Welcome to Gaia! ::

Pitre, deemed harmless and largely ineffectual, had been left behind by its trainer to seek its own amusement with the qualifier that it return to the barracks before the evening. And so the Beldum wandered, if not a bit aimlessly, in search of something to do, processing and approximating the building's layout as it did so.

The first noteworthy room Pitre happened across was large, equipped with several strange devices. It might later become acquainted with the term 'recreational facilities', but for now it hovered nearby a large, flat monitor connected to a few differently-shaped consoles, attempting to analyze the machines' functions.

Ah, Pitre knew what this thing was! Or, rather, the internet knew what it was, and Pitre knew what the internet knew (the poor soul). It was a video game console, and it seemed to be loaded with some popular fighting game. A few controllers lay scattered on the ground around it, and the Beldum moved to determine the correct way to use it. It was distracted, however, but a sudden shadow eclipsing it, and it turned to see what was there. A Drifblim, looking none too pleased. Pitre's single red eye blinked expectantly.

Pitre wasn't accustomed to being the object of someone's unnerving and unblinking stare, and so it couldn't feel the proper level of disturbed by the whole thing. Instead it activated the console, the television flashing to life. Vih-dee-oh-game. Pitre had some knowledge of the things, most of it stemming from viewing still images pasted onto a stark black background with some snarky caption in white text. Internally, though, it was researching and internalizing different techniques that had gathered in various game-related forums over the ages. This would be an interesting new experience.

it exclaimed suddenly, advancing the game through the title screen and into the character selection menu.

Big words from a Beldum that had never touched a console before, and it, of course, failed to live up to them. It was rather magnificent, though, how spectacularly Pitre lost. Majestic, even.

the steel-ball pokemon proclaimed indignantly. It was already researching different methods and felt quite confident in itself this time.

Had Pitre a mouth, it would certainly have been smirking. It selected a different character and launched into the battle with abandon, with passion, and with its single bright eye on the prize. It competed valiantly - much more so than in its last round - and felt so inclined to call out a mid-match battle cry,

Pitre was quite pleased with itself, regardless of its companion's language. It was beginning to understand the reason people played these video game things. But the Beldum was feeling particularly sporting - or, perhaps, would not be satisfied with one win if it accompanied one loss - and it beckoned Newton,

Pitre didn't even spare the concentration to sift through its growing database of video game quotes to find an appropriate counter. It refused to yield as much as an inch, browsing the internet for more effective strategies and continuing to learn even as it played. The atmosphere grew tense, the epic war stifling breath as metaphorical flames ravaged the battlefield. If it was a siege Newton wanted, Pitre mused as it executed a series of guards, then it was a siege Newton would get.

Aila, meanwhile, had been released from her duties for the moment and was slightly concerned to discover her Beldum absent from the trainee barracks where it had promised to return. She proceeded down the halls at a brisk pace, glancing into the various rooms she passed in search of the pokemon, hoping all the while that it wasn't making trouble.

Okay, so that was a football quote rather than a video game one, but it was quite applicable. But it didn't change the fact that Pitre was feeling quite proud of itself.

Aila passed the recreational facilities and immediately noticed - for it was hard to miss - the raving Drifblim. And, what appeared to be the source of its ire, a Beldum. Her Beldum.

"Pitre, what on earth are you doing? I told you to return to the dorm before I finished with duty," she scolded, significantly wounding the steel ball pokemon's sense of success.