[Dawn "Platina" Berlitz]

“...And I thought the Distortion World was weird.”

Dawn sat at a table in Busy Bee Lobby, incredulously watching a rather buff man devouring a book from across the room while a crowd of--...people? Were those people? Big, stout monster people with trees growing out of their heads--watched with keen interest. Nearby, a man with a bag on his head and glasses over his ...bag... was eating a sandwhich ...through his bag. There were no holes for his eyes or mouth. And also he--...she was cross dressing? Dawn wasn't 100% sure based on her obstructed view of the person, but even if they were that was certainly not the weirded thing they were doing right now. Dawn glanced to a new corner of the room, only to discover the same person she'd previously seen eating, who she was now confident was a man, standing there leaning against the wall. He waggled his fingers at her in greeting. Dawn blanched rather hard, deciding to focus back on the meager bowl of chili she'd been given. Maybe he'd just ... bother someone else if she pretended not to notice him.

It had all but broken her heart to find out the Life Sphere was experiencing a famine. Hopes and dreams of plentiful eating and not having to feel the pains of hunger anymore had been... reasonably high on her list of things to look forward to once she escaped the Distortion World. But she supposed not everything could go her way. At least for now she could eat a little and put it off. She just wished she knew someone in this strange place. ...Someone that didn't want to hurt her, preferably. Maybe she could visit the police station and ask for some familiar names later. Maybe she'd find someone....

[alchefire]

"I'm guessing you're new, huh?"

Suddenly two of the chairs across from Dawn would be pulled out as Mayl and her Net Navi, Roll.exe, took a seat in front of her. A small bowl of her own chili being sat on the table as she looked back at weirdness that Dawn had been staring at... before promptly looking away so she could focus on the new girl.

"Yeah... Weird stuff like that is pretty common around here, but I guess it's only really weird to people like you and me..." Mayl would ramble a bit before shaking her head, putting herself back on track as she extended her hand forward. "Anyway, my name's Mayl, Mayl Sakurai. This here's my partner, Roll."

"Nice to meet you!"

The Net Navi would smile a small bit before extending her hand towards the Trainer as well. The two girls managing to exude a kind of strangely infectious cheeriness.

[Dawn "Platina" Berlitz]

Dawn's attention was dragged from her food by a person approaching her! A girl her age even! ...Probably! She perked up a bit, looking up to meet eyes with Mayl. At the specification of people like them, Dawn couldn't help but chime in. “People like you and me like humans, girls, young people... or just normal people?” Dawn replied in a rather light-hearted manner. (...How can you say they're weird? You don't know what that book tastes like.) a disembodied voice commented in Dawn's head. (I know what books taste like.) Dawn replied in a matter-o-fact tone, only to blanche rather hard as she realized what she'd said. (...) (...) (...They definitely don't taste like food!) Dawn awkwardly added after a moment's uncomfortable silence, before realizing she'd been distracted for a moment. She returned her attention to Mayl.

“My name's Dawn. Dawn Berlitz. Sometimes my friends call me Platina though.” Dawn replied. “...And yeaaah, you got me. I'm new. Was it that easy to tell?” she asked, her gaze shifting to properly take in Roll.exe “Hi Roll! Are you a superheroine??” Dawn eagerly asked, somewhat impressed by her outfit.

[alchefire]

"Yeah, it's easy to tell you're new here. I arrived not too long ago as well and... I kinda had a reaction similar to your's. It's really hard to get used to this place" Mayl replied rather simply. She knew what it was like to see all of these weird, new sites, it had happened to her pretty recently as well after all. "I'm still kinda getting used to some of the sights around here. I mean there are creatures that I couldn't even imagine walking around all over the place!" The red haired woman playfully over exaggerates before returning to that friendly demeanor.


"Oh, and I'm not really a heroine. I'm a Netnavi! Roll smiles a bit as she takes an almost proud posture in her chair. I'm basically a digital partner for Mayl here. Back home I'd help her with her emails and pretty much anything else that's digital. Including clearing out pesky viruses that might be infecting some machinery"

Mayl then proceeds to chime in again after she finishes another bite of chili. "Think of her as a digital maid who helps run programs and such."

[Dawn "Platina" Berlitz]

“...Digital, huh? So you're like...” Dawn began to muse aloud, only to trail off as she began processing this. (...They are to her as pokemon are to you. Do you still hold that there is a fundamental difference between humans and monsters?) a voice inside Dawn's asked, audible only to her. “--You're a pokemon??” Dawn blurted out in shock, only to quickly second guess herself. “--Sorry. It's just you look so much like a human. I thought you were some type of cosplayer or a legit superheroine!” Dawn blurted out in mild embarrassment. “Wouldn't be the weirdest thing I saw here.” she quickly added with a light little chuckle.

When Dawn next spoke, it was in a rushed manner that conveyed a sense of anxiety. “So, uh... Do you ever feel kinda overwhelmed, like your whole world's been flipped upside down and you don't know what to do and you just kinda wish someone would give you a hug and also that you're too young to take care of a house?” Dawn blurted out in a hurry. “Asking for a friend, of course.” she then added. (...Why do you need a house? I can provide your every need.) the voice asked. (Where else am I supposed to sleep??) Dawn mentally asked the voice. (...I have rested for a very long time on your behalf. You no longer 'require' sleep.) the voice replied. (Oh ... O-Ok??) Dawn mentally replied, bewildered by the statement. (...Unless it brings you joy, of course.) the voice added.

[alchefire]

Uhhhhh... not...really? I guess the big difference is I'm not something you'd just find out in the wild. Netnavis are usually unique to their Operator. I'm the only me out there, far as I know." Roll tries to explain, although the whole "Pokemon trainer" thing was still kinda new to her and it was hard to actually word it. Both her and Mayl were so used to their relationship, it was extremely common back home after all, but here they were the only ones far as they could tell. And now there were tons of entirely new things for them to learn, stuff they'd never actually dreamed about.

And then Dawn's rushed words came next, when she was done the Netnavi and her Operator turned to each other and gently nodded. "I'm gonna be honest with you. I know how you feel. Ever since we've gotten here, we've been nervous and afraid. We left our world in... not the most opportune time and we're still worried about it." Mayl decided to at least try and ease Dawn's anxiety by telling her their own plight. The young girl hoping that would at least help.

"When we got sent here we were in the middle of a fight with a nasty Virus calling itself Zero. It... kicked our butts and it was about to move on to some friends of ours when we were suddenly moved here." As Mayl told the story Roll would put both of her hands in her lap as she looks down a bit, she seemed disappointed in herself. "The first thing we did when we got here was look for them, we figured that if we got sent here, maybe they did too. But... we never found them"

The two then turn their eyes towards Dawn, an almost grim understanding shining in their eyes. "We've been going through what you're feeling for a while now and we know it sucks. But there's only one way forward now, and that's to push through that feeling and help out where you can."

[Dawn "Platina" Berlitz]

“Oh..! I don't think there's any other mes or Piplups running around either.”

Dawn did take a slight issue with her pokemon being generalized like that, but she guessed she could see how one might mistake hers for another's if they weren't really paying attention. Hers had a fabulous green neckerchief! (She's right. This world might very well be lost, just like yours.) the voice replied. (That's... really... discouraging... I don't want to lose everything again.) Dawn replied in overt distress. (...The only direction is forward. Find meaning in your day to day actions, rather than in a future you're chasing. Look inward rather than outward to a world that might not always be there for you.) the voice reiterated. (But... How am I supposed to do that?) Dawn asked. (...Learn to love yourself.) the voice replied rather simply. Dawn paused a moment.

“...Thanks, Mayl. It's nice to have someone like myself to talk to about these things. I guess it's important not to close my mind to a new world just because it's unusual. But hey, if you came here, maybe your friends will wind up here too!” Dawn remarked, smiling brightly at Mayl.

[alchefire]

Mayl seems to smile a bit at Dawn's words. Seems like she'd been needing some reassurance herself as well. "Yeah. Knowing them, I'm sure they'll be perfectly fine out there. They've been through way worse than some stupid virus." She chuckles a bit. The red head convincing herself for a few minutes at least.

"And hey, you're probably not alone here either. This place has a habit of dragging more than one person from what we've seen. I bet some of your friends are here too. You just need to find them."The Netnavi and her operator then looked to each other before nodding in silent agreement "But you don't have to handle that search alone." Roll gave Dawn a smile as she let her operator continue. The two of them seeming to cheer back up as Mayl gave her new friend a playful giggle.

"If you ever need anything, we'll be here to help!"