005 // @strange.magic: video

[suckstobestrange]

[Hello Riverview! The feed blinks on to show Stephen, who might be looking somewhat under the weather here, paler than normal, the dark circles under his eyes a bit deeper. But that's not what he's here about, so like fuck he's acknowledging that!]

So is there anyone around who's a bit more up on Pokemon than I am? I was told they evolved as a method of growth, but I was unaware it was such a... sudden thing. One minute Wong was normal size, the next he's, well-

[The camera is turned, showing Wong, who is no longer the Lillipup that folk might remember but a Herdier. He's also three times his previous size, as seen by the fact that sitting up he was barely fitting on the small pillow-style dog bed just visible.]

Also, anyone who knows how to get him to stop doing this would be appreciated. [The camera pans lower to show that the dog bed was in fact upside down, having been pushed off the nearby sofa onto Sirius. The black lab hasn't moved even with bed and other dog on him, a long-suffering look sent Stephens way, as well as a slow thump of his tail.

He'd move but he's had enough of Wong's bamboozling for one day, thanks.]

Comments

video; @WICCAN

[wiccant]

Evolution happens suddenly as they level up. That Pokemon's new to me though, sorry.

Getting him to stay off Sirius is kind of on you.

[suckstobestrange]

Well I was more worried about the Sanctum messing with his evolution than anything, so that's good to know.

I'm not entirely sure how to get him to quit it though. That and the shoving himself in between when Sirius lays by me, even if I set him on my other side. I think he might be jealous.

[wiccant]

There are dog training books that could help?

[suckstobestrange]

Would that help? I mean he looks like a dog sure, but he's not one. I figured Pokemon training and dog training were different.

[Just gonna scoop the Herdier up and nudge the bed off poor Sirius.]

[wiccant]

Pretty sure dog training books work on a lot of things.

( bet he could train tommy with some helpful hints from them. )

With Pokemon it's mostly. . fight them until their health gets low, throw a pokeball, heal them up at a pokecenter, and then summon them into battle. Later gens had poke-play rooms and poke puffs to feed them to help up their affection, but.

[suckstobestrange]

...I don't know anything about poke-puffs, I just give him dog food same as Sirius.

[He's only sitting down to plunk Wong into his lap, it totally wasn't because he swayed for a second there he wasn't dizzy at all. Absolutely fine.]

And bacon on occasion.

[wiccant]

It probably doesn't hurt. Giving him dog food, I mean.

( poekfood is good but he doubts dog food is going to cause any harm. )

I swear everyone in the Sanctum runs on bacon.

[suckstobestrange]

So far he seems to be alright. Vet agrees, for all Wong hates his guts.

Makes grocery shopping real simple.

audio

[wingedman]

[Sam's commentary comes from Stephen's device, because he's just offering it from somewhere in the background.]

Except for when the eldritch horrors are on sale so you buy them in bulk to stock up. Real bad idea.

text; @a.parrish

[antietam]

Seems like a show of dominance.

How long have you had him?

[suckstobestrange]

I'd think so too, but he only ever does it when Sirius comes to sit with me. He'll either do this, or if he's on one side and Sirius lays on the other, he'll head right over to wedge between us. I'm thinking he might be jealous.

I've had Wong for almost a year now, Sirius I've had for about a month- Sam decided that I need a service dog, and here we are.

[antietam]

Jealousy seems about right then. He was the only child for a while and now he has to adjust.

How do you react when Wong does that?

[suckstobestrange]

Luckily Sirius is patient and doesn't really seem too bothered by Wong and his issues.

Well I usually just pick him up and put him back where he was, if he does it again he goes back on the floor.

[antietam]

That's good, you don't want to reward him.

I haven't read up too much about pokemon, but I think you can train them with voice commands like you can with dogs. Ideally you'll be able to give him a command to stop.

Do you walk them together?

[suckstobestrange]

He's pretty smart, learned most of the basic stuff you want a dog to know. Sit, stay, get down, leave it, come, you get the idea. He's also stupidly stubborn though, which is part of the problem.

I do, yeah. Sometimes Wong can't come with us though, if I'm going somewhere that only lets service dogs in like at work, so I try and give Wong some walks on his own too. Time at the park, stuff like that.

[antietam]

Yeah, he has a stubborn look to him. Cute though. Must be hard to discipline.

As long as you walk them together occasionally. That'll get them to bond. Do you mind me asking what the difference is between Wong and a regular dog?

[suckstobestrange]

He also knows he's cute, the little brat.

It's... Well, Pokemon have abilities? Wong's are pretty mundane, like tackling, a specific type of bite, but some other pokemon have more impressive ones from what I understand. And well, he was about a third of this size and weight as well as did not have a mustache five minutes before I posted to the network, so there's that.

[antietam]

So he went through puberty. Maybe it'll come with some newfound maturity?

Is he pretty much the same as a dog behaviorally?

[suckstobestrange]

Pretty much. A ridiculously smart dog, but pretty dog-like. Herding dogs from what I've seen, he likes to make everyone go places. Not so bad as nipping ankles or barking, but he still tries.

[antietam]

Cute and useful. Have you ever thought about getting some sheep? Might distract him enough to give your other dog a break.

[suckstobestrange]

Knowing my home the sheep would eventually sprout fangs and develop a new and exciting bloodlust.

[antietam]

That wouldn't necessarily be surprising on this planet, but what is it about your home that increases the chance of bloodlust even more? Just curious.

[suckstobestrange]

Magic. A metric fuckton of magic.

[action]

[wingedman]

Maybe Wong needs to go to obedience school.

[Sam is somewhere just outside the range of the camera definitely not hovering since Stephen's refusing to admit that he's sick and peering down at Wong, who's been Very Annoyed with him since he brought Sirius.]

[suckstobestrange]

Maybe. [Stephen paid no mind to the hovering, he was absolutely fine Sam! Instead just plucking Wong and his cushion off Sirius, earning a more enthused tail-wag from the bigger dog, setting the bed and bratty Herdier down on the floor.]

He'll get used to him. Just gotta work with him.