Video;

[truthdecided]

[Today, Akechi presents a rather peculiar object to the Pearls: a smartphone, circa 2016. Certainly state of the art, by Bottlecap Bay standards, but more importantly is the music playing from its speakers.

Soothing, smooth jazz... How he's missed it.]

I'm not entirely sure how, but it seems I've been reunited with one of my belongings from home.

[He shuffles around the phone, brushing off some glitter.]

It took some doing to operate it in my current state, and I'm not certain how I'll keep it charged. If any electric types wish to volunteer their services, I would greatly appreciate it.

In turn, it may be possible to use my phone to better record data and take photographs on missions. I will have to be careful with it, of course. It may have a shockproof case and screen protector, but it is hardly invincible.

Still... If anyone else received technology, perhaps we can pool resources. This has a great deal of potential.

Comments

[telewarped]

Can you do this on a call?

[A second smartphone has hit the Bigby; this one is sleek and black, shielded by a cat-eared protective case. The Grumpearl image zooms in on its screen, showing a messenger app similar to Akechi's. Shoka has typed out a series of symbols:

*-(ˆ▽ˆ)/*

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

ϞϞ (๑⚈ ․̫ ⚈๑)∩]

video;

[wolfcut]

[ Not Shoka too. It's spreading like a damn virus.

Anyway, his Zoompearl camera flickers on while he just squints very closely for an embarrassingly long time before saying anything. ]

I'm sorry, do what exactly? What the hell am I even looking at?

[telewarped]

Kaomoji.

[Another symbol:

 ᵔ         ᵔ
(๑▼皿▼๑)]

This one's you.

[wolfcut]

Cow-what.

[ Slow blink. Like staring in a mirror... ]

... I don't see it.

[telewarped]

[Pfft...]

Ka-o-mo-ji. They're faces you can make using symbols on your keyboard. Helps tell people how you're feeling when you're texting 'em. Where I'm from, they're what you'd probably be using. [They're a little old-fashioned, she means to say.] There's also regular emojis...

[Even more symbols, then: 🙂😂😢🫩]

Aaand stickers.

[]

[wolfcut]

That's what I said. [ Please don't make him try repeating that. ] I don't think people need smiley faces to know how I'm feeling most of the time.

[ Now there's stickers too. When will it end. ]

... Did you draw that thing? Why's it saying that?

[ He'd be impressed by her apparent art skills if he didn't feel a weird urge to bite that smug koala's face off. ]

[telewarped]

They might if they can't see your face. And pics can just spice up a conversation anyway, even if they already know what you're feeling. I know I got a kick out of making you your own kaomoji—even if you can't appreciate art!

[Did you draw that, he says. Maybe she should have seen this coming...]

No? Oh my god. [Sigh!] Someone else drew it and turned it into a pic you can send as a reaction. Like... Okay, let's try this: tell me something good that's happened to you.

[wolfcut]

[ Grumbling, arms folded, hardly convinced. Conversations are conversations. They don't need art. ]

Okay, well. How the hell was I supposed to know? [ Suddenly it's a crime to think she's multi-talented. ] Ugh. Something good... [ Give him a second. ]

Only woke up twice last night for the first time. That count?

[ Thanks for the blanket, he should say. ]

[telewarped]

[She blinks at him for a moment, briefly (pleasantly) surprised before she remembers why she asked. Her claws move delicately over the touch screen of her phone before she turns it to face him. Beside an icon of a barn swallow in flight, it reads:



i'd say it counts! happy to hear it :)]

Like that, see? [...] I—really am happy to hear it. By the way.

[But she figures he wouldn't want her making too big of a deal about it, so she tries to move on quickly.]

To be honest, it's always been easier for me to say things with text than face to face. Or on a call, or whatever...

[wolfcut]

[ He squints at first, not sure what to expect until the full reveal. There's that damn koala again, but with the added context of her message now, he somehow hates it less than before. The smiley face really does elevate the tone, enough to make him smile back in full view, just a smidge. ]

I, uh— ... yeah. Thanks. [ A little flustered, but undeniably appreciative. Bigby's not going to admit as much outright, but maybe he does sort of get it now. ] ... I guess it's an option. Not sure how well I'd do typing on that little thing though.

[ How many frustrated typos could he manage before breaking it is the real question. ]