victory_road | Fifth 👻 Story [Video]

[You know who hasn't really been around lately? Ashley, who is just kind of...kneeling by her desk, in front of the hotel bed, adjusting the camera as it turns on.]

And that- okay, uh-- [Clears her throat, looks kind of...awkward.] I, um. Okay, this is kind of weird to ask about, since- I mean, people find eggs all the time in their rooms from br-breeding. [Turns like two shades redder, takes a deep breath, charges on-] But all my Pokémon, they were in their Pokéballs, or with me, and when I got back from work today, I found--

[It's better to just move aside, huh, shuffle away and sitting on her bed, oh well, it's just a Pokémon egg in a basket, Ash, why are you being so weird? It's protected by an odd blanket, one that's pattern resembles space.

From off-screen, Ashley continues:] Just here, like this, all...not like it appeared out of nowhere, like someone delivered it! But I had my door locked and the staff said no one left anything for me, and there is no note or anything and it's just so bizarre.

[...Nudges the PokéGear sllloooowly back so the egg basket's out of focus, behind her.]

I've been here for...almost five months now. [A little somber. Shakes herself out of it.] But this is... Has anyone seen or heard about...anonymous egg deliveries? It's kind of freaking me out.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I guess they just... like their privacy.

[I MEAN. SHE IMAGINES SHE WOULD. BUT SHE HAS NO IDEA HOW SEVERAL OF THESE THINGS POSSIBLY MAKE EGGS HAPPEN.]

I guess the thing to do is just wait until it hatches?

[NO ONE KNOWS HOW THEY MAKE EGGS HAPPEN]

I guess. ...I just have no idea what it is. Like, what kind of Pokémon. It's not like it came with an instruction manual.

That... would be strange. Maybe the blankets are a clue? [MAYBE IT'S A STAR, THERE ARE PROBABLY STAR POKEMON]

Oh, you think? [Soft tongue click, some shifting. Audio sounds a little farther away now:] You know, maybe. There were crystals on the moon, so...there's bound to be an alien-type.

It's as good a guess as any. Doesn't seem like a huge stretch to guess that Pokemon can come from space, too.

Probably... I read something about a theory that that's where they originated to begin with? There're some that are definitely alien-like, like Belgym, and some like...like Clefairy, that's a pretty cool one to read up on.

[Hmm.]

But if I think like that it doesn't really narrow it down at all...

[Confession: Ashley's partly thinking so hard on this topic so she doesn't ask Blake how things have been, because she is itching to know but that is maybe not the best question she gets the feeling?]

[THERE REALLY ARE ALIEN ONES...........

But okay, one of those things does catch her interest.]

I guess not. But... where does someone go to read up on this world, exactly? Or are you just talking about the Pokedex? Just... curiosity.

[REALLY ALIENS]

Some of it's from the Pokédex, but most of this is stuff I learned from books. ...Mind you, it's mostly biology, not history, but there're some encyclopedias at the bookstore I work at.

[Okay Blake, try to hide your excitement, try to hide your excitement...]

Bookstore?

[Ashley nods- and then realizes that was dumb and clears her throat.]

Yeah, it's uh. A nice-sized place near the Pokémon Center. There's a café attached? [Pretend I said the name here gentle handwaves]

...Do you like books?

I do. I'll... have to come by sometime.

[FINALLY A REAL HOPE SPOT HONESTLY]

Fifth 👻 Story [Video]

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