001 - 1/27 midday - voice

[pathofstrength]

...kinda like a Pokegear.

[The communicator is being handled when it clicks on, muffled shuffs and fwups being broadcast as someone turns it over in their hands.]

So I guess ya'd just-

[It cuts off and is silent for a few seconds. When the audio resumes, it sounds a lot more intentional.]

I've never lived in a city before, an' I know I've not set foot in any town as big as this one. An'...well, it's big.

[also the sun and moon are fucking creepy just saying]

An' it all kinda...smells funny, so I ain't sure where ta go fer food. Where d'ya find somethin' like that?

Am I usin' this right? How d'ya know when it's turned on...

Comments

Voice

[pathofstrength]

I've been travelin' a lot, but I live in the forest around Littleroot - tha's in Hoenn region. None of the cities I've seen look quite like this!

[Quiet scuff-scuff noises of things being moved in the background.]

I'm Sapphire!

Voice

[unfinishedstory]

You live in the forest... outside the city?

*Clare's doing a poor job off hiding her surprise at this. Also trying to place where she's heard Hoenn before and getting nothing.*

Do you have like a cabin or something? Why wouldn't you live in town?

Anyway, it is nice to meet you Sapphire. I guess being in this desert is pretty different from home.

Voice

[pathofstrength]

Papa's a scientist, an' I help him study wild Pokemon. The house is in the village, but I camp out most a' the time.

...This city's in a desert? Guess that explains why the air's so dry!

Okay if Clare recognizes Pokemon? She'll not bring up anything on it, just be awkward?

[unfinishedstory]

*Have a coughing sound, Clare recognized a word.* Pokemon. What-what are those?

I guess camping out all the time is fun... *Clare sounds in no way convinced of those words* but don't you have school?

totally fine by me! you can go as far as you want with it

[pathofstrength]

They're the creatures that live in my world. I guess this world doesn't have 'em, or most worlds at all...which is really hard ta believe!

School? Nah, I don't go to a school...

Clare's not a gamer, but she doesn't live under a rock. She has heard of Pikachu.

[unfinishedstory]

My world doesn't have a lot of things most other worlds do. Pokemon, Kishin, magic... I miss home.

But... what about learning math, languages, history? School's a little important where I'm from.

ahahaha

[pathofstrength]

Papa's taught me that kinda thing! An' I've learned a lot from travelin' around the region, meetin' people in different cities an' seein' all kinds of things.

[ (except she is actually barely literate IT IS NOT AS HUNKY-DORY AS SHE MAKES IT SOUND her dad is well-intentioned but not a very Responsible Adult) ]

[unfinishedstory]

I suppose traveling on your own teaching you a bunch of useful skills like taking care of yourself but... isn't it dangerous?

[(What adult in Special is responsible at all!? ...Okay, maybe Oak is because he's secretly badass, but other than that...)]

[pathofstrength]

Sure, it's a little dangerous, but ain't a lot ta things in life like that? That's why ya go out in the first place, ta toughen up so ya can handle that! Besides, I was never "on my own" when I had my Pokemon with me.

[(I think Winona and Wallace are the closest we ever get to responsible parental figures, they should just adopt Hoenn holders already)]

[unfinishedstory]

I guess there's a lot of dangerous things out there, just where I'm from parents keep kids away from it.

Right, your Pokemon... how does that work exactly?

[(Pretty soon they should just let the First Gen heroes adopt the others... no wait, that's a bad plan.)]

[pathofstrength]

Eh...what d'ya mean by "how does it work"?

[unfinishedstory]

Well you said Pokemon live in your world, but you didn't explain about why you're traveling with them. Or how that's better than being alone.

[pathofstrength]

If ya're travelin', it's always best ta have Pokemon! Otherwise, what'd ya do if ya got attacked by wild Mightyena or somethin'? Ya could try an' fight, but even the toughest human couldn't stand up ta most attacks!

[unfinishedstory]

*Clare might know what a Pokemon is, but she's got no clue what a Mightyena is.*

So... Pokemon are dangerous unless they are tamed, then you can use them to protect yourself?

That world doesn't seem especially... nice. If everything is dangerous like that.

[pathofstrength]

[Dangerous? No, that's just normal yeah it's really dangerous]

I don' think it's all that dangerous...an' if ya're not a trainer, then ya can jus' avoid wild Pokemon territory. They won't bother humans unless a human bothers them!

[unfinishedstory]

*Clare's beginning to realize her definition of dangerous and that of everyone else is, different.*

Well, instead of Pokemon here we have partners to keep safe.

Which building do you live in, I'll meet you in the lobby and show you around.

[pathofstrength]

It's th' Casualty one! I'll be right down.

Voice, sent image, And... Action!

[unfinishedstory]

Right, I'll be the one that looks like... this. *Picture sent.*

---

*Clare casually waits in the lobby, all passively cute and entirely unintimidating.*

*She's got an empty backpack on her back, but otherwise she's pretty generic looking.

Action

[pathofstrength]

[Luckily for the first impression here, Sapphire does not come charging down to the lobby in full wild beast mode. She's walking down the stairs like a normal person for the most part, though she doesn't seem to be exercising any caution on them and might as well be running. When she hits the last step she takes a quick, sweeping glance around the lobby, catches sight of Clare, and-]

Heeey!

[-waves an arm at her in greeting.]

[unfinishedstory]

*Well, that makes it easier to spot Sapphire. Even without swapping pictures. Clare heads over with a hurried but controlled step.*

Sapphire! I figured after we were done I could get some groceries. Since this is part of the more useful tour in the city. ...I hope you don't mind.

*Clare figured it beat having to do this Friday, but it was about helping Sapphire.*

[pathofstrength]

Of 'cos! I'll be needin' ta get food too, after all...

[Doesn't that atrocious accent sound even odder coming from the young girl you can see? Sapphire nods emphatically, shifting from foot to foot a little.]

I've been out an' around jus' a little since gettin' here. Thanks again fer the help!

[unfinishedstory]

*Clare would focus on the accent if the idea of a girl so much younger than her being on her own didn't make her feel even more coddled than usual.*

Well, we should probably go grocery shopping last, as otherwise we'll have to carry the stuff with this whole outing. Let's hit the mall first, show you where to get most everything else you'll need or want.

*Clare started in a direction, heading for the mall. Fortunately for Sapphire Clare knew the area well enough to not need a map... because Clare was terrible navigating.*

[pathofstrength]

[Nod! Let's get moving.

With a hand shading her eyes, Sapphire looks all around herself while she walks, but is light on her feet and never stumbles on bumps or cracks.]

It's even bigger than I thought th' first time out. Ya could keep walkin' an' walkin' an' it'd take ages just ta get ta the city's other side...!

[unfinishedstory]

Home's about this big but... not in the same way. It isn't built on a mountain like this, and the streets are passable with better vehicles.

*Clare squinted, used to bright sunlight at home and here.*

I do wish I had my bike... maybe after I save some more I can buy one. Maybe then I can actually get to the other side of the city. *Clare smirked a little, as Sapphire was right, the place was really big.*

[pathofstrength]

That's a good idea...

[Sapphire looks up towards the towers of Shibusen, gawking a little.]

...there's somethin' funny about the sky, ain't there? Like lookin' through a Light Screen. I ain't jus' seein' things, right?