Third Broadcast (Accidental Video, action for those on Route 35)

[nvcr]

[The feed opens to Cecil and his Pokemon--a Bronzong, a shiny Froakie, and something with white paws holding the Gear--sitting in a clearing somewhere, a collection of lit candles and interesting-looking rocks arranged in front of them in concentric circles, with two eggs in the center of the makeshift ritual circle.

Those who look may be able, in the quickly advancing dark of twilight, to tell that's a Skiddo egg and a Munna egg. Though that might not be immediately obvious, given that they're also covered in various sigils and runes drawn in what appears to be red permanent marker.

Cecil gazes at them with an intensity great that each of his tawny eyes could inspire fear and awe in even the mightiest of beasts. Then, as the white-pawed Pokemon--a female Meowstic--starts banging on the Bronzong and reveling in its resultant hellish chimes, Cecil chants in a guttural and long-dead language, his volume crescendoing until he's practically howling.

One of the eggs cracks, then another.

They awaken.]

Comments

Video 1/2

[red_roses]

[Oh god, why.]

Video 2/2

[red_roses]

[She works up just enough courage to say-!] P-P-Please s-stop that!

[nvcr]

[That's weird, he could have sworn that this thing was o-

Ballou what were you doing]

...you sure?

[red_roses]

I-It's n-not right! It's...evil!

[nvcr]

...yeah, I don't really see what you're talking about.

[He gives a raised eyebrow your direction. Seriously, kid, what are you on?]

[red_roses]

[Sorry, Cecil, the places she's been strange chanting and singing are really BAAAAD]

Th-That ch-chanting!

[nvcr]

Shhh. It's okay.

[It's a small comfort, but it's the best he can really do.]

Or maybe they're not, and things are spiralling madly out of our control, but...well, when hasn't that happened?

Don't feel bad I'm doing this on purpose you rock

[red_roses]

....

[WTG you made her cry.]

[video]

[pinnedbangs]

[what the fuck is he watching]

...what the hell?

[nvcr]

I was surprised that they hatched this early too!

[Because that is clearly what we were talking about.]

I sort of lost track of all time and egg-perception when I had to put them in the computer, and to be honest, I was prepared to go on like this for another four hours or so if I had to. But nope, looks like these guys are good to go!

[pinnedbangs]

[. . . Cl-Clearly. . . .]

Egg-ception? [now with sound!]

...Dude, what did you even do?

[nvcr]

Nothing much, really. We were taught how to do egg consecration rituals in the second grade, but I never really had much use for it.

[pinnedbangs]

Con... secretion? --I don't -- what? What does that even mean? When the hell would you ever need to chant to eggs?!

[nvcr]

To give them the best possible start in life, of course! What, you mean you've never performed any sort of arcane rituals on your loved ones?

[pinnedbangs]

I don't even know what that means! How'm I supposed to do anything like that?!

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya peers at it closely, trying to figure out what runes and sigils are drawn on the eggs. He knows a lot of them, after all.]

[... Once he's sure he's not going to interrupt anything - what was that language, anyway? He knows pretty much every one - he speaks.]

Fond of ritual, are you?

[nvcr]

I guess you could say that.

All important occasions back home were marked with something like this--births, funerals, weddings, the sealing of our town's librarians--so I thought it appropriate.

I'm starting to wonder if I might forget one day.

[crouching_sin]

Heh. It's human nature to do things like that, I suppose.

Do you know what all of those runes on the eggs are for? I have a special interest in that sort of thing.

[armoredsoul]

[Things that should be against the law: ALL OF THIS.]

Um...sir? What are you doing?

[nvcr]

Trying to summon the being that resides within this egg. Or at least, make sure its birth is an auspicious one, I kind of feel bad for having to put them in the computer for a while.

[He's still kind of embarrassed because wow, this was not meant to be broadcasted.]

So far it seems to be working!

[Probably because all those candles are heating up the circle, but.]

[armoredsoul]

From my experience, they mostly just need a good source of heat to hatch properly. I mean, I don't think the, um, chanting would hurt them, but they don't need it, I think?

[nvcr]

I guess. But hey, old habits die hard. Sometimes they never die at all, and it's traditional to consecrate important things in bloodstone circles where I'm from.

[armoredsoul]

Bloodstone...?

[Oh dear god, please let that be marker on the eggs.]

[He does feel a little bad for Cecil, though, so he forces an awkward smile.] Well, I guess everyone's traditions are odd to someone that doesn't understand them.

[nvcr]

I know, right? I mean, there's still so much about this place that I don't entirely get, and some of the stuff that happened over the holidays was a bit...weird, but I really have no other choice than to adapt.

But...pretty much every home where I'm from has a bloodstone circle somewhere. It's used for prayer and such daily rituals as long-distance telekinesis, so, y'know, kind of important. These aren't exactly the same thing, and you don't bleed as you come into contact with them like a true bloodstone does, but with the help of a felt-tip pen and the power of imposing my own reality on space and time, I'm managing.

[video]

[ajustcaws]

...uhhh...

[...she's not really wigged out because hahaha, dad, hahaha

...but at the same time...]

Are you sure that's all going to work here...?

[nvcr]

...maybe.

Probably not.

But if we don't blindly follow tradition regardless of the consequences, what is it even there for?

[ajustcaws]

Well, I do have to say, that did have a very cool effect. You can't complain about some good, creepy ambiance!

So, you know, it could be for that.

[nvcr]

That's...honestly a point I never considered.

You just kind of get all numb to how creepy something is when you live your whole life around it, yanno?

[ajustcaws]

Eeeyup. Or at least your formative years! 'Course, then you might just kinda like it because it reminds you of the good old days.

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

...what are you doing?

[nvcr]

[OH HI]

...just hatching some eggs.

[a_sin_for_him]

I don't think you need to go to all that trouble.

[nvcr]

Prooooooooobably not, but hey, it's a good way to set the little eggs off on a good start.

[a_sin_for_him]

Or to give them the entirely wrong idea about the birthing process, when they hatch and see all of that.

[video]

[solas_ion]

...Uh.

[Now he's seen plenty of rituals before, of course. But this one was a little...]

The hell're you doing?

[nvcr]

Uh, what's it look like?

[There's a hint of "jeez, haven't you ever seen a creepy satanic-looking ritual before" in his voice, but he's only a little annoyed.

Seriously, what is it with all you people and your shock at...this thing?]

[solas_ion]

. . .

[are we being graded on this answer]

I...don't know?

[nvcr]

I don't know either!

I mean. I know it's a consecration ritual meant to give whatever beast resides within these eggs the best possible start in life, but other than that...

[solas_ion]

That's not-...I don't-...

[what the heck.]

I don't think...you really need to do that.

[nvcr]

...what if I really want to?

video;

[majorcrotchgrab]

I... uh... don't think it's necessary to chant... Eggs hatch on their own.

oh god this is so late

[nvcr]

I know, I had a few hatch on their own before, but it's important to give your eggs the best possible start in life.

Also, this circle looked really cool.

i am okay with backtags forever

[majorcrotchgrab]

I suppose.

... They aren't ghost types, are they?

[video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

Hey. Buddy.

[The man on the screen gives the shadowy scene a world-weary look.]

Keep the seance performance arts in the gypsy tents where they belong.

[nvcr]

I'm sorry, uh.

What?

There's no performances here.

[lieutenantantichrist]

[He waves his hand disparagingly at the screen.]

What do you call all the rigmarole with the chanting? If you're going to give your animals a Bar Mitzvah, do it indoors.

[nvcr]

I'm not even-

[You know what, this is going nowhere.]

Okay, look. You're telling me they never taught you this stuff?

This are second grade runes. Second grade!

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake bristles at this guy looking at him like he's stupid.]

I don't know what kind of grade school you went to, buddy, but mine didn't cover any Blair Witch Project shit.

You think you're impressing anybody?