World Tree MUSH

It's getting later into the evening in the Alola region, with the sun starting to set and paint a picture upon the sky too beautiful for words to describe. It's a cool night, by tropical island standards anyway, with a breeze blowing off the water. Miwa has had a busy day today, and having finally returned home, she took to relaxing on one of the islands famous black sand beaches near her secluded home. Laying there in the wet sand, relaxing as the cool ocean waves gently wash over her, it was a little too relaxing, and by now the Primarina has fallen asleep. The beach is mostly deserted now, with the beach crowd having packed up to head home by this point, only a few stick around to watch the sunset.

Mouse had gotten herself into some sort of trouble even before she got here. She woke up on a beach after hopping through a portal, letting the now very wet and sodden down-feather jacket slide off her shoulders and pulled her arms out of it as she got up--half-buried in sand. The sun had just been going down, and she was just cleaning the sand from her boots, undersuit and face and hair when she was confronted with a rather awkward and curious sort of situation. A young boy with a bandanna and a collection of red balls had dispatched a white and black ape-like creature to try and 'capture' her, something called a 'Passimian', that part at least she got from the boy's thoughts before she had to defend herself.

Good thing for her she was a psychic-type.

Hours later, it had gotten darker, and night-time was the right-time for Mirage, happening on another lonely and quiet beach, walking with the boy's fanny-pack in hand now.

Miwa continues to rest peacefully in the wet sand for a while, but eventually the tide starts to come in, and soon a bigger than usual wave crashes pretty much right on top of her. This wakes her up rather suddenly and she winds up sputtering and flailing as she tries to get her bearings and avoid drowning as she shakes that groggy feeling of still being half asleep. 

 "Ack, I was having a nice dream too!" She complains before finally moving further up the beach and out of the range of the breaking surf. This is when she spots a familiar mousy woman walking down the beach in her direction, and her eyes are quickly drawn to the fanny-pack that appeared to be filled with Pokeballs. "Came here to catch some Pokemon?" She asks curiously.

"Someone tried to catch me," Mirage replied in response, her Nike-esque booted feet trudging through the sands as she realized this was the home apparently of the Mermaid lady she'd run into before along with Bewul and Ash.

"What is this place? I had just left Eden and wound up here," she asked, looking up at the large volcano in the middle of the island peaks that was still somewhat silhouetted by the fading light over the horizon.

"I suppose I couldn't blame them, but I wasn't exactly looking for a life of slavery when I went through that portal--is this a thing that happens a lot here?" Mirage asks, tilting her head.

Miwa blinks, not sure whether to be amused that a overzealous trainer had tried to catch someone from another world, or horrified that the same might happen to her. "I'm so sorry. I may have been a trainer's Pokemon, up until recently, but at least mine was nice and treated me as more of a friend and partner than a tool. Sadly not all Pokemon are so lucky, and I can't believe someone would try to catch you. I mean, I'm assuming you tried to tell them not to?" She sighs and shakes her head, curling her tail around for balance as she sits atop the sand. "Anyway, this is the the Alola region, Ula'Ula Island to be specific, in my world. I live here, in a grotto among the small islands off the edge of this very beach."

"Seems... quiet," Mirage responded after a few moments, looking down at the small fanny pack as if she had forgotten she had it, then raised it up as she unzipped and began rifling through the contents. There was something in it that looked like a PDA or smartphone, tilting her head at that--and grasped one of the red and white balls between her thumb and index finger, accidentally depressing the button to force the marble-sized container to enlarge into about the size of a baseball.

"Ah!" she wound up accidentally dropping the thing into the sand, leaning back away from it as if she was afraid it was going to blow up, or something.

"Why can't people around here have any /normal/ valuables, pfft," she gently nudged the device with the boot of her toe, before looking back up at Miwa.

"Place reminds me of Hawaii, from my world--you said there were other islands around here?"

"Well, it is pretty quiet here, most of the time. Granted, this is the other side of the island from the main Malie City. Over here there is really just a beach, some small islands just off shore, like I mentioned, and a Pokemon Center up the road a bit." Miwa explains before watching as Mirage rifles through the fanny-pack. "So, you took that from the person who tried to catch you? Well, I'm not saying I condone that, but in this case, I hope it teaches them a lesson about not trying to catch everything they see without a second thought...." 

 She blinks as Mirage drops the Pokeball onto the beach, half expecting it to release a Pokemon. She relaxes a bit when nothing happens. "How old was this person who tried to catch you? It looks like all they had were their Pokeballs and a Pokedex!?" She asks as she looks up the beach behind Mirage, wondering if they would be getting a visit from Officer Jenny. "As for other islands, yes, there are four main islands in Alola."

"Well I wanted to make sure he couldn't keep using them to attack me, he's uh, fine, I think--" Mirage's eyes roved to the side of her, as if a little self-conscious or guilty.

Meanwhile, said boy had returned home to his parents. "Mom, Mooom--I like ponies again!"

"Anyway, you should probably take these--I don't know how to use them, and you can probably find who the owner was through... that thing," she had flipped open the pokedex, which she had mistaken as a smartphone, and gazed at the backlit LED screen on it, fairly impressed at the level of technology.

"Leave it to humans to invent stuff like this to control or catalogue other creatures, huh? I'm sorry, that's probably some cruel racial profiling--so you're from here? But those other creatures coudn't speak--but they were sapient, why aren't they humanoid like you?"

Her eyes widen a bit, really hoping that Mirage didn't hurt some poor little kid. She shakes her head again and sighs as Mirage gives the trainer's belongings to her so that she could return them. "There are lots of people that study Pokemon, as there are newly discovered species found fairly often still, and other things to study, I never really followed it too much. Anyway yes, I can speak, but most Pokemon cannot. Though, considering most of them can at least understand what people are telling them, I think most Pokemon who are capable of forming human-like sounds could learn to speak in theory, it just isn't easy. Took me years, even with the help of several people, at least to speak as well as I do now."

"These ones... couldn't speak human languages, but they seemed fairly intelligent--they can think," Mirage folded her arms, already distracted by the new train of thought and disregarding what happened before.

"So you're the same species? huh... I thought you were different, somehow, Oh well," Mirage handed the package over along with the pokedex.

"Just so we're clear, I'm a psychic, it's kind of hard to describe--I can talk to people without speaking, and move things with my mind," Mirage tilts her head a little.

"Do you know of anything like that...?"

Miwa blinks a bit and shakes her head. "Wait? Me and the Pokemon the trainer used to try to catch you? We're both Pokemon, but I believe that is similar to the word 'animal' on other worlds. My species is Primarina, and unless the one you saw looked almost exactly like me, we're not the same species. But yes, most Pokemon are fairly intelligent, though some more than others. That's why I was saying I think many could speak if they had the will to learn." 

 She explains as she takes the pack, puts the stuff back inside and tries to attach the fanny pack around her waist, though with flippers, even with somewhat movable digits, this was pretty difficult. She was about to ask for help when Mirage talked about being Psychic. She can't help but chuckle a little. "Well, actually that's not terribly uncommon here. There are actually Psychic Type Pokemon, who use psyonic powers in their attacks, but also for telepathy and telekinesis."

"Well, since you could speak I thought you were different, somehow--different species... or maybe some kind of mutation," Mirage shrugs.

"So you live in this place where people are trying to... capture, and train you, and have you fight others of your kind for...? Sport? Amusement? Monetary gain?" Mirage walks around Miwa slowly as she tries to clip on the pack and she'd assist her with clipping it on with her telekinesis.

"So... why do you still want to live here? has your kind ever tried to rebel?" she seemed confused by this!

"I mean, don't get me wrong," Mirage's expression shifted a bit to grinning and sleazy, even holding up her hand against the side of her mouth as if they weren't the only two there, and someone else might overhear.

"If someone wanted to capture and enslave me I might be a little flattered on some days, but I think it'd get a bit fast, wouldn't you think, dear?"

Miwa hadn't really given an lot of thought about the implications of how trainers used Pokemon for battling other trainers Pokemon. Partly because she was a performer who was pretty much treated as part of a team for pretty much her whole life as she traveled with the musical theater troupe she performed with. The other reason was because pretty much no one ever questions it, the Pokemon are mostly happy to keep doing it, unless they are otherwise mistreated, and organized Pokemon battles were just the norm. There was of course the whole liberation movement with Team Plasma, but Miwa would have been pretty young at the time, and even then, not much news of that reached the Alolan region. 

 However, hearing Mirage break it down that way from her own perspective, really made her think, and it was a while before she said anything back to the woman. "You know..., when you put it that way, it does sound kind of cruel. I guess it's just been this way for so long, and most Pokemon seem to be agreeable, or even happy about the way things are, I never really thought about it from that perspective. As far as revolts, there have not been any that I know of, but I am no history expert by any means."

"Well, maybe now you can understand why I took that bag from them," Mirage shrugged a little, though she had been curious as to the Pokemon's silence during that period of reflection.

"I suppose it's a matter of perspective, but how you deal with it is entirely up to you, I just know I apparently was deemed to be something called a... 'Rattata' and then had a capturing device thrown at me, at least that is what those are, from what I've come to understand," Mirage points at the pouch she'd helped clip around Miwa's waist.

"What is a... 'Rattara'? I'm not a rat, damnit--if that's what they were thinking!" Mirage looked a bit huffy and indignant about that.

Miwa nods, the conversation had certainly given her some perspective on things, and made her more than ever glad that she was free to do whatever she wanted to now, even if her trainer had been among the kindest one could ask for, not even keeping her confined to her pokeball 99% of the time. She blinked as Mirage said the trainer thought she was a Rattata. 

 "Oh my, that is rather embarrassing. I mean, Rattata are literally small rat-like pokemon, and the Alolan variation found here are even slightly uglier than the version found in other regions. You remind me more of an electric mouse pokemon called Dedenne, though with your otherwise humanoid body, I don't know how anyone with half a brain actually confused you for either of them... Also yes, they are capturing devices. When used on a wild pokemon, though not impossible to break free from, even after being caught with one, once caught, a wild pokemon tends to stay with the trainer who caught them."

Mirage's eyes rove back over to Miwa, and she might feel a slight 'nudge' as Mouse tries to search up the mental picture of just what this 'Rattata' creature was.

"Eehhh! What the hell is that? Damnit, I've been trolled," Mirage pouts, her tail standing up behind her as she looks like she's fuming even more now, her large white bucked teeth visible even more as she sets her jaw.

The image of the 'Dedenne' gets a slightly confused look and a furrowing of a brow. That was... a bit better, but still strange. Mirage then took the opportunity to begin scanning what the other various creatures looked like from around here--mentally cataloguing them. This might have been a little invasive, however--and while she hadn't asked Miwa beforehand, she hadn't gone psycho-diving on anyone she'd run into really... except now.

Miwa hasn't really had anyone read her mind before, so while she did feel a strange sensation as Mirage went diving through her thoughts for the appearance of various pokemon, she didn't have a clue what was actually going on. She simply shook her head a bit and gently scratched at her forehead with her right flipper. "Huh, I feel a strange, kinda tingling feeling in my head all the sudden. "Anyway, maybe I'll have to teach this trainer a thing or two before I give them back their fanny pack..." She says with a sigh, hoping the trainer wouldn't turn around and try to catch her instead.

"Does it hurt? how do you feel?" Mirage frowned a little, but remained calm--the many images of pokemon flooded through her head--including Fat Gray Garfield Persian and SURFER RAICHU, catch some tasty waves, brah--but for the moment she was more concerned as to what effect she was having on Miwa.

"I probably should have asked--but I wanted to know what that creature looked like, so I decided to look at your mind--of course, you're a different species, but I can see them, yeah--that's why I thought it looked so... weird," Mirage then frowned a bit, the Primarina's mind was alien to her, still--she'd not dove into a creature like this before--she hadn't even tried on Bewul, or Ash, even--and she was pretty sure they were both similar in species.

'You must always look your best~'

'Perform your hardest, it's the only way!'

"Nghhh..." Mirage's left eye half-lidded a moment, as the corner of her mouth pulled back a little, exposing more teeth--she was experiencing some rather... invasive concepts inside Miwa's head.

"Buh..." she shook her head, finally ending the mental connection, trying to regain her composure. What had she seen in the Pokemon's head...?

"Oh, so that's what that is? You're reading my mind?" Miwa confirms in a tone that doesn't seem terribly shocked. "Well, yes, it would have been nice to ask first before you went digging through my memories, but if it's just to see what different Pokemon look like, I guess that's fine..." She answered calmly, though when Mirage went a little deeper and discovered about her vanity, and drive to perform, she blushed noticeably. That feeling was quickly forgotten though as Mirage almost seemed to be in pain for a moment before she ended the connection with her mind. "Something wrong?" She asked with a concerned tone.

"Was, I just wanted to know what those two pokemon you spoke of looked like," Mirage does however leave out the other 150 that she scanned while she was in there. She could transmit the images like electronic data running through a freaking solid state drive.

"I'm just concerned for how you feel after it--I wasn't trying to read you very long, I fear there might have been side-effects," Mirage blinkked, the tilt of her head while looking at Miwa seemed to imply that it was Miwa that she was concerned for--though in truth it was probably moreso herself at this point! Why else did she suddenly have the incredibly urge to shower, dress in fresh clothes--get her hair done, a manicure...? She'd never even been to a hair salon before. With dawning horror the mouse was realizing she'd picked up some kind of mental... rash? allergic reaction? She wasn't qutite sure what to call it. She just knew she accidentally dove too deep this time.

"N-Nothing! I was just recalling I haven't bought any new outfits in... crap, forever!"

Miwa nods and smiles. "Well, I guess that is an easy way of doing it, as I don't otherwise have any pictures I could show you... Well, the trainer's Pokedex might have some, but I don't know how to use it, so that's no help either." She says with a laugh. As Mirage asks how she feels after the mind probe, she shakes her head a bit. 

 "I feel fine really. Like I said, there was a sort of tingle or itch, but it's fading now. You sure you're alright though? You seemed in pain or revolted at the end there." She asks again, only for the somewhat suspiciously rushed answer of 'nothing, just a desire to go shopping for outfits.' Miwa doesn't pry, instead she grins. "You know, I used to wear all sorts of costumes in some of my performances, might be fun to go get a few things to spice up my look." She ponders for a moment. "Maybe we could go shopping together."

"It's not a big deal... Telepathy and Mind-Reading are very fast, almost intantaneous, it's faster for me to look at someone or tell them something than it is to operate a phone, or some kind of fancy rolodex like that," she poked a finger at the pack with the pokedex in it.

"Huh? Oh that--no, it's fine, sometimes just people's thoughts... force their way into my mind," Mirage then looked blearily at Miwa as she mentioned theatrical costumes. The sudden mental image of leotard sand feathered skirts flashed through her mind. It was... it was intriguing.

"Oh? Really, well I might have to take you up on that--first I need to wash the sand and brine out of my hair... and clothes," she hadn't seemed too terribly concerned about how cruddy she'd been just a few minutes ago, of course.

"Do you know someplace we could go... freshen up a bit, then?" she manages a smile now, getting her guile back.

"That does seem quick and convenient, for sure." Miwa agrees, before briefly wondering how much of her thoughts forced their way into Mirage's mind, and as she did seem to be acting a little differently all of the sudden, Miwa guessed it was at least 'some'. The next part about going shopping and washing up first, was a bit of a problem. 

 "Well, I usually just go for a swim to rinse myself off, but if you're trying to get the salty brine out of your hair, best thing would probably be getting a shower at the Pokemon Center up the road from the beach. However, if you want to go shopping, the best place to go is Malie City, and that is a bit far for me to walk on land. Don't know about you, but I'd much rather swim there. I could try to give you directions or you could try to get a ride from the Pokemon Center, or I could give you a ride by sea."

"Won't they think I'm a pokemon and try to throw capture balls at me there, too? Eh--I'll have to disguise myself," Mirage however doesn't say /how/, she's not even shown Miwa /half/ the things she can do. And at that moment her stomach began to growl, at that.

"And get some food--and nah, I told you, I was psionic--I can float," Mirage shook her head, demonstrating what she was talking about, her boots slowly levitating off the ground and she angled herself forward, as if she was 'flying' in mid-air.

Mirage Mouse would take Miwa's flipper as she flew past--helping her to float along with her like she was taking her by the hand, Peter Pan-style!

"Oh, and you MUST tell me who does your hair..."

It was probably going to be a long night.