Track 1 - [Video / Action for New Bark Town]

[toothaches]

[ACTION FOR NEW BARK, MORNING]

<sub>[It seems that there is a Wheezing loose in town somewhere if one is to judge by the sound of labored breathing, coughing, and of course, wheezing. If you were to follow it, however, you'd find a very worn out young man instead of a poison-type Pokemon.]

[Maurice has been alive and human for a full two hours now and still hasn't quite caught onto this whole breathing thing. The pale man feels stupid for having been so spoiled by his brief undead condition. He can be found sitting on the ground and leaning against buildings or benches (never quite making it ONTO said benches) with a hand planted against his heart as he makes his way around town and attempts to explore.]

[His beating heart. This is like a wonderful dream and a terrible nightmare all rolled into one. His backpack lay half strewn before him as he tries to puzzle out the things he's been given along with the spiel Mom gave him. Some food. Some clothes. Ugh, a book. TIME TO TOSS THAT OUT! He sends it fluttering over his shoulder. Some weird...spray bottle thingies...probably breath spray. He's not entirely convinced he's not actually having a dying dream behind that Wendy's dumpster he remembers passing out behind.]</sub>

This is crazy. This is all crazy. But. I don't even--_{[A choking cough.]} know if I wanna wake up from all this...


[VIDEO, NOON-ISH]

_{[Starter Pokemon? DISCOVERED. Bento box? DEMOLISHED. Now it is time for...TECHNOLOGY. Maurice has never used a 'phone' like this before and the feed is filled with his scrunched up, thoughtful face as he fumbles with the buttons. The man is pale--sickly pale with bags under his eyes that would absolutely not fit in any airline overhead compartment. His hair is faded and plastered to his forehead under the hat he's found in his backpack. Probably the most notable thing about him is the mouthful of steak knives that serve for his teeth--and the doofy little gap right in the middle.]}

God...God. Come on. Where is the--Ugh! I can't do this. I don't know how to do any of this. Maybe I shouldn't have thrown away that book...

_{[Suddenly a huge grey snout with a wicked horn on the very tip plants itself against his cheek and lets out a concerned rumble. The grouchy fellow's frown melts instantly. Sure Maurice is a little feverish, lost, and afraid, but at least he has a RHINO DINO to keep him company holy shit he loves this thing. Maurice turns, angling the gear so that only half of the duo is visible. He pats the Rhyhorn's rocky forehead.]}

Ahaw, Meatloaf, it's okay, dude. I don't need this dumb thing anyway. I got you!

Comments

[Video]

[foolishwren]

... Whoa.

_{[Heather's seen all kinds of people come to Johto. But never any who looked as... corpsey as this guy. The sharp teeth are honestly a little LESS noticeable than the fact that his complexion is more 'Beetlejuice' than 'average human'.]}

Are you... okay over there?

[video] 1/2

[toothaches]

WU-AAUGH! OH GOD!

[Video] 2/2

[toothaches]

--Oh...I guess it is goin' thorugh! Ahahah. Hah. Hhhhh. _{[A wheeze.]}

I'm okay. Okayish. Howdy, uh, random...girl. I mean hello!

_{[He is very scattered, excuse him.]}

[Video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[--WOW this guy is jumpy holy shit.]

[She nods slowly, and blinks equally slowly at the frazzled greeting.]</sub>

... Well, that's not the worst thing I've been called by a newbie.

Anyway, the technology won't bite, I promise.

_{[His modern clothing says otherwise, but the only times she's seen people panic that hard at seeing a talking head pop up on the screen have been people who are from like the early 1900's or something.]}

[Video]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice hasn't been called a newbie in his whole life. He takes his turn to blink slowly before shrugging it off since it didn't sound terribly mean.]}

Sorry. I'm Maurice--and I've never used a phone like this. I'm still...learning...

_{[Red rushes into his pale cheeks. He feels dumb.]}

I didn't mean to broadcast this to the...oh god is this the whole internet?

[Video]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[WRATH, on the other hand, notices the teeth RIGHT AWAY.]

[In fact, they're basically the only thing he's paying attention to.]

[His face pops right up on the screen but he doesn't even say anything. He's just BEAMING his own wolf-grin and leaning in, brimming with curiosity and enthusiasm.]

[HE FOUND ANOTHER HOMUNCULUS 8)]</sub>

[Video]

[toothaches]

<sub>[After discovering he is IN FACT broadcasting his pasty face to the whole world it seems, he isn't so surprised when a new face pops up on his Poke'Gear.]

[He is surprised when it isn't doing anything. Is it...broken? Maurice accidentally disconnects the call when he taps a button. It's quickly recovered but there is Wrath. Still staring.]</sub>

Uh...hello? Hello?

[Video]

[garbagechild]

Hi!

_{[So apparently the gremlin can in fact speak.]}

Um, what's your name?

_{[He has been informed that it's politer to ask that before immediately demanding to know if someone is an undead abomination.]}

[Video]

[toothaches]

_{[IT SPEAKS! Wrath seems friendly enough so Maurice tentatively returns his smile.]}

Maurice. What's yours? Do you live here?

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[Ordinarily, someone showing up as pale as that wouldn't be too difficult to explain away. Someone just doesn't go outside ever. Or is just really anemic, either way.]

[It's the teeth that make it noticeable.]

Woah, you threw away the book?

Man, I'm so sorry. You're gonna get eaten by purple rats in the night.

[The urge to be sarcastic, however, cannot be denied.]

[video]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice cuts in to reply halfway through his sentence.]}

--ong day and-- uh. Oh.

_{[Okay this thing swaps pretty rapidly HE IS LEARNING.]}

Wait, what? What was that about rats?

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy just sighs and shakes his head, slightly miffed that his Incredible Cleverness went UNNOTICED. But ah well, there's no point in repeating it. That'd be on par with explaining a joke.]

There's purple rats in the grass, they'll steal everything you've got if you don't watch out.

[He gives the man a more dubious look.]

You look like you don't need any disasters. Where'd you come from?

[A hospital??]

[video]

[toothaches]

_{[Oh, don't you worry, Envy. He heard you. He's just suffering from some severe inter-dimensional jetlag. Give him a minute to work up a good gibbering paranoia.]}

How...big are these purple rats?

_{[He leans close to his 'gear, trying his best to tell if the dude on the screen really had green hair or if it was some kind of trick of the light.]}

Texas.

[action]

[gainedlove]

[The book skids along the ground, and Buddy jumps back with a startled bleat. Frisk startles a little as well, but while their Skiddo hides behind them, they lean down and pick up the book, frowning and glancing back to the man.]

[It's not too torn, so after they smooth the pages back out Frisk carries it back over to Maurice.]

Um...'scuse me! You dropped your book.

[action]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice pauses in the middle of shoving one of the jelly donuts decorative rice balls from his bento into his mouth to glance over.]}

Oh! It's fine, I don't need it. You can have it 'f you want.

[action]

[gainedlove]

[Frisk frowns a little, looking at the cover and then back to Maurice.]

I think I already got this one...are you sure?

[action]

[toothaches]

I'm sure.

_{[READING IS FOR NERDS. Something then occurs to him. This kid is...awfully small. And only in the company of a weird goat.]}

Are you lost? Where's your mom and dad?

[Video]

[awesmazings]

[...oh dude. You...you alright over there...]

You're talkin' bout the Gear, right? I can help ya out, if you need it!

[As for this guy's appearance? Just another Tuesday, for Jimmy. In fact, he reminds him more of his friends back home than anything!]

[Video]

[toothaches]

_{[By this point, Maurice has gotten pretty good at swapping between video conversations. His reply is still a little delayed though. It's so hard to tell when this thing is broadcasting.]}

That'd be awsome actually. This thing has like...a million buttons.

[Video]

[awesmazings]

It's really not too bad, once you get enough practice with it. And hey, you're already doin' a good job with the video part!

There's really only a couple other things you need to know about that it does...other than video, you could do just audio, or you could make a conversation private to just you and somebody else even if you don't got their number. That one's a little trickier, but not too hard.

[...]

Gee, if I was over there, I could show you all this in person!

[Video]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice grins at even the mildest praise. He could do this! He could technology! Like the cool kids.]}

I've been watching the update uh. Log? Thing. I've even seen some people just typing. Havin' a private call sounds really handy...maybe we'll meet in person one day! I'm in a town called New Bark.

[Video]

[usedgravity]

Whoa...

[Ochako can't help but stare]

...that pokemon's huge!

[at his Rhyhorn. She just assumed everyone started with small ones!

As for how Maurice looks? That's pretty normal where she comes from]

[Video]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice simply beams into his Poke'Gear.]}

Isn't he great?

[usedgravity]

Yeah, he seem pretty friendly even though he's so tough looking!

[Which... maybe could apply to them both?]

[toothaches]

He's just a big ole' lapdog! Aren't you, Mr. Loaf?

_{[Maurice reaches out to tug the Rhyhorn's head into a hug. The Pokemon gives a happy rumble and nearly manages to lift Maurice and his Poke'gear right off the ground.]}

I think he's called a Rhinosaur!