W͜͏̶Ę͏E͝͠K͝͞ ̧1̵͟

[strangerpeople]

W͜͏̶Ę͏E͝͠K͝͞ ̧1̵͟

[The national council just announced the blight to the country.

There was no sugarcoating it anymore. This was a critical time. Saving all of the vines is paramount, but what does one do when the blight hits? It keeps encroaching on the grapes, day by day. Entire clusters, entire bunches, dead and rotting, while allowing the blight to spread, and the leading botanists and viticulturists cannot identify the origin or the cause. They can't even successfully isolate the culprit in their labs; it seems to disappear like air no matter the precautions taken.

It is a catastrophe that seems to be beyond science, and it will result in the complete collapse of the entire country's wine industry. Already, embargoes on this year's crop have forced other grape-growers to close shop for the year after they'd sold their previous stock; it is all too possible that no grapes might ever be grown here again if a cure cannot be found. The tourists have stopped coming. The towns have grown silent.

You, meanwhile, are devastated. With the way your business is going, it will be on the brink of bankruptcy within the year. You will soon have no choice but to close shop and let every grapevine die, let the land go fallow. There must be a cure for this, there must be. Yet everything that can go wrong is.

Then, as you watch the news, it happens. Breaking news. The blight has been found in another country.

It is a pandemic-and it is only getting worse.


-

Well. This is...what else can can anyone say? You all know the deal. You all know what situation you're in. All that is left is to figure out what you can do about it. If there's anything that can be done.

You still feel that compulsion to distrust. To know you cannot win. To know that only the hosts have your best interests in mind. It would be easy to just do all that. But would it be the right thing to do? You can't be completely sure. Indeed, nothing is certain here, except for that damned ticking sound. If only you could stop it.

But you can't stop it. It is inevitable.


There are 15 strangers in this place.]

Comments

[relieable]

[Osomatsu nods]

Yeah! He’s... Gerard belongs to my friend! I’m just taking care of him while he’s away.

[“away”]

[katzenpfote]

['Away', huh.]

Well, that is very good of you to do so. What... ah. What sort of creature is he?

[relieable]

[Osomatsu holds out his hand and begins to pet Gerard]

Hmm, the creatures themselves are called Pokémon. The breed is Archeops!

[katzenpfote]

So it's a subbreed of an overall classification. Interesting. How... does it get inside that ball?

[relieable]

That... Is a very good question!

[Osomatsu considers how to explain]

I’m not sure if they shrink down, or if they are, like, computer programs that turn off when they’re done... I mean, they’re obviously not mechanical, or digital.

[some are, though]

And they don’t seem to be in any pain when they go. I’m not sure anyone understands what happens to ‘em. But I do know there are different types of pokéballs that can be used aside from these standard ones, and they can have various effects on the Pokémon that wait inside them.

[katzenpfote]

[He only barely knows what a computer is so...]

But they are all right with it, ja? Then I suppose it doesn't much matter in the end... I am curious, but I suspect it might involve concepts I do not yet really understand.

[relieable]

[he nods]

Me, too! Actually, I don't come from, uh... the world where Pokémon exist. I just know about them from Frankie.

[he wondered about the pokéballs, too]

[katzenpfote]

Someone else from the Mansion? Did they... make it out or not?

... Perhaps that's too personal to ask.

[relieable]

[a pause. Osomatsu looks down, but he's still smiling. sadly, softly. he'll answer him anyway]

Frankie... Franciscus didn't make it out, no.

[katzenpfote]

... I am sorry for your loss. I know it does not mean much, especially with this place egging on distrust, but I am... here if you need a listening ear.

[relieable]

[yeah, the distrust is... a big part of why Osomatsu hasn't really opened up to anyone here yet. but it's very nice to just hear the words. he pats Gerard, who looks just about as torn up as Osomatsu does, if not, more so, at the mention of Franciscus]

Thanks. You're pretty cool. It's... Caleb, right?

[katzenpfote]

Usually I deal in fire, but I'll take the compliment.

[He grins slightly.]

That's right. With the train group. And you are Osomatsu, correct?

[He pronounces it slowly, and the accent is a little off, but he's trying.]

[relieable]

Yeah, Osomatsu!

[he repeats his name for Caleb's benefit]

But you can call me Oso, if that's easier. I don't mind. It's kind of a weird name.

[katzenpfote]

Oh no, it is fine. I will remember it now that I know how it is pronounced properly, though I make no promises for the accent.

[He taps the side of his head.]

I have a very good memory. It comes in handy.

... But yes. I know that we have all been through a lot, but I have no room to judge for many things. I have no intention of hurting anyone here, but I know what it is like both to hurt and to be hurt. So I do not mind listening to whatever you might need someone to hear.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu beams at him, feeling... safe, for some reason. that's probably naive of him, but he's always been rather carefree]

I'll keep that in mind. Franciscus and I were pretty close. So I'd like to keep taking care of Gerard, if that's okay.

[the pokémon squawks again]

[katzenpfote]

That's all right. I still need to find my cat. He should be in the machine, just as he was last time. Even if he has no magical properties here, I still want him back.

[relieable]

[how do they put these animals into the machine? ...maybe he doesn't want to know]

What's your cat's name?

[he picks up the pokéball to return Gerard to it]

[katzenpfote]

His name is Frumpkin. He is a sort of brownish orange with black stripes, pointed ears, and yellow eyes. He is very smart, and hopefully he will quickly catch on to what the situation is here. He is my familiar, actually.

[relieable]

[ooh! he knows what familiars are, thanks to Ambrosine]

Neat! I'll make sure to keep an eye out for him.

[what a cute name, too]

[katzenpfote]

I appreciate it. It's not as if I have the materials here to re-summon him, or that it would even work if I did.

[relieable]

[heh... interesting]

So... do you use magic, then?

[katzenpfote]

I do. I specialize in transmutation magic, though I am skilled in evocation as well.

[relieable]

[he has no idea what those words mean, but he nods anyway. now that he recalls, Caleb's profile did say he liked magic]

Do you know how to make gold?

[oh............]

[katzenpfote]

Not gold, but I can transmute things to silver. Unfortunately, the magic is not permanent, so you cannot make infinite money. It is good for scamming people by turning copper pieces into silver for a bit, though. Nott and I got by doing that more than once.

Believe me, I would have had a much easier time if I could do it permanently.

[relieable]

..........

That is the greatest trick I ever heard.

[as a scammer himself, he appreciates this greatly]