Video Post

[anexcitableboy]

Whoah

[The voice broadcasting over the 'gears is impressed and awed and a little overwhelmed. This is pretty amazing! Of course it helps that Jimmy's still a bit blotto from his most recent binge with Ima, and the shock of waking up here has worn some. Where is Ima, anyway? He blinks into the screen, eyes bloodshot red but expression one of wonder and curiosity. She couldn't have gotten far - she didn't move fast. It never occurs to him that he's on his own here.

A lifetime of science fiction comics and serials has prepared Jimmy to figure out the broadcasting feature of his 'gear relatively easily.]

I mean whoah. Look I've heard of crazy trips before, but this takes the cake. The colors, the music, the people.... Who was that broad that said she was my mom? That lady was not my mom. What kind of sicko tells random strangers they're their mother?

[That's a sensitive subject for Jimmy.]

This little guy with me's crazy, though! He looks like a dinosaur or something. Is he? I mean, hey, weirder things, am I right? I never had a pet before, couldn't have one back home. I mean there was the camp dogs, but they weren't pets.

[He turns the 'gear to show a Cubone sitting not far from his feet before swinging it back to himself.]

So what the hell is this place? I feel like I woke up and hey, suddenly I'm Captain Video. But all that stuff about UFOs and aliens landing in New Mexico...that's just bull, right? This is like some kind of...fancy new theme park? I read they were building one out in California next year. We get one down here, too?

By the way, I kind of lost...well, I guess I'm kinda lost. How the hell do I get back to Jupiter from here?

[It doesn't even look like Florida, it's got to be some kind of crazy theme park. Right?]

Comments

[defyingfrigidity]

A bit overwhelming, isn't it?

[Elsa laughs a little. Boy, she wishes she could've been so excited like this when she first arrived.]

Welcome to Johto. It's a land that's very likely far, far away from your home, but don't worry, you're safe here.

[anexcitableboy]

I'll let you know when I'm finished being whelmed!

[Jimmy laughs. Safe? Ha, sure. People like him are never safe. Jupiter was supposed to safe, and look how that had gone down. He's only safe until someone sees his hands.]

Joe-toe? That sounds like somewhere in the far east or something.

[defyingfrigidity]

It certainly seems similar to the East, from what I've seen in pictures and such. But these lands are... different. I know it sounds absolutely absurd, and I had a difficult time understanding it when I first arrived, but... right now, we're in an entirely different world.

[anexcitableboy]

Sweet jumping Christmas, you're pulling my leg, right?

You're making it sound like I was kidnapped by aliens or some shit.

[Pardon his language, he's not quite in his right mind at the moment.]

[defyingfrigidity]

Believe me, I wish I was joking. But I've talked to enough people here who have such strange tales of the places they come from that I can't help but believe it.

And I don't think kidnapped is the right word... [She frowns a little.] It's true that we were all brought here without consent, but as far as I've been able to see in the months I've been here, there's been no ill intent behind our arrivals here.

[anexcitableboy]

People can say whatever they want. I could tell you all about the city at the center of the Earth and the mole people that live down there, but that don't make it true.

[Jesus. This is too much. He knows there's weird stuff out there. He knows there's some kind of other world, but he's pretty sure that's reserved for folks who aren't breathing any more.]

...is this...are we dead? Did I...die?

[defyingfrigidity]

[... He does have a point there. But still...

Oh gosh. She upset him, didn't she? Time for some damage control...!]

Oh, no! No, you're perfectly okay! I understand that a lot of this is hard to take in, and it can be very confusing... but that I can most definitely assure you is not the case. You're alive and well, here.

... I'm sorry, I must be overloading you quite a bit with a lot of information. Perhaps it'll be more of a help if I answered any questions you might have instead...?

[anexcitableboy]

[Not dead, that was good. He doesn't remember dying, but he doesn't remember much of the day before waking here. He sighs and presses the back of his gloved hand against his forehead.]

Dollface, I don't even know where to start. This is...

This is crazy. And I'm used to crazy.

[defyingfrigidity]

[That gets Elsa to laugh again.]

I understand how you feel. Some... pretty strange things happened to me a few months prior to my arrival here, and I thought that would be the most intense adventure I'd ever be on. Clearly, I was wrong.

But this is a good sort of strange, I think.

[anexcitableboy]

If you say so.

What about...the people I was with? My family? I mean, I was with'em but...

[He's not anymore. And Ima's nowhere around. She'd been literally right next to him on the tumbling mats when he passed out. He remembers that much.]

[defyingfrigidity]

They're fine. Safe. Nothing is wrong back home.

[She reaches up, absently scratching the side of her head.] This is the point that I get completely lost, and I can't even begin to explain how it happens, so I apologize in advance, but... however long you stay here, it'll be like no time at all passed back home.

For example... my sister? She's been here since May. I arrived here in September. You would think I'd notice my own sister missing for that long of a time, correct?

But from my perspective, it had only been a few minutes since I'd last seen her.

[anexcitableboy]

Okay, this is way beyond your average spiritualist occult sh....stuff.

[Manners, Jimmy, when you're talking to a lady. Manners. He can hear Ma in his head. He isn't even worried about anybody, it's just shitty to be alone. Freaks stick with freaks, and the show is all he's ever known. Now he's out in The World on his own. Careful what you wish for, huh?]

So what's with the dinosaur?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Other nobles might've been appalled at the almost-slipup. But... hey. Waking up in a different world, away from everyone and everything you've ever known? Elsa can forgive him for his language. If she was one to curse, she probably would have when she first arrived, too.]

He's a creature native to this world, called a "Pokemon". There are hundreds of different species out there, and it's something of a hobby here to collect them and raise them.

[She turns away from the camera, calling out a name - "Sigurd!" - and after a moment, another Cubone appears, peering curiously at the camera. With a smile, Elsa scoops up the creature with one arm.]

This particular species is called a "Cubone". Very loving creatures, but Sigurd here can be quite hotheaded when he wants to be, so watch out.

[anexcitableboy]

A...poke-man. Okay. Okay. [This is all crazy, holy shit.] I've been calling this guy Omi. Or girl, I don't know how to tell.

[He eyes Omi again and shrugs. It probably doesn't matter, either way.]

Alright, here's a question for you. It's pretty damn cold. How easy is it to find a place to stay? I don't got much...

[His cigarettes, a book of matches, his mother's flask...there's nothing all that useful in his pockets and only so much in the rucksack that lady had given him.]

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh! Look for a building with a red roof - there should be one in each town. Those are Pokemon Centers. Their main function is to heal your companions free of charge, but you can stay there if you want someplace warm to sleep.

There are also inns and such, but those cost money.

[anexcitableboy]

Free sounds like the winning price. And they'll serve anybody?

[Even with his hands in his gloves, he knows he looks like a ratty vagrant. But if it's a free thing, it's like charity. Charity might look at you like something they scraped off their shoe, but they'd still give. He wasn't so proud right now as not to take advantage.]

[defyingfrigidity]

Of course. I don't think I've ever seen a single person be turned away from a Center.

[anexcitableboy]

Alright, let's see if I've got all this.

I went through some kind of time slip to another planet, it's full of these pokemon, I can't get home, and I'm looking for the place with the red roof in town?

[He's pretty sure that covers the important things.]

[defyingfrigidity]

More or less, yes.

[Oh wait! How could she forget.]

There is one other thing, though. I mentioned that the people here have made something of a hobby of raising these creatures? This hobby also involves, well... battling. Setting them against other Pokemon so that they can grow stronger.

It may seem barbaric, and believe me, I was very worried when I first heard about it... but they all enjoy it. Like it's all a game to them.

[anexcitableboy]

Geeze, no kidding? Well, Omi does look like he likes to play rough, I guess.

I'm Jimmy, by the way. Jimmy Darling. Thanks for all your help, that's real nice of you.

[defyingfrigidity]

It might be a trait shared among the species. I know Sigurd here loves to participate in battles.

[The Cubone makes a happy noise of agreement, swinging his club up into the air. Elsa has to lean back a bit to dodge, but her smile doesn't waver one bit. Looks like she's used to that.]

It's no trouble at all, Jimmy. I was in your situation once myself, and I know just how much simple information can go in putting your mind at ease. [Ever so polite, she inclines her head in a small bow, as proper as one can be over a video like this...] It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Elsa.

[anexcitableboy]

[Jimmy has to laugh. Of all the names she could have had...]

Jesus Christ, ain't that something? I lose one Elsa and here's another one, saving my ass. Don't tell me you're German.

[defyingfrigidity]

... Wow. And here I thought my name was rather uncommon. Talk about strange coincidences.

[She shakes her head.] And no, I'm not. The kingdom I come from, Arendelle, is a bit further north than Germany.

[anexcitableboy]

You're the only other one I ever met. And what do you know, you're both knockout blonds.

[Talk about strange indeed.]

Arendelle? That's one of those little ones, isn't it? I can never remember all of'em, world geography was never my best subject. Always kind of wanted to see France.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Geez, you're gunna make her blush at this rate. She's not really used to so many people complimenting her appearance, but it's happened so much since she arrived here...]

It's small, yes, compared to others. But what we lack in size we make up for in beauty, I think. Arendelle is one of the few kingdoms I know of where the Northern Lights appear year-round.

[Not that she's ever been to any other countries, but that little phenomenon is something a lot of the visiting dignitaries gush over constantly.]

I've heard wonderful things about France! Only stories, mind you, and stories tend to exaggerate... but it sounds like an amazing country.