koiwamizuiro | 2nd Dive: Exploration [Action]

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2nd Dive: Exploration [Action]

[Some time has passed since Ai first entered Luceti, and even now she was growing accustomed to life in the village. Slowly, but steadily. It was a much quieter place than what she was used to back in Kibitou.

The draft had come and gone, but the girl hadn't taken part in it, and she was thankful for that. Her recent entrance into this peculiar world was enough to deal with on its own, though she had kept herself as informed as she could as to what exactly was going on.

Today, she had initially tried to simply soothe herself with another walk around the village. It had developed to be a certain routine for her that she often practiced, and the weather was more pleasant than it had been before, warmer. She was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and blue denim jeans, along with her yellow jacket on top that she had regained possession of upon entering Luceti.

However, curiosity got the better of her and she ended up heading to several places that she had intended on checking out earlier, diverging from her walk a bit.]

Action I.

[Firstly, Ai found herself near the Bakery in the morning, a certain scent inviting her to come even closer and see what was available that day. The girl had wondered whether she would be able to find anything like her favorite Imagawayaki dessert here to buy later (or get, rather), so she would inform herself of what was offered here. Besides, she was also feeling hungry now, so her timing couldn't have been better.

One may find her right at the time she has an inner discussion with herself as to what to get, or they may find her wandering close by later with a croissant in her hand, already eating it contentedly.]

Action II.

[Then, Ai found her way to the front door of the Battle Drome. From what she had understood, this fascinating facility wasn't just a combat simulator, and she wanted to test out its capabilities for herself. She had read about it and already had a few scenarios in mind, but that didn't necessarily mean that she couldn't use the help of somebody around offering to help her understand it a bit more.]

Action III.

[The Library was also a place the girl wanted to check, the last location on her route today, though she didn't have anything particular in mind upon entering it as she simply went on browsing. Maybe there was something informative as to the worlds of the other people she met here? Or perhaps there were different works of fiction made by authors from these other worlds that could intrigue her? Regardless, she wouldn't mind having some reading material to go through before she went to sleep each day.

Ai would spend quite a bit of time here, thinking as to what she would get and what would spark her interest the most.]

Action IV.

[Finally, when the sky has already darkened, Ai would take a small break near the river close to her new come, Community Housing Building #2, and clear her head some with her eyes watching the stars and her body resting on the grass. Anyone wandering around this late would be able to catch her there.]

(OOC: You can stumble upon her anywhere along her route. Reading the reflections post I have linked to is not necessary as it simply shows her initial thoughts and impressions of Luceti right after she gets herself an apartment.)

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[While Diamond isn't an early riser, it's just late enough in the morning for him to be able to feign having had a good night's rest and sluggishly make his way to the Bakery with Lax at his side. He doesn't even notice Ai trying to decide what she wants at first, too busy on trying to figure out his own breakfast. A Danish maybe...? Oh, but a twist for Lax. Yeah. A cinnamon twist.

The Munchlax tugs at his trainer's pant leg after accepting the breakfast, and then he notices her. Very sleepily. With a yawn and a wave of his bandaged right arm. He's too lethargic to register the small pain.]

Aaaaai. Good morning, Ai.

Edited 2013-04-09 03:10 (UTC)

[The sound of her name coming from close by made Ai turn her head in surprise. When she saw who the source was, her features softened as she smiled, having acquainted herself with the Pokémon trainer before. She wasn't feeling nearly as sleepy as he apparently did despite how early it was.]

Diamond-san. Good morning. [She then glanced at the Pokémon at his side and tilted her head in his direction with a grin, recalling the name of the peculiar creature.] Morning, Lax.

[The girl hadn't failed to notice the bandage, however, and her expression changed to one of concern as she regarded Diamond again.]

You are hurt. Did something happen on the draft?

[ building number two used to be sharpe's home, as well. only recently had he moved house, but he still found his feet straying back towards his early billet. sometimes, at night, his steps took him there on instinct and it wasn't until he his roughened fingers are on the front door that he realizes his error.

tonight, he announces his mild frustration with colourful oaths: ] Jesus wept. Don't you bloody well know your way, yet? [ the major never used to speak to himself. not back home. but here...

he sighs and retreats from the front porch, opting to cut across the grass to reach his actual destination. the clink of steel in his scabbard and the soft rhythm of muttered curses announce his approach. ]

Huh? Oh, mmhmm, I was attacked.

[Precisely so. Lax happily munches on his twist.]

I kind of let my guard down... [... after seeing the battlefield from eight feet up with bodies littering the ground from doing what's necessary--] But I'm okay! It just needed some stitches.

[It was an unnerving thought to know that she could be called into a draft like the one that had just taken place. She was continuously seeing the results of it and what had happened, and Diamond was not an exception.

She gave him another smile, his answer to her question reassuring her. He did look fine - more sleepy than anything else, really.]

It should heal soon, I hope. From what I have been hearing, the mission you went to was really dangerous.

Are all of your Pokémon okay? [She then glanced at the Munchlax once more, beaming at him.] Lax seems to be fine, at least.

[And just like that, Ai's peaceful time to herself as she reminisced about her family and friends back home was suddenly disturbed. Curiosity got the better of her and she had to turn her head to the source of the curses.

She was met with the sight of the frustrated man walking through the grass, annoyed for some reason or another. She couldn't recall speaking or seeing him before, but one thing was for certain, as was with everybody else here: he shared the same fate as her, trapped in this place, unable to get away. What could have happened to make him angry right now, though, at a peaceful and tranquil night like this?

The girl would keep her gaze on him for a bit, her eyes narrowed, but otherwise, her desire to simply have the time to relax was predominant. It didn't look like the man was exactly approachable anyway, which didn't make her want to say anything to him in particular. Instead, she simply remained where she was by the river.]

[She wasn't the only one enticed to the bakery thanks to the lovely scent of baked goods. Tsuzuki goes to the bakery regularly, so it's no suprise she'd run into him now.]

[He looks at the assortment of delicious treats, resisting the urge to sigh dreamily. He's hungry enough to eat a horse. Or at least ten cupcakes. He turns to her, hoping for small talk.]

Do you think there are any apple pie slices left?

[ With his wing mostly healed now Helios can resume his duties at the library. So it's only natural that he notes the young girl in the library looking around as if trying to find what to read. He smiles fondly because the selection is far and wide it's tricky sometimes to find exactly what you might want.

Helios will walk up to her with a soft smile. ]

Are you looking for anything in particular?

[The girl had narrowed her eyes at the selection, looking at it intensely as she thought about her own choice, so she almost didn't notice the boy beside her.

His question did divert her attention away from the treats, however, making her blink once as she registered his words. She then briefly glanced back at the selection before turning her head to him again, not quite noticing whether there were any slices left.]

Um... I would suppose so. Apple pie is not difficult to make, I think they should have a lot of it there. [That, and it seemed like what was offered in Luceti came in infinite quantities, doubtlessly because of the Malnosso.]

It is... not as specific as Imagawayaki, which is what I am looking for. [Though of there wasn't any, an apple pie would definitely be a good alternative. When it came to desserts, however, she was usually more fond of chocolate.]

[Ai had her eyes continue to wander over the many shelves that were filled with the many books when she heard the man's voice, prompting her to look at him curiously. Did he help maintain the library, she couldn't help but wonder? She had not seen him before, though admittedly she hadn't stayed in the library for nearly as long as she was now.

Setting such curiosities aside, she proceeded to answer his question. Though, of course, she needed to answer it for herself first, so that was why a moment passed until she vocalized her response.]

I understand that most of the books here are fictional. I guess I am mostly curious about literature from other worlds, but I have not decided on anything in particular yet...

[Perhaps something that came from Azeroth, or Equestria, or Aang's world? Even if it were fiction, and not a strictly informative book, it would still give her insights into the worlds that she wanted to find out more about - worlds she already knew people from. For now, she didn't voice any specifics though, the tone of her voice showing her indecisiveness.]

[You'd think that after the draft, Kouki would use the Battle Dome to do some fighting scenarios. But no, he's running some relatively harmless simulations for a while.

He's at the console, adjusting the specifications to his liking.]

Just a biiit more...

[Ai had entered the building herself, fascinated by the mere amount of console and computers around her; appearing even more hi-tech than she was used to in Japan. The year of 2012 was certainly advanced enough, but seeing all this around her, she realized that they still had a way to go back home.

She saw the boy messing around with one of the consoles, and proceeded to walk up not far beside him to start working on one of the other computers in one of the other simulator chambers. Glancing curiously at him, it was clear that he knew what he was doing. Perhaps it wasn't as difficult as it seemed to be?

Okay... now, this was called the Battle Dome, so she wanted to make sure that she didn't accidentally initiate some combat scenario that would fully murder her. But there were so many general options displayed on the screen that it was not easy to tell how she could be more specific.

Ai was determined and began working, however, with her eyes narrowed and her brows scrunched together, trying to figure out a way to make a basic pool; she didn't want to have it necessarily be the one she used back in school for her first try at the simulator. It would be clear to the boy next to her, however, that she was having trouble with it and wasn't really making much progress. The girl wanted to make it work herself, so she would stay here for even longer than she had planned if she had to in order to figure it out, but she wasn't one to often decline help when offered either.]

[ his steps bring him nearer the girl, though he's yet to spot her. he was too busy kicking at the grass and muttering about buildings and houses and -- perplexingly enough -- tents. he only pauses at the moment he comes perilously close to walking right over the person lounging in the grass.

luckily, his eyes catch the human shape at the last moment and he stumbles backwards. clumsy. ] ...Bloody hell!

[Suki will stumble on Ai at the Battle Dome. She was about to use it, but noticed someone else trying to.]

Hey? Did you need some help?

[Ai had just begun preparing herself to avoid for a possible collision with the man, who looked pretty careless in his approach, seemingly not noticing her at all. She was wearing dark clothing, that much was true, but she still should have been fairly visible. At least, that was what she thought.

Thankfully, she did not have to move away from her spot by the river, though she was just about to before Sharpe pretty much fell, muttering out yet another curse as he did.]

You should pay more attention to where you are walking.

[There was no hostility in her words, but she was not cutting him any slack, either.]

[Ai had just begun trying her hand at one of the consoles, a confounded look on her face as she worked on trying out one of the scenarios that she had in mind - a basic pool. At least, that was one of the scenarios she thought she would be using the Battle Dome for. She would first want to see whether she would even enjoy it simulated like this, however.

So it was this that she was brooding over when Suki approached her, her question prompting Ai to look in her direction with a puzzled look on her face.]

Oh. I would appreciate it, yes... This is my first time trying out the Battle Dome.

[And so far, it wasn't quite like what she expected it to be.]

Yes that's correct. We have a multitude of books from other worlds in this section over here. [ He'll motion to the left and down the aisle near the back of the library. ]

They're in categories based on the world name. And then they've been sectioned off into fiction, nonfiction, historical and so on and so forth within their worlds.

[ Twilight's still getting over the Draft, and is weary from it, but she's happy to help a book lover. ] Ai. Good to see you again. How can I help you?

[Ai edged closer to the section that Helios pointed her towards, her eyes curiously looking at the shelves of books that were neatly arranged in multiple rows. They were pretty extensive in quantity, but at least Ai had a better idea as to where exactly to look now.]

I see. That is convenient.

[She inspected the many names of the worlds next, most still unknown to her. With as much time as everyone had here, she imagined that one could read through most of this with ease; depending on when they were fortunate enough to be taken back home, of course.

The girl couldn't help but voice some of her curiosities, stopping her search for a bit to look at Helios.]

How does the library have so many books about all these worlds? Is there a connection between the people taken here and what will be available for all of us to read?

[As with other questions she had asked that weren't already elaborated in the guide, she didn't expect a concrete answer, but she asked anyway. The Malnosso were doubtlessly involved in some way or another, as was the case with everything here.]

[Ai offered the alicorn a soft smile as she approached, the vibrant colors of the creature making her stand out in something as normal looking as Luceti's library. From their last conversation, the Japanese teenager suspected that she might find Twilight here.]

Hello, Twilight-san. I am browsing for books to read from other worlds. I am finding myself short on any reading material here.

[It was clear to her, however, that the pony was not feeling at her best right about now, though Ai was not sure whether she had been among those picked for the draft. Her expression shifted to one of concern as she tilted her head a bit.]

Are you feeling alright?

[ She shakes herself alert, out of thoughts of recent, unpleasant times. ] I've been better. But I'm around books, right? It can't be all bad.

[ Her voice is a lot less cheery than before, no matter how hard she tries to cover it up, and she hates that. Wants to be stronger. ] I think I have just the thing for you in the back. I created a "fiction" category for books that didn't appear to feature anypony who's already here. As far as I can tell, anyway. This way. [ She trots off in the direction of a cozy reading room near the back of the library. ]

[ Helios watches the girl with idle curiosity. Since he's been away for a while he hasn't seen her too frequently. But he often was busy with shelving books especially after new arrivals occurred. ]

Ah, I think that might be taken into account, yes. I also believe that the Malnosso transfer some of the items from our own worlds into the village. Lots of people have found personal possessions and things like that in the item shop. I suppose they just automatically place books within the library as well depending on if the person is from an entirely new world. Since some people are from multiple earths we usually don't get doubles of common literature found there. But I have noticed that some specialize books from individual Earths have shown up in the library before. For instance a magical beginner's guide or something to that effect.

[It was odd seeing the pony who was usually filled with glee - even days after she had been transported here - look so down, and also a little disheartening. It seemed that the draft had left an imprint on a lot of people, and if Ai had to guess, Twilight was one of the many examples of that.]

I am sorry to hear that, Twilight-san. Does being in the library help relax you? Having things to read? [It wouldn't be among her first choices too soothe herself, but at least it was almost as quiet here as it was in most places outside.]

[The girl then followed the pony through the aisles towards the reading room, which she hadn't had the pleasure of visiting before. Perhaps that would be just the thing for her, and she was more interested in fictional material than anything else anyway. There was a curious look on her face as she made her way through the library.]

[Just as she expected then; nothing was clear for a hundred percent, but people still had reason to believe that whoever was here did have an affect on what the library contained. For basically being their prison guards, the Malnosso were indeed awfully generous.

What Helios said about individual Earths also confirmed that meeting a human from a different Earth was not a rare occurrence; in fact, Ai had started to wondered whether she'd meet somebody else from her exact world and time.]

...A magical beginner's guide would not be among the books available back in the Earth I come from. [There was a faint smile on her face as she said it. To think that it was considered normal somewhere else still somewhat amused her.] If there was one... it would probably be met with a lot of ridicule. [She had to wonder how useful it would be to one such as her, though.]

[She turned to look at the shelves again that Helios had pointed her towards, her eyes inspecting the many book titles of the different worlds, her hand on her chin. Which one to get first...]

[ a girl. just...loafing about. he won't hardly ever get used to that, he doesn't think. all the same, he keeps his distance and addresses her: ] My apologies, miss. Weren't expecting no-one out this way.

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2nd Dive: Exploration [Action]

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