|1| [Video/Action for near New Bark Town]

[wing_attack]

[There's a... very uncertain-looking young man peering into the camera. He's really not sure what to make of any of this. It's a little hard to believe that he's like this, and he can't morph, and that there are Pokemon.]

[... He's trying to keep it together.]

So... uh.

[Great start, Tobias.]

I guess... I'm stuck here? No one in town really had anything useful to say. None of this makes much sense. And I'm guessing asking how to get home isn't going to get me any real answers, either.

[There's a squawk off-camera, and he looks concerned for a minute.]

I'm guessing the first step is to head to the next town, right? And start building up a team...

[... Why did he make this broadcast anyway?]

... If anyone's got any advice for that kind of thing, feel free to give it.

[He clicks the broadcast off.]

[Action]

[He's not in New Bark Town anymore. He's nearby, but he's sitting in a small area free of tall grass, staring down his Pokemon. What's a Rufflet, anyway? ... At least the body language is familiar. He holds out his hand, waiting for the little Pokemon to approach.]

[... This might take a while.]

Comments

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Damn. A whole generation of Baywatch fans, betrayed.

_{[Actually she's never watched Baywatch. But there you go.]}

Anyway... you got a name?

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Sorry.

... Tobias. You?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Heather Mason.

_{[If she thinks it was weird that he only offered a first name, she doesn't seem to indicate it.]}

So what's your starter, Tobias?

[Video]

[wing_attack]

[Good, because he's not going to elaborate.]

I think it's called... Rufflet?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[Beep boop lookin' it up on the Pokedex...]}

Oh yeah! Those things. My friend Crow has one of those-- or had, I guess, it's all grown up now.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

It's kind of small... I like it, though. Birds and I get along - or at least, I know how to read their body language.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Yeah?

Y'have pet ones at home or something?

[Video]

[wing_attack]

There's some hawks on my friend's land. I spend a lot of time watching them.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Cool.

I didn't have much experience with animals before coming here. Never had a pet bigger than cheap feeder goldfish.

Bit of a culture shock.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Hey, if you can keep them in line, it works.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Well, it took me a good long while to get to that point, lemme tell ya.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Yeah? How come?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Let's just say I made a lot of first-timer mistakes.

_{[Like beating her starter with a stick.]}

[Video]

[wing_attack]

Anything to avoid?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

If you get a Murkrow, be real careful what you say around it.

Otherwise it'll wind up unexpectedly squawking 'suck my giant dick, buttweiner' in front of a group of grandmas eating at a cafe and you'll never hear the end of it.

[Video]

[wing_attack]

[... Snerk.]

Noted.