5th rebuttal; video

[superordinary]

[ The feed flickers on to Naegi, who appears to be somewhere in Ice Path at the moment. The cave wall behind him is white with snow and ice and his breath is turning into mist in the chilly air. His hood has been pulled up so far over his head that it casts a shadow, making his face seem darker than it actually is. Fuck the cold, man.

The coat he's wearing is sticky with a thick layer of goo and the culprit behind it is none other than the Goomy Bloober he's cradling in his arms. Said Bloober has been wrapped in a towel, effectively making it look like some kind of slimeball burrito. ]

So what have you guys learned about our, um, slimy friends so far? Ishimaru-kun and I are helping this guy here through Ice Path and so far we...don't really know much about it. It doesn't seem to like the cold very much which could mean it's part Grass.

[ That's...a reasonable assumption to make, right? Flying's out of the question and he's pretty sure dragons aren't tiny slimeballs. Then again, it looks nothing like a plant... ]

Or it's just better suited for warmer places? It resembles a slug and I think gastropods are cold-blooded so maybe that's why it doesn't like this place. I don't think Johto is its natural habitat at all...

[ There's a pause as he shifts the Bloober around in his arms. There's one last thing he wants to ask. ]

Anyway...we'll be in Blackthorn in a few days, hopefully, so I was wondering what's worth seeing there? We're going there for the hot springs but I want to see the other things the city has to offer.

Comments

[video]

[paladinlost]

I've learned that they enjoy omelets, that their slime does not bother most Grimers, and that they can learn Return but not Earthquake, Cut, Rock Smash, Strength, Fly, Surf, Waterfall or Whirlpool.

[All three of those discoveries involve very amusing anecdotes, too.]

Would you consider a Gym and wild Dragon-types worth seeing?

[video]

[superordinary]

Isn't Return something most Pokémon can learn? I've successfully taught the move to all of my Pokémon except for Ditto.

...I do! I'm not sure my Pokémon are ready yet since we only barely managed to defeat Pryce but I think Ishimaru-kun intends to challenge it. I'd definitely like to see the wild Dragon-types, though.

[video]

[paladinlost]

So have I, but if an exception exists there can always be more. Besides, I have to admit that the Pokédex's lack of information left me uncertain that they were Pokémon.

You'll love the Dragon's Den, then. You might possibly need permission to visit it, but as long as you do not ask Clair after a Gym win that'll be no problem.

[video]

[superordinary]

I was a little uncertain about that, too. I wonder why the Pokédex doesn't have any details on them... Maybe it's a recently discovered species?

Is Clair like Whitney? She wasn't exactly, um, happy when I got the Plain Badge.

[Video]

[awesmazings]

[He doesn't know about Bloobers, but that isn't going to stop him from getting a look for himself before actually setting off to....somewhere. Cherrygrove, most likely. Clearly, though, Bloobers are more important right now because what is that it's adorable.]

I dunno what that is, but it looks like something you'd find somewhere warm.

[It's kinda...like a really tiny, really cute lava worm. But a lot goopier that's for sure.

Jimmy pauses a moment, turning his attention from the Bloober to Naegi with a chuckle as he rubs the back of his neck.]

A-ah, sorry! My name's Jimmy! I...I just got here so I've been talking to people on the Network.

[HEY THERE NAEGI Electrike is just going to stick his nose up to the 'Gear so he can get a better look at you. Looks like you could use a bath.]

[Video]

[superordinary]

[ ...He really does look like he could use a bath. Unfortunately, showers are not a thing in Ice Path and he's not going to leave the water for a week once he reaches the hot spring of happiness. The Electrike gets a smile out of Naegi though; it's a cute starter and he'd pet it if he could. ]

I guess I should say "Welcome to Johto" then, Jimmy-kun! How're you liking this place so far? I know it's a lot to take in at once.

[Video]

[awesmazings]

[Electrike's tail wags happily in greeting, looking up at Jimmy briefly before looking back at Naegi.]

Thank you! It's really great!

[Even though he nearly got conned out of literally his only Pokemon by Saionji, but YAKNOW DETAILS.

He nods down at the slimy critter still in Naegi's arms.]

So who's that little guy?

[Video]

[superordinary]

The locals are calling it a Bloober. The sort of just...showed up in large groups recently and nobody seems to know much about the species.

[video]

[soundmind]

Ummm.

[She looks at hers, which still has the same dopey smile.]

I found out that mine is named Donald and he says he's "happy" type. He doesn't like being around salt, though he does like water, so he's kinda like a slug yeah.

[video]

[superordinary]

"Happy" type...? Doesn't sound like he's sharing helpful information...though I guess they do seem pretty happy.

[video]

[soundmind]

I don't think they're going to share anything helpful, they're...[Donald gurgles happily.] Simple. Maybe they're not even from Johto and Kanto? Though I don't know where else they could be from...we haven't heard about anywhere else.

[video]

[superordinary]

Simple...that's a good word to describe them, I think. [ The Bloober in his arms burps loudly, causing a few bubbles to leave its mouth. ]

I wonder why they decided to show up so suddenly, if they're not from around here.

video;

[ghostytrainer]

Well they don't know Water Gun, I can tell you that much. I thought they might be at least part water type and that's a pretty basic water type move. [He shrugs.] But no dice.

I think grass type could be a pretty reasonable guess though. They don't exactly...look like a plant or anything but with as much as they love water, it wouldn't surprise me if they were at least dual typed.

[Absolutely nobody is going to guess dragon type, are they?]

video;

[superordinary]

Bubble's kind of basic too, isn't it? Sometimes this guy burps, and bubbles come out of its mouth... [ Do burp bubbles even count as a move? Naegi has no idea. ]

Maybe it's Grass/Water...but Water resists Ice...

video;

[ghostytrainer]

Oh right...bubble. I didn't think of that one, but you're right, that's pretty basic too.

[He scratches his chin.]

I'm not so sure if it's part water anymore though, that was just my first thought because they need to stay wet. But aside from not liking the cold, they also...well when you actually fully put one in water they kinda like... [He gestures vaguely, seeming slightly stumped as to how to describe exactly what happens.] flatten? They don't really keep their shape and swim around like you would expect of a real water type.

video;

[superordinary]

I haven't seen them in water myself, but they don't look like they're able to swim very well. Seems kind of hard to when they're basically blobs? I know Pokémon tend to be kind of bizarre in comparison to normal animals, but if something's aquatic it usually looks the part with fins or gills.

[ Hmm. ]

Isn't there another slug-like Pokémon? One that's part Ground.

video; LUCKY YOU. YOU GET BOTH MY BOYS.

[impheired]

You actually caught one of those fucking things?

[He cannot make the disgust in his face any more apparent. So gross, why would you voluntarily keep one.]

video; OH NO

[superordinary]

Um, technically we haven't caught it? We're just helping it through the cave. I think we're going to let it go once we reach Blackthorn...

[ BUT KUZURYUU THEY'RE CUTE AND DOPEY WHY ARE YOU HATING. ]

video; it's terrible i know i'm sorry.

[impheired]

[BECAUSE THEY'RE GROSS AND THEY OOZE SLIME EVERYWHERE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS FOR HIS SUIT??]

Oh. [Okay well that's a little different he...guesses? Umm...] You're still touching it.

[How can you be so bad at carrying on a conversation, Kuzuryuu, holy shit.]

[video] holy shit, someone not ishimaru for once

[twinsanity]

[Might as well answer; it's not like he has anything better to do with his time, after all.

Judging from the feed, Alfred is outside today, taking advantage of the warmer weather; he's leaning up against one of those large trees in Ilex Forest, from the look of it, Joltik sitting neatly on his shoulder like she belongs there. He either doesn't mind or has gotten bored with shooing her off; either way, he's not really paying too much attention to her, his attention focused on the feed.]

Oh, we've tried communicating with it - the most Lady has gotten so far is that it's highly discontent and wants to lodge a complaint with the management.

[video]

[superordinary]

[ Man, Naegi wishes he were anywhere near Ilex Forest right now. Ice Path is utter hell. ]

...Did it explain why it's so discontent?

[video]

[twinsanity]

[Ilex Forest is actually pretty okay, as far as he's concerned. A bit too much outdoors in one place, but he's kind of lived under a rock his entire life, so.]

That would imply that it wants to be helpful in any way.

[video]

[beholdmydemons]

They like water! [From offscreen there's a loud "WEEEEHHHHHOOOOWWW" - the sound of a Houndoom and a Ninetales lamenting their profound existential distress. In stereo.] And their slime is hell to get out of fur. They don't seem to mind fire until it burns the ground dry, either.

[WEEHHHOOOWW]

[video]

[superordinary]

[ ......okay, that was unexpected. ]

Uh... what's that noise in the background?

[video]

[beholdmydemons]

Pokemon with no sense of adventure. And I can't say whether the Bloobers have blood or not, but they're not particularly cold. Wet more than anything.