Une première

[etranger]

Oh look, there's flower petals drifting on the breeze.

Lots and lots of them.

If you were to follow this baffling profusion of petals back to their source, you'd see...well, it appears to be a Lilligant and her trainer dancing together. They are surrounded by huge piles of petals, which a Sigilyph is telekinetically playing with, forming into spirals and swooping shapes in an airborne mimicry of the dancing partners below.

So! Now what do you do?

Comments

[etranger]

She catches sight of you out of the corner of her eye as she's dancing and stops stock-still, tripping over her own feet.

Then the Lilligant trips over her.

She's too busy staring to notice.

1/2

[dokubutsuchuui]

[dokubutsuchuui]

[W-walking over... surely the fact that you tripped after looking at him was just a coincident, right?? Skuntank keeps its distance.]

...Are you okay?

[etranger]

Well, now that she's trying to stand up she notices the Lilligant on top of her. The Sigilyph lifts the two of them up and sets them down again, pokemon and trainer clearly used to it.

Have a wide-eyed Mako in your face, stranger.

"Is that your Skuntank?"

[dokubutsuchuui]

[Oh, good, they both look just fin-

soadfijas WHERE DID HIS PERSONAL SPACE GO. The stranger leans back a bit.]

Uh, yeah...?

[etranger]

Looking between you and the Skuntank, incidentally backing off a little.

"I am incredibly jealous right now."

[dokubutsuchuui]

[Phew. Slumping back down a bit, then. The Skuntank may be skittering back a step every time Mako looks back at it. Sigal blinks.]

I'm sorry?

[etranger]

Pause.

"...um."

BOLTING UPWARDS AND BACKING OFF.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I was being really rude, wasn't I? Um, uh..."

She dithers a bit before blurting something out in one breath.

"MynameisMakoit'sapleasuretomeetyouandI'msorryaboutthat!"

[dokubutsuchuui]

[ffff Taking a step back himself, and kind of fidgeting with his bag's strap a bit.]

Ah, no, it's okay, really. [um what was that. Ma...ko??] Um, I'm Sigal. It's nice to meet you...?

[etranger]

Mako chuckles nervously.

"Uh, yeah...sorry about that."

Crouching down a little and wrapping her arms about her knees as she smiles up at you.

"My Dad has a Skuntank, so I've liked them ever since I was little, but I've never been able to find one of my own, so...I guess I lost my head a little when I saw yours."

[dokubutsuchuui]

[...He kneels down as well, since the height difference is kind of awkward.]

I... see. I know they're native to Sinnoh, but I've never actually met one aside from Fluffy, either.

[The Skuntank is still keeping its distance, but it shifts a little when it hears its nickname.]

[etranger]

Nod.

"Yeah, that's where Dad got his."

[dokubutsuchuui]

[...well, you're pretty different, but he knows someone with your face, so.]

Are you from Unova, too?

[etranger]

"Mako of Nuvema Town, at your service!"

Smile smile.

"You've probably never heard of it, we are in the middle of NOWHERE."

[dokubutsuchuui]

[dot dot dot]

I grew up there.

[etranger]

Blink. Blink.

"...buh?"

[dokubutsuchuui]

...are you new?

[JUST A HUNCH.]

[etranger]

"Uh...I just got here, if that's what you mean?"

[dokubutsuchuui]

[Nod.]

The Island takes people from different worlds, so... For example, I'm from a world where Unova exists, but you didn't grow up in Nuvema, and your name isn't Mako. You're from a world where I might not exist at all.

[...does that make sense...]

[etranger]

"Ohhh, it's like the Entralink!"

WELL

THAT'S FINE THEN

[dokubutsuchuui]

[WELL

AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT CONFUSED...]

So... yeah.

[Sigal is the most eloquent.]

You also can't leave, but... everything's free and most people are nice, so it's not hard to live here.

[etranger]

"That's good to know. Thanks!"

Just give her a second to recall the Sigilyph, first.

"Is there someplace to get some food?"

[dokubutsuchuui]

[Another nod. Sigal straightens up.]

There's a lot of shops pretty close... I can show you?

[Or just... give you directions...]

[etranger]

Anyone else, she'd ask for directions, but your Skuntank is still out, so...

"Lead on!"

Yeah.

[dokubutsuchuui]

[Out, but keeping a healthy distance from Mako.]

Okay.

[Off they go, then. Sigal isn't the most interesting guide, but he'll show her the nearest places for decent food and point out any buildings of importance they pass along the way.]