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1st page; video/action for new bark town

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{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!}

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[Envy didn't think he'd hear this voice on the network again. But it's her, she came back after all and...]

[...and she doesn't remember.]

[He doesn't respond until he thinks he can control his expression.]

You just missed the worst storm I've ever seen.

["And it's a good thing you did with your luck, huh?" The phrase runs pops into his head, unbidden, and the casual smirk he had on wavers more than a little. He continues on, voice hurried and hoping it will be a distraction:]

But if anybody knows why we're all here, they haven't shared it yet.

{Well, hello. Nanao narrows her eyes - something about his facial expression and voice trips warning bells. She's perfectly polite when she replies, but she does peer curiously at him.}

Well, I'm glad to have avoided it. As exciting as storms are, I don't exactly have any of the supplies necessary to weather such an event. {puns}

I... see. May I ask - how long have you been here? {She doesn't want to be here any longer than she has to be; she needs to get home. There's a war she needs to be a part of.}

[Well, there sure is a familiar voice and a familiar face in that message. But it's a familiar voice that would not be asking those questions if the familiarity was mutual.

How lovely.]

The 'how' is unknown, the 'why' is possibly 'to raise local creatures and sustain the tourism industry', and that is a very apt description of New Bark Town at the moment. ...Is your hand injured?

{Ah, a man who looks vaguely like Captain Ukitake! Nanao is mildly reassured by this, even if she doesn't know Cecil yet.}

The local creatures... those are 'pokemon', aren't they? Are there any, well, normal creatures?

{At the mention of her hand, she blushes faintly and looks away.} It's just a graze. Nothing too serious.

{This is what happens when you punch trees, Nanao.}

None that I've seen, though there are enough species of Pokémon to match most common animals and quite a few types of monsters. Then again, as none are edible, this world's meat must have some sort of other animal source.

[But that's a question best not pondered, newcomer or not.]

Are you certain? You'll have no opportunity to heal it before Cherrygrove, three days' walk to the west.

...really. {That's certainly something. Captain Kurotsuchi would have a field day with the knowledge...}

I'm not as fragile as I may look, sir. It may hurt, but I've had worse - and there aren't any broken bones. I'm sure I'll be fine.

Edited (punctuation) 2014-08-04 00:39 (UTC)

If you say so. I suppose it cannot be worse than what the ledges might inflict upon you during your journey, should you be unlucky.

[Yes, Cecil, do scare the newbie with vague ominous warnings, that's always a great introduction.]

Do you have any other questions? 'Why' and 'how' are both interesting to ponder, but they'll not help you manage the routes or the wildlife.

After that - yes. What is different about the ledges?

{You've piqued her interest!}

They cannot be climbed.

[Which is both completely true, and a completely inappropriate explanation.]

You could attempt to climb one with a ladder or with the best mountaineering equipment this world can offer, and you'd still find yourself thrown to the ground. They've broken their fair share of arms, over the years.

{That sounds like a challenge..!}

{And then he mentions broken arms.}

I'll keep an eye out for these dangerous beasts, then. I have no desire to have my arm in a sling for months.

{Thinking...} Oh - about these pokemon... Are they dangerous?

[Damn it this is already harder than he thought it would be.]

It's going to be four years, in a few months. But not a lot of people stay here that long.

[Like her.]

...The danger they pose greatly depends on their level, and on who is training them. The wild Pokémon you'll meet along the routes will attack your team, but are unlikely to cause any harm. But Pokémon controlled by Team Rocket will target humans if commanded, and are often strong enough to cause unpleasant injuries.

[And even that is nothing when compared to legendaries, but he won't get into that yet.]

{She's sensing that something's not quite right here, but she's got the tact to mention it. Instead, she taps at her chin ~~with the hand that punched a tree~~.}

That is an extremely long time - wait, not many people stay that long? What do you mean?

{Suddenly interested again.}

{Oh snap.}

If this is the case, how am I expected to defend myself - with my bare fists? My weapon and... magic was taken from me.

{she hasn't yet figured out that she actually has a pokemon herself. gj, nanao.}

People...they disappear sometimes. Nobody knows why, or what makes it happen.

[He's making that odd face again...until he notices the bandage. Then a small frown takes its place without him even thinking about it.]

Were you hitting something?

[Yeah um his tone is one that's way too familiar for a complete stranger. But he can't help it she scolded him for doing that so many times and now look!]

{Nanao makes a unpleased noise, and her face creases in sympathy. Such a thing can't be easy to bear after so long.}

{And then he mentions the bandage - and that tone of voice... It's alarmingly familiar, and she can't help but snap back, a little defensively.}

What's it to you? {She does cover the bandaged hand with her unharmed one a little suddenly, wincing at the contact.}

It's...nothing.

[It's clearly not nothing. Really clearly.]

I just noticed you had a bandage on. People get concerned about things like that all the time.

[It's not like you're his long lost amnesiac sister or anything!]

{DID YOU KNOW: shinigami can smell fear.}

With someone you've only just met? I don't think so.

{Narrows eyes.}

You're hiding something.

[DAMN IT NANAO.]

It's nothing that matters, anymore.

[Well, it matters to him. A lot. But he's still not dealing with this so well and he can't see how it would matter to tell her if she doesn't remember.]

{I'M SORRY SHE'S SO PERCEPTIVE}

That implies that it mattered to you.

{...wait. Wait just one gosh-darned minute. Based on how he's reacted to her, his over-familiarity, his IMMEDIATE DENIAL OF CARING...}

. . .

{no way.}

You... {She's not even sure what to think. She's confused, and she's still kind of scared and frustrated about being pulled here when she was needed back home-} Do you know who I am?

You're--!

[Lancer was momentarily caught off guard--but no, if she was asking things like that...]

[She couldn't be the same one.]

...you're kind of stuck, is what I meant to say.

{What is it with people and that kind of reaction?! It's really starting weird her out.}

{also why do you have blue hair, what the heck.}

Well, it's good to know that I'm not alone in being stuck here. {There's a pause, then she raises an eyebrow.}

If you don't mind, what were you going to say before you corrected yourself? I'm... a little curious.

{She's a sharp one, Nanao is.}

[He flinches just the smallest bit, and grits his teeth. It takes him a long moment before he answers. He can't look at the screen when he does force the words out.]

I do.

{Nanao exhales like she's been punched.}

{She suspected it, but didn't think it could be true. Questions swirl about in her mind, and she looks down at the table, trying to focus. Her voice is very small when she replies.}

Then why don't I know you?

You're...I knew you before. A long time ago. People come and go in this place all the time--sometimes they come back with their memories, sometimes they don't.

[Leaning back in his chair, Lancer crossed his arms.]

You're Nanao Ise--a shinigami or something like that, I think. I remember you like reading; we used to talk about stories from my homeland all the time.

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1st page; video/action for new bark town

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