samsa | 009 | Video

[The video that starts here is a bit shaky at first as the broadcaster adjusts his grip on his Gear, taking his sweet time as if there’s something hindering his ability to move his arms properly. Once Kaneki can hold his Gear at arm’s length, the reason behind this is readily apparent.

There seems to be a Pokemon clinging to Kaneki’s shoulder, though it’s more attached to his back than anything, and then a second of the same species with her claws firmly dug into the front of his uniform. It looks like he’d been preparing to go to work when...something stopped him, clearly.

That something happens to be in the form of two Gligar who don’t seem like they plan on letting him go any time soon, and he’s now stuck between...well, a Gligar and a hard place, so to speak.]

Has...anyone else been seeing Gligar everywhere this morning?

[The last swarm Kaneki was directly influenced by was the sudden horde of Mareep that happened. Now, Pokemon that are supposed to live on cliffs and in mountainous areas are all over town, awkwardly perching in trees or nestled on rooftops. Basically any high place they can get to.

As Kaneki talks, the Gligar on his back reaches a claw up to lightly bap against the side of his head with a hissing snicker, causing him to recoil while the other Gligar tugs at his tie, jerking his head forward and nearly causing him to fumble and drop his Gear. All the while there’s a constant growling from off screen where Rikki has been glaring at the pair of Pokemon for the past several minutes, weighing her options and trying to decide if she should leap on one of their heads while they’re still attached to Kaneki.]

I tried offering them some food, but they don’t want to leave me alone...and I really have to get to work soon...they’re not native to this area, so I thought that maybe they’re confused about there they’re supposed to go.

[Meaning they’re using Kaneki as a convenient perch. Or maybe (the more likely problem) they’re just having too much fun messing with Kaneki and making a game out of seeing how long they can follow him around before he finally shoos them off. So far, he hasn’t been successful.

Kaneki sighs, the collar of his shirt coming open as front!Gligar manages to pull his tie apart.]

Okay, maybe I just need to- ah-! Hey!

[The Gear feed turns upward as shoulder!Gligar snatches it right out of his hands, peering curiously into the viewfinder as the camera turns to show the side of Kaneki’s head, and then Rikki and a Vaporeon standing in front of Kaneki, unsure this whole time as to how to help.

At least until the Vaporeon seems to get the idea that, hey, Gligar...is a ground type. And what do ground types not like?]

W-wait, Scylla, don’t-!

[The last thing the feed shows before cutting out is Scylla blasting water at the Gligar by Kaneki’s head, succeeding in getting it to let go of the Gear and Kaneki, but also soaking them all in the process.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

They're all over Goldenrod. I don't know where the hell they all came from.

[But more importantly:]

Are you alright, Kaneki?

I'm okay! Just, ah...wet.

[Obviously.]

They aren't giving you any trouble, are they, Banjou-san?

They haven't been bothering me, thankfully.

I wonder where they all came from?

I'm not sure. They definitely aren't native to Olivine, so either they got lost during a migration, or...or something else happened.

[It doesn't explain why there are so many, either.]

If it's anything like the Mareep, I don't think they'll be around for very long.

....what do they call it when that happens? A swarm?

I could understand it happening in one place, but since it's happening in more than one place at once... that's strange.

I hope the Pokemon are okay.

Mhm, I think so. I'm going to see if I can find some more information about why this happens, but I don't know how much I'll find. Talking to a professor might be my best bet.

[And who knows how much they'd be willing to divulge, but something like a swarm sounds close enough to the realm of possibility that he might not get brushed off with a "it just happens.]

All I can think is that sometimes Pokemon form big packs.

....They don't ever seem to cause that much damage when it happens, though. It's a good thing, too, because then it might turn into a horror movie.

[He hates horror, this is a legitimate concern.]

[Listen, at least they're bats, not birds. Then it'd really be a horror movie. ...in some sense, anyway.]

No kidding. One thing I've noticed is that sometimes the weather changes and certain Pokemon show up as a result. Maybe that's part of it, too?

It could be.

I wonder what a bat-looking thing has to do with spring?

That...I have no idea. It would have made more sense if a swarm of Deerling came through instead, or something.

Maybe they were all hibernating?

[....do bats hibernate]

[...do they?]

They live in caves...maybe they all decided to leave at the same time, or something.

I've heard of bats doing that.

They all swarm out at once to eat bugs. That could be it.

[Oh god, that's...sortof terrifying to think about.]

Like...bug Pokemon, you think?

Maybe.

But I've never seen a Pokemon eat another Pokemon before.

Neither have I, but...I guess I've just assumed that's what happens. There aren't any normal animals here other than Pokemon, and all.

It makes sense, doesn't it?

But caught Pokemon don't seem to eat each other. That's weird, isn't it?

Really weird. Maybe catching them has some kind of domesticating affect. It seems to for most, anyway.

[Given how he has a few more...bitey Pokemon, though...he hopes he didn't jinx himself.]

....This stuff was a lot less complicated when it was just an anime and not real life.

A lot less. People say it's easier to just accept it, but that's pretty hard sometimes...considering.

I can't believe anyone finds it easy to just accept it.

I'm used to it, but that doesn't mean it makes sense.