shslasshat | First Silver Spoon - Joint Post, Video/Action for New Bark

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First Silver Spoon - Joint Post, Video/Action for New Bark

[The boy who appears on the other end of the feed is sitting outside, in New Bark Town, if the gently waving trees and the windmill in the background are anything to go by. He appears deep in thought. In contrast to this, a sharply-grinning face appears over his left shoulder, all teeth and claws and hard, cold, gemstone eyes. Since Sableye aren't native to New Bark Town, that must clearly be his starter.]

Out of one game and into another, then.

[Piercing green eyes meet the camera from behind white-framed glasses.]

I presume I'm far from the first person to come here. ...Perhaps, even, not the first from my world – since this obviously is not the world I come from. I may have catching up to do, but mark my words: Byakuya Togami does not lose. Anyone who stands in my way will fall. So remember my face, and don't waste your t—

[But then, abruptly, the feed goes wild and veers away from his face; hopefully nobody watching gets motion sickness, because if so, they might want to avert their eyes. But given the angle and direction of the camera shift, combined with the brief flash of the boy's astonished expression before it disappears completely from view, it seems that someone has just snatched the Gear right out of his hand.

Which would be an entirely accurate conclusion to draw, really. Suffice to say, the camera is now displaying a rather attractive shot of the tip of someone's boot and a fair expanse of slightly matted grass.]

Don't be so quick to sacrifice your anonymity with needless posturing. There's nothing to be gained from ceding that advantage — particularly not in a place where that name almost certainly means nothing to anyone.

[...Does somebody want to get this man some ice for that burn.]

[The aforementioned boy huffs in the background, his hand appearing on the camera as he tries to take it back like a nerd who's become the victim of a cruel game of keep-away.]

Have you even read the training manual? A place that asserts the goal of becoming "the very best, like no one ever was" is not a bastion of subtlety.

[Then, almost sulkier,]

When did you even get here?

[JUST WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS SAFE.

Eventually, though, his superior ~~height and reach~~ everything manage to get control of the Gear back, and amid the shuffle, the second voice speaks again.]

About twenty minutes ago. [A beat.] I've been looking around. Haven't you?

[Even when his gear is back in his own possession, he doesn't bother aiming it at his face. However, he will flash Johto a shot of the lovely, lavender-haired girl who so rudely interrupted his arrogant pontificating.]

I've been reading the materials provided about this place and the creatures who inhabit it. [A smug, punchable beat.] Haven't you?

I wanted to see what my own investigations turned up first. But it'd be useful to see how much of my evidence is corroborated by yours; turn that off and let's compare our findings instead.

[For the first time since the girl appeared, Togami actually pays attention to the gear, and he scowls at it before flicking the camera off as requested.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...oh god why did you have to mention the music. He's actually gotten good at tuning it out, only now that it's been brought up he's going to be aware of it for about the next week.]

I am, yes! I'm guessing you're in New Bark Town? That's where most of the new arrivals show up, anyway!

[Very good, Ishimaru-kun, now next don't think of pink ~~haired fashion girls~~ elephants.

...Except wait.

Hold on, she senses an underlined word in that remark.]

Most of them? In other words, some don't — so where else would you have expected us to arrive?

Some arrive in Goldenrod City instead - that's not very common, though!

[...]

There's a reason for it, but it's one best discussed in person.

[Wait hold on is that—

a mystery]

That means it'll have to wait at least ten days. It can afford that sort of delay?

[it might be - okay no not really but it's something for you to play with until we can meet up

is that sufficient]

I wouldn't even try to delay it that long if it couldn't! This place is safe, though, from what I've seen; there's no one wanting to cause us direct harm, and while there are troublemakers here and there it hasn't escalated beyond reasonable control!

[So considerate, Ishimaru-kun, it almost makes up for all those times you FORGOT SHE EXISTED.]

Then it's a discussion I'll look forward to.

[By which she means DAMMIT SHE WANTS THE DEETS but it's reasonable to assume this network might be monitored so she will concede and approve of his caution. For now.]

I presume Togami-kun will come with me that far, at least.

[LOOK HE'S SORRY ABOUT THAT FIRST MORNING IF HE MAKES YOU BREAKFAST IN VIOLET WILL IT MAKE UP FOR IT

...that said, this is Kirigiri-kun. Looking forward to having a conversation. And seeming to want to work with someone. And actually being a team player.

...

... ... ...

girl are you sick or something]

Then I look forward to your arrival - it will be good to see both of you in person again!

[...Ah.]

...Speaking of, however...what's the last thing you remember happening, back in the school?

Do you really think that's something I ought to say in a discussion we're not conducting in person?

[Do you want to revisit that assessment about Kirigiri-kun being sick or something now. Because you're welcome to.]

I don't see why not! Asahina-kun's already told us everything, anyway - there aren't really any secrets left to keep!

[ISHIMARU.]

Then why does it matter what I remember?

[THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN.]

Because I want you to know that more than one of us escapes that school alive, if you don't - I want you to know that it's over!

[...yes, it literally is that simple.]

It's over as far as Asahina-san knows, you mean. There's still at least one mystery that has yet to be solved, isn't there?

Someone had to bring us to this place. Do you know who?

Possibly. At least, we know a possible source of information.

Is that also best discussed in person?

[He nods, the gesture resolute.]

Everything can be explained properly then!

Mm.

[...no, really, what else do you expect her to say to that. ~~DRYWALL~~]

...Thank you for doing so well for them, Kirigiri-kun, and for ensuring their survival when the rest of us weren't in position to.

[His words are abrupt, forced out so quickly that it's like the fate of the damn world relies on him getting them out there in one breath; he hesitates for a moment once they're out there, though, because he honestly hadn't missed the fact that she's doing that...staring thing again.

He's not sure what the problem is, exactly, but at the very least his months here have given him a bit more of an idea regarding what could be responsible for that; let's...try to...uh. Okay, he has no idea how to fix it, so let's just.

...NAEGI IS THIS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE YOU 24/7 HOW DOES HE REBOOT KIRIGIRI]

...But if you have nothing else you want to say, then it's fine if you want to hang up now!

[THAT'S...USUALLY THE REASON HE DOES THIS SORT OF THING, ANYWAY...]

Edited 2013-08-20 04:50 (UTC)

[You know, if this were IRL this is probably the part where she'd just TURN AND WALK AWAY but it's sort of pointless to do that when you're holding a video camera and it's not nearly as dramatic to just shut off a feed — you don't get that classy hair billow or anything.

But that's okay because there's still some other stuff she can come up with to talk about prior to just hanging up. Probably.]

Wouldn't it be better to tell me everything important to know before starting my journey to Violet City? You have the benefit of expertise.

[LOOK, SHE'S...TRYING...SORTA...]

[...are you sure you're not sick tho

...

ANYWAY, he's never made this particular journey himself, but he should be able to at least assist with basic things. Excuse him while he just sort of shouts the beginner's guide at you, Kirigiri.]

Cherrygrove City should be three days from New Bark; Violet City is a week past there. It's not an even five-day split, but at least it's not a straight ten-day walk, either!

You're going to be sleeping outside, so be prepared to construct shelter - Togami-kun probably won't like that, but it's better to preserve what money you have for food and other necessary supplies, instead of wasting it on things you can build yourself! And you're going to need the food! There are berries on the bushes along the routes, but you shouldn't eat them for as long as you can avoid it; some are hard and obviously can't be eaten, but others appear similar to berries from home - basically, if it looks like a strawberry, weirdly-colored or otherwise, do not eat it. It won't kill you, but the experience won't be worth it unless you're literally about to die and in some circumstances it will likely make your condition worse!

If you require money for supplies and the like, or find you don't have enough when you arrive in Cherrygrove, I can send you some - I'm doing well enough for myself to be able to do that.

Pokémon will attack you if you walk through the tall grass; in some places you can't avoid it. Always carry at least one of your Pokémon with you so you can fight them off. And don't jump off the ledges unless you're absolutely positive you want to go down to whatever's below them, because for some reason no one can figure out you won't be able to get back up!

"At least one"?

[She casts a brief glance offscreen, and then shifts momentarily out of sight before returning with a Nincada in hand — and by "in hand" that's really more like "perched on her arm" because good lord Nincada are twenty inches long.]

This is the only one I have.

[It...doesn't look that fearsome, really. It's just kind of a big albino bug.]

...Right. Yes, of course - you only received one at the outset!

[...let's just...see what you have, good god.]

I have one of those, too, actually; it's not at a point where it's too useful yet - ah, but that it's the point. You're going to want to fight things with it, in the tall grass like I mentioned. It's barbaric, but they don't seem to mind; they get stronger when they defeat the Pokémon they fight! You can capture what you've defeated afterwards, if it interests you; you build up a set that you use to fight that way, and you can carry up to six. Beyond that is put into some sort of technology-based storage; Fujisaki-kun could probably tell you more about that than I could!

There's also a breeding center you can contact; they should give you something for free, if you find something there you like. But for the time being, at least you can raise that one.

[She kind of gives him a look (the nuance of which might be lost in the translation) that, for an apt master of the social arts, might read as something to the effect of what do you mean I'm supposed to stage random wilderness cockfights with this albino bug. The breeding center option sounds a little more promising, at least, but regardless of Ishimaru's promises that the Pokemon don't seem to mind, there's something that's not sitting well with her in the action chain of "arrive somewhere / receive possession of apparently oblivious bug / require bug to engage in violence for your own personal benefit".

Besides, it's kind of a cute bug. Just a big sweetheart, really. Assuming it has a heart in the first place, as opposed to a more rudimentary circulatory system more befitting a bug.]

What if it fails to fight them off?

[...Ah.

He doesn't understand the nuances behind that Look, no, but he can actually see where what she's asking about might be a concern.]

They don't die, Kirigiri-kun. They just faint; there's medicine you can buy to wake them up again.

I noticed that, also. It seems we're all on a budget.

[TOGAMI-KUN WITH THIRTY BUCKS TO HIS NAME: SILVER LINING]

[...

Schadenfreude: making the world a better place to be.]

There are places called Centers that will heal your Pokémon for free - they'll do it an unlimited number of times, as well, with no charge that I know of. They're only in the cities, though, and so not much help on the actual routes.

[...hmmm.]

There's a computer situated in all of those Centers, where you can access your personal storage boxes; check yours when you get to Cherrygrove.

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