for the sandals but...it's not like she was aiming for him and he's not soaked either. it's all good! ]

How long were you standing there?

[No. He really doesn't have good timing at all. If he did, he wouldn't be sulking over that one time when he was out of the village when Sasuke-]

Not long. [He's not too bothered about the shoes. No use crying over spilt... pool water, and all.]

I was only passing through and thought to say hello to an acquaintance.

[So, uh, hi.]

[ giiiive that a moment to register. when that does she practically beams at him. ]

Aaaw! [ she will cheerfully skip over the water and toss the pool aside, Xiao'yu flapping helplessly in one hand. ]

You're actually a considerate child! [ allow her to coo for a moment. ]

[Er. He does allow the fish a concerned glance from behind his goggles. That's... still the same fish, right? It doesn't look unwell, but you have to wonder what she's been doing to it to cause that faint sheen, short of dumping it in a vat of glitter.]

It's not like I would ignore you...

[Often being on the receiving end of that, he does make a conscious effort to remember those who he's met. :|]

[ she washed off all the soap, she definitely did! and she was only trying to scrub her down because of the weird shimmer. Xiao'yu seems to feel the glance and kind of...waves on fin. maybe...she could just be flopping. ]

I'm still glad! [ at this point she reaches to kind of patpat his shoulder. ]

It's hard to remember everyone when you meet so many people here, so you must be a thoughtful child!

... ["Thoughtful" is better than "Young man that didn't speak well". A point in his favour for once?

Unless you're Obito or maaybe Naruto at times, ninja are not very touchy feel-y as a general rule. Shino even less so. He also happens to be very rarely shaken and doesn't have much of a visible reaction to the shoulder pat. Maybe turning his head to the spot where her hand was, before returning back to the general direction of her face again.

That's another thing. Xiaoqiao speaks as if she has more than a few years over him, but doesn't appear any older than Shino himself. Fortunately age means very little to a shinobi, below rank and affiliation, and he has at least enough social grace to not question her age.

He's... just gonna question the fish instead.]

The last time we spoke, your pokemon appeared different to what it is now.

[ good thing she didn't go for his head like she would with people she's more familiar with. ]

She does, doesn't she! I've been trying to figure out the reason but I don't know much about fish.

[ she holds out Xiao'yu so that Shino can see her more clearly. and Xiao'yu is...used to it, she's been held out for display several times already, so she's not particularly distressed. ]

Do you think she's ill? It's not something that got rubbed onto to her since I washed her to try to get rid of it.

[ Xiao'yu stops moving for a moment at the mention of that particular event and then...slumps? please don't do that again, Xiaoqiao... ]

The same could be said for myself. [Bugs? Easy peasy. But he can speak about fish as much as he can about dogs. Not any more than the average person. So consider this a warning that he won't exactly be of much use. There are diseases and types of fungus, but he's never heard of one with shimmering as a symptom.] The reason is that they are not my specialty.

[Since Xiaoqiao is letting him take a look, he'll move in a little closer. Of course he's not going to be prodding at the fish. Only looking down at the poor thing. Hello there, Xiao'yu.]

It seems different from what is known as a "shiny" pokemon... [thank you for that helpful contribution, Shino.]

Edited (speech patterns what) 2013-06-02 04:06 (UTC)

I don't imagine a lot of people specialise in fish. [ because...they're fish. ] Oh, I guess some people might in this place.

[ unfortunately she doesn't know any water/fish pokemon specialists. she wonders if maybe one of the gym leaders would since the one she beat specialised in birds...but that doesn't help her right now. ]

Shiny pokemon hatch like that, right? Xiao'yu just started um...shimmering? She just started a few days ago. [ Xiaoqiao...does poke at Xiao'yu. she rubs at the hard scales a bit to indicate a particularly shiny spot. look at it, look at that! ]

Perhaps not, but no doubt there are individuals with medical training. [L-like a Pokecenter maybe?] They may be able to offer help... provided she is sick.

[Ah. He can see it, Xiaoqiao! Other than the shimmer, nothing really stands out as wrong. The fish itself doesn't appear to be all too bothered - there's certainly no lack of energy. Fingers crossed it just doesn't suddenly drop dead or something. (How morbid!) Because otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a problem.]

Have you considered it may be natural for this species? Most insects undergo multiple physical changes during their lifecycle. Although they are not fish... it is not something exclusive to insects alone.

[You know, it's amazing how this is their third meeting and it's the first time he's referred to bugs. The spell is broken!]

...oh, that's true, isn't it? [ she kind of forgets that Pokemon Centers count as...medical training. because really, they stick pokeballs in some weird blinky machine. that is not what she thinks of when she thinks of medicine and such. the tray looks just like the ones she sees called 'muffin trays'. ]

I was thinking it might be...I was hoping someone that's raised a Feebas before might be able to tell me but it looks like they're not really common. [ except why are you comparing her fish to a bug. ]

...uh you mean like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly? [ well Feebas do evolve into something rather grand and lovely looking but... ] Since they evolve I guess all pokemon are a bit like that...

Oh! Maybe she's getting ready to evolve! [ that would be great, please let that be true. ]

[He nods, glad she is following and didn't completely shoot down the possibility. sob. Butterflies and caterpillars.]

Am I correct in thinking she is your starter? If your fish has been with you for this long without evolving... then she may have other requirements other than meeting a certain level. [Although... his own starter had taken an exceptionally long time to evolve as well. But the wait was worth it because dayum giant flaming moths. He's heard of certain kinds of special stones, and having to physically trade Pokemon. The idea that such an action could prompt such a dramatic change... What's to say there aren't other equally strange methods behind it.]

She may be currently undergoing that process.

[ A caterpillar doesn't ~suddenly~ find itself in a chrysalis usually. Although caterpies becoming butterfrees is only called evolution in Ridiculous Pokemon Land. The concept of instantaneous "evolution" is still somewhat baffling. It's arguable whether one species can evolve and branch off into something else in a single generation, or is it a gradual change. If so, where does one draw the line? So yes tl;dr Shino agrees that the fish might evolve. Reconciling both how the world works from home and here is just difficult at times. Poor guy.]

She is... I didn't think it had to do with that since someone told me Feebas need an item to evolve. [ she kind of forgets what the item is actually. she did think about looking for it but it's complicated. she wanted Xiao'yu to be comfortable with herself before...morphing into a new shape. she was trying to be considerate in spite of her impatience... ]

But maybe it means she's growing up. [ she holds Xiao'yu up to stare into her funny eyes... yeah she's still not good at interpreting fish. ]

Wouldn't she be continuously growing up? After all, we are a day older than we were yesterday. [Sorry he just

has to point it out.]

It simply often goes beneath one's notice more often than not.

That's what I'd think normally. [ but evolution has confused her significantly. ]

It's weird here! They shine and suddenly they're bigger! I can't decide what to think of that at all.

What is normal for you, may not be the same for everyone else. Why? Because many of us come from other places.

But I will agree. Most seem to think this is vastly different to what they are used to.

[Of the... few people he's actually managed to find out about. What is making successful conversation with strangers.]

I don't know if it's normal, but I've seen some Pokemon sparkle, before.

Usually they're the ones with weird colors, though.

Oh, I've seen those as well!

But Xiao'yu is normal coloured and this just sort of started a while ago... [ she pokes her finger into the water and traces patterns in the surface restlessly. ]

I hope she's not sick, I don't know what to do with a sick fish. [ other than separate it from the other fish and...wait for it to get better or die? ]

Huh.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure Pokemon don't... sparkle when they get sick.

At least, none that I've ever seen... wait and see what happens, I guess?

That would be a very strange symptom... [ but nothing really makes sense. ]

I guess that's all I can do. She doesn't seem uncomfortable, at least.

Yeah, I mean... if you're really worried, try taking her to a Pokemon Center?

One of the Joys should be able to tell you what's up if it's some kind of like... disease.

Oh, that's right! I forgot they do other things there. [ things other than stick the pokeball in...what looks like an oven and heal them. SHE DOESN'T GET IT. ]

_{[Yeeeaaaah, Heather just... doesn't question it.]}

Yeah, they're actually really helpful.

Even if they kinda seem like bimbos sometimes.

I'll be sure to ask her then! [ better safe than sorry. ]

Um...but what's a bimbo?

_{[... There's a long pause.]}

... Uh... never mind.

It's not important.

[ she blinks a hard at her. ]

Modern words are really confusing, but I want to learn more about them... You won't tell me?

[ she could just ask someone else. surely Yusuke would know at least. ]

Uh... well. I mean. If you're REALLY curious, it's kinda like... an airhead? _{[Or wait she might not get that either... hm.]} A stupid person, basically.

When are you from?

Oh...okay! [ that...sounds like something someone might call her then. which is good to know! that way she'll know when to smack people. ]

Um...a really, really long way in the past! When I told people they didn't even know when it was!

... Yeah? Try me.

_{[Not that Heather's a history buff, but she IS curious.]}

The twelfth year of Jiàn'ān... [ yeah, she's not expecting much. ]

... Okay, yeah. You're right.

I haven't even heard of that.

It's okay, I'm getting used to it... I probably never existed where you come from or something. [ it's a bit sad that there are no reminders of home anywhere here though. ]

... Well...

I mean, if it makes you feel any better, I've met people here who are just from books and stuff back home.

Might be you're from one too, I dunno.

[Yumi's Skarmory just finished off Christophe with an Air Slash during one of their daily training sessions. Despite being completely covered in black, Yumi didn't seem to have a problem standing in the sun as she supervised the training.]

Good job, Overwing!

[She recalled the fainted Scraggy into his ball as Overwing made over to her trainer. The bird seemed to have a content look on her face...until she saw Xiaoqiao flipping the pool over nearby.]

SQUAAAACKKK!!

[Xiaoqiao may or may not notice the panicking Skarmory and Yumi trying to calm the bird down.]

...oops? [ it really wasn't such a busy spot when she started training! she wasn't expecting so many people to be near the splash zone of her flipping. ]

Uh, I didn't get you, did I?

[By the time Yumi got Xiaowiao's attention, Overwing started to calm down a bit.. Yumi had her Skarmory's head in her arms when she turned her head to talk to the girl.]

No, you didn't! My razorbird just got a little spooked, that's all.

Oh dear, I'm sorry, um... Razorbird? [ that's a good name...sort of. very literal. ]

But it's okay, now Razorbird will know better how to react in case of an ambush! Right? [ she laughs lightly, it's a joke. mostly.]

Well, I'm glad I didn't inconvenience you too much.

Well, her actual name's Overview but I don't think she cares too much.

[There was obvious disagreement when the bird was quietly growling to herself when Yumi made that comment.]

Well, you didn't really bother us. I was just training with my pokemon and she just freaked out a bit. It wasn't really your fault.

Oh... well, I probably shouldn't have flipped the pool. [ she can admit that much. ]

She must be a very diligent pokemon, training so hard with her master! I'm sorry to have interrupted. [ a bit of a bow. see, she can be perfectly polite to...strangers. people she knows well enough don't get this level of courtesy. ]

[So Yusuke hadn't necessarily gone out with the intention of finding Xiaoqiao - in fact, he and Puu are on yet another fruitless hunt for a decent burger joint when they happen to meander past a gaggle of five or six people hovering near the pathway leading to Route 32, murmuring nervously amongst themselves. That in of itself doesn't pique Yusuke's interest, but the giant firehorse galloping around certainly does, particularly when it launches a fireball in their direction big enough to have incinerated poor Puu, had the bird not ducked out of the way in time. Yusuke, of course, was walking close enough to his Pokemon to have also been put at risk of getting taken out, and this, predictably, is more than enough for whichever mystery idiot it is who owns the firehorse to incur his wrath. OH NO YOU DID NOT, MYSTERY IDIOT WITH THE FIREHORSE. He'll show you a thing or two about nearly lighting his ass on fire!

Fuming, Yusuke marches towards the crowd and shoulders his way past them, followed closely by Puu, who already seems rather chagrined. Why, why, why they can never go into public without Yusuke making a scene, he will never know. Of course, when Yusuke realizes that the Mystery Idiot is, in fact, Xiaoqiao, it stops him short, and his anger is rather abruptly defused and replaced by surprise. Why he's surprised to discover that it's Xiaoqiao who has the crazy wild Rapidash, he doesn't know - after all, it kind of figures that it would be, given the way she's trained the stupid thing - but he is all the same, and that much is made obvious by how he just kind of... stares at her before he actually says anything.]

Wh-- Xiaoqiao!

[Looking thoroughly exasperated, Yusuke walks up to her, glancing at the drenched Shishi as he's passing by. Euch. Hope he won't smell like wet dog later.]

Geez, what the hell are you doing? Your stupid horse almost killed me and Puu!

[ if it was anyone else she would have apologised. Flaming Rabbit isn't particularly vicious but she probably startled him (more than usual) with the pool flipping...so it was technically her fault that he went off and nearly toasted Yusuke. But it's Yusuke. ]

Hey, don't call him stupid! [ she takes a moment to whistle, sharp and loud, to call him back. ]

He was just startled when I flipped the pool. [ ...Xiaoqiao, that doesn't make things better. And she actually knows that well enough but...it's still Yusuke. It's really hard to apologise to a face like that. ]

Are you okay, Puu? I'm sorry, you were almost hurt.

[Hey, what's wrong with his face? >8^I In response to her apology, Puu gives a soft trill, looking considerably less offended by the situation than his trainer does. Worry not, fair lady! He's got super dodging skills. Yusuke, meanwhile, regards the both of them irritably, and grumbles:]

Yeah, sure, get all concerned about him and not me. 's not like I'm the one who can't recover from burns just by having some crap sprayed on them.

[Seriously, what the hell was up with that, anyway? The only thing that made less sense than making a burn vanish just by spritzing it with... whatever it was they put in Burn Heals was how people could do the same thing with a poisoning. Nope, don't have to pump the little fuckers' stomachs or shove charcoal down their throats or nothin', just spray 'em with a thing and bam, they're back in action. Because that makes sense. Tch, whatever, Johto.

Anyway, yeah, that sure is a kiddie pool she's got there. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Yusuke nudges it with a foot, doing so with just enough force that Xiao'yu might feel a little jostled. Way to be careful with other peoples' Pokemon, bro.]

So what's with this thing? You couldn't let your fish swim around in a lake like normal people?

Oh please, a little burn wouldn't kill you. [ she'd know, she's set more than a few things on fire in her time. usually when there were still people inside. of course, it wouldn't kill Puu either but it would ruin his lovely plumage. Xiaoqiao appreciates the plumage more than Yusuke's face. she smiles happily and reaches to pet Puu gently. ]

Besides, you're perfectly fine! Stop complaining like a child!

[ oh Yusuke, you ass... just for that she's going to kick him in the shin. ]

Hey! Xiao'yu's in there! [ she peers into the pool to check on the feebas. ]

Anyways, I need that for when we travel. There's not always going to be a lake or river or pond around. [ is there? ]

...we are going to travel, right? I don't know how much longer I can hang around here. I think I've seen every pokemon in this area and I got the badge and there's nothing left to do! [ all of that is said without taking a breath, it comes out in a quick tumble. ]

["Stop complaining like a child", she says. He'll see how much she complains when one of his Pokemon flings fireballs at her. Scowling, Yusuke opens his mouth to say something rude, but just as he's about to do so, Xiaoqiao's foot connects soundly with his shin, and all the words that had formed on his tongue suddenly disintegrate into a strangled noise, which ends up sounding a little like...]

--fffffuuugh!

[Whoa, dude! Watch your mouth. Seemingly overcome by the sudden critical hit to the leg, Yusuke topples sideways onto the ground, where he spends the duration of the minute that follows sitting there rubbing his shin and fuming up a storm. Fuuuck, that hurt! What the hell is her deal!? His teeth are grinding too hard for him to speak at first, but when he finally manages, his voice is loud and belligerent, so much so that some of the lingering onlookers shift nervously and decide to leave. Yeah, you better run.]

Hey, don't act like I'm the one that held us up! You're the one who wanted to go for that stupid badge!

[And then he kicks out at her, scuffing the side of her thigh with his shoe. Puu lets out a protesting noise and gives Yusuke a reproachful look. Don't hit her, Yusuke!!]

[ she just watches while he rolls around for a while. so dramatic, Yusuke. it's not like she broke anything, it won't even swell much probably. ]

You're making a scene. [ ...okay, so maybe she really shouldn't be the one to comment on that. ]

Hey! [ ow, that hurt! but she has her (weird) sense of dignity so she's not going to scream about that. no, she's just going to make a slightly unflattering face and dust off her skirt. ]

I could have gotten the badge any time I wanted! [ not quite but she waited longer than she strictly had to. ]

You're the one that's still sulking about this place rather than doing anything! Do you know how boring it is to watch you?

Well, maybe if there were things to do, other than train up a team of dumb animals, I'd be doing things! Seriously, why the hell is it that there's literally nothing here that doesn't have anything to do with Pokemon?

[>:( GLARING. So much glaring. Logically, Yusuke knows that it isn't actually Xiaoqiao's fault that this place is the way it is, but... well, whatever. HE'S GONNA WHINGE IN HER GENERAL DIRECTION ANYWAY.]

It's not like I like that about this place either! [ she really doesn't. there's nothing here that even vaguely reminds her of her own home but trying to do something, anything, here is the only way to keep herself relatively sane. ]

So it's better to do nothing? I'd rather do everything I can here so that I don't become useless in this place!

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002 ✭ video | action for violet city

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[Video] haha you just brought back so many memories from when I had tropical fish

[Video] same here orz

[Video] SICK FISH ARE THE WORST AUGH so many stressful days

[Video] no more fish for me, ever

[Video] whenever I'm stressed out I literally have 'dying fish' dreams THEY WILL HAUNT ME FOREVER

[Video] omg that sounds awful

[Video] YEAH IT PRETTY MUCH SUCKS

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