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[ibalsamina]

[The Grumpearl projects an image: a long-furred Yungoos seated primly on a wooden Canopy platform. Her grin is restrained, showing only a sliver of her sharp fangs, and her surroundings are awash with color: the greens of lush foliage and the vibrant blossoms of various flowers, both growing naturally in the trees and collected for display around the edges of the platform.]

Hello, everyone. I hope you are all faring well, in spite of the extraordinary circumstances. I am still familiarizing myself with this "Grumpearl" device, so I also hope you can forgive me for any technical difficulties that may arise.

[Observing her in this moment, it's hard to imagine that there even could be any such technical difficulties. She is perfectly framed and her thoughts are silent—almost eerily so. Try as she might to make it all seem effortless, it seems she is trying very hard, in fact, to keep them focused and to herself. Not a single stray thought allowed.]

My name is Lusamine Mendel, and I was very recently recruited into the Cheri Guild. Although I am still new to this world, I intend to do everything I can to be of assistance to you all. If there is ever anything I might be able to help you with, please do not hesitate to ask.

[The dark green gem fastened around her neck gleams as she tilts her head.]

Now, I have a simple question for recent arrivals and longtime residents of Bottlecap Bay alike, if you wouldn't mind indulging me. What is the last thing you recall happening before you were transported into this world?

Comments

[technusrulez]

[Technus responds, far too close to the "camera", his mind a mess in contrast to Lusamine's focus.]

Oh, are we giving out full names now? I am Nicolai Technus!

[And then he thinks about all his titles again, which I won't force everyone to look at but he's definitely making everyone listen to.]

• Ghost Master of Science and Electical Technology
  
• Master of All Things Mechanical
  
• Master of Technology
  
• Destroyer of Worlds
  
• Manipulator of Machines
  
• Lord of All Gadgetry
  
• Wizard of Integrated Circuitry
  
• Master of All Things Electronic and Beeping
  
• Duke of Devices
  
• Architect of the Digital Realm
  
• Genius of Gadgetry

The last thing I knew, I was planning vengeance on the ghost boy! He is lucky I have been brought to this other world, as my newest scheme would have allowed me to conquer the living realm for certain!

[ibalsamina]

[Ah. What... loud thoughts this one has.]

My... You are truly passionate about machines and technology, aren't you? How apt it is, then, that you've taken the form of a Rotom.

[... Wait, what was that last part?]

"Conquer"...? Whatever for?

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[dunchies]

You made it! [ Of course Laios heard about her recruitment. He's been eager to run into her ever since, if the excitement in his voice doesn't make that obvious enough. ]

Are you settling in okay? I hope Ribombee was able to show you around a little bit... [ He trails off at the question, not having thought about it for a while. Huh. ] I think—I just ate breakfast before heading to a meeting. Heh. Not a very exciting answer.

[ibalsamina]

Why—Laios! Hello! It's so wonderful to see you again.

[She means it, a wave of warm affection blanketing him through their psychic connection.]

Oh, you sweet boy... It's been quite the whirlwind of activity since I returned, I admit, but I've settled in just fine now, thank you. There's so much beauty here... Like living in a garden.

[She could do with a more structurally sound dwelling... But she is trying to stay purely positive at the moment.

In any case, Laios' answer distracts her. Come to think of it, she never did learn what his profession was.]

Oh? What sort of meeting?

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[quirkynote]

The last thing I recall... It was beautiful... But I wonder if you deserve to know... Why are you asking? What's in it for you?

[For whatever reason, A.B.A is being very guarded about this answer. Like it's somehow something that can be stolen.]

I was with my husband, I can tell you that much... He told me he wouldn't leave me, and yet here I am, without him... How cruel fate can be.

[ibalsamina]

[What's in it for her, hm...?]

Well, that remains to be seen, I suppose. I was hoping that I might come to a better understanding of our current situation, were I able to identify a common thread between the circumstances of our arrivals... However, I admit that I am also simply curious. Hearing about all these other worlds... I can't help but find it utterly captivating.

[But little is captivating about A.B.A's evasive answer. It draws out the first flicker of emotion from Lusamine—a sharp flash of pain, then deep sadness, like she understands—before she is able to mask it again.]

... Forgive me. It wasn't my intention to upset you. Many of us are missing those we've left behind, aren't we...?

[But not her. Certainly not her.]

You did mention before that you're married. May I ask how you and your husband met?

[friendlyflower]

[Read 10:02 PM]

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[ibalsamina]

[Though Flowey does not respond directly and the Grumpearl doesn't have traditional notifications like the modern, human communication devices Lusamine is acquainted with, it seems that it does have some equivalent to them, because once Flowey has heard her message (and chosen not to respond to it), she senses that he has. After a moment of glancing around in momentary alarm and confusion, she carries on with her conversations with those who did reply.

Some time later, she'll seek Flowey out, slinking her way to his new dwelling in the branches near her own. She knows where it is now, because of course she does. She might have even insisted on him being placed somewhere close to her.]

Flowey...? Hello, dear. Is something the matter?

[Surely he was just having technical issues with his Grumpearl and didn't mean to forsake her!]

[improvking]

being exploded by holy light.

[ In contrast to most Grumpearl communication... this is a text message. Mental text.

...Followed by a short blip of memory, including intense searing pain followed by the sensation of evaporating into nothingness.

And then back to text! ]

waking up again, let alone in the ocean, was a surprise.

why?

[ibalsamina]

Goodness! How frightful...

[She really could have done without seeing that! But it is eerily familiar, somehow.

Perhaps she should attempt to respond in text herself? She isn't entirely sure how to yet, and speaking comes easier...]

Oh. I ask in part just out of curiosity. However, I also wonder if the circumstances preceding our arrivals might share some commonality...

Your... memory, for example. What you thought of just now... I experienced that as well, just before I awoke here—or at least I experienced something very similar. That pain... and the sensation of being adrift, of dissolving into nothing...

[The light, too, is familiar. Her mind wanders for a dangerous moment, allowing a flash of memory to slip through from her side as well: blistering light surging toward her through darkness, ripping into her, cleaving her in two.]

Tell me, did you hear a voice calling to you as well?

[firealone]

It's been a long time... but I remember I was out hunting, except the mice kept hearing my belly growl and running away.

[Truly, the most cat answer possible. It comes along with a mental image of a field mouse, viewed from between the tall grass as it grooms its little face.]

I do miss mice... they're much easier to catch than Pichus or Rattatas.

[ibalsamina]

[Catch, he says...]

Were you a Pokémon trainer, before?

[offtracks]

Ah, it is good to meet you! My name is Ingo! I was among the first group of us to arrive here. But what I was doing beforehand was not terribly interesting, I'm afraid...I was simply walking back to my camp after doing some berry-picking.

[There's a brief flash of a wilderness area, though notably there is also a Tangrowth there.]

[ibalsamina]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ingo.

[Not terribly interesting, he says, but the thread of memory—more specifically, the Tangrowth—earns a spark of surprise. She recognizes it.]

Your world... It is also populated by Pokémon?

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[favorforafavor]

Your memories are fresher. Ladies first, right?

[ibalsamina]

Very well. The very last thing I recall is hearing a voice speaking to me. I was in great pain, and I couldn't quite make out what it was saying... But it was a kind voice. Calling to me.

[Nihilego's voice, she had thought, delirious with agony. Or was it Mohn's voice?]

Just before that, I was falling through an Ultra Wormhole.

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[outbounds]

What I do. What I say. Always the same.

[ The mental voice is crisply enunciated, even-keeled. ]

Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedules. Everyone smile! Check safety. Everything’s ready!

Aim for victory! All aboard!

[ In other words, he was doing his job as per usual. Schedules have to be followed and the trains have to keep running, and all. ]

[ibalsamina]

I'm not quite sure I follow. Were you... on a train?

[Safe driving, schedules, all aboard...?]

[Video]

[bladeofnymeia]

[Wow, lucky her, having this rock solid control over her Grumpearl broadcast. Firoza still grapples with that when she's knocked into her emotions. Still, the female Nidoran seems pretty confident as she appears in her response, keeping the view of her on the left side of her face.

It's clear from the area behind her that she's in a different part of the Cheri Berry base, a nest with lots of bits and bobs of fluff and soft things amassed for relative comfort.]

I was looking over a map...and some friends had come by, to ask what my next plans were, for adventure. There were still some loose ends that needed to be wrapped up, but the bulk of issues seemed to be resolved. Though I'm sure I'll be surprised by something new once I return.

Why do you ask?

[ibalsamina]

I wish to know more about the forces that brought us into this world. To that end, it seems pertinent to compare the circumstances surrounding our arrivals and identify any similarities we might all share... However, to be perfectly honest with you, I am also just curious. Isn't it fascinating, being able to speak to people from so many different worlds?

Nevertheless... I'm sure this wasn't quite what you had in mind for your next adventure.

[She says it with a smile—lighthearted, but also sympathetic.]

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[undeux_allblue]

[There's a jump in the connection, and a garbled mess of images as someone scrambles to. Keep. Things from burning. Mostly food. And there's alot of swearing. ]

What sort of seas-damned timing I was just about to- OH HELLO MADAME!! [Such poise and grace! The pokemon in the snail feed could only be a beautiful lady, trapped in the fuzzy body of an animal like many of them here. She deserves his full attention and maybe a treat- oh shit, the bread-

KKKZZZT.

......he's not aware his tumultuous thoughts are all spilling over, but that dies down after a moment, and a very ruffled looking shiny Vulpix leans into the feed, muttering about how snails turned into pearls here or some such-] Apologies, I'm still not used to the tools here. [And the lack of hands....he smiles, and it's a bit fuzzy because he still doesn't have a great mental grasp of what he is right now. Still. ]

You are very kind, Mademoiselle Mendel! I am Sanji, I was a chef in my world. [Hence all the. Culinary projects in the background.] While I am also new, if you need anything in turn, please let me know! As for...memories...

[An island of the tallest trees imaginable, and bubbles floating carelessly about, all as his crew, his friends, disappear around him one by one. There's pain there, greater than even his broken leg. He can't bear to lose them, they made it so far, they- he can't- this can't be the end- all while a figure looms over him, a hand with bizarre paw pads coming toward him-

He shakes his head, and the image snaps back to the present. He's not realized that the memory slipped over.] It's not very pleasant. I won't trouble you with such things, Madame. Are there particular tales you're searching for?

[ibalsamina]

[Oh dear. Try as Lusamine might to keep her emotions from spilling over into the stranger's mind, this message takes so many turns that she can't help letting a few through: surprise and confusion at the scramble of movement and objects, annoyance at the coarse language... then some amusement, once Sanji has governed himself enough to apologize and introduce himself properly.]

Not only in your world, it seems. [It looks like he's well on his way to becoming a chef in this world, too, she means.] Thank you, Mr. Sanji. It's such a pleasure to meet you.

[His memory, on the other hand, is frightful. It's obvious that he didn't mean to share it with her, so she tries not to react noticeably, but there is a flash of shock and dismay through their psychic connection before she, too, manages to govern herself again.]

No... No particular tales, really. I suppose I am interested to see if anyone else's experiences align with my own in any notable way... But I must admit that I am also interested just in hearing what everyone was getting up to, in their own worlds. I've found all the stories I've been told thus far utterly fascinating...

[His memory, for example. Now that she is no longer within it, she can't help being curious.]

Oh, but I hope I'm not distracting you too much from your work... Would you like to contact me again once you've finished there? I'm in no hurry.

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[hundredeyesoni]

You're new here, too? How fascinating!

I'm Dr. Takahashi. The Lum guild recruited me so I could stay by the clinic.

Since I woke up here, I thiiink the last thing I did was sleep? [Is that answer too boring? Well, it doesn't entirely fit the question, either.]

My memory was a bit hazy from the fog, [or from the being a Slowking,] so I'm not sure if that's right. The last thing I remember clearly was meeting an old classmate's newborn son. He was so cute, I can't even recall if there was any change to the landscape!

[Because.. that's a normal thing to say. He shakes his head, though.]

If that's the case, it's possible I was still awake when I was brought here, after all. I wonder why I can't remember how it started?

[ibalsamina]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Takahashi.

This fog you speak of... Are you referring to the fog that exists here, in this world? Or is there a similar sort of fog that exists in your world as well?

Audio

[dripdrive]

Dying.

[Anasui, you can't just start with that.

... ANASUI YOU CAN'T START WITH THAT AND NOT ELABORATE!]

[ibalsamina]

... Are you certain?

[After all, it felt very much like she was dying, too, at first.]