greatestcool | EIGHTH DESIRE ☠ VIDEO

[The feed opens to Ryuunosuke wearing a very puffy coat; apparently he's not too fond of the cold at all. He appears to be in the Pokémon Center (Goldenrod's, to be specific), with an Absol curled up at his feet. He grins at the camera, though he doesn't look anywhere near as peppy as usual.]

I guess some of you guys are probably going through the same thing I am. I really miss Fuyuki City and the people I knew back home. I mean, don't get me wrong, this world is pretty great, but the holidays are a time to spend with friends and family. It feels weird spending the time away from home.

[...What is he going on about now? This is a bit of an odd topic, considering Ryuunosuke murdered his entire family.]

I've never really liked the holidays, actually. I like getting gifts, sure, who doesn't? But picking out the perfect gifts is always such a hassle.

[He leans on his knees, propping his chin on one hand. There's a bright red mark visible on the back of his right hand. It looks like it might be some sort of tattoo. It's not a new addition by any means, but there are a few people here that might recognize it.]

How do you guys go about picking out the perfect gift for people? And I've got another question too - who here's from Fuyuki? Anyone? How about Japan?

[The Absol stirs at his feet and Ryuunosuke glances down at her.]

...I guess giving people Pokémon would be too predictable, huh?

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You don't celebrate any sort of holidays where you're from? What about birthdays? Or is it a cultural thing?

[No way, how can you live when you don't get presents for the holidays? ~~Look at his priorities~~]

Hopefully you can find something unique and useful for everyone you're shopping for! Just out of curiosity, how many people are you getting gifts for?

There's twelfth perigree's eve, which I believe is the closest to human Christmas, but that depends on the troll and lusus. Before I died, my lusus and I used to decorate, and she'd go and collect a behemoth leaving...

Then there's wriggling days, of course, but it's not really celebrated like humans do! I think I prefer the human way, really. So basically I suppose it's a cultural thing! [ Trolls generally don't get together for much. It probably wouldn't end well, anyway. ]

Hmm. Eleven people from home, barring anyone else showing up, and four people from here!

[Oh, he recognizes the term "troll"! So it's a different culture then, huh? Interesting!]

--Wait, you're dead? That's unfortunate. Sorry to hear that!

[Unless you're a ghost, then that would be pretty cool.]

Well, I'm glad you get to experience what it's like for us humans! How do you guys celebrate it?

And whoa, that's a lot of people. I hope you can find perfect gifts for all of them!

Oh, no! I'm not dead anymore. I died, hm, I suppose three times if you count the robot explosion? [ She'll count it, since she remembers it, anyway. ] I was dead for a long time, but I got better!

I never really celebrated mine! I mean, my friends would mention it on occasion but I lived pretty far away from everyone. Sometimes I'd treat myself to a new dig site near my hive? [ Whoops, human terms, Aradia. ] Ah, I mean my house!

It is!! But I think I've got everything set, more or less. How many people do you need to find gifts for?

[WAIT WAIT HANG ON]

...So you died three times? And you came back? Is this something all trolls can do?

[MAN WHY WASN'T HE BORN INTO YOUR WORLD that would have been so cool.]

It depends on if they were playing the game and whether or not they had dream selves to spare! However my period as a ghost was due to my own talents - psychic powers and the ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead - so that wasn't normal in the strictest sense?

[ This is the least bewildered reaction she's ever gotten, so she'll roll with it. ]

[He tries! ...Sort of.]

Whoa, no way, you were a ghost too? And you have psychic powers? That's so cool!

...But I guess those powers don't work here, right? People who have powers usually can't use them here.

No, they don't! None of my abilities do. Although they did a short while ago, but I can't really remember all of it. It was during the other weekend.

[ She'd be more put out about that, but...well, it's not the weirdest thing to have ever happened. ] I was a ghost and then a frog and then a robot and then a fairy, which really makes more sense in context.

[ ...Sort of. ]

[Oh yeah, those weird weekends... He doesn't get those at all. Johto just screws up sometimes or something?]

...It sounds like you've had one really awesome life! Is this normal where you're from?

For the people I know it is, at least! I'm not sure how many would describe their lives as "awesome", though.

Oh, I'm Aradia Megido, by the way.

It sounds way cooler than any of the stories I've heard so far!

I'm Uryuu Ryuunosuke, but you can call me Ryuunosuke.

[Maybe he should start introducing himself by given name first... it might be less confusing that way.]

I haven't really heard any stories about other people's worlds so far! Except from Smoker, about pirates? Our culture was different enough that this world itself is fairly entertaining, though.

It's nice to meet you, Ryuunosuke!

There's a pirate here? Cool!

[There are all sorts of awesome people here! Why did he have to end up being from the (mostly) boring world?]

Yeah, I'm actually really fond of this world! I wouldn't mind going back home, but the Pokémon here are really awesome!

I think he hunts pirates, actually! Ah, I agree! Indy - my Haunter - is an excellent ruins-adventuring partner. And so are many of the others, actually!

Haunters are great! I started with a Gastly, but I'd never evolve my Haunter. He's great just the way he is!

[It's kind of his spirit animal. ...Well, okay, his spirit animal is actually a leopard, but his Purrloin hasn't evolved yet.]

That's my starter, too! I mean, it was. I'm not sure if I'm going to evolve him or not, since it doesn't seem necessary...

It isn't! Sometimes it's difficult to use Pokémon in battle if they aren't fully evolved, but I've had no difficulty with Haunter, and he's now level 100!

What did you name him?

I haven't actually named any of mine. I'm not very good at coming up with names. What about you?

Indy! Short for Indiana Jones. For the rest - I've found picking a theme and sticking to it makes things easier? I've been using gemstone names.

EIGHTH DESIRE ☠ VIDEO

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