punchandkiss | Fifth Viking Assault [Video]

[The video clicks on to reveal a spot of street and a pair of boots, and after a few seconds it's turned over to show an...upside down Astrid. She frowns at it, and then quickly rights it again. She looks happier than she did last time, if a bit dirtier.]

I'm at Violet now. Had to get a new magic window gear thing because somebody decided to step on it. [She tosses a glare off-screen and there's an apologetic whimper from nearby.]

I had a question though. Evolving. Evolutions. [She says the word carefully because it's a completely new one for her, and then she turns her camera to show a Pidgeotto and a Luxio standing nearby. The Luxio is batting a rock around with his paws and the Pidgeotto is preening, and both seem to be pointedly ignoring the camera.]

These two...evolved...while I was coming here, right? Which was pretty cool, if...kind of weird. I didn't think they'd get so much bigger!

Anyway, so I was looking up the rest of mine to see when they'd do it too, right? And I realized something.

[She turns the camera some more, to where her Sentret, Fuzzball, is currently sitting on the ground watching a Clefairy run in circles around what appears to be a long, blue snake-like Dratini...who is clearly not interested in whatever the Clefairy is selling. But Astrid focuses the camera on Fuzzball, who hops up on her tail and waves at the screen, hamming it up.]

She was supposed to evolve. Ages ago. But she didn't. What gives?

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[Well, that didn't tell her much, but Astrid couldn't really argue about it either way, could she? She probably wouldn't have understood if the other told her more, since everyone was from a different world.]

I'm Astrid.

[She offered kind of a hand-lifted wave. And then she shrugged/]

I don't know. A month and a half? It...you kind of pick things up pretty quick, I think.

I've found you don't have much of a choice if you actually want to get anywhere.

[[Astrid receives a nod at the declaration of her name, before Page turns her gaze back to the Pokemon surrounding the other girl.]]

...what actually happens when they evolve? I've read up a bit on the subject, but the book didn't really go into a physical description of the change.

It's...kind of hard to describe. There was this bright light, and I couldn't really see them because of it while it was happening, right? And then...

[She shakes her head.]

When it faded, they were...different. Bigger.

So the light masks the transformation? I suppose that's a bit of a blessing.

[[Because really, it doesn't sound all that pleasant to witness, much less undergo.

....hopefully it's...painless....]]

I can understand why some of them would hesitate, then, what with it being irreversible. You wouldn't want to regret your decision.

[[The thought of being stuck in a body she loathes makes Page shudder. Who knew Pokemon were so unwittingly morbid?]]

Or it happens hidden inside the light. [She shrugs.] I have no idea, honestly.

But yeah, I...I mean, it would probably be terrifying, if you didn't know what was coming, right? You'd have to spend your whole life as something...else.

They must have some sort of sense about it, if they can consciously choose to delay the process. Now that I've thought about it, I can't say I'm surprised that there are those who want to hold off.

[[She pauses, thinking.]]

At what point, I wonder, do they start putting their trainer's desires above their own? I'd presume there are those out there who would demand their transformation to a stronger form.

[[Hmm. A small smile.]]

Perhaps patience is the best route to take with your Pokemon. Loving them as they are, and all that.

[Astrid snaps her fingers at Fuzzball twists around and bounds back to her, leaping on her hand and running up to sit on her shoulder.]

I don't know. I wouldn't want them to have to spend their whole lives being something they don't want to be. [She shrugs again.] If people were going to do that, force them...that's pretty terrible.

I mostly just...let them train. They seem to enjoy that. [She did, anyway. And they didn't complain. Well, except for her Pidgeotto, but that one was a bit lazy.]

I've been trying to train my Pokemon, but it's.....let me explain.

[[And she gets out two Pokeballs, releasing a Kangaskhan and a small, obviously young Eevee.]]

The bigger one is fairly simple to work with, but I'm....struggling somewhat with this small one. Not through any fault of his own, it's just....a little unfair to pit them against one another if there are no other pokemon around.

[[That and the fact that her Kangaskhan shoves the poor thing in her pouch half the time instead of trying to fight it, but details....]]

Do yours get along?

[Astrid hasn't seen either of those before, so she's curious, watching them appear. Hmm.]

Mostly. I mean, there are squabbles...and I think my clefairy is going to irritate my dratini. [She points over to where the little pink ball is still running circles around the snake dragon.]

But they usually do. I've just gone out to fight on the paths, not having them fight each other.

That's probably the smartest option. My lot tend to follows orders, at least.

[[They're good little soldiers like that. Page sighs, turning away slightly and crossing her arms.]]

I suppose this is a fairly stupid question, but...you haven't heard anything about how we leave here, have you? I've just got....business to take care of, at home, and the guidebook has been useless in that regard.

[Astrid shakes her head.]

No, sorry. No one seems to know. Hicc...a friend of mine just vanished. [She snaps her fingers.] Gone.

I think that's how it is for everyone. No warning or planning.

Fifth Viking Assault [Video]

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