[video / action for new bark town]

[meteorman]

[Ford is perhaps better-equipped than most to deal with suddenly being dropped into a strange world unlike anything he's ever seen before. That was his life for thirty-odd years, and that it's begun again doesn't trouble him much. He'll adapt; he always has, with time. The woman (clearly younger than him) calling herself his mother is a little strange, but further inquiry and a cursory scan of the literature included in his new backpack answer most of his questions. In particular, they explain the neat little device that looks very much like an odd cellphone. This 'Pokégear' can be used to communicate with other people, and so that is exactly what Ford decides to do. If he's learned anything in his prior experience with this sort of thing, it's to ask questions.

The camera shakes a little, and his face is sort of awkwardly off to the side of the frame, but he managed to get it working and that's the important thing. For a first try he's not doing all that badly. Behind him, trees and a couple of quaint New Bark Town roofs are visible.]

Greetings! Is greetings the polite form of salutation in this universe? My name is Stanford Pines, and like what I assume must be the majority of you, I am not a native of this world. I only just arrived today, in fact. This is probably the warmest welcome I've seen since the universe where every day is your birthday.

[That place got old really fast, honestly (and you got old really fast if you stayed there too long).]

But, to business. [He holds up a pokéball with the hand not holding the 'gear.] How do you open--

[As if on cue, the Pokéball pops open and out of the light materializes a small green creature. It takes one look at him, lets out a surprised trill, and zips away out of frame.]

Oh! [Ford peers in the direction it went, clearly thrilled to bits.] I think it hid in those bushes, hold on --

[Those who reply by 'gear will get to follow what is essentially Ford Pines liveblogging his attempts to recapture his own starter. Or perhaps, if you're in New Bark Town as well, you'd like to help in person? An old man crashing around in the underbrush on the outskirts of town is sure to draw attention.]

Comments

[meteorman]

Crushed you?

[Well. That sure does sound unpleasant.]

If you don't mind me asking, what Pokémon exactly were you assigned?

[secondhandsome]

It's called a Ditto. It's uh... It's really just this weird pink blob thing, usually. But it can shapeshift into any other type of creature and mine does it constantly.

Even while sitting on my shoulder. Some of these things can be... heavy.

[meteorman]

[What the fuck that's incredible. The way his eyes light up probably betrays exactly how he feels on the subject.]

Any other type of creature? That's -- why, that's amazing! Does it have a size limit? A change in weight implies a change in density, too, which is simply astounding--

[Stop him, quick, before he never shuts up.]

[secondhandsome]

Okay, I'm... really not an expert in how this works, so don't expect too much here.

[Did he make a mistake bringing this up? Possibly.]

But yeah, any type, I'm pretty sure? I don't know about limits, but it's been able to turn into everything I've encountered so far. I mean, it's turned into something at least several times its size before...

[meteorman]

[It's always a mistake to let Ford Pines start saying dork words.]

That shouldn't be physically possible... unless the laws of physics here are markedly different, or Pokemon warp them locally as-needed.

[After all, his Pokemon levitates. Fuck gravity, right?]

[secondhandsome]

Okay, I'm gonna level with you. Physics don't seem to mean shit when it comes to these things. I've only been here for like a month and I've already just... accepted that they don't make much sense.

I mean, my friend's Pokemon is a living, floating sword. I just kinda... go with it.

[meteorman]

I refuse to believe that. There must be a scientific explanation, even if it's unlike anything you or I would recognize. I intend to study these creatures during my time here, so perhaps I'll eventually hit upon answers.

[secondhandsome]

Oh, you're the scientific type, huh? Well, good luck with that? I mean, you've, uh... you've got one hell of a task there, so you're gonna need it.