stonebones | no. 001 [video from new bark town.]

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no. 001 [video from new bark town.]

[A Sableye isn't exactly the first thing most people want to see when they check the network, with its gleaming eyes and wide, sharp smile. This one doesn't seem intent on being creepy or mischievous today, though. Even for those that don't speak pokémon, the raspy growls have the characteristic lilt of a genuine question.]

Hey! How do I get my trainer to trust me? I'm trying to show him around, but...

[He moves the video over to a young boy who's frowning and feeling his way along the outer wall of Mom's house. He's got what appears to be a makeshift blindfold on, if the frayed edges are any indication, and quite the unusual ensemble...

As the video bounces closer in, Emil's frown deepens and he waves as if to shoo the creature off.]

He keeps doing that!

[At least Emil seems satisfied with the distance the Sableye had retreated to again, exhaling out a sigh and going back to his slow mapping out of the area.]

I hope I find the others soon... Where is this, anyway?

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I doubt you'll have any problems with him.

[Somehow Kaneki feels like he can say this with full confidence, even though his first few Pokemon seemed to hate him. Then again, he's never had great luck with these things...]

You'll need him because sometimes wild Pokemon will attack on the routes, so it's dangerous to go without at least one Pokemon with you.

I'm used to that.

[Though admittedly his previous companions were people fighting against the Shades.]

This is a first though. Ah, Kaneki-san -- [He trails off slightly. It's been a while since he used honorifics after all, and the sheer force of how natural it felt was throwing him for a loop.] You must also have pokémon too, then? Have you been here for long?

I've been here for almost six months, now.

[It's really weird to think about. He's almost been here half of a year...it really doesn't feel like it's been that long.]

And I do. It was one of my Pokemon that spoke to yours so I could speak with you, actually. I've had him for a while now.

[Sixth months, huh... Well, could be better, could be worse. He doubts that finding a way out is just a matter of reading the right book, but there was sure to be plenty of other things he could research to pass the time. Plus all that traveling.]

So it does communicate... It seemed like it could understand me, but I wasn't really sure.

[Were they all Shades, or was he just lucky? Something to think about.]

At least I can be grateful to it for that. You're a really kind person, Kaneki-san.

[If finding the way out could have been found in a book, Kaneki would have found the solution ages ago.]

I'm pretty sure all Pokemon can understand humans; certain types can just communicate with us more easily than others.

[He pauses briefly.]

Ah...thank you. When I arrived it was in the middle of winter, and I didn't know what to do at first...so I know it can be confusing.

[The seasons hadn't really affected his home much, as weird as it was, but he could remember them. The frown is clear in his tone.]

That sounds terrible! I can't imagine spending three days camping in the cold, even if I had Kainé there. [...He also can't imagine Kainé camping in the cold with her way of dressing. Maybe she had a different style when the weather changed.] Did someone help you? Like you're helping me?

Oh yes, they did. Someone helped me get to a town just fine, so I didn't actually have to travel in the snow or anything.

[It's probably a good thing, too...it was so cold that it's debatable whether or not Kaneki would have made it in one piece.]

[Even people not familiar with his canon have heard tales of Kaneki's luck, it's true.]

Oh, good... [He sighs with relief. But it was also time to think about something else. Kaneki had been here six months, so...] I guess it's summer now, huh? It's not as hot here as the desert was, but I guess wherever this place is, it still has seasons. Did it snow a lot? I don't remember the last time I got to see snow.

It snowed quite a bit! And it actually hasn't gotten too hot lately, even though it's the summertime...but we have been getting a lot of rain the last few weeks.

The weather can be a little unpredictable, sometimes...especially with thunderstorms.

[Oh, well that's...going to add another strike against camping, but maybe it would hold off until he got more used to it. On the bright side:]

That's more interesting than the same thing every day. [Pause.] Although every day is going to be new things for a while, huh?

[He gives a small noise of affirmation. He keeps wanting to nod, but then he remembers they both switched back to Audio.]

Even though I've been here a while, it still feels like I'm learning somethig new about this place every day. I mean...reading helps, but it still doesn't give you everything.

Are there a lot of helpful books?

[Most of the ones back home were like legends, talking about a place so alien it seemed hard to believe it existed -- provided anyone could actually read them. And then there were the ones in his library that were obviously meant for people more educated than him.]

I mean... I like talking to people, but if I have to, I could do research, too. I'm used to it.

[Even though it feels like he just got away from doing that.]

There are a lot of books about Pokemon, from what I've been able to find. Those are always helpful...then there are a few that give more information about the regions here, Johto and Kanto.

[Kanto has been a favorite of his lately, since he doesn't think he'll actually be able to travel that way any time soon.]

There is a bookstore in Goldenrod City that I work at that has a lot of different books to choose from.

I'll be sure to get some, then!

[And when he goes to do that, he'll finally realize what it's like to have no money. It wasn't something he thought about a lot, since he never left his mansion and Nier always bought everything needed.]

Goldenrod City... Is that the place I'm headed to, too?

It's on the way, in the direction you'll be headed. It might take a while to get there, though, since there are a few towns between New Bark and Goldenrod. If you keep heading through the towns and straight on the routes, you'll get there eventually.

[...It took three days to get to the nearest town and there were multiple towns on the way?]

How... How big is this place?

It's pretty big. There are two regions that we can get to currently: Johto, the one you're in now, and Kanto. People have told me there is another region called Kalos, but I don't think there is a way to travel there on your own yet.

[It shouldn't sound so strange to him. He'd been from somewhere far away, hadn't he? Before everything. Somewhere so far he'd had to learn a different language.]

Oh... Wow...

["His" world had become so small. Adventuring with the others had made it seem like that space was impossibly big. But this...]

No wonder people talk with these things instead of sending letters to get in touch.

[Tokyo is pretty big in its own right, but Kaneki's always finding himself surprised by just how vast this world can be, and he's only traveled through a small part of it.]

People talk to each other through the Gears most of the time. It's not too often you can even meet in person unless you're traveling, or happen to be in the same town.

That'll take some getting used to. [Even hidden away in his mansion, he'd always had Sebastian.] ...Oh, but! It does mean you can talk to anyone at anytime. That's a good thing! I guess I'll get to see if I prefer it like this. Um...

Kaneki-san, can... Can I call -- [...yes, that was the word for it, wasn't it? Huh.] -- you again, after today? I don't want to be a bother, but...

It's really useful, because of that.

I don't mind at all, Emil-san. If you have any questions, I can try to answer them for you. ...and if you would just like to talk, then...that's fine, too.

[It feels like during his time here, he's had a lot more opportunity to talk with people...but it's been a good thing. It makes it a lot easier to offer to do things like that, even with someone he doesn't know very well yet.]

[It may just be audio, but you can hear the smile in his voice.]

Thank you! You've already been so helpful. I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions later, and that's kind of scary, but knowing I have someone to ask makes me feel a lot better already.

I'm glad to hear that.

Be safe when you travel, okay? Keep your Pokemon close until you reach Cherrygrove.

[R...IGHT... THAT THING...]

Oh... Y-yeah, I will! And I'll be fine. I'm used to camping, now!

Good. You might even find more Pokemon that you can catch and add to your team on the routes. They show up in towns, too.

no. 001 [video from new bark town.]

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