1st Wrench: A Fateful Trip [Action/Video]

[sparkofgenius]

Action, the Verdant Forest:

[Okay, so she'd taken a wrong turn on one of the paths. She had to have, because she should totally be back in Union by now! All she'd intended to do was poke her head out into the forest to get some basic reconnaissance and some preliminary training of Gato done. But without a map it was a bit easy to get lost in that sea of green. Especially for someone who'd never really been outside of Caldera before. Smart and competent she might be, but Lucca most definitely new to the whole exploring on her own.

That said, she's not exactly panicking if anyone happens to come across her. She seems perfectly calm, perfectly rational. And that's probably because she has yet to actually notice that she's gotten lost! She's casually inspecting just about everything. Rocks, trees, streams, berries, basically just anything she comes across. On her back is a small pack that seems to be bulging, and the little Golett running along behind her is similarly weighed down by a backpack of his own. Periodically, she pulls out a notepad and scribbles something, too.

But in the midst of this scientific rampage, something Weedle this way comes. Lucca's search has attracted the attention of a local, an annoyed little creature who's just popped out from a rotted log she'd disturbed with a kick...and the instant she catches sight of it, Lucca lets out a piercing shriek.]

Ahhhhh!

[Apparently the intrepid scientist...has a fear of Bugs!]

((ooc: Tag before the Weedle if you like too!))

Video, Nightfall

[A video comes through the Warp Band, and it's a young woman, clearly. She's dressed...oddly. Almost haphazardly. A scarf around her neck, a tunic visible in the video, and a helmet. With an actual antenna sticking up from the right side. She adjusts her glasses before speaking, and opens with a long sigh.]

Right, so. My name's Lucca Ashtear. Recently of Caldera, and I've set up shop here in Union for the time being. Gotta say, these warp band things are pretty incredible An Aligning tool, communication device, and a homing beacon all at once? Ingenious. I couldn't have designed them better myself. At least...not and kept them this small.

[A pause as she removes her glasses and wipes away some fog.]

Couple of questions for you. First, because I'm new in town, where's a good place to pick up spare parts? Wires, copper, steel, that kinda stuff. Also are there any glassmakers around. Definitely going to need that. I have trouble making that myself.

Second, a more...heh...normal question. Is it just me or is it chilly around here? I don't know how you guys stand it in the lowlands. When does the weather usually shift? Or is this what passes for spring?

And one last thing. The Old City. I'm planning on going down there to nose around soon, but a guide or escort would be nice. More a safety precaution than anything. I'd pay, of course.

And...yeah, I guess that's about it.

[And off goes the feed.]

Comments

[lunchleader]

Nice to meet you both! I'm Right Suzuki. Ah...sorry about Creeper here; we just bonded the other day, and I didn't expect him to backslide so soon. For some reason, he thinks scaring people is fun. But he won't be doing that again. [Right gave the bug a hard glare.] Isn't that right, Creeper?

Ee! Ee! Terpie~! [~Of course! Of course! I'm sorry for back-sliding! Won't happy again!~ Creeper flails in his upside-down position.]

Good. Now...say sorry to the nice lady... [Right carefully lets the bug stand on the palm of his hand now.]

[The Caterpie sighs in relief - his poor, sore tail! - but does as Right says and bows apologetically towards Lucca.]

[sparkofgenius]

[Again, still clueless about what's being said, the engineer watches...and adjusts her glasses when she sees the little bug bow. The bug gets a nervous smile all the same, but a nod follows. Sorry, you're kinda creepy still.]

I take it you can speak to them?

[Because that's what she's getting out of all this.]

[lunchleader]

Yep! Always have, since I was little. To me, Pokemon and human are all just people - I can talk to both of them normally. [He carefully puts Creeper onto his other shoulder.] I never lacked for friends growing up. Still don't, actually.

[sparkofgenius]

I…can see that. [Bugs. Yick! Total yick! But she’ll try and be more polite than that and not grimace. Much.]

That’s a veritable horde of Pokemon you have there. And you’ve Aligned with all of them? Are they normally…agreeable to that? Or is it because you talked to them?

[lunchleader]

Aligned...? [Right has to think about that for a moment.] Do you mean bonded?

[sparkofgenius]

Ah...um...yes. That's right. I think that's the Union word for it.

[lunchleader]

[Right's eyes then lit up when it clicked...and then his whole face lit up with a big grin.] Yeah, we're all bonded together! Normally, people have to use the Warp Band to bond, but I don't have to. Normally I just have to talk to them, maybe offer a couple of treats, and we become friends.

Well, most of the time. [He side-glances at the Caterpie.] Creeper here's the first Pokemon we ever had to fight before becoming friends with. The jerk here just about gave Usopp a heart attack when she scared him the other day, and Softy had to beat her up for it.

Dooooove. [~And don't think I've forgiven you yet, you little prankster.~ Usopp leans around Right's head to give the bug an "I'm on to you" stare.]

[sparkofgenius]

Wait, you don't have to use a Warp Band? But...you need it to call them from the Habitat, right?

[She is intrigued! What is this not needing technology...]

[lunchleader]

Of course I still need it for that! It's also useful for when I have to get in contact with someone really quickly. But just to bond and chat with them?

Well, most people still use it for that, yeah. [Right simply shrugs.] Not me, though.

[sparkofgenius]

Oh okay. I wasn't sure. Just...it's kinda different from how we do stuff back home is all.

[lunchleader]

Really? Where are you from?

[sparkofgenius]

Caldera?

[lunchleader]

Ohhhh! That explains why you never heard of bonding the way we describe it before! Welcome to Union, then.

[sparkofgenius]

Thanks. I...uh...I've been around a couple of days, but yeah, thanks.

[She holds up her wrist to show the warp band.]

Nifty gizmo.

[lunchleader]

It is, isn't it? They just added the video option last year, too.

[sparkofgenius]

It's so compact! I mean...I'd have trouble making it so small on my own, but it does so much. It's incredible!

[lunchleader]

"Making it so small?"

[Thankfully, it only takes him a moment of his own thinking for things to click.] ...so you're an Engineer?

[sparkofgenius]

Engineer, scientist, inventor, genius. All that, and more.

[She waves a hand casually, because hey, she's afraid of bugs but that's like her only flaw.]

[lunchleader]

Wow, you're amazing to be doing all that. Bet you got, like, a thousand inventions already, huh?

[sparkofgenius]

Not quite that many, but enough for now. I'm only 19, after all.

[lunchleader]

Still pretty neat. [He then turns to Gato.] And I bet you're her partner in science, huh?

[sparkofgenius]

[The Golett's head bobs in affirmation. Indeed. He is in fact Miss Lucca's partner and sometimes experimental device.]

[lunchleader]

...Experimental device? But you're a living being!

[sparkofgenius]

Not technically.

[Lucca interrupts, putting a protective hand on Gato's shoulder. The automaton nods.]

He's a Ghost, actually. And a Golett at that. A sentient machine, as much as anything living. [And then a pause.]

And relax, I'm not doing anything to him he's not okay with or doesn't volunteer for. Mostly he's my lab assistant, and sometimes he helps me test devices. Like, for example, added devices to his body. Plating for protection, or tools he can use.

[lunchleader]

[Right's about to protest at the first part until Lucca explains the second part. Only then does he calm down...a bit.] Oh...well, I guess that makes sense...

Does it hurt?