video.

[torsion]

[ The video comes from a slanted angle, propped up by something and illuminated by the soft glow of a nearby fire; the crackling of it can be heard before she speaks. Jill is settling down about three, four feet from the screen, quickly sitting with her legs to the side on her sleeping bag, wearing a veteran's long, navy-colored coat. An Eevee reveals itself from between the fold of her open coat and curls up in her lap. Its ears twitch when she speaks, but it makes no motion to move otherwise. ]

I'm still a little sour about having my things taken from me. [ But her tone is clear it's in good humor. ] No weapons, though? I get it... but I'm out here like this. Even a pilot's knife would be useful. Guess I'm just asking what the rules are about that sort of thing? Be nice to have a hand axe, too, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

[ She gestures some with a hand while speaking, laughing about the axe even if she's quite serious about the notion. If she needed wood or a plant, it would make her gathering more efficient and would also prevent her from unnecessarily damaging the source of it. ]

I'm nearing Violet City now, I think. Not sure what to expect, so I'd appreciate any advice if you have any. Also, if there are any jobs that are less... customer service and more physical labor, I'd love a head's up. [ It seems to be a phrase the Eevee knows, lifting its head to look at her proper. She reassures it with a little nudge of her hand, giving its cheek something warm to lean into. ] Not sure what's available but I've got a few specialized hobbies and skills and I'm more resilient than I look, promise. And... I think that's about it for now? Thanks for your time.

[ With that, she inches toward the gear and turns it off, leaving you a nice shot of her coat draping the screen. ]

Comments

video;

[schachmeister]

Violet city is nice. It's not as big as Goldenrod for example, but it certainly is a lot bigger than the places you must have passed. If you are interested in that sort of thing, there is a school in town that allows you to study up on pokemon a bit. It's mostly focused on the basics of battling, but it can be helpful.

[Armin had definitely taken a peek or two at the books there. He also, sadly, doesn't know anything about physical jobs available because he has noodle arms.]

If you are interested in collecting the badges, there is also a gym in Violet City that specialises in flying types.

[torsion]

From what I've gathered from looking at this thing, it seems Goldenrod's a popular place? [ She's really only been to two cities thus far. They're both much smaller than what she's used to, but she enjoys small and quiet towns. It's a nice reprieve. ] Honestly, a little help on that would also be useful. I learn best hands-on, but I'm pretty fond of a good manual or how-to.

[ We can't all be like her partner back home with arms so strong you can snap someone in half with the right kind of hug. It's more her legs that have power, but she knows if it's all cardio lately a little lifting will help keep her from losing her muscle mass. ]

Not sure about it, but there seems to be a lot of pros over cons to collecting them. I've only got this guy so far and we're still working on training. [ She says it like they literally train together. ] I'd probably have to wait a while to put up much of a fight. Thanks for the head's up, though. I'll study up on flying types now that I know.

[schachmeister]

My friends and I just stayed in Goldenrod for a few weeks. It's-- [He thinks for a moment, trying to find the best way to phrase it. He tends to do this a lot. Not a word leaves his mouth unless Armin has very carefully considered it.] ...I think what attracts a lot of people to Goldenrod is that there is always something to do and it's big enough that there is something for everybody there. Someone told me it is the best place to go shopping because you'll find things there that you can't find in any other city, so that draws a lot of people too.

Uhm. It was a bit too big for my tastes though.

[He's just a simple boy from a simpler time. You know, before electricity, television and indoor plumbing. Armin definitely had marvelled at some of the stuff Goldenrod has on offer --like the library-- but the shops with their bright fluorescent lighting and areas like the game corner and the crowds had been a bit too much for him.

But, right, the gym.]

Falkner can be pretty unforgiving if you don't have a type advantage. My first pokemon was a flying type as well, and it took us weeks of preparing.

[torsion]

I thought that would be the case. It makes sense that somewhere so big that people would primarily gather in one spot. Hard to meet up if everyone's spread all over, right? [ And that sort of thing, of course, is helpful. Convenience is great. ] I prefer things a little smaller myself.

[ She vaguely tilts her head to gesture at her surroundings, like it indicates she's made this choice to hang out and camp rather than stick to inns and the like for more than just pinching-pennies.

She prefer the indoor plumbing and electricity, though. Definitely prefers that first one. ]

Figured. I'd rather be on the safe end than have my friend here injured. I know there are ways to heal him, but it's pretty unnerving to be responsible for someone else's safety. A bad call that's on you makes it worse.

[ She doesn't comment on the "type advantage" part because she's just trying to figure it all out. She's looked into some of it and the basics are easy to remember (like water beating fire), but she'll have to try to figure a way to remember this stuff. ]

[schachmeister]

It is. It took me a while to really get used to the idea. My pokemon was more confident about battling than I was.

[Armin peers at the screen, trying to get a bead on what pokemon she has.]

That's an eevee, isn't it?

[He's read about those! They sound pretty fascinating. What other pokemon can evolve in that many different forms?]

[torsion]

Second nature to them, right? I think I'd be a little more confident if I was fighting with them or I had one or two more to help back him up, but I'm not quite ready to add to my team.

[ She wants to make sure she can adequately give them attention and care for them. The last thing she wants to do is focus too much on one while neglecting another. ]

He is. At least that's what I was told. [ She gently weaves her fingers through the bit of scruffy fur on its head and slides down to rub through the fluff around his neck. It makes a pleased sound. ] They're pretty neat. Gotta wonder if it says something about me, what I've been saddled with.

[Video]

[agent3]

'M there now. In Violet.

[The message comes from a girl with blue hair, of all things, perched in the branches of a tree. It's not terribly high up - the trouble with knowing you have bones is the fear of the unknown, ie what it's like to break one - but it's enough that Jill might notice.]

Deliverin' stuff for the Mart's good. Run around...carry stuff. Can clean places too, I think. Did that somewhere else.

[...It's...a brief, clipped message, but it hopefully has the information Jill's looking for?]

[torsion]

That so? Haven't really heard much about it so far.

[ Well, at least it seems someone of her own kind -- but that just might mean she lies hanging outside. Still beats the hustle and bustle of the big city. ]

That'll do for now, I think. Not the most intensive work, but the cardio's been killing me. [ Also, she figures she doesn't have the best "bedside manner" when it comes down to it. Especially since she doesn't know the customs of this place. ] Thanks for the tip.

[agent3]

[It just feels good to be high up...and it's not socially acceptable to climb onto a stranger's roof.]

Mm. Cardio...'s runnin', right? I run lots anyway. But always carried my brush at home, so...'s different.

[torsion]

[ You can battle cute animals, but not hang out on rooftops? What kind of world is this? ]

Think of it as energy use or weight loss versus muscle building or muscle retaining. Both are good, but too much cardio means I'm going to lose my muscle mass.

[ Especially since she's moving quite a bit. She pauses, though, curious about that last bit. ]

Brush?

[agent3]

[Putting it like that does make a bit more sense. Thida nods in understanding before offering an explanation of her own.]

Inkbrush. Real big...kinda like a mop? But 's for ink. Play in Turf Wars...gotta spread ink all over.

Video

[dreamsofahero]

I don't know how much of it is "rules" and how much is just peculiar to how this world works, but it seems that any kind of bladed weapon is unobtainable. There's certainly kitchen knives and such, but you have to take care not to dull them quickly.

*which is super weird because a dull knife is a HECK of a lot dangerous than a sharp one, but that aside...*

As for Violet City, it's perhaps one the smaller end of the medium-sized cities of the region. One of its notable features is a tower known as the Sprout Tower for its pillar's resemblance to a bellsprout's swaying. As for work, however, it's hard to say. Perhaps you could inquire about a position stocking shelves at the pokémart instead of working the counter?

[torsion]

Hm, thanks for the info. Didn't know what was what on all this. [ Only that her weapons were all gone. Guns? Fair enough, but she's had her knives for ages. ] Guess if it's so hard to find anything like that, it would make sense that anything for cooking would be just well enough for its purpose.

[ You don't need to tell her. Though she doesn't need actual weapons to use something as one. Jill doesn't think she'll need anything like that for that sort of purpose, but it would be nice for a more effortless travel situation at times. ]

I'm not close enough to see a tower yet. [ She squints in the distance, though, to see if she can catch it. It's still probably a ways off, then. But she's been settling down so her Eevee can get proper rest. It's low level and it's her only partner right now, after all. ] I'll check it out when I'm there, both the tower and maybe a stock position. Not my ideal, but I don't belittle hard work.

[dreamsofahero]

Well, considering how powerful and dangerous many pokemon naturally are, I don't know how much sense it actually makes, but it's one of the consistent peculiarities of this world.

*and a frustrating one. Sion doesn't advertise it, but he's long been in the habit of keeping a repurposed kitchen knife hidden on his person at all times, because he dislikes being defenseless and old habits die hard....*

Short of starting your own business of some sort, there's unfortunately few options for work here. But you can make a reasonable living on what is available, at least.

[torsion]

That's kind of what I was thinking, but I guess everywhere has it's one... thing.

[ She intends to do something of the same. Maybe make her own, though. It shouldn't be hard once she's situated, but she'll try to keep it small. A nice pilot's knife should do for emergencies. That way she can cut any rope or her backpack or whatever if needed. ]

Ah, well... well, I guess it'll do. Not really interested in setting up shop, unfortunately.

[dreamsofahero]

This place does seem rather adept at leaving people from other worlds bewildered, if nothing else.

*the weapons thing, the pokemon themselves, the strange economy....*

I take it you've relatively recently arrived here?

video;

[moneylogues]

Oh man, the weapons thing, I know, right? I'd kill to just have a good knife with me. Not that I could kill someone like this. [At first he sounds annoyed, but now he smiles slightly, and he shrugs.] ...Pretend that sounded less like I'm a psychopath who wants to stab someone.

[At least he's aware of how that might come across.]

I don't know about more physical jobs like that, but if you ask around in the cities you might have some luck. Gotta be stores looking for something like that. At the very least they have to have a better option than, god forbid, retail.

[torsion]

Hey, I'm the one talking about knives and axes, here. [ She also implied she had more on her than just a knife when arriving here. If anything, she realizes she mustn't look too innocent. ] Let's just start over and pretend it's less awkward to talk about weapons.

[ She completely and totally gets it. Her knife had become an extension of her body. ]

I haven't worked retail since... well, it's been a hot minute. [ And nearly two decades ago. ] Thought there'd be some farm work available, at the very least, but that's probably only in very specific areas...

[moneylogues]

Ha, true! Just wanted to be sure I didn't give off any weird impression there. But I guess we understand each other pretty well.

[Mind you, he does really wanna stab someone. Just... so bad. So bad.]

Yeah, I'd help you out with that if I could, but I've been sticking to the cities myself, they're more my scene. I think I read something about there being a farm between Ecruteak and Olivine? I haven't headed that way myself, and it's kinda far, but hey. Could be something.

[torsion]

Weird's subjective and no one's really normal. I like to think I'm a pretty good judge of character and can tell if someone's out to chop me up into pieces or not.

[ She can't say she's not quite the same, but she has self-control. A tree or something for throwing practice would be well enough on her end, however ]

Convenience, I get it. I guess I'm between on those things. I like the idea of walking a few blocks for a meal or groceries or whatever, but I get frustrated with people pretty quickly. I'll keep that in mind, though. Might be a worthwhile place to set up camp when I get there and work for a bit. Appreciate the head's up!

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[HERE COMES HEATHER 'I'M STILL MAD I DON'T HAVE MY KATANA' MASON to help you in this trying time.]}

Rules are pretty much if the tools have a practical use, they won't get you in trouble, but the more likely they could be used to go all Texas Chainsaw Massacre on somebody, the less likely you'll be able to keep 'em.

Kinda sucks, but wellp, that's what they expect you to use your Pokemon for.

As for jobs, you can find a lot if you snoop around. One time a dude paid me to throw yams at his Tauros to distract it long enough for him to run into the paddock and refill the trough, because I guess the usual farmer who did it was sick that day and the thing would charge anybody who wasn't its favorite.

video!

[torsion]

[ It just would be so much more convenient if they had stuff like that! Chopping firewood, not accidentally strangling yourself if your backpack gets caught and you fall somewhere, using ropes to escape (or climb down really suspicious elevator shafts, don't worry she doesn't judge)... you know, and so forth. ]

I could think of practical usage for almost anything, but I guess my definitions might be different than ol' Leatherface. Guess I could see if I could find a small pilot's knife if that's the case. [ But who knows? She doesn't feel like it could be damaging, but the powers that be might think a butter knife is more than enough to get the job done. ] Kinda feels awkward to ask a newly bonded friend to deal with that sort of thing for you. Plus, pretty sure an Eevee isn't built to cut firewood. I mean, he'll grab twigs with me, but...

[ She reassures it with a little scritch-scratch of the tufts of fur on its head. She really does appreciate its help, even if it typically will grab a few tiny sticks at a time. There's only so much it can fit in its mouth, after all. ]

Heh, so I guess you made a friend since -- hopefully, I mean -- you weren't charged? [ Honestly, that seems a little more up her alley, but actual farm work would be nice. Not that she's super into hard work, but in lieu of a gym it would keep her busy, distract her, and give her some savings. Can't really ask for more than that. ] Guess there's all kinds of jobs in these parts, huh.

Re: video!

[foolishwren]

Yeah, me too, but whatcha gonna do? My advice is get one of those little Swiss army knives from a Mart somewhere. They're not the greatest, but they'll do in a pinch.

_{[At the question, she laughs.]}

Well, I don't know if I'd call him a friend, since he was pretty mad about everything, but I was on the other side of the fence, so no complaints here.

_{[She pauses briefly to rummage at her side, then holds up a Pokeball of her own. Not for any reason other than to give her hands something to do, apparently.]}

The other thing is that once you're here awhile and have gotten the hang of things, you can feasibly earn a living on battling alone. That's what I do. ... 'Course, I've been here longer than most, so...

[torsion]

Didn't notice them last time, but I'm toward bigger cities now. Honestly those things can be life savers. Still better than trying to use your nails to open a can, right?

[ Honestly, she gets the feeling everyone's had some interesting experiences here. She's had a few already, but nothing quite like chucking yams as a distraction... yet. ]

Guess I really lucked out when it came to the temperament of my partner, then. From what I gather Eevee are pretty easy to handle.

[ She makes a bit of a face. While on one hand she's thankful for it, it doesn't feel quite like her when she takes it into consideration. But it's a speedy little thing. That's something they have in common. ]

Ah, I see. [ A teasing tone, like she considers calling her cool or something but decides against it and just smiles. ] Not sure if that's quite my style since I could stand for some physical work myself, but anything's better than retail. If you don't mind me asking, how long you been in this place?

[ She's careful there, much more gentle to make it extremely clear that if she doesn't feel like talking about it then there's zero hard feelings. They can talk about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams instead for all Jill cares. ]

[foolishwren]

Oh, yeah, Eevees are great. _{[LITERALLY WHO DOESN'T LOVE EEVEES. Heather does catch that slight grimace on Jill's face though, and holds up a hand.]} They're versatile as hell, so don't underestimate them. But I've literally never met a mean one. <sub>[AND SHE'S MET A LOT. Between her own Espeon, her friends' various Eeveelutions, to the colorful menagerie of them that just LIVE IN THE HOUSE without really having an owner...]

[As for the question, Heather doesn't look offended at all (though don't think she didn't take notice of that teasing tone). She's well aware that it's not a question that tends to be received well by most people, but she's... well, one of the few who never minds talking about it. And the genuine pride in her tone probably says that for her.]</sub>

Seven years.

Not to brag or anything, but I know this place like the back of my hand.