1st Theory ○ [video//Action for NBT] [backdated to Sunday evening]

[esthetically]

[A red-spectacled young gentleman appears on the screen after a few seconds. He looks... slightly disturbed but more or less serious.]

I’m sorry to intrude, but I’ve actually got quite a few inquiries on this, uh... [World? Virtual Simulation?] ...this place. I’ve already given the trainer information packet a skim over, but I’m not surely meant to believe that we’re in some alternative world, am I?

First--and I do apologize if this question comes off as redundant or foolish--but I’d like to know how it is to return to where I need to be. Tomorrow is an important day for my teammate and myself, and we don’t have time to dawdle. I’d also prefer to do as little stalling as possible, as I would prefer if we headed back as soon as we're able.

[As Rei continues to talk, a young boy's voice can be heard off in the distance causing a whole lot of commotion. Eventually, a head of blond hair zooms past Rei toward the right, and then comes on back toward the left... and then the right. And then the left again. And then Nagisa ends up running circles behind Rei for a few seconds before there's a loud "Aha!" and he shouts out toward his occupied friend.]

Rei-chan! Rei-chan look, look what I caught! It's the biggest mouse I've ever seen! It's so chubby and fluffy! Look!

[With what appears to be a Dedenne in his arms, Nagisa speeds over to Rei and practically tackles right into him.

Just as the Dedenne decides that it really doesn't enjoy being treated so roughly and decides these weirdos need to be punished with a jolt of electricity.]

NAGIS-AAAHHH!!!

[At the shock, Rei's gear goes flying, and clunks on the ground. With that final scream, the gear shuts off momentarily.]

Comments

[esthetically]

[What a kind soul, actually caring about his wellbeing.]

Ah... It stings a little, but I believe I'm alright. [And a spare glance to the side.] Nagisa-kun should be fine. But what you said... What do you mean by time works 'funny'?

[armoredsoul]

Ahh, that's good to hear. I know Pokemon don't usually mean to hurt humans, but...

Well, when we're brought here, I suppose you could say that time is brought to a standstill in our world...or whenever we are sent or find our way back, we're placed back in the same time we left. My friend has come and gone before, so I trust what she says about it.

[esthetically]

So time doesn't pass while we're here? [That's both... relieving and alarming, to be honest.]

...When you say she's come and gone before... Do you mean she's returned to her world, lived even more, and returned here?

[Because what sort of sci-fi nonsense are they dealing with here?]

[armoredsoul]

[Al nods with a sympathetic grimace--he knows your intellectual pain, Rei.] Uh-huh, though it wasn't by her own will. How and why that happens, no one here has the slightest clue about. It's frustrating, to say the least.

[esthetically]

It surely seems so. [He frowns a bit more.]

...I wonder what this means for us now. If we're trapped here, then... what... do we do?

[armoredsoul]

Well, a lot of people travel around and train their Pokemon for battles, though you don't have to do that. Making money isn't too hard, Pokemon Centers are always looking for people to help out with things, and they understand if you need to leave the city after a week or so.

[esthetically]

Battles? That just sounds primitive; isn't it dangerous?

[armoredsoul]

Not usually, actually. I've watched Brother training his Pokemon, and so long as you're careful you shouldn't get hurt by any of the Pokemon's moves. And the Pokemon themselves are surprisingly resilient; I've seen them take blasts of flame right in the face and come out of it with just a few small burns that were easily healed. I'm still leery of it on principle, but if your Pokemon really want to train and get stronger there's no real harm in it.

[esthetically]

That's rather surprising. But... what is the point of that at all?

[armoredsoul]

Well, there are Gym Leaders in most of the towns that you can battle, and I know defeating them gives certain perks, but...other than that, I think it's for the sake of the 'sport'.

[esthetically]

Sport... What an odd world. And this is common? Goodness.

[armoredsoul]

Yeah, that's about how I felt. But like I said, there's nothing forcing you to participate in that, and since travel around here is relatively easy even on foot, sightseeing isn't too bad of a way to spend your time!