[Video]

[bugbeverage]

_{[The feed opens on a man's face very close to the screen. His eyes flick between the lens and the little in-picture image of himself in his Poke'gear's screen. This man is filthy and his eyes are rimmed with red. He licks his dry lips. He was about to address the entire world after untold years of sheer isolation, this had to be good.]}

Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhey.

_{[His voice is gruff and thin. The B-man hasn't quite gotten used how much air he needs in his lungs in order to speak. He opens his mouth to say something else but his attention is swiftly stolen by someone passing in his peripheral vision. He whips his head away takes a good long look at something before turning back to his audience.]}

HEY, HI, HOW'S IT GOIN'? This isn't how I saw my day goin', but I'm not complaining! Who doesn't love a little dimensional slip-up? Especially when it comes with perks. And a guide? What is this, my birthday? Might as well be! I've never been--

_{[He lifts the Trainer's Manual into frame when suddenly his attention starts to drift again, as though he's thinking many thoughts all at once. His chest sort of hurts. Oh. Huh. That's a sexy new sensation!]}

You know what I always say--

_{[Without warning, the man swoons and drops his 'gear. It goes tumbling, landing face-down on the path. The concerned chattering of a Pokemon can be heard from his end of the line. There is some scrambling and the creaking of plastic before the newcomer reappears. He's laying on the ground now, on his side, one leggy kicked up like he meant to do that. Mr. Juice has been saddled with the Bug Maniac's class attire and honestly he's ROCKING those shorts. He's also very winded. A Mimikyu peeks over his middle, one shadowy paw brought to its false mouth in concern.]}

--I always say, when in Rome, do as the Romans! I used to know some Romans, real swell guys. Total party animals! So, my fellow philosophers, what's a guy do to have fun around here?

Comments

video;

[machismost]

[ Mans looks like he's already arriving on hard luck! The best thing for a would-be-superhero-teen to do is help! So the video on this end is of a young man with cherry red hair but, more importantly, a mouth full of razor-sharp, shark-like teeth. BJ may catch a hint of tiredness and concern to him, since he definitely just saw our dude eat dirt a moment ago, but his expression is still sincere if a little pumped up. ]

Yo! I love your positivity, dude! I'm Kirishima!

There's a lot around to do for fun, but you're new, right? Did a lady named 'Mom' just boot you out of her house?

[video]

[bugbeverage]

_{[Oh, man, oh MAN it's good to be seen! Kirishima's expression. The living man zeroes in on that--proof that he wasn't just talking to thin air! Sympathy! He could almost smell it! Or maybe that was a burst vessel in his nose from face-planting. He notices those chompers right away but there's something more important to address.]}

It's a pleasure, I'm sure! Love the hair! Festive! And thaaat's right! I'm fresh off the vine!

[machismost]

[ For all he's tired, the boy is like a sunset, brimming with energy and more warmth to give. ]

Hey thanks! [ Self-consciously, his hands try to ruffle his spikes a little higher with little strokes. Beetlejuice has made him want to fluff up emotionally, but now it's gotten to the physical plane. ]

So you've got two options! One, you go to a spa, or two, you go on a cruise!

[ Pause pause... We all get there's a 'but' coming up. Kirishima isn't a used car salesman, though. He's selling it this way because he doesn't want to discourage the newcomer. But he is honest. ]

It'll take you a couple of days going through some tall grass wilderness to get to the spa... and that's kinda dangerous. On the other hand, taking the cruise is more of a ferry, and you'll have to spend almost all of the money you got in the bag 'Mom' gave you to go on it.

[ The grin quiets to a softer, sympathetic smile. ]

But um... You can't go back to where you're from. Sorry... I've actually never had to tell someone that before...

[ And the sun is dimming even more, the twilight of someone who is feeling truly sorry to deliver bad news finally hitting. ]

[video]

[epitaffio]

[... If Doppio weren't fairly sure hard drugs can't even exist in this place, he'd have some serious suspicions right now. As things stand, he simply has concerns.]

Are you in New Bark right now? I dunno if there are a lot of people back there just yet, a lot of us have been sort of... expeditioning lately.

[video]

[bugbeverage]

That why this place is a ghost town? I've seen ghost towns and whoof, this is one of 'em!

[video]

[epitaffio]

Yeah, I think so.

[He... can't really elaborate, though. Being a Rocket, Doppio has never actually been in New Bark Town, so any speculation he offers may easily be off-base.]

So... Are you okay? [He tilts his head.]

[video]

[talkyourwayout]

[Louie's just going to stare at the screen for a moment. Even the fact that this guy is familiar with something like a dimensional slip-up doesn't explain all of... Whatever he just saw.]

Romans, huh? So are you some kinda time traveler, or...?

[video]

[bugbeverage]

Well sure, squirt, if you count going forward as time travel!

[talkyourwayout]

No, I'd count that as aging.

[A sigh, and he shakes his head.]

So are you just really old? [Not a foreign concept to Louie.] Also, my name's Louie.

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

[Well, that's mildly concerning, but probably okay, right...?]

That depends on what sort of fun you're looking for, I guess.

[Video]

[bugbeverage]

Only every kind!

_{[He smiles impishly, catching his tongue in his yellow teeth.]}

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

Every kind, huh...

[Not picky, could be good or bad...]

Well, most of what's available is gonna have to do with Pokemon, around here. Lots of people like battling, there's the gym challenge as part of that, some people enter contests when those are sometimes held, some people do research into the local legends...

...ahh, but those are kind of broad-strokes, huh.

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[...hm.]

[Theatrical leg has gotten Envy's attention. Maybe he should steal that for whenever he next falls over.]

All kinds of things, depends on what your idea of a fun is.

Whatever a Roman is, do they go around throwing ballroom dances or raves or what?

[video]

[bugbeverage]

_{[Get a good look, Envy! This guy's always pulling something out of his sleeve.]}

Ballroom dances? Are you serious? Romans throw the sickest parties. Wine, sex, tigers fighting each other, food! They'd go on for days!

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[OH WOW. Envy's eyebrows raise, but it's an enthusiastic kind of surprise.]

Wow, I haven't heard of people throwing parties like THAT since ancient Creta!

Well, I haven't seen anything here like a tiger, but lions are pretty easy to come by, I've got one. Animals fighting each other for sport is kind of the thing here.

As for wine, it's a hike to get to Violet, but that's where these monks make "grape juice". [He uses the air quotes he learned from Heather.]

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Well, if you're anywhere near New Bark Town, the hot and happening thing to do is... walk. Until you get somewhere that actually has hot and happening things to do.

So, did the Romans really just stick dicks all over everything to ward off the evil eye or is that just a lie that the internet told me in high school?

[Video]

[bugbeverage]

_{[He shoots Heather a wink.]}

They sure did, sugar! And not just because of some prying eye, it was funny as shit and they knew it!

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[SUGAR, HUH. She's been called worse things, so while attempted flirtation is generally her least favorite first interaction with anybody, she snorts.]}

I mean, they were right.

I hope they'd be happy to know that the tradition proudly lives on in the form of "every desk in the back of any classroom" and "that one ugly bridge that nobody wanted built on the edge of Violet City".

video

[meteorman]

You may want to rest a little first before you go looking for 'fun'. You look dead on your feet. Generally the trip to this dimension isn't so rough on the body.

[Ford. Ford some people are just, like. Tired sometimes.]

video

[bugbeverage]

<sub>[Dead on his--he. Dead on he. De--]

[Beetlejuice breaks into raucous laughter, jostling the 'gear as he does so. He slaps the ground with the arm he was propped up on.]</sub>

[meteorman]

[uh]

Do you always tend to react like this to general advice or this is the post-transuniveral trip delirium setting in?

[video] (can i offer you a goth teen)

[fortuna_tenax]

( holy shit, give her a moment to stop laughing before she actually turns on the camera. okay. )

You catch on quick. But generally there's all kinds of things... travel being the main thing. Wild, I know. If your friend there's up for it, there's also battling? Which is just... really intense sparring matches, honestly. Otherwise, it's pretty much up to you. The cities are like any other. Sometimes there's big events like parties or fairs, though.

[video]

[bugbeverage]

_{[He preens a little at the compliment, slicking back his filthy hair.]}

Didn't get where I am now by not rolling with the punches!

[strings_theory]

[What in the absolute fuck shit is she looking at here. She's used to dramatic idiots, but this is a new level of it and she's unsure if she likes this or not. But whatever, she'll flick the video on with a roll of her eyes. Very pointedly. Just ignore the ocean in the background with a slowking staring off at said ocean and a vaporeon splashing around in the water.

Or the fact when she's shifting the video to be perched somewhere that she's got some kind of bikini top on. Whatever, it's summer.]

If you're out in New Bark, there ain't much to do 'round there. There ain't much of shit until you get to Goldenrod proper which is kind of a big city with a gambling den, shopping, shit like that. Also heard tale of theaters of the tasteful and more risque variety in Ecruteak which is the city past Goldenrod.

There's also the Sevii Islands but good fuckin' luck gettin' there until you have the money. [She's taking note of what she can with a small bit of a hum, this dude also looks... winded. Weird.]

... You not have to breathe or somethin' before comin' here? Real question, you wouldn't be the first.

[bugbeverage]

_{[The newcomer listens with each and every bit of his attention.]}

Now that sounds like my kinda place! And, as a matter of fact, no.