exsilium | two. (video.)

[Fang's up...somewhere pretty high, up on the rooftop of a building. Looks like she's pulling a Batman and getting her brood on. She is in heavier, drabber clothing than usual (to her displeasure), save the scarf around her neck, which looks a fair bit more elaborate. Her spear is propped up nearby.

It almost seems as if she doesn't know she's being recorded, but then she speaks up:]

'Round this time of year, in Oerba — that's where I'm from — there would be big hunting parties. A last little bit of celebration before the chill and the frost set in from the mountains nearby. Suppose that'd be my version of this "Krissmiss" thing you lot have been going on about.

[She picks up the spear and stands to her feet. Stretches her free arm over her head.] When things started to go south, with the war and all...

[Another bout of stretching...] ...we couldn't do that no more. Not enough groups to go hunting, you see, and the land wasn't safe. The animals scattered. I figure they were smarter than we were. That's not much of a holiday story though, is it? Guess I'm in a reminiscing mood. But I was wondering: is there anything to hunt around here? Anything safe to eat? A spar'll only go so far.

[She tilts her head.] Have any of you ever hunted for your own food? There's gotta be someone around here who's not like... [Cocoon people. She waves a hand.]

Point is, I'm starting to go stir-crazy. Even Cocoon had some nature, here and there.

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I've... never had to before, and never had much of a reason to think about hunting. [Sadly, she'd fit right in with those Cocoon people.]

My mom used to have a garden though, and sometimes I'd try to do a little planting when I traveled and came across things like berries.

It is kind of depressing here though. You miss seeing nature around.

[Cocoon people....but Fang decides to be nice.]

Depressing's the right word for it. Thought I'd never miss an Adamantoise chasing me through the plains, but here I am. I heard talk there was a garden around here. It might be that you can grow something there.

Maybe. I don't have quite as much of a green thumb as my mom, but I could try.

Adamantoise? [She sounds almost excited, and probably is pronouncing it wrong. But it almoooost sounds like a Pokemon name.]

Worth a shot.

Adamantoise. Never heard of it? It's a big, ugly critter. [She holds out her arms wide, to give the impression of size.] It's got a shell on top of its back, and if you aren't careful runnin' around the Steppe, one of those things'll squash you like a bug.

Nope, never! But honestly, it sounds a little like a Pokemon. A big nasty one. [And despite warnings, she'd love to meet one.]

Did you have more creatures running around like that?

All kinds. There's the King Behemoths and Megistotherians, the Flans, there's Cactuar too, which are tricky to find and harder to take care of. Gran Pulse has got all sorts of creatures. Some of 'em are friendly, but most aren't.

...What's a Pokemon?

Sounds pretty impressive!

They're kind of like... well, they're like what we would call animals at home. There's tons of different species and they've all got their own strengths and weaknesses and powers and abilities. Some people train them. Others keep them for pets! And like your guys, not all of them are super friendly or trainable.

Train them? As mounts? [She's thinking of chocobos...]

[Thinking for a minute, because damn has she walked a lot and it would have been pretty convenient to just travel around on her Arcanine's back] ...I guess you could, but not for all of them. You can definitely mount one to cross water though!

They're sort of like battle partners in a way. People with Pokemon can challenge other people and their Pokemon to a battle so they can get stronger.

Sounds useful. [She supposes, though competitive fighting is a new concept for her.] Where I'm from, we used animals for similar things. Mainly for transport and treasure hunting. Fighting was left to the humans.

Mmhmm! They definitely can be. Some even know moves to help heal wounds too.

But treasure hunting. That sounds cool! I've never used one of them for that before.

So... you're a fighter? [That spear looked mighty impressive, but Fang's world sounds a little harsh!]

That's right. [She stretches her arms out in front of her and yawns.] Haven't gotten to do much fighting lately, though. Funny that, seeing as we've been conscripted.

[She studies the screen more carefully. Another kid...this was starting to bother her a little.] How about you?

I guess that is a little ironic. I've only been here around a month, but I haven't seen any fighting yet either.

Not really. [She looks a bit nervous at that. Fighting is movies is totally different than in real life after all.] Like I said, most of the fighting is done through Pokemon battles, and sometimes that's even how disputes are solved...

I've never had much of a reason to learn how to fight.

Hm. [There's a faint gust of wind, and Fang tugs her scarf up a bit more.] Are you worried?

[Her tone is calm, and a little concerned. This whole thing was jarring for her, so she can't really imagine being defenseless on top of being pulled away from home.]

[She pauses, thinking for a moment with a calm expression on her face. It's questions like that that remind her of the situation, and although she can't run from the truth that she's here, a long way away from home and kind of alone.]

...A little. I can't really let something like that bother me though. This is just kinda a new experience.

[Fang clears her throat, and spends a moment staring off into the dreary landscape. Finally, she speaks up again.] I'm not gonna lie and say everything'll work out fine, but if you keep a cool head, you'll be a lot better off than someone who panics.

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