First Flake [video]

[defyingfrigidity]

[When the 'gear flicks on, the camera seems to be pointing at.... the ground. The ground, and a black-shoed foot. The camera shakes for a minute, and the voice of a young woman can be heard speaking.]

Is this strange device really meant to be used to communicate with others...? But how...

[It's then that a somewhat worried-looking Snorunt comes into view, its little arms raised. Whoever-it-was pauses before giving the device over to the creature. The camera then spins, and focuses on the owner of the voice; a pale, fair-haired young woman dressed in typical trainer clothes, looking very confused.]

I'm just not sure how I'm meant to-- [She's cut off by the Snorunt, who makes a few noises before moving closer and holding the pokegear up, getting a better view of the girl in the process. She sighs.] Okay... fine.

[She clears her throat and stands up straight, a rather regal-seeming posture for someone dressed in such casual clothes.] My name is Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and I'm afraid I've been kidnapped. I've been told that no, I really haven't been kidnapped, but... I can't exactly believe that, can I?

[Her brows furrow, then, and her shoulders seem to scrunch up a bit in a show of nervousness.] I need help. Information. If I can at least be told where exactly this "Johto" is, how far away I am from Arendelle... I would very much appreciate it. [She begins to wring her hands together, now clearly showing signs of someone who's deeply unsettled.] If there's any way at all to contact those back home... please... I need to know. My staff, my... my sister... they must be so worried....

[Her hands are now clenching each other tightly as she tries to calm herself, but it doesn't seem to be of any use. So, rather quickly, she approaches the Snorunt, taking the gear out of its hands and fumbling once more with it.] A-As I said, any help would be greatly appreciated. But for now, I'm afraid I must end this conversation. I apologize for how abrupt this is. G-Goodbye.

[Can't let them see, can't let them see--]

[Thankfully, she finds the right button to hit, and the screen goes dark.]

Comments

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa laughs nervously at that.]

I don't know about that... you know how I am around people, Anna. I certainly won't have as many friends as you have now.

[loveisanopendoor]

Oh, nonsense! I mean, with you not being in charge of the kingdom anymore, you'll have the chance to kinda get to socialize normally! I'm sure you'll meet plenty of friends!

[defyingfrigidity]

... But I don't know how to socialize normally, Anna.

[Wow that is extremely embarrassing to admit.]

Small talk is one thing, that I can do. It was something I was taught how to do. But I'm not really sure how to go about making friends.

[loveisanopendoor]

[Even in spite of that, Anna's smile doesn't falter. But it does become a bit more...gentle.]

It's okay, Elsa. After everything, I guess it's only natural that you have to start from step one, but...we'll just take it a day at a time, just like everything else, right? I'll help you make as many friends as you can, I promise.

[defyingfrigidity]

You don't have to! Really, I... I don't want to bother you with something like that. Even if it's just us, I'll be fine.

[loveisanopendoor]

It's not bothering me at all, Elsa! I mean, everyone needs friends, after all. And you of all people most certainly deserve them.

And besides, how often do we get to be, y'know, regular sisters? No duties or anything to get in the way, no big responsibilities...

[defyingfrigidity]

I'll be fine! Really. You don't have to worry about me, Anna.

... I don't think we've ever gotten a chance like that. Even when we were kids. Lessons got in the way a lot.

[loveisanopendoor]

Well, what better time than now, then, while we're catching up..?

[defyingfrigidity]

Exactly. "No time like the present" is how the saying goes, right?

... How long do you think it'll take for us to meet up? I don't think I can wait too long to see you again.

[loveisanopendoor]

That's right. It shouldn't take too long. You can probably get there by tomorrow, if you head out now, actually.

[defyingfrigidity]

[!!!]

Oh! I should probably go, then! {...] I guess that means we should stop talking for now, huh...?

[loveisanopendoor]

Well, you can call me on this if you have any questions or need anything! I'll actually probably keep in touch with you and make sure everything's going okay on your end, since getting used to this thing...it's probably gonna take a little while. And I have to get going myself, if I'm gonna meet you at Cherrygrove!

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh right, you can use this anywhere...

[God, she has no idea how that works...]

Please tell me it gets easier to use these things.

[loveisanopendoor]

You'll get used to it, I promise! It's really weird, and I can't believe they have technology like this...but just give it a little while and you'll get the hang of it, don't worry!

[defyingfrigidity]

I can't believe it, either! Things like this... [She laughs a little.] It sure would make my job a whole lot easier. Just think of all the time I could save! Instead of having to write out letters to all our allies and trade partners, I could use something like this instead...

[Elsa's already thinking she's gunna kinda miss this place when they find a way home...]

What other things can all this new technology do?

[As she talks, the scenery behind her shifts and moves; it's obvious that Elsa's begun her trek out of New Bark Town, but she doesn't want to quite stop talking just yet.]

[loveisanopendoor]

I was thinking that, too! You could even have meetings like this, too...it lets you have a call with a whole bunch of people at once and you can see all of them, if you really want to. You can even send pictures and stuff...and people can leave you letters and voice letters on this thing, too! It's really great!

[Good; Anna wasn't exactly keen on being the first one to hang up, either.]

And you can also see all kinds of information on your little Pokemon, too! What kind of moves it could use, its type, and basic information about it, even its personality! It's super convenient! It's like having an encyclopedia right at your fingertips! And just wait until you see the computers..!

...Also, the music's kinda nice, right?

[defyingfrigidity]

... Computers? What are those?

[... To be honest, Elsa didn't notice the music until Anna pointed it out...] And I suppose so. But where is it coming from?

[loveisanopendoor]

After you catch more than six Pokemon, you can keep a whole bunch of them in storage at these cool box things, and you can switch out whichever ones you'd like! You can only carry six of them at a time, so it makes things pretty convenient. You can keep stuff in there, too, and people can send you things through it! You find them a lot in the Pokemon Centers. You'll find those in other towns as we make our way through. They're sort of like clinics for when your Pokemon gets hurt. They'll heal them all up for free and make them as good as new, totally happy and healthy!

As for the music...well, no one really knows, but it doesn't stop.

[defyingfrigidity]

That's... amazing. And there isn't some kind of catch when you want your Pokemon healed for free...?

[BUT HOW DO THEY STAY IN BUSINESS IF THEY DON'T CHARGE FOR SERVICES oh boy this is gunna be weird.]

... N-Never? How are we going to sleep, then?

[loveisanopendoor]

Not as far as I can tell! I mean, Arendelle has free health-care, doesn't it? Granted, it's not like we pay taxes, but...

In any case, it's not a big deal. You kinda get used to it, actually. Sometimes at night it gets a little softer...it's just white noise, and you know we're both kinda heavy sleepers.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa lets out an amused, rather unqueenly snort at that.]

I used to be a heavy sleeper. But I think you ruined that with all the times you woke me up in the middle of the night to play.

[loveisanopendoor]

Hey, when the sky's awake, the sky's awake..!

[defyingfrigidity]

The northern lights get more and more common as certain seasons roll around! [She can't even try to sound like she's scolding Anna. Instead, she's just laughing again.] I'm surprised mama and papa didn't think we'd become insomniacs, with how little sleep we got some nights because of that.

[loveisanopendoor]

That's because the sky wanted us to spend more time together, obviously!

[Anna can't help but laugh too...even though both sisters probably remember those nights differently, they definitely both can't help but look back at how much fun they had together.]

It was worth it, though! I haven't seen them here, not yet, but...it's not like we'll need them or anything! If you think I'm not gonna keep you up, you've got another thing coming!

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh, they were most definitely worth it in the end. I wouldn't trade those nights away for anything.

[After all, as much as it hurt to remember those nights once their separate isolation started, those happy memories were some of the few things that managed to keep Elsa sane sometimes.]

We should ask some of the people here if they've seen the northern lights anywhere in this country. Even if it takes some time to reach them, the journey would definitely be worth it.