明日の光は待っているから

It's amazing how the days can sometimes just fly by, can't they?

[ Hello everyone. Joshua is very much appreciating this warm January weather, and addresses the camera from... well, somewhere with water behind him, but more importantly he is not bundled up in a coat. He appreciates this. Having to wear coats for warmth instead of fashion is a terrible thing. ]

I was about to train some of my team today when I realized I don't actually have any left to train. [ There's a soft yelp from off screen, and Joshua rolls his eyes and continues on. ] Which brings me right to the point: does anyone have any suggestions for new Pokemon? Perhaps your favorite, or one that you appreciate having around, or one that's proven itself useful. Feel free to suggest one for any reason you want. I suspect it's well past the time when I should start collecting a few more.

And please include any necessary warnings with your suggestions, won't you?

[ The video clicks on to a view of the ceiling in one of the rooms of the Blackthorn Inn. The fan is slowly circling, and the only other thing visible in the frame is an arm reaching straight up from slightly off screen, holding up a Rising Badge. ]

We've already figured out that collecting a whole set of badges doesn't actually get you anything of value, right? Or did that finally change while I wasn't looking?

[ Joshua sighs, and the arm lowers out of the feed. There's the sound of it hitting the bed, and the camera shakes just the slightest. ]

You'd think that after I spent this long collecting them, I'd feel prouder at finally winning the last one. Mmm, perhaps this isn't really for me after all.

[ After a pause, he giggles. Then he rolls over and leans over the Gear, his face finally entering the camera's view. ]

How about this? Tell me about the worst thing that happened to you at home that you're still willing to talk about. Even if it doesn't seem to compare to what others have been through. Tragedy is quite relative, after all.

... This has happened before, hasn't it?

[ Sup Route. Joshua is broadcasting from the top of some random building in Goldenrod. Not visible is the fact that he's standing right on the edge of said building, with a multi-story plunge awaiting a slightly-displaced center of gravity... yet for some reason, he's not exactly worried. ]

Has anyone else had their Pokemon change color on them?

[ He turns the camera to show the roof behind him, and sure enough, his Absol has turned shiny and is now white and red instead of his normal white and black.

Actually Joshua's entire team seems to be shiny swapped, but Absol is the one with Joshua at the moment, not to say he can't be found with his others elsewhere around Goldenrod. ]

[ Action - For Neku ]

[ Joshua and Neku reached Azalea last night, and after several days of traveling, Joshua is always happy to sleep in a comfortable bed. The next morning, he rises early like usual and looks around the room the two are splitting. It almost looks like a war zone with all the Pokemon strewn about, almost all of them asleep or at least resting.

But then something catches his eye. The familiar dark blue, light blue, and purple pile of fur which is his Espeon and Luxray curled up together is broken this morning by patches of brown. And it's not until Joshua climbs out of bed and moves closer that he realizes that that brown isn't fur: the patches are smooth and oblong. ]

... I don't believe you two.

[ Ten seconds later, Joshua has extracted the three eggs from between the two happily-sleeping parents. He puts one brown one by his bag and dumps the other two, one brown and one dark blue, on Neku's bed. ]

You can't say I didn't warn you. These are your responsibility now.

[ Video ]

[ A little later on in the morning, Joshua addresses the public. ]

What makes the children take after one parent or the other? At least, I'd say it's safe to assume this is an Eevee egg.

[ He pans the camera down to show, sure enough, an Eevee egg sitting in his lap. After a moment he brings it back up to himself. ]

This is the third time these two have produced eggs, but the first time any of the children are Eevees, much less most of them.

... And out of curiosity, to those of you who decided on an evolution path for an Eevee. What sort of things went into your decision?

[ Not that January 1st was actually Joshua's birthday instead of just being a handy date to roll up his age one more year, but Joshua couldn't help the feeling that somehow Johto had hatched his shiny new egg into a... well, shiny new male fox, of all things, this day on purpose.

It probably could only have been more on the mark if the thing had been some combination of grey, blue, and/or purple. ]

Since this isn't exactly the first time it seems everyone spontaneously obtained an egg all at once, I'm going to ask a different question. Do we have any idea what determines which Pokemon we each receive?

[ And if anyone happens to be in Cianwood, Joshua can be found towards the outskirts of the city, sitting sideways on an Absol, Espeon on shoulder and a newly hatched golden Vulpix on his lap, all four of them watching as a Luxray happily bounds about on the sand and knocks out any Pokemon it scares up with its antics. ]

[ When the video turns on, a blue Gardevoir's face is taking up half of the picture. She looks at the Gear curiously and rotates it a bit, then a voice can be heard from off screen. ]

Is it on now? Point it this way.

[ She looks up and after a moment the camera swings around to show Joshua sitting on a bed, hair and clothes messy as if he just woke up but otherwise cheerful enough. He waves at the camera. ]

Hee hee, hello everyone. Feels like I've been asleep forever. I don't suppose anyone else who caught that plague a while back is still suffering for it? This [ and he reaches up to twist that little curl of now-purple hair ] certainly hasn't gone away yet.

More importantly, it seems I'm still having some trouble handling my PokeGear. For the meantime, Gardevoir will have to be my cameraman. She doesn't quite know what she's doing yet. This is her learning experience. [ There's a soft "Gaaar..." of protest, but Joshua simply giggles, focusing off-camera for a moment. ] Unfortunately, you're the only one I have with hands.

Ah, yes. In the interest of discussion, how about telling me about something or someone that was important to you back home that you don't have here. I'm curious.

... You can turn it off now.

[ There's a sudden flurry of movement as Gardevoir puts the Gear down and leans over it, trying to figure out what to do. After a couple seconds Joshua's hair can be seen peeking into the frame. ]

That one. The one you used to start it.

[ Then the video ends. ]


(( OOC: so Gardevoir is going to be making mistakes here and there all over the replies. If you'd rather not have mistakes in your thread, just let me know. ))

[ When Joshua turns the feed on, he's trying not to appear annoyed. Trying, of course, being the key word there. ]

And here I'd thought I'd seen it all, but this world is always one for new surprises. I suppose it's also a case of "buyer beware".

[ He turns the camera around, and a newly-hatched Litwick is sitting innocently on the table in front of him. ]

Are there any suggestions for feeding this that don't involve giving it my life energy? I'd rather like to keep that, myself.

[ The Litwick makes a soft whistling sound and tilts to the side, and Joshua gives a frustrated sigh as he cuts the feed. ]

[ The feed turns on to find Joshua outside the Violet City Gym, holding a Zephyr badge with an Eevee perched on his shoulder, a newly-evolved Gardevoir dancing and singing softly behind him. ]

So, these badges. Is there actually a point to them besides collecting them? I'm sure they make lovely conversation pieces, but I'm looking for a bit more than that.

And an unrelated question. Are comas a common occurrence around here? Humor my curiosity.

[ The woman at the Pokemon Center had seemed remarkably unperturbed that he'd been asleep for over a month. ]

[ The video starts up to the immediate sound of giggling, and a face grinning at the camera. Unless you immediately notice what's going on, it seems as if Joshua's hair is going every which-way. ]

Mmm... a question. Is it normal for them to sparkle like this? Hee hee.

[ He shifts the camera to reveal that he's actually been holding the Gear upside-down as he lies on his back. His jacket taken off and turned into a makeshift blanket beneath him. But more relevantly, there is a somewhat bluer than normal Ralts lying with her head on his torso, now on display in upside-down glory.

After a moment she notices the PokeGear and gives a confused tilt of the head, sparkling and shining slightly with the movement.

Soon the camera returns to Joshua. ]

I don't think I've seen one like it before, but I really haven't been here too long. Just me? [ He giggles again, and then the feed ends. ]