Action/Video

[bleeding_heart]

[Action]

[There certainly are a lot of newcomers lately, aren't there?  Today is no exception to that.  Merrill sticks out like a sore thumb in the city of Union, clearly dressed in worn traveling clothes, dirt on her feet, traveling pack at her side, staff on her back, wandering through the city staring at everything except where she's going.  It's all so new and big and... different.  She is accompanied by a Nincada and a Murkrow, who seem similarly awestruck with their surroundings.  Every so often, she stops to whisper to her Pokemon.]

It's all very... big, isn't it?  And much bigger up close.

[Video]

[Later on, once she's inevitably heard about the city and how things work here, Merrill has gotten her hands on a Warp Band.  She has nowhere else to go, so she's going to be staying in Union for the foreseeable future, and it seems that most of its residents use these to communicate.  And while the technology is commonplace for residents of the city, Merrill has never seen anything like it in her entire life, so when the feed flickers on to show her face, she's wearing an expression of bemused curiosity.]

Oh!  Is it on?

[She turns her head to look at something or someone sitting just out of frame, just for a moment before looking back.]

Ah.  Aneth ara.  O-oh, I mean, um... hello.  Yes.  Hello.  I, ah... I suppose I should make a proper introduction, shouldn't I?  I'm Merrill.

[She nods her head, smiling sweetly for a moment before realizing she should probably say more than just that.]

Oh, I suppose you'll want to know where I'm from, won't you?  It's terribly strange, talking into this thing.  Can you all hear me, all at once?  How does anyone decide when it's their turn to speak, or does everyone talk all at once?

[A small hesitation, followed by a worried little wave of her hand.]

Not that I'm saying you're all strange, or that your city is strange, of course.  It's very nice here.  It's very... big, and...

[A sigh as she shakes her head.]

...Oh, I'm making a complete mess of this, aren't I?  Maybe I should just let you all ask me things instead.  Would that be all right?  I'm brand new here, so I'm not used to how you do things in this city.  But I would very much like to make some friends here.  So please... feel free to ask me anything.

Comments

[hawkethat]

[Hawke's been stomping around in the city for over a week now, accompanied by his faithful Houndour. Of the two of them, the canine pokemon has the better sense of direction, so he generally leads while Hawke follows closely behind.

Sometimes he gets distracted though; he's still young, after all, and it has only been a week. He's also not used to the people here smelling so fresh, like they've spent their entire lives rolling around in grass and earth, so when he scents someone who does smell like that, he approaches her without really thinking about it, wagging his short tail and barking a polite hello! He's joined a few moments later by a tiny, short-legged Lillipup who also offers her enthusiastic greetings, and finally by a tall man with a beard.]

Hello. Are you lost?

[He asks partially because of the interest the two dogs are taking in her, and partially because he thinks she looks exactly the way he felt just a week ago, coming into the city for the first time himself.]

[bleeding_heart]

Who's a good dog?

[Merrill's already busily scratching under the Houndour's muzzle by the time the Lillipup and Hawke join them, and she stands up to offer a proper greeting.]

Oh... yes.

...I mean, no.

......I mean, I'm not entirely sure. You need to know where you're going in the first place to be lost, don't you?

dammit, HTML...

[hawkethat]

That's...not a bad point.

[Hm!]

So you're wandering with no destination in mind, then?

[There are stranger things to do...he guesses...]

[bleeding_heart]

Not exactly.

[She smiles a little.]

I do need to find a place to sleep eventually.

[hawkethat]

Oh, well, that's not difficult. There's plenty of space in the forest outside of town.

[That's where he's been sleeping, anyway.]

If you don't mind camping, that is.

[He could be wrong, but she does kind of ping him as the sort of person who probably doesn't mind camping. Maybe it's the travel-stained clothes.]

[bleeding_heart]

I'm rather used to it, actually.

[She seems pleased enough with the suggestion. Or maybe impressed that he managed to guess that about her, despite the fact that yes, she absolutely does look like she sleeps outside all the time.]

[hawkethat]

I thought you might be.

[He smiles]

My name's Garrett. I just wandered into town last week, myself. Where are you from?

[bleeding_heart]

Nice to meet you, Garrett. My name is Merrill.

[Her smile broadens just a bit at hearing that he's an outsider as well.]

I come from... here and there.

[hawkethat]

It's nice to meet you too, Merrill.

[Yay, bonding through ignorance of huge cities! Speaking of...]

That's...rather nonspecific. I don't suppose you've ever heard of a town called Rhododendron, have you?

[They never got outsiders there, but hey, it can't hurt to ask...!]

[bleeding_heart]

Oh, Rhododendron, that's very pretty.

[Her smile sadly fades after a moment, though.]

But no, I'm afraid I haven't.

[hawkethat]

Neither has anyone else I've asked.

[He sighs a bit, then shrugs. He's gotten used to that response by now.]

Oh, well.

What brings you to the city?

[bleeding_heart]

[Merrill blinks, and then glances down.]

My feet.

[TOTALLY STRAIGHT FACED]

[hawkethat]

[He starts to laugh, but then holds back at the look on her face. He can't tell if she meant to make a joke or not.]

Did it take very long?

[bleeding_heart]

[Sorry, Hawke. She'll pick up on colloquialisms and things eventually.

Maybe.

Probably.]

Not long, no. A few days at most.

[hawkethat]

[Well, she's still serious, but she doesn't seem offended, so...]

Why did you come here?

[brief pause]

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like I'm interrogating you. I'm just curious.

[bleeding_heart]

That's... complicated, I'm afraid.

[To say the least.]

[hawkethat]

[Oops, touchy subject, if her expression is anything to go by. Time to redirect!]

I got lost in a storm, myself. I was trying to find my way back home, but wound up here instead. Sergeant needed medical assistance.

[He indicates the Houndour, who's been sitting quietly at his feet listening to the conversation up until now.]

He's fine now, but I don't really want to leave here until I know which direction to leave in.

[bleeding_heart]

I see...

[Merrill nods.]

Well if it helps at all, I came from the northeast, so it probably isn't that way. I would have seen it.

[hawkethat]

That's...[More information than anyone else has managed to give him.] That is helpful, actually. Thanks.

[bleeding_heart]

You're very welcome. I hope you find it.

[hawkethat]

I'm sure I will. It's probably going to take a while, but I'll do it.

[This is the optimism of Act I Garrett, before aaaaaall that shit went down...]

[bleeding_heart]

I wish you the best of luck. If there's anything I can do to help, you'll let me know, won't you?

[hawkethat]

I appreciate it. Thank you.

Do you know how long you're going to be in the area?

[bleeding_heart]

Quite a while, I think.

[hawkethat]

So we'll probably be running into each other again.