ardent | 005. [Video, and one other thing]

[VIDEO]

[Well! From the sound of the BGM, Ishimaru is currently back in Violet, though he's apparently holed up in Nondescript Hotel Room #356; he seems to have set the device on the table in front of him, and one of his Pokémon is actually out with him today - admittedly, it's a small pink tapir with flowers on it, and while it's definitely levitating itself it's tethered itself to his hair in a way that makes it look more than a little like some sort of really fabulous Combine headcrab. At least, he doesn't seem to mind - if anything, he seems a bit...lost in thought today. Not distracted, per se, just really contemplative.

And maybe a little peeved. Though that might be just his normal expression, it’s sorta hard to tell sometimes.]

So I've been told that I should probably start dressing like a "normal person."

[...okay, yeahno, he’s definitely a little agitated, though it's definitely more frustration than anger; he seems to realize then that his Munna is back and...well, doing the hair-thing again, and he takes a moment to retrieve her, holding her awkwardly in folded arms.]

While I find the way I dress to be completely appropriate and necessary, apparently that isn’t considered to be the case here! I don't see why - I'm a student, and therefore my clothing should reflect that! It's my profession for the time being, and as such the uniform of my profession is something that I should wear with pride!! It isn't proper conduct to do otherwise!

How...ever...

[Whatever he was going to say after that, he falters quite a bit; just...let him get his defensiveness levels down a little bit.]

...As fashion is something I've never really had a grasp on, I would...like to hear about what constitutes "normal" and how it can be achieved, as one's presentation goes!

Thank you for your time, and even if you don't reply, I want you to keep your head up and your eyes trained forward! Today is going to be a good day, I can tell!

[...yeah he kind of doesn't do "normal" well, um.]

[VIDEO - PRIVATE TO DANGANS, ALSO DORUMON]

[A second video will hit shortly after the first, now that he's finished discussing his hideous social failure; still in the Painfully Generic Hotel Room, still with the same setup going on, but at least he seems in somewhat higher spirits this time around, though he's still holding the Munna and seems determined to keep doing so until he's done filming.]

We've made it back to town as of yesterday - safe and doing well, as far as I know! It will be good to see you all again; hopefully you've all been well and keeping yourselves in line during my absence!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think your uniform is pretty cool, it's right up there with suits as far as sharpness goes! And suits are great. Though I will admit that I am not sure how you can stand wearing something like that in this heat, how are you not dying?

[John's from Washington state, he and summer are not really on agreeable terms, especially Johto/Kanto summers.]

But as far as something more casual goes... just a t-shirt and shorts? Or pants, depending on the weather and-slash-or your opinion of shorts.

I'm used to it - I wear this uniform 365 days a year, regardless of weather, temperature or other conditions!

Though I have several identical copies of it, of course, so it's not like it's weird or anything!!

[...honey.]

However, it's good to hear your opinion on it - this sort of thing isn't anything I tend to consider. At least, not in so blatant a way.

...you don't sleep in it too, do you?

[It's a good thing that you have multiple copies of it so you aren't wearing the same stinky one over and over again, broseph, but if nothing else, please say that you at least own a pair of pajamas.]

But hey, it's no problem. I am happy to help. Though, you know, whoever told you that your clothes defines your normalcy can suck it. Sure, you look more professional and uptight than the average person because of your uniform, but that doesn't make you abnormal.

[Not the outfit itself, at least. Admittedly, the whole wearing it even when school is not in session is a little... strange. But, then again, Ishimaru DID say he was the perfect model student...]

Well, I've never seen looking professional as being a bad thing - although I wouldn't say I'm more uptight than anyone else, either! My priorities are in a different place than most, I'm aware of that much, but it's been an asset more than it has a detriment, I think!

[Clearly, he is the paragon of self-awareness.]

...and no, of course I don't sleep in it! That would be horribly uncomfortable, if nothing else!

Errr... [John scratches at his cheek.] No offense, dude but you do look really uptight. Of course, after actually talking to you you can tell that that is...

[Exactly the case. Mouth, prepare to recieve foot!]

Well I mean, you have your reasons. So it's not necessarily a bad thing! Just... while you leave a good first impression there is also this distinct sense of... what's the word I'm looking for here... [He gestures vaguely with his hands. As though this totally explains it. Ah, yes, the vague right hand cupping motion! Message received, Mr. Egbert. Loud and clear.]

"This guy could probably use a chill pill. Or ten."

[John that's not a word, okay? That's like ten words.]

But like you said, it's not a bad thing! I mean, you make it work and there's nothing wrong with having different priorities. Just... [He raises his arms up before letting them fall, looking somewhat defeated.]

I don't know where I was going with that, forget I said anything. [He sticks out his index fingers on both hands, rotating them backwards one over the other in midair. At least this hand motion is slightly less vague and he proceeds to further clarify it:] Rewind the tape, re-record over it. Bzzrrrzzzrrzzzvrrpppttt!

So, yes, it's a good thing that you don't sleep in it!

Edited 2013-08-16 00:02 (UTC)

[...what the gently caress, man.

No, really, it's going to take him a moment to figure out what in the world he's even witnessing; he's not really sure where any of that is going, and he's terrible with social nuances most of the time anyway. He's honestly trying to figure out if what he's being told is even a good thing or not (and likewise trying to just let John here finish without cutting in, as he's been told to work on that, but dear god the temptation to point out the ten-words thing is intense, you don't even know), as he really can't be sure; he's also not entirely positive if this is just a case of the other person not conveying something properly or if he's seriously missing something fundamental about this.

He's half-tempted to say something, to ask for a rephrase of that entire thing, but...]

[...but then that last bit hits, and then he realizes.

You just Forget Beamed him.

Not in so many words, of course (or, well, technically in many more words, but details), but that's more or less what just happened and he just laughs at that, okay, because he at least understands what that means.]

It's all right - I'm not offended or anything! It happens sometimes, I can forget it if you want; I think I know what you're talking about, anyway.

[There are times when John is really just not the best at conveying his thoughts. Things make sense in his head but the moment he tries to get them out, he starts tripping over words and his hands start talking even more than they do in normal conversation. (And in some cases, this can be really off-putting. Let's just be glad that this conversation didn't involve butts.)]

[He may have improved a lot in more recent years, but the fact remains that John is still kind of am awkward dork at his core. This is just one of those moments where it really shows. His intentions were in the right place, he just lost track of his point somewhere between the steps of formulating and communicating.]

[He breathes a sigh of relief.]

Oh good. Well if it made sense and you could actually follow that garbled mess than maybe you don't actually have to forget it. I just thought that might make it easier because even I lost track of the point I was trying to make, hahaha...

[It's difficult to say "you look like you have the stick of uptightness crammed so far up your ass that it's probably melded to your colon at this point" and make it NOT sound like a bad thing, okay?]

It sounds like something my brother tends to tell me a lot, actually! Just worded a lot differently.

[...that could have been some sort of backhanded insult were it not so damn genuine; as it stands, it's just a little awkward because wow, what's tact.]

I know that people might not like or appreciate how I am already, though - I've never really cared much for their opinions, either. People can think whatever they want! It's just recently that I've begun thinking about it; this is more of a learning experience than anything.

[It also probably helps that John is kind of oblivious and has the tendency to see everything in a positive light. Lack of tact? What lack of tact it kind of soared right over his head.]

Hehe, well hopefully his way of wording it is a more understandable than my attempt! But it's good that you don't let what other people think get to you. That's a really hard thing to do!

What made you start thinking about it though, if you don't mind my asking?

[Excellent, they can be hideously optimistic together!]

Ah, discussion at work - no harm meant by it, just a few observations, that's all! It's not anything I've been paying much mind to, overall.

[...which is...why you're asking the network, okay Ishimaru you do that.]

005. [Video, and one other thing]

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