So did anybody know that it's possible for Pokémon to be deaf?

[While John looks more or less fine, when he speaks there's a definite sort of half-squeaky grogginess to his voice that suggests he's only just recently gotten it back. Someone was pretty damn sick over New Year's (on his deathbed, one would think, the way he carried on) and has only just recently gotten over it. But at least his nose finally stopped running and he's done coughing. His lost voice just has yet to find its way back to him entirely.]

[He's sitting on the floor of his living room, leaning back against the couch. He's not looking at the camera, though. Instead, he's smiling somewhat fondly at a cheerful-looking Gothita playing with a squiddle doll a few feet away from him. She's chewing on one of the tentacles, giggling a little with her back to John.]

I feel like it really shouldn't be so surprising. I just never really stopped to think about it being a Thing That Could Happen, you know? [He turns his attention to the camera, finally.]

Anyway, so how was everyone's New Year? I missed ringing it in, myself.

[Time to play catch-up since he's been out of the loop for like a week now and fuck checking all the network backlog.]