one - (video/action)

[in_themachine]

[What if you you were nothing but a little ball of flame, and then suddenly you woke up with arms and legs and an actual body? It would be quite the ordeal to get over. In fact, Sissel has spent the good part of the day actually learning how to walk again.]

[He has succeeded so far, but he still trips every once in a while. But at least he's

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[fauxearl]

[Here, Sissel, be the first to have a young man laugh at you and your discomfort. It makes him feel much better about the situation. He's neither dressed properly for the cold weather nor does he seem to enjoy it, but he still manages to look as if he were used to such things.]

I'd like to ask the same, but that old man refuses to answer any more questions.

[fauxearl]

What did you do? Have you traveled?

[He's honestly curious about this. If it wasn't clear enough, he's closed the distance between them and keeps his gaze on Sissel.]

Merry England. [He giggles, though there is no humor behind it.] And where do you come from?

[in_themachine]

I've traveled to a lot of places, but I'm not sure where they were...somewhere within the same city, I bet.

[Just inches slightly back due to the proximity.]

England, huh? Never heard of it. As for me, I don't know. I don't remember where I came from.

[fauxearl]

How could you not know where you've been? I thought travelers were better than that. [He groans and steps back.] Don't you have any exciting stories? Unless your travels were worth shit.

[His smile comes back just as soon as it left.] Never heard of a traveler who stuck to one city. At least you remember that name of yours, Sissel.

[in_themachine]

There's actually a good explanation. When I died, I lost all of my memories, including who I was, where I lived, and other such things. So, I can tell you in great detail where I've been, I just don't know where on a map they would be.

Actually, I was just lucky to hear it when I overheard a couple of people talking about me, Other than that, I've been looking for my identity ever since.

[fauxearl]

I'm glad I didn't! Would have been a pain if I had forgotten who I was. Waking up in that tart's home was terrible enough without knowing my own name.

[He frowned and rolled his shoulders back. It took much longer for him to regain his good humor. Even as he replaced his frown with a smile, his eyes stayed the same.]

Any luck with that, Sissel?

[in_themachine]

Well, amnesia is quite the experience. You were lucky to remember everything right after you died, I'd say.

[A slight twitch of the mouth. He had found some very interesting things about the man who he was before he had died, but he didn't feel like talking about it.]

A bit, but I'm still in the dark.

[fauxearl]

I'd rather not know. [Though, if he could, he would have chosen to have amnesia. Remembering his death was not something he was keen on.]

Better that than learning some horrid truth.

[in_themachine]

What, too traumatic? [All the other ghosts he had met didn't seem so upset that they were dead. Maybe this kid went through something worse.]

[He frowns without realizing it.] True. That's very true.

[fauxearl]

It's none of your concern. [He just barely stops himself from telling the man to get lost. Alois wasn't looking forward to being alone. He pulls back on a smile, but it's a failed effort.]

[He shifts his attention to the ghost pokémon.] Is that one yours?

[in_themachine]

...

[Sissel is a nice guy, so he's not going to press him for more information.]

[The man turns to smile at the Gastly, which bobs up and down.]

Gasssstly.

Yeah, he's mine. I got him when I woke up. I think everyone does.

[fauxearl]

Those things were in the red and white spheres. I haven't seen mine yet. [He's not sure if he wants to see what he has. But he finds his pack and the pokéball his partner was supposedly inside. How it was supposed to come out of the ball was a whole other mystery to him. The gastly seemed more interesting by far.]

And you said this was a ghost too? And you own it?

[Another volley of laughter, but at least he's reclaimed something of his good humor.] It's horrible! What a word for it to say!

[He reaches out to touch it but stops to glance in Sissel's direction.] It doesn't look solid at all. Not like you and I.

[in_themachine]

I think you have to click on the white button on those things for it to come out. It'd be good to meet it to see what it's like.

[Sissel smirks a bit.] Yeah, it's a ghost pokemon. It says that because that's it's species. The Gastlys. There's more like him out there.

You know, I haven't tried touching him. The Pokedex thing said he was made of gas...

[Sissel reaches towards it, and his hand sinks into it until he reaches the Gastly's head.]

It's sort of solid there, but...it really just feels like I'm touching rather thick air.

[fauxearl]

The button? [He turns the ball over and over in his hand until he seems vaguely similar to a "button".] And I push it? [It seemed a simple enough thing to do. He ignored it for the moment as he turned his attention to Sissel.]

There are too many different names for these machines. Which one is the pokédex? [GASP] Oh! It really is a ghost! Your hand went completely through the ghastly thing! How did it feel? ...You said there were others like it? Then perhaps...

[Alois looks back at his own pokéball with a new light in his eyes. It was a brand new thing of possibilities. He pressed the button; a flash of light and a gasp later, a giant ladybug appears. It flutters in the air close to Alois.]

It's an insect. A ladybird of all things. [A warmer smile lights his face. He reaches out to touch it. The ledyba flutters close enough to be petted. It seems enough to get Alois giggling again.]

[in_themachine]

[Sissel flinches at the flash of light, but then he grins as he sees the giant ladybug.]

Ha, see? There are many types of pokemon here. The Pokedex is on the PokeGear somewhere, I honestly was lucky just to activate it a while ago, seeing as I still can't read...

[He smiles as the ladybug gets petted.] I think it likes you.

[fauxearl]

You can't read? [It's not a cruel restatement (for once). Beyond the other boys in the Trancy estate, he hadn't met other people who were unable to read.] If you're talking about that strange machine, I'll find a way to use it. That thing must be very useful if it can be used as a guide. ...The dotty, old man must really have us prepared for a journey. There should be a map, then.

[Ledyba turns away from Alois to look at Sissel's Gastly. It waves with two of it's arms.] You think?

[He tries to pull it closer to him. The ladybug obliges but eventually flutters away from his reach and settles on his head. Unfortunately it sets off his balance, since ledyba's about 23 pounds heavier than what he expected.]