Video; I got transported to another world and now my hands are poison?!

[sharpjustice]

[Mayaka places the Grumpearl on the bare floor of her newly acquired accommodations. To anyone tuning in, they'll see that this angle has created a fisheye effect, blowing up the lower part of her white Sneasel body and shrinking her head.]

Um... hello? This is Mayaka. I got here a few days ago and I'm a new member of the Lum Berry Guild.

[She speaks tentatively, assuming that the pearl is working. This reminds her of class introductions on the first day of school.]

Does anyone here know how to deal with these? [She waves her claws at the Grumpearl, trying to show the purple tint covering them -- a naturally-occurring venom Hisuian Sneasels produce.]

I poisoned someone - accidentally of course - and I don't want that to happen again! [The strict tone she uses seems to be directed at herself.]

[As Mayaka waits for a response, she looks around her tiny bedroom. It's sparse now, but she's been itching to set up a space to draw again. She hasn't picked up a pen since she landed here.]

... And also, if anyone knows where to get paper and pens, that would be nice too.

[This is a softer request, as if she'd be okay if no one heard. It's not obvious that she's asking about art materials, right? She doesn't even know if she has enough allowance to afford it after spending on basic necessities. Maybe it's pointless to ask.]

Comments

video

[hundredeyesoni]

You poisoned them!?

[That kind of ability only sounds like a source of new patients, to the Slowking that can't help excitedly responding.]

It's fine!! If you send anyone like that to me I'll have them healed up right away!

[Maybe.. maybe calming down enough for an introduction would be the more effective route.]

[sharpjustice]

No I- !!

[Mayaka's instinct is to shout at the accusation, even though she'd said it herself it a few moments before.]

Not on purpose! I didn't know ! They grabbed my claws and then awhile after that they started feeling sick and...

[She closes her mouth. Maybe it's not so wise to describe all this on public airwaves.]

... Who're you? [she asks with a raised eyebrow, sounding more wary than curious.]

[hundredeyesoni]

So it doesn't require an open wound...

[That only makes it more interesting. Just thinking of all the possibilities that could--

Anyway! Right!]

I'm Dr. Takahashi, one of the Lum Berry members helping at the clinic! Oh, but I'm happy to provide treatment anywhere, if it can't wait!

Is your friend recovering well? It gets so busy there sometimes that I can't always check on everyone else's patients, so I must have missed their visit...

audio;

[edgewater]

Nice to meet you, Mayaka! I'm Parvati.

[ her rather chipper response comes almost immediately. ]

Not sure how to help with your poison thing, maybe some thick gloves? I can ask around.

[ there's a long pause as she considers the second question, a ruffling sound comes through the pearl. ]

You can get that kinda stuff in town. The paper and pens, I mean. It's where I got mine.

[sharpjustice]

Gloves... I see.

[Mayaka nods at the suggestion, not sure whether this disembodied voice can see her. Parvati sounds nice, at least.]

I'm not sure if I'll be able to dra- WRITE while wearing them. [She catches herself in time. While she could easily just take off the gloves when she wants to draw, but Mayaka is so self conscious about her claws, she's thinking about keeping them on at all times once she's acquired them.]

It's still the best idea I've got so far. Thanks!

audio -> video

[edgewater]

No problem! [ parvati gives her a big grin, before realising she hadn't started on video. oops! she's quickly just gonna do that--

and there we are. mayaka should now be able to see a friendly looking tinkaton, with aviator goggles on her head and her hair tied back. ]

May be worth trying writing with both your gloves on and off when you get 'em? I'd suggest getting a pre-loved pair, but I dunno how lucky you'd be with that. [ if they've already been worn by someone, they might be a bit looser around the fingers, after all. ]

Video;

[timeexistseverywhere]

I think you can ask for a pen and paper from your guild if they have a desk upfront or something... At least here, they do...

[Of course, he's never actually asked for any himself, so chances are they probably NEED their pens and paper.

...Although, studying her claws, he finds himself tilting his head.]

I dunno how easy it would be to hold a pen with big claws like those, though. They look kinda pen-like already... Do...do you think you could use the poison like ink? I-Is it still poisonous when it's on paper?

[sharpjustice]

[Mayaka stares at the Skiddo. He's a talking goat. She's still trying to get used to the idea that they're all different kinds of Pokemon. It's easier when they don't look like an animal she recognises.]

Right... Didn't think of that. I'll go and ask the front desk at the library. [Mayaka says slowly, still observing Aegiomon through the shine of the pearl.

She shifts her attention to her claws at his second suggestion.]

I still want to try holding a pen. I don't want to make poison drawings with these...

[A slip of the tongue, because she's distracted by the thought of it and the stubborn want to use a pen like a human. She is human!]

[timeexistseverywhere]

[...W-Why is she staring at him like that? Was it a weird suggestion...?]

I-I mean, you can probably still use a pen, I just thought it might be...kinda cool...

[But apparently not? Oh well. Just because you make a suggestion, doesn't mean people have to take it.]

Especially if it's for a drawing, then it'd be, like...super personal. [Wait, no, she didn't like the idea, why is he still trying to hype it?] I mean...sorry. I don't really know a lot about drawing.

[offtracks]

Ah! You are a Sneasel! How lovely!

[ His fondness bleeds through immediately. ]

The young kits always have difficulty controlling their venom at first. I'm afraid I do not quite know how they end up doing so however - it is difficult to have such conversations with them as a human! But I have never seen one fail to do so in time. It likely just requires practice! You should use your venom more often, I think, to get a better feel for it! I have developed a decent immunity to it over the years...ah, though perhaps it has not carried over to this body...

[ He hasn't really tried! Maybe they should experiment...? ]

[sharpjustice]

Use my venom? [Mayaka repeats what Ingo has just said, highlighting how dubious the idea sounds to her. But then she remembers that she's new to all this, and she did ask for advice. This Typlosion sounds like he knows what he's talking about so she'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

She sighs, straightens her posture, and phrases her next question in a more measured tone.]

How long did the Sneasels you know take to control it? And what can I do for practice?

[paperceptive]

You're in the Lum Berries as well? Go to the archives and ask someone there.

[ That was also a priority for Odile when she arrived (though admittedly not at all for Art Reasons), so the question doesn't seem strange to her. ]

is this video ? mayaka will react to seeing a fellow weasel lol

[sharpjustice]

I can do that? I thought the library was just for archives and reading.

[She's been burying herself in the books and tablets since she got here, and helping to keep the shelves tidy even though no one asked. Her idea of what one can find in a library has to expand!]

video

[fromsprouts]

Heya, Mayaka! I'm Umemiya Hajime, it's nice to meet you!

[The Lucario talking to her is wearing a dark green school uniform with a gakuran jacket, of all things.]

Something to know is that Steel types are immune to Poison type attacks. So if you want to get together and work on helping you get control of those claws, I'm good to practice with, without worrying about sending me to the clinic.

[sharpjustice]

[So friendly! Mayaka squares her shoulders when the Lucario appears on the Grumpearl. He immediately reminds her of the boisterous boys in her class, and the outfit really completes the picture. Based on his name... he must be from Japan too. Though beyond that and their ages, she's not sure how much else they have in common.]

Thanks for the offer but...

[ She hesitates. A few Pokemon have already told her she needs to actually use her claws to get better at controlling them, but Mayaka still sees herself as a high school girl who reads too much manga and struggles with homework.]

What do you mean by practice? It's not the same as PE or baseball practice, right?

video;

[dunchies]

Venom? How cool...

[ That's probably not the best introduction. Let's back up. ]

I mean, not cool that you accidentally poisoned someone, but that sort of ability is pretty special, right? E-especially once you start going on quests. [ He's certain she's new, based on what she's asking. ] You just need some practice controlling it!

[sharpjustice]

[Given how sharp her hearing as gotten, Mayaka catches the Boltund's first comment. This earns him a dumbfounded look. The crease on her forehead grows as she realises that this is clearly a talking dog she is now in conversation with.]

Special? That's not how I'd describe it.

[At least he seems interested this topic.]

How do I practice controlling it, exactly?

audio;

[shotinhead]

[ Oh! Another member of the Lum Berries. You get...

Well, Courier Six likes to speak though audio, his voice calm and lacking much emotion. ] I have a friend who has to deal with that issue. But it's not her hands, it's her spines - she's got a bunch of spikes on her back.

...You know, I don't know how she handles it. 'cept that I haven't gotten poisoned by 'er. Yet.

[sharpjustice]

[Mayaka began to lean forward as Courier Six starts his sharing, only to be disappointed at the end when he doesn't have a clear answer for her.]

Aren't you afraid you'll get poisoned when you're around her?

[Though it's phrased as a question, the sharp tone she uses makes it sound like she's accusing this stranger of not being careful enough.]

[gimmeeyeballs]

[It would seem that this candle is learning how the Grumpearl as Catrina mentally extends a grody wax handshake. Welcome to the toxic to handle club Mayaka!]

Kid, trust me, you'll need double lined gloves for the toxins. Had to wear them all my life too, you'll get used to it.

[The former amphibian is here to help, maybe...Catrina you're actually being useful now!?]

[sharpjustice]

[Finally! Someone with a quick fix idea. Most of the others have been asking her to practice to get better at controlling the poison. Mayaka doesn't know how long that might take her and what it entails.]

Double lined gloves. Okay. [She nods, making a mental note. She'll try to find some the next time she goes to the shopping district. Though, it is the latter half of Catrina's statement that piques Mayaka's curiosity.]

But you had to wear them all your life? Why? [She quickly realises that practice may not be so bad after all if it means not having to wear gloves for long.]

video

[truthdecided]

[Hey, look. It's that round bird again.]

Paper and pens aren't terribly difficult to obtain. Either you can ask your guild leadership or peruse the local shops. That being said...

[He hums, eyeballing those claws.]

I almost wonder if clay tablets might be an easier canvas to work with, given your present form. The Archives seem to favor them for preservation purposes, though the medium obviously differs greatly.

[sharpjustice]

Oh, it's you.

[This sounds less like a greeting, and more of a general acknowledgment of Akechi's presence.

Still, it is sort of nice to have a familiar face appear in the Grumpearl after all the new Pokemon she's seen lately. She briefly considers how a manga panel might look like on a clay tablet and is somewhat intrigued by the idea.]

I'll keep that in mind. How do you know so much, anyway?

[While she finds fun trivia like Laios' animal facts a little charming, she is more skeptical of Akechi's know-it-all-ness.]

[positivestars]

Poison claws… We found that one by accident, too- ah, but I'm sure the situation was very different!

[Fusion spells requiring at least two participants does make it easier to check whether that's what you want.]

I'm not sure what to suggest that others haven't… Practice definitely sounds like a good idea!

As for paper- besides the Archives, I'm sure others must use it for short term things! Butcher paper… copy paper… Maybe the Post Office has something!

[sharpjustice]

[As the image of a Clefairy appears on the Grumpearl, Mayaka can't help but smile at how pink and cute it looks. During her first few days at the Archives, the Sneasel diligently read up on the different kinds of Pokemon species. The image printed in the books doesn't do Clefairy justice!]

There's a Post Office here? [is her surprised response to Maya's suggestions.]

I've spent most of my time in the Archives since I arrived, and kind of forgot about walking around town. [she admits a little sheepishly while folding her arms, as if disappointed in herself for missing such a crucial step in getting to know her new environment.]