barring emergencies

[the_very_best]

Bella's not sure where she has wandered. She thought she was about to walk into a shop, but this appears to be an unattended bar. With none of the windows associated with the shop she thought she was entering. It could be an elaborate psychic assault of some kind, but it doesn't feel very... assault-y... and she was in the middle of a town and doesn't think any humans want to sic their 'mon on her. It's strange. She approaches the bar, looking around warily, hand hovering near her belt.

with Max (Benedict)

with Earth and Lightning (kappa)

with Ann and Sabrina (kuuskytkolme)

Comments

[pythbox]

"A Pokécenter being... some sort of non-magical Pokémon hospital?" he guesses.

[the_very_best]

"Yeah - see, when 'mon are in their balls they're sort of simplified in ways I don't actually understand and there's machines that can make repairs to them pretty easily and then they're all better, no waiting time or blowing your money on Potions and stuff, so every town bigger than like three houses together in the woods has a Pokémon center."

[pythbox]

"Convenient," says Earth. "But the machines aren't very portable?"

[the_very_best]

"They're not, in the field you need regular medicines."

The conversation peters out. The girl loiters in the bar long enough for all of her 'mon except the skittish Rachis to receive their free drinks, and for her to receive a grilled sandwich, and then, muttering about how she hopes the Security job helps her find the place again sooner rather than later, lets herself out.

[pythbox]

Earth and Lightning exchange some silent commentary, and then Earth turns to Bar and asks, "Is it usual to find people here who strongly resemble people we already know?"

[alicornucopia]

Sometimes that happens, but not to everyone. Some of them only look alike and others have deep and thorough similarities. And some of the second kind don't look alike.

[pythbox]

"Interesting. Thank you," says Earth.

[alicornucopia]

You're welcome.

[pythbox]

The two elementals decide to go investigate the outdoor area, for completeness's sake. They spend a few hours out there before coming back inside.

[cumulonimbus]

Where they find sitting at the bar and having an animated conversation therewith - yet another one. This one's prepubescent and dressed differently and is asking if the doors can be summoned "- maybe with academic magic? Or since it's doors wood magic, I think there's wood magic."

[pythbox]

...Lightning starts snickering.

[cumulonimbus]

The girl looks up before reading her reply napkin.

And tilts her head -

- and beams at Lightning.

[pythbox]

"...Huh?" says Lightning. (This is not a reaction he tends to get from most people.)

[cumulonimbus]

"You're all - sparky!" she exclaims, sliding carefully off her bar stool. "It looks fun, how do you do it? What are you? Are you an elemental?"

[pythbox]

"Y...es...?"

"But I'm not sure we're the kind of elemental you mean," says Earth. "We might be, but we might not."

[cumulonimbus]

"Oh, right. I think there are elementals where I'm from but I've never seen one in person - are you a plant?" she asks Earth. "Or something?"

She is clearly less interested in the possibility that somebody is a plant than the possibility that somebody is lightningy.

[pythbox]

"I'm an Earth. A different kind of elemental from Lightning."

[cumulonimbus]

"Huh. I don't think you can be kinds from home, then, plants and earth are separate things there, one of my teachers does plants." She looks up at Lightning. "Can I hug you?"

[pythbox]

"...Sure," says Lightning.

[cumulonimbus]

Hug!

Sparks!

She giggles and hugs him tighter. Electricity accumulates in her hair and dances along her skin.

[pythbox]

That's weird.

Lightning turns up his halo, just to see what happens.

[cumulonimbus]

The girl bursts out into uproarious laughter as more sparks engulf her.

[pythbox]

"What even are you," giggles Lightning.

[cumulonimbus]

"I'm a weather mage!"

[pythbox]

"You're making my halo tickle!"

He ruffles her hair. Sparks happen.