victory_road | ANOMALY DETECTED

Shrike still looks a bit startled, if also now frowning a bit.

"And your friend just happens to go b--"

He's interrupted by the rat-thing launching itself at him. But rather than try to grab or swat at it, instead he attempts to step away and to the side. One arm is raised, but it's purely defensively; if anything he's taken care in his movements to avoid in any way striking the creature, at least for now as long as he has no reason to consider it a danger.

It may, just possibly, be similar to how a certain much younger fayblood boy avoids actions he thinks might hurt someone, on account of his unnatural strength.

Gremlin hits the ground with a very... distinct thud of impact, despite being such a tiny creature compared to the other two giants around him. This does not seem to bother him much, because he's whirling around again, chittering as loud as a tiny rodent possibly can. This continues even when Dimitri finally reacts, hurrying forward to scoop Gremlin up into his palms.

"Gremlin, no, you cannot act so rashly like that," he says, but he's still looking over at the man even as he says this. It's almost possible to literally see the gears in his head turning as he finally begins to put some pieces together.

It is outrageous, but... This is an outrageous time. "Sir, I... believe we did not do introductions. I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd."

On the one hand, Shrike would be perfectly justified in simply ending this conversation here and now, and he knows it. Aside from how strange this fellow is behaving, and the even stranger things he's saying, his... pet, or whatever it is, leaping at him would be sufficient grounds for him to leave. There are plenty of circumstances in which one might be obligated to continue to engage for all sorts of reasons, but at least one line has definitely been crossed, and it would reflect poorly on neither him nor his sovereign if Shrike refused to engage this nonsense further.

And yet, he hesitates to do so. The very strangeness of it all has piqued a certain curiosity. The sort that would doubtless continue to nag at him if he didn't at least try to find out what's going on. Not to mention, an introduction and name has been given; it wouldn't do not to at least return the courtesy. So instead he makes an effort to try to school his scowl into a more neutral expression to make a proper response.

"I am Shrike of the Yanchet, until recent Court Wizard to King Ferros of Saggrem, now Court Wizard and Consort to Queen Beredvyn of Nal."

Technically speaking, giving the titles was not strictly necessary. But Shrike's found doing so can be useful in discouraging certain... unwise behaviors some people might otherwise attempt. That, and he he wishes to see if this stranger at least recognizes something in them, for all that he seems to not yet still somewhat recognize Shrike himself.

In Dimitri's grip, Gremlin claps his hands together pointedly and then flings them out to gesture to Shrike.

SEE?

And Dimitri... Well. He cannot deny he sees. Especially with the awkward wide eyed look he is sending the man's way. This is... not what he was expecting. Despite the fact that he knows it should always be a possibility during these very peculiar weekends. And now he just... has to deal with this.

How is he supposed to deal with this?

He cannot stay silent, that much is clear - this adult version of the boy he knows very clearly doesn't have the patience for it. So Dimitri has to go with, well. With what's happening.

"If that is truly your name, sir - and I mean no disrespect by that, only that we are both far from our homelands and thus i can only trust your word - then I perhaps know why it is that I thought you so familiar and my rat reacted so strongly. As I said, I do know a young lad of fae blood with your same name, and, while I know this may make me sound to be a liar or a madman or both.... I believe you and he to be the same person."

A lack of patience? Perhaps. Certainly Shrike lacks a willingness to trust easily. Precious few people had ever proven worth it over the decades, after all.

Still, that claim is so wildly unexpected that he has to, at the very least, believe this fellow at least thinks it's true. No one deliberately trying to lie to him would be so foolish, surely.

"That is impossible," he replies dismissively. "To begin with, you are not nearly old enough by half, and besides which, I'm quite certain I would have some recollection of knowing someone who appears so striking."

.... Phrasing, Shrike, phrasing.

"Oh, thank you," Dimitri says, misunderstanding the comment for a compliment. As he speaks, Gremlin starts crawling about him and digging for the Pokegear. Dimitri mostly ignores him, honestly.

The rat should know what he's doing.

"But compliments aside... While I understand how ridiculous it sounds, this place does not operate on the sort of logic one would expect. Only the other week, and I had been certain of your existence as a youth, and one whom I had spoken with to some regularity. Yet, you see... People can only recall this place, and the things they have done here, while they are here. Should they leave... There is a chance they will lose those memories forever."

Probably? Dimitri cannot claim to be an expert on the matters. Then again, he isn't sure if anyone can.

"..."

One of these days, Shrike is going to have to learn to better watch what he says. Today, however, is clearly not that day. But on the other hand, trying to correct the misconception would only draw attention to the fact that he chose his words poorly. Better to let that slide than continue to fumble; hopefully his earlier reference to being consort to a queen made it clear enough that he had no flirtatious intentions, at least. Hopefully.

In any case, there's the rest of that explanation to address.

"So I am to believe there's some--some manner of manipulation of time itself, as well?"

The memories thing is weird too, but the other bit is even more unbelievable.

"I understand it is difficult to believe. In truth, I have only rarely had to deal with such matters myself..." It's not something that happens to him a lot. More that he loses a loved one, they come back, and then it turns out they remember nothing.

It's not exactly fine, but it's what he has more experience with.

Dimitri sighs, stroking along Gremlin's head. "At any rate, I can only tell you the truth as I know it."

"Then you will pardon me if I find it unbelievable nonetheless."

He's a skilled and powerful mage, he's quite aware of what magic can do... and what it can't do. And what this fellow is claiming is simply, well, impossible, as far as Shrike sees it. This fellow must be mistaken, or mislead. Or something.

Dimitri simply nods. What else can he do? Even when he had first arrived in Johto the... common way, he had thought himself dead in some sort of afterlife. (And then some days, he wonders if he is not still worse than mad, and this is all in his head.) Either this version of Shrike will be hear long enough to understand the reality of the situation, or he will hopefully go back home.

But still. What an exciting development! If only he could congratulate Shrike on it all.

...But then, he might find his future as unbelievable as his future self finds this entire situation.

"Then, if nothing else, I can attempt to guide you to the nearest town before the sun comes to a rest. It will be good for us to have some food, with the sort of day this is inevitably going to be."

A pity there's little enough proof Dimitri could offer other than his word. Shrike, well, didn't exactly have much access to mirrors in his own world when he was young, so it's debatable whether he'd recognize himself from fifty years younger even if he'd been in the habit of posting videos to the network.

For that matter, this version of Shrike wouldn't even know what such a network is.

In any case, that offer makes him pause a moment.

"I find it doubtful that I possess currency recognized in this place." Yep, still same old dislike of feeling indebted to others.

Ah. Truly, some things never change no matter how many years pass. Dimitri decides not to comment on that, however, in the face of such a familiar habit.

Instead, he inclines his head to Shrike. "Oh, please, allow me. After all, I did cause a bit of trouble to you," he says, which will hopefully do well enough. "And I suppose I was somewhat rude before. this will allow me to feel settled."

Shrike is still somewhat hesitant, though whether Dimitri intended it or not, the offer sounded close enough to one of hospitality to almost be convincing.

"Ah, I have no wish to impose..."

For all that, when the topic comes up, Shrike tends to adamantly insist he's human, some of his habits definitely might strike one as more like a fay. Though, at least he's much cannier about such things now than when he was younger.

"My good sir, I am wandering about the countryside," Dimitri points out. "It is hardly an imposition. No doubt I would have to sooner eat as well, so it would be nice to have company. And look! Gremlin has been so excited to see you!"

Gremlin, currently racing back and forth along his shoulders now, with absolutely no lack of energy.

And no lack of chittering.

Some people may make jokes about "quiet as a mouse", but Gremlin clearly missed that memo.

"And no doubt you also wish to ask endless questions of me..."

It's half-muttered, did he actually mean that to be heard or not? It's honestly pretty hard to tell.

"I suppose if it's the only way for you to be at ease, there's little other choice but to accept your hospitality."

"I will endeavor to ask only the most basic of questions to help make our time here better." Dimitri beams, pleased this is going his way. Sometimes, when a man is stubborn enough and knows enough social nicety bullshit, he can get away with a lot.

Fortunate that Dimitri tends towards just using those powers to feed people.

He looks back down to his Rattata. "Then, Gremlin, if you could please help guide us to a proper place..."

And that's that, with Gremlin leaping off of him and heading straight in a direction, no hesitation. Dimitri follows after. "Gremlin is a very good finder of good food, although some of his compatriots may have a better nose for it, so you have no need to worry. We will find a good place to dine."

It's possible, perhaps, that Shrike is also just a little bit curious about this fellow who claims to know his younger self. Maybe. He's not admitting to anything, at least. At least he made clear that he was accepting an offer of hospitality, in any case; his own dislike of being indebted to people aside, you'd be amazed at the kinds of favors people will try to trick out of someone as highly-placed as a court wizard. Especially one who undoubtedly has his monarch's ear.

"Good food by a person's standards, or a rat's?"

Is he asking that seriously? Just joking? Maybe being sarcastic?

... actually he just blurted that out before he could catch himself. Oops.

If it is a joke, it is going straight past Dimitri's head as he stares back at Shrike.

"Is it not the same thing?"

What he means to say is that, well, Pokemon are truly their own people who have simply entered into a very strange kind of partnership with humans. To say that Gremlin is just a rat is, in Dimitri's opinion, doing Gremlin a great disservice.

....But without any of that context, well, it is what it is.

To be fair, ~~this version of~~ Shrike is new here. He hasn't quite grasped how intelligent Pokémon can be. Not to mention, well, in his world there's humans and there's fay. As far as he's concerned only the former properly count as people, regardless of how intelligent the latter may seem. He might be a little biased.

"That--what?"

Of course, now he's confused by the seemingly nonsensical response. Or well, nonsensical to him. This may resemble the way a certain kid gets when he's flustered, though...

Oh, this is most certainly some version of Shrike. Dimitri tucks that away in the back of his mind, however, because then he would just be retreading old ground.

"Gremlin is extremely intelligent," he explains further, and that seems to remind him of how things stand. Ah, right. He has only arrived in this world. "He is not merely a rat. You saw the way he reacted, and tried to communicate, did you not?"

Shrike frowns a bit at that.

"Some fay can be quite intelligent and cunning in their own ways, but that does not make them comparable to humans."

There's something a little dismissive, and a little testy in his tone. This is, perhaps, not a topic he likes to discuss. But it's also perhaps telling in what experience he's had before and how he's applying it to things here, at least.

"I cannot speak on fae, so I can only trust in your words on such a matter," Dimitri says bluntly, shrugging. "But I speak of Gremlin, and Rattata, and all such similar creatures of this land in that I say they are their own people, intelligent and capable of opinion."

Well, he supposes technically any living creature is capable of opinion. Even a dog can have a preferred scratching spot, or like one food but not another.

That's not important.

To be fair, this is a pretty novel concept to Shrike. And there's a vast difference between a naive and inexperienced boy and a much older man, when it comes to getting used to new ideas.

"Yet they are still creatures, not true equals in all regards?"

He's genuinely asking, this is a very strange idea to him.

"Well... How would you define 'equal'?" Dimitri tilts his head to the side.

"For the most part, they do listen to humans, especially in regards to battle - that seems to be the primary benefit for them, as a matter of fact, that they gain better wisdom and strength battling and thus are able to grow. However, they also are tended to in regards to health, home, and food, never having to worry about such things."

....huh.

"I suppose with that in mind, they benefit the most from us." Free board and food, plus their main fighty goals.

"That sounds rather like kept hounds or hawks or the like."

Which, according to the people who train them, can be quite intelligent in their own right. Though Shrike can't attest to that himself; his specialties are magecraft and strategy, not animal handling.

"What an odd place..."

He might not have meant to say that last bit loud enough to be heard. He's still a fair bit disoriented.

well now Dimitri can appreciate how much Shrike has grown in VR vs his 'canon' self

it only took him multiple responses to get here lmao

the most socially sensible person in this group is a giant purple rat

rats are social animals, of course, i say like humans aren't

a social rat vs a pair of somewhat feral humans

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tags an old fourth wall while recent fourth wall is going, it's fine

I mean I was off at a con during the new 4th wall soooo XD

i don't have an excuse i'm always slow lol

then I zoom in here with ninja tgas at work

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