Video 01

[runicfeathers]

[There's audible frustration as you hear swearing and the pokegear clatter to the ground. (Bear with her, this is still new for her as her world used magic devices as their communication tech.) Once it's picked up and she dusts it off, she lets out a huff of embarrassment before turning the camera feature towards the Fletchling on her shoulder, and then to her own face, pointed ears poking out of her hair.]

As you must now already all be aware, I've little knowledge of this place! A curse it must be to be found in this place without your powers, and then find you've become a mortal like all the natives, how insulting!

[A brief pause before shaking her head, stopping herself before she starts cursing the ancients of Tharcia and going on a tirade about how Rivaersa unfairly cursed her, stripping her of her Phoenix powers.]

But no matter, 'tis unimportant. What draws my attention is that all here seem to be gifted in Beastmastery... how curious, that's a rare gift in my home, a gift by bloodline and tribe in fact. Are all in this place of the same ancestors or family lines? Or do these creatures have a friendlier disposition than most beasts? This one on my shoulder here, whom I've decided to name 'Nova', calls herself a "Fletchling" and says she's going to be my companion as I "train" her to become stronger. Is this what those beasts here are all called, Fletchling?

AND WHAT IS WITH THIS AWFUL NOISE PLAYING NON-STOP?

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[stardiving]

[Oh look, the starting point of this response is a disaster too, as Estinien's Vulpix once again grabs the gear from him (this time, having dug it out of the bottom of his bag) and run off with it.]

Iceheart, bring that here--Halone take it, you little monster--

[There's a short tug of war as he grabs the gear from her. Despite the annoyance in his voice, when he flips the camera around so she can actually see him, there's a cheerful and smug white fox sitting in his lap. She wanted attention and annoying him is an easy way to get it.]

There are different types. You can understand them?

[runicfeathers]

[Congrats little Vulpix, that gets a small laugh through her frustration so she's not snippy at the responder! Iceheart, what a cute name too. Once she sees him, she sees the creature in his lap as well. That must be Iceheart, what a cute creature to match the name given it.]

Different types? So they're not all called "Fletchling" then? [she nods at the question, as her bird chirps at the video to the one called Iceheart, something about introductions. What a polite bird, compared to her at the moment dense as a rock owner.] Not all of them, only the avians of this place it seems. A mouse-like creature came up to me and I could not hear its voice as I can Nova's.

[stardiving]

[If anyone could handle her being snippy with him, it's Estinien, he just straight up does not care.

He nods in response to her question.]

They are generally called [And he almost winces, because the name sounds ridiculous] Pokémon.

[Iceheart trills in agreement, and chatters a bit at the camera in response. Estinien just looks thoughtful--he obviously can't understand any of his team, he wonders why she can.

He pushes his hair back over his shoulder, revealing the little Rookidee perched there--it likes hiding in his thick bird's nest mop of hair.]

Iceheart is a Vulpix--though there are two forms, as I hear, ice and fire. Temple is a Rookidee.

[Cathedral is...a dinner plate. And also in its pokeball.]

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[amaure]

[Another immortal it seems? The slight point to her ears certainly gives him reason to believe her claims towards not being human at the very least.]

Is it not simply the worst? Certainly not worth the hassle mortals try to pretend it is.

[He'll ask about the whole...understanding Pokémon thing in a moment. That's less important.]

Forgive my forwardness, but what manner of immortal are you?

[runicfeathers]

It is! Truly the worst to be made mortal when you're born... not. I presume you were met with the same insulting fate upon arrival?

[The forwardness of the man stops her briefly, unsure of how to answer at first. Were they in Rivaersa, she'd deny him her kind outright, but here it matters not she supposes. And so, with a sigh and shake of her head, she decides to give the answer.]

A Phoenix, as I see little reason to hide my identity here since it's of little worth now and can't be hunted for my feathers or blood. Forgive my own forwardness as well, but I return your question with knowing what immortal being you are yourself.

[amaure]

[...Ah, a phoenix. Poor creature, barely realizes it's not truly immortal, for one must first be living.]

Mm, yes you need not worry over such, as we all are regrettably the same now. Naught unique about us.

[He grins as he answers her question, however. Straight forward and polite, and for that she gets an honest answer.]

I am an Ascian, though I know not whether you are familiar with my kind.

[Video]

[strings_theory]

[Excuse the small snort in the background as she gets this video set-up, just casually getting it all figured out before it settles on her. She looks... a little irritated, but that's the normal expression.]

It's just kind of a thing that happens here, whether you're fuckin' native or not. And fletchling is just what that one is. [She's shifting the camera to focus in on a moody looking talonflame with... that's... a fucking hat on the damn thing. But he seems content in his tree despite the moodiness. And the being an almost four foot tall bird.]

That's what that one'll turn into at the end of the evolution line, by the way. Pretty useful fuckin' thing. [She is not touching the music thing, sorry.]

[runicfeathers]

[The colourful language takes her aback for a moment, although she's used to hearing language such as that from Dwarves and commonfolk, so it doesn't throw her off completely. But the confirmation of it not being just immortals who get screwed over is something rather pleasing, albeit frustrating all the same.]

How dreadful... [Before she's able to say more, the sight of the large bird puts her in a state of awe, but she mentally notes that is only what Nova is called.] What a stunning creature! This is what my little Nova will become? Ah-- you say "evolution", is this something that happens after what Nova said this "training" would do, or is it something else altogether?

[Her seeming dimwittedness at the moment is only due to not having paid much mind to the scholar that had called himself "Elm" when he spoke, she was too fixated on her new bird friend that resembled her own fiery falcon back home.]

[strings_theory]

[She might as well be the most common breed of Florida Woman, so it's totally fine. Though at the commentary she nods slowly, watching her bird out of the corner of her eye. He knows he won't go anywhere, but you never know sometimes.]

Yep, that's what your bird will become. And, uh, for that particular line, yeah. There's some other Pokemon that evolve via... I guess friendship or some shit? And others with items like stones and such. [She's panning the screen around a bit to settle on a sylveon that's on his back like a ding-dong.] Demon there was one of the friendship ones, [and over to a slowking staring at the water in thought.] and Butterball had to use an item and a trade. It's all kinda weird, but you get used to it.

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[cometkin]

[The person peering back across the screen at her is an older man, bearded and balding.]

Uh, I think 'Fletchling' is just what your little bird friend is called. The animals in general are just called pokemon?

[runicfeathers]

[She tries not to visibly cringe at the name of the beasts of this world, it sounds so... awful to her to call them that.]

That's quite the strange, and... unappealing name for the beasts here, but I suppose I'll get accustomed to it as it seems I'm unable to go home.

[cometkin]

Yeah, sorry. It's just what they're called. But I think all the different kinds have different names?

[video]

[captainash]

Sadly, the music is present everywhere around here, even if the exact song tends to change as you move from route to route. You can replace it with whatever's playing on the radio, but you can't turn it off completely. It'll stop bothering you after a while.

[Probably.]

[runicfeathers]

[An incredibly frustrated sigh, akin to a growl, comes from her as she shakes her head. Not the answer she'd hoped for.]

I pray to the Ancients it would after some time, but for now it's an infernal screech in my ears. What's this "radio" of which you speak, and where can I obtain it?

[She'd never caught the explanation of if it was on her device or not, she didn't bother paying the woman called mother any mind. That woman certainly was not her mother.]

[captainash]

The good news is, you already have one.

[This is very much not the answer he wishes he could give, either, but he can at least offer that much.]

It's one of the Pokégear's basic functions. Not sure which model you have exactly, but one of the buttons should bring up a list of channels identified by a number and the letter J. Each has its own music style or a few programs about the locals, so just pick one you can tolerate for a few hours when the usual music becomes too much.

[A pause, as he suddenly remembers an important detail.]

Don't bother with the... second? Third? On the list, though, that one only ever plays a single song.

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[schachmeister]

Forgive me if I misunderstood you but... your pokemon told you?

[There are... a lot of other questions to answer, yes, but Armin can't help but stumble over that mention. Mentally, at least! There might be a few pokemon capable of psychic speech, but he has never heard of a Fletchling being capable of it.]

[runicfeathers]

[She sighs and shakes her head, of course she could understand birds. What bird couldn't understand their own kind?]

Yes, of course she did! I can understand and communicate with all forms of birds in my homeland. 'tis naught queer in the slightest there, not around my people nor with the gifted Beastmasters. Do you Beastmasters here not possess this ability to do such things with those you tame?

[schachmeister]

Not really, no. There are certain types of pokemon that can communicate with people, generally psychic pokemon or ones with very strong latent psychic abilities.

[Armin can talk with his Lapras, but that took a long time to establish.]

But other than that, people can't really talk to pokemon. You learn to understand them, of course, when you have worked with them for a long time, but it's never as clear as direct speech. It's more of a body language thing.

[video]

[fearinahandfulof]

[Being human isn't so much insulting for Cassandra as it is unsettling; she doesn't remember what it was like to be human and she doesn't like feeling vulnerable.]

Being human is strange.

[Cassandra's own pointed ears are visible on camera, as are her silvery eyes, so to Willow it's probably fairly obvious she's not speaking academically.]

I think that's a specific type of... pokemon. The one with me doesn't look like that at all. And the music is... tiring.

[Mostly because it doesn't stop.]

[runicfeathers]

Strange is putting it in a kind way.

[The ears of the woman isn't lost on Willow, something that seems strangely relieving that another person who isn't human is here.]

Tiring that it is. [A pause, curiosity piquing about the one this woman has.] What is the one you have?

[fearinahandfulof]

[She was trying to be diplomatic.]

I... was human once, but it was long ago, and I don't remember what it's like anymore.

[So far, she's not really liking it very much, although it's not as if being a warrior of the Organization had been any better; in some ways, it had even been a great deal worse. But in her experience, humans are crueler and more vicious than almost any warrior, with the possible exception of Rox— of her.]

I suppose if we're here long enough we'll stop noticing it eventually.

[She's not sure she's comfortable with that idea, either.]

The PokeGear machine says mine is a Type... Null? [She takes a moment to fiddle with the camera feature, before turning the device so that Willow can see. The Pokemon is sparkling brightly in the sunlight as it turns its attention towards Cassandra.]

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[conniemaheswaran]

One, Fletchling is a specific species of Pokémon, which are what the locals call the colorful creatures that you're supposed to catch. And cockfight and/or breed, if that's your thing.

Two, that's the soundtrack. You get used to it after a while.

Three... you can hear the Pokémon? Well, everyone can hear them, no duh, but you can understand them?

[Apparently Connie hasn't lost all since of wonder since she joined the mafia, since there's a glimmer of awe in her voice as she talks to Willow.]

[runicfeathers]

[cockfighting sounds absolutely dreadful of a phrase, must it be given such a crude name? She puts it from her mind, animal fighting was the least of her worries back home.]

I see, so Nova here is one of many then, how curious.

But this soundtrack, I'll... Get used to it? I know whether or not that is a relief or cause to be concerned.

[to the third, Willow lets out a sigh. Everyone seemed to be questioning her gift of birdsong, a gift that was natural among Phoenixes as well as some of the beastmaster tribes in the mountains who worked with the large birds.

Yes, of course! Birdsong is the call and song of birds. However, I cannot understand all creatures, such as this mouse creature. [the camera turns to a Ratatta nearby before going back to her.] That creature I cannot understand.

Video 1,000,000,000 years later, (well not ICly but)

[seacub]

[Mmmmm...as pleasant as most of the people he knows, truly.] You know...

I don't think saying it's insulting is going to help make people want to help... [Just. Just a thought.] Everyone here trains pokemon though if that's what you're talking about. So I don't think it's very rare to befriend them. A lot of them are pretty nice...they'll fight, and attack people, but they never do it with enough force to really hurt anyone too badly it seems.

Pokemon are what they're called by the way. Fletchling is the species! Hermana had one actually! Uh...

[...] You said she called herself that..?

Time is FAKE!!

[runicfeathers]

[Oh-- a child from what she can tell. Well, this requires a different approach to this less than ideal or pleasant lecture she receives. Count yourself lucky child, were you an adult she would have had quite a many choice words with you. Fortune favours your apparent youth here, indeed.]

Perhaps... I could have been more polite, but forgive my frustrations, it is something one not mortal is used to becoming. But. [A pause to take a breath, seemingly more calm now than before whilst adressing a child.] That indeed was what I was referring to, and if I am to be understanding correctly, these pokemon creatures are... friendlier than ferocious beasts that could rend one in two?

[She tilts her head, not understanding the word hermana, but nodding at the boy's question.]

Hermana? And yes, she told me she is called a Fletchling. Is this... strange?