First.

[azumods]

ENCOUNTER 1. Your searching of the building won't be for nothing; in the end, it is a building, and buildings are wonderfully finite spaces. Eventually there's an exit, and the exit isn't sealed; in fact, compared to the impartial corridors of the rest of the place, the doorway leading out seems surprisingly professional. There's a reception desk and a small waiting area, and a vending machine in the corner - it looks the way one would expect the entrance to a professional corporation to look, as opposed to something housing the large number of strange people that seems to inhabit the building. The wind is cool as it hits your face when you make your way outside - because surely, you do want to make your way outside? - and you're greeted by a city enveloped in the darkness of late-night; the building you woke up in is elevated, overlooking the rest of the buildings below from the highest point in the city. There are cobbled steps leading down to street level proper, however, and if you want to turn to get a better look at the building once you're down there, you'll find that it's not particularly inconspicuous, all things considered. There are buildings once you're down on street level, several of them; almost all of them are dark. Whether they're abandoned, closed for the night, or simply housing sleeping occupants is a bit difficult to say at the moment; however, one building seems to be lit up brightly - isn't as massive as the place you just left but it's large enough, and perhaps most importantly there's a woman standing outside of it. She's standing tall and still, and were it not for the large amounts of blonde hair cascading down her back and framing her face, she might be difficult to see - she's dressed all in black, in a long duster coat and pants, and her arms are folded across her body as she watches the building. Her expression is calm; it's difficult to tell much else without approaching her, to see if she's exactly like everyone else you just left behind, but as soon as you approach and she's able to take a look at the rest of you... She smiles. The expression is gentle, understanding, though there's a hint of concern in her features; it easily reaches her eyes, and she tips her head while studying those of you she can see in the light from the building behind her. "Well! You are all a sight for sore eyes." When she speaks her voice is warm, affectionate in a manner that one might expect from a friend or maybe an older sister; she glances behind her, toward the lit-up building with its orange roof, before she turns back to you, beckoning you inside after her. The room you're led into is large and open, with a courtesy desk with a large set of machines behind it, and a woman stationed there as though it's her job; the blonde looks at her for a moment, pursing her lips as though bothered by something, and it isn't difficult to see why - the woman is one of the strange ones, one of the ones that don't seem to respond properly to much, stock-still and dead behind the eyes. She doesn't address her, though; she just gestures as though inviting all of you to sit - there are benches near the wall, though some of you may not mind taking the floor. There are stairs nearby, and that's where she takes up station herself, walking up a couple of steps before turning and settling on them, hands on her knees. She smiles again when she addresses you, though the expression is a little subdued. "My name is Cynthia. I'm sure you have a lot of questions; we have a lot to catch up on."

Comments

[hyruglyphics]

[ Well.

... That's.

I mean, she saw the woman and despite not standing out, she did stand out immediately against all the people who looked weird and dull. The tone was also something that pulled Zelda in immediately. But perhaps more importantly, it's bizarre now to be on the other end of a memory issue. She remembers that question that she asked Link there, once the battle was over.

... And it probably informs that she asks, ]

Do I-- did? I know you?

[ She sounded like she might've expected them or something, so. ]

[azumods]

...No. Not to talk to, anyway.

[It seems a little regretful, a little sheepish maybe, but the smile doesn't falter.]

What's your name, sweetheart?

[anythingforyou]

[...Well, this isn't what Camilla was expecting at all, truth be told. None of this is, and she's already had enough stuff to deal with. The fact that she isn't just...blank faced and dead behind the eyes, though? That's a point in her favor already. Once she properly sits down and gets her Deino on her lap, Camilla seems to cant her head the slightest bit.]

I beg your pardon, Miss, but...I don't believe we have had the pleasure of meeting, and yet you treat us as though you've seen us many times before. I do hope you can forgive a touch of apprehension at such things.

[She's just gonna pet the big guy a little while she talks, keeping a calm expression.]

Was all of this your doing? These...rather garish outfits, the spiriting away, and all.

[azumods]

Oh, it's more than understandable - I'd be more worried if you weren't apprehensive.

[You'd be sort of like everyone else if you weren't, and that would certainly not be a good thing.]

This wasn't my doing, though. I'm a Pokémon trainer - I raise creatures just like yours.

[She gestures toward the Deino.]

I don't know how much you know about them yet, but it looks like you're already making friends. That's good to see.

[discutio]

[Nighttime. Gods above, it had to be night in this place on top of everything else. It set him on edge, a feeling that persisted as Ignis followed and eventually took up space against the wall rather than sit down. At his feet remained the Absol, apathetic as anything else.]

Allow me to paint the obvious in broad strokes to get it out of the way, if I might: where are we, how was it we arrived, and what's wrong with the people and creatures we've encountered?

[azumods]

[You can hold up the walls all you like, Ignis, she doesn't mind.]

You might want to take those things one at a time; it's a lot to take in. Where would you like to start?

[factorization]

I'm just going to cut to the chase, Cynthia. What the hell is going on?

[She's been kind to everyone she's run into, but now she's kind of lost her temper as if Cynthia may be partially to blame for this.]

[azumods]

[She blinks a little at that, a little taken aback, before she settles again; there isn't a sharp edge that creeps into her tone, but it's a little blunter, a little more straightforward.]

Right to the point - I like it.

[It's still preferable to everyone else's...everything, honestly.]

Unfortunately, that's not something with an easy answer. There's a lot that's happened, and I don't know precisely when all of you got here.

[eudaimonikos]

Uh-huh. [Michael seems skeptical of all this, but okay. His Purrloin is still in its ball, because he's an asshole or something idk] Where are we, exactly?

[azumods]

[Don't worry, she more or less expects some of you to be...ah, colorful...]

You're in Veilstone City, in the Sinnoh region.

[She tips her head a little, though.]

I don't know if that means anything to you or not.

[ventulus]

[ He can't think of anything complicated so he just...starts simple. ]

Does this happen often? You taking people and putting them other places.

...if that was you that did, I mean.

[azumods]

Oh...

[Her expression softens a little at that; that certainly is a start, isn't it.]

No, sweetheart, that wasn't me. Can I ask for your name?

[heritrix]

[Man, Rin has no idea what's going on here, but if the woman is beckoning them inside, she takes it she has answers. Whether that's because she's an enemy or a friend remains to be seen, but Rin goes with it for now. She eyes the entrance they just walked through warily, before taking in the rest of the room.]

Is it really safe to talk here?

[This is just a lobby, isn't it? And while they walked a bit to get here, the Team Galactic building isn't that far away.]

[azumods]

[Pragmatism. She likes it.]

As safe as it can be.

[semistableman]

[Bucky doesn’t look like he wants to be calm, but he sure manages to sound calm.]

You’re not dressed like the cultists.

[Safe bet is she’s high up, then.]

It was a mistake bringing me here.

[azumods]

[The...cultists...

She tips her head at that for a moment, before just deciding to approach the second statement before sorting out the first.]

I wasn't the one that brought you here, but color me curious. What makes you say that...?

[niceoppai]

[Chelsea tugs off her Galactic wig as soon as the friendly face appears, and as they're walking in, she's scratching and fluffing her actual hair back to normal. She sighs and rubs her eyes.]

What do you mean by a sight for sore eyes? You don't know us, do you? Like, watching us from the shadows or something?

[azumods]

Unfortunately, I don't know any of you - not personally, not to talk to.

[So there's that.]

But I've been hoping that something like this would happen someday. The look in your eyes is wonderful to see.

[You know, not like...everyone else that's around.]

[enjoymyatelier]

[well, he has gotten around to letting his stoic, entirely too large for what it’s supposed to be jellyfish out of its pokeball, so that’s trailing behind him as he approaches her.]

You’ve been expecting us, then. Did you summon us somehow, or...?

[azumods]

[Oh, hello! You have your friend with you, that's good; it seems to settle her a little more, at least.]

I didn't summon you. But there was an incident at the building you were in earlier tonight; I was wondering if it was something like this.

[perfectselfie]

[Aya is hugging her Audino when she comes out, and continues holding it even as she sits down.]

Excuse me, Cynthia-san, but I don't remember you? I'm kind of confused.

[azumods]

It's all right, we haven't met properly.

[She's smiling, though, and the expression is soft.]

I'm a trainer, like you - I raise creatures like yours here. It's good to see you're already making friends. What's your name, sweetheart...?

[greydients]

[It feels like there are a million questions flooding through Rey's head, and another million added on top once she reaches the door to the building and gets outside. It doesn't take her long to start running - Golett determinedly stomping along behind her - but the strange woman stops her in her tracks.

She has so many questions.

For now, however, she sticks with her most pressing one.]

Which planet is this? Where are we?

[...hopefully this woman actually knows what a planet is.]

[azumods]

[Ohhhhhhh dear.]

Which...planet?

[It's spoken as though she's trying to sort out precisely why that's a question - maybe not at all, but certainly why it's one that's being used to lead off with, that's an interesting choice - but she'll recover herself quickly enough.]

I think it's safe to say that it's not one that any of you have ever been to before all of this, sweetheart. I'm sure that's...confusing, but you're safe for now.

As for "where" - you're in Veilstone City.

[divinedescendant]

Cynthia. [A polite nod of her head in acknowledgement, and Emmeryn stands up straight.] My name is Emmeryn. Even given the circumstances, it's a pleasure to meet you.

[right, okay, conversations with actual real people who know things, back into emmeryn's actual element. the others are getting some of the big questions out of the way already, so...]

If I may... There is a sort of...deadness about many of the people we've seen here, and with the creatures we've found as well. [Her Bagon is still trotting at Emmeryn's side, in part because she hasn't figured out how to put it back...] You're the first outside our group to have any response or initiative at all. What has happened to them?

[azumods]

[Oh, this is nice - very polite, very diplomatic. She approves.]

They've all had something terrible happen to them; it affected most of the people in this region.

[That said, the answer is...slightly less nice, as much as she seems to regret that fact.]

They're all definitely still alive, and they're as aware as they can be. But if it seems as though they're unable to take initiative, it's because they can't.

[hesychast]

[ There's a lot to get at here, and Shirou is sure the others will handle the basic inquiries on their situation. He has a rather specific one in mind however, which he wishes to clarify on his own. ]

Greetings, Cynthia. There are more pressing matters regarding the here of all this, however... the others we encountered before. Are they human?

[azumods]

[She doesn't seem directly fazed by the question, but something in her expression seems to shift at it; it's...sort of sad that that has to be asked at all.]

Yes, they are.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

Um...hi?

[Sena waves sheepishly, but he can't help but find this regal woman somewhat intimidating. She just seems...imposing in a way he can't define. It kind of feels like when he looks at Shin, though, that presence showing that this person is in a league you can't even touch.

The fact that she even has this kind of aura, though, compared to the other people they've seen...]

Were you...brought here like we were, or something? [Can't be. She doesn't have the wonky costumes.]

[azumods]

[She smiles at the greeting; that's precious, all right.]

No, I wasn't - Sinnoh is my home. I'm sure it's all pretty confusing right now, though.

Can I ask for your name...?

[rainbowlife]

[ Johan's quiet for a bit as he listens to the questions everyone else's asking and the answers they're receiving. After a couple minutes have passed though, he can't help but interrupt. ]

Before hearing anything else there's one thing I have to know. Were we the only ones brought here? What about our friends? And... [ A pause as his hands clench at his side. ] What about everything we had on us?

[azumods]

[Oh, that's...reasonable, honestly. It's something she'd be concerned about, too, in this sort of circumstance. But...]

Unfortunately, I can't answer any of that for sure. I wasn't involved in bringing you here, and I don't know what was done with your belongings.

[azumods]

[And once the more pressing questions are out of the way, Cynthia will speak up from her spot on the stairs; the smile is back, though it's a little tired-seeming.]

I'm glad to see that you're all so enthusiastic - I know this is all a little confusing right now, but I know you can do whatever you set your minds to.

Find the Lake Guardians, and take care of your new friends in the meantime. Those would be your main goals for now. Before you set out, though, I think you should spend a few days here. Gather clothing and supplies at the department store, and see what other things you can find in town that will be of use to you.

I'd love to stay and get to know all of you, but I have things I need to look into, and it's safer if none of you are with me. Stay together, and when you're ready, move toward Lake Valor to the south.

I'll be here for a little while longer, if you want to chat. We'll go our own ways in the morning.

[She's quiet for a moment, though, once that's out there; again, her expression softens a bit.]

And...thank you, to all of you that offered to help. I know it might not seem it right now, but I really am grateful.

[niceoppai]

No worries! I think we can manage. Everyone here seems pretty smart and capable.