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

[Action]

[peach_boy]

[Momo watches from a safe distance, wondering if they are like Makoto and Gou-san, who don't seem to remember him at all. It's not that he minds so much except when it comes to Gou forgetting about him, but it's still interesting to see that there are many people from home there, in this new owrld.]

[Video]

[francia]

[France's hand is half-splayed over his mouth in a motion that would seem politely shocked if his expression wasn't so clearly amused.]

Well, that was electrifying.

[Bah dum tssh]

[He drops his hand as his expression sobers, the amusement at their expense turning to something more sympathetic.]

I'm afraid that I can't give you any good news. Once you're brought to this place, you cannot elect to return home. You are here for however long it decides to keep you, for lack of any better explanation.

[Action]

[esthetically]

[Managing to scramble away from Nagisa in order to hurry over to check his gear, trying to make sure he hasn't destroyed something that might belong to someone else (how it has his information, he'll never know). But once he holds it up in the light, that's when he catches a familiar head of bright hair... and a face staring right at him.]

Ah--

[He looks at him, then glances right to Nagisa.]

Say... that boy over there. Is he Samezuka's backstroke swimmer?

[Video]

[esthetically]

[It's not completely broken? Already going against the laws of physics and logic in which electronics burn when they are overly-electrocuted (how did they get electrocuted anyway?), he just... pulls the gear back to his face and squints.

Huh...]

...Har. Har. By telling me this... you are continuing with this joke, right? [Because what? How could they not be able to go home?]

[usedwrench]

[Have a girl, who accidentally or not so accidentally squeals or more like screams a little maybe at first!]

That is one of the most adorable Pokemon I've ever seen!

[uh... look, boys, she's really sorry for not answering to your questions or anything - and for the possibility of Dedenne not liking that scream at all, but priorities.]

[Video]

[francia]

[France shakes his head, sighing heavily.]

I assure you, I wish that it was a joke. No one here knows how or why people come and go in this place. Some people are here for only a very short period of time, and others like me are here for years.

[He makes a gesture that seems to indicate something off-screen.]

If there is something major about to happen in your world, some people have reported returning to the exact moment in time before you left, so you won't miss it. Unfortunately, this has never happened for me, so I can't confirm that.

[cawsforalarm]

[The second half of this transmission is much more interesting to Henry than the first. In fact, he was getting so bored with listening to Rei talk that he nearly just turned the video off... but then little electric thing.]

Whoa, that little guy is pretty strong!

[video]

[fishybarrettes]

Rei-kun, when did you get here?!

[Action]

[hiraoyogi]

[Nagisa doesn't appear to be very phased by the shock, though he does look a little roughed up and his hair has seen better days. He just laughs it off and continues to hold onto the Dedenne while his Piplup cautiously keeps its distance (at least someone in this group is smart).

But it's when Rei calls for his attention that Nagisa perks up and looks over to where the other boy is looking, and he blinks curiously at that strangely familiar head of orange hair.]

Samezuka... Oh, I remember! He swam with Rin-chan when we did that relay for the Coach! [But what was his name again?]

...Mumu?

1/2 [Video]

[hiraoyogi]

[Nagisa actually manages to giggle at that terrible joke.]

Ah, I get it! That's a good one!

[hiraoyogi]

[Except this is no time for jokes.]

--oh no! We can't go home?! Really?! But we have lots of important things to do! And my parents are going to be so mad!

[hiraoyogi]

[Nagisa makes a quick recovery from that shock, and while his hair is looking like an excessively fluffy and fizzy mess, he doesn't care as he hugs the Dedenne close to his chest with one arm while holding up his PokeGear with his free hand.]

It is, isn't it? And I caught it all by myself! I bet you're jealous, huh?

1/2

[hiraoyogi]

It's super strong! I just thought it was a regular mouse, but it's electric too?! That's amazing!

[hiraoyogi]

...but I won't be able to go swimming with it. Electricity is bad in water.

[usedwrench]

[Huh...? Oh okay if he wants to go that way then... Winry grins after a confused moment.]

I might be, but no worries, I'll get one to myself too. Eventually!

[video]

[hiraoyogi]

[Forget when Rei got here, when in the world did Gou get here??]

Uwah, it's Gou-chan! Did you follow us? I promise we weren't trying to run away from practice or anything! This was a big accident!

[hiraoyogi]

[He's just a little brat trying to be friendly in his own unique way.]

Good determination! Good luck! Are there lots of mice around here? All I found so far is Pippy-- well, I didn't really find him. Someone gave him to me! So I guess there's lots of birds and mice. I don't mind, but what I really would want to catch is bugs. Those are my specialty!

[usedwrench]

Thank you! Ah, there's a whole evolutionary chain of another electric mouse; pichu, pikachu and raichu, Pichu is the tiniest of them and Raichu is the biggest. You'll also run into rats soon -- but those and some others counts as Mouse pokemon species here, and there will be bugs and more birds on the next route too. So you'll find the first bugs as soon as you get to the route, and then there are forest full of them and other species.

[cawsforalarm]

I know! I've got a friend here-- [he takes a moment to grab Embers the Vulpix and plop her in his lap so that Nagisa can see--] who can spit fire just as well as any mage I know!

Why wouldn't you go swimming with them? I mean, if you're lucky, maybe a spark will catch and you'll be electrocuted! [ n_n ]

[Action]

[peach_boy]

Oi, it's Momotarou! And I can hear you!

[That relay was months ago but... Hey, they recognize him!]

You know who I am?!

[And then he inmediately runs towards them.]

[video]

[fishybarrettes]

I don't think so, since me and Makoto-senpai have been here for a few weeks now. We're all the way in Violet City!

[Action]

[esthetically]

[That relay for the coach? Rei raises an eyebrow; that was weeks ago, they've already moved on. But before he can even voice any further concerns on the matter, the redhead's made his way closer.

Momotarou! That's his name.]

Of course we'd recognize you. [But that leads to an issue:] Do you know if Rin-san or any others are here as well?

[Video]

[esthetically]

[He brings a hand to his chin, tapping it thoughtfully.]

You've been here for years...?

[He frowns a bit.] So you mean to tell me... we're definitely elsewhere? What is this place called?

[esthetically]

[Rei groans a little.]

...please don't encourage him.

[esthetically]

The... rat thing, you mean?

[Rei frowns.] Just what... is it, anyway?