First 👻 Story [Video/Action for New Bark]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[VIDEO]

--on't want to, oh my--

[Hello, there, world! You know how a camera looks when two people are fighting over it? ...Or, well, one person and one blob-like candle-thing, in this case. Point is, you do now; the lens is covered in little waxy marks, leaving the girl it's now focused on- the girl who keeps trying to snatch it back from the surprisingly nimble candle- in a light haze. Through the viewpoint, at least, emotionally she appears rather annoyed and frustrated.

Probably because of that Litwick urging her to do an impromptu vlog, huh.

Ashley's kneeling on the ground, her backpack open on her lap and her Trainer's Handbook gripped firmly - open, looks about halfway done - in on hand, as the other keeps swiping at the camera.]

Please give that back to me, you little-- [The angle evens out and Ashley's eyes go wide. Deer, headlights, hello.] It's on. Isn't it? [Bobbing, up and down.] Oh.

[Well. Let's just- ...keep staring straight ahead, okay, good job. A+ kid, gold star. Stage fright?]

I, um. Uh... Is...it broadcasting...? [Dumb question. ] Okay. I...uh- I'm not- ...this isn't anywhere near Canada, is it? Because. I read the- this. [She holds up the manual, a little dismally. Her tone of voice is frazzled, a little weak and helpless.] I know, it said um...New Bark Town, Johto? B- but...I'm just trying to figure out how I...got here. B-because no one's really...been forthcoming about that.

[Maybe she should broach this question carefully-]

And I really really would like to be sure if I'm going crazy or not, because there's a- a candle filming me, and I do not have blood on me and that is not at all what I remember, and I should get back t-to the ranger station because they might still need to- ask me questions- about...

[OH OKAY WOW NEVER MIND THEN

Ashley trails off as it seems her brain catches up with her mouth and oh boy that sure is something to say uh. She pales considerably.]

I- swear that's not what it- I- haven't um- killed...anyone...or...

[Either Litwick is going in for a dramatic close-up or actually wants to see if she's alright (jury's out on which one frankly) because the view of Ashley gets ever-so-slightly bigger- and when it's close enough she reaches out in one fluid motion and snaps it up with one more quick, muttered whimper:]

Sorry, bye.

[So. That's that, then.]


[ACTION FOR NEW BARK]

[If you happen to be around New Bark, you might find Ashley just kind of kneeling on the ground, around the houses, with her Litwick bouncing impatiently next to her. It doesn't look like she's in the mood to leave, not just yet, or. Even stand, really, she hasn't had a great time, lately.

...Though at some point she has decided to get herself up off the ground, because she's really had it with being all crouched in the snow and it KEEPS HAPPENING. Really she's so exhausted after the last...what, twelve hours? Thirteen? She'd kind of lost track, with all the bustling, questioning, waiting. Last she remembers, had...she finally fallen asleep? Waiting for the others to be done, the rhythmic ceiling fan, the distant sounds of the others being interviewed, the dim awareness of Emily glaring daggers at her every few minutes, the feeling of her cheek against Chris' shoulder...

She has to walk. To do something. Litwick trails along with her, pointing toward the trail, but Ashley ignores her insistent taps and pokes. She leaves a trail of footprints, occasionally rubbing her eyes with one hand, looking...rather exhausted, honestly.

There's nothing to do but read the handbook, so she finds a little bench and opens it and browses...and the PokéGear, at some point, she just kind of. Ran from that. Not her finest hour.]

Comments

[Video]

[ratherbelocky]

[Well.

Well then.]

...No, I don't think this place's anywhere near Canada. You all right, kid?

[You thought it would be Dave, but it was I, Agent York!!]

[Video]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Sorry in advance York.

When Ashley answers, she's sitting on a bench and actually holding her PokéGear instead of serving as the subject of a little candle's first film. Looks like her chin's resting on her knees, and it's a bit easier to see that she's been...well, crying, up close.]

N-no. I mean- that's a pretty broad question.

[GASP, A DIFFERENT BLONDE]

[in4apounding]

Salutations, miss! I don't know where Canada is, but I'm pretty sure Johto isn't anywhere near there. No one knows how we got here or how to get back!

[Penny, please don't sound so cheerful about that.]

You're not going crazy, though! This place is just very strange. It's also VERY nice though, once you get used to it!

...were you hurt, before you arrived? Are you okay?

[PENNY THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH-]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[PLEASE DON'T SOUND SO CHEERFUL ABOUT THAT D:

At her current bench-perch, Ashley just stares in sad shock.]

N- ...yes, I was, b-but it wasn't- all that bad. What do you mean, we can't get back?

[Video]

[sneezelikeakitten]

This is not Canada! Or America!

[From what she's talking about, this girl had been in trouble? Try and stay positive, calm, and ignore the whole blood thing for now.]

It's not bad here! Nothing or no one wants to hurt you here, and that little candle is your friend. It's a Litwick, a ghost-fire type!

[Video]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[The person answering her now is a kid. Oh... Maybe she should be a little more calm? ...Or at least try to? She sniffles. And can't help but ask a question, either way.]

H-how do you know...that's her name? ...It's all she keeps saying. [An affirmative from the candle.]

[video / private]

[preybeforemeals]

[...This is the second person that's caught Tsukiyama's attention like this, for this particular reason - showing up talking about being covered in blood, asking about a location and trying to make sure that everything is in some way, shape or form in coherent order; the first person is someone he hasn't thought about in a long time but his memory stands in vivid contrast to this person, that first one had reveled in it but this second one seems terrified, and...

Well. It's the sort of thing that leads to a private feed and a reasonably calm demeanor over the device, at least, while he tries to work out exactly what's going on.]

Ah...unfortunately, mademoiselle, Canada is a long ways off - but first things first, shall we? I've locked down the conversation for now, and I understand if you don't want to say anything in particular about your situation, but no one is going to hear it but me if you do - are you all right?

[video / private]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[It's a...French-speaking polite-looking man. With...a private channel. At least everyone seems to be very friendly here...]

I...hadn't even considered that- the others aren't private. Oh, uh... [She sniffs, wiping at her cheek. ...Sometimes you need to have a good cry, even when you think you're all cried out from Everything.] No? I-I mean, I...guess- others have asked if I'm hurt and I... I suppose...not.

...Who are you? [Stranger danger, after all.]

[video]

[solas_ion]

Nah, you're fine.

[This from some dude in a Hawaiian shirt. But he shrugged, not commenting on anything to do with her covered in blood. That was pretty normal as far as he was concerned.]

Place is enough to make anyone think they've lost it, but that's just kinda how it goes.

[video]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Shoutout to the dude just rolling with this.]

This is normal for everyone here, people just...showing up and...candles. ["Litwick."] - Yes, yes, I know you are.

private video;

[doitrockapella]

[Well, well. That's one utterly terrified-looking girl, isn't it. And honestly, Carmen's never been a huge fan of activating her own video function except in the most extenuating of circumstances, but the truth is, things don't get much more extenuating than something like this. So.

She gets to a quiet, secluded place and makes sure there's nothing identifying in her background — old habits die hard — and when she's ready she has her Porygon2 activate her video function, setting it to a private and encrypted channel. And thus she appears, red in her lipstick, coat, and hat with the brim pulled down over one eye, leaning a little intently toward the camera in a posture that affects calm, unruffled concern.]

I'm going to start by letting you know that this is a private channel. No one else on the network can eavesdrop in on this; for the time being, anything you say will stay between you, myself, and anyone within earshot on your end. You can use that knowledge as you see fit; it's only fair that you be aware of it.

You're about to get a lot of people turning up on this Gear to try to offer you help. Many of them you won't recognize; some of them you might. You're also almost certainly about to get a lot of very disjointed information all in a rush, which isn't exactly conducive to helping you make sense of what's just happened.

My name is Carmen Sandiego. I can see that this is both disorienting and alarming for you. So feel free to ask me whatever questions you like, here on this channel where it's just the two of us, and I'll do my best to answer them for you.

private video;

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[On her end, Ashley's still at the bench she's taken up residency on, chin-on-knees. ...It is rather cold here, but that's kind of par for the course for her.]

You're the second person who's opened a...private channel. I... ...You all seem so used to this.

[There's an implicit question in that- has everyone been here for so long. Does this happen often. Why.]

[VIDEO]

[invigorating]

[Nowi responds with a video and as soon as it clicks on she's grinning. She's sitting on a bed in a room somewhere, wearing a pink tank top and bright purple shorts, so at least it's not the disaster outfit in her icons.]

Hiya! Okay, first of all, this is Johto and as of right now, no one knows how to get home. Sometimes people go home on their own, and sometimes they come back! Buuut for right now you're gonna be stuck here for awhile.

Second! You don't have to be afraid! Johto's a really nice place and I'm sure your candle is just as adorable as my Mana!

[The blue lump beside her raises its head, revealing a sleepy Dratini. Nowi pats Mana on the head.]

I showed up here awhile ago and it was kinda bad, but I'm sure you'll be okay! You've gotta walk a bit to get to the next town though, sooooo that's something you should look out for!

[VIDEO]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[She's slowly covering the "and no one knows how to leave" thing with other people and the more she thinks about it, the more it upsets her, so Ashley just going to not right now.

She sulks on a bench, looking at her Litwick and then back at Nowi.]

Walk how far? I'd really- not want to...get caught in all this snow. [And she bites her lip.] Or...be here at all...

video;

[shuttermouse]

Why did you have blood on you?

[ Because that's totally important and she wants to know, idly petting her giant fluffmoth known as a Volcarona as she peers into the camera. ]

video;

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[WHY IS A CHILD ASKING HER THIS

....WHY DOES THE GIANT HAVE A BIG MOTH]

Th-that's really- i-it was just pig's blood!! No one got hurt! Noonegothurtatall!

[#why]

[Video]

[usedlightscreen]

[North isn't the one who initially connects the call, it's a concerned little white face that seems to be struggling to hold the camera.

It also looks supremely upset at Ashley's distress.

Togetic, the Happiness Pokemon. They say that it will appear before kindhearted, caring people and shower them with happiness.

They don't say what it does when it can't actually get to the person who needs happiness.]

[Video]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Because of her No Good Very Bad Night, Ashley isn't very inclined to sudden inhuman faces appearing on her screen? So um, sorry, Togetic, her immediate response is a small squeak and like. Dropping the PokéGear in the snow. Litwick retrieves it. Because she's nice like that.

Still, it-] U-uh.. H-hellooo...? Who are you?

audio;

[crimsonchin]

I assure you, if you're going crazy, you're not the only one. ...Looking at this map, though, it says this Johto place is right next to Kanto, which is a region of Japan where I come from. But I've never heard of any of these places on this map, or Johto in general, and Japan certainly doesn't have creatures like a sentient candle or whatever my pink disaster is, last I checked.

So if you're wondering what the deal is, your guess is as good as mine. But waking up without blood on you sounds like a personal problem. Over.

audio;

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[The person on the other end of the call. Ashley can't see her, which is different from...every other message she's received so far. But she can hear her, and she sure sounds like...well, she's not great at telling voices. A little younger than her? Maybe. But so very serious. What's with that, "over"?]

U-uh... Thank you? No I mean- for telling me I'm not...yeah. I...don't know why my clothes and skin are clean. They aren't supposed to be.

action;

[melodlies]

[There's a girl just a bench away, skimming through text in the handbook, just like Ashley does. She's just...far louder than the other girl.]

Rules? There are rules? I thought it's supposed to be an adventure...rules are boring, we should be able to do everything freely—HEY!

[Igglybuff uses pound. It's super effective!]

Okay, okay, I get it. I'll read it all...!

[But before she gets immersed in all these rules and tips, she notices Ashley holding the same book.]

Oh, hey! You must be new just like me, am I right? Have you read it already?

action;

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[It's a little hard to concentrate on the words she's reading with the louder, younger girl- well, aruging with her Pokémon, frankly. Still, she flicks through the handbook, focuses as much as she can, until the loud call draws her attention.

...Is- oh dear. She hasn't really. Talked to anyone in person here? Uh-

Kaori used Disarming Voice!

There is no way to evade.

Ashley slowly raises her eyes.] Y...es? [...] Yeah, I- ...I've ready through it uh...twice now.

[Calm down.]

[rosetotheoccasion]

Hey. Are you okay?

[A voice, close but not too close, speaks up just after Ashley starts reading. If she'd been paying attention at all, she might recognize the speaker as one of the newbies that had been more clearly freaking out and pacing around. She looks much calmer now, thankfully, and looking more than a bit concerned now.]

You look like you've had a pretty rough time.

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Are you familiar with jumping beans, Ruby? That is precisely what Ashley resembles- because she's been spacing out reading, not really listening for footsteps in the snow or anything. She drops her handbook and looks up wildly-

And it's only a girl. She hadn't recognized any voices, because so far she hasn't taken to checking the network aside from her own startled disaster of an arrival announcement. At least Litwick's entirely unfazed, offering a small wave with her waxy stump.]

Waaa- oh- a- h-hi, sorry...about that. I've- it hasn't been that great lately.

( text )

[blazeit]

... are you scared of ghosts or something?

[ Yes! That was the most important thing to pick up about Ashley's post here. Good show, young sir. ]

( text )

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Bakugou, never change.]

yes?? Why wouldn't I be, they're terrifying.

[Private Text]

[callbacks]

[Dave's a little late on account of herding RWBYs, but there's no way he could listen to a broadcast like this and not check in with the poor girl.]

hey
people probably already made sure youre ok and gave you the rundown on this bugnuts place and junk but
i dunno i just wanted to make sure that happened for you
my names dave im relatively new here too

[Private Text]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[It's fine, Ashley needed time to breathe and...talk to all the other people who seemed worried about her? Who knew.]

I'm Ashley.
I probably should've said that in this broadcast because everyone else did that I saw but hindsight I guess.
I've gotten a few explanations. Ok more than a few. Still trying to accept everything.
Thanks for this? I don't really know what to say.

[Video] a little late I know BUT I NEED HORROR PROTAG CAMARADERIE

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Wow. Well, after having been here for five years and counting, Heather's seen plenty of distressed newbies in her time.]

[But most of the time the distress is just par for the course. THIS girl... sounds like there was something going on before she woke up in this place.]</sub>

Whoa, whoa, slow down! Deep breaths!

First things first, no, you're not anywhere near Canada. But that sounds like it might be a good thing for the moment. Did you say blood?

[Video] be as late as you need I have been THIRSTING for this since I saw you on the taken list

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[By the time Heather gets a reply, Ashley is- less freaking out?? She's moved at least, to a bench where she's actually holding the PokéGear herself instead of having Litwick train as a newbie camerawoman. She doesn't look any less upset, but less distraught, if that's a good distinction.

Though... Ashley winces. She really likes that so many people haven't specifically asked about that little slip of the tongue.]

Y- yes... But it wasn't human blood, or from anything living- I mean not living recently? Ohgosh how'd he keep it warm, was it-- No, no no no, it- is fine. It's not blood like people think of- ...blood.

[This train-wreck of an explanation brought to you by: Blackwood Pines at Blackwood Mountain, where your dreams turn into nightmares.]