First Transmission - Action for Nimbasa

[rcktfm]

[In a big city like Nimbasa, it wasn't a very difficult task to blend in with the crowds. White overshirt hidden at the bottom of his "Outsider Starter Kit" bag, Archer would've no doubt looked as though he belonged there if it weren't for the aforementioned bag.

Still, he didn't belong. It was a pretty big city and he had absolutely no idea how to navigate it. He could make a mental map with enough wandering around, but that would take an awful lot of time and could prove troublesome should he wander somewhere he shouldn't be with only a young Houndour on hand. But, if anyone else was as helpful as that old man at the...Entralink? Had been, then perhaps it wouldn't get to that point.

Curious puppy at his heels, Archer began actively examining his surroundings. Some wide-eyed bewilderment made him seem the picture definition of a fish out of water, the sort silently asking for someone to help with everything about their presence. He wasn't counting on help to save him from wandering, merely readying himself in case it should be offerred.]

Comments

[emmet]

[Here, have Emmet. He's just wandering around the city himself, scheming to himself and hating everybody.

All with a smile. He just happens to see this newcomer - at least, he hoped he could tell they were a newcomer - and approaches, his Mawile following quite carefully. With a grin, he then gave a biiig wave.]
Hello!

[rcktfm]

[There was always one.

He offers a sheepish smile in return, along with a much smaller wave.] Oh, hello. Would you happen to know this area?

[emmet]

Mhm! I came from here. [Came? Well, he is an outsider... it seems?] It is only a little different from my version. [But he hates those differences. And then, after a nod, he then gave his sharky grin.] Are you new?

[rcktfm]

[His version? Must have to do with that "other world" business he'd been told about. That's also an interesting smile Emmet has there, but now isn't the time to point out oddities.]

Yes, I am. I'm afraid I don't know where anything is.

[emmet]

Well! I can give you a tour! [Friendly friendly. Actually, he's just bored.] I am Emmet, and I was a Subway Boss. Who are you? [He's leaning forward.]

[rcktfm]

Oh, thank you! That would be very appreciated. [He can't help but lean back a little; even putting on a friendlier facade, he prefers to keep his personal space.] My name is Apollo. Pleased to meet you, Emmet.

[emmet]

[Apollo... Emmet stood up straight again, and gave another sharp nod.] Nice to meet you! Except it means you are trapped. [And that's no good! There's no external flicker of anger, though. Not like earlier on in his stay. And then, he gives a bit of a glance around.] This city is big - I will start by taking you to the best place! [You're gonna be taken to the Battle Subway. Because from there, he can give a good tour. Without even waiting for an okay, he starts to walk off.]

[rcktfm]

[Ah--well, guess that means he should follow. So follow he shall.] Trapped? Here in Unova, you mean? Yes, I'd been briefed on the basics of the situation at the Entralink.

[emmet]

...Did they tell you about how odd this Unova is? Things tend to happen. Bad things. [Mawile gave a nod, as Emmet continued his stride.] Pokemon have attacked. We have gotten fake legendaries. I was turned into an Emolga. And they do not seem to care. [This has been your Emmet whining. He steps over one of the Joltik infesting the city, and then gives a bit of a sigh.] And, they are lazy. I could run this region better. Anybody could. I have not heard of any progress on getting us home.

[rcktfm]

...No, they hadn't mentioned any of that. [He'd be more hesitant to believe such strange claims under any other circumstance, but as it was...

Fake legendaries? Turned into, well, what he assumed was a Pokemon? And no one cared? Lazy conduct indeed. Not to mention that tempting phrasing.] H'm. Perhaps with all these outsiders coming in, someone could change things.

[emmet]

[Of course, Emmet just has his anti-this-world bias. He then shrugs a little.] It looks like I will not go home for a long time. Maybe it is time for change. [And then, he stopped. In front of the Battle Subway, of course.]

[rcktfm]

Well, the atmosphere is certainly ripe for change.

[A train station? This would definitely be good to commit to memory. Come to think of it, Emmet had introduced himself as a former Subway Boss hadn't he? Not entirely sure what that entailed, but knowing where the subway was first and foremost made sense.]

[emmet]

This! This is the center of Nimbasa! The heart! The soul!

...Unless you are going to the gym.
Or the Musical Hall.

But it is still very important!
It is the Battle Subway!
It is like a Battle Frontier, from another region.
But it is a lot better.
It runs all over Unova! Train-powered fun!

It is not as good as mine.
But it is still good. Yup.

[He seems so proud. Even though he stole two Pokemon from there.]

[rcktfm]

A Battle Subway...? [Transportation all over the country, with a match while you wait. What a novel idea. He couldn't help but wonder about the fate of those who didn't do so well before they reached their destination.

In any case...] This is what you meant by being a Subway Boss, correct? You were in charge of this facility?

[emmet]

Yup!
I run it with Ingo! My big brother! [Who he misses.]
But not in this world.
There is another me in there.
[One who came back to life... creepy.]
I do not like it.
There is still another me, running around.
It unnerves me. [But then, why are you still smiling? Oh yeah.]

[rcktfm]

Another you? So this is indeed some sort of mirror world instead of the true Unova?

[Very interesting. Did that mean there was another him all the way back in Johto carrying along as he should be? He wasn't sure how he felt about that possibility.]

[emmet]

Mhm! And there is more then one! It is kind of scary.
[...Actually. Emmet hates it.]
But it is odd. I have not heard of anything happening outside this region. It is like Unova is cut off from the world.

[rcktfm]

Odd indeed... [If Unova was cut off, did that mean he couldn't make contact anywhere outside? No, that's preposterous. There couldn't be some mirror world in which only Unova existed...

H'm. He'd prefer finding this out sooner rather than later. Perhaps the rest of this tour would offer more insight into the matter. If not, then at the very least where he could get some electronics to jerry-rig as a test.]

[emmet]

Anyway! [And back to his cheerfulness. Well, his fake-cheerfulness - which seems to be faltering the smallest bit. He then pointed to the west.]
Over that way is the Pokemon Center! And the Battle Institute! The Battle Institute works with us sometimes, you know.
...There is also this odd building. I think it is called the Battle Club? I do not care about it.

[rcktfm]

[Yeah, he's been noticing how forced that smile is. Now isn't the time to pry, however, and playing it careful to get on this guy's good side may be beneficial in the near future.]

My, such a battle-centric city. It seems I'll have plenty to do during my stay, at the very least.

[overbite]

[Somebody's looking lost! Never fear, though—Jade has ended up on ambassador on more than one occasion, and is glad to do it again.

...She actually isn't the first to notice Archer, though. Instead, it's the Growlithe trotting along right at her feet, who is first curious, and then completely delighted upon seeing the Houndour just over thataways. Look, more canines! That means friends! And Becquerel's barking is what gets Jade's attention.

Once she catches onto just how out of place this man looks, though, Jade skips over, beaming brightly and getting into helpful mode!]

Hey there! Hehe, you look kind of lost. Everything okay?

[rcktfm]

[Houndour's all too keen on the presence of another canine as well, but its reaction is much less enthusiastic. It stiffens, as if ready to take a defensive stance, before Archer notices and breathes a quiet "At ease."]

Yeah, I'm pretty lost. I just arrived here so I don't really know where anything is.

[overbite]

Oh, all of us have been there, hehe! I could show you around if you want! [Oh boy, playing tour guide! Except, you know, she's going to get to give an actual tour this time rather than just point people at things. When she sees the other Pokémon's defensiveness, though, she quickly bends down and scoops her Growlithe up into her arms so that he can't cause any trouble.]

[rcktfm]

Yes, please, if you wouldn't mind.

[He doesn't move to do the same for Houndour--carrying it around now would be sending mixed messages for later--but he does step forward to put himself between it and Growlithe.]

[overbite]

It wouldn't be a problem at all! Umm... [And then she realizes she doesn't know where to start.]

Okay, how much have you already figured out? You've got the basic stuff like Pokémon Centers down, right?

[rcktfm]

[He nods] I'm familiar with them. I come from another region, not another world entirely.

[overbite]

Oh, okay! Hehe, that makes things easier. Okay, then I guess the best place to start would be... [For a moment, she looks thoughtful, before skipping northwards in the direction of the stadiums and the music theater.] Over here!

[And then she just kinda skids to a stop barely a few steps forward.] Did I introduce myself? I forgot, didn't I. My name is Jade Harley!

[rcktfm]

[There's an awkward start-stop as he tries to follow her, but he greets the introduction with a smile.]

My name is Apollo. Pleased to meet you, Jade.

[withmyfluffbat]

[HAVE ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN. Actually, due to timelines, Iris is actually younger then she looks. OH WELL. She's running along, with her brand-new evolved Salamence.]
C'mon, Skyla! You can fly, right?
[She doesn't even notice she's running towards a newcomer! The Salamence, does, though - and stops still.]

[rcktfm]

[Oh hello, loud noises made by children, you always seem to have a talent for reaching his ears. Not quickly enough this time, however, and the head-on collision sends him stumbling backward. Prompting Houndour to give Little Miss Unstoppable Force some loud, offended barks of course.]

[withmyfluffbat]

[And, of course, Iris lands on top of him. She's silent for a few seconds...
Before leaping off, of course.]
Oh no! We crashed!
[Salamence just rolls her eyes. Acting like she's a plane won't get her to fly.]

[rcktfm]

[Rowdy little...ugh, no matter. He stands once he's able, shushing Houndour's barks and dusting himself off.]

Careful where you're going, now.

[withmyfluffbat]

Ehehe... sorry, Mister. I was just trying to teach Sky-- Salamence [She only calls Salamence by her nickname around friends.] here how to fly. You can understand, right?

[rcktfm]

In the middle of a crowded city? Seems a bit dangerous, doesn't it?

[What was a child doing with a dragon that big anyway? Honestly, it seemed like proper supervision was a lost sentiment these days.]

[negotiators]

[from the left, in the coldest voice possible:]

Come back here.

[some kid with his hands in his pockets, walking leisurely behind a remarkably cheerful zangoose who does not seem to be much concerned for his trainer's piss-poor attitude — and for what it's worth, it doesn't look like said trainer has any intention of actually stopping him from, you know, skipping down the road and being a nuisance]

[rcktfm]

[A Zangoose not listening to its trainer is no real surprise, though it isn't a very comforting thought either. Houndour seems to agree, stepping out in front of him as if making a tiny wall of protection.

He'll just watch for now, vaguely curious to see if the incredibly apathetic child actually had any authority over his Pokemon.]

[negotiators]

...that's as far as you go.

[stops right at the entrance to the amusement park, where his pokemon was apparently headed - and somehow, for no immediately apparent reason, said zangoose stops right in its tracks and turns around with a guilty look]

[concealing a yawn behind one hand] I don't want to go in there. We're going back.

[rcktfm]

[H'm. Looked like the thing had some discipline, at least. Good. Yet he couldn't help but be slightly annoyed anyway at the sight of a child thinking they could handle something with power.

Nevertheless, it was rude to stare and he had better things to be attending to. Back to looking innocently clueless as Houndour kept a keen eye on the kid and his Zangoose.]

[negotiators]

[right, just two average people on the street passing each other by. and in a fair world -- or at least, a world that corresponded well to kyuubey's whims -- they wouldn't interact with each other at all.]

[...except, of course, that doesn't happen, because as soon as zangoose shrugs off whatever punishment it's just received, it dashes off again -- and then promptly trips over archer's houndour, oops :<]

[trainer looks unamused] ...are you alright?

[rcktfm]

[Well that's an incredibly undignified yelp from Houndour as he's toppled over. This finally gets Archer's full attention, whipping around at the noise.]

Ah--?

[negotiators]

[undoubtedly, the only thought running through kyuubey's head is 'you are so dumb. you are really dumb. for real.' as he passively waits for zangoose to get off of houndour]

[right, was he supposed to take responsibility for this?]

— I'm sorry. He's not always like that. [read: he's like that most of the time]

[rcktfm]

[Archer makes no move to help Houndour either, just staring down at the little thing until it gets up and shakes itself off. Only then does he finally lean down and offer a few pets.]

Quite alright. Just take better care that he knows where he's going.

[negotiators]

Mm. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

[doesn't even give that much to his own pokemon, though the good-natured zangoose doesn't seem to mind - just shakes its head and returns, sheepish, to its trainer's side]

It isn't as though he isn't a sentient being, so I don't understand why he has such an aversion to maturity.

[rcktfm]

It looks as though it's still young. Teach it diligently, and it will learn.

[Houndour takes up his previous position in front of Archer, re-training his eye on the Zangoose as if it'd just up and trip over him again while completely still.]

[negotiators]

[zangoose is doing his best to look apologetic]

Maybe. But things never seem to learn the way I expect them to. [tilts his head, considering] Then again, I guess that's what makes them so interesting.

[rcktfm]

[Houndour ain't fallin' for that, Zangoose, mm-mmm.]

Perhaps you're simply not going about it the right way?

[negotiators]

[aw bb you're scaring the big guy! look at him, he's almost as big as his trainer and yet trying to hide behind him.]

I think my methods are logically sound, but humans often tend to disagree. This creature seems to react like one, so I suppose that's where the conflict comes from.