shadowdive | 40 // video

[The feed opens up a bit into the bushes, a Buizel chittering away behind the screen and a Litwick wiggling just in the right hand corner, and paws are rolling the gear around. It takes a few minutes for the camera to be righted and pointing a direction that doesn't show leaves and snow, and then it's displaying a yard. A backyard.

Out in that backyard, Vanitas is practicing hand to hand combat with his Riolu and Croagunk; all three are working on their form today, led by "Instructor Zuru" the Scraggy. It seems to be going well enough, some simple arm thrusts and kicks being worked through, before they split into two groups. Riot starts off with a fierce volley of kicks at Zuru, who starts countering and dodging, and Vanitas takes a charge at the Croagunk.. who looks overly nonchalant.

It's a split second movement that the frog fighter makes, and not one Vanitas was particularly ready for; Croagunk used foul play and downright sucker punched his trainer in the gut, doing a fine job of knocking him off his feet and flat on his back. The resulting pained wheeze is enough to make the voyeur Pokemon go running, the Buizel leaving the gear behind in the bushes to time out on its own.]

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[ Just because Valeria has been quiet on the network for the past week doesn't mean she hasn't been paying attention to it. Case in point: she is, or rather was, rather contently watching this particular broadcast curiously with a smile on her face. That is, until the Croagunk flat out sucker punches the unsuspecting teen. That has her jamming her thumb into the button and activating the audio feed. She isn't usually one to ask questions to which the answer is obvious, but -- ]

Hey! Are you alright?

[Grunting and hissing in a little pain, his voice sounds a bit closer at this time; his Buizel went and got the gear after voices of concern were asking.]

Fucking frog... fine.. just breathing.. [Wheezing between words, yup.]

[ And wouldn't you know she's letting her concern getting the better of her. She switches the video function on after a brief moment of debate if only because it's logically easier to get someone else to do something you'd like if you take the first step. Shifting the Gear so as to maintain her grip on the egg in her arms, she looks at the device expectantly, her gaze already assessing. ]

Let's see you, then.

[Grunting, he flips the feed on and just gives an irritable look, until he sees just who he's looking at.]

Valeria?

[ She can handle irritable looks well enough. What she can handle with less grace is yet another person who knows her name, knows her face who she just... doesn't recognize and it shows on her face, her surprise and uncertainty. ]

I -- you know me? [ Knew. She's never going to get used to this. ]

Yeah. You left for a while. Didn't know you came back. [But the phrase is enough to tell him that she doesn't remember.]

It's fine that you don't remember though. It's something that's common enough here; people leaving and coming back without memories.

I guess I'm just full of surprises.

[ Good, bad. She isn't sure which applies here. His reaction isn't exactly telling or maybe it is. It would help immensely if she could remember, but she can't. There's no sense in beating herself up about that either. It won't help. Taking a small, inaudible breath, she looks at him curiously. Right. No pressure. At least, she doesn't feel it as intensely as she had in similar, earlier situations. ]

I don't think it's fine. What's your name?

[Hesitating a moment, he clears his throat and finally manages to sit up, half dusting dirt out of his hair.] .. Vanitas.

[ She's watching you still, Mister. Just because she was thrown by your recognizing her doesn't mean she's not watching you very carefully. ]

Vanitas.

[ Definitely a name she would remember. Definitely a name she does not. Okay. She offers him a smile now, something genuine despite the situation. ]

It's nice to meet you, Vanitas. I'd introduce myself, but considering you already know my name, that would be a little pointless. How would you feel about starting over?

If you want, I guess it's fine. We didn't know each other all that well, if that makes you feel any better. You came up with a neat idea for Skarmory feathers that I'm using now though, so you weren't someone I could forget with the regular reminder.

I do. [ And she'll say nothing as to whether or not that makes her feel any better. She doesn't like the idea that she'd travel to another world, make acquaintances and friends, then forget them, come back, and just... right. Right, getting away from there. ] Skarmory feathers?

Then it's good to meet you again.

[He's moving out of sight for a moment, before returning and holding up a couple feathers. He slides them between his fingers then and turns the feed at the wooden wall, before throwing the feathers like knives; they really do stick easily.]

They make good emergency knives. It's just easy to nick the inside of your fingers if you don't know what you're doing. [Though he remembers, she's very good with knives.]

[ The 'again' gives her pause, but she lets it go, curiosity getting the better of her... and then she sees those feathers and her brows rise, her mind jumping rapidly ahead. This is... huh. Well, it's brilliant, if she does say so herself. Utilizing what appears to be steel feathers from a Pokemon as makeshift knives... it does sound like something she would do and -- ]

Somehow, I don't see that being a problem. I'll just have to keep my eyes open for a Skarmory, I suppose.

You can get some from the breeding center, or check around with breeders you might know. [With the last of the 'knives' thrown, he leans to pick up a sheet of pounded steel that still has a few lines where it needs to be melted together; melted together from feathers.]

But your idea gave me the idea for this. Blacksmithing isn't something I ever knew before, but it's been something to figure out as I go.

I'll do that. It's a steel type, correct?

[ And she watches him closely, her curiosity piqued. Is that what she -- yes. Yes, it is and despite the apprehension she feels with regards to the matter of having apparently been in Johto before, she really can't help but feel that it was her that gave him this idea and that? That... evokes a bit of pride. ]

And how has that been going for you?

Yeah. Steel and flying. I think you said before that they resembled Chocobos. [He's taking a moment offscreen to let something out, before turning the feed to show her.. it's Slice and Aero, the two Skarmory he owns. One is larger than the other, showing that it's older, and the younger still has a bit of a whiter sheen to his steel.]

It's been going well enough that I've made some armor pieces that do well enough against most things. Fireproofing is still the toughest part, since the steel here is very weak to the high temperatures of fire type Pokemon.

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