44 - video/action for groupmates;

[islandshore]

[The feed clicks on inside a bedroom of some kind. There's a shiny Charmander wriggling around in the background, trying to hide under a pillow. Pay her no mind for now. Riku, in the mean time, faces the camera with a slightly deadpan look.]

Okay, since the data version of me came back, I figured it's time to do a little PSA. Basically, if you see two guys who look like younger versions of me, don't freak out. They aren't me. They're just based on me. One of them goes by Evan, and the other's got a black coat and took up the name Rin, I guess.

Also, since this is a newbie wave, I went ahead and updated my Training Guide, including a new section on Pokémon care. It also covers the basic questions most newbies toss around and some Pokémon recs. Like Toxicroak. I'm seriously surprised at how scarce they are.

[He shrugs.]

And don't forget to check out the Pokémon Rental Service if you need a quick trip to the next town. Newbies get a reduced price, since you guys are short on funds as it is.

[Okay, advertising's done. Now he can toss something up for the old crowd...]

And to wrap things up, I've got two questions for you. First, how do you decide to nickname your Pokémon? Or if you don't... why the heck don't you? I never got the point in referring to them by species when they're all individuals.

As for the other question... Do you think it's necessary to be friends with all your Pokémon? Even if said Pokémon is vicious, bloodthirsty, and only cares about fighting?

[And with that, he'll click off the feed. Well, after throwing up two private messages and slapping on the following attachments...]

ATTACHMENTS:

Training for Dummies.txt.

PGC Filter:

So, how many of you guys are here yet? And Lightning, do you think there'd be time to swing by Celadon a few times just to check in on my business? I'm fine with camping out here for as long as it takes. If anything, it'd just be day trips.

By the way, I'm willing to volunteer some Pokémon for the raid when it happens. A friend of mine also offered his Koffing and Crobat for added smoke support.

Private to Ven;

Hey. You busy right now?

Comments

action;

[heartdive]

[ don't mind your best friend, Riku. he's trying to drape himself upon you. ]

Light's not all that happy about me joining.

action;

[islandshore]

Did she even say why?

[He was in the Corps before, so what makes this any different?]

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

... How long are we staying in Goldenrod for after the raid.

[He already knows he's not going to be part of the main raid, and at the moment it's the last thing on his mind, all things considered. Needlessly said, Sasuke has been, for lack of better terms, antsy for hours.]

[Action]

[islandshore]

I don't plan on spending my birthday in Goldenrod, so... As soon as it's over, I'd say we'll high tail it.

[Goldenrod is overrated, and he's only here out of necessity.]

Video - For all the line facing she can manage.

[for_realsies]

...Why are there three of you? Is there a limited number of faces where you're from?

I- why are there three of you? This is too weird.

And I ask what they want to be named. It works pretty well.

Video

[islandshore]

One of them's a replica, the other one's made of data. Or was, anyway.

But the latter's going by the name Rin right now.

[Video]

[friendyousohard]

[So many things she could talk about... She'll just start with what sticks out in her mind the most.]

Based on you? What are they, clones? Duplicates? Well, those are basically the same thing, just with different ways of creating them, but still...

PGC Filter:

I'll be on my way there soon. I was hoping Fluttershy would get better before I had to leave, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

[Video]

[islandshore]

Yeah, that's the gist of it. And one of them used to be a part of somebody's journal.

[Yes, he's dead serious about that.]

PGC Filter:

Yikes. I take it it's got something to do with those cookies.

[video; filtered]

[soggypastry]

You'll have time, so long as you're here on Saturday and Monday night for the raid. [A pause, then a frown.] And you probably should head back when it's done. The farther from this city you are when it's over, the better.

[video; filtered]

[islandshore]

Oh, I will be. It'll probably just be day trips during the week. Not too big on this city is all.

[Shrug.]

As for what's happening after the raid... it really depends on what my friends want to do. That, and if Ven has any plans for my birthday like he did last year.

[video]

[darkaura]

Nicknames, huh? I'm surprised you'd ask about something like that.

[video]

[islandshore]

Hey, it's one way to pass the time. But is it really that surprising?

video 1:2

[gochuugoku]

Are they clones? These two "younger versions" of you? Also, you're acting quite calm despite explaining something so strange, aru.

2:2

[gochuugoku]

[China's face brightens slightly when he speaks again. He puts on a small smile.]

When I give nicknames to my Pokemon, I may name them based on what they look like. For example, I named my Cherubi "Yīngtáo," which means "cherry" in my native language. Or I name them based on their type. "Diànlì," which translates to "electricity," is the name of my Emolga. Or I name them after people from my country, like my Zorua, Daji.

[video - private]

[ex_aeroga402]

Just got out of work, actually. What's going on?

[video - private]

[islandshore]

Nothing huge. Just wanted to see if you wanted to meet up or something.

video

[chosen_light_child]

... Based on you?

[She blinks.]

Weird. I thought Evan was your brother. Though I guess that was easier for him to go along with then trying to explain this to me.

[PGC filter]

I'm already here. I've been here for a while, actually.

video

[islandshore]

Well, telling someone he's a clone is like stripping away his identity. Can't exactly blame him for being tight-lipped.

PGC Filter:

Seems like a good chunk of us are either there or headed this way.

[Video]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

There's another one?

[Cobra's only met one of the others, so that's news to him.]

At any rate, I'm relieved to hear that they aren't you! We don't need one of you, let alone three of you running around this place!

[Video]

[islandshore]

Too bad. Next thing you know, there'll be a whole army of them just waiting outside your door.

video;

[unended]

Thank you for that, it was really helpful. [ looks like something is bothering him though and it's actually not the whole other world/can't go home thing. not right now. ]

So...I'm really expected to let Yoonjae fight other...Pokémon? [ okay, the whole other world thing is bothering him again now. he's kind of squinting at the screen as if he can't believe he's having this conversation. ]

He's so small.

video;

[islandshore]

No need to thank me.

[As for his question... Hmm.]

And all Pokémon start out small, but that doesn't make them weak. The wildlife should be at pretty low levels, and the best bet's to start small and work up from there.

[video]

[enjoymyatelier]

...Based on you? What do you mean by that, exactly?

[Kayneth seems more curious than incredulous about this-after all, it isn't as though that sort of thing would be totally odd in his world.]

Of course, if I'm going to ask you that, I may as well answer your questions. I've been naming my Pokemon after various artists from my world-I suppose you could say that the mood struck me when I caught my first few and I simply decided to continue with it when I captured more of them.

...as for your second question... well, if I tried to befriend every Pokemon I caught I'm sure I'd go mad, so I'd say it isn't particularly important.

[video]

[islandshore]

Think clones and you get the basic idea.

[That's at least the easiest way to describe it.]

As for names, themes definitely do make things easier. At least, assuming you have enough artists to cover the number of Pokémon you catch. Might be tougher once you reach the upper limit.

And I'm glad at least someone else sees it that way. It definitely helps to at least tolerate them, but some people get so worked up if you're not buddy-buddy with every last team member.

(Video)

[bestofthebest]

(Rainbow's gonna focus on what stuck out the most to her.)

So...they're you, but they're not really you? They just go by different names and look like you did when you were younger?

(Yay, she simplified it!)

(Video)

[islandshore]

That's probably the easiest way to put it. Our universe gets kinda... complicated, anyway.

[Clones, journal incarnates... crazy stuff.]

[usedfeatherdance]

[ Oh, matching faces? That's not particularly weird or interesting at all. Let's talk about something else. ]

Do you think there's a problem in multiple people sharing a name, then? Just because you call them the same thing you might call another doesn't erase their individuality.

[islandshore]

Maybe not, but it'd be like calling a pet cat "Cat" or a bird "Bird". It's... not exactly a name when they're just being referred to by what they are.

At least, I never saw it that way.

[audio]

[when_turks_fly]

Nifty. Thanks for the information.

[ Some of which was pretty illuminating with regards to a certain musician's behavior. Rubbing her face a bit still for the implications? Why yes, she is, though she doesn't particularly sound it. ]

About the only thing I think you forgot to mention was your name.

[audio]

[islandshore]

Hey, no problem. Figured it was the right time to pass it around.

[Especially if he can save the network from a flood of questions.]

But the name's Riku. Guess I got so caught up in everything else that it just sort of slipped my mind.

[video]

[paladinlost]

I tend to name my Pokémon after loved ones. It's my way of telling them I care.

[It's also his baby-naming pattern. There might be a link there.]

I'd love even the most bloodthirsty creature if it was mine. I could hardly play favorites, after all. Does your team have its share of bloodthirsty members?

[video]

[islandshore]

It has its share of crazies, anyway, but I can't say I have any attachment to Terror. Not when she's only good at attacking things.

[She's good for battles and... not much else. And even then, it's not like she fights humanely.]

[Video] 1/2

[babel_hacker]

Like...clones or counterparts?

[Which bring into mind all the sci-fi tropes. Fantasy, too, if you use magic for it.]

Well, I usually nicknamed my Pokémon based on my interests and related stuff. A few are from programming, while others are from mythologies or fiction.

[There's really no set theme, just whatever seem fitting to him. Bonus points if his Pokémon like it enough.]

It'd be nice to be friends with all of your Pokémon. [For the more idealistic people, but Atsuro try to stay aware of his limits.] I like to be friends with them all, but just respecting each other and knowing when to work together can be good enough.

[That's generally the case for the Pokémon who originally belonged to others, before they end up in his care.]

[Video | PGC Filter]

[babel_hacker]

I should arrive within a day or so, as long nothing happened and conditions are good for travelling.

I don't have any Pokemon who can use smoke, but I have paralysis, sleep and confusion on me. [There's Smog, but he doesn't want to risk the chance for poisoning.]

[Video]

[hoperaider]

Which one is Evan and which one is Rin?

[Dude, he knows those feels on multiples. BFF having like splinter selves and other stuff can do that.]

Oh, I name mine after actors or characters I like! And sometimes I name them after my good pals.

[Video]

[islandshore]

Rin's the one with the black coat. Evan's the other one.

[Because he's not even sure what all Evan has to wear.]

And characters, huh? Can't say I've ever gone that route. Or named them after friends.

voice

[tendered]

Umm... Let see! I usually name my pokémon after my friends or my friend's zanpakutou. A zanpakutou is like a sword, but it's also a reflection of the wielder's soul, so, this way, I can name people twice over in case there's two pokémon that fit them pretty well!

And yes, I think it's necessary to be friends with your pokemon. They'll warm up to you much faster if you try and if you fail then at least you know you gave it your all. If you don't try, then how are they going to grow their heart?

voice

[islandshore]

No offense, but that kind of idealism isn't practical in all cases. Especially when you've been dealing with a muderous beast for years and have made no progress.

It's just like with people. You can't get along with everyone. Maybe it helps, but I don't see the harm in having Pokémon specifically for battle purposes.