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

[blackscales]

I had noticed some... surprise.

[ Putting it mildly. ]

They have a higher intelligence where you are?

[ Do tell him about your dragons, new companion! ]

[holocast]

They do, yes. Most are at least comparable to that of humans - we don't have animals where I'm from, we have creatures known as Pokémon. They live alongside us, and some choose to stay with us as companions. They're stronger than we are, and they're people, just as much as any human would be. Dragons are Pokémon as well, where I'm from; they're definitely people, albeit nonhuman ones.

[blackscales]

[ 'At least comparable'.

Something quirks in Wrathion's expression that says he finds this sentence... amusing.

Honestly, comparable to a human? Hardly! He learns far faster, and his reasoning is much better!

His ego is also visible from space. At least this person admits these creatures are stronger than they are! ]

I see. Dragons are a... type of Pokémon?

[ There are other types too, then? This classification system seems curious. ]

[holocast]

[We're all creatures of ego here, Wrathion, you're in good company. That said, there you go, you're getting it.]

They are, yes - eighteen types in total. Some are elemental, some are more descriptive in nature; dragons fall under the latter.

[blackscales]

[ How very interesting! ]

And what is it that separates these 'Pokémon' from the other races of your world?

[ Normally worlds have many races, yes? Where is the divide, then, between Pokémon and things that are not? ]

[holocast]

...That depends on who you ask, I think. There are legends in the Sinnoh region that imply that humans used to be Pokémon as well; I'm not sure when the time came that we were considered something different.

So it's either "something undefined that nevertheless exists" or it's "nothing, actually."

[blackscales]

There's quite some difference between 'something' and 'nothing', regardless.

[ So, an important question: ]

Which is it that you believe?

[holocast]

I believe there's a difference, but I don't think that difference matters much in the end. There are stories of one of my direct ancestors having more or less married one of his Pokémon, which isn't exactly something most would find acceptable nowadays, but it's hardly invalid if that's what one really wants to do; I don't see much point in splitting hairs over classification otherwise.

[blackscales]

[ Married them? Now that is interesting, and raises further questions for Wrathion. ]

Do these creatures have similar lifespans to your own kind?

[ Or do they outlive you, as a dragon would outlive a human? ]

[holocast]

They don't. Generally speaking, they outlive us by a good amount.

[...Unless you're, like, AZ, but he's still really not sure what to make of AZ.]

Some of them live for a relatively short time; some of them are ghosts of people or Pokémon that have passed already. But for the most part they do outlive us.

[blackscales]

[ Ah! ... So then -- ]

Does that not cause... problems? The differing lifespans.

[ Asking For A Friend. ]

[holocast]

It's something we all have to accept, really.

[This facet of the conversation is a little difficult for him due to the recent Everything that happened in Kalos, but he's able to brush it off and just keep talking.]

We all live closely with our Pokémon - they're our constant companions and friends, and even if we aren't quite on the level of wanting to marry them, they're usually the closest relationships we have. It's not like it would be with another human, it's a different bond entirely.

Whatever our relationship is with them, we're going to be outlived. We can make provisions and we can ensure that everything is in order for them when we die, but there isn't much else to be done about it. That doesn't stop us from wanting to be close to them, however. It's just an inevitability that we've learned to accept.

[blackscales]

[ An inevitability they've learned to accept.

This is... a little depressing to consider, in truth, but not entirely wrong. ]

I see. I wonder if our local dragon friends here also lead long lives. They do seem to bond with the Moonblessed, in their own way.

[ Do they have the same problem? Inquiring minds. ]

[holocast]

That's a good question. I'm not acquainted with them enough to know, unfortunately, though I imagine it may be similar. I do enjoy their company, either way.

[do you even understand how much dragon babysitting happened earlier because like.]

[blackscales]

[ You ever start a regular conversation about local dragons then become depressed about how all your non-dragon friends are going to die long before you?

Hmmm. ]

I wonder. Although I have found the changes brought on by Chroma curious -- you are aware of the impact it has on them?

[ The way the Chroma of a Moonblessed traveller can change the dragon as it hatches? Fascinating! ]

[holocast]

I've noticed that overall they have an affinity for those blessed by Sanguis, but otherwise I'm afraid I'm not aware.

[...You are super into dragons and he's here for you, though.]

[blackscales]

[ He has a perfectly normal level of interesting in dragons! Don't know what you mean... ]

I have been told that if the eggs of local dragons are cared for my Moonblessed the form they take is impacted. Shape, perhaps colour and interests are all impacted supposedly by the Chroma of the Moonblessed who cared for them. Presumably they are absorbing the Chroma as they grow within their shell.

[holocast]

[Hey, man, he hangs out with the sort of people who are just really, really into bugs or plants or whatever. Everyone's got their thing and dragons will usually get you a spot in the Elite Four, it's cool.]

Really - that's absolutely fascinating. I'll have to relay it to a friend of mine here, it seems the sort of thing he'd be interested in knowing.

[blackscales]

Indeed, I find the implication that Chroma carries some individual signature particularly interesting. If it can shape growth then the energy itself is not entirely a generic, base thing.

[ It could, for example, be recognised for who generated it. Perhaps tracked. What happens if Chroma is mixed from two sources? What happens if it is absorbed then re-absorbed again? Fascinating! ]