[Video]

[crouching_sin]

[Normally Naoya wouldn't bother with a post like this, but he's at his wit's end. He's done his best to try to solve it himself, but it's not working... so it's a rather frazzled-looking Naoya who appears on the screen, barely holding on to a very frightened-looking Ralts.]

[The Ralts in question is making tiny squeaking noises and looks like she wants to cry and hide rather than be anywhere in the area. Any Pokémon watching can probably hear her squeaking 'he is a bad and scary man'.]

Most of my Pokémon are rather well behaved. This one, however... doesn't seem to want to be anywhere near me. I haven't done anything to scare her. She just hatched a few days ago.

Has anyone else had problems with a Ralts that... doesn't seem to like them?

[He just... turns the video off. He'll put her back in her Pokeball now because... he doesn't know what else to do.]

Comments

[video]

[rocketralph]

_{[Yeesh, that squeaking and crying would get old fast.]}

She's a baby, right? Have you tried rocking her or something like that?

[video]

[crouching_sin]

Yes, I have. She still won't calm down no matter what I do. She calms down around my travel partner, but not me.

[video]

[rocketralph]

Hmmm....

_{[He furrows his brow and taps his chin. He's not really good with kids. And he's never had a baby Pokemon to take care of.]}

I was gonna ask if she might be sick, but if she's more attached to your pal, there might not be anything you can do. Imprinting and all that.

[video]

[crouching_sin]

Her Pokedex entry says something about Ralts preferring people with 'positive emotions'.

[He's... not exactly the happiest person.]

[video]

[rocketralph]

_{[...Uh oh.]}

That so? What kinda, er, mental state ya been in lately?

[video]

[crouching_sin]

Oh, fine. The same as usual. I'm just not exactly the perky sort.

[video]

[rocketralph]

Your Pokemon doesn't seem to think so.

[video]

[crouching_sin]

She's been trying to hide from me since she left her egg.

[video]

[rocketralph]

Maybe try doing something you enjoy? Watch a movie, eat a snack? Maybe she just needs to see you excited about somethin'.

[private text]

[unkinder]

[So Nagi actually wasn't going to respond to this. He's not really in the mood for it for a lot of reasons, but it just so happened that his Gardevoir was out in the room right as he was checking videos on the Network. It didn't take long of hearing the baby crying before she was at her trainer's side, flat out demanding he respond. It was somewhat unusual behavior for her, but he didn't have it in him to argue.

...so, instead of responding himself, he gives her the Gear. She could answer, if she felt so strongly about it. So fine, she would. She didn't even care that Nagi made it private in the event that she got a little too passionate.]

Hello. Perhaps I could give you some advice?

[She pauses, then sends another text.]

I am a Gardevoir, you see. I may be able to find out what the problem is.

[Of course she already knows, what with the crying, but she'll wait to see what Naoya's response is first.]

video;

[scratchitti]

[Neku looks to his Lucario for a translation of the Ralt's squeaks. The Lucario of course can't talk, but his Aura abilities get the idea across pretty well, and Neku frowns]

She's terrified of you.

[video]

[armoredsoul]

[It's not just Al that appears on-screen when the feed flicks on, but also a Gallade with a Very Unhappy Look. Al himself looks more distressed than anything.]

I know that Ralts pick up very easily on their trainer's emotions, and get scared of pretty much any negative feeling...is there anything you've been dwelling on a lot lately?

[video]

[pinnedbangs]

[Rin is more than a little concerned for the poor Ralts. The "overworked mother" look Naoya is wearing helps keep the usual bite out of Rin's voice.]

I - no. I haven't had that problem, period. [Rin, your pokemon are mostly dark-types. Everything you say is invalid in this conversation.]

You tried singin' to her? If she just hatched, maybe she's just scared of how everything sounds?

[video]

[crouching_sin]

We have been on the road for a bit, so it's not like I've had much of a chance to relax. Maybe I'll read a book. ... Or get her one.

[video]

[captainash]

That's a strange reaction, for a Pokémon that young. How does she react around the rest of your team?

[Maybe the poor thing's just easily frightened, or something like that.]

[crouching_sin]

Oh, excellent. That's very helpful.

Alice is still too young for me to let her use the Gear on her own, but I've been trying to calm her down for a while with no success. It's not as if I don't know how to handle babies, even those that aren't human, but she just doesn't want anything to do with me.

video;

[crouching_sin]

I noticed.

[He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.]

In retrospect I should have looked up Ralts before getting one. I didn't realize they were so... sensitive.

[video]

[crouching_sin]

[... Oh dear. That... must be one of her parents. He tries to choose his words carefully.]

... No more than usual. Though I admit that I'm not always the most positive of people.

[video]

[crouching_sin]

I tried that, yes. I think she may just not like me.

[video]

[crouching_sin]

She's... fine with most of them, other than Legion - he's a Spiritomb.

[video]

[pinnedbangs]

Then, get her to like you? Show her something that's cool that only you can do. That might get her impressed. ...It worked for my poochyena.

[video]

[captainash]

Well, of course, considering their types that makes sense... Did you ever drop her egg before she hatched?

[And would an unhatched Pokémon even be able to tell?]

[video]

[crouching_sin]

No. I'm not uncoordinated enough to manage that.

[He has a sneaking suspicion that it's more the negative energy than the typing, but whatever.]

[video]

[rocketralph]

Couldn't hurt! A little downtime might just be what she needs. Or both of you.

[video]

[crouching_sin]

[Okay well that actually manages to get him to laugh.]

I don't think that will work here, unfortunately.