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[The screen flickers on to show a boy who looks like he’s a little bit in a fog. Behind him, a Buizel bounces around happily through the snowdrifts, nearly disappearing only to poke her head up every now and then, her whiskers and fur caked with snow.]

Hello? Is anyone out there? My name is Shaun Mars. There was this lady who called herself my mom, and she gave me a backpack full of food and clothes and stuff, and I sorta...just wanted to know if that had happened to anyone else. And also, if the food was...safe to eat. It’s like rice, and I think there’s fish and vegetables and stuff too, or something.

I think I might've gotten someone else's Pokegear thing. It says it's my birthday today, but my birthday was two days ago.

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NO- WAIT! [Too late. Have a blue headed polar bear with a big snot drip diving in after your Buizel.]

Ohhhh! [And here is said polar bear's trainer, running over all worried.] I'm sorry! So sorry! He didn't run into you, did he?

[Susie pokes her head up just in time to see the Cubchoo diving for her, and she lets out a surprised "Bui!!" before diving back into the elaborate tunnel system she's burrowed in the snowdrifts already.

Shaun backs up in fear when he sees the tall man coming near him, his mittened hand flattening against a snowbank behind him. He shakes his head.]

I-I'm okay.

[He's not above seeing that fear, so he backs up a few steps.] Sorry. He saw your....otter? Jumping about and decided he needed to as well...er, anyway, I'm Bill.

[Cubchoo is a natural with the snow, being an ice-type and all. He's slowly turning the drift into a huge ice jungle gym.]

[Shaun stays pretty much right where he is, although the fear is a lot less 'run as fast as I can in the opposite direction' and a lot more 'be ready to run as fast as I can in the opposite direction'.]

That's okay. Susie likes to play. I-I'm Shaun.

[Susie is okay with this because it means it's really fun to slide down the tunnels now that they're packed down with ice.]

Nice meeting you! Er, that is, I didn't mean to creep you out or anything. I'm just your average 19 year old student! Honest!

[Cubchoo is a pro at this. Soon the fort is equipped with all sorts of slides and tunnels.]

[The sound of the two Pokemon playing and roughhousing can be heard echoing through the tunnels that are now slick as glass.]

I-I'm not creeped out.

[SUBJECT CHANGE.]

What kind of Pokemon is that?

What? Oh, I think he's....Cubchoo? I'm still trying to figure out how to work this-[produces his Pokedex.] thing properly...

[Shaun moves closer, glancing at Bill to make sure he's not going to make a move to touch Shaun when he does. He peers at the Pokedex.]

I think it just works if you point it at the Pokemon.

Susie!

[The Buizel's head pops out of one of the tunnels and then she slides through it, bouncing over and standing on her hind paws in front of her trainer.]

Try it with Susie.

O-Oh, okay....[he points it at Susie, looking really awkward the whole time.]

Buizel, the river otter Pokemon. Buizel have a floatation sac around their necks that they use to rescue struggling Pokemon, keeping them afloat.

....Wow.

[Shaun beams proudly at that.]

Isn't that cool? I think it can probably work for people, too.

[Susie cocks her head curiously at Bill when he points it at her, her twin tails flicking. She looks at Shaun as if asking if she can go back and play. He nods.]

Okay, go play.

Oh, most certainly! I bet all the lifeguards here have them!

[That reassurance pleases him, even if he'd already figured it out himself.]

I got lucky. I don't really like water, but Susie can keep me safe if I have to cross it anyway.

Do you know how to swim?

[That makes his manner change a little. He looks down at his feet.]

I used to.

[He looks a bit confused.] Used to? ....Did something happen?

[Shaun is silent for a long moment.

If this was someone he knew or was related to, he might be inclined to tell him at least part of the story. How he spent four days treading water in a well, with cold rain mercilessly beating down on his head and nothing but a locked grate above him. How every time it rains, he almost hyperventilates at the sound of the water pattering on the window. How it took him three weeks of therapy to feel safe in a bathtub.]

...I don't wanna talk about it.

All right. I understand. [What could have happened to this poor kid?]

[A lot. A lot is the answer to that question.]

Are you on your way to Cherrygrove?

Yeah, that's right. I hear that the bigger cities have more to offer. Are you going too?

Yeah, I am.

I heard it's about three days to the next city from here, though. Do you go places on your own a lot?

I heard the same.

Alone? Well, sometimes. I suppose it depends on the situation. When I was in Africa, though, we always traveled with a group.

You've been to Africa? Did you get to see any lions?

[Grins.] Yeah! I was there for six months on a mission trip. We did a lot of good, building houses, teaching kids to read, that sort of thing.

Lions, oh yes! In fact, I saw a huge pride of lions just outside one of the villages! There were all sorts of animals that the local people were used to that you wouldn't even think of seeing outside a zoo!

[Shaun doesn't know what a mission trip is, but he's the smarter Mars child, he can figure it out.]

That's really neat! Were you ever scared the lions were gonna eat you? Cause they weren't in cages.

Not so much. Lions don't like to go after people. They fight back too much. They'd much prefer a zebra or gazelle, yeah? Though, I nearly got bitten by a very poisonous snake...

Action [I assume he's still in New Bark?]

Action [If not then on the very outskirts!]

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