paishodown | 1st gear | video + action

[Video]
That rain yesterday sure was... a nice welcome.

[Judging by the young woman's tone of voice, it was most certainly not a nice welcome. Yep, definitely another noobie. And one who's not so used to spending the night outside. A Riolu could be seen in the background, splashing in the quickly drying puddles lining the dirt road of Route 29.]

I think I've got things under control, though. Food, clothes, my own... [A glance over her shoulder] "Pokémon." I guess you guys have probably already heard how crazy this all is, by now. Does "Harmonic Convergence" mean anything to any of you? My world just went through some pretty huge changes, and I'm wondering if that caused... whatever's got me here, now.

[She seems startled, suddenly, as she remembers her manners-]

I'm Asami, by the way.

[One more question.]

...Does the music ever stop?

[Action to Route 29]
[Shortly after her broadcast, Asami can be found halfheartedly avoiding puddles and mud as she makes her way through the tall grass. It isn't that she really minds getting messy. She is travelling, after all. She'd just rather not.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, I feel you there.

I've had both.

It's sort of a double-edged sword.

You've... had?

Do you mean people leave here, too?

[That's promising.]

Yeah.

_{[She actually meant that people showing UP could either be good news or bad news, depending, but the other way probably makes more sense to someone who just got here.]}

Most people go home eventually. Some sooner than later.

S'kinda luck of the draw.

Just as random as being snatched here in the first place, then.

Someone else mentioned that you can find pretty much anyone here. Even people you already know.

Being able to find them isn't necessarily how I'd put it... but you've got the right idea.

Anyone can come here, from anywhere.

The past, the present, the future...

... Even people who are dead.

...Dead?

[A grimace crosses Asami's face.]

I guess... you don't know how they do that either?

[Definitely calling Spirit World shenanigans. That's just... uncomfortable. On so many levels.]

Edited 2014-07-19 02:48 (UTC)

Nope.

Four years here and nobody's come any closer to an answer for that.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you can't die here. 'Cept of like... old age I guess, probably.

What do you mean, you can't die? Do injured people just... suddenly get up and walk again?

[Whaaaaat]

Nah, s'more like... well, this is just hearsay-- I've never seen it myself.

But supposedly if you die, you just black out and then wake up in the Pokemon Center. Some kinda thing that teleports you there or something-- and they can heal almost anything, within reason. They do it with the Pokemon after all, so I guess it's not much of a stretch for them to be able to do it with people too.

The Pokémon Center...

[She's heard of those.]

They have those in pretty much every town, right?

[THIS STILL SOUNDS LIKE SPIRIT STUFF.]

Yeah. I'm sure you've seen 'em by now, right? They're like community centers combined with hospitals.

If you can't afford a hotel, you can get free food and showers there, though given how packed they always are, good luck getting a good night's sleep in one of those lobbies.

Still, s'better than nothing.

I'm glad I've got enough money that I don't usually have to do that anymore, though.

_{[It had been tougher to afford hotels back when she traveled alone. If by some twist of fate, Henry and Crow disappeared overnight, she'd probably have to go back to curling up on one of the Center cots every night again for the sake of conserving money.]}

[Oh darn, money- That's going to be a problem, isn't it?]

What's the best way to make money, then?

[She doesn't sleep well in hospital lobbies...]

... Well, do you want the quickest way or the most ethical way?

_{[SHE HASN'T TALKED TO YOU LONG ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE THE KIND OF PERSON WHO'D TAKE LUNCH MONEY FROM LITTLE KIDS, ASAMI.]}

What do you mean, ethical?

[She's a filthy capitalist, Heather, the word "ethical" is so ugly... Why don't we call it "preferable?"

But. Uh. She probably doesn't want to take money from children.

Not that she knows what Heather is about to suggest.]

Okay, so. Uh.

You know how after a Pokemon battle, it's custom for the loser to give the winner half of whatever money they have on them at the time?

... I don't know how much time you've spent walking, but there's like... a lot of young kids who hang out on the routes and wanna fight every person who passes...

_{[And they're... they're not very good.]}

...You're saying that I should fight little kids for money.

[It's the flattest her tone has been since her opening video.

Seriously this is like... Bolin-level of ridic idea.]

Hey, I NEVER said the word 'should'.

... But it IS what people do for cash in a pinch.

I think I'll look for another option.

[Think being an understatement.]

In that case, your best bet is to get a job.

Less exciting, but also less likely to make little kids cry.

Unless the job involves talking to Whitney. Then giant baby tears are pretty much a given.

_{[ACTUALLY HEATHER, ASAMI WOULD PROBABLY GET ALONG JUST FINE WITH WHITNEY. YOU MADE HER CRY BECAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF AN ASSHOLE.]}

Who's Whitney?

[She can work her ass off just fine.]

Gym Leader in Goldenrod. Specializes in Normal types and being a giant baby about losing.

_{[Heather's got sympathy aplenty for random kids out on the road, they can cry all they want after losing, even if they were the ones who made the challenge. But a Gym Leader? FOR REAL?]}

Oh. That's... nice of you.

[Whoops there's a hint of sarcasm there. Heather why you talkin shit?]

Hey, if your paid job is to battle people at a specific level to test their worthiness and then award them with a glorified boyscout badge to show their progress when they win, you probably shouldn't bawl every time you lose.

Just sayin'.

_{[WHITNEY INSULTED HEATHER'S HAIR A FEW YEARS AGO AND SHE HASN'T FORGOTTEN, OKAY]}

How old is she?

[Honest question, because that... sounds weird.

AND ASAMI KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BAWL YOUR EYES OUT OVER YOUR JOB. Just... not in front of people.]

... I don't know, actually. At least as old as you and me.

_{[... Right?]}

[Video]

paishodown - 2014-08-10 03:05 (UTC) - Expand

foolishwren - 2014-08-11 07:45 (UTC) - Expand