1st page; video/action for new bark town

[bookslap]

video

{Hello Route. Nanao's sitting at a picnic table in New Bark Town, hands folded neatly on the table. One hand's knuckles are wrapped in a handkerchief, but she stares levelly at the camera, eyes utterly serious.}

Hello. I would be grateful if someone out there was able to provide an answer to my questions. Don't worry, I only have two. {She looks away for a moment, swallowing.}

How were we brought here, and does anyone know why? I think I understand where we are, even if the premise is absurd, but it is the how and why that yet eludes me.

{A Pidgey chirps somewhere off camera, and Nanao's fingers clench and uncurl.}

A precis on what happened might be nice as well, considering that this town looks like it's been ravaged by a storm.

{That said, she reaches out and clicks off the feed. She'll be wandering around New Bark for a while at least, so feel free to approach her if you see her!}

Comments

[video]

[bookslap]

I will keep that in mind as I travel... Route 29, was it? {she is absolutely going to draw up her own type effectiveness chart}

[video]

[paladinlost]

[He nods with a smile.]

Route 29, yes. Unless you prefer to take the boat to Pallet Town instead.

[video]

[bookslap]

{...she's going to have to stare at the map for a while after this.}

Well, I guess things could be worse. I could have arrived in the middle of that hurricane instead of after it.

[video]

[paladinlost]

Or during the worst of the winter snow falls, without a Fire-type as a starter. Certain months make for very unpleasant arrivals, especially for those used to warmer climates.

[Or those without coats. Or those with Grass-type starters.]

[video]

[bookslap]

{She's shuddering in sympathy. and the hideous memories of arriving during a huge snowstorm}

I'm suddenly very glad that I arrived in August, and not December.

[video]

[paladinlost]

August is a very good month for arrivals, yet. It gives you just enough time to prepare yourself for October's Ghost-type swarms, while sparing the worst heat waves.

[He's very good at making this sound pleasant, isn't he?]

[video]

[bookslap]

Ghost swarms? {WOW THAT DOESN'T SOUND AT ALL OMINOUS}

And this is a yearly occurance?

[video]

[paladinlost]

...I cannot confirm that there was one last year, as I was held in an empty castle at the time. And the swarm four years ago was technically in September.

[But who cares about the details?]

[video]

[bookslap]

...this is the second time I've heard about a castle. {This place is getting weirder by the second.}

I suppose my best bet is to merely hope for the best, eh?

[video]

[paladinlost]

Your best bet is to build up a strong team that covers every type, and to always keep your stock of supplies filled. And even that might not suffice if this world feels unkind.

[Screw Mt. Mortar, and screw biannual teleportation days.]

[video]

[bookslap]

And I would do that by... having my Pokemon fight other Pokemon, yes? {Ooh boy, biannual teleportation days. Nanao is going to love those.}

[video]

[paladinlost]

Exactly. Battling also comes with the advantage of making most Pokémon happy, and can serve as a source of income.

[It can also save the world from legendary threats, but he doesn't know that yet.]

[video]

[bookslap]

They enjoy fighting? Sounds like someone I know. {Several hundred people she knows, to be honest...}

Are there any other ways to gain an income aside from battling?

[video]

[paladinlost]

You can also find honest work in stores or Pokémon Centers, if you have no issues dealing with customers. Though it's much harder work that I ever imagined it could be.

[video]

[bookslap]

I'm used to hard work - back home, I managed the administrative matters of several hundred people. I'm sure it can't be any harder than that.

[video]

[paladinlost]

...That truly depends on the customer, but I've no doubt you'd use your previous experience well.

[video]

[bookslap]

{She smiles.}

Thank you for your vote of confidence -- sorry, I hadn't caught your name.

[video]

[paladinlost]

It's Cecil. Cecil Harvey. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[Isn't it strange, how he doesn't seem to feel the need to ask for hers?]

[video]

[bookslap]

{She doesn't reply immediately. Instead, she sits back a little and looks at him.}

Who was I, to have known so many people here?

[video]

[paladinlost]

[Ah. The cat's out of the bag.]

...An excellent conversationalist, who did not hesitate to scold fools who allowed their legs to be burned by lava. You'll be remembered kindly, have no worries.

[video]

[bookslap]

You did what?

{That is indeed the tone of an astonished mother hen.}

Why were you fooling about near lava?

[video]

[paladinlost]

I needed a new Fire-type.

[That is a perfectly reasonable explanation.]

And that is exactly the sort of common sense everyone will remember from you.

[video]

[bookslap]

...there must be easier ways to get a new pokemon that don't involve molten rock!

{Well... maybe this whole Pokemon thing wouldn't be so bad. All she had to do was do what she'd been doing for a very long time.

[video]

[paladinlost]

But it is ideal if you seek a species that can melt rocks. Besides, it was on my path; I would have stopped at the nearby Pokémon Center no matter what.

[And now he never wants to see it again.]

[video]

[bookslap]

Why would you ever want something that can melt rocks? That seems exceedingly dangerous.