Author's note: It's Nail again, and he's no longer pounding this story as hard as he used to. My writing style is improving, eh? Well, I don't know what was wrong with it that I corrected. Can you tell me, so I can keep doing it?
And the way the story feels like a video game, well, I just can't help it. I have a hard time making the story anything to the contrary. I tried to bend away from the video game stuff when I expressed Shi's train of thought while they were standing in front of the Master Emerald again, though.
Well, on with the story. Although I'd better mention that this chapter, uh, displays my humorous side. A little humor never hurt anyone.
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Chapter 7: Dialogue
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As Juan and Shi approached the Trail of Winter, Shi stopped Juan. "Look, there's an information booth right over there. Let's check it out."
Juan agreed, and they ran up to the front window of the booth. The booth was run by a 12-year-old boy with light brown hair and blue eyes.
"Welcome to the Trail of Winter," the boy said. "My name's Sam. Sam Noel. What brings you here?"
"I'm Juan," Juan responded, "and Shi is next to me."
This confused Sam a little. "Come again?"
"Shi's right next to me."
"Well, who is she?"
"Shi's the girl right here!"
"I know that, but what's her name?"
"She's Shi!"
"She is she? That's obvious, but who is she?"
"I told you, this is Shi!"
"Just tell me her name! What's wrong with you?"
"That's what I've been doing! Don't you understand English?"
"I understand English perfectly! You're just talking nonsense!"
The conversation went in circles until Shi got sick of it and decided to put an end to the whole thing.
"Stop, you two!" she interjected. "Sam, I'm Shi. S-H-I. Shi. That's my name. You get it now?"
"I hope that doesn't happen every time someone tries to introduce you," Sam quipped, and all three of them laughed for a few seconds. "Now, as I asked earlier, what brings you here?"
"We came here because we believe there's a Chaos Emerald somewhere in the area," Juan explained.
Sam smirked. "I did see someone carry what looked like a Chaos Emerald in there. I didn't see what he did with it, though."
Shi posed another question: "How come it's winter here, but nowhere near winter elsewhere?"
"There's a special weather regulator beside the trail that keeps it snowing. You can see it about a third of a mile down the trail. You can't miss it, it's got a satellite dish on top."
"Anything else?"
"Well, if you go down the trail in THOSE clothes, you'll freeze to death. It's a good thing I provide rental winter clothes here. Since the two of you are looking for the Emerald, they're on me."
"How will clothes you're wearing keep us warm?"
Sam quickly caught his mistake. "What I meant was that you wouldn't have to pay for them."
Juan and Shi took the clothes Sam handed them, put them on, and started to walk down the Trail of Winter.
"I hope nobody saw all that," Sam muttered as Juan and Shi left. "I wouldn't want that visit to turn up in an Abbott and Costello flick."
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And thus went one of the strangest conversations Sam had ever been engaged in. I appreciate your feedback!