001 ❦ video

[sitdownbecider]

[The feed opens to the sight of a concerned-looking fruit, squeaking and hopping rapidly in hopes of gaining someone's attention. How did it turn on a pokegear without hands or fingers? Well you'll be happy to know that with a little panicked bouncing and a whole lot of concern, you can accomplish anything!

Eventually it will realize that the video is streaming, and with a triumphant chirp it rolls backwards out of view to reveal... someone that has fallen flat on their face! Seems that someone's "mother" decided to shove the poor girl out the door without even asking her how good she is with legs. What a faux pas! Learn a thing or two about social cues, huh?

Well either way, the young woman, clad in orange flannel and a tan cowboy hat covering her mess of blonde hair, slowly turns herself over with a groan before rising to her knees.]

Ugh, dang it. [The disdain on her voice is almost as heavy as her southern accent.] Can't a gal spend more than a few weeks at home before y'all come dragging her back to this crazy world? Now I gotta get used to two legs all over again...

Comments

[Text]

[cethflayn]

Excuse me, have I heard that correctly? This is your second time coming to this world?

[sitdownbecider]

[Oh shoot they're using text. How do fingers work again? It's probably something like...]

Third time actually. Never home for long though but time works kind of funny here.

Speaking of which, what's the date?

[cethflayn]

[She's so sorry, the concept of videos still escapes her.]

From what I have been told, it is the seventh of the month of January! We happen to have different names for months where I am from, but I am positive that is the correct date.

[sitdownbecider]

[It's okay, it took AJ a long time to get used to the idea of being able to see anyone from anywhere as well. It's pretty convenient when you're not used to having hands, though.]

That explains all the snow. It was springtime back home, so this is taking a little getting used to.

Hopefully the pokemon center sells jackets.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT]}

Ajaaaaaaaaaaay!

_{[Applejack has been and gone from this world a few times over... but hey, she referenced remembering this place. That's enough for Heather to toss the usual awkward "sooooo hey remember me"s out the window. If she doesn't, well, that's a problem for five minutes into the future!]}

What's up, dude!

[sitdownbecider]

Heather!

[AJ scrambles from her previous position to pick up the dropped pokegear.]

There’s my favorite blonde troublemaker. [She can’t help but grin.] How you been, Sugarcube? Getting on alright?

[foolishwren]

Oh, you know, being blonde, making trouble.

You're one hell of a sight for sore eyes-- it's been awhile!

_{[Indeed, Heather does look older. Still twenties somewhere, but older.]}

You just missed a bunch of apocalyptic nonsense.

[sitdownbecider]

[AJ however hasn’t aged a day. Well, she’s aged a day. Several, in fact, but not anywhere near as many as Heather seemed to.]

Sounds about right to me. If the world ain’t ending a few times a year I ain’t sure I’d know what to do with myself. [Other than, you know, living a normal life?]

But has it really been that long? I wasn’t home for more than a long vacation.

[cyclonely]

Are you and your sentient mangosteen okay? How many legs did you use to have?

[sitdownbecider]

...My what now?

[The bounsweet chirps, bouncing beside her trainer.]

Uh, we’re fine. Appreciate the concern. [Her pride keeps her from answering the second question. There are no problems with her legs!]

[cyclonely]

Your pokefruit! [Ok, not answering the legs thing. That's ok! Maybe she actually meant that she's in a wheelchair when she's not here and John was just really rude. He's pretty sure it's rude to push with stuff like that.]

Anyway that is good to know! Sometimes it's an emergency when someone's pokemon has to contact people for them so I am glad it wasn't this time. If you were here before, did Mom recognise you? The PokeMom, I mean.

[sitdownbecider]

Pearl's doing just fine. [The happy little bounsweet leaps up into her trainer's lap, getting an affectionate scratch under her leaves as a reward.] It was her quick thinking that turned this video on in the first place.

But, uh, no. She didn't recognize me. Least, not any more as she did the last time, her thinking I'm her daughter and all. [She shrugs. Sometimes crazy is just crazy.]

She was just as quick to push me out the door as she always was.

Video;

[schachmeister]

Are you all right?

[Armin notes the mention of having been in this world before, though he can't remember ever seen this woman before. But then again, maybe he just missed seeing her? He's been here for three years now. It must have been within that time, right?]

[sitdownbecider]

[What, never seen a girl eat dirt before? You know it's not nice to make fun of people's dietary habits.]

I'm alright, I'm alright. [She's just going to take a moment to adjust her hat.]

Just that crazy woman who thinks she's our mom shoving me out the front door. My legs got tangled up, that's all.

[schachmeister]

She can get pretty forceful.

Well, this is usually where I tell you I'll try and answer any of your questions, but it sounds like that won't be necessary. I guess a welcome back will be more appropriate.

[sitdownbecider]

Reckon I could still use a catch-me-up.
I get the feeling it's been a little while since I was last here.
What all's been happening lately?

video

[islandshore]

[.......

Give Riku a second as he stares in disbelief.

It has been years.

And.

She remembers.]

You...

[Uh. Words, Riku. Use words to speak.]

Well. Didn't see this coming.

[sitdownbecider]

[Oh oh oh there you are! AJ pops back up to her feet, grinning wide.]

What's the matter, Riku? You look like you just saw a ghost or something. Hope you don't look that surprised when I kick your butt.

[Crap leaning leaning leaning AJ flails only a tiny bit while she fights this stupid gravity as it tries to drag her two-legged body back to the earth.]

[islandshore]

Pfff. Nah. Just wasn't expecting to see you again after so long. I mean, sheesh. How many years has it been?

[He's asking himself more than anything. The years kinda blurred.]

But, hey. Once I figure out what I'm doing with my gym, you're on.

[sitdownbecider]

[Okay. Hold up. There's a lot to take in right there.]

...Beg pardon? Years? What are you even talking about?

And a gym? You own a gym now?

[Audio]

[uber_marionettist]

[This isn't the hardest thing I've done. This isn't even the hardest conversation I've had to start, personally. I could even be wrong. Which wouldn't even make this the top ten list of conversations I made way harder than necessary for absolutely no fucking reason at all.

.....

Son of a bitch. Why am I holding my breath?]

You're... Applejack.

[Fuck. I meant for that to be a question.]

[sitdownbecider]

[O...kay? I mean she was expecting to be recognized but mostly by people she recognized back.]

Uh, yes? That's me, alright.

[uber_marionettist]

[Holy. Shit.]

....

I'm a big fan.

[...I choked. Did she notice? Was that noticeable? Maybe I should have said more. Now there's too much of a lull, I'll sound like a fucking freak. Who am I kidding. I already sound like a freak. How could I make it any worse?]

I named my Farfetch'd after you, actually. One of them. I have two.

[Shut the fuck up, holy shit!]

1/2

[sitdownbecider]

You did what now...?

[Okay what even is going on right now. She's literally just come crashing back into this world and now this random guy is naming stuff after her?]

2/2

[sitdownbecider]

[Okay, AJ. Okay. You were kind of a big deal when you were here before, right? Like you never got a chance to challenge the Elite Four but you had all the badges and people knew who you were. Maybe you... inspired this guy to get into pokemon training?

Yeah, that must be it.]

Sorry, I'm just not used to being approached like this.

[...] Not that you're actually approaching me right now, you're using the pokegear and all.

[Not making this easier right now, AJ.]

But that's real sweet of you, naming one of your pokemon after me. I hope you've trained her to live up to the name. [She chuckles. Awkwardly.]