ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

There it is.

Lake: <So, you just left them alone for a while and when you came back, they had a bunch of eggs? Huh. Guess you must have left them in a private place. Pokémon won't breed unless they have privacy.>

-I pull my brand new laptop out and withdraw my Ditto from the PC.-

I haven't had a chance to really talk to this Ditto yet. Let's see what he's like, then.

-I send the Ditto out.-

Hello there! I'm-

Ditto: <HELLO!>

-Ditto suddenly grows huge and jumps on me, engulfing him in his body.-

Flare: <!!!>

Wulfric: <Oh no! Should we help him?>

Flare: <Uh...>

BLURP!!!

Ditto: <Ooh, you have such complex DNA! It's wonderful!>

- Nods -

Oh, I see.

(thinking) Hmm... So, two Water Pulse TMs and an Iron Tail TM... Is there anything else I need?

Well, they go off by themselves a lot so I figure Qui-Gon and Benny were conceived on one of those occasions. Don't ask me how they pulled it off though.

...!

-Gestures at the counter-

researcher.luke@pefe.org [U:2 C:160] is ONLINE

— ...Oh? Wonder what is he doing...

I write a message.

"Hey, Luke, good to see you're using the new system. I asked our legal dept. for the Everything Sensor needed for your particular install. The good news is that they think it can be done, although Tangent has the last word. The bad news is that half the price will have to come out from your pocket. Seeing you later."

"PS.: I have a couple of questions on Feraligator social behaviour that I'd like to discuss with you (or Lake, now that I can) if you have some time later."

Meanwhile near the stand

Algira — <Hey... Who is that Pokémon?>

Maekrite (daydreaming and drooling) — <...Pikachu?>

Algira (shoots a Bubblebeam to Maekrite) — <No, spacey. That one> — points antennæ to where the Armaldo is.

Maekrite — <...! Never seen something like that before...]]

edited 3rd Jul '11 1:22:52 PM by SilentReverence

- Looks over at Anom -

What is it?

Yes, Anom? What is it?

-Tries to pantomime, pointing at the TM stand and then at myself-

... Is there a TM you want?

Can't talk right now. A Ditto is trying to eat me.

-Nods-

Algira goes and flies around the Armaldo.

Maekrite — <...Algira!>

Algira <Here! Hey! Listen!> — hovers on front of the Pokémon — <What are you?>

Oh, okay. Which one?

- Notices Algira -

Oh, hi there.

-Tilts head-

-Doesn't know what there is for an Armaldo to learn there-

edited 3rd Jul '11 1:29:16 PM by Anomalocaris20

Luke wishes it was trying to eat him.

-Manages to find his way to the TM Stand-

Now what is going on here?

- Thinks for a moment -

Hmm... Armaldo already learns X-scissor naturally... I have the Unova re-usable TMs for Rock Slide and Brick Break... How about Iron Tail?

- Notices Tagg and Lake -

Oh, hi there!

Is Luke going to be a daddy?

-Barks excitedly at the word Iron Tail-

edited 3rd Jul '11 1:37:10 PM by Anomalocaris20

Algira — <Come on! You can speak, right?> — flies back to the stand — <Like... use your mouth...>

-Notices Tagg-

Algira — <Oh hey, Tagg... Look at that!> — points at Armaldo.

Maekrite walks in and growls a hello at everyone before sitting nearby.

-Hearing the Armaldo bark-

Maekrite — <Sounds like it found something he likes...>

edited 3rd Jul '11 1:38:32 PM by SilentReverence

I hope not!

Lake: <Hello DS!> -Notices Anom.- <Um...Who's this?>

Wulfric: <I really think we should do something.>

Flare: <Okay...Hey! Blob thing!>

-Ditto spits me out, then turns his attention to Flare.-

Ditto: <HELLO!>

Flare: <NO! Don't even try it or we'll be eating roast Jelly for dinner tonight!>

Wulfric: <...>

Flare: -Shrugs- <Best I could do. Anyway, I need someone to breed with, so...Would you mind?>

Ditto: <Sure! Hang on...> -Morphs into a rather burly Male Blaziken.- <There. What do you think?>

Wulfric: -Tilts his head.-

Flare: <Whoa. Talk about manly. Yeah, that's great. Come on, let's find somewhere private.>

-I pull myself up off the ground, bits of jelly sticking to me.-

Urgh...Thanks Flare.

Flare: <Just doing my job.>

Well, I always did want to see if the stories were true.

Oh, hey guys.

-Looks at Armaldo!Anom after noticing the armband-

Anom, how did you forget how to speak while you're like that?

edited 3rd Jul '11 1:40:56 PM by rmctagg09

- Looks over at Anom -

Oh, okay! I'll get you an Iron Tail TM then.

-Makes some grunts and tries to point at where I suspect my vocal chords would be, while shrugging-

-Nods excitedly-

edited 3rd Jul '11 1:43:21 PM by Anomalocaris20

Couldn't you just get your own Armaldo out to help you?

-Has no idea where my belongings have gone as an Armaldo-