victory_road | ANOMALY DETECTED

"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.

"I cannot deny the similarities... but I have yet to meet a hawk or hound which can learn writing as a human does, and Gremlin is capable of a great many other things besides." One of them being video gaming but, well, that's an entirely other conversation.

Speaking of the devil - Gremlin comes racing back, chittering the entire time he clambers up to Dimitri's shoulder, and he nods. "Oh, I see. Then, it seems he has found a place for us to dine. I hope you will forgive that it will likely not be what you are familiar with."

Well, there are beings in Shrike's world that could be compared to Pokémon in those ways, in terms of some being as intelligent as humans. But those are fay, and fay are, well, that's probably not a great topic to ask him about. Shrike would rather not talk about them, anyway, so rather than continue discussing this point he'll take the much easier out that Gremlin's return provides.

"Unfamiliar is hardly a problem, and should it prove less than pleasant, well, I've doubtless hard worse before."

That's not being polite, he did spend a few years living by himself in the mountains as a kid, after all.

"Oh, I hope it will not be worse, or else I will have failed as a host!" Dimitri exclaims. He honestly has no idea what the average food is like here in Johto, he won't lie. It's not like he can taste it, after all. But he's never really heard complaints from the others, so...

Alright, that's a lie. Sort of. He's heard plenty of complaining from Felix. Mostly about vegetables, and how sweet things are, and soda.

But Dimitri thinks soda is just neat, so maybe Felix can be wrong on this. He's wrong on lots of things, after all! Soda would just be one more on the list.

For now, however... They're coming up to a little building that indicates they're on the outskirts of a city. Dimitri isn't sure if he knows which one, yet... But he can recognize a diner regardless.

If Shrike thought everything else was weird, the diner aesthetic may just be one more for his list.

Dimitri goes to the door. "Here - allow me."

That certainly is an aesthetic, yes. But on the other hand, it's so foreign Shrike really can't even judge. Strange? Yes. But so are, well, a lot of things.

But on the subject of strange, no doubt Shrike's appearance will almost immediately draw everyone's attention as he follows Dimitri in. Fortunately, he's quite used to that by now. He doesn't like it, but he's used to it, and simply ignores the stares. Instead, his attention is on Dimitri.

"Do you come to places like this often?"

He's curious, not judgmental.

At least, for those who have some vague idea of the strangeness of otherworlders, it's probably not the weirdest thing they've ever seen... At least, Dimitri thinks as much, and hopes any staring will pass soon enough.

There are even local trainers who dress stranger, so, you know.

"I suppose I do, when traveling," Dimitri admits, beaming at the hostess who guides them to their little diner booth. He rather thinks they're quaint and fun, honestly, but maybe it's just because these at least have cushions built into them unlike, you know. Taverns he's familiar with. "It is easier to seek a meal elsewhere than make it, in such situations."

Dedue would probably do it, if he were determined and thought he had cause, but Dimitri thinks his lover ought take a rest when they're traveling like this.

As they settle down and are handed their menus, Dimitri leans forward. "Due to the peculiar nature of this place, you should be able to understand the language... But let me know if there are difficulties."

Shrike's deliberate ignoring of the stares doubtless helps, but, well. He just tends to draw attention, for better or worse. Must be those ears.

He does raise an eyebrow at that last remark, as he takes one of the menus. "Indeed?" is all he says before perusing it.

To start with, it's an entirely unfamiliar material, so Shrike can't help but spend a moment or two simply examining that. Smooth and reflecting the light, almost like glass, but soft and pliable like leather. While of course being neither of those at all.

Ah, the wonders of plastic.

Once his initial curiosity is, if not satisfied, at least gotten as good a look as he's going to get, he does finally take a look at the content of the menu. True to Dimitri's assurances, the strange language is mysteriously intelligible. And luckily, Shrike has a broad enough knowledge to recognize most the foods listed as ingredients for various dishes. Still, though, some are entirely unknown to him, such as...

"What's a 'sandwich'?"

Used to everything as he has now become after some years of being in Johto, Dimitri is content with simply sitting in place, pondering the differences in a couple of grilled cheeses. When the waitress drops by, he takes charge in excusing them for just water to start with, so that Shrike can fully immerse himself in investigating the menu.

Was the younger Shrike like this? Dimitri supposes he was, when he first arrived, if he could adjust to being around so many people.

......Or is the social anxiety so strong that it kept him away from diners?

Before Dimitri can get too lost in pondering such thoughts, the Shrike before him speaks up once more, and he perks up. "Oh - it is bread, sliced into thin planes, upon which you layer other foods. Often what is preferred is a type of meat, and then a variety of vegetables as well, but it is by no means a settled thing." He smiles. "some can get rather creative with the idea, as you can tell by the many varieties. Burgers are much the same."

The younger Shrike had definitely avoided diners, at least at first, instead preferring to buy his food from the stores. Though he did marvel quite a bit at first at, well, pretty much everything. At least in private. And at least once make a remark to someone about how surprised he was both at how much was available to buy and that the prices in the stores were the same for everyone.

His older self, well, at least right now he's more likely to keep any thoughts like that to himself.

"And eaten all together, I presume? Like foods served rolled in a flatbread or cooked in a dumpling?" He's definitely having to think about how that works; evidently this particular form of serving food is new to him.

He'll doubtless have many more questions once he actually finds the drinks section.

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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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coming back to this thread when I've actually been working on Shrike's story lately is... amusing XD

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