first ether ; beginnings

[worldmother]

[VIDEO]

[There are a few false starts, the video coming on for a second or two, focusing on a face, before going off again. After the third or fourth time that this happens, the camera pulls away, a young woman staring at the world with a bit of a perplexed look.]

Is this on? How can you tell? Is there a light or--

Oh!

[It looks like she's found it.]

There we go. My name is Elhaym, Elly for short. This is what people in Union use to communicate, right? It seems pretty convenient. What else is it used for? Does everyone in Union have one, or just the Enlightened? Are Enlightened really that common here?

[That's a lot of questions, Elly. She smiles a little at the camera.]

Sorry, I just got here a few days ago, and I have a lot of questions. I heard that people in Union "bond" with their Pokemon? How does that work? Oh, and speaking of work, how does one find work here?


[ACTION]

[Midday, one of the parks in Union. A redhead walks briskly like a woman on a mission, avoiding looking behind her as much as possible. Occasionally she'll glance back, make a bit of a face, and then continue to walk with her head down a bit. She looks like she is trying to get away from something, but what could it be?]

Reee?

[It's a Mareep, tailing her, doing the best that it can with its stubbly little legs to keep up with the woman. Hey, where are you going? Excuse me? Miss? Excuse me? You're going to get yourself lost! Excuuuuuuse me!

Stopping, the woman sighs hard, bending down as she puts a hand out, stopping the electric sheep in its tracks.]

Why are you following me? I don't know what you want, I can't understand a word you're saying?

Maree?

[The Mareep tilts its head to the side and Elly deflates a little. You're really cute, but what does she even do? A little help?]

Comments

[Action]

[worldmother]

Concerned? [She doesn't see him at first, as he came from behind, and, standing, the redhead turns. A look of recognition fills her face and Elly momentarily freezes. What was that Calderan doing here? Maybe he didn't recognize her? It was extremely unlikely, but she did her best to play it off. Although, after her initial response, it was hard to say how effective that might be.] How do you know?

Re: [Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Ah. He's ...pretty sure that's exactly who he thinks that is. Well, despite whatever happened, he was at least glad to see that she seemed fine...]

[She did appear to recognize him, but didn't bolt or otherwise call it out- and he was fine with that really. He offers her a bright smile and casts his gaze down to the Mareep.]

I've got a way with Pokemon, you could say.

[He bends down.]

What's got you so worked up?

[Action]

[worldmother]

[He didn't seem to acknowledge it either, did he not recognize her? She hoped that that was the case. Even still, she doesn't relax too much.]

You can talk to it?

[Mareep looks back up at Eiji. She's a bit of a dainty lady, a little older, and is generally worried about the girl here. She seemed lost and refuses to let her help her.]

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Nah, he's not going to rock the boat if there was no reason to.]

Anyone can talk really, it's whether or not you're able to listen.

[And while he can't understand word for word, he can certainly get a good idea.]

Ah, are you new in town, then? She seems to be worried that you're lost.

[Some of that was his own guess work and some of that was what he gleaned from Mareep.]

[Action]

[worldmother]

You could say that.

[So he didn't entirely recognize her. That was good.]

I'm lost? I thought it was lost.

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[He shakes his head.]

A lot of the Pokemon in the city have always been here. I'll wager this Mareep knows her way around town better than I do.

[He looks up at her.]

She probably thought you needed a little shepherding.

[Action]

[worldmother]

Shepherding? Isn't she the one that--she's just walking around here on her own.

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

That's not uncommon here. The pokemon live in this city just as much as we do.

[Action]

[worldmother]

That's strange.

[Elly, you kept your Pokemon in tiny balls up until just recently, you're one to talk.]

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[He smiles.]

Perhaps- or Perhaps it is strange to us how other people don't think of them the same as we do. Culture is certainly fascinating.

[His smile drops for a moment.]

Ah- sorry if this is a strange statement to make but, we've met before, haven't we? I didn't want to bring it up earlier in case I spooked you but I'm not fond of being dishonest, either.

[Action]

[worldmother]

[...Oh. So he did recognize her. She tried not to be on too high alert, but she most certainly remembered him, so to speak. Some of that situation was still hazy in her mind. He hadn't acted out of turn, if she remembered correctly, but even still.]

...We have.

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

I thought so.

[His expressed is contemplative as he nods. He looks up again and offers her a smile.]

I'm not sure what exactly was happening, but I'm glad it appears that you're okay now.

[Action]

[worldmother]

So to speak, yes. [Thankfully, there were no lasting physical effects, but from her tone of voice, there was a bit more to it than that.] But what are you doing here and not in Caldera?

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[He smiles, and is happy to leave it at that.]

I'm actually not Calderian. I'm from Union originally, but I'm a traveler. I just so happened to have been in Caldera at the time.

[Action]

[worldmother]

I see. So you just happened to get involved.

[That made her feel slightly better.]

: [Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

That's right.

Ah- sorry. We've spoken all this time and I haven't introduced myself. My name is Eiji Hino. It's nice to meet you.

[Action]

[worldmother]

[She hesitates for a second--not out of fear, but that it might seem rude--before offering her hand.]

Elhaym Van Houten, but people call me Elly.

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

Would "Miss Elly" be out of line for me, then?

[He smiles and shakes her hand.]

[Action]

[worldmother]

Miss is a bit much.

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

Elly, then. [He's polite to a fault.]

[He looks down at the Mareep again and smiles.]

And what about this little lady?

[Action]

[worldmother]

[It was a girl? She had no idea!]

I don't know. I don't even know where she came from.

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Elly...]

Well, she does seem quite taken with you. [He looks down.] Am I right?

[Action]

[worldmother]

Maa!

You can tell that?

[...It was kind of cute, now that she really paid attention to it. Her.]

[Action]

[underwearfortomorrow]

Even without my abilities. I think she'd like to adopt you.

[Action]

[worldmother]

"Adopt" me?

[She looks confused. If anything, shouldn't it be the other way around?]