001 // Video

[pipers_son]

-like any angel I've ever seen, but it wouldn't be surprisin' if they'd got it all wrong in the first place, would it?

[The speaker doesn't appear to be paying much attention to his Pokegear and it looks like it's just balanced on his knee while he's sitting down. Chances are the redhaired young man doesn't even realize it's on. Anyone with a good memory might recognize his surroundings as New Bark Town- oh dear, it's another new arrival unfamiliar with modern technology.]

[Tucked in one arm is a little Mime Jr, sagging in what looks like exhaustion and sadness. His other arm... Well, wearing a Juggler's outfit shows that the other sleeve is completely empty and just limply laying at his side. Joker continues to move his hand about, apparently looking through the things that strange woman gave to him. (Must be something in her head, thinking he was her son, it wouldn't be the first time he's seen that sort of thing.)]

[The Mime Jr. suddenly leans forward, pointing at the screen and making some noises. That draws Joker's attention again and he picks the Gear up.]

What about this, then? [More noises from the Mime Jr.] ...I don't know a spit of whatever it is they speak in Heaven, so you'll want to stick to English with me.

Comments

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[Well well, lots of dead people showing up all of a sudden. And Envy is always pinged by dead people.]

Too bad for you, this place isn't heaven. And it being hell is up for debate.

[video] 1/3

[pipers_son]

[JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH-]

[Envy might see the Mime Jr. jolt up in surprise before the 'gear kind of goes flying because guess what Joker wasn't expecting?

[video]

[pipers_son]

[He catches the airborn and still quite spinning 'gear quick enough, however. You don't run a circus without learning a few tricks!]

What do y'know! What a fancy thing we got here.

[Video]

[pipers_son]

[Adjusting the Pokegear in what he's pretty sure is right side up, Joker just gives a bright smile to the screen.]

Well, heaven or hell, either is better 'n nowhere! I can't say you look like much of a demon ta me.

[Then again, the demon he does know looks like a very stylish butler so, y'know.]

[Envy can probably tell that the smile Joker's wearing isn't quite genuine and quite an act at that, but the kind that's been done so much it's second nature. If he knows anything about Mime Jrs, then looking at Joker's should confirm that. It's still curious at the screen, but it's also still slumping a bit with the same emotions from before.]

[Video]

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy snickers at the surprise his response gets. Seems like this guy really didn't know what the 'Gear was, and maybe he's from a much earlier year than everyone else too.]

[He doesn't know a thing about Mime Jrs, so he's just going to assume the thing's depressed on its own, but he can absolutely tell that the smile isn't genuine. You don't spend four hundred years acting without being able to notice things like that.]

I'm just another person who appeared here, human as anyone else. [It's hard to tell from his casual smirking expression, but he's watching carefully for any reaction to that, in case this man wasn't human before.]

I can tell you that this country is called Johto, though.

[Video]

[pipers_son]

Might be a bit worryin' if you weren't!

[Smile smile smile. Seems stuck on there.]

Can't say I've heard of any place like that. With how much I've traveled, I'm a little surprised.

[Video]

[exeggutorhead]

[Worrying, huh? He'll remember that.]

I doubt you would have, nobody who's ever shown up here has heard of it. We're all from different worlds, different times...you probably haven't heard of my country, either.

Name's Envy, though. What about you?

[Video]

[pipers_son]

Ah haaa, right, right..

[Translation: What. Worlds, times- what.]

[He seems to ease into the introduction bit, however, looking a bit more interested at the name and smile getting wider.]

Envy! Interestin' name, could think you in my business. Me, you can call Joker- ringleader in actin' of the Noah's Ark Circus, best show in England.

[video]

[styxiedust]

Heaven?

[Hellooooo, is this a recently deceased?]

I assure you, this isn't Heaven. And generally the language there is universally understood.

[video]

[pipers_son]

[Very recently! Not that he'll go into detail, mind. Now that Joker realizes this little device goes two ways, he's right back into his usual smiling persona. The little Pokemon with him doesn't seem much convinced, but what can you do?]

Glad t'hear it! Sounds like you know from experience, although I'm havin' a pretty hard time of it imaginin' such a pretty lady deceased!

[video]

[styxiedust]

You'd be surprised, I've met many different spirits in my time!

[Botan he's basically asking if you're dead too or not.]

But you're actually spot on, I'm not one of them, I'm their guide to the afterlife.

[Because that softens the blow!!]

[video]

[pipers_son]

[Ahahahaaaaa, yes, totally, that is totally a softer blow.]

Here I thought I'd be seein' somethin' a lot more skeletal, if you understand me. [Just keep joking so he can get through this conversation, perfect plan like always.] So this isn't Heaven, but yer a guide to the afterlife. Where's that leave me, then?

[video]

[styxiedust]

[Tee-hee, human stereotypes of guides to the afterlife were so cute.]

This is Johto! And technically I'm not a guide to the afterlife anymore, given that this place has turned me into a human. We're not sure how yet, but quite a few of us have been pulled to this world from our own no matter what we were doing and given us new lives with creatures like the one you have there.

[video]

[pipers_son]

[...uh]

[...]

[Huh]

If it ain't too much trouble, can you run that by me a second time?

[video]

[usedwrench]

[One of these, who think that this is heaven, huh?]

It's more like a place where you can meet either those, who are still alive, and those, who died before you.

[Let's start with that and not go into details about 'people from different worlds showing up here' right from the start.]

[video]

[pipers_son]

[Well, considering the circumstances, 'heaven' was the better option he thought he had.]

[At that bit of information, however, the Pokegear jerks before Joker rights it with a small laugh. The Mime Jr. is suddenly extremely focused on the 'gear as well and can't help but look hopeful.]

Sounds like somethin' only God could do. You aren't just pullin' my leg, are ya?

[video]

[usedwrench]

[Heaven is usually the better option anyway! If it exists...]

[Why are you laughing? Also hello cute baby pokemon!]

I'm not sure if they even have a God in this world. And no, I'm not, as crazy as it sounds. [She's just not sure how to prove it. ...ummm.] Everyone is alive here, so you have a heartbeat and you're breathing, right?

[also you are human if you weren't human before.]

Re: [video]

[pipers_son]

[Habit, really. This whole.. thing is just a bit too much for him at the moment, and the idea that this is a second chance...]

The mind can do funny things, so I wouldn't trust just my own breath at the moment. Still, just in case, I don't suppose you'd mind me askin' if you've seen a few people?

[The Mime Jr. is leaning forward, practically holding its breath in excitement.]

[video]

[usedwrench]

Take your time, you might be here for a long while and it's always confusing at first. [Or all the time, if you stop and think about it.] Sure, ask away, I don't mind at all.

[Hey, hey, Mime Jr, what are those three pink hills on a corner of Winry's screen? It's trying to come closer. Spoiler: it's her Audino.]

[video]

[pipers_son]

Might be for the best.

[He's kind of. Dead. Where he's from. Him and he's pretty sure most of his loved ones. Which is why the next question is pretty much forefront on his mind and, in a way, the reason for his Mime Jr.'s own focus... Although seeing those little pink hills on the screen has it trying to touch the Pokegear. Joker gently moves her little hands away.]

Well, there's seven people I'm hopin' you've seen. Beast, Dagger, Doll, Wendy and Peter, Jumbo... Can't forget out Snake, heh. I'll tell ya about 'em, in case yer better with faces 'en names.

Beast's the most lovely lady anyone'd ever see, curly dark brown hair- [His hand gestures up to the side of his hair in little swirling gestures.] -and eyes redder than cherries. Dagger's her brother, brown eyes and blond hair 'cept a bit of black at the front. [Hand moving again to gesture across his bangs.] Doll's our youngest, pretty blue eyes with some freckles beneath and short brown hair. Jumbo- Cor, you'd have a tough time missing him, taller 'n tall and bald so you can see this tattoo round the back of his head.

[He traces his pointer finger around his own bright hair, to mark the exact spot.]

Wendy an' Peter are usually together, she has pretty long brown hair and big red eyes that'll make your heart bleed. [Along with maybe other things if you're on her wrong side, but he doesn't mention that.] Peter's 'round her same height, they're both fairly short, and he has thick blond hair and green eyes.

Snake, now, he should have him some snakes about him and if he doesn't, I'll be right worried. Pale pale hair and bright green eyes, might know him better for the scales on his face. He's a good sort.

[thatsawiggle]

Dunno what in th' blue hell English is, but far as I can tell yer nowhere near heaven nor the other place neither! Leastwise, I know I never died not even once, but I'm still here fit as a fiddle an' bright as the day I was born!

[So that's a stupidly bright grin greeting you, fellow redhead, along with a pair of bright blue eyes that twinkle with mischief and shine like a sunless sky.]

Jin's the name, Jin the wind master! Back home, it is, anyway, 'cept I don' have me wind here though I been findin' lots o' big ol' birds what's big enough t'carry me! Flyin's flyin', when it's been ages since I been in the air! Guess I'm 'Jin the bird master' now!

[and he laughs the bright and innocent laugh of a cheerful idiot.]

[pipers_son]

[In-between calls, Joker has been just kind of sitting and trying to twist his brain around the whole concept of this entire place. As the ringmaster of a circus and someone dealing with the more shadowy aspects of society, he's had to deal with quite a few strange things in his lifetime. This is just... Well. There's only so much Victorian England can show a guy.]

[Still, he'll never turn down a chance to talk with someone friendly enough, and seeing such a bright grin makes his own just a little more genuine.]

Well, well, well! Someone's got himself a fancy enough name, 'tho I'd say big ol' birds ain't anythin' to sneeze at! Sounds like the type of soul that belongs to a circus, and, coincidentally-

[Getting up, he gives a sweeping kind of bow. With only one arm, it's not as impressive as it could be, but the little Mime Jr. next him mimics it with enough flourish to make up for it.]

Joker, ringmaster of the Noah's Ark Circus. Pleasure's all mine.

[thatsawiggle]

Me name's a lot o' things, but fancy I hope not! Ye can jes' call me Jin, if ye like, 's what everyone else does.

[If he can make someone else feel more comfortable here, even if they're a complete stranger, he's doing his job right. Funny that you're the one named Joker, because this demon does his fair share of clowning around.

His ears give a little twitch at the way that the man on the other end sounds much more cheerful now, and he watches intently when the man gets up and gives a sweeping bow.]

Never met a boyo with a name like 'Joker' before, and I'll not be forgettin', neither!

Now here's a question fer ye t'answer- what's this 'ring' yer master of?

[pipers_son]

[Joker laughs a little at the response.]

Well, this boyo named himself, so I'd hope it was unique!

[But what's this? Both Joker and the Mime Jr. lean forward a bit.]

The ring of a circus, of course. You've never been t'one?

[thatsawiggle]

[Did we just become friends? I think so.

Jin leans forward to match, his big blue eyes practically filling the screen.]

Can't say as I have, never heard o' a circus before. So it's not like yer sect name 'r somethin?