Twenty-Sixth Flutter [Video]

[3_butterflies]

 [It's rare for Fluttershy to actually try to get attention, yet here she is, turning on the Pokegear as she and Twilight travel towards the next town. She swallows, then speaks... Oh, and don't mind the Murkrow that's using her pink hair as a nest.]

Um... hello... I'm sorry if I'm bothering anyone, but... I thought I'd been hearing a lot of people struggling with their Pokemon lately... And I wanted to try and help...

See, my special talent is helping animals... I can talk to them and understand them... So, I thought, maybe if anyone would like me to try... I can talk to your Pokemon, and see if I can help with any problems you might be having...

Okay... Okay? Um... h-have a nice day, everyone.

Comments

[3_butterflies]

[She nods, a little shy.]

A-huh... it's my talent.

[worktodo]

Talking to animals. So what does that make you, Doctor Dolittle?

[3_butterflies]

[Huh? She blinks a few times.]

... Oh, I'm not a doctor... And I wouldn't say I've done little... I try my best to help a lot...

[worktodo]

[Bird in hair. Volume set approximately at "whisper". Doesn't catch derisive pop culture references. ...Great.

Oh, well, at least she doesn't look like another Viking.]

Right. Okay. So you're telling me if I go get my dog right now and put her on the line, you're going to have a lovely little chat with her and tell me what's going on in that fuzzy head of hers.

[3_butterflies]

[She tries to nod gently enough so that her bird won't be disturbed.]

Well, I can't know everything that's going on in her head... I can't read minds, of course. But we could have a nice little conversation, if she would want to talk.

[worktodo]

How about this thing?

[He remarks, bending down and holding up a Togepi the way a waiter might hold up a tray of dirty dishes.]

You can talk to this, too?

[3_butterflies]

[Suddenly, she gets very excited! And much less shy!]

A Togepi! Oh, they're so cute! My very first Pokemon was a Togepi! Hello there!

[worktodo]

[The Togepi is equally excited at this new development! Albert, less so.]

It showed up at my door as an egg a couple weeks ago.

[Meanwhile, the Togepi is happily waving.]

[3_butterflies]

[Hope you enjoy being ignored, Albert, because she's only paying attention to the Togepi now.]

It's very nice to meet you. My name is Fluttershy. How was your day been?

[worktodo]

[ His face forever: B( ]

Hiiiiiii!

[Thus speaks Egghead the Togepi, who is still a baby and not very good with language yet.]

[3_butterflies]

[Naturally, Fluttershy picks this up right away, and thus begins treating him like a baby.]

Who's a good Togepi? You are! Yes you are! Hiii! Hiii, Togepi!

[The Murkrow rolls its eyes, but resumes settling in Fluttershy's hair.]

[worktodo]

Great, so you've proven you can make baby noises at a half-hatched egg. That's not conversation, that's maternal babbling.

[3_butterflies]

[Now she looks up, and is instantly shy again.]

But... he's just a baby. He can't fully understand big words and long conversations yet. Don't you have babies in your world?

[Murkrow chuckles. You'd swear it said 'oh, snap'.]

[worktodo]

It's an egg that chirps. You can imagine whatever else you want.

[3_butterflies]

Actually, it's not an egg. It hatched out of the egg, but still lives in the egg.

[worktodo]

And none of this is proving that you can actually talk to the thing.

[3_butterflies]

Please don't call him a thing. It's a Togepi. And I did talk to him, but like I said, he's only a baby, so that's...

[She hesitates, not good at standing up for herself. But then she swallows, and keeps trying.]

... So that's all I can do. If you want me to have an adult conversation, I need an adult Pokemon. I... I made this offer to help people and Pokemon.

[worktodo]

[And you know, it's that sudden burst of assertiveness that, while not technically making him pause, does get him to alter his next remark somewhat. Well done, Fluttershy, you've scored a point. Besides, jerk though he might be, it's hard to discourage someone who at least has the good intention of trying to be helpful.]

You're really convinced you can speak...egg language.

[This is considerably milder than what he was originally planning to say, which was more along the lines of madam, you crazy.]

Let's say I believe you. How exactly did you come about this mystic example of linguistic prowess?

[3_butterflies]

[Yeaaah, about that crazy part...]

I discovered it when I was just a little foal... I was falling out of the sky, when all these butterflies saved me! It was my first time being so close to the ground, so I'd never seen animals before... and when they gt scared, I talked to them and soothed them, and that's made me realize what my special talent was.

[smile. Like. this is totes normal.]

[worktodo]

[...oh, here it goes.]

...and now you're telling me you're a horse.

[3_butterflies]

A pegasus pony... this place turned me and my friend into humans.

[worktodo]

[He actually probably starts to say something about three separate times, stopping short every time because...what.]

So you and your friend, have you been eating any mushrooms lately?

[3_butterflies]

We can't eat mushrooms or grass anymore... these human stomachs don't take it well.

[Sarcasm and direct insults are not things she can pick up on right away.]

[worktodo]

Don't get me started on the grass, princess.

[Oh, lord, what is his life even right now.]

Okay. Fine. So how long have you been a pony?

[3_butterflies]

I'm not a princess... but I've known two of them.

[Smile. She thinks she's helping.]

And I've been a pony all my life... Until I came here.