charcoalfeather | Third Feather [Video/Action for Violet city]

...Hello? Is this working? At all?

[The feed opens on a familiar street of Violet City, somewhere notably outside the gym. The beautiful morning it is, you'd think that nothing's wrong at a glance, but you'd be so wrong.

The voice itself that could be heard just now was possibly unrecognizable, not helped by how the screen isn't facing whoever's holding it; it's pointed a the gym, rather. But then it moves along, going to a group of Pokemon standing around nearby, and a Dodrio, who's three heads all seem curious about the pokegear... or whoever's holding it.]

Well, it looks like it's working, right Kuki? Hmm, the Pokegear still being broken would be the least of our worries.

[A worried squawk follows. The voice is mature, but still light, like someone that was just stepping into an adult's shoes. A nice step away from the confusing rush of children on the network, isn't it?

But enough of the scenery, the gear is finally turned over, smoothly revealing... Rakka? Only, she looks like Rakka, albeit from several years down the line. She positions the gear until it's pointed directly on her face.]

...Some of you might not recognize me right now. [Hehe. Hair's still a mess, but that smile's one hundred percent her's.] It's Rakka. I guess I wouldn't recognize me either if I suddenly looked like this.

[But therein lies the point. With minor hesitancy, she speaks.] Is... anyone there? Karkat? Ashley? ...Yang? I'll take anyone, really it... feels like I slept for years. So, I just need to know if anyone's still around, okay?

[She'll let that sit for a moment, glance away, and cut the feed.]

Action for Violet City

[Y'know, maybe if this world actually gave them some warning when it was about to get weird, maybe it wouldn't be so bad? Yeah! Rakka could live without some of this excitement; it's not exactly fun to wake up in bed feeling like you've slept through your teens. Still... got to try and look on the bright side!

...It's a nice day? Bluh.

Well, curiosity never really dies down. And she's got on a nice dress she doesn't remember buying. So she sets out on a stroll through the city. She's always got at least one of her roster at her side - yes, even the Phantump because someone's feeling a bit braver. She spends the day talking to the locals, asking people in random shops and Sprout tower about the current weirdness, to not much luck. Mmrrgh.

She can at least try and unwind a little at a cafe she comes across, but her pokemon are getting their share of it. What? She's eating! One, or two bites count.]

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I can help! Maybe. Katkat's making hisself busy tryin'a look after me, but I gots lots of time. But if you need help doing something high up, I can't reach anymore 'less I climb. And Katkat yelled at me when I climbeded before.

Well that's for the best. Don't start climbing anything that's too high, Dave. If you fall then you could seriously hurt yourself. I'm pretty sure I can get everything I need on my own anyway.

[She is stern about this. Don't want any children falling from high places on her watch! Or Karkats, it seems.]

...So, Karkat's looking after you?

[Hmmm. Well. No promises about the climbing thing. What can he say, he's used to a much higher vantage point. Instead, he tilts his head in an unseen eye-roll re: Karkat.]

He's trying.

[It's funnier (sweeter) than it is frustrating.]

But I'm not a baby. I still remmber everything, an' I'm four. I can take care myself easy.

Hehe. I'm sure he is. [She can only imagine how much he's trying and... and...

... She peers a bit closer at him.]

... You're kidding.

Nuh-uh. I remmber you, an' all the girls. An' the space soldiers. An' all my Pokémon.

[Is that even what she's asking about, Dave.]

[It. It is, actually. But.

Rakka's gaze rests on him for a moment. And another.]

You mean, you can actually remember everything, but you're just a kid now? [mmrgh.] That just doesn't make sense.

Bein' little doesn't make sense. Time goes forwards 'less you make a loop.

I... guess that makes sense. [If you think about it hard enough. But time travel was just one of those things that might leave Rakka sitting in the dust.]

...I was thinking about what was happening to our pokegears a couple days ago. And, maybe if it's connected to everything happening now.

[He has to concentrate to pronounce that word.]

Con...con-nec-ted how? That wasn't time stuff...

No. But, it happened so soon before this.

[But did she really want to worry even more then she was already? That would be a whole lot of anxiety to contain. She brushes some hair back again.]

I don't know. I guess I've been trying to figure out how all of this is happening since I woke up yesterday, and I haven't been really lucky.

Hmm...

Ashley--the other day, Ashley said she was worried 'bout irr...rep...[Yeah there's no way he's pronouncing 'irreparable.'] Really bad damage to the video game. You know, when stuff was all weird and glitchy. Maybe it's more glitches?

"Irreparable"? It sounds pretty serious if Ashley's been talking like that about what's been happening to the world. [She's got your back, tiny Dave. There's plenty of words she's catching onto now that she's not a confused younger birdperson.

...Or maybe that was speaking too soon. Here she goes, with a dawning confusion.] Wait. A... video game?

[Blink.]

Yeah. We're in a video game. You di'nt know?

[There's Rakka's confused face.]

No, I...[siiigh] Dave...

...

[Oh, wait. Maybe...]

A video game's like a story, but you play it 'stead of read it.

[Yeah. Yeah, uh.

He'll see Rakka nodding, going along with Dave's explanation.]

O-kay... [Still sounds really weird!!] I probably never told you that my world doesn't have a lot of technology like this place, did I?

Third Feather [Video/Action for Violet city]

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