video | action for New Bark Town

[rebelmom]

STEVEN! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!

[Steven's name is the first that comes to mind out of habit. Others are going to see her, she's sure, but she feels more comfortable calling the boy's name when she's being frantic.

Maybe he isn't here anymore. Maybe he wasn't here in the first place. In that case she's just making a fool of herself, but she has to try making contact. She has been terribly wronged.

She has a hat pulled down over the spot on her forehead where he gem would normally be, hiding the fact that it's no longer there. Everything is awful.]

And, ah... H-hello, everyone! Wonderful weather we're having today.

[Simply awful.]

action.

[Should anyone be in the area, they may find Pearl sitting outside a shop with three paper plates set in front of her. On each one sits a different type of food: a slice of pizza, a cheese sandwich, and a cupcake. She's looking between the three of them with a frown, a hand on her chin.]

But it's just so... greasy.

[She mutters this to herself, not so much as poking at any of them.]

Comments

video

[conniemaheswaran]

[The sun is setting on Route 8 when Connie has enough time (technically she could've done it on the road in between spinning endless bullshit with Dirk, but c'mon) to finally check the network as she's setting up camp.]

Pearl? You're here? I thought you disappeared with everyone else from that weird weekend, ohmygosh it's so good to see you!

[In the background, Pokémon are all over Connie's camp. Carly's Salazzle is making a fire. Nemean the Luxio is curled around Amaterasu the Alolan Vulpix, the later sleeping soundly as Nemean makes contented purrs. Artemis the Kirlia is practicing very familiar looking sword forms a little ways away from Connie using a stick. And, of course, Naga the Dratini is wrapped around her neck.]

[rebelmom]

Connie! [Pearl's face is suddenly filling the whole screen.] Did I disappear? I don't even know.

[Her eyes dart from one side to the other, then back at Connie. Her voice lowers even though that hardly matters.] I must have been brought back improperly. That has to be the problem. It can be fixed, right?

[She hates asking these questions here because she never gets the answers she wants.]

[conniemaheswaran]

[Fixed? What is she talking about, she seems perfectly-]

[ah,]

[Connie grimaces.] I'm pretty sure that you can't turn back, Pearl. Sorry.

[rebelmom]

If I was changed into this there has to be a way to change out of this.

[That only makes sense, right?]

We just have to find it.

[conniemaheswaran]

I... okay, sure.

[if it helps pearl cope then why not,]

[But Connie clearly doesn't believe it.]

[Time to change topics!]

I'm curious, what did you get as your Pokémon partner?

Video

[lifebloomsanew]

[Oh!]

[Rose blinks at the 'gear, caught entirely by surprise. A million things run through her mind.]

Pearl!

[rebelmom]

[Oh gosh. Oh of course this is real too. Oh no she can't be seen like this.

Pearl hastily covers the screen with her hat.]

R-Rose! So you really are here!

[lifebloomsanew]

I am!

Are you alright? I know what a shock it is to wake up here like this.

[Suddenly human.]

But I promise nothing's the matter with you, you're just human now. Like I am.

[rebelmom]

You are?

[Pearl is suddenly half-visible again, peering around the edge of the hat she's partially moved off the device. She hates this, but at least if they have this awkward thing to talk about they can avoid other awkward things.]

How can you say nothing's the matter? This is awful.

[Of course Rose wouldn't be bothered.]

[lifebloomsanew]

I am. I have been for almost two whole human years!

I know it must be so very difficult for you, but I've learned all about being a human! And Steven's here, he can help!

video

[holyspit]

Pearl!

[He's definitely still here, even if his memories of that weekend are mostly vague and dreamlike.]

Are you- ...oh, man, this means you're human now, aren't you. That's- are you okay?

[That's gonna be a rough transition.]

[rebelmom]

NO I'M NOT OKAY!

[The response is automatic. Being around humans is fine, but Pearl has never actually wanted to be one. The human body requires so much unpleasant maintenance.]

I'm sorry, Steven. I'm so very happy to see you. I'm also just very uncomfortable right now.

[How does he stand this?]

[holyspit]

I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise.

[Which. Might be a bit, unfortunately.]

It- wasn't good when I first got here, either.

[All the worst fears of his childhood rushing back all at once, at least he was used to basic bodily functions.]

[rebelmom]

Oh my gosh, I've been so unthoughtful! Are you alright, Steven?

[Is there anything she can do? It's still partly a selfish thought because anything she can do to help him will also help her take her mind off her current problem.]

Don't go out of your way if you're having trouble! Maybe I can come to you!

[She's sure this device has a map function somewhere...]

[holyspit]

I'm fine! It was- just kind of a shock at first.

[But if you're coping by helping him and he's trying to cope by helping you then WHO'S FLYING THE SHIP.]

Maybe we can meet halfway! But I was heading towards New Bark Town anyway, I- oh.

[Has she survived the Mom Bomb yet, that could be a thing. How to approach.]

...Ha-a-as anyone else from home greeted you yet? There's a few of us here.

[cometkin]

Oh hey, Pearl! You're here too!

[He honestly seems... kind of happy about that, actually. After all, they're kind of almost friends now, aren't they? Or some kind of family, anyway, through Steven and Rose.]

You doing okay?

[Because honestly, you don't look like you're doing okay. At all.]

[rebelmom]

Greg? GREG!

[Pearl's nose is practically mashed against the screen right now.]

Oh thank goodness. If anyone has experience with what not to do in a human body, it's you.

[In her head this might have been a compliment.]

[cometkin]

[... he's going to try to ignore the (probably) accidentally implied insult there, yeah. Pearl means well.]

Hey. Hey, it's okay. Really. Calm down, Pearl. We've got this.

First, have you eaten anything? Because that's something humans have to do every so often or we stop being able to function right.

[rebelmom]

I know humans have to eat, Greg. I'm aware of all basic human functions.

[At least his comment has dulled her frustration a little. She sighs, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from the screen.]

I'm just. Trying to find something palatable.

because i had to reference 'too many birthdays'

[cometkin]

Hm. What about pie? [He had thought she liked pie. Maybe it was the number one she liked.]

[styxiedust]

...I suppose it is, yes.

[That's a person who's several levels of not all right.

Okay.]

I guess I should start off with a couple of question before opening up the floor to answer your own: how much do you know about this world right now? Were you not a human where you came from? Do you have people from your own world right now who can assist you?

You can answer in any order you like.

[rebelmom]

Very little - there are weird animals everyone seems intent on catching. No. And yes.

[She answers hurriedly but politely, still feeling awkward about discussing this with someone unfamiliar.]

How many people are listening to this, do you know? I'm sure I can't have just addressed the entire galaxy, I assumed it was a more closed network than that.

[styxiedust]

Oh, welcome to the "wasn't originally human" club, then. Not that there's a formal club or anything but you aren't the only one, if that's any comfort.

[It's probably not, it's probably a weird thing to say but Botan leans towards being quirky and disarming.]

As for who can hear you now, anybody that has the device you have right now will have heard your initial broadcast. Not the entire galaxy for certain, just people who have the Gears--all people who have been pulled in from their own worlds, not natives of the world themselves. When you're having a one to one conversation though nobody can break into or hear that conversation unless they're nearby. The Gear is sort of like a mix between a phone and a computer with the "network" as we call it being a little like social media.

[rebelmom]

[It's not any comfort at all, but Pearl supposes she can appreciate the effort.]

...Thank you for the information.

[So it's a closed network, just as she'd suspected. That makes things only slightly less embarrassing.]

And what were you before, exactly?

[styxiedust]

Oh, any time! [This might sound sarcastic coming from anyone else but she really truly means it, she's always happy to help!] I've been here for some time now, do feel free to ask anything else.

[...Except. That one is a little complicated. But maybe not for her?]

Exactly? Mmm...I guess breaking it down to the barest basics, I'm a metaphysical bundle of energy shaped into a living being. I brought human souls to the afterlife when they died. Humans usually call it "the Grim Reaper"--though I'm hardly grim, I never quite liked that label, a little pretentious, a lot scary. I've been around the block for...not sure, something between three to eight centuries?