Pair talk 8

Hey! Ever seen me swim?! I’m, like, super fast, yo! I dunno if ANYONE’S faster than me in the water!

Oh yeah? Well, I know a ton of different swimming strokes. One-handed? Two-handed? No-handed? No problem! I can do it all!

Oh yeah?! Well, uh... I can swim with ease even when the water’s crazy rough!

What?! Well, I’m a fearsome fighter! Feast your eyes on these fierce fists!……
Hey, (your name)! Which one of us is cooler?

... I guess we should listen to (your name) here, yo.

Hmph! Well, I’m still not convinced.……
Besides, I’m not the one who started this bragfest—that was all you, pal!

W-well, y’know, I thought it’d be fine to talk myself up a bit, yo!
You’re so cool when you swim, Poliwrath... I just wanted a li’l friendly competition...

That so? I didn’t know you felt that way...
Well, I gotta admit, you are pretty speedy.

Awww, Poliwrath...

Say, Wartortle...
We should go swimmin’ together sometime. I’ll teach ya some of my tricks.

Y-yeah! That sounds awesome, yo! I’m lookin’ forward to it!

Kyuuuooon!

Yoooooo! Your tails are SO beautiful! Like...overflowing with beautifulness!

Kyuuun... *fwoosh!*

No matter what angle I look at ’em from! Beautiful! Just beautiful! Thanks so much for showin’ ’em off to me!

You certainly know how to deliver praise, Wartortle!

My pleasure, yo! I’m just super thankful that I get to see your beautiful tails, Ninetales!

Think nothing of it. After all, I also got to see something quite lovely.

Huh? Somethin’ lovely? What do you mean?

Every time you got enthusiastic, your tail wagged. That fluff, those curly tufts... It was absolutely adorable!

Awww, Ninetales! Thanks, yo! I think I’m gonna take a page out of your book and try to get my tail all beautiful too!

Hahaha! That sure was a good competition we had there, Greninja! You’re pretty good at this, if I do say so myself!

Indeed. I feel very fortunate to have met a worthy rival with whom I can hone my skills.
I look forward to more of this in the future with you.

Heck yeah! Let’s do it! Of course, it goes without sayin’ that I won today’s water-blastin’ competition...
But I’mma have to step up my game next time! Yes sirree!

...Excuse me? I believe you’ll find that I was the victor today.

What?! Were you even watchin’, buddy? I clearly blasted water farther’n you!

Preposterous! My record was a full leaf’s length farther than yours!
Perhaps your eyes have grown weak, Blastoise?

Heh heh... You young’uns sure know how to twist things to make yourselves look better than you are.
What you need, my friend, is to look at things with a li’l more objectivity!
Put any sheet of iron in front of me, and my Hydro Pump’ll blast clean through it! Losin’ just ain’t an option for me!

Hahaha! If your aim is to send water flying a great distance, there’s no need for brute strength like yours.
What’s truly important is skill and technique.

Grrr... You really know how to run yer mouth! We’ll settle this once ’n’ fer all next time!

I would have it no other way!

Hey, Servine, you collect berries with your vines, right?
That’s so awesome! I’m jealous.

Huh... Is it really that cool? All I do is aim at a target and hit it with Vine Whip...

I can do that with my tail, but it can’t stretch out like your vines. I wish I could reach faraway stuff like you...

Oh... Well, thanks.
But you’re better at hide-and-seek than me, Ekans. I can never seem to find you!

You got that right—no one has a sneakier slither than me! Plus I’m super good at staying still and silent! Yup, I’m pretty much a hide-and-seek pro!

So you’re using that thin, long body of yours to sneak around, huh? Maybe I should try slithering like you...

Huh?! You wanna copy ME? Wow, you’re gonna make me blush!
Guess I gotta keep practicing if I wanna stay the supreme sneak!

Yeah! I’ll do my best to keep up, too!

If we play hide-and-seek together a bunch, do you think your body’ll get long like mine?

Hehe... That’d be amazing if it did!

…Ssshaaa!!!…

Oh, hiya, Arbok!

Uh... How come you’re not scared? Ain’t you afraid of me?

Huh? Why would I be scared? You just wanna be friends, don’tcha?

Wh-WHAT?! Where’d ya get that idea from?!

Wha—?! Am I wrong? I was CERTAIN you were scarin’ everyone ’cause you just wanted to talk to them...

Er, no way, that’s not... I’m, uh... You got it all wrong, pal!

Awww... Really?
’Cause I really wanted a friend too, so when you came and went “Ssshaaa!” at me, I was so happy...

For real?!
...Psh, well, if that’s how ya feel, guess I got no choice— starting today, you and me are pals, pal!

Really? REALLY really?! Yayyy! OK, you ’n’ me are officially friends now, Arbok!

Ugh... This is the worst...

Oh, what’s the matter, Trapinch, dear?

Hi, Raichu. Get a load of this!
Earlier, someone left a huge burn mark on my home!

Oh no! That’s a terrible thing to do!
I’ll be sure to give whoever did that to you a real earful!

Thanks, but the thing is...I’ve got no clue who did it.
By the time I noticed, they were already gone.

Oh dear, the culprit must be a sneaky one!
Did you notice anything else at the time, Trapinch?

Oh yeah! I heard this loud noise, like KZZZAP! It sounded kinda like electricity.
Who coulda done something like this? And why? I don’t get it at all...

... ... ... ... ... ...
…That...sounds like when I discharged electricity into the ground earlier.…

Huh? Did you say something?
Wait, do you know who did this?!

Oh, er... Y-yes, dear! Exactly...
I’ll tell that scoundrel not to do that again near your home...

Wow, thanks a bunch, Raichu! I’ll leave that to you!

Ahahahaha...

*stare*...

Ahem! Mrrrowwwr!

Whoa...
Ahem! ...Yi-yip!
Awww... I just can’t roar as elegantly as you do, Persian!

…What’s this? A little copycat? How darling!

…Well, yeah... Your fur’s all glossy and beautiful and... I wanna be like you...
I’m trying to copy what you do, but it’s so hard! I just wanna become a lovely Pokémon already...

Ah, I see. But there’s no need to rush that, little one.
From what I can tell, you already possess the makings of a lovely, refined adult.

Huh?

Your constant desire to improve yourself, Vulpix. Never forget the determination I see burning within you.

Yeah!
I’m gonna keep trying hard to be a lovely Pokémon just like you, Persian!

Why, if it isn’t Flygon. How nice to see you.

Oh. Hello there, Ninetales.

I must say, the sound your wings make when they flap is quite lovely. Like listening to a beautiful serenade. Though it can be a bit noisy...

Why, thank you. How very kind.
Those tails of yours are quite marvelous as well. They have a sort of elegant mystique that’s utterly captivating. Despite looking unwieldy and uncomfortable.

Thank you—it takes a great deal of effort to maintain their beauty. I find that daily grooming is an absolute must.
How nice it must be to exist without regard for one’s appearance, especially covered in desert sand.

That must be quite burdensome. Despite how they look, my wings are sturdy and allow me to fly about freely.
Which I doubt would be possible if I had to drag a bulky, hairy tail around...

...You know, I feel like we have a lot in common. ♪

...I think you may be right. This feels like the start of a wonderful friendship! ♪

Gosh, your legs are awesome, Poliwag! You can use them to walk on land, right?

Well...yeah! I can only walk real slowly, though.

Ugh... Even that makes me super jealous...
I wanna have legs too! I wanna try WALKING!

Oooh, OK. I understand.
Me, I’m jealous of those things called hands! I bet carrying berries and stuff is a lot easier with those things!

Yeah, for sure!
Like, (your name) has hands and uses them to make all SORTS of stuff!

Yeah! They also mess around with those human tools, too. I wish I could do that...

I wonder if I’ll ever grow hands ’n’ feet... And it’d be sooo cool if YOU grew hands right along with me, Poliwag!

No kidding. I hope that happens some day...

... ... ...

Uh, hey, umm... Are you awake?

...Yup, I’m awake.

Oh cool, you ARE awake!
You always look like you’re asleep, so I’ve never been sure if I could talk to you or not...

Oh, you can talk to me anytime...
By the way, your tummy makes this cool-looking swirly pattern...

Yeah, pretty neat, isn’t it?
I really love this swirly pattern I’ve got! It’s all swirly!

Swirly-whirly... Swirly-whirly... S-swirlyyy...whirlyyyyyy... Gosh, I’m getting sleepier ’n’ sleepier looking at that...

Oh, uh, don’t fall asleep on me! Maybe you shouldn’t look at my belly...

... ... ...
Zzzzzz...

Aww, Abra, come back!

*sigh*

Why the long face?

Oh, it’s just... Sometimes I glitch out and kinda...lose control, I guess.
I wish I could do something to stop it from happening. Don’t suppose you have any ideas?

Why not try bending a spoon with your mind? It requires you to center your focus and mental energy.
Mastering the art should give you better control of your mental state, leading to fewer outbursts.

Huh, interesting idea! But...how do I do that?

Take a look at this spoon, and try to telepathically transmit your thoughts to it.
Calm your mind, center your energy, and with enough focus...the spoon should bend on its own.

Got it. All right, I’ll give it a try!
Hmmm... Nggghhh... This is harder than I thought. Could you give me a quick demonstration?

Sure thing. Look closely at my hand, and... Hrngh... HAAA!

Incredible! I can feel your telekinetic power growing much stronger... It’s practically overflowing!
Huh?! O-O-Oh no, I fe-fe-feel a gli-gli-glitch coming on... C-C-Can you c-c-cut it out?

Hrrrngh... HAAAAAA!!!

ArE#*&\\y0u”%++L-L-LiSteNinG?%=#&*@!

Phew... Anyway, that’s all there is to it. Whoa! Are you all right?! Looks like you’re having an outburst!
Quick, focus on bending the spoon!

I tHiNk*@%th-th-thAt’s#>thE%+]]p-p-pr0bLeM...$%&=

Heh heh. It’s just as I foresaw.

Alakazam. What is up?

Oh, nothing significant. I was merely reflecting on my weather prediction—which turned out to be correct.
That makes ten days in a row.

Ah. Weather forecasting. What method do you use?

Heh heh. Through training my psychic powers, I’ve gained the ability to foresee things.
What could be better than being able to see the future with perfect clarity? Sometimes I amaze even myself.

Understood. That is amazing. If it is OK, I can help you.
I can reference past records. Calculate. Provide more accurate data. It is easy for me.

Errr... Is that so?

Forecasting is simple statistics. I am good at statistics. Shall I analyze one or two or three hundred days to start.

What?! What tremendous power... Or rather, I mean to say—
Ahem! Not knowing what lies ahead is precisely what makes the future fascinating! Wouldn’t you be bored by a future you could easily calculate?

The things you are saying. They are different from before.

Heh...heh heh! It’s our flights of fancy and fickle changes of mind that make the future so unpredictable.
And that’s why the future is worth looking forward to!

Hm? Is something there?

Nope! See?

Goodness! So you’re only making it look as though a wall is there? What a meow-velous trick.

Aw, thanks! But I dunno if it’s really that amazin’, yo.
I mean, I heard you can make stuff disappear, Meowscarada!
THAT’S pretty cool! Y’know...if the rumors are true, that is.

Why not see for yourself?
Take a good look at this flower. Get ready... Ta-da!

YOOO! It’s gone! Where’d it go? How’d you do that?! You’re AMAZING!

How kind of you to say!

A berry?! YOOO! Where’d that come from?!
So, like...you can make stuff disappear and appear at will, or somethin’ like that?

I’m afraid that’s my little secret.

Whoooaaa. Awesooome. You’re so cool!
But I bet you can’t make another completely different berry appear, can ya?!

Well now, let’s see...

Yooo! You did it! You really did it! That’s awesome! Well hey, now that we both have a berry, let’s eat ’em together!
It’s chow time, yo!

So that’s what you were getting at! Seems I’m not the only one with tricks up my sleeve. Well, time for a treat! ♪

Here’s a little treat for being such a good audience.

How about this? Here you go. ♪

…Grrraaawwwr!…
…I am roilin’ with uncontrollable RAGE!…

I’m ’bout ready to blast somethin’ to smithereens with a Hyper Beam...

Come now, Gyarados, surely there’s no need to get so worked up. Why not take a few deep breaths, hm?

Deep breaths, huh? Breathe in, breathe out... Breathe in... breathe out...
…AAAHHH! It’s no use! I’m the angriest I’ve ever been!!!…

Oh dear, that didn’t work. Well then, how about you tell me what happened? Perhaps talking about it will help.

Hmph! Ya think so? Then listen here—do ya remember that real blustery day we just had?

Yes, I remember.

Well, y’see, I’d stashed a berry at my home and gone out for a li’l stroll...
But when I came back, the berry was missin’! That was gonna be my post-walk snack!

Is that really all that... Wait a moment.
Now you mention it, I recall eating a berry that rolled my way on that windy day. And if I remember correctly... It came from the direction of your home, Gyarados...

You! What?! It was YOUR doin’?!

I...I’m sorry?

Why, I oughta... I oughta...
Aw, shucks! I can’t stay mad at cute li’l you! I’ll let ya off the hook this time—but ONLY this time, y’hear?!

Mmm. Those berries were mighty juicy. Ab-so-lute-ly deeeee-licious, I tell ya what!
And now I’m all full ’n’ happy!

Whoa, seriously? That’s all it takes to fill ya up? Thought you’d be a bigger eater!
I’m smaller than you, but I ate way more!

What’s that, now?! I sure wasn’t countin’ ’em, but I’m still bettin’ I ate more’n you!

I don’t think so, bud! I DEFINITELY ate more than you... ……Hey! (your name)! Who do you think ate the most berries?

Gwahaha! Well, o’ course! (your name) wasn’t sittin’ there watchin’ us eat!
There’s no way they’d know which of us ate more’n the other!

Oh. Huh... Sorry ’bout that, (your name)! Didn’t mean to get ya caught up in our argument, bud!……
So there’s no way to know for sure, huh? Guess we’ll just have to have another contest some other time!

We sure will! And don’tcha worry—I’ll surely be countin’ how many berries I eat from now on!

Hm. Your spirit. It is different.

I do not understand your meaning.

It is a very angular spirit.

Angular? I do not understand. Other Pokémon are not?

Many spirit shapes exist. But so many angles. It is strange. I have not before seen so many angles.

Hm. I do not know why. I am strange?

I do not think you are strange. I feel a warmth. Like a human spirit. It is nice. You should treat it nicely.

Pori-piii. ♪ Understood. I will treat it nicely.
I will upload the data to my home for safekeeping. Then—

No. Wait. That treatment is maybe too nice.

You know, I’ve always been taken by your grace and charm.

Th-thank you... You look graceful and cool yourself! Plus you always smell really nice...

Why, thank you. I imagine that scent comes from all the sunbathing I do.
There’s a field of fragrant wildflowers nearby that I love to use as a sunbathing spot.

Wow... That sounds so lovely...

What I find lovely is how the light reflects off your body. What do you do to maintain that glossy sheen?

You’re too kind... I guess it’s because I swim a lot.
The sky looks so magical from below a lake’s surface that I always end up staying underwater for a while.

I quite enjoy a dip, but I’ve never swum anywhere so deep. What a beautiful sight that must be.
How curious that we look so similar, yet we spend our time in such different places!

You’re right... How fascinating!

Dragonite. You must battle me now. With honor.

Huhhh? What’s up with yooouuu all of a sudden?

Ha. Ha. You cannot bluff me. You are always calm with a stare that is blank. But I know. You are actually very strong.

I dunnooo about that... Anyway, I just don’t wanna baaattle anyone right now.

You feel that way—why?

Becaaauuuse...I always end up blowing away a mooouuuntain or a whole forest when I battle...
I don’t wanna mess up this area... That wouldn’t be nice when (your name)’s working so hard to make things so preeetty...

Y-yes. Certainly. Definitely. Doing that would be bad.
You have convinced me. Peace is the way. We do not need to battle. It is true.

Yeahhh... I like that. Let’s just have a niiice, friendly time.

Once. Upon a time. There was a Pokémon. The Pokémon loved berries. One time, while searching for delicious berries, the Pokémon found themselves in a dark cave.

Whoa, my heart’s pounding! Scary stories rule!

At last. The Pokémon found a berry. It was deep in the cave. But then, the Pokémon realized. The Pokémon did not know the way out.

*gulp*

Lost. Confused. The Pokémon felt behind them a chill. The Pokémon turned around. And there was...

WHO?!

A voice only. It said, “You have taken my berry.”

GYAAAAAAHHH!!!

Aaahhhhhhhhh. Ah?

Phew, that surprised me. So? Then what happened?

Hm. Your surprise has made me forget the rest.