captainash | 33rd treasure [video]

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33rd treasure [video]

[The video starts with a shiny Frogadier that looks much too satisfied for its own good. But that doesn't last very long, as the frog soon grabs the Pokégear and starts hopping through the room, through an appartment, until it finally reaches a room where a man sits at a desk, working. Once in a while, he looks up at the figurine on the shelf before him for a few moments before his hands start moving again. Apparently that's not interesting enough for an apprentice filmmaker, because it jumps up next to the figurine in a single bound.

From its new perch, our amateur camerafrog starts filming its trainer's work directly. The lines of the various models are precise and technical, the notes that surround them completely illegible, and Ash's hands are-

Throwing an eraser at the Pokégear. It misses.]

...You know, acts of corporate espionage are punishable by withheld desserts and bathroom-cleaning duties in this household.

[The threat must be serious; the Frogadier gasps, and quickly ends the feed.]

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You know, that's a good point about the bed. You'll get even straighter lines if you trace them on a flat surface.

[Why yes, encouraging a budding artist who properly appreciates giant robots comes before addressing the actual person on the other side.]

We're having a little lesson on drawing mobile suits. Sorry for the trouble.

[Kaneki lets out a low sigh, walking around to the other side of the bed so he can pick up Hide beneath the arms, shaking his head when the Pokemon clutches the Gear even tighter.]

I'm not going to take it from you.

Ah, no....it's alright. I'm sorry if he was bothering you.

[He sits down, plopping Hide down in his lap so Ash can see them both. Though now he's a bit wiggly, since he's eager to practice drawing again.]

...drawing mobile suits?

He wasn't, don't worry. It's nice to see a Pokémon who enjoys mechanical aesthetics.

[He takes the figurine in one hand and his own papers in the other, so Kaneki can see those 'mobile suits'.]

They're only basic sketches and a cheap plastic toy, but he seems to like them.

[Hide nods again, pointing at the papers Ash is holding up before tilting his head back to look up at his trainer.]

He was trying to draw those?

[Another nod as Hide retrieves the other paper he had put down, practically shoving it up into Kaneki's face so he can see. With one hand still on the Smeargle to steady him on his knees, he reaches out to take the paper and look at it. Blotty paint and all.]

There isn't really much he won't try to draw though, I guess...

Not much, you say? So I didn't just plant the first seed of an interest for engineering design in a young fertile mind? I'm almost hurt.

[But he's still smiling, and there's a slight teasing edge to his voice.]

Are all of his artistic projects so ambitious?

[Kaneki smiles slightly, putting the drawing down in exchange for petting the top of the Smeargle's head while he studies the Gear, staring intently at those drawings and figures Ash still has.]

Ah, well...he has been painting since he hatched, but I think seeing your drawings made him want to try and copy them. I draw pictures with him sometimes when I don't have anything else to do.

[Which has been a lot lately, considering how terrible the weather has been.]

How sweet. That sounds like a nice little trainer-Pokémon bonding activity; no wonder he's so interested in drawing more, with that kind of encouragement.

[Ribbiter the Frogadier shoves his head right over his trainer's shoulder for that part, nodding along with tears in his eyes. What a heartwarming story!]

[It helps to give Hide something busy to do, at least...otherwise he's usually trying to get into everything, or get Kaneki's attention to do something else with him. He's very much like a toddler, that way.

Speaking of, he seems to have gotten a good enough look at those drawings to want to give it a try for himself, and suddenly he's trying to slip down from Kaneki's lap to the floor.]

Wait- hold on...I'm sorry, give me a minute.

[Kaneki says to Ash before the Gear suddenly turns upwards to face the ceiling as he hefts the Pokemon in his arms, carrying him over to the desk near the window. There, he sits Hide down as he pulls out the chair for himself, sitting down and carefully tugging the Gear from Hide's paws so he can prop it up against the wall.

Satisfied, the Smeargle grabs the end of his tail and immediately starts to draw as Kaneki looks back at the screen.]

It is pretty enjoyable, yeah. I've actually been trying to teach him how to write a little, too...but I'm not sure how much progress he's actually making.

The part where he traces the letter correctly, or the part where he understands its meaning? I'm guessing the tracing is easier, but then again someone who's not familiar with written language might not understand why each line is important.

[Still, that could be a useful skill to teach Brushy, if he ever shows interest in anything other than abstract art. Ash makes a mental note to try it out later.]

Edited 2015-03-03 04:23 (UTC)

A bit of both, I guess...he is actually getting pretty good at writing them down correctly, but he isn't writing letters.

[Kaneki shifts, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.]

Are you familiar with kanji?

Kanji? ...Those were used in Eastern Asia, right? English has been the official language of the Earth Sphere for centuries, so I don't remember where exactly...

[He frowns, deep in thought. He learned that in high school, probably, but it's been so long...]

[Kaneki nods, looking over for a moment as Hide continues to scribble furiously on his paper. It would probably be easier for him to draw if he were using a pencil instead of his tail, but he seems adamant to get it right this way.]

I have been teaching him how to write a few kanji. Just one or two at the time, while telling him what each one stands for. If nothing else, he does enjoy actually writing them, even if he doesn't quite understand what they mean yet.

He'll surely understand all of their meanings over time; I've never met a Smeargle that was smart, after all.

[Even if he's only met a handful or so.]

Besides that gives him an excuse to trace them over and over again, right?

That's right.

[Kaneki enjoys getting to write with him, anyway. It helps to remind him of, well. The good things he wants to remember from home.

Hide turns around then, lifting up his paper proudly for Ash to see. The copy is a lot neater than the one he attempted while sitting on the bed, but it isn't as precise as Ash's drawing either. Not by a long shot.]

[Not by a long shot, maybe, but an improvement is an improvement, and Ash has long had opinions on how improvements should be dealt with. He smiles brightly at Hide.]

Hey, not bad at all. You're improving quickly; soon, I'll have to ask you to take care of the drawings for my new designs, instead of doing it myself.

[The moment he says that, Hide's face lights up and his tail begins to wag so furiously that Kaneki has to reach out and grab it by the tip before it can slap the wall and smear it with paint. He doesn't need anything extra to have to pay for, like room damages...]

I'm sure he wouldn't mind that, if you'd let him.

[He probably shouldn't laugh at what could almost have been a tragic paint accident, but he can't help himself. That sort of enthusiasm is nice to see.]

I'm glad to hear it. I mean, I enjoy drawing designs well enough, but that was never my favorite part.

Do you plan on doing anything with those? Like...making something out of them? Or were you just practicing?

[Kaneki asks as Hide returns to his drawing, tugging his tail free so he can touch it up a bit.]

Around here, practicing is all I can do. That, and figure out which ideas are particularly stupid or brilliant, but that's harder to figure out with just a drawing and my imagination.

[There's something like disappointment in his voice, faint yet strong.]

I see...so I guess you made them back home, then?

I haven't truly made one myself in years, but that doesn't mean I don't still enjoy playing with them a little. Or a lot.

There isn't anything wrong with that. It's good to have a hobby you enjoy.

It's not quite just a hobby, actually. But I've been doing it for decades, so you could call it a long-term passion of mine.

Oh, well, that's even better. I think it's good that you've kept up with it, even here.

I've kept up with it as much as I can, at least. I currently lack the resources to fully enjoy my creations, along with the team to make everything work, and this world ins't very rich in either of those.