[video] First position

[usedquack]

[There's a lot of shaking around before the camera comes into focus, but when it does, it's an extreme close-up of Duck's freckled face. It's obvious she's never seen a pokegear before, or any kind of camera. Someone offscreen is telling her she doesn't have to be so close. She looks away from the camera - it pans backward. There's a Pidove on her shoulder. She asks the helpful someone.]
Does it really work?

It's working right now. Say something.

[She looks into the camera and waves.] Okay, um. Hi!
...
...

[Aside:] What now?

You said you had something to ask?...

[Her face lights up as she's reminded of why she wrestled with this contraption in the first place.] Oh yeah! Uh, so, I don't really know what's going on right now. It does sound kind of fun, travelling and going on adventures with pokémon. Some of them are pretty cute! But I have a friend who's going to be really worried when he finds I'm gone, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me the way to Gold Crown Town? It's not on the map. It's a small town, but there's a big boarding school where they teach the arts, and music, and ballet. I think it's in Germany.
...

[Something serious has clearly occurred to her. She stops smiling.] Um, there's something else too. I think this might be a story. Has anyone seen a clockwork writing machine?

Comments

video

[her_mouse_jesty]

You know, I sometimes think this whole thing is a story too!

[usedquack]

[earnest duck-face] No, I mean literally!

[her_mouse_jesty]

[earnest... mouse-face?]

But I believe you, dear! Why, there are people from stories here. And you can be in a story from someone else's world. it's quite strange.

[usedquack]

Really? Like, princes and knights and people like that?

[her_mouse_jesty]

Exactly. So really, it's rather smart of you to have caught on so quickly!

[usedquack]

Not really. This kind of thing happened at home.

[her_mouse_jesty]

Is that so?

[usedquack]

There was this mean guy who wrote fairy tales that could come true, but he only ever wrote tragedies. He wrote a story about a prince and a raven, and they came out of the story and fought. So the prince shattered his heart to seal the raven. The writer died before he could finish the story, but he made this writing machine so he could finish writing it even after he was dead.

Lots of dangerous things happened. We almost died.

[her_mouse_jesty]

Oh dear, you poor thing! I'm so sorry that happened to you, but you're safe now. We have nothing with that kind of power here.

[usedquack]

The thing is, we managed to give the story a happy ending and it's all over now, and I should get back before my friend starts to worry about me. He gets really grumpy when that happens.

[her_mouse_jesty]

You don't have to worry about that. When you come here, your world is momentarily frozen in time. When you return, it's at the exact second you left, so it's as if you never really left.

[usedquack]

So we really are in a different world? How do we get back home?

[her_mouse_jesty]

Unfortunately... that I can't say. It's really rather random. Some people just up and return... it can either be after a few days, or months or years... and even then, sometimes you come back. It's quite strange. You just have to be patient.

[usedquack]

[She visibly deflates.] Well, I guess if there's really no other way...

And I guess it's not all bad! After, all, I'm- Nevermind. At least this place looks like it could be a lot of fun!

[her_mouse_jesty]

There you go. And it's true! This place has lots of fun adventures in store, and it's filled with tons of kind people willing to be your friends, and then of course there are all the adoreable Pokemon you can meet!

[usedquack]

And it looks like that Capt guy thinks that maybe my friend will come here!

[her_mouse_jesty]

Capt...? Well, whoever he is, he's telling the truth!

[usedquack]

I hope so. That would be great!

[her_mouse_jesty]

Now that you know... what's your name, dear? Mine's Minnie Mouse.

[usedquack]

I'm Duck. It's nice to meet you![Nope, nothing odd about being called Minnie Mouse. Duck had a classmate called Anteaterina.]

[her_mouse_jesty]

Duck?

... Oh, my! Were you also an animal before you came here?

1/2

[usedquack]

Qua-! I mean, hahahahah, of course not, why would you even

2/2

[usedquack]

I mean, you caught me. You caught on really fast.

You mean you were a mouse before you came here?

[her_mouse_jesty]

Yes! Oh, it's so wonderful to see someone else who is supposed to be something else. I'm so grateful!

[usedquack]

Gosh, I've never met a mouse before. We had Anteaterina and Allie Gator in my class, and I used to see Armadillon and Chihuajuan around. And there was Mr. Cat, of course.

I wonder how come there wasn't a mouse at our school?