this island is in SHAMBLES. i mean RUINS.

[tidaldrum]

[no. literal ruins. it is an island of ruins. mythology nuts, ruin lovers, fossil collecters............ all are welcome!

anyone is welcome, actually. why? because there's a chance of finding a fossil!!!

as well as an equal amount of chances to find things that look like a fossil but aren't. like an old amber with nothing in it. incredible.

and wouldn't you know it, but there's a fossil revival lab on this island too! it's pretty unmanned, but there's books with instructions on how to revive your very own DESTRUCTIVE DINOSAUR MONSTER.

so hey! come on! make a friend! throw your enemy into one of the ruin's dozen puzzle rooms! ffall to your doom! whatever you want!

TREASURE AND RARE POKEMON AWAIT]

Comments

[enharmonicchord]

[N isn't bothered at all by the boy's jumping, and he takes the notebook after a moment of wondering what a Pokédex could be.]

You have very nice handwriting. [N's own is pretty much chicken-scratch compared to Hilbert's, and he's careful not to let Charmander's tail flame wave around the paper too much.] A novelist... I believe I met her, once. Her style seems familiar, even if your artistic skills lie more in Pokémon than people. I wonder how I know her.

[Well. He gives the notebook back, holding Charmander loosely in his arms as he takes a step away and admires the room itself.]

It doesn't matter much now, I feel. What were you doing in here?

[anterograded]

[It's stencil writing, and it looks literally nothing like the wobbly lines he remembers doing. Hilbert tucks the notebook away again, along with the one he'd just been writing in, and stands up. Relic is quick to follow -- or quick to lead, since he darts ahead towards the puzzle on the opposite wall.]

Exploring, mostly. I found a Plume Fossil - that's what Archeops come from - and Relic found a puzzle to solve. I don't think I'm going to use it though, since I already have one...

[He kneels down to scoop it up, already aware of how silly the whole thing is, and rolls it in his hands.]

Do you want it?

[enharmonicchord]

[N sets the Charmander down, since she's eager to go solve the puzzle with Relic, and takes the fossil from Hilbert.]

So Relic, your friend there, is an Archeops? [...] No, that doesn't seem quite right, I think. I would like this though, thank you. I believe I had one before as well. Relic's cry seems as familiar to me as your name and face is, Hilbert. I think having one of my own may help me immensely.

[anterograded]

[Archeops evolves from something, but he didn't read over his adventure this morning -- he decided to just read the notebook he'd been keeping for the island and explore a little.]

He is, but he's a little small for his size. Or maybe he's big for it? He just doesn't look like the ones I usually draw. [Uh.] I'm glad that I might be helping you, though. There's a lab not too far from here if you'd like to get it now.

[...because Relic is fast getting that puzzle to work. Lines are so easy and fun to follow. See, Charmander? Just like that.]

[enharmonicchord]

[Charmander sees! Can she try, Relic? She's never seen anything like it before!]

Yes, I'd like that. Then perhaps you and Reshiram can meet as well. Charmander was quite fond of it herself.

[Because they're both Fire-types, N would assume. That much is similar between them.]

[anterograded]

[Yes, of course! He'll even lift her up to show her. Just push them around with your claws, the way he does with his feet.]

Oh, sure. [He wonders what the black dragon he's gotten hidden would say about all of this.

Probably nothing. The big guy liked sleeping, and it's probably asleep right now.] Do you think it'll like me?

[(If his journals are any indication, he's just not worthy of the legendary's time.)]

[enharmonicchord]

[Okay, okay! Like... This! She's always wanted to be an adventurer, like the other Pokémon she knew were, so the ruins are honestly a dream come true.

... Would Reshiram like Hilbert. N thinks about it, and after a moment he shrugs.]

I'm not sure. Reshiram isn't too fond of others, even in legend, except those that it decides has a strong conviction for whatever truth they have. [Whatever N's was is a mystery to all but like, the Pokémon. And Reshiram won't tell him much more than what's needed at the time.] Perhaps it will.

[anterograded]

[He doesn't remember much about ruins, but Hilbert's told him he was found in some. His fossil was. Totally cool. He used to be dead --]

I hope so. It seems like it'd be really scary being disliked by something that powerful. [There's the five year old in him. He rubs the back of his neck quietly, then collects everything to put in his bag; he takes extra time to arrange them just right too. Once he's done, he pats the side of his leg.] Relic! We're going!

[and he could totally be a zombie and eat you huh oh? Okay.]

[enharmonicchord]

[Charmander saw a big white dragon and thought it was cool looking so she asked if she could join them because she wanted to explore the ruins and N said yes and so she's been with them since like, this morning!! But otherwise she was born on one of the other islands that have a big volcano on it and her momma and poppa were letting her and her siblings run around and she saw those ruins and so she wanted to see them and that's how she got here!

Deep breathes, Charmander, deep breathes.

Wait are we going someplace?]

Yes we are, Charmander. Would you like to lead the way out?

[Sure!! Everyone follow the excitable little Charmander.]

[anterograded]

[Relic will race right after her! Look, he can fly. Jealous??

And Hilbert will follow to, his grip tight on his backpack.]

... I'm glad they get along. Relic's really friendly for a carnivorous monster that has no qualms about trying to pick apart the smaller members of my team.

[enharmonicchord]

[Way jealous!! But her mom and dad can fly too, so one day she'll be able to fly!]

Charmander seems to be naturally curious and a month or so old, I think, so I'm not surprised to see her wanting to be friends with another. She was fearless in introducing herself to us as well. [A fond smile. How old Charmander may be is only speculation on Reshiram's part, really, but N takes to it.] What other friends do you have?

[And no, he doesn't know why he refers to them as friends. It just feels right.]

[anterograded]

[If you grow up!!]

Nuvema, my Serperior; Striaton, my Simipour; Castelia, my Zoroark; and ... an egg. [And Zekrom.] I, um... I named them after where I got them. It's a little stupid, since I don't even remember them until I read my journal entries, but...

[enharmonicchord]

[I will!!! Reshiram said that they'd make sure I did! And then I'll help them out!]

What will you call your egg? What sort of Pokémon will hatch from it? May I see it? [Buzz buzz buzz!!]

[anterograded]

[Oh, good questions... Hilbert hesitates, crossing his arms. So fast!]

I don't know, I'm not really sure, and sure. [It's not on him at the moment - he doesn't have a lot of room for an egg in his bag - but it's around in the house he's planted himself in.]

[enharmonicchord]

[N waits for a moment for Hilbert to produce the egg out from somewhere, and when nothing appears he looks concerned.]

It isn't with you? Ruins are a pretty dangerous area to bring one in, but... Isn't it more dangerous to have it outside your grasp?

[Or so he's come to understand, watching wild Pokémon tend to their own young.]

[anterograded]

My bag's pretty full. [Of notebooks and pens and ... yeah.] I think it'd be in more trouble there. Uh, Nuvema's taking care of it right now at "Home".

["Home" is a strange, foreign word, because no place feels like home. (Except for, of course, his home at home.)]

[enharmonicchord]

"Home"... [N doesn't really have one either, though the way it feels odd saying it makes him wonder if he ever had one. Surely he must have, at some time, right?

His head's starting to hurt, so he trails his hand against the wall in case he feels faint.]

I'm excited to meet Nuvema and the rest of your friends, Hilbert, and for you to meet one of my only ones. [He hesitates, pausing even in his step.] Unless you wouldn't mind being my third?

[Considering they'd apparently met before, and he seemed familiar enough. Kind of comfortable to be around.]

[anterograded]

[Hilbert pauses a step, but makes up for it with two quick ones; he's hoping N didn't notice...]

I don't. Mind, I mean, I don't mind. [He drums his fingers on his arms.] But, um, you should probably know something before you really ask...

[enharmonicchord]

[Unfortunately, he does, mostly because steps are loud in an otherwise quietish hall.]

Yes?

[anterograded]

[He doesn't have to explain this often, but when he does -- it's clinical. They're facts doctors have told him; they're facts his mom has repeated; they're facts he keeps written in the very back of his journals.]

I have something called "anterograde amnesia". [He hesitates; not a lot of people were familiar with it, himself included.] It means I can't form new memories. What I know today, what I've learned, what I've felt... It'll all be gone by tomorrow.

[Hilbert stops completely, leaning against the wall. His tone shifts into something less factual.] I won't know you, or Charmander, or the Reshiram I'm going to meet. I'll only have notes about you in my notebook. Are you...

[...]

Are you okay with that, N?

[enharmonicchord]

[For a young man who doesn't remember a single thing about himself, other than his name, and is constantly relearning all that he should know... Hilbert's condition sounds worse. Making memories only to forget them overnight. At least N could keep his, as hard as they were to remember and as much as his head hurt at times. A block, Reshiram had called it.

So he's quiet for a good bit of time, thinking about it and processing it, though he realizes that perhaps that being quiet isn't such a good idea? This was a sensitive topic, or so he'd assume, and Hilbert probably didn't have many friends himself because of it. He'll speak slowly. Well. Normal to Hilbert, slow for him.]

I will speak with you honestly, since you've been so with me. I don't think I am. It sounds painful, and an impatient person would probably get frustrated and leave. [N tries to be less harsh sounding with his words, but that's the truth. Meeting up with him again, only to be treated like a stranger... Anything they share now gone in an instant. He doesn't think much more though, because if it's bad for Hilbert's friends then surely it's ten times as bad for the teen.] However... it must be more trouble for you than it is for me, and since that's the case can we stay with you? We have no place to go, and it'll lessen the time elapsed between our meetings.