Every introvert has that moment when they make the incredibly important and incredibly difficult decision to socialize and then immediately end up regretting it. One would think NPCs in a videogame don't apply to this and that speaking to them would be much easier, but as it turns out, the wonders of deep dive VR also have their disadvantages.

An NPC that acts unaware of the fact that they are an NPC results to be just like talking to a real person in many aspects, and when Muin stands before System Admin:ProfessorAsh, two thoughts bloom in Percy's wonderful little brain:

1. It's obviously this way so the experience is more immersive. Play along.
2. Ash (his cousin) would love to hear that the hot professor in the game shares her nickname.

"Right. But it is a game." Despite Thought #1, he still manages to slip, and truth be told, he feels kind of bad for it. Too bad this does not show itself in Muin's expression though, because as it usually is when Percy doesn't feel like interaction with people, his stoicism takes over, and more than anything, he looks utterly unimpressed.

Can't he just take a pokémon and go?

Then again, he is kind of curious about what the game will assign him...

"Okay, so... What are the questions?"

The professor gives him three questions covering a variety of different topics, and although Muin had almost decided that he would just answer as quickly as possible, grab his Pokémon, and get the hell out of here, he finds himself carefully considering his answers. Someone else would probably lie to the professor or say whatever first comes to mind, but our freshly minted Gardener instead sits quietly for a long moment, deep in thought while an index finger taps on the table at a steady pace.

Once the tapping stops, he looks at System Admin:ProfessorAsh once more, his answers now ready.

If I were to suddenly find myself locked in a pitch-black room—... He begins, calm and collected; his diction careful, his delivery paused and lacking in inflections, and his lilt oh so recognizably English. "I imagine at first I'd panic, of course. However... eyesight is not our only sense, and many people out there spend their entire lives living perfectly fine without it. With that in mind, I think I'd feel for walls and try to find a way out — get a sense of the space around me. Auditory clues would also be helpful if there are any, I imagine... Admittedly, I don't think I'd call out for help unless I determined there to be no other way out."

He has never liked asking for help. He finds it shameful. However, even he can understand that often in life, one must put one's pride aside and learn to rely on others. It had been a thought lesson for him to learn once upon a time.

"As for my proudest achievement—..." There is no answer he can give that would be honest while maintaining full immersion; he has only spent a few minutes on UNOVR so far, and thus he has done nothing in this world of which he's truly proud. That being the case, Muin chooses to tell this NPC about Percy's actual proudest achievement. "Obtaining my Doctor of Laws."

Archibald Percival Munn, LLD does not elaborate. He's not sure if the professor understands the difficulties of obtaining such a degree, but since she had indeed been coded to be a professor, she may have some idea. If she doesn't, that doesn't really matter to him; he had given her his honest answer.

"Lastly...I think I'd very much like to go to the Sinnoh Region."

Why Sinnoh? Simple enough. The first time Percy had properly played a Pokémon game had been for the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. He had spent hours upon hours engrossed in Sinnoh's storyline and in exploring the region, and during what had been one of the toughest periods of his life, Pokémon Diamond had been a great way to take his mind off everything that was happening.

His starter back then? A Turtwig, and to this day, Torterra is still his favourite pokémon.

"Is that all?"

He's not enough of a Pokémon fan to know each and every one of them by name. Starters, however, are what most people know well. How does Muin react to seeing the tag on the Pokéball Ash gives him, then? Well... he's pleased, and for the first time since he had logged into the game, a slight smile illuminates his otherwise serious expression.

"Thank you." He tells System Admin:ProfessorAsh, ever polite, and when taking the Pokéball, a moment is spared to get a feel for the weight of it in his hands. Isn't this what every child has dreamt of at one point or another? With a click of the button at the sphere's centre, his new companion is released...

<'Hey, hey!'> Extending and raising the tip of one of its wings as if it were a hand waving, the Rowlet greets him, her voice resulting to be a chipper soprano.

"Hey... I'm Muin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Rowlet." Muin offers, ever one for formalities and utterly failing to match her enthusiasm. Looking up at him with her small glinting eyes, the Rowlet tilts her head to a degree that would almost be concerning if it weren't for the fact that she's supposed to be strigine.

<'Rowlet? Pffft. Aren't you going to give me a name?'>

Now it's his own head that tilts, but only just so slightly.

"A name? Hmm... You're right, I probably should... How about... mmm... Nin."

<'Nin? N-I-N? Oh... Yes, I like that. Nice ring to it. Nin... Why thought.'>

"Ah... Maybe I'll tell you later."

ᚅ

Nion or Nin, the fifth letter in the Ogham alphabet. It translates to the letter N, and is a symbol of connections, creativity, and transitions between worlds. Nin represents the sacred Ash tree.