001. video; un: cendre

[holocast]

[The video opens on someone who...well, is rather clearly used to using devices such as these to address people. Cleanly centered and well-grounded, focused easily on the man sitting at the table in what looks like one of the nicer apartments available. Not as upscale as his tastes would like, but sufficient for the time being.

His accent is unmistakably French, and his words are easy when he speaks; another thing he seems practiced at.]

Fellow Moonblessed – hopefully this message finds you well, despite all the chaos currently occurring throughout Lunatia. I am Lysandre, a recent arrival from the Kalos region of the world I'm from; more to the point, I'm a scientist and inventor. I specialize in communications technology, mainly, but with regards to other disciplines... Let's say I learn quickly.

The level of technology here is slightly beyond my own world's, but I've been acquainting myself with it since my arrival; I'm interested in speaking to those who have been doing similarly.

I'm also a Pokémon trainer, though I understand that's a bit more uncommon in this place – Pokémon are our dearest companions, and as such something has struck me as odd about the creatures populating this place. Some of them seem intelligent, but the others...

[He gestures a little, vaguely, both to imply the all of that that he finds the others to be, as well as to serve as a placeholder while he figures out what he wants to say.]

They seem a little simple, and strange behind the eyes. Are all of them like that?

[...Lysandre.]

Either way... Thank you for your time, and remain well.

Comments

un: clearwater2000

[nojohnyouare]

[Video coming in from... under a park bridge? Okay.]

Animals... Yes. Usually. Are yours smart.

[holocast]

Pokémon are... Yes, incredibly so. Some are claimed to be so far above human intelligence that it defies comprehension, though how accurate that is is a little questionable.

[The Pokédex is a thing, and so are Alakazams.]

Yours are similar to the ones here, then?

[nojohnyouare]

Mm. But not the same. No dragon-san or giant bug-san. ...Probably.

video, un: tigerpoet

[tigerpoet]

Some animals are more intelligent than others, but all of them are simple compared to humans, yes. A few species have been domesticated, but the vast majority of them are not.

[holocast]

That's... Forgive me for saying so, but that's deeply distressing.

[...Lysandre.]

What do you do for companionship where you're from, then?

[tigerpoet]

Other humans, usually?

un: tarrlok | video

[bloodisthicker]

[...oh, that’s kind of fun. Tarrlok seems kind of amused by this whole thing...]

Honestly, I think Pokemon are the ones that are a little out of the ordinary. We have animals that are about as intelligent as them back home, but we have just as many that aren’t, as well.

...

Then again, you have some Pokémon that don’t look anything like animals, so that’s the part I think is strange.

[holocast]

[Animals are weird, Tarrlok, he's literally never dealt with anything like them and they are giving him a serious case of The Wig.]

That's because they aren't animals, at least as far as I understand what animals are.

[...Why are they all so dead inside...]

They're an entirely different form of life, with their own ways of living and existing. They have just as much right to do so as anything else.

video; un: professeur

[sycamour]

[Sycamore has gotten into the habit of spending some time watching the network go by, at least once a day; it's interesting to see what his fellow inhabitants of Lunatia are doing, or asking, and he often finds himself learning something new from the odd conversation here and there. Today, he's made himself comfortable in one of his favourite cafés (they're all his favourites, but anyway), nursing a coffee while he flicks through the feed.

It's actually good that he's come across Lysandre's message while in public; the sight of him, framed so perfectly in the camera, immediately sends him back to the last time he saw his friend on a screen, and the reaction is...unfavourable, to say the least. But being in the busy café means it's just a sharp gasp and his hand tightening on the coffee cup, rather than anything more embarrassing. Just...give him a minute...

Responding to the message is, of course, compulsory - the ability to respond is...helpful, to dash away any unpleasant recollections. When he does appear, Sycamore is similarly centred neatly in view, resting his head on a hand.]

I'm not too up-to-date with the technology, but I can help with the Pokémon at least.

[He smiles fondly, after that, but there's an uncharacteristic pause afterwards, as if he's not quite sure how to follow that comment up. It drags on for a moment too long, but to Sycamore's credit, he manages to maintain eye contact (or camera contact, as it were) and restart the conversation...well, quick enough.]

...have you settled in okay?

[holocast]

[...You know, he shouldn't be surprised that Sycamore is responding; there's a fair amount of things that still need to be said between them, but he isn't altogether inclined to get into them in front of Arceus and everyone. As such, he's perfectly content to keep things light for now, not get into too much. Just...responding, and everything is generally fine because it legitimately has been lately, and...]

Well enough, I'd say. I've been keeping myself busy for the most part.

[He's been messing with any tech he can get his hands on.]

You seem well.

[sycamour]

I hope you haven't dismantled your bracelet too many times.

[Sycamore is well aware that he's likely been messing with any tech he can get his hands on, yes. The mental image makes him laugh softly; at least the fact that he's on the network means he hasn't broken the darn device.

(and even if he did, chances are he'd just fix it. Lysandre was always good at that.)]

As for me, I am also well! It's hard not to be, in this fascinating place.

[The familiarity of this style of conversation - light, easy, empty - is both comforting and grating, but Sycamore is of a similar mind to Lysandre in terms of things left unsaid. Best to keep such things off the network. Regardless, he's determined to enjoy this and keep things as pleasant as possible; straightening up, he leans back in his chair and continues to smile, quickly adjusting his bracelet - currently resting against a saucer - to ensure he's still framed neatly on the screen.]

I see you've managed to score yourself a decent apartment! I've been having a lot of fun changing the decor in mine. Although I'm assuming you'll be sticking with a red colour scheme?

[His voice is still light, gently teasing.]

video | un: yashiro

[shinseikai]

Oh, you're Lysandre.

[ Was he supposed to be being helpful or something in response to this post? whoops ]

I'd say the Professor was looking for you, but he seems to have found you.

[ Naturally Yashiro just like reads other people's threads for fun, so. There we go. ]

[holocast]

...Was he, now.

[jesus christ augustine what the fuck did you say]

Well, he certainly knows that I'm here. And you would be...?

[shinseikai]

[ You know, things and stuff, much of which was probably just over-interpreted by Yashiro. ]

I'm Yashiro. [ obviously thats his username, very straightforward stuff ] He and I are...well, I guess I wouldn't say we're friends yet, but we've been talking a lot lately. He told me a lot about you!

video | un: colress

[pokexplorer]

[Goodness, that sure is Lysandre. Colress has met him before. Well, it's better to say that he's met a Lysandre. There is no guarantee that this is the Lysandre that he crossed paths with of course, so he won't inflict that on the guy. It's just interesting to think about, especially since that Lysandre had accomplished what he set out to do.

...something Colress was entirely willing to do at one point as well.

Well, it's not going to stop him from reaching out. At the end of the day, they are scientists from the Pokemon world now living on Prismatica. That's exciting!]

Pleased to meet you, Lysandre! I am Colress, a Pokemon researcher and fellow inventor. I was conducting research in the Alola region before my arrival. I'm glad to hear that you're already dabbling with this world's technology, and would be more than happy to speak with you about it.

[As for the bit about animals in comparison to Pokemon...he can't help but smile a bit. He's had a year to adapt to this.]

From what I have gathered, Pokemon are a very unique existence in comparison to the creatures in other worlds- this one included. I have found that Pokemon that can be related to the existing creatures here are more well-received, but many have had difficulty comprehending the existence of my own Pokemon.

[holocast]

[Oh, excellent, someone here who's talking sense. Bless.]

Alola, really... That's quite some distance from Kalos. I'm curious about how you've been finding it so far.

Though regarding the Pokémon, that's the impression I've received, actually - that those that are closer to the...animals here are more easily accepted than those that are not. [Thanks, Tarrlok, that was a hell of a thing to open with.] Might I ask what sort you've raised?

[For what it's worth, Colress, this one seems a lot less of a, uh...total...goddamn asshole...than the one you're used to. Apparently winning turns the guy into an absolute dick, who knew. But at least he seems willing and eager to talk, especially now that this particular discussion is happening.]

[pokexplorer]

[He's definitely getting a much better impression this time around! That's good, because he loves having the opportunity to discuss Pokemon in this manner with someone who Gets It.]

That it is! Coincidentally, I had gone to Alola from Kalos. I have been traveling in order to study the regions' various methods of drawing out the innate power of Pokemon, you see. In that regard, Alola is fantastic! I did not intend to stay as long as I had before my arrival on Prismatica, but it has quite the wealth of fascinating data.

[Work brain never sleeps, not even in a vacation region.

Also listen, Colress' boyfriend knows what he likes...and Klinklang is not a fluffy fox. It's still cute, though!!]

Of course! My partner Pokemon is a Klinklang- we have been together since we were young. I also have a Beheeyem, Magneton, Rotom and Porygon-Z on-hand.

video | un: druidic

[arrowroot]

[Kalos and Pokemon. A friend of Professor Sycamore? She wouldn't be surprised. Still, the comment about other non-Pokemon animals being "simple" has her frowning a bit.]

Wouldn't intelligence in this case be... what's the word-- subjective? I feel like if animals were really as simple as you seem to think they wouldn't be able to survive. I've seen some "simple" creatures do some pretty outstanding things as an animal trainer myself.

[holocast]

I wouldn't say they're unable to survive, as it's clear that they are. And we do have some Pokémon that aren't on the same level as others, and yet they're capable of being downright impressive in the hands of the right trainer. However, the concept of creatures that are very similar to Pokémon in so many ways being so fundamentally different in others is what's striking me oddly. I suppose it's a difference in how they're capable of processing things, as opposed to a flat difference in intelligence.

text | j.valentine

[torsion]

[ SCIENTIST stands out to Jill. It's rarely a good sign for her, so she's already keeping her eyes on this guy. ]

Pretty common to have animals like that. At least where I come from.
Intelligence like what I've seen in pokemon isn't really possible. I don't know if it's the same here overall, though.

[holocast]

[He's willing to switch to text for ease of communication; it's not something he prefers, but it's more than fine.]

It seems to be more common for most people here to have animals along those lines. It's something that I find a bit distressing, to be blunt.

You're familiar with Pokémon as a whole, then...? Are you a trainer yourself?

video, un: blackprince

[blackscales]

[ Oh! Someone who understands!

Wrathion has no idea what manner of beast a Pokémon is, but the dragons here confuse him.

After all, he hatched able to communicate clearly in full sentences. Have you seen the dragons here? Not at all the same! What sort of intellect stat do they have?

A pair of red glowing eyes meet the screen, and Wrathion's frown is deep but his investment in this topic is very clear. ]

Do you speak of the dragons? I too, have wondered at their behaviour. They seem less... educated than I am used to.

[ More animalistic. Why? ]

[holocast]

[Oh, huh. Someone who actually gets that the dragons are weird too; this is good.]

The dragons are certainly a part of it. They don't behave anything like the ones I'm used to, either, though apparently it's fairly uncommon here to be accustomed with dragons at all.

un: undyingsoul

[necroyalty]

Here, unfortunately, I do think most animals are going to be like that. I'm a bit used to some creatures that have a bit more intelligence, but then we have the same animals you've seen here, as well.

Honestly, I'd be interested in gathering more information among the other moonblessed about just what isn't unusual for them.

[holocast]

That seems both difficult and somewhat pointless, honestly; things that we have in common are possibly useful, but otherwise it's not something most will think to bring up.