[Walkabout] Tweet tweet?

[truerevelation]

Ohmypogwe'rehome! We're home! What are we doing... we're not supposed to-

Piyo - hey, hey, buddy. Chill out.

But this is- it's- I heard it all started with humans showing up in flashy lights and things on the mountain and, and... but...

I've got ya. Just breathe, okay? And... uh. Right. You guys heard that...

...cheep.

[There's a pause on the network channel that'd been full of twittering.]

Um. I just. I wanted to - this is so weird! But. I. I think I know where we are. Or... mm, when we are. What's going on. I wasn't hatched when humans first arrived in this world, but I was told about it? And... it happened a bit. Uh. Like this.

I think this is history.

Comments

[rustyhonesty]

Huh. That explains why the clothes are so weird.

[truerevelation]

...Looked like clothes to me.

Nah, you've got a point... the stuff back human side did look kinda... outta date compared to when we were here last. Clothes, technology... right.

[rustyhonesty]

Definitely. I mean, we didn't get to look for too long, but even with so little time, it was easy to see something was off. I didn't recognize the place as Pogtopia at all.

[truerevelation]

Yeah. It definitely wasn't. Actually... huh. Goin' by the signs... mighta been another country. France or something?

Um... let me think...

[rustyhonesty]

All I really got out of the natives was that 'It's such a lovely World Fair' when I was passing by. Other hints... not so much.

[truerevelation]

World Fair. Fits what I saw, right, all that festival feeling stuff. But you're right, that only goes so far.

[rustyhonesty]

Yeah. Then again, it's not so important while we're here, unless it comes as a topic with the native humans...

[reincarnatedprince]

You're a native of this world, then? Can you tell us about it a little? Even if we're in the past, I'm sure some things have remained the same.

[truerevelation]

Mmm. And I, um. I thought we weren't supposed to come back to home? It's... it's...

[Worried chirping.]

The, mm, people here? We're Pogemon. I think someone said it? There's a whole lot of us! Different species, different types. Animal types, vegetable types - um, that's all sorts of plant, you don't have to eat them! - and mineral types. There ... aren't any humans here. Or there weren't, um, until now.

[reincarnatedprince]

I can understand your worry, but hopefully we'll have nothing major going on. It's strongly suggested that this is a walkabout.

[Usually they're more relaxed, even if there have been various exceptions to the rule.]

Hmm, interesting. By that standard, I'm either an animal or mineral type. Can one be a mix of the two?

[truerevelation]

That's... that's not the point! It's not the ... not the what we're doing ... it's...

Sssh. But yeah. Answering your question, nah, no mixed types unless I'm missing somethin'. Best way to work it out is probably see if there's some veg-type who'd be up for... sparring, maybe.

[reincarnatedprince]

[Mamoru is pretty sure he got what the bird meant. It was the past. He was from the future. It could affect him if something happened. It must be difficult. So he lets the topic drop to not make him more uneasy.]

Yes, well, it would likely be good to know what I can do, other than be fluffy and warm for anyone who needs warmth in the night.

[truerevelation]

Hey, fluffy and warm sounds damn good to me. But I getcha.

[Kanji pauses. (He might just be hugging Piyo back to calm over here.)]

...huh. I might be able to help ya? Can do some scanning stuff. Ain't tried it on a Pogemon before but... first time for everything, right?

[reincarnatedprince]

That would actually be really great. And it's not like we'd lose anything by trying, right?

[truerevelation]

Heh, that's for sure. Might take longer than it usually does for me, but that ain't a big deal.

[reincarnatedprince]

Would you like to meet somewhere? I'm rather easy to spot. Just look for a white alpaca with a golden unicorn horn.

[truerevelation]

Tch, and even out here that ain't gonna be easy to miss. Sure thing, man.

[reincarnatedprince]

Sounds like a plan, then.

[highsteaks]

Maybe it's because you're not an official Traveler, Piyo? I mean, you didn't get snatched up like us. You tagged back with Kanji. And you need his help to get on the network.

[truerevelation]

[There's some grumbling chirping here.]

Mm. I. I guess? It's... weird being here...

[highsteaks]

Well yeah. We time traveled. That's super weird.

[truerevelation]

Y-yeah! A lot of stuff is ... kind of time travelly, but this is me time travelling... right?

[highsteaks]

Don't worry. We'll make sure you don't accidentally end up dating your mom instead of your dad. [She knows that happened in a movie once.]

[truerevelation]

[what the cheep?]

U-um... I'm not looking for dates?

[highsteaks]

I don't think that kid with the vest was either, but it happened anyway.

[levelthreehooligan]

Hey, Piyo, you're going really well to tell us this! Do you remember what the story said that the humans did?

[truerevelation]

Hehe, thank you! [There's a happy cheep there.]

It's ... it's all. Um. Not exactly rumours, but ... some people said it was just one human, some said it was a whole group, I guess it's a whole group? They talk about ... no-one'd been up the mountain, but they went looking for something up there? I think that was it...

[levelthreehooligan]

[Aaahhh, they sound so adorable! Pinya really wants to see Piyo now]

Mayhaps it's our lot that make it up the mountain! It seems we're in for an adventure.

[truerevelation]

Mm, maybe! I think these things are always... kind of adventures.

[bite_the_hand]

Happy to be home, huh?

It doesn't happen a lot, but this isn't be the first time we've gone back to a world's past. Do you remember anything from your world's history that might help us now?

[truerevelation]

Happy? I... I mean it's nice to see it... but it feels... I don't know. Um.

It's. It's all kind of ... stories? Some people didn't even think it could have happened! Not until later... it's kind of, um, vague. But they said that... anyone who went to the great mountain never came back...

[bite_the_hand]

Mixed feelings then?

It sounds like there's either something really bad there, or it's some kind of one-way portal. Guess we don't have much choice but to take the risk.

[truerevelation]

Mm. Mixed. I was... used to not being here.

Guess so. I hope it's not bad, anyway?

[bite_the_hand]

It'll be fine. Even if there is something bad up there, we can handle it!

[truerevelation]

You're... you're sure? R-right! We've got this!

[There's a hint of Kanji chuckling at the bird's reactions in the background.]

[bite_the_hand]

Of course I'm sure! We're Travelers! We can handle anything this world can throw at us!

[truerevelation]

[That actually gets a snatch of birdsong, which pauses before-]

...Even me? There are scary things here. Even I, um, I can't fight well...

[bite_the_hand]

There're more ways to fight than attacking directly. The people on the front line need support and healers. You can fly, right? Maybe you could fly up high and use the Network to help everyone stay organized, and warn us about any surprise attacks or reinforcements!

[truerevelation]

Mhm! I suppose I can. And yes, I fly! I ... know attacking's not everything. I just wish I could do more sometimes.

[bite_the_hand]

...That feeling never really goes away. Even the best fighters I know still wish they could do more.

[The shift in his mental tone strongly suggests that he's speaking from experience here.]

[truerevelation]

...cheep. Mm, guess so? I mean... I know I keep seeing-

...you're doin' fine, OK?