1st Ω [Action for New Bark Town/Video]

[kissmyaspis]

[Action; New Bark Town]

[Fresh green grass. A breeze that carries no hint of smog or pollution or any other manner of nastiness in the air. People happily walking around unarmed and seemingly unworried over the potential of being jumped or mugged even in broad daylight.

This was not Pandora.

Not that it took any of these observations for Athena to conclude that something was very wrong. Just the feeling of the sun on her face as she drowsily awoke earlier (ugh, Janey was right, she was starting to lose her edge) was enough to send alarm bells blaring through her head. After all, her and Janey's place in Hollow Point wasn't the worst, but it was far enough away from the cave entrance that they don't really get much sun. That put Athena instantly on alert, and she practically bowled "mom" over before she could even open her mouth and instinctively grabbing the pack - she didn't even care whose it was - by the door and heading outside.

So here she was now, pacing in the middle of town like an angry kraggon, looking for anything familiar... but there was nothing. She couldn't even see Elpis's broken surface in the sky, so there was no way this was Pandora. One of the Edens, maybe...? But which one, they were all better than Pandora, so she couldn't tell by just one glance in one town...

Okay... okay. She had to find her bearings. She could do that. First, check the pack for anything that could be of use. Pulling it off her shoulder and tugging it open, Athena began sifting through the contents; food, a change of clothes (pfft, like hell she was going to get rid of her armor in an unknown location), what looked like some basic medical supplies, a... red and white ball? That catches her attention.

She set her bag down so she could examine the ball more closely. Round, one button on the middle... some kind of robot? At first glance, it reminded her of Gortys before she had been activated, so maybe if she pushed the button...

And then she promptly dropped it as the ball burst into light, every one of her battle instincts flaring to life as her brain screamed grenade! But damnit, she had no guns, no shield or sword....

Wait.

Sword?

Okay... yeah. That was definitely a sword floating in front of Athena. Staring at her.]

What the...

[She reached out to grab it by the hilt, but surprisingly enough, it dodged out of the way of her hand! Frowning, Athena tried to grab it again. And again it dodged. Her frown then morphs into a full-blown scowl, and she lunges for the thing.]

Argh-- get back here!



[Video]

[OKAY EVERYTHING'S UNDER CONTROL, EVERYTHING'S COOL. Except... not. So when the video flickers on, the rather annoyed, severe face of a young woman can be seen front and center.]

I'll give whatever dirty lowlife responsible for this ten seconds to identify themselves before I start hunting them down. Believe me, you don't want that.

[There's a pause, and her frown deepens if that's even possible. This... kidnapping, or whatever it was, had happened in her home. Said home was crappy, sure, but it had been damn secure. Athena herself had made sure of it. So if whoever-it-was had been able to get her without a problem, then the other occupant of the house could possibly be...]

Springs. As soon as you see this, echo me.

[She doesn't sound worried, but the edge in her eyes fades a little, and she reaches up to run a finger along a gleaming silver ring hanging from a chain around her neck. She blinks, realizing what she just did, before she practically shoves the ring under her shirt and out of view.]

If anyone can direct me to the nearest fast-travel station, the information will be much appreciated. [There's a pause, and the curious eye of a Honedge peeks on-screen with a gleam of curiosity. The woman glances at it, scowls, and pushes it away from the camera.] Also, the nearest gun vendor.

[Because this isn't the first odd creature she's seen so far, so she's not taking any chances. If she can't have Xiphos and Aspis, or at the very least any of her more advanced guns, she'll have to make due.]

Finally, if anyone familiar to me is viewing this, I will update my status as soon as I find my bearings in this bizarre town, and we can arrange a meetup then. Until then:

Athena, out.

[Click. The video finishes.]

Comments

[Video]

[usedgravity]

[Well, this lady was taking it more... angrily than most. And apparently had some very concrete ideas on how to fix it.

Too bad they were all for naught.]

Um! Unless you mean a bus or a train, there's no "fast-travel" stations here. [She considers something for a moment.] Or guns!

[Video]

[kissmyaspis]

... What.

[Okay. Okay she can buy the "no fast-travel" thing. Not all towns or areas have a fast-travel station, after all. But...]

You're screwing with me, aren't you?

[usedgravity]

[Don't worry, now that she thinks about it, it's pretty darn bizarre to her too.]

Nope. [She shakes her head] Unless they're really hidden, I don't think even the police here have guns.

[Who needs guns when you have fire-breathing dogs?]

[kissmyaspis]

That's absurd. It's like you're begging to be robbed or slaughtered.

[She snorts at the mention of "police". Like she'd expect any sort of law enforcement to be of much use in that department, anyway.]

So what can I expect to use to defend myself? Can I find a sword, at least? [Again, the Honedge tries to nudge itself into view of the camera, but Athena just shoves it away.] A real sword, I mean.

Audio

[thedifferencebetween]

[This week has been going beautifully. Everything's been coming up Handsome Jack. Mafuyu's almost to Goldenrod. He's made a friend, who likes killing and talking business as much as he does. He's got people all over the planet getting Pokemon for him. A friggin Hyperion employee just showed up!]

[So when Athena's video begins playing on his 'gear, Jack half chokes on a mouthful of instant noodles, the rest coating his 'gear and table in a sudden mess.]

[Shit. Shit shit shit shit. Of all people....]

[Alright. It could be worse. It's not Lilith. And this place doesn't even have weapons. Or...death.]

[It's cool. It's fine. He's got the upper hand here. He's been here. He has people.]

Think it'd probably be in my best interest to skip that meetup, babe.

[She's going to find out he's here soon enough anyway. At least he can throw her off, too, control their initial encounter.]

[video because yeah no she ain't switching for him]

[kissmyaspis]

[Few things can surprise Athena anymore. She thought nothing could surprise her anymore, but then there was that whole thing with Fiona carrying around General Pollux's eye, so maybe she was wrong.

This? Hearing the voice of a dead man? This manages to surprise her too.

It really shouldn't. Jack has all sorts of propaganda all over Pandora. Sure, most of it's been defiled by now, but some still remains. Crappy billboards and old advertisements with Jack's face and voice plastered all over them still exist, so hearing his voice again isn't completely bizarre.

It's the fact that he's responding to her that surprises her. And that surprise quickly shifts into a simmering anger, that familiar itch beneath her skin that she hasn't felt since she held her sword to Cassius's throat...]

... Jack.

[Her scowl doesn't get much worse, thankfully, but her eyes narrow in such a way that damn, you could almost hear a sword unsheathing in the background, even though her hand not holding her gear is empty.]

You've got to be kidding me.

[video]

[thedifferencebetween]

[He's got himself under control enough to flip his own video on. He's sitting in a high backed swivel chair, his familiar gray blazer on over a yellow t-shirt with some local gym logo. There's no mistaking Handsome Jack, the original, in the flesh.]

Almost wish I was. Nope. It's me. Surprised to see me? Don't answer that, I know you are.

I also know we're a long, long way from Pandora. Or any place that's even heard of Pandora. We've been kidnapped to some far flung hellhole so beyond any part of a civilized galaxy that it may as well exist in a bullymong's dream.

So cool your murder boner, wouldya?

[Maybe they can work something out. Jack's a reasonable guy!]

[Video]

[in4apounding]

Salutations, ma'am.

[She is. So. Very. Tired.]

Um. I haven't heard of any fast traveling stations, 'cept the magnatrain here in Goldenrod, but I haven't used it myself, it makes me a little nervous honestly, and we're a long way from New Bark Town anyway. And there's the teleport things in the Pokémon Centers, they're new, but they'll only take you places you've already been which just seems weird to me.

[Processing. Yawn.]

Oh! And there's no guns anywhere. Or actual weapons, just the Pokémon. Sorry.

[Video]

[kissmyaspis]

No weapons at all? Wow, how have scavs not taking this place over yet?

[Great. Just great. Athena lets out a frustrated sigh.]

I'm guessing this "Pokemon" thing is that sword that won't leave me alone and yet won't even let me touch it?

[BECAUSE MAN IT SURE DOESN'T SEEM USEFUL BECAUSE OF THAT.]

Re: [Video]

[in4apounding]

[Okay, that gets her to perk up.]

Oh, you got a Honedge! They're fantastic! But yes, they really don't like being grabbed on the hilt, I think that's part of how they feed? Through the tassel, anyway, but they're pretty protective of the whole area. You don't need to grab them, thoughn they're very capable of wielding themselves even at low levels, much more effectively than a human could.


...what's a scav? Is that some kind of rash?

video;

[cardboard_boss]

As far as I know there are no gun vendors around. [Kid friendly?] No fast travel stations either. You have to walk or ride Pokémon.

[Like horses and big flying Pokémon. More interesting anyway, right?]

You from the future? [Because fast-travel stationed sounded very futuristic indeed, considering Snake was from 1984.]

video;

[kissmyaspis]

[... Right. So that kid before wasn't screwing with her. Great. Good thing Athena has many other skills to rely on in the absence of guns.]

What about a sword? A knife? A sharp pointy stick? You're telling me you can't get any sort of weapon here?

[She's already getting a headache, ugh...]

... The future? What are you talking about?

[cardboard_boss]

No idea. As far as I know there aren't any weapon shops around here. Too many kids. [That was his theory anyhow. Why have loads of weapons when you can use your Pokémon as one?]

People tend to use their Pokémon as weapons during battle instead of actual weapons. [Yep. No guns or swords.]

You mention fast-travel stations. Sounds a bit like science fiction.

audio

[thatwasours]

If you find a gun vendor, let me know.

Don't bet on it, though.

audio

[kissmyaspis]

I'll be sure to let every damn person who owns one of these things know.

[An annoyed huff.]

I still can't believe this place hasn't gone to hell without any sort of weaponry like that.

[thatwasours]

[DEEP BREATH]

Forget the guns. There's no governmental structure, and almost all interpersonal conflicts are solved by glorified dogfights, except there's hundreds of types of "dogs" that include six-meter long dragons and dogs that shoot fire. Everyone has equal access to these creatures-- the things are a common-pool resource, and simple enough to capture that a young child could do it. And they do.

It's total anarchy, but there apparently hasn't been a war here in a long time.

Oh, and they seem to have a socialized medical system, despite the apparent lack of a government. Or as far as I can tell, taxes.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[Whoop doop excuse me, VETERAN COMING THRU.]}

Hate to be the fifth or sixth bearer of bad news, but as someone who's been here awhile, I can confirm.

No weapons. Pokemon only.

And if you decide to go improv and start carving spears or whatever, just know that's not gonna go over well with the police, and as much as I hate to say it, they do have big fire-breathing dogs that will absolutely kick your ass.

I don't like it either, but them's the breaks.

You get used to it after awhile.

[Video]

[kissmyaspis]

A fire-breathing dog? That's it? I've fought bigger, and badder, and come out without a scratch.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Yeah, so have I, but not with my bare hands.

What are you gonna do, slap all the bus-sized policedogs to death?

video;

[pipers_son]

Well, as you've heard, ya ain't gonna get much in the way a vehicles, so... yer best bet is ta get a Pokemon big enough ta ride.

Or fly, if yer feelin' darin'.

video;

[kissmyaspis]

No vehicles? You mean I can't even get a motorcycle on this planet?

[She wasn't really expecting to find a Catch-a-Ride or anything similar, considering they don't even have any fast-travel stations, but no vehicles at all???]

video; whups mistagged ha ha my bad

[pipers_son]

...Well, there was a plane once, but I haven’t seen one since. It’s a bit of a mystery, ta be honest, but what about this place ain’t?

video;

[oldestfriend]

If you have your Pokemon companion, a gun seems a little bit frivolous, don't you think?

video;

[kissmyaspis]

I don't trust these things. I've seen enough dangerous wildlife on Pandora and Elpis to know that any animal that can breathe fire or ice or poison doesn't stay nice for very long.

But my own weapons? My gear? My own abilities? That I can trust.

video;

[oldestfriend]

Fair enough, I guess! Although I have to tell you, I have a big water crab, and she hasn’t done anything to me yet.

….And there’s Ronmeer.

[She turns the camera over, showing she’s sitting on a bench in Cherrygrove. Not too far away is a Magikarp just laying contentedly in the sand with only the occasional flop.]

You’d think it would need more water, but nah.