ghostytrainer | prank #41

[When the feed clicks on, it's to a close up shot of a Shedinja floating inside what appears to be a hotel room. The ghost is just staring blankly at the screen, neither moving nor giving any other sort of indication that it's alive or that it really had any reason for apparently deciding to turn the gear on.]

[Just. Staring.]

[It's probably kind of unnerving and the worst part is that this goes on for a good twenty minutes before something else finally happens.]

Ugh, Phoebe did you hide my gear somewhere again? It was cute and kind of funny like the first maybe...three times? But that's really starting to wear off, sorry to say. Jeez, where is everyone it's like a gravey--

[John's voice can be heard in the background, and just as he wonders to himself where all his Pokémon went, his feet can be seen in the background behind the Shedinja. He sighs.]

Well that explains where everyone went at least. [The neon green argyle sock-clad feet approach the bug ghost and the camera.] Exos, what are you doing over here...oh. Ugh, not you too! Jesus what does a guy have to do, I swear... [The camera jostles as John, still mumbling to himself, picks the 'gear up. He redirects the camera to his own face, looking a little exasperated.]

Sorry about that. Exos is...well okay I have no idea what the fuck he was trying to accomplish there, if anything at all. But since this is already on, may as well make some kind of point here I guess. Umm, let's see...

Tell me about your favorite type of Pokémon. Or your favorite species, anything like that. Feel free to gush about your team and the things you have accomplished together, I don't mind. It's actually kind of fun to hear what other people have to say about their companions.

Here, I will even go first. Ghost types are my favorite and thanks to Bro Strider, I recently finished my collection of grim, grinning ghosts. I now have at least one of every ghost-type evolutionary line. My favorite species is Haunter. Mostly for nostalgia reasons but Haunters have the added benefit of just being pretty awesome in general.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He is the mini-Dad, it is him. Blame his upbringing.]

Pffttt, maybe. I mean I have yet to develop a love for shaving and pipes so I don't think I am quite 100% dad material yet. Though...apparently some of my Pokémon do see me that way which was a little weird to actually have confirmed. But kind of nice too.

Anyway, the point is: eggs and baby Pokémon are great and I am glad to hear that you have already picked up on this most important of facts, Maka.

...My dad doesn't--well, he smokes sometimes, but not with a pipe.

[Haaaa, actually dads is a bad subject for her, let's get away from that.

A Mysterious Duskull™ seems to agree with this as it peeks up over Maka's shoulder at John before poofing out again.

Maka has no reaction to this except rub at her shoulder. Dang, where'd that chill come from?]

Well, maybe I'll try catching some Pokemon when I'm closer to Violet City, what should I be on the lookout for?

Hmm? [He quirks an eyebrow at the Duskull. Iiiinteresting.]

Ah, well there are Gastlies on the way to Violet City. But if you're just looking to diversify your types right now you might not want to bother since you already have a Duskull. And you can catch or buy far stronger Gastlies, plus the ones on the early routes can kind of be jackasses, take it from first hand experience. [He ended up chasing after SLimer for DAYS before he finally caught the bugger.]

But there are your typical common bugs and birds on the way to Violet, you know Pidgeys and Caterpies and stuff like that. Spinaraks and HootHoot at night. Dark Cave might have some interesting stuff in it, I never actually got the chance to check it out myself since there was a blizzard when I was going to Vioet the first time and we were just focused on getting there without turning into peoplesicles. But it's a cave so you can probably find Sandshrew s, Zubat, Geodude...stuff like that in there. Rock and ground types.

Outside of Violet there are Mareeps which are pretty cool but since you already have a Pachirisu, you may not want to bother since they're electric type. But if you check out the ruins of Alph, you can get some psychic types! There are Natus there which are these little tennis ball looking bird things. [He makes a vague, round shape with his hands, approximating the size of a Natu.] And I think there are Ralts in there too, though they are much harder to find. I never saw one when I was there, but I think that's where my friend Jake found his. So maybe he's just luckier than me.

...A Duskull? What are you talking about? I don't have a Duskull. And my starter is an Emolga, not a Pachirisu. I mean, I guess they're both electric squirrels, so they would be easy to mix up...

[She shrugs.]

Hmmm...I really have a lot to think about with these Pokemon. It's hard to not just get something that you like the look of, you have to think strategically too. Though I haven't decided what my favorite type is at this point...I guess I'm more drawn to things that look like actual creatures I've seen before. But why should I be picky, I'll probably be here for a while.

But it was...right behind you. Just a second ago.

[He taps vaguely at his own shoulder, the same one that the Duskull appeared on Maka only...technically backwards because this is basically like looking in a mirror.]

Right here. Err, no wait. Other shoulder on you. [He corrects his mistake, tapping the other shoulder.] It just kinda popped up to say hi for a second then disappeared, I figured it was yours since they don't appear in the wild where you are.

...[And she looks behind herself.

Nope. No Duskull there.

As she's turned around, the Duskull pops up right in front of the camera to just peeeeer into it at John, but disappears again as soon as Maka turns back.]

Okay, smart guy, I know you like ghosts, but that doesn't mean you can yank my chain like that.

What no I...swear he was there! And just there again when you turned around! I'm not... [Omfg Duskull, you jerk.]

I think I the one having my chain yanked here!

Okay, okay, come on, let's calm down. Let's just talk about something else, okay? Forget about the ghosts.

[He's not crazy! He swears. 8(]

Uh, right yeah er...what were we talking about? [He falls silent for a moment, going backwards through their conversation in his head.]

Ah, right! Emolga is what I meant, my bad. Like...have you ever done that thing where you can clearly see something in your head but then you end up saying something else entirely that's sort of vaguely related? That's basically what happened. Too many electric rodents here, jeez. Pikachu wasn't enough, apparently.

It doesn't all necessarily have to be about strategy though. I have some that I don't really use in battle a lot but I keep them because they are just nice to have around or some other reason. But...in the beginning, yeah I focused a lot more on building fighters. I think most trainers do.

Hmm, they do all look pretty similar.

[THAT'S CRAZY.]

I just hope we don't have something like an electric capybara, I don't know if I'd be able to handle that.

[that was a lame attempt at a joke.]

I'm not used to the idea of having so many--err--animals around, especially not as pets, but the challenge of the gyms is a nice motivation to get to know different Pokemon. Once I have beating Falkner out of the way, I think I'll be able to do more leisurely traveling and catching.

A capywhatnow?

[The joke is completely lost on him.]

Ah--hang on.

[Searching the Sooper Advance Network for a picture aaaand--

DING! There is a file waiting for John to open up.]

That's a capybara, it's the largest rodent in the world.

...that's a rodent?!

[Holy Rodentia, Batman!!]

It's huge!

[Yes, Captain Obvious. Thank you for pointing that out. Nobody would have guessed from "Largest Rodent in the World".]

Yep, it's a rodent, like a beaver or a porcupine.

[Yes those are in fact rodents, does that blow your mind?]

Oh...right. Those are-- wait, really? Porcupines?

[Things you never really stop and think about: what are rodents beyond mice and rats?]

Well yeah, what else would they be? They don't look like cats or dogs.

I...you know I never really thought about it? It's just one of those things that you don't think about until moments like these where somebody points it out.

prank #41 | video

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