☄ ► I ( video;; action for new bark )

[armalite]

[The video feed sparks with a lick of static that is sure to catch the eye of anyone perusing at the time. A one-two tapping at the screen follows as though the person handling it is merely trying to see how well the bit of hardware holds up against a spot of roughness. The finger moves away and the face of a young man appears while trying to steady the device. Something in the way his lips twitch and his eyes sort of drift this way and that signals that he is a little bit frazzled beneath an otherwise steady smile.

In the background, one can hear a muffled snuffling...]

Oh, uhm... Hey there. [Clearly it has to work like any other transmitter he has messed with, right? At least he seems to know his way around it. His jaw shifts and he tilts his chin up a touch to take on a more "professional" look.]

This is Lockon Stratos requesting a... [A beat. He is rolling the words around inside of his mouth as if something doesn't sound particularly right. He's in a place, somewhere, not on a ship or a military outpost. Still...] ... Status report in regards to the location of New Bark Town.

[His shoulders drop a bit along with one side of his lips. His voice drops to shake away the stilted austere from before. It is more tender this time and has an inflection of genuine curiosity.] Or anything, really. It looks like I'm new here, and it certainly isn't anywhere close to where I was the last time I remembered much of anything. [The corners of his lips twitch upward into a smile this time around--] I'd really appreciate it!

[A cream-colored nose bumps its way into his shoulder and he hops up to turn the device about, revealing an elegant-looking Ponyta with its ears up and dark eyes round and curious.]

ALSO... I found somebody's horse. I can't say I know what to do with it, but here it is!

Thanks again!

Comments

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

The horse is yours. It's called a Ponyta, it's a Pokemon. This world revolves around them.

[So many new transplants lately, it seems.]

I'm afraid your status is 'fell into an alternate dimension for entirely unknown reasons'.

It happens to masses of us, everyone who will respond to you is in the same situation.

video;;

[armalite]

[That all makes sense and checks out completely. Can't you see it on his face? One cocked eyebrow, a blank blink, and a curt nod. Totally.]

That sort of beats where I was was, I suppose... [Sort of.]

I'll pick up on it fast enough. And you are?

video;;

[a_sin_for_him]

That's a rather common sentiment around here.

I'm Lust. I've been here over a year. I'm not opposed to answering questions, within reason.

video;; when ya typo and don't notice until fifteen minutes later. nice.

[armalite]

I don't think I have too many at the moment. Other than what I'm supposed to feed my horse here.

[He jots a thumb over his shoulder to where that Ponyta is standing, peering at the 'Gear with her ears forward.] I haven't seen one since I was a little kid. I have a feeling that THIS kind might be a little different, you know?

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

[You know, there are a lot of things York can react to here. Not least is the apparent fact that that horse is on fire.

But it has been A Day and he doesn't really care to question the physics of this hallucination any more. He's still on the outskirts of New Bark himself, but he answers with video anyway rather than try to seek the guy out.]

'Lockon,' huh? Tell me, is that a call sign, or did the folks signing your papers have a sense of humor?

[Video]

[armalite]

[On the plus side of that horse being on fire, our good friend here has learned that he can stick his hand into its mane and NOT lose his hand. The man tinkers with the device again.

As for his name...]

You were right the first time. [He lets fly a laugh--] I've always thought it was kind of charming!

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

Hey, I like it. Is it descriptive, or your C.O.'s just like the sound of it? --Oh.

[He unfolds his arms to tip his cap a bit.]

York, by the way. [If we're using call signs here, anyway. It only seems appropriate to introduce himself in kind, and it's not like anything worse can happen to him from here on out. #YOLO has never felt simultaneously so apt and yet inappropriate.] Formerly U.N.S.C.

[video]

[captainash]

[Ah, sounds like a case of military protocol fighting against Pokémon-induced confusion. No training can stand against this sort of situation.]

You are currently in a world completely different for your own, three days away from any reliable source of supplies. All you have to get there is whatever you're wearing, the contents of the backpack you just received, and your brand new fire horse. Enjoy the wildlife, the vague unenforced goal, and the lack of route back home; you might be stuck here for a while.

[video]

[armalite]

I had a feeling I wasn't going to find a route back home in the first place. It's nice to see that I wasn't assuming the wrong thing...

As for my new fire horse and the wildlife-- Somebody I spoke to said that there are a lot more of these. And... Other ones. I'm supposed to "capture" them? [That sounds PRETTY RUDE to the animals.]

[video]

[captainash]

That's right. They try to prove their worth by attacking you, you prove your superiority by knocking them out, and then you take them along on your journey in little plastic balls. You get protection and companionship, they get easy food and better training. Everybody wins.

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

New Bark Town isn't anywhere that you know. People you see on the PokeGear, which is the thing you're holding, aren't from here, either - though some of us have been here for years. But wherever you were, things will basically be paused there until you're returned home - and no, we don't know how to get that to happen on our own.

The creature with you isn't a horse, by the way - it's a Ponyta. And it's yours. It's a creature called a 'Pokemon', and people battle them here. Don't worry, there's no real permanent harm done to them. That's how they train, and a lot of people here, natives and otherwise, make a career out of training and battling them.

[Video]

[armalite]

['Paused'? Well okay....... A quizzical wrinkling of his nose rises up-- but it flees quickly.]

So I'm supposed to capture animals and make them fight each other. That sounds humane. [He clears his throat of any flatness.] This is quite a change of scenery from what I'm used to. Sorry for being a bit spotty on all the information. It's a little... Much.

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

It's actually fine. Most of them don't seem to mind, really. And it's understandable. Everyone seems somewhat blindsided by the whole thing.

[Alice, his Gardevoir, waves from behind him. He turns and smiles slightly, tilting the camera so she can see Lockon as well. She looks at Naoya, and he nods.]

It's really okay. This is how it's been for a long time, or so I'm told. Humans and Pokemon work together, and it helps all of us. Of course, there are some Pokemon who don't want to be caught at all, and many of those will make it obvious when they feel that way.

Some people breed Pokemon and raise them from eggs, rather than just catch them in the wild. Generally they have better movesets, and you don't have to fight against feral instincts.

[Video]

[infinityunlimitedflame]

[Don't mind the bizarre looking teenager on the screen, he's just here to comment on the horse thing too.]

That is no mere horse. That creature is your familiar, assigned to you but whatever deity governs this world!

[..in other words, it's your Starter Pokemon, dude.]

[Video]

[armalite]

[RIGHT...]

Deity. Don't tell me this is a religious thing too.

[Don't look so far into it, Lockon. This guy thinks that scarf goes well with the rest of his outfit.]

[Video]

[infinityunlimitedflame]

If that is what you wish to see it as.

[Gundam that doesn't even mean anything...]

[heartdive]

Hi! Welcome to Johto.

[armalite]

Hello to you too! Thanks for the greeting. You're all so friendly.

he's bouncy for 19 i am sorry

[heartdive]

Why shouldn't we be? This place is kind of a good one to be.

I'm Sora, by the way.

[video]

[esthetically]

Ah... I think that may be your horse, actually.

Did you previously wake in a woman's house?

[video]

[armalite]

That's right. I've been told that all of that is standard issue for new people around here.

Some people have beaten you to the punch.

[video]

[esthetically]

Ah, it'd seem so! Well... Welcome! I guess. It's not the best of welcomes but this world is rather safe. So outside of the strangeness, you should be alright.

[VIDEO]

[adai]

[Rossiu's response comes in a little while later after he's finished working. He's staring into the 'Gear with an expression that's entirely too serious, but despite the stern look his words are gentle.]

Hello. I'm sure you've heard from at least a few other people by now about your situation here. I'm afraid we don't know of a way to return home right now, but I can tell you that time doesn't pass back home while you're here.

[That was his biggest concern, so he figures it's important to get that out of the way first.]

[VIDEO]

[armalite]

[Ehhh...]

That's what I've been told. I'm not sure I really want to go back if I really think about it. [This is a half-lie. He would like to for a variety of reasons. However...]

I'm taking it one step at a time.

[adai]

[Well that's... certainly not a reaction he was expecting, hang on.]

You... don't want to go back? Was something bad happening in your world?

[But surely you have friends and family to return to...? Or maybe they're all here already?]