armalite | ☄ ► I ( video;; action for new bark )

[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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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.]

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.

You lost me at 'plastic balls'...

[gg lockon. gg.]

Did you take a look at your bag? There should be a few red and white balls inside. One is already used for your Ponyta, but the others can store the Pokémon you meet on the road. You just need to throw them.

That sounds like an impractical way to keep animals... Strangely enough, I'll buy into it.

It's not like you have much of a choice. You'll have to catch a few sooner or later, and not all of them are practical on the road.

[Should he mention the fish that can breathe air and the giant rock snakes yet? Decisions, decisions.]

Every aspect of the local society is based around capturing and training Pokémon. They're used for work, companionship, transportation, even for sand games.

So basically like any animal where I'm from.

[Fair enough if he thinks about it.]

When I look at it that way, it's not so weird. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in learning more about them. Everyone I've spoken to through this device has been so helpful.

That's because we've all been in the same situation. Suddenly stuck in a strange new world, an unknown but friendly creature at our side, far away from everyone and everything we know... By sharing information and welcoming new arrivals, we ensure that everyone stays safe until we learn why we were brought here.

I plan on passing any information I learn along to newcomers myself once I get the hang of it. Even if we don't learn why we were brought here, it's a chance to try something new, isn't it?

Call me an optimist.

[well yes lockon you kind of are one.]

There's nothing wrong with optimism, as long as you can accept being disappointed once in a while.

[Such as when friendly antagonists get blown up.]

But that shouldn't be an issue here. This world has its problems once in a while, but it's usually peaceful and quiet. Open-minded, too; even kids are allowed to rent apartments, or try their hand at building up a business.

I'm not sure how I feel about kids running their own businesses. [He's kidding of course-- made evident by his light laughter.]

Also, I don't think a place without conflict exists...

You should feel very glad; they've started a candy shop.

[That's obviously the greatest achievement anyone can possibly have managed around here.]

...It's not fully peaceful, I'll admit. There's Team Rocket around here, and they can be nasty for a criminal gang that apparently does not murder people. But it's a step up from a decades-long war between Earth and Mars, so I appreciate the calm.

That rings a bell--

--A candy shop, you say?

Yes. And a successful one, too, not just some sort of vanity project. They make the lazier adults look bad.

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[video] PRIORITIES

[video] CANDY IS THE BEST PRIORITY