Five

[pendantry]

[It’s a rare day when Raven doesn’t report to the smithy first thing in the morning. Routine sits well with her; whether it’s the bird or the person who finds contentment in her jewellery-crafting nest is debatable. There is, however, a request she has spent (according to her) far too much time thinking on.

Masaomi asked for something to nullify electricity. In a flash of pragmatism, Raven wants to be able to make more than one of whatever this accessory will be. But first, she must actually achieve one. Harder than it sounds. Using what she knows, she hasn’t been able to produce anything that leaves someone less than shocked after exposure to lightning magic.

So. She did not go to work this morning; it’s the item shop instead, first, and then a trip to the big lake for a change of pace and some fishing. It reminds her of the fish-catching competitions at home, and out here in the forest alone, she can share a fond smile with nobody.

Until something comes crashing through the trees with a screech, grabbing some prey in its claws and landing not too far away to consume it. Not too long later, she’s sitting by the edge of the lake on a stone, book open.]

Does this belong to any of you? [Turn the book, show the bird.] ...He’s friendly.

[Friendly enough to sit only a few feet away, preening and occasionally squawking - and letting her touch him. No tender moments will be broadcast over the journal...intentionally. She’s a bird lover, though, even of large ones like this, and the way he looks reminds her of someone.

Might as well ask her other question while she’s gone to the trouble of using the book.]

I’m looking for materials that resist lightning. [Beat.] Not rubber. Things with magic.

Comments

[tsuntrader]

[...Bird? But it looks more like-]

Is that Archeops? [Hey, is that what you are, bird dude?]

[pendantry]

I don't know.

[Right now it's finishing off the fish she tossed its way. His way? She thinks his way.]

But I know he's a monster of yours.

[tsuntrader]

[Well, that pretty much guarantees it. ...Unless some other trainer with a bird is running around, but...] It probably belongs to a guy called Emmet.

[pendantry]

[You'll forgive her if she takes a while to answer. Some crazy brothers are talking to her.]

What's a subway?

[tsuntrader]

It's an underground train. [...] Locomotive. [... ... ...] Public transportation. [Please tell him that one of these work.]

[pendantry]

[. . .

Nope.]

I don't...understand.

[tsuntrader]

...A giant metal construct that moves along a designated path laid out by rails that helps hasten the transportation of passengers or goods, originally steam powered but currently more commonly powered by electricity.

[...] It's a giant metal room on wheels with a bunch of chairs that helps people get from one town, city, or even region faster than by walking or riding a Pokémon. ...Or animal. [Ingo why did you fill his head with a bunch of knowledge on trains]

[pendantry]

Faster than flying?

[Because that would be a feat. She's already trying to picture a big rolling metal room. Like a cart, maybe? But large enough to hold more than one person, if it's got chairs in it...]

[tsuntrader]

Most of the time. [Murkrow can totally fly faster than the Magnet Train, okay?] Besides, there's less physical effort involved.

[pendantry]

[Well. It takes energy, though, he said this.]

Electricity like what comes from the wall? [Never mind asking how the wall can make enough power to kill a man, okay.]

[tsuntrader]

...Yeah. Like that. [Raven what kind of technologically backwards world do you come from]

[pendantry]

[Her very incorrect mental picture of a train now includes a cord, similar to the ones on the lamps and appliances in her apartment, stretching along the "rails" (which look like banister rails) and connected at one end to the train, and at the other end to a wall. Somewhere.]

...So you can only go as far as the wire.

[You have to see the picture.

Though she's really not too far off from certain kinds of electric train.]

[tsuntrader]

...Kind of. [Not... entirely inaccurate...]

Someone else could probably explain this better than me.

[pendantry]

[But you are the one she asked, Silver.]

Those other two are too excited.

[tsuntrader]

Which is why they could answer it best. They're passionate about it.

[pendantry]

[Don't make things difficult.]

I don't know how to talk to them.

[tsuntrader]

...The same way you would talk to anyone else? [Gonna have to be more specific there, Raven.]

[pendantry]

[Raven makes an uncomfortable sound. That's exactly the problem. She's terrible at talking to anyone with their sort of demeanor.]

Never mind.

[tsuntrader]

[It's not that he doesn't get it. He does. He really does.]

Just watch out for Emmet's eager tangents. He'll head down the express lane instead of stopping at the right station. [He learned about this in around five minutes. What he did not learn is that he is unintentionally making train puns with more and more frequency.]

[pendantry]

[And someone with no knowledge of trains? Also misses out on the euphemisms.]

Now you're not making any sense either.

[tsuntrader]

...Tell him when he starts getting off track. [Ingo could do it too, but he has a little more impulse control. ...That doesn't stop the fact that he could literally go on and on about trains for days if prompted to do so and-]

[pendantry]

I don't want to ask him.

[tsuntrader]

Then I guess that's your stop on learning about trains. [So much about trains. More than anyone ever wanted to know about trains.

Raven, don't ever learn about trains.] Make sure that Archeops gets back to him okay.

[pendantry]

Yeah. We're going back. ...I like this pokemon.

[No she is not blushing. How dare you insinuate that. But the "like" and the "pokemon" should be huge clues about her feelings for you, Silver.]

[tsuntrader]

[Maybe... Maybe... Possibly...







Nope.] It's hard to not like them.