Now, Polaris has seen the tutorials - completed them even. He's not the first to the catching tutorial rodeo.
So why in the world did this feel so different?

Maybe it was the fact he had a 'illegal' starter with him - he didn't know that joke was a actual thing in game, and the offering of paint to make the Litten look more like a Sprigatito was appreciated, but gently refused.

Maybe it was the fact he was beginning his new start with the first tutorial he clicked on...maybe it was the fact he was seeing greenery, fresh and lively greenery untouched by snow in what feels like forever - the bright green 'tall grass' that a Pokemon could spawn out of, the green grass that sprouted along a gravel path - it made his heart lighter a bit. And the warmth of the air, not hung heavy with frost and cold - that too, was another difference.
The environment felt light, warm, hopeful - and not cold for once.

Either way, differences aside, he was going to take this in stride - both metaphorically and physically.

Though, said strides were cut short with the arrival of an unwelcome guest - that being a small pebble he hadn't noticed on the ground, and therefore ended up being stepped on - with bare feet to boot.

This prompted a shudder up Polaris's spine and an automatic hiss of "[tangent=Sparks...!]L'étincelle...![/tangent]" - alongside a string of muttering.
This was fine, this was fine.

Stupid pebble, stupid pebble. Polaris would appear lost in thought as Alkaid approached, quietly muttering to himself.

Stupid, stupid - he really should watch where he steps, of course there would be gravel, it just makes sense!
Just watch where you approach next time!

'At least then I won't be stepping on rocks and making a fool of myse-'
As soon as he noticed him however, Polaris would appear to snap out of his thoughts., blinking a few times and turning towards him, an apology on the tip of his tongue when-
“Mamma mia, I’m sorry if I sound like an idiot, but… can I ask—are you from the North American server?"

'Oh, a question.' He thought, before his mind processed the question in its entirety.
...Wait.
Wait-
His eyes would slightly widen in surprise. A simple question that held so much weight to it.
What should he say? What could he say?
The answer sprung to his mouth like a sudden movement of a bow along strings, before his thoughts could stop him, both a mixture of a answer to both statements.

"Non, no, that's all right- uh- I'm from the European server or...used to be from, anyways."

At the mention of the eternal winter, Polaris's body seemed to tense up, letting out a more annoyed huff.
"Ugh, [tangent=tell me about it]ne m'en parle pas[/tangent]...it was horrible. Everyone arguing, the factions, the...creatures," He gives a small shudder, trying to will the fear of something coming out of the frost-bitten forests into non-existence - no, not into non-existence, into never existing in the first place.

Maybe that's why this second chance was so important. Here was a time when none of this ever happened, here was a time where we got a genuinely happy ending, here was a time when things went the way they should instead of fragmenting into millions of little pieces.

For a few moments, Polaris would also be waiting around as well, letting his weight shift occasionally - his hand drifted towards his belt again, before gripping beside it tightly as if holding the handle of a blade -- a part of his mind remembering when a sword once rested beside him instead of empty air, an ally of his own design, waiting to be unsheathed.

His eyes widened at the sight of the familiar motion - there was something about it that felt way too-wait.
...Wait.
"This is so awkward, but… I can’t help but wonder if we’ve crossed paths over there before. Like, y’know, before things went to even further shit after the failed Thunderfall… attempt."
Recognition.

"...Benet?"

For a split second, Polaris was worried he had said something wrong, saying the name of a person he had once interacted with to someone he didn't even know.

Internally, a small part of him prepared for a confused look, a confused sentence - anything to show that this was just him misremembering.
But that familiar idle animation, the mention of the eternal winter, the question of him being from the European server - he had to have a bit of hope that this was someone he knew, even for a moment-)
"...Cyno?"
"From Compass?!"

A lot of different nation representatives interacted with the Cartographer's Union when the eternal night hit.
Representatives from Russia and England, and even other French guilds, all requesting assistance with their own rebellions, all with different attitudes to the situation.
Benet was one of them, at least as far as he could recall - and Compass had interacted with him in a positive manner.

He felt himself release a breath he didn't even know he was holding, voice slightly cracking akin to a surprised and excited laugh, as he responded:
"Y-Yeah! Yeah, it's me!"

He didn't even think anyone he knew would have moved over to the NA servers, didn't even think that anyone else from EU had also decided to join here.
The rest of Compass surely hadn't, most likely having moved onto other games, other lives.
Soon, his mind was racing, thoughts spoken aloud almost as easily as breathing.
"I-I didn't think anyone else from EU would even come over here, I thought they would all decide to stay in order to be stuck in their fantasies or even - well, find another game and - just -"
He sighed in relief.
"By the point of the needle, it's good to see someone familiar again. [tangent=How have you been?]Comment vas-tu?[/tangent]"

Meanwhile, Martelé had gotten out of her Pokeball, and was currently approaching the canine Pokemon in a low crouch, watching as it was being chased around by a monkey wielding a stick - with a cheerful attempt at a battle cry, the fire cat attempted to pounce on the Lillipup.

"Yeah...right. Just, was worried." Polaris would respond more in an exhale to the mention of the eternal delusion, his thoughts finally slowing to more of a relaxed pace.
“…plus the aftermath of our Thunderfall event just. You know.”
He gave an affirmative noise at the mention of that, moving a hand without thinking to his throat, lightly rubbing at it. "I do."
His voice was a tad quieter at that, expression a bit more softer, solemn as he almost recalled the events of that day like it were yesterday.
He knew the aftermath of that failed raid, the aftermath of a push against the Princess and her forces...of how it all ended poorly, as he walked through the snow, looking for survivors.

Without thinking, he also would swap to his native tongue, expression warming as he did so.
[tangent="I miss it too...the people, my friends, the community before all of that happened."]"Cela me manque aussi... les gens, les amis, la collectivité avant tout cela."[/tangent]
At the mention of not missing the eternal winter, his eyes would light up, crinkling into a smile as he chuckled out a [tangent="Me neither - the less snow, the better!"]"Moi non plus - moins il y a de neige, mieux c'est!"[/tangent] before also bursting into a laughing fit.

He'd exhale softly after the laughing fit left him, before noticing something. The air outside, it didn't have the biting cold of frost, carried by the frozen air of eternal night.
[tangent="It's...warm here."]"Il fait...chaud ici."[/tangent] He'd move his hand behind his head, a nervous motion, as if to save face from a silly sounding sentence like that, before letting it drop beside him.
[tangent="But I suppose, if you're always surrounded by the cold, even the normal things feel warmer."]"Mais je suppose, que si vous êtes toujours entouré par le froid, même les choses normales vous semblent plus chaudes."[/tangent]

Meanwhile, over where the little dog was...
"Victory! Oh." The Litten would slowly move off of the Lilipup, noting how it was knocked out by the pounce, tail swishing curiously as it tilted its head, before chiming in after the Grookey pointed out catching the dog, almost excitedly. "Can we catch the Lilipup now? Can we, can we?"

[tangent="Right...right."]"C'est vrai... c'est vrai."[/tangent] The gray-haired man exhaled softly, putting his nervousness to rest. [tangent="I don't know why I feel so nervous about it...I mean, it happened already, it's done and over with."]"Je ne sais pas pourquoi je me sens si nerveuse... Je veux dire, c'est déjà arrivé, c'est fait et terminé."[/tangent]
Maybe it was the fact he'd never kept a secret before in his life before the Precipice Crown back home. Maybe it was the fact that no one from NA seemed to know about the events of EU - at least, from what he could assume.
Maybe it was the fact that this game had become so important to him, it felt like logging out was putting on a simulacrum of himself.
Maybe-
"Can we catch the Lilipup now? Can we, can we?"
His thoughts were stopped by his starter's excited cheer, prompting him to blink, look to his Pokeball, then look to the Litten.
[tangent="Ah, Martelé, when did you-?!"]"Ah - Martelé, quand as-tu-?!"[/tangent] His eyes would then move to the knocked out Lillipup.
[tangent="That really was fast..."]"C'était vraiment rapide..."[/tangent] He'd almost mirror, returning his starter and going over to the Lilipup, lightly pressing the ball to the other ear as it was turned into pure light.

His eyes would light up at the mention of catching up though, and his expression would turn into a smile. [tangent="Yes, that would be great! Where do you want to go?"]"Oui, ce serait bien - où veux-tu aller?"[/tangent]

catch attempt on lillipup as well!