[Video 001]

[findingbeasts]

--we are. I believe it's on now. Queenie could you please hold this--yes thank you.

[A happy little twill comes in response as an Audino is briefly in view before she turns the gear on her trainer. The young man looks a little ruffled or maybe that's just his natural state, Newt absently adjusting his jacket as he sits down on a log.]

Yes, hello. My name is Newt Scamander and I am relatively new to this place. Only been around for a, ah, few days now, I believe it's been.

[His smile is a touch awkward and maybe even a little shy. He's really not good at this sort of thing.

A sharp little chirp announces the presence of a Starly that hops into view on the log, one leg carefully folded up and it looks as though it's been wrapped up due to an injury. Newt's expression melts into a genuine smile as he gently scoops the little thing up, allowing Merlin to rest on his thigh.]

Right then. I've just finished reading through what there is in the Pokedex, a rather fascinating read so many creatures I haven't encountered before--

[He's in his element here.]

--and I was wondering if there was..well..more. To read, that is. A library perhaps? Anything that could help fill in the gaps that my Pokedex is lacking until I can fill the rest in myself.

Comments

[rambling_runner]

[ Ash shrugged. ] It's just how it is, I guess. Sometimes I wonder if that's why he took me in, cos he got lonely. We'll figure something out someday.

But you know about magic too? Man, some people here come from worlds without magic at all. It's crazy to imagine. It's still weird to wake up without it here.

[ At his side, the Lucario grumbled slightly and shifted to sit beside him, cross-legged and still paying keen attention to Newt. ]

[findingbeasts]

Perhaps.

Oh, um, yes, I do. [Newt glances at the Lucario again, holding the other's gaze curiously even as he continues to speak to Ash.] Where I come from, there are actually two types of people--magical and non-magical. Or Muggles, as we tend to call them. The wizardry world is a bit of a secret from them, for the most part. There are some exceptions but laws prohibit most of our interactions...

[He trails off, offering the Lucario a bit of a smile.]

Hello there.

[rambling_runner]

Wait, people without magic...don't know? Why? I mean, there's people with and people without it in my world too. But, that'd be like trying to hide all the Orcs away and pretending they don't exist, or the elves or something like that. That's nuts. [ Ash ruffled his hair, trying to wrap his head around the the idea. ]

[ The Lucario tilted it's head thoughtfully. A secret keeper, hm? But enforced by the law. That didn't sit well with Kinnagoe's shadowpunk attitude. He nodded seriously at Newt in greeting. ]

Oh, this is one of my Pokemon with me. His name's Kinnagoe.

[findingbeasts]

We have elves and creatures of that nature as well. The magical world is quite large we just tend to use various forms of magic to keep things invisible to Muggles. Once upon a time they were aware of witches and wizards and they..well they didn't react well. Thus the secrecy.

[They burned magical individuals. It wasn't something anyone wanted a repeat of.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Kinnagoe. He's a Lucario, is he not?

[rambling_runner]

Well I mean...it's a muddled up history here too. But it was muddled on both sides. It's gotten to the point now were we're all basically equal and have the same rights. People are just always gonna find something to hate other people over. [ Magic beings taking advantage of non-magic ones, the mistreatment of orcs, the troll conquests...everyone had attempted to fuck each other over or declared each other a threat to society. And it varied all over the world. There were attempted witch burnings but because they were often done based on bullshit reasoning, more non-magic persons ended up being killed than magical ones, and it ended up leading to the foundation of certain old guilds and magic groups that look out and try to preserve the rights of magical persons. ]

And ur...not really. He just looks like one right now. [ Kinnagoe gave a small smirk, showing some sharp teeth. ]

[findingbeasts]

That is the unfortunate part of any place. I've never understood why it's so hard for everyone to except everyone for who they are. Everyone is fascinating in their own way, if you ask me, and one would think everyone would want to learn all they can..

[It's strange and upsetting to Newt, truly. He's always been intrigued by the magical and non-magical worlds alike. They could coincide nicely if people would stop being so hateful.]

Ah, so one of the Pokemon capable of illusions or shape-shifting. I'm going to rule out the latter due to his face looking quite normal so I believe the name was a Zorua? Or it's evolution Zoroark?

[rambling_runner]

[ Ash shrugged. ] Well I don't see how it can get better if you keep it hidden. But that's not really anything I can talk about here, since nobody's got their magic here.

Yeah, he's a Zoroark. [ Said Zoroark kept the illusion up, his tail swinging lazily from side to side. ] But he doesn't like showing himself to people.

[findingbeasts]

Most wizards and witches fear the persecution that we once faced. I, ah, doubt anyone is really fond of the idea of being, well, burned at the stake.

[He really isn't fond of the idea himself but that doesn't stop him from interacting with Muggles. He just has to be careful.

Newt smiles softly, giving an understand nod.]

Nothing wrong with that. Some individuals just prefer to be more secretive. I've encountered quite a few creatures in my travels that feel the same. For them it was largely a means of keeping themselves safe.

[His attention is wholly on Kinnagoe now as his smile gets a bit wider.]

It's a pleasure to meet you all the same, Kinnagoe.

[rambling_runner]

Well, that's why we got laws against that shit nowadays. Non-wizard people don't like being set on fire by spells either. [ Everyone can fuck everyone up back home.

Kinnagoe flicked an ear when addressed and slowly nodded. He could certainly understand Newt's point of view, although he wouldn't hide away his entire species as Newt seems to have done. ]

[findingbeasts]

We still co-exist. Many wizards and witches work and live in the Muggle world on a daily basis. There's just another world that exists around it as well that's invisible to those without a magical nature. It protects not only humans but magical creatures as well such as dragons, centaurs, hippogriffs--right now it's just a far better situation. The world as whole isn't ready to know of the magical world yet.

[Considering he's out of the 1920s, it's really no surprise.]

[rambling_runner]

Well I dunno what time you came from, but we've known about each other since medieval times in my world and it's nearly 2020. And like, Dragons are CEOs of companies and shit. They can handle themselves. [ Protect...dragons? What is that, dragons are perfectly as intelligent as humans? If it was like the Orc Rights movement then yeah sure, but dragons just wouldn't take that shit from humans, given they could probably wipe out settlements if they were pissed off. ]

[findingbeasts]

...Pardon?

[Newt looks rather confused for a moment.]

CEO of companies?

[He's experienced a lot of very strange things but this is definitely one of the stranger ones.]

It was 1926 when I was last home--2020. That's quite a ways in the future for me.

[Newt shakes his head, looking mystified.]

Most creatures where I come from have faced extinction because of over hunting by humans. It's a large part of why they've gone into hiding and avoid the Muggle world as much as possible. It's far safer for them to exist in secret--much like it's safer for us in the magical community.

[rambling_runner]

Oh yeah, some animals are straight up dead. [ Ash sighed. People were idiots. ] But, that's just how things are.

What's so surprising about dragons owning companies? They're intelligent like people, can hold some good conversation and all that. They're just greedy as fuck, so of course they'd switch from piles of gold to the stock market.

[findingbeasts]

....Dragons don't speak any language that humans can understand where I come from. They are extremely dangerous and only those wizards and witches trained to interact with them dare to go near. They are possibly one of the hardest magical species to keep hidden from humans because of how aggressive they are.

[rambling_runner]

...Nah, back home dragons are intelligent as everyone else. Usually moreso, crafty bastards they are. Some prefer the 'old ways' of being gits, keeping a mountain to themselves and hoarding shit, but others know that if you wanna have influence over people, you gotta be in business.

Trust me, they're still dangerous as all hell. But so's anyone with a loaded gun. A dragon's real dangerous comes not just in it's fire and talons but in it's wits and charms too. They know how to use people man. Never, ever make a deal with one.

[findingbeasts]

I have a feeling we come from very, very different magic based worlds. There are no records, not even from Merlin's time, of dragons showing that level of intelligence. They're very smart and very old but communication with them is impossible.

[Newt shifts a bit, clearly a bit uncomfortable because he feels like he's upsetting Ash or being judged by him. He's not really sure.]

[rambling_runner]

Oh yeah no doubt. Sorry, it just seems so weird that we both have magic but it's so different.

[ And he'd gotten his hopes up a bit there. He exhales, shoulders sagging before giving Newt a somewhat apologetic smile. ]

Anyway. Was nice meeting you and Queenie!