[Video] | [Action] - Route 29 - Backdated to late 8/8

[abstounding]

[Action - Route 29]

[Getting stranded on Pandora wasn't something he ever expected to be grateful about, but after spending god knows how many months on that hell, this "wilderness" might as well be a preschool playground. His only concern is water, and for all he knows, there could be a stream or something right around the corner.

Finding tinder and kindling is easy enough -- the forest is a great change of scenery from the wreckage, and he doesn't have to break apart desks for wood -- and his new friend solves his biggest problem in two seconds.

As he settles in front of the soon-to-be fire, he strongly considers looking for an axe in the next town; using his pokemon's admittedly sick strength to snap bigger branches every day would seem a little bit... exploitative.]

[Video]

[The feed opens on the first embers of a campfire clear of tall grass, the air around it still somewhat light at the start of the evening. It pans quickly around to settle on the cheerful faces of Vaughn and a Riolu.]

So, hey. If anybody else is coming from New Bark, Skagbait and I made this awesome setup you're totally welcome to join. We're only an hour, hour and a half out. You should be able to make it before it's dark, if you're interested, but we'll be here all night. Come get your campfire on!

Comments

audio;

[secondhandsome]

[Skag-- Well, that sure has to be someone else from Pandora or the... general area. Huh.]

Ha, wow... You seriously named your Pokémon Skagbait?

[abstounding]

[There's a short laugh across the audio feed, and a curious little noise from the pokemon afterward.]

I mean, my first thought was, y'know, "Thank god it's not a skag," which led to "A skag would probably eat this adorable thing alive," and... Well, it seemed funnier at the time. It's still pretty funny, though.

[secondhandsome]

[...Okay, that line of thought makes sense.]

Pff... Yeah, alright, it is a little. Definitely no skags here. But what is here is... honestly way weirder.

That's a cute dog-thing though, so hey, you got pretty lucky.

[abstounding]

"Weirder" is debatable, but they definitely seem nicer. Or at least far less aggressive. I've heard some aren't so nice, but. So far, so good.

You think so? I mean, I like her and she likes me, so that's great. What kind of, uh, little friend did you get?

Audio

[thedifferencebetween]

Ha! 'Skagbait'. That's good. I like that.

[Handsome Jack can always appreciate someone else with good taste in Pokemon names.]

But, uh. Question for ya, kiddo.

What the frig is up with all you bandits all of a sudden?

[Because yeah, this guy looks like a bandit. Possibly a hobo bandit, judging by that beard. Or was that rhetorical?]

[abstounding]

[Well, that, uh. That voice sure is distinctive. Is this a joke?]

You know, you'll probably have to ask whoever kidnapped us. "All" us bandits, though?

[Aw, yeah. Subtle enough? Hopefully.]

[thedifferencebetween]

If the hypothetical giant space llama that supposedly did it ever puts in an appearance, I will. Until then, I guess I'm just gonna be annoyed and voice my annoyance with rhetorical questions.

Did I stutter, cupcake? So who are you, anyway? Pretty fancy looking, for a bandit.

[abstounding]

Right... Have fun with that, I guess.

I don't know, it sounds like I might be too plebeian to associate with you.

video - 1/3

[atlasrising]

[ Rhys almost drops his gear when he hears that voice. There's no way, right? Oh god, there's no way.

He goes to press a button to send his reply, and promptly drops his 'gear. You'll probably hear Rhys swearing quite loudly as the little device rolls on the ground. ]

actually just 2/2 i guess? i got really excited sorry

[atlasrising]

[ Rhys has his cool! He's got this.

He picks it up, and...whoa. Wait a second. Vaughn was always totally recognizable with the little facial hair thing and the nerd accounting glasses, but this? No way, man. Vaughn's got a beard going on. Rhys runs his metal hand against his cheeks, which are about as smooth as they can get. Jealous. ]

Vaughn, I need you to- waitwait, I gotta...

private

Where are you? New Bark Town? Are you okay?

Listen, Handsome Jack is here. Do not talk to him.

private

[abstounding]

[He shouldn't be quite as surprised as he is, but honestly? Vaughn hadn't dared to hope to hear from Rhys here, especially not after hearing from some other familiar people. He'd planned on basically pretending like everything was fine and ignoring the fact that he was again stranded on an unfamiliar planet unlikely to ever see his best friend again... So he isn't really that great at hiding his relief.

It fades, however, when he realizes how distressed Rhys sounds.]

Hey, hey, I'm fine, bro. Don't worry about me. I've got Skagbait here and a fire going. We're alone in the woods somewhere.

But you don't sound so good. I mean -- I gathered Jack was here. I think he's trying to hide his face from me, but you listen to the guy on the loudspeakers for so many years and... Yeah, not forgettable. But he's... I mean, he's alive? I didn't know --

I haven't said anything to him. Anything identifying, I mean. I didn't want him to trace you through me. Not that I knew you were here. Just... in case, y'know?

[And a good thing, too, it seems.]

[atlasrising]

S-Skagbait...? [ Holy shit, what a nickname. He's not too sure how in the world Vaughn came up with a name like that, but that's another question for another day! Especially when he's pretty sure his old boss is talking to him and trying to find employees to sheep. ]

Okay. Things work...really weird here? Some people can be from one point in time, and someone else another time altogether. Like this is the first time I've seen you with a beard, dude. You're actually rocking it I gotta say.

But uh, anyway. It's confusing and a lot to take in, I know, but in this world Handsome Jack is alive. This is before the bandits killed him. So he doesn't know anything about the AI thing, or Helios. I mean, he knows it's gone, but he doesn't know what did it. Or, uh. Who did it.

[ Why, oh why does Rhys hear bells? ] I was afraid to get in contact with him when I first came, and Jack actually sent me a message and threatened me. Just...be careful, okay? I don't want him to hurt you.

[video]

[kissmyaspis]

[Athena has a damn good memory. So good that she can recite, word for word, pretty much everything anyone has ever said to her, even if it was years ago. So despite the fact that her and Vaughn never interacted much on their journey to find Gortys's missing pieces (on account of that nasty case of paralysis he had) and only met briefly while they were all preparing for the assault on the Traveler, she recognizes him.

Her expression doesn't really shift from anything other than neutral, but she does seem a tad... curious.]

You're the third person in about as many days to show up from Pandora. This is suspicious.

[abstounding]

[Yeah, the prevalence of familiar faces is... unsettling, almost. He'd expected to meet nobody he already knew, especially given others' testimony. It feels too convenient, given the apparent setting of this place.]

Maybe somebody just decided to rescue us from a living hell.

[He'd kind of rather they'd rescued the Children instead of him, though. He could make due on Pandora; them, not so much.]

[kissmyaspis]

Kind of hard to call this a rescue when they bring us to a place where Handsome Jack is alive and back to manipulating the population.

[And you know. There's the fact that she'd prefer to be back on Pandora, honestly. At least the daily routine of killing off any psychos who get too near her and Janey's place is something she knows how to do. Living on a pacifist planet? Not so much.]

[abstounding]

Yeah, that's... that's fair.

So there's no rhyme or reason to it. Probably. Maybe. Uh...

Look, I don't know what's going on any more than you do. What do you want me to say here?

action;

[shiro2hero]

[Sometime after their conversation, the reasonably beleaguered Shiro will make his way up the road. Toward where the sight of a fire is flickering.]

[The guy said he'd be around here. Maybe that's him.]

Hello? It's me -- the guy with the... arm issues.

[[heads up, i'm going camping tonight so i won't be able to reply til late tomorrow]]

[abstounding]

Oh, hey, --

[He never did get the guy's name, did he? Well... He makes a motion for the poor metal man to take a seat by the growing fire before him and his Riolu.]

Uh, I'm Vaughn, by the way. And this is Skagbait.

no worries dude!

[shiro2hero]

[Oh, good. That was a more relaxed arrival than he expected, considering he'd just sort of walked out of the dark. He nods, before carefully plunking himself down.]

[The Aron scuttles around his feet as he extends a hand -- human hand.]

Shiro. Sorry I... sort of forgot to mention that with all the arm-chewing.

video;

[pipers_son]

Well, yer settlin' in nice and quick! Most folks panic for just a little bit longer. Or are confused, that too. Both, sometimes.

[abstounding]

I wouldn't say I'm settled in, just panicked extra hard and got it all out of my system. But I talked to a few people and found some info, and. No point in freaking if I can't fix it, y'know? Still confused, though. Just used to roughing it.

[pipers_son]

Well, good for ya. On both accounts. Ya get a lot of folks here who aren’t used ta travelin’ like that. I had a travelin’ circus, so, y’know, that’s my excuse, ha! How about you, just a fella used ta the wilderness?

video;

[oldestfriend]

Not near New Bark, but whenever you get to Cherrygrove, you should let me know! You can call me Dee. It's always great to see new people showing up in this place, even if it can be pretty confusing.

[abstounding]

Sure, I can do that! I'm Vaughn.

Yeah, it's... it sure is something.

[oldestfriend]

Could be a worse something, right?